This sweeping historical fiction debut finds Roman gladiator Cassius, known as the Golden Warrior, undefeated and unmatched, "renowned in the public as a gladiator and… a jewel of Rome.” When he begins to have dreams that foreshadow prophetic messages from his deceased father, he seeks counsel from the Priestess, who whispers that his gifts are greater than just those he has honed as a fighter. As those gifts begin to manifest more fully, Cassius realizes that he is destined for renown, outside of the arena and servitude he has always known.

Rose's writing is enveloping and entertaining, from graphic fight sequences between the gladiators to the arcing character development of the unflinching Cassius, who exudes heroic traits—he is a capable fighter, a loyal friend, and shrouded with the humble beginnings of hidden talents. Through triumphant performances, Cassius earns his freedom, but as his time in the ludus (gladiator home base) comes to an end, his prophetic dreams alert him to duplicity—and his mistrust of his master, Dominus, starts to grow. With the aid of new friends harboring special gifts of their own, Cassius begins to understand his talents, find his purpose, and trust his instincts. His story unfolds through a journey of self-discovery and stark realizations about the world, and the people, he has known all his life, immersing readers in an ancient saga of empires, politics, and social orders.

Rose’s narrative brims with suspense and action-packed violence, juxtaposed with the poignant emotional depth and exploration of Cassius as a warrior, a slave, and a man, lending a sense of humanity and complexity to the grueling brutality of his station in life. This stark story of slavery, oppression, the cost of freedom, and the suffering that often accompanies power exchanges will resonate with fans of Roman history and classic hero tales.

Takeaway: Gladiator gifted with prophetic sight fights a cause much larger than himself.

Comparable Titles: Natalie Haynes's The Children of Jocasta, Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles.

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

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In Dennstedt’s first pages, decommissioned robot One Shot “awaken[s] to the aftermath of war,” half-broken and unable to reconnect to Mother Grid, or “Mama G,” the supercomputer that once served as his guide. With barely functioning weapons and a hobbling gait, One Shot ventures into a ruined city and finds the last thing he expects—a human girl named Amy. Following his “prime directives,” One Shot immediately offers himself into Amy’s service as her protector. Soon, the curious, snarky, and headstrong Amy wants to learn what lies outside the ruins of her home, kicking off a post-apocalyptic road-trip to discover both the wider world and what it means to be human.

Though it soon becomes obvious that Amy and One Shot are in incredible danger—stalked by invisible murder machines that Amy dubs “wolfhounds”—the question of survival quickly gives way to musings on humanity and what constitutes happiness. One Shot struggles to balance his protective programming with his newfound desire to help Amy become independent, as Amy develops from a frightened orphan into a fearless lover of wild animals and a brave fighter. One Shot can only be who he is, making him the perfect foil for a growing girl—“I’m not sure how much of this protection I can take,” she says at one point. Their adventure, narrated through a robot’s eyes, offers a uniquely empathetic perspective on what it means to grow up.

Dennstedt (author of When Dolls Talk) allows Amy’s whims to drive the plot, which perfectly mimics the touch-and-go feel of her mission, though the arc of her quest to find surviving humans and reclaim the city from evil robots falls somewhat flat in its conclusion. Dennstedt’s AI-generated illustrations strip some of the novel’s emotional impact, but overall, readers will find I, Robot Soldier an enjoyable, albeit highly untraditional, father-daughter adventure story full of searching, heartwarming moments.

Takeaway: A tender, post-apocalyptic road novel of finding family and fulfillment.

Comparable Titles: Andrew Krivak's The Bear, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun.

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

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In this second-chance romance by Goldson (author of Joy Comes in the Morning), a broken woman learns to save herself by helping others. Gabby McBay used to have it all—a successful career as a juvenile defense attorney, a husband and son, and the house of her dreams—until a drunk driver stole everyone she loved in one night. Still reeling from that loss, Gabby’s just focused on surviving, staying in a women’s shelter while she tries to make sense of why she’s still alive—until 16-year-old Caleb and his mentor/teacher, Devin Ramos, pop into her life unexpectedly, turning her world inside out and giving her a purpose once again.

