In this irresistible, frighteningly plausible spy thriller, the first of a trilogy, debut novelist Macy takes readers back to 2018 and the Trump presidency with Elda Ainsworth, a Navy veteran, Cold War-era American spy in semi-retirement in Maine. At the request of top CIA operatives, Elda is racing to get her longtime translator friend, Korinna, out of Russia before Putin has her assassinated for translating discussions involving the president of the United States, including U.S. election interference. “The consequences of that information getting out will topple the American president and weaken Russia,” muses a longtime Russian spy named Toshchiy “Tosh” Chelovek and Elda’s adversary of many years. Plucky Elda is up for the extraction attempt, but her wife Dawn is less than happy about it.

What happens next is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride, as Elda lands in Moscow and deftly dodges numerous assassination attempts (many committed by Tosh’s favorite Russian assassin, Anatoly Petrov) in her quest to rescue Korinna, her musician husband Egor, and their two small Troodle dogs, Dasha and Sasha. As Korinna and Elda stay one step ahead of those who wish them dead, they head from Moscow to St. Petersburg to Germany to the Netherlands, among other locations—with means of transport including container ships, U.S. Navy ships, luxury railroads and even Jet Skis. Disguises are abundant, and Macy skillfully deploys these and other fun elements of spycraft in surprising ways readers will relish.

Macy mines her own past for Elda’s striking authenticity—she is a former officer in the US Navy and a mathematics teacher; the latter is Elda’s cover story in Russia. Macy’s story is impeccably plotted and touchingly humane, with characters both good and bad. Readers will undoubtedly want to off Elda’s drug-addicted half-brother, a supporting character with a very high and unjustified view of himself, but they will bond with Elda’s CIA boss. This smart, high-paced tale will delight fans of high-stakes thrillers.

Takeaway: Pulse-pounding espionage with a strong heroine and emotional resonance.

Comparable Titles: Lindsay Smith’s Sekret, T.A. Maclagan’s Alexandra Gastone series.

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

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Hope’s cheery debut sees sparks fly in the blue skies above the Atlantic, when flight attendant Emerson Nichols encounters Jackson Riley, a gorgeous but sulky first-class passenger on her Christmas Eve flight to Paris. At 33, Emy is single and loves her life; her job affords her opportunities to see the world and soak in experiences she otherwise would never have, and, to top it off, her soon-to-be-married best friend—fellow flight attendant Chloe—is joining her for a memorable Christmas day in Paris. Emy’s plans take a turn when Jackson grumbles onto the scene, and their instant attraction makes for an interesting flight—especially when Chloe secretly slips Emy’s phone number Jackson’s way.

Hope’s buoyant style is just right for this happily-ever-after tale. The characters are appealing and relatable, genuinely connecting with each other in ways that will resonate with readers. Emy and Chloe are great friends, bolstered by a crew that looks out for each other, and both Emy and Jackson are content with their lives, albeit a trifle lonely, as everyone around them seems to be settling down. Emy recognizes the privileges that come with being single and an international traveler, though she confesses the lifestyle can be isolating, a perfect setup for her intriguing meet-cute in the skies.

Emy and Jackson’s electric chemistry is palpable—and their blues, when separated by circumstances outside their control, ring true. Thanks to their family members, and a few lucky breaks, the two reunite in a satisfying, steamy scene that genre fans will savor, and Hope aptly describes their stolen moments together in Paris without veering into touristy fare, focusing instead on the couple’s growth as the city swirls around their whirlwind romance. The spotlight stays on upbeat, carefree romance throughout, making this once-in-a-lifetime chance at love a breezy treat.

Takeaway: Chance encounters lead to perfect love in this breezy romance.

Comparable Titles: Max Monroe’s Wildcat, Lacie Waldon’s The Layover.

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

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This lively children’s debut by Bryant finds Santa in a dreadful fix when a harried new elf mixes up his calendar—and schedules him for his annual fly-by in October instead of Christmas Eve. That festive faux paus lands Santa in the charming town of Holidayville just as their annual Fall Festival kicks off, plunking him into pumpkin carvings, costumes, and loads of sweet treats. Santa, dubious of his surroundings and thrown off by the absence of twinkling lights and Christmas carolers, tries to reorient himself but is quickly discovered by a pair of charming young girls, Rihanna and Harlem, who are, of course, delighted to discover the jolly old elf grumbling to himself on a side street.

Bryant has a good handle on what makes holidays special, and her upbeat tale overflows with cheer. Rihanna and Harlem, best friends who relish the playful atmosphere of Holidayville’s Fall Festival, are the perfect guides for Santa: they immediately whisk him away to the town’s celebrations, reassuring him that he’ll fit right in, given that the whole place is decked out in costume, and enthusiastically coerce him to trick or treat, bob for apples, and even share a spooky story or two. Santa can’t stay for long, but he does give them a night they’ll never forget—and discovers his own “peace and joy” in the process.

Sandra Figueras’s bright, cozy illustrations bring to mind the glorious sights and smells of the holiday season, and readers will appreciate the book’s diverse characters—alongside Rihanna and Harlem’s exuberance for all things fall, from their coordinated mermaid gowns to their appreciation for Santa’s special treats from his toy sack. Luckily, Santa’s schedule snafu doesn’t hold up Christmas, and he returns to Holidayville right on time—and with heartwarming notes for both girls, reminding them that “the most magical moments happen when you least expect them.”

Takeaway: Schedule snafu lands Santa in the middle of a fall festival.

Comparable Titles: Will Hillenbrand’s Santa’s Story, Kevin Maher’s Santa Doesn’t Need Your Help.

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

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Offering a potent blend of medical drama and suspense, this series kickoff from Krentz (author of the Mahoney & Squire series, among other thrillers) centers many of its heart-stopping developments in the emergency room of Bethesda Metro Hospital, with Zack Winston, an ER doc haunted by the death of his wife and the patients he’s lost. After the shocking death of another patient, despite Zack’s “extraordinary measures,” Zack finds himself targeted by a negligence lawsuit filed by the nurse who is now the widow of the deceased. With his name dragged through the mud, plus a surprise attempt on his life, Zack begins to realize that he is facing some kind of conspiracy. Fortunately, as Krentz’s story surges ahead, Zack’s got a top-notch defense attorney and the will to tell himself to “Man up and carry on, sailor.”

Taking full advantage of its tense, convincing ER setting, Krentz’s swift storytelling is both exciting and humane, as invested in the mystery Zack faces as the challenges of serving as a front-line medical professional. Every page is alive with striking medical and technical detail, with situations that force Zack into hard choices and self doubt, or convincing legal drama, or straight-up suspense as the body count starts to rise. The major players have hidden depths to them, especially Zack, plagued with uncertainty after once having felt like a “bad ass” doctor, and brilliant, empathetic defense attorney Bridget Larson, whose best moments showcase her legal brilliance even as she’s beleaguered by issues with family.

Krentz’s leads will win readers over with their power-through resilience, their ability to work towards a hopeful outcome even when there’s scant promise of victory. But what mystery lovers might most appreciate is Krentz’s deft plotting, from red-herrings to narrative sleight-of-hand involving what’s filtered through the perspectives of characters. Dead Already favors the hard work of saving lives and finding the truth over empty action.

Takeaway: Medical mystery series starter, as an ER doc faces conspiracy.

Comparable Titles: Kelly Parsons’s Doing Harm, Gary Gerlacher’s AJ Docker Medical Mystery series.

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

Click here for more about Dead Already

Visual artist Smirnova, who has worked on award-winning shows and films like Game of Thrones, Stranger Things and The Revenant, finds freedom on the page in this debut poetry collection, which employs sculpted free verse to make spiritual contact, or a spiritual contract, and create a space of belonging for the individual in a unified community of energy. “We are a pulse of heartbeats,” she writes, “pulses of ancestry // We are pulsars of the universe // and stars in someone’s sky.” Reversing the image of a person staring at the stars, Smirnova builds a bridge between the self and the cosmos and between the divisions of chronological time, all in clear, concrete language that communicates with emotional force but leaves open other possibilities and meanings.

Smirnova’s collection is structured by loosely bound sections, which can overlap in theme, form, and subject matter. The first section, titled “Nature,” contains an ecstatic homage to the natural world and its cycles and transformations, but also a questioning both scientific and spiritual: “Is there logic // or just an intuitive movement, // that brings together // a state of things?” The penultimate section, “Cities,” romanticizes the hum of concentrated humanity in the urban environment, but also addresses the contrasting loneliness one feels in a crowded space, a loneliness that echoes these relatable lines from the poem “Ice Breaker” in the “Love” section: “I boomeranged your thoughts // Looked in your soul for more // but couldn’t find.”

Introspection is also a frequent creative force as Smirnova’s poetry assesses the individual’s relationship to the universe but also the very concept of a self: “I am rebuilding myself // from ashes, // I am redrawing myself // from blank.” Rather than a fixed entity, the self here is, like nature, an ever-shifting journey. “One day you have to take a path,” Smirnova writes, “that is unique, that no one took,” and ultimately, the path itself “makes you the one”—and part of the oneness that carries everything.

Takeaway: Searching, of-the-moment poems on nature, love, and the path of the self.

Comparable Titles: Amanda Lovelace, Caroline Kaufman.

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

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This tension-filled historical romance, set in early 1900s Glasgow, finds 23-year-old Sophie Belle caught in a social-class-defying, whirlwind affair with the dashing Scottish barrister Benedict Cochrane. Sophie, who works at her family’s haberdashery while dreaming of escaping to the glamourous New York City to live with her aunt and uncle, knows she’s a spinster in most people’s eyes, but she could care less—she has plans for herself, and they don’t include a husband. Enter the 34-year-old Benedict, who inadvertently stumbles onto Sophie after his sister, Euphemia, makes her acquaintance at a tea shop—and immediately starts falling for her, despite her lowly status as “a shopkeeper’s daughter.”

The dynamic between the couple is rife with both fiery arguments and undeniable chemistry, as Benedict’s aloof arrogance clashes with Sophie’s kindness and strong-willed charm. Coia-Ramsay, the author of several historical romances, including Bernadette Barrymore, captures the tension of that love-hate relationship against the backdrop of class divide in early 20th century Great Britain, transforming it into a significant source of conflict throughout the book. It is Benedict’s growing attachment to Sophie—and the looming threat of her departure to America—that pushes him to act rashly, culminating in an impulsive proposal to avoid losing her that infuses their interactions with both frustration and passion.

Coia-Ramsay’s worldbuilding is rich with period details, from Benedict’s love for Scotland to the social nuances of their world, and the supporting characters, particularly Euphemia and Judge Hicks, add layers to the narrative, weaving in a parallel romance that offers its own moments of intrigue. The initial hostility between Benedict and Sophie simmers with excitement, though some readers may find his domineering attitude difficult to digest by modern standards. Nonetheless, their journey across the Atlantic as they navigate their new life together offers plenty of emotional highs, solidifying the story as a thrilling exploration of love and class in a changing world.

Takeaway: Historical romance rife with passion and early 20th century social class conflict.

Comparable Titles: Darcy Burke’s One Night of Surrender, Eva Devon’s The Beast and the Bookseller.

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

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Debut authors Lamoureux and Hanson join forces to share their journeys of transformation and faith in this uplifting blend of biblical insight and personal empowerment. The book starts with Lamoureux’s perspective, as she recounts being diagnosed with a brain tumor and recalls the role her Christian faith played in her recovery, before moving on to Hanson’s story of a troubled childhood marked by abuse and neglect. Both women rely heavily on scripture and their relationships with God to work through life’s challenges, and their stories are relayed in candid, comforting tones that will resonate with Christian readers.

Lamoureux expounds on her understanding of the Bible as she draws closer to God, with a deep contemplation on “the love of God [that] calls to all of us, no matter our current mindset.” Her reflections often address commonplace life questions—such as the role gratitude plays in everyday relationships—alongside a deep dive into biblical passages, whereas Hanson veers more towards intimate recollections of her most painful, and inspiring, moments, recalling her early years as plagued by “an empty hole in my spirit that I needed to fill.” Her account of a childhood spent at the mercy of addiction, rehabilitation facilities, and sexual abuse is heartrending, but her spiritual journey empowers, bearing witness to the transformative effects of faith.

Together, Lamoureux and Hanson's stories highlight the impact and change a life can have "when God [starts] to make Himself known.” Both authors reiterate the importance of a personal relationship with God, an odyssey that, for them, started with painful experiences but transformed into pathways of healing, acceptance, and spiritual revival. Lamoureux reminds readers that God’s love is personal, writing that “The Almighty didn’t just create a universe and then step away. He’s always where you need Him,” a soothing sentiment that Christian readers will find echoed throughout this inspiring book.

Takeaway: Two powerful stories of Christian revival following painful life experiences.

Comparable Titles: Brianna Ladapo's Emerging from Darkness, Julia Walsh's For Love of the Broken Body.

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

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This brutal yet ruminative road thriller from Santana, the kickoff to a series, explores the mind, travels, and possible redemption of Rylan Beam, a man driven to exact justice on those he believes have escaped it—a mission he often carries out with a hammer. Haunted by a troubled past that includes military service in Iraq and the loss of his father and wife, Rylan has created “The Garbage Route,” a list of individuals he seeks to confront and punish. Among his targets are Edward Chaffin, a child molester, and Abraham Poindexter, who attacked a woman with nitric acid after being rejected by her. Santana intertwines Rylan's present-day surveillance, doubts, and bone-crushing murders with flashbacks into his past, revealing Rylan's motivations and the emotional scars that have shaped him.

Rylan’s past relationship with Abigail reveals his vulnerable and loving side, while his experience of the dehumanizing realities of war powers his quest for vengeance. Rylan approaches each victim with meticulous planning and cold detachment. As he captures each, his calm demeanor starts to unravel, exposing his unpredictable and inhumane nature. Santana depicts these encounters with disturbing detail, compelling readers to grapple with the ethics of Rylan’s actions, especially as “fresh-faced FBI agent” Helio Sangria takes up the case. At times, in brisk italicized in-his-head colloquies, Santana captures Rylan talking himself through his disquiet, coming up with rationalizations.

The Shattered Bones delves into the psyche of a vigilante, exploring themes of personal trauma, the quest for justice, and muddy lines between right and wrong. The novel's deliberate, taking a deep dive into Rylan's thoughts—he feels deeply alone, in 2017, after seeing the Wolverine film Logan and having no one to discuss it with. Such detail can at times feel indulgent, but as a complex character study of a man haunted by his past and driven to right the world’s wrongs at any cost, the novel weaves a morally intricate narrative. However, it leaves significant plot threads unresolved, setting up a potential sequel while falling short of delivering a complete arc for Rylan.

Takeaway: A soldier’s brutal quest for revenge powers this psychological road-trip thriller.

Comparable Titles: Stephen Graham Jones’s The Least of My Scars, James Ellroy’s Killer on the Road.

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

Click here for more about The Shattered Bones

Debut author Briggs shares her experiences with a cutting-edge therapy for autism that may offer hope to other parents of children on the spectrum. Briggs and her husband, Carl, knew that their daughter Sarah was developing differently from other babies. When Sarah turned one, she was diagnosed with a chromosomal condition (which Briggs doesn’t define) that often includes autism. When Briggs discovered The Son-Rise Program, an approach taught by the Autism Treatment Center of America (ATCA), she found hope in tailoring the program to her daughter. (One co-creator of the technique, Samahria Lyte Kaufman, pens the thoughtful forward.) The intensive one-on-one home-based therapy method includes focused therapy, including eye contact, child-led play, and interactive attention.

Briggs chronicles the highs that will inspire parents of children with autism—her non-verbal daughter speaking for the first time, followed by a rapidly expanding vocabulary; purposeful eye contact; Sarah mastering toilet training. She also lays bare her own insecurities about parenting Sarah and her neurotypical sister Amy: “It can be hard to imagine what it was like to have to teach your kid each tiny bit of every single thing,” she writes. She frankly acknowledges doubts and setbacks, encounters with medical professionals, and her own changing hopes and expectations, such as no longer harboring the wish that Sarah might one day “pass” as neurotypical. There’s also, as the title suggests, triumphs, joy, and breakthroughs.

Briggs writes movingly and with grace about the emotions parents of children with special needs face before marshaling their strength and actively advocating for their children and their future. She praises the volunteer teams she recruited to help deliver the therapy to Sarah, and rejoices in the progress and triumph her daughter achieves with her “village” of helpers. While she notes that the method doesn’t work 100 percent of the time, in every situation, Briggs’s journey transforms her daughter’s future, and her candor and insight will resonate with parents facing similar challenges.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of a mother’s fight to give the best life to a child with autism.

Comparable Titles: Heidi Mavir’s Your Child is Not Broken, Kate Swenson’s Forever Boy.

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

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Asking “so, what is the best way to picture God?”, King argