A rousing cry for freedom, a celebration of the courage of Black soldiers who fought for their liberty in the Civil War, and a well-researched history, the second entry in Mason’s “documentary” fiction trilogy continues the story of the real Parson Sykes, who along with his brothers escaped enslavement and seized his own freedom, first by fleeing a farm in Southampton County, Virginia, and then by heading for Norfolk and Fort Monroe to enlist in the Union Army. Following the events of the first book, the story picks up in December of 1864, with 17 year-old Sykes and his brothers Joseph and Henry “between bondage and freedom” at Fort Monroe, facing scant supplies, meeting other former slaves from around the country, enduring racist invective from officers, and eventually seeing combat with a cavalry regiment of the United States Colored Troops (UCST).

Freedom is a tangible but still distant dream for Sykes, though the tide was turning against slavery. Parson and the UCST fight bravely despite inadequate training or supplies, earning the respect of their Union Army, but as Mason demonstrates continually, his fight began long before the war itself—Sykes must fight to simply enlist in the army as a Black man and “contraband of war,” a term for escaped slaves who sought refuge at military camps but were often relegated to menial tasks.

As it follows the battle against the Confederates—from Fort Monroe to Richmond, from contraband to serving in the cavalry, from ghastly diseases to bloody battles—Mason’s novel often emphasizes the historical record over fictionalized scenes or sensational drama, though moments of doubt and fear have power. That works, though, despite some repetitive passages—the history is more exciting than fiction. Often, Mason, a descendant of Sykes’s, reports what the real Sykes wrote to others, capturing epochal events and the everyday textures of life. The result is a powerful reminder of the crucial, often overlooked, role Black soldiers played in the Civil War. Thorough introductory material provides essential context.

Takeaway: Fascinating “documentary” novel of a formerly enslaved man seizing freedom in the Union Army.

Comparable Titles: Joyce Hansen’s Which Way Freedom?, Douglas K. Egerton’s Thunder at the Gates.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

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Arguing that people’s best performance comes “when the least control is applied” and “when trust exists by default,” Jaroslawski’s Digital Irreverent lives up to its pitch: how the success of top digital talent, who often feel empowered to approach their work with a new “irreverence” for traditional hierarchies, can inform management approaches for other organizations. Jaroslawski, the Chief Technology Officer at the Dubai-based global financial institution Edenred UAE, is known for assembling technology and product development teams that outpace the competition. Here, he presents a clear and inviting playbook for a principled irreverence in product development, calling for collaborative, interdisciplinary, purpose-driven, customer-focused teams given the freedom and trust to “adapt to any circumstances.” Pointing out hard truths about today’s demand-driven economy, where there’s little time for catch-up, Jaroslawski argues that it’s urgent to “lose respect for the things which, while commanding respect in our business world, negatively contribute to the results we seek.”

Instead, he calls for an unwavering focus on exceeding customer expectations and offers a wealth of hard-won, practical advice, from reminders not to “fall in love” with established processes to the six steps of his *Digital Irreverent* Playbook. He also offers advice on spreading responsibility among competent partners and instilling in teams a sense of ownership (he prefers Project Owners to Project Managers). Otherwise, the book is an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and, above all, instructional read.

Digital Irreverent is a resourceful, of-the-moment guide for those looking to take their organization to that seemingly elusive next level. Irreverence, a concept explored in depth, is linked with agility, inquisitiveness, and the ability to pounce on new opportunities without worrying about entrenched hierarchies. Small companies, Jaroslawski notes, can benefit from new technology just as readily as larger competitors, and the small company that is first to market may quickly become a dominant player, especially if it is satisfying customer needs in a way its established competitors—likely less open to irreverent innovation—have failed to achieve.

Takeaway: Practical, thought-provoking guidance to empowering digital development teams for success.

Comparable Titles: George Karseras’s Build Better Teams, Nigel Vaz’s Digital Business Transformation.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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This swift, swaggering space-opera debut follows the desperate remnants of humanity into space some 500 years from now after Earth’s annexation (and destruction) by Edric Peregrine and his Aetherian Empire. In the aftermath, Earth’s Captain Elliot Greyjoy finds himself serving at the pleasure of Edric himself, hunting down Terran collaborators, now loose in the galaxy, who killed countless Terran innocents—and stole ships that could have aided in the evacuation of humans. Elliot accepts the assignment, though he keeps his ultimate mission secret: revenge against Edric, both for the Terrans dead at Edric’s command, but also personal losses, like the woman he loved … or the Aetherian princess, Ember, trusted to Elliot’s care after first contact but then assassinated.

On the hunt, Elliot discovers Ember’s spitting image in a Terran orphan, Aurora, who is astonished to discover that, like Ember herself, she can connect to his mind through the “empathic link” shared by Aetherian Royalty. From there, Ideue keeps the story hurtling along as Elliot, Ember, and crew (including the scene-stealing AI Zorac) strive to discover the emperor’s secrets, take revenge, and build an enduring foundation for humanity’s future. Despite the novel’s scope and hefty length, the pages turn quickly, the storytelling powered by something as potent as any antimatter drive: Ideue’s passion for space adventure in a classic vein, for stout heroes, ragtag crews, and bold missions; for epic space battles described with an attention to tactics; for stakes that are both civilizational and deeply personal.

Ideue never ignores advanced tech or scientific ideas, but they also never get in the way of fun or momentum. Elliot’s love of Bablyon 5 and Galaxy Quest is cute, a cue not to take this too seriously—for Elliot, isn’t that like being obsessive about Middle English lit today? The rousing ending, coming some 400 pages after Earth’s destruction, finds what’s left of humanity facing a much wider universe, sure to be explored in later books of the promising New Terrans series.

Takeaway: Fun, action-packed space opera of an Earth captain facing an empire.

Comparable Titles: John Birmingham’s The Cruel Stars series, Gareth L. Powell’s Continuance series.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

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Dickson’s debut plunges readers into a world where romance and darkness intertwine. The prologue teases a murder before quickly pivoting to a whirlwind affair between public relations star Emiliah Bent and powerful CEO Ben Goodall, offering readers a captivating blend of allure and danger. When Emiliah initiates an edgy promotional limerick to her entire press list, her unconventional style takes the internet by storm, catapulting her into a new level of fame where she meets Ben, who sweeps her off to private jets and lavish dinners, transforming her world into one of luxury and fulfillment. But soon Ben’s grip on Emiliah tightens, slowly extending to every aspect of her life and gradually stripping away her independence.

From there, The Story of Emiliah Bent morphs into a dark tale of control and danger, as Emiliah refuses to confront her haunting past or challenge the seeming ease of her new lifestyle. The casual first-person narrative pulls readers in with a steady build-up of tension, punctuated by moments of stark intensity as Emiliah’s shifting perception of her relationship moves from dreamlike wonder to desperate urgency. Dickson weaves a treacherous line between romance and thriller, allowing Emiliah and Ben’s relationship to darken with each chapter.

The novel echoes themes of oppression, but with a brutal edge that will push readers to the brink, as Emiliah breaks free from her socially awkward, low-self-esteem prison into a different type of bondage, where tender lovemaking swiftly morphs into something terrifying and Ben progressively becomes more violent and unpredictable. The blend of romance with psychological suspense cuts deep, opening a world of shadows behind a seemingly perfect love story, and Dickson's portrayal of the dangers that can lurk just beneath love’s surface—combined with a killer surprise ending—is sure to resonate with fans of darker romantic thrillers.

Takeaway: Passion, violence, and the past erupt in this dark romance.

Comparable Titles: Nicole Blanchard’s Toxic, Sheridan Anne’s Pretty Monster.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A

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Retired doctor and widow Meg never guessed her 70s would be a time of turmoil. When her adult son, Nick, refuses to move out, and Meg grows weary of his freeloading, she kickstarts her golden years by selling her house and buying a quiet flat near a golf course. Unfortunately, her idyll is soon disrupted when an accident reconnects her with Colin, her first love, lost to her when he was conscripted into the Vietnam War. As the pair sort out unresolved feelings for each other, a dangerous presence from Colin’s past makes itself known—and they must decide if rekindling their love is worth the risk.

Brooksbank (author of All My Love) takes readers on a smooth ride with a down-to-earth, relatable main character. Like many retirees embarking on a new stage, Meg isn’t quite sure what she wants, though she instinctively feels a change is in order. Readers will be endeared as she tries to defy generational expectations and vows “not stir up the air or the water, not do anything foolish like falling in love,” just as she falls head over heels for her old fling. That affair comes with some serious risks, thanks to shocking secrets from Colin’s past, and Brooksbank teases those secrets to add moments of action and surprise to the novel.

Besides the main affair, Brooksbank adds compelling relationships between Meg and other characters, including her neighbors Linh and Suzanne, and Nick—a bohemian pain-in-the-rear whose honest and unapologetic nature, in combination with his genuine care for his mother, makes him entertaining and strangely appealing. His character arc suffers from a lack of development at times, but Brooksbank makes up for that by giving him a crucial role in the story’s surprise ending—one that allows mother and son some reconnection and hope for their future. This soft love story has considerable backbone.

Takeaway: Cozy women’s fiction with high-stakes thrills sprinkled throughout.

Comparable Titles: Lisa Williams Kline’s Ladies’ Day, Nancy Crochiere’s Graceland.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Don't I Know You?

Sarda’s brutal modern thriller (the third in the Hamburg Noir series) explodes like a Molotov cocktail as revolution and murder collide on the streets of Hamburg. Former Bundeswehr (German military force) bomb disposal expert Edda Green thrives in the city’s underbelly, fueled by oxycodone and violence. Employed by the shadowy BKA to infiltrate a revolutionary cell responsible for deadly riots, Edda goes off the rails when the tortured body of her Army blood brother washes up in the harbor. Homicide detective Meike Voss, alongside Meike’s partner Motz Beck and team leader Thomas Ritter, is on the case, too, with all signs pointing toward a foreign conspiracy.

Sarda commands readers’ attention with energized prose, snapping the world and its characters into unflinching focus and presenting a gnarly, atmospheric mosaic of a Hamburg where everybody, as Edda reflects, “knew the difference between an insider and an outsider. And nobody liked the cops.” There’s a lived-in sense to everything (and everyone), where even the idlest of background figures feel less like set dressing and more like essential denizens in their own right. It’s an impressive weaving of vitality and messy humanity.

As a Californian living and working in Hamburg, Sarda leverages his perspective in crafting a striking vision of a “rugged harbor town… with a robust and colorful criminal underworld.” From the WWII-era bunker Edda calls home to the Blankenese foothills overlooking the container islands in the harbor, there is a palpable vein of history pumping beneath the concrete skin of Sarda’s Hamburg to match the beating hearts of his cast. Shuddering with vibrant immersion, Edda Green practically muscles its lesser parts into working order, culminating in the kind of engaging, street-level crime fiction noir fans crave.

Takeaway: A vibrant, muscular neo-noir, alive with magnetic characters and a vivid Hamburg.

Comparable Titles: Andrew Warren’s Cold Kill, Nic Saint’s A Field of Blood.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about Edda Green

"Why is it so hard for me to be kind to him?" writes Hitchcock of her husband, Joe, as she reflects on their broken relationship. That sentiment swirls throughout this stirring debut memoir, as Hitchcock recounts the struggles that led to the downfall of her marriage, the couple’s last-ditch effort to save it, and her own awakening in the aftermath of its destruction. After their children grow up and leave home, Hitchcock and her husband light on an opportunity to purchase a ranch in the Wet Mountains of Colorado, agreeing to give their marriage one last chance—nine months to recover or agree to “go our separate ways.”

As Hitchcock reflects on that journey, readers will be swept into the daily ups and downs of a long-term marriage on the rocks, for no glaring reasons other than a gradual growing apart. Both she and Joe feel the tug of an almost-comfortable sense of isolation weighed against the pain that comes with opening up and admitting “I just want to be loved,” and, as they move towards separation, Hitchcock also confronts her tumultuous childhood—fraught with emotionally absent parents and episodes of sexual assault—and its impact on her ability to bond with other people.

The end of Hitchcock’s marriage triggers a new beginning, and she leans on her Buddhist beliefs to find peace—and a way forward when everything falls apart. That path includes her transformation from student to teacher, as she leads meditation classes inside a federal prison nearby her new home, and, eventually, a solitary life on the ranch that creates inroads for her healing. After much self-work, Hitchcock reflects on her redemption in liberating tones, writing that “I always had a nagging feeling that there was something else, something more, some kind of freedom from my unhappiness,” before proclaiming “we can connect with a goodness inside ourselves and find happiness there.”

Takeaway: Memoir of finding happiness within when life falls apart.

Comparable Titles: Jaymen Chang’s I Love This Version of Myself That You Brought Out, Nora McInerny’s No Happy Endings.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+

Click here for more about A Tree With My Name On It

Marie whisks readers back into the world of the Cognation Academy with her third of the After Intelligence Series, which finds intrepid student Charlotte Blythe, now in her third year at tech-giant Cognation’s wildly innovative school, on edge after Dr. Kindred, Athena Fawlings, and her parents present a new tech product that might herald the fall of Cognation: “a new kind of soulmate.” Designed to “seamlessly integrate” with the user’s senses, this augmented intelligence device dazzles Charlotte’s classmates, but Charlotte is more than skeptical. After uncovering secrets about Cognation in the previous books, and alarming encounters with an AI named C.J. who might just be preparing to destroy everything she knows, Charlotte and her wry android bestie Isaac must expose the truth about Cognation Industries’ “brazen hubris” and this “invasive” tech’s “potentially catastrophic consequences.”

This entry is a swift, exciting, of-the-moment read that plunges readers into the tangled web of machine learning, augmented and artificial intelligence, and thoughtful exploration of the ethics of all of this. One strong twist finds Charlotte suddenly wondering if actually it’s AI C.J. who needs protection—from humans. Charlotte remains a winning hero, somewhat at odds with her peer group but caring about what matters most, and her friendships bring heart to the material. (A date that suffers from technical difficulties is a highlight.) For all Marie’s persuasive expertise in presenting this world, non-techie readers will not feel overwhelmed by the cool science elements as Charlotte discovers the lies and truths of Cognation.

In fact, Marie smartly uses the school setting to offer pointed, age-appropriate conversations exploring the issues of privacy, hackability, and more. The introduction of soulmates powers welcome exploration of invasive science, with the questions raised being answered, in words and inventive action, by a young generation that has only ever lived with such technologies. Lovers of searching but down-to-Earth science fiction will appreciate this sequel’s accessible and relatable consideration of the urgency of setting boundaries with technology.

Takeaway: Smart YA sequel of an innovative academy, invasive tech, and a bold student hero.

Comparable Titles: Rebecca Hanover’s The Similars, Suzanne Young’s Girls with Sharp Sticks series.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about After Intelligence: The Custom Soulmate

Hansen’s luminous collection, following Skies and Chasms, is a reverential prayer of gratitude and acknowledgement of one of nature’s most fundamental cycles on Earth: night and day. “When stars flickered into view, // and the moon poured out its silver,” he writes, “I was in a land of magic: miracles-on-demand, nothing-is-impossible.” In this cerebral state of cosmic observation, the speaker experiences a spiritual transcendence, just by taking the time to notice the mundane and marvelous phenomenon of the night sky. Yet as much as it focuses on the external stimuli of nature, Hansen’s collection also explores the internal landscape of the self and the challenge of attaining peace.

In “Inner Peace,” the poem’s speaker observes the sun setting and the slow advance of night, and as they experience a flood of tranquility at the sight, the speaker declares, “I decided that the way I perceive the universe // is influenced more by my inner state // than by the lights in the sky.” Hansen explores the notion that internal equilibrium is essential for the self in order to experience a connection with the universe, and a method to engender that personal serenity is to use poetry as a way to express the phenomenon of living. Elsewhere, Hansen makes the connection even more explicit: “Absorbing nature every day // is transforming me,” he notes, a truth that will resonate with anyone who also has prioritized such an observant immersion.

Hansen’s poems also act as vehicles for the existential questioning that results from serious contemplation of the cosmos: “But I may wait a lifetime // and still not get the explanation. // So I put the question on hold // and return to stargazing.” Though somewhat misaligned thematically, the final section, “Love Poems for Kristen,” is nonetheless touching and sincere; romantic love, like the cosmos, is another source of inspiration and spiritual exploration in Hansen’s starry-eyed verse.

Takeaway: Marveling, moonlit collection of poems that illuminate the nightscape of the mind.

Comparable Titles: Sara Teasdale’s “Winter Stars,” Nisha Patel’s “The Blue Bird”

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+

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“​​I’m bathing in the riches of the universe,” Hansen (author of Words to breathe By) writes in his passionate, intimate collection, which argues for life’s small gifts, like sunsets, afternoons on a beach, and hikes, as expansive treasures worthy of revenant celebration. In “An Afternoon,” those riches are made of clear skies and sunlight reflecting off the Pacific, while in “Wonder,” they are found in an expansive star-scape: “Galaxies speak to me in light, // and darkness informs my peace.” Hansen’s ecstatic poetry acts as a cosmic arc that binds the universe to the individual and gives language to the wordless phenomenon of spiritual communion with the natural world.

While much of Hansen’s verses focus on the splendor of “the beauty of the setting sun and the spectacular panorama,” or else “the warmth of the summer sun and the light, salty breeze,” some poems stray from the space of gratitude and presence into a darker, at times mysterious perspective. “A constant eye is upon me,” he writes in “The Eye,” and though that entry’s narrator wishes to escape that relentless gaze, he cannot; the eye then takes “away his freedoms.” For a poem of so few words, Hansen packs layers of meaning that delve into the political, sociological, and psychological—and such dark moments have the effect of brightening the light ones.

Towards the end of the collection, he includes a section titled “Love Poems for Kristen” that is composed of brief, romantic verses that also incorporate the poet’s reverence for the natural world. “When we met,” Hansen writes in “Miracles,” “the universe grew // to make room for our love,” yet the despair he writes about in “Cycle of Salvation” or “Demons” persists. The only antidote for it, it seems, is the love the speaker shares with his muse: “I want to float in the heavens forever. // But I know you are waiting on Earth, // so I return home”. Or perhaps the act of artistic creation is crucial, too.

Takeaway: Heartfelt verse homage to sunsets, ocean shores, and the gifts of nature

Comparable Titles: Tyler Knott Gregson, Rupi Kaur

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Skies and Chasms

Attention tech-thriller fans: Hancock has delivered a propulsive, of-the-moment sequel to The Hawk Enigma, skillfully merging pulse-pounding military action with advanced technology and surprising emotional depth. The story opens as Major Igor Orlov investigates a puzzling international incident on Kunashir Island, quickly immersing readers in a tangled web of espionage and betrayal. Voodoo and his team of elite operatives are once again drawn into the center of an international crisis. With the stakes escalating, China’s Belt and Road Initiative makes headway into Central Asia, revealing hidden agendas and a covert laboratory pioneering AI-driven warfare.

A standout feature of Hancock’s work is his multidimensional characters, especially Voodoo—a tech-savvy operative whose resourcefulness and loyalty are pushed to the brink throughout the mission. Voodoo’s interactions, particularly his strained dynamic with Mason, add layers of tension and depth. Hancock also delves into the psychological toll of warfare, exploring Mason’s heart-wrenching backstory and eventual sacrifice, while weaving current geo-political concerns in the larger narrative, which helps ground the action. Hancock’s attention to local color, like a purported five-star hotel in Kazakhstan, also keeps it all feeling real, as does his characters’ tendency to think through the possibilities of how a scenario may unfold. The climactic battle at the Yining Vocational Training Center stands out, showcasing Hancock’s talent for blending intense combat with tactical precision.

While the novel occasionally slows with dense technical explanations that may challenge readers unfamiliar with military terminology, its emotional underpinnings—especially Voodoo’s experiences of betrayal and grief—keep the narrative compelling. The Spear and the Sentinel is a welcome addition to the military thriller genre. Hancock’s deft ability to weave intricate plots with a deep emotional core makes this book memorable, offering thought-provoking explorations of loyalty, sacrifice, and the ethical questions raised by advanced technology long after the last page is turned.

Takeaway: Superior tech thriller with cutting edge AI tech and real feelings.

Comparable Titles: Jack Carr’s The Devil’s Hand, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis’s 2034.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about The Spear and the Sentinel

Following his powerful 20th Century War Machines Trilogy, which includes photography and essay collections that lived up to titles like “Weapons of Mass Destruction,” Miller devotes himself to an altogether more heartening subject: Miller’s granddaughter and muse, Aryani. Inspired by “a chance rediscovery of Lewis Carroll’s photographs of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Miller introduces the young model, just five or six years old, in a series of book-opening photographs that portray her looking out through windows and doors to a cosmic landscape. There the journey “between a photographer and his young and gifted model, between a grandfather and his granddaughter” begins.

The result is an act of love and artistry, a grandfather’s vision made concrete and permanent, and Aryani's spirited collaboration as model. Miller’s goal in this intimate project is to illuminate that duality of identity and experience through photography, and particularly photography of dance. That duality refers to his subject’s richly mixed heritage: “With a father reared in the western tradition and a mother from the Hindu culture, Aryani has a foot in both worlds.” The collected images reflect this. Miller showcases Aryani on stage, from ages six to twelve, in vibrant traditional costume as she dances in the classical Bharatanatyam style, and readers get to watch her grow as a young girl and as a dancer, into a teen with impressive physical command and a forceful presence and bearing, both in posed performances and in more candid shots.

Miller believes colorless compositions “best express and distill the essence of the subject through tone, form, and texture,”yet he recognizes that color is a central feature to Hindu culture and art, so his compromise is to include a mix of color and black-and-white photographs. While many of the posed photos are striking, particularly “Aryani in Sleepy Mama’s dress at age 7,” and “Wood nymph,” this collection is likely best enjoyed by family members rather than most chance readers. Miller measures up to his mission, doing “justice to the richness of her spirit.”

Takeaway: Padma Venkatraman’s A Time to Dance, and Ken Browar and Deborah Ory’s The Art of Movement

Comparable Titles: Warm, striking photos of a young girl dancing in the classical Bharatanatyam Indian style

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Aryani East and West

Maggi's debut presents the profound journey of the mysterious Gaius and his cohort of seekers as they face the secrets of history, the possibility of enlightenment, “and the powers that will not prove kindly to … meddling.” Navigating in the calmness of the Mediterranean Sea in 64 AD, Gaius and co. figuratively walk through the rise and fall of Atlantis, with the symbology of ancient civilizations of Rome and Egypt serving as guides. What they discover, including “the place where the divine entities had once touched the Earth and shared their wisdom with humanity,” will unravel their spiritual and moral philosophies, while revealing a greater purpose. This is fiction embroiled in explorations of history, philosophy, and the cosmic, as Gaius and co. discuss all the ways that the past can—and should—guide and test humans to find better choices for tomorrow.

More than a tale, this series of discoveries and colloquies is a warm provocation, a meditation that addresses timeless questions about life, divinity, and how humanity “cannot improve without a sublime ideal.” In contemplative dialogue and crisp yet poetic prose that moves quickly despite the headiness of the concepts, Maggi links Atlantis to the mysteries of the Sphinx and the Milky Way, offering a searching, spiritual adventure—a quest for answers to ease modern complexities of existence. Thrumming beneath the journey is the question “Why are we here?”

Maggi and Gaius suggest that humans tend to continuously fall into temptation, blocking us to see the true path of knowledge and damning us of the true purpose of life—the enlightenment of the soul. Maggi conjures an ambiance of hushed revelation, plus some precise architectural descriptions, into a thought-compelling exploration of what it really means to be human beyond the corruptions of greed and depravity. Seekers who relish searching, cosmic, life-affirming fiction rooted in ancient cultures will appreciate this reminder of the power of connecting to the divine.

Takeaway: Cosmic novel following seekers through ancient civilizations to find the divine.

Comparable Titles: J. Douglas Kenyon’s Ghosts of Atlantis; Stephen Shaw.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about THE SUBTLE LINES OF TRUTH

Balfour’s brisk thriller follows Carla Cruz, a single mother who left the DEA burdened with a tarnished reputation, severe PTSD, a surgically reconstructed body thanks to an on-the-job explosion, and a murdered husband. Now relocated to Los Angeles, she enjoys a quiet life, spending her time drinking with friends, holding down multiple minimum-wage jobs, and taking classes on manuscript publishing. But despite her best efforts to keep the past buried, it comes calling when she encounters brothers Diego and Ramon at a Hollywood party and quickly realizes their philanthropy is a façade—the two are actually Colombian drug lords, and she tried to put them away on her last DEA assignment.

At its core, A Memory of Fire is an exploration of the ripple effects of trauma, a tribute to facing the past as the only way forward. When Carla finds herself trapped in the cartel’s clutches again, tasked with recovering millions her husband stole from Diego and Ramon, her life, and her daughter’s, hang in the balance. In attempting to locate the stolen money, she journeys back to her past, forced to reckon with not only her DEA days and the truth of her marriage, but also a troubled childhood marked by her abusive father. That journey is painful, but it allows Carla to reclaim her agency while revealing how reconnection can serve as a powerful source of healing. Woven throughout is a mystery of many moving parts, turning what begins as a search for money into an exposé with layers of deception, shifting alliances, and double agents galore.

Balfour (author of The Harem Conspiracy series) builds the plot with keen detail and insider knowledge, drawing from his own experience working closely with federal agencies to imbue the story with unique authenticity. This is an unforgettable opening to a promising series that thriller fans will savor.

Takeaway: High-stakes mystery combined with a quest to face the past head on.

Comparable Titles: Lisa Gardner; Nic Pizzolatto’s Galveston.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about A Memory of Fire

Durwood (author of The Adventures of Ruby Pi and the Geometry Girls) presents exciting fictions imagining adventurous young women at crucial moments in the history of aviation around the globe, with an emphasis on heroic characters’ efforts to protect their families and homelands. Common themes in these high-flying tales are bravery, being protective of others, and of course persistence. The breakthrough named in the title of the standout story “The First Manned Flight” comes somewhat accidentally: sisters Romy and Anke Mobelbauer endlessly bicker, including over Anke being forced to soar high into the air on a large kite while helping her brothers find trees for their woodworking business. Suddenly she views the world from a perspective usually exclusive to “clouds and griffon and geese.” But it's only when the sinister Count Vilnius imprisons Romy in his impregnable citadel that Anke dares what the narrator terms the “first flight of a manned, fixed-wing aircraft" as she races to save her sister, despite their differences.

Other entries involve spies, experimental rockets, and flight as a means of communication over distances. In Africa, Isoke, protagonist of “The Price of Flight,” takes rousing and surprising inspiration from her bond with a wounded falcon, while “Kites, Or Red Blue Blue” centers on a bridge collapse in 19th Century China: the mysterious Le Lang presses the spoiled young monarchs, Zang Tu and his sister Sizhen, to improve their bridges despite their initial stubborn refusal, nudging the siblings toward a new maturity, all as glorious silk kites send messages.

Vivid descriptions are highlights throughout the nine stories, though character and pacing are often sacrificed for thorough descriptions of aircraft construction, history, and function, plus the harvesting of natural rubber and the engineering genius it takes to make planes faster, lighter, and more acrobatic. Still, the heroines’ bravery and perseverance shines through as they seek to improve lives, save the day, and conquer the skies. Readers will be intrigued by the photos and illustrations of aircraft and the women who flew them.

Takeaway: Rousing, imaginative stories of young women heroes making aviation history.

Comparable Titles: Keith O'Brien’s Fly Girls, Ann McCallum Staats’s High Flyers.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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The spirited third entry in Senyard’s Kingdom Quest Trilogy, which blends rousing allegorical fantasy involving quests and pirates and beasts with a satiric sense of play, wastes no time getting to the action. The king is gone but not just missing—his very existence has been erased in a devastating blitz. Citizens Jeremy, Hui, and Anelé, along with former pirate Captain Ben Porat, answer the call from the Royal Commander and are tasked with finding the king and restoring the kingdom. The team instantly has their hands full fending off attacks both virtual and real-world. Worse, there’s no margin for error; their failure will doom the kingdom. And in a land of dwarves, knights, and dragons, it’s amusing to see characters referencing Sam Spade, dialogue like “big yikes”, “glow-up,” and a villainous tech company that sells “Instant Gratification devices” (the new IG16 is coming soon!) and insists that its business model doesn’t involve slavery, just “IHM,” or ”Involuntary Human Migration.”

Senyard’s dialogue is vivid and funny, his wisecracking “Storyteller’s Note”s smash the fourth wall with on-point quips, while his descriptions of the fantastical (trolls, dwarves, a gorgon whose “bulbous eyes glint with malice from a skull adorned with constantly writhing snakes”) burst with exciting energy. Some info dumps are distracting—one storyteller’s note acknowledges this, carping “Whew, that’s a mouthful!”—and at times the asides prove cutesy, undercutting the narrative stakes.

Still, there’s much cleverness and pointed parody of our online lives as Jeremy, Hui, Anelé, and a reformed pirate captain put their formidable abilities and cleverness to heroic use and act in concert, a good trick since they are often apart. Senyard makes the heroes’ growing understanding of the dangers of constant online connection and performance a key story element—the novel makes a compelling case through its tale. It’s an intriguing journey, with laughs, food for thought, and a spirit of adventure.

Takeaway: Fast, funny fantasy of trolls, dwarves, a missing king, and social media.

Comparable Titles: Laurie Woodward’s Forest Secrets, Barbara Ferrier’s Forbidden Magic.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

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