Goldson hits all the marks for a feel-good romance brimming with Christian undertones. Gabby’s shelter director, Ms. Baptiste, is a gentle reminder that miracles still happen and never loses hope for Gabby’s life to turn around, even when Gabby’s given up on herself. Gabby’s pain over the loss of her family drives her every waking moment, but she’s reluctant to share it with Devin, despite the sparks that fly almost immediately between them. “As long as no one knew much, they couldn’t ask me questions about it,” she reflects, “I could go on living a semi-safe existence, masking my pain and accepting my pseudo reality.” That reality falls apart once Gabby realizes she’s needed again, this time to save Caleb from a crime he didn’t commit—and find her own redemption in the process.

Christian readers will appreciate the biblical messages Goldson infuses into this sweet narrative, and the theme of redemption carries serious weight throughout, cropping up not just for Gabby, but also for Devin, harboring hurt from his ex-fiancée, and Gabby’s father—an alcoholic who finally has an awakening late in the book. The happy ending is almost too neat, but readers will still fall for this refreshing couple.

Takeaway: Second-chance romance brimming with Christian messages of hope.

Comparable Titles: T.I. Lowe’s Lulu’s Cafe, DiAnn Mills’s Trace of Doubt.

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

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Power is scrutinized, manipulated, and venerated in Nuri’s uplifting debut collection, which offers stories where women turn their strength inside out and probe their own shades of vulnerability and delicacy. In the titular story, Jess, born to a drug addicted mother, navigates the mine fields of an abusive, terrifying childhood, punctuated by trauma, loss, and instability, before she’s adopted by a woman who grows to hate her. Though she’s harassed, mistreated, and eventually abandoned, Jess retains a gentle softness—and a resolute determination—that allows her to come full circle, breaking the chain of trauma for her own children.

That theme reverberates throughout Nuri’s collection, delivering a welcome thematic complexity when the prose and characters tend toward simplicity. Nuri digs into the intricacies of power and control, whether it’s the shallow musings of Ellen, who claims enjoyment from repeating vicious gossip, or the cunning Veta, a woman who “destroy[s] other people's lives without the slightest scruple.” In response, Nuri offers up a study on the persistent archetypes that drive sociocultural subtleties. “Hate” finds married couple Kira and Kim maneuvering their roles around societal expectations, later fragmented by shocking revelations that rock Kira’s very identity, forcing her to find strength in her own self-confidence and allowing her to feel “needed, valuable and useful” once again.

Nuri shapes these tales with an undercurrent of Christian faith, especially as a wellspring of empowerment for the collection’s women to survive and overcome their challenges, as in “The Story,” where “beacon of light” Sonya, devastated by her mother’s cancer diagnosis and treatment options, receives a last-minute miracle and a new beginning of her own. Readers who enjoy Christian fiction paired with darker, contemplative themes on power, destiny, and self-reliance will be intrigued.

Takeaway: Intriguing collection that digs into the complexity of power and control.

Comparable Titles: Halle Hill’s Good Women, Julie Orringer.

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

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Environmental activism clashes with corporate greed in this high-stakes debut, set against the lush yet troubled backdrop of Jamaica. The narrative centers on Toni Wise, a Peace Corps volunteer with a passion for conservation and a knack for getting entangled in local politics wherever she goes. When Toni gets caught in a conflict between Rastafari farmers and British billionaire Alec Chainey, whose mining operation is threatening the farmers' land, she tirelessly fights, alongside her supervisor Winston Sage, to unite the farmers into a cooperative to slow Chainey’s encroachment—but her efforts are stymied by the local culture, constant bushfire threats, and Chainey cutting off the water supply to profit from the drought.

The narrative swiftly gains momentum as a devastating earthquake, known as the itesquake, ravages Jamaica, unleashing widespread destruction while freeing Chainey’s secret science experiment: genetically modified reptiles, created by the sinister Dr. Leech, engineered to spread pathogens—and presenting a grave threat to a community already grappling with the damaging aftereffects of a horrific earthquake. The stakes turn personal for Toni when she’s bitten by one of Chainey’s creatures, putting her mission—and her life—at risk. As she desperately tries to find the most ethical course of action to combat Chainey’s vicious wrongdoings, Toni muses on the costs involved, reflecting on German philosopher Nietzsche ‘s reminder to “beware that, when fighting monsters, you do not become a monster.”

Toni's resilience is tested as she faces the perilous task of aiding the locals and confronting Chainey, but she ultimately emerges as a symbol of hope and courage. Throughout the book, Croft reflects on the balance between progress and protection of natural resources, as well as the moral responsibilities of scientific advancement. Though at times the pacing feels uneven, the book's rich themes and complex characters make this a compelling thriller.

Takeaway: Conservation and corporate greed collide in this intense thriller.

Comparable Titles: Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch Mysteries series, Jeff Carson’s Echoes Fade.

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

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Archer debuts with a field guide to navigating one’s golden years, an inspiration source for men wishing to pursue their neglected—or undiscovered—passions. Encouraging readers to recall “those moments of exhilaration when you took a chance, tried something new, and felt truly alive,” Archer entices them to pursue their “next great adventure” while nurturing a passion for lifelong learning. To that end, they offer several categories of hobbies for men to choose from—ranging from stress relief to emotional resilience to physical well-being—and promise that “the journey to a more vibrant, fulfilling life starts now.”

This is more than just a list of interesting pastimes, though Archer dedicates plenty of page space to brainstorming possible diversions, including sailing, stargazing, musical instruments, and more; the guide also offers considerable detail, breaking down the physical requirements for each hobby, outlining the first steps to getting started, and sharing success stories in each area. Readers will find an assortment of outside-the-box ideas as well, with lesser-known favorites like chess, gardening, and learning a new language sprinkled throughout. Archer even emphasizes the importance of mentoring and volunteerism, “a way to leave a lasting legacy by passing on your knowledge and values to the next generation.”

Throughout the book there are examples of men who boldly changed the direction of their lives, bravely rejecting the notion that they had peaked and were on a downward trajectory; those samplings will inspire readers to open new doors of their own—and renew their sense of purpose along the way. Archer reminds readers that with health, friends, and a positive attitude, every stage of life can be equally fulfilling and exciting. They conclude with a call for reflection, an opportunity to review life’s “ups and downs, successes and failures, and… [the experiences] to grow and evolve.”

Takeaway: Inspiring exhortation for men to lead fulfilling lives at any age.

Comparable Titles: S.C. Francis’s The Ultimate Book of Fun Things to Do in Retirement, Will Harlow’s Thriving Beyond Fifty.

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

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Shelton Keyes is a man set to die, yet destined to live, in Heasley’s ambitious first installment in his Merge series. Sentenced to death for murdering a cop, Keyes is ready to face the music, until a mysterious priest arrives with members of the International Office of Special Science to offer him a chance at a new life. That means Keyes must travel deep under the Atlantic, joining fellow convicts on an experimental journey through the mysterious moonshock, to bridge the gaps between a dying Earth and the uninhabited worlds beyond—with a mission to save humanity, of course.

What unfolds from there is an odyssey of genesis, destruction, and discovery on a biblical scale, as the inmates fight to survive a world in the throes of creation. There is a fascinating, grandiose concept at work within Heasley’s tale, from a post-apocalypse Earth whose moon has altered into a “sphere of dark matter” to the uninhabited, ever-changing Lapis Elpis, where the action largely takes place. Keyes—a salvager before his downfall, who, in his new world muses “It’s like they’re half treating us like animals and half like kings”—and his cohort of ragtag prisoners-turned-colonizers can be difficult to connect with, but Heasley does offer a compelling study on the rituals of human nature through their eyes.

Heasley (author of Within a Wakening Earth) infuses this story with a biblical sense of scale while still framing some interesting, nuanced conversations around belief and the nature of God. That conceptual gravity comes at the expense, at times, of narrative momentum, but Heasley’s exploration of the meaning to life and death is provocative. Far beyond the buzz of a new chance for Earth, built on the last chances for the planet’s most unsavory characters, Heasley’s skill manifests in the story’s speculative atmosphere, granting this novel a largely universal approachability.

Takeaway: Mind-bending SF adventure of prisoners, a dying Earth, and an experimental journey.

Comparable Titles: Hannu Rajaniemi’s The Quantum Thief, Alastair Reynolds’s Pushing Ice.

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

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Laurie knows nothing is promised in Silicon Valley. An admin at a startup dating a pretty boy techie, she tolerates disrespect to keep her job secure, her rent affordable, and her boyfriend on track to propose. Just when success seems within reach, Mal, a bold Indian woman on the run from her family’s attempts to arrange her marriage, sweeps into her world, dislodging Laurie’s tenuously balanced life. Laurie can’t help but be drawn to her, and when the precarious housing market forces the two to become roommates, Laurie must suddenly confront her contradicting desires for security and passion.

Deracine (author of Driving by Starlight) charts a tender and complex sapphic romance across the ever-shifting landscape of San Francisco. With an insider’s keen eye, she paints the thrills and anxieties of tech startups in the early 2000s, filled with extravagant parties and abrupt layoffs. Laurie and Mal’s love story is further shaped by seismic shifts in American politics, from the financial crisis and Obama’s election to the DREAM Act. Her Golden Coast gives voice to the queer women who came of age before gay marriage was legalized—and fought for their place in male-dominated industries.

Deracine’s prose is graceful, comparing love to art—“the smell of it, the complexity and uncertainty of hue and the ache in her wrist”—and musing on the power of being “in the world but free of it.” Though the plot centers on Laurie’s self-actualization, the novel is at its finest when it turns to Mal, who continually renegotiates family loyalties while refusing the marriage expected of her. Mal singlehandedly demonstrates what Laurie gradually learns: that women can create lives for themselves and each other beyond what can be imagined. This fast-paced, sensitive novel is perfect for readers itching to see the heroine get the girl—those who realize that no, nothing is promised, but anything might be possible.

Takeaway: Two women create a life together in early 2000s Silicon Valley.

Comparable Titles: Taleen Voskuni’s Lavash at First Sight, Jeanette Winterson’s Written on the Body.

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

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Jones, adopted as an infant by wealthy parents in a small Midwestern town in 1947, spotlights a life lived under her father’s shadow in this emotive memoir. Her earliest memories are of her mother reading “The Book”—a story of orphans at “the Home” being adopted by a married couple—while Jones tries to make sense of what it means to be “chosen.” She reflects on feeling out of place all too often, in her father’s way with constant questions, and forced to entertain herself, given her socialite mother’s busy schedule.

Jones’s constant sense of not measuring up to her father—an influential doctor in their tight-knit community—colors her confidence from a young age: “being Doctor Beare’s Daughter is better than being just Janice,” she reassures her younger self. A lack of siblings and friends widens those feelings of isolation, and her childhood musings—whether about fishing trips with her father, school days, or simple family dinners—continually reflect her efforts to make sense of her place in this golden family. As she grows, Jones’s voice morphs from that of an innocent, credulous child to young adulthood, mirroring her rising awareness of the need to break away from her parents’ world to form her own.

Jones supplements the narrative with childhood pictures that anchor the memoir’s events, allowing whispers of nostalgia to invade the stark portrayal of her early days. Many of her early experiences are punctuated by her father’s temper and angry words, hurled at Jones and her mother in accusations of their ignorance—sections that are painful to read but balanced by Jones’s sweet relationship with her grandfather. As she grows into an adult, and has children of her own, Jones contemplates the pieces of her family she still carries with her, and, in a heart wrenching ending, learns, finally, that she is her own person—and that is enough.

Takeaway: Moving story of an adopted daughter’s search for her own voice.

Comparable Titles: J.R. Ackerley’s My Father and Myself, Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club.

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

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This compelling tech-thriller of AI, a fractured America, and the ethics of digital and medical privacy, reveals itself, as its tense and thoughtful narrative develops, as a pointed thought-experiment. The setup to this novel from Bohacz (author of Ghost of the Gods) is urgently of-its-moment. In the third year of a second American civil war (“ACW-II”) of seceding states and fitful terrorist attacks, the celebrated (but also in some quarters reviled) Adam Kiln enjoys life as the inventor of the wildly popular iDreamVR system, which with a couple “painless stims” to the frontal lobe offers “lucid dreams” with a “hyperreality beyond anything experienced in real life.” Powering iDreamVR is an AI named Erebus that never stops learning as it plugs into minds and conjures fantasies as “addictive as heroin.”

Adam designed Erebus with “unbreakable guardrails,” but soon enough John Adams Hancock, the leader of the secessionist SDR, can gloat about a hack of Erebus: “The world’s first terrorist AI and it is all ours,” he announces, and a jolting incident in Bohacz’s prologue confirms the danger. Writing in clear prose that’s invested in science, society, and the heart, Bohacz roots this civil war in contemporary American discord but takes pains not to bind the conflict to ideology. Instead, protagonist Adam, who narrates much of the novel, actually comes to agree with one of Hancock’s chief arguments, even though Adam and his partner are high-profile SDR targets. That point of concurrence: that “five percent of humanity are high-functioning greedy sociopaths” who cause most of the world’s problems.

Therein lies the thought experiment: Adam has access into the minds of humanity. Would it be ethical for him to report who is a sociopath—and to what authority? Bohacz’s storytelling tends to be more explanatory than in most tech thrillers, emphasizing how everything works and what brought humanity to this brink rather than who is punching whom, but Artificial legitimately thrills, provokes, disturbs, and surprises as the pages fly by.

Takeaway: Smart, surprising thriller of AI and advanced VR in a fractured America.

Comparable Titles: Alexander Jablokov’s Brain Thief, Christian Yeasted’s The Final Invention.

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

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Slaney’s slow-burn historical romance is also a fierce expose of the role of the Catholic Church in England’s exportation and exploitation of British youth in mid-twentieth century Australia. Tiana, a French and English teenager, is the only child of a wealthy family. Raised in luxury and bolstered by the freedom of the 1970s, she makes a pact with her best friend, at 16, that they’ll be women who smoke cigars. Rather than engage in normal teenage rebellion, she throws herself into learning everything there is to know about the business at her father’s right hand, though her heart surges when she meets a young priest, Philipe Gagnon, in whose presence she feels “ sensations she had never experienced before in places she had not known existed and for which she had no words.”

Gritty, journalistic detail about past abuses and condemnation of the Church, in particular, comes wrapped with a tender romance as the novel focuses sharply on the impact of wrongful separation on families, particularly those with children who were considered “illegitimate.” Slaney’s passion for exposing injustice powers the storytelling as Philipe is elevated to the rank of Bishop, dares to focus on on fostering discipline and accountability among his fellow priests—particularly those forcing pedophilia upon the young charges under their care. While Philipe’s brief meeting with young Tiana ignites her love for him, it’s not until her father’s death—and an England-to-Australia-to-Bali tour—that the pair have the opportunity to connect.

Journalist Pete’s investigation into institutional complicity in the abuse gives the novel its spine, overshadowing that romantic element, making this a story of doggedly pursuing the truth. Slaney blends easy-flowing period dialogue with lovingly researched—and often outraged—history, though a tendency toward the expository at times diminishes narrative momentum.Still, readers will find themselves transported to a richly evoked past that abounds with striking detail, and the spirit of truth-telling and big-hearted secondary characters will leave readers of historical fiction aching for more.

Takeaway: Gentle forbidden romance woven into a historical tale of religious abuse.

Comparable Titles: Sarah Steele’s The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel, Olivia Hawker’s The Ragged Edge of Night.

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

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Retired oncologist and palliative care specialist Creagan (How Not to Be My Patient) explores end-of-life issues for patients and their loved ones in this practical guide. "Life is a journey. The dying process is the last segment of that journey, and death is simply the final moment," he writes, drawing from personal anecdotes—including the death of his stepfather—and professional case studies to deliver straightforward, passionate advice on handling the daunting but inevitable journey of transitioning on from this life.

Creagan utilizes clear, concise pointers here, breaking down step-by-step what loved ones and patients can expect in their last days—though he acknowledges there are many variables at play that can make the experience different for each individual. There are “fairly predictable phases of dying,” he writes, such as more exhaustion, withdrawal from others, and confusion, but he reminds readers that “death is never convenient.” Touching on patient preferences, comfort, dignity, and planning ahead, Creagan urges readers to be fully informed and prepared for the emotional journey they have in store—and offers several functional resources as well, including how to understand Do Not Resuscitate documents, last will and testaments, and the mechanics of organ donation.

"This book is about navigating those last days and saying farewell with hope, love, and compassion," Creagan writes, and that reverent stance permeates his guidance, offering those going through the dying process—as well as their family and friends—reassurance that this life stage can be approached with compassion and consideration. From funeral planning to the costs that often accompany end-of-life care to physician-assisted suicide, Creagan delves into challenging but crucial topics, and includes resources at the end for further reading (a link to free advance directives is particularly helpful). “These end-­of-­life journeys are never easy, even in the best of circumstances,” he encourages readers, but this valuable resource can help smooth the path.

Takeaway: Comprehensive and caring guide to end-of-life planning.

Comparable Titles: Steve Leder's The Beauty of What Remains, Kathryn Mannix's With the End in Mind.

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

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After the tragic passing of his wife Melitta from cervical cancer, Carter embarks on a 4,314 mile journey of self-discovery, driven by the goal to spread awareness and raise funding for a preventable disease that has taken so many lives. "I realised that vaccination plus screening could eliminate cervical cancer within twenty to thirty years," Carter writes. As he spends a year walking the coasts of England and Wales, he learns valuable life lessons along the way, such as listening to and empathizing with the people and the world around him, through his host families and friends who periodically meet up with him, all while advocating for preventative screenings and the HPV immunization to prevent cervical cancer.

Carter shares his story in a personable, familiar manner that will immediately draw readers in. Highlighting not only his own love story and grieving process, Carter also shares life lessons he received from the Airbnb owners he met during his year-long trek—and the insights he gleaned from friends, family, and colleagues who chose to join him on his walk. "I realized that the journey would help me learn about myself as well as honouring Melitta's life," Carter explains. Throughout his pilgrimage and campaign—titled "3500 to End It"—Carter is plagued by the question of what he ultimately wants to learn from his quest. In the end he finds one simple answer...and it is the question: "What can we do for those we love?"

A moving memoir on dealing with grief, soaking in wisdom from the people in your life, and spreading awareness about cervical cancer, From Grief to Love is an emotive narrative that shows how "lives can change in a moment.” Carter sets seemingly impossible goals in this triumphant tale, and overcomes the most tragic of circumstances, making his writing both inspiring and endearing.

Takeaway: Touching memoir of grief and the healing power of new experiences.

Comparable Titles: Jonathan Santlofer’s The Widower’s Notebook, Becky Livingston’s The Suitcase and the Jar.

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

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This fleet-footed thriller by Davidson (author of Snowfall in Virginia) seamlessly blends mystery, suspense, and historical elements into a rousing journey through time and space. Davidson flings readers into a tense ride, as Chris Hamilton and his family friend, Garcia, race to return stolen Aztec antiquities dating from the 16th century back to Mexico. Chris, who has a personal stake in the treasure’s return, given his father’s role in its disappearance, desperately wants the artifacts restored to their rightful owners—but when Garcia goes missing during their transport back to Mexico, Chris, and his girlfriend, Garcia’s daughter Sophia, are quickly drawn into a dangerous game.

Davidson’s narrative, set against the backdrop of Mexico and Southwest Texas, instantly engages, twisting multiple plot threads into a death-defying, no-holds-barred treasure hunt rich in historical context. Davidson's research into Aztec culture and artifacts adds depth and authenticity, from the story’s treatment of ritual sacrifice to the reign of Moctezuma II, adding an air of realism to the novel’s lore. Just as vivid is the landscape Davidson paints, with shimmering sunsets framing the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains and dust kicking across the flat plains of Texas, creating a strong sense of place that will immerse readers in the story’s snappy action.

Both Chris and Sophia are relatable and compelling protagonists, and the rivalry between up-and-coming politician Rafael Tovar and crime boss Alejandro De La Hoya interjects complexity into the plot, creating a multi-dimensional conflict that ranges far beyond a simple treasure hunt. Sophia's hidden secret adds an intriguing aside that will keep readers guessing until the end, as will Davidson’s hints of the artifacts’ mysterious powers—ancient secrets that “mortal men would die for.” The setup takes time to kick off, but once the hunt begins in earnest, readers will be swept into this breakneck tale of greed, immortality, and revenge.

Takeaway: Thrilling blend of history, suspense, and an Aztec treasure hunt.

Comparable Titles: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Pendergast series, James Rollins's Sigma Force series.

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

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Wiggins draws on his experience as both a physician and a minister in this expanded edition of his impassioned treatise against marijuana use. “What began as a quest to find the truth about marijuana has become a campaign against it,” he writes, as he examines issues like medical marijuana, state legalization, and increasingly positive attitudes toward cannabis. Wiggins delivers an extensive list of “the harmful effects of marijuana on the body” before making a biblical case against marijuana use as well, via a combination of Bible textual analysis and examination of marijuana use as, at its root, a “spiritual issue.”

Much of Wiggins’s argument draws from extended personal testimony and anecdotes from relatives of marijuana users, lending the text strong emotional undertones, particularly when recounting deaths from marijuana’s “adverse effects on the heart.” He digs into medical literature as well, identifying marijuana as a potential contributor to suicidality, psychotic disorders, neurocognitive decline, and more. For readers unfamiliar with the ins and outs of brain pharmacology, he touches on the mechanics behind marijuana’s influence on the body, in language that brings a complex topic down to an understandable level.

Though he encourages readers to scrutinize research for themselves, Wiggins references findings based on unpublished data from a colleague choosing to remain anonymous, which cuts against the data-driven approach. For Christian readers seeking biblical arguments against cannabis use, though, Wiggins comes through, tying the bulk of his case to the Bible’s prohibition against drunkenness—“the Bible does command sobriety,” he asserts, and “one cannot use marijuana and stay sober”—and contending that “marijuana opens the door to the dark side of the spirit world and the demonic realm.” Wiggins closes with encouragement for readers who don’t find stopping marijuana use “easy” to seek outside help, advising that “God can instantly heal anyone at any time, but He usually works through others.”

Takeaway: A physician and minister’s case against marijuana.

Comparable Titles: Alex Berenson’s Tell Your Children, Todd Miles’s Cannabis and the Christian.

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

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In Champey’s middle-grade fantasy, Daniel Stone, just shy of 12 years old, loves reading, trigonometry, and school, but he’s struggling with his studies—especially gym class—at the Rutherford Preparatory School of Worldly Exploration, where he disappoints teachers and classmates alike for not being more like his explorer aunt, who vanished on an expedition to the land of the Dragons. His path forward from being the kid who spends school days in a trash can comes from a surprising gift: the scarf his grandmother made him, which one day, when he’s nearly struck by lightning, begins to sparkle and even puff out like a parachute, saving his life. Daniel discovers that the scarf possesses transfiguration magic and can turn into anything he thinks of. Shortly after, he uses his magic to save a little girl in danger on a ride at a carnival, turning the scarf into a broom to fly on.

Daniel soon begins getting attention from the town as a hero, buoying his status among his peers. But when popularity gets to his head, and his scarf ends up in the wrong hands, he must find a way to get it back before the new owner uses it to destroy the school. Champey creates a high-spirited story that will draw in middle-grade users with Daniel’s adventures with his grandmother, his uncle, and his friend, Lizzie, plus some mysteries about the rest of the family and much lively incident, including confrontations with bullies, Badgerball shenanigans, secret missions to save the town and stoke Danile’s powers, plus much talk about his parents’ and aunt’s exciting expeditions to lost cities and beneath the sea.

Champey’s brisk, big-hearted storytelling finds fresh fun in some familiar elements, though momentum is diminished by some repetitive sentence structures (“Yes, Ashley Star was the quite the sensation”; “Yes, it was quite the spectacle”) and an overreliance on adverbs (suddenly, immediately) that slow the action. Still, the cliffhanger ending sets up the sequel with buoyant energy, and Daniel learns important lessons about how to treat others, while learning magic and discovering the interesting past of his family.

Takeaway: A middle-schooler’s magic scarf opens up a world of adventure.

Comparable Titles: John August’s Arlo Finch series, Jess Redman’s The Adventure Is Now.

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

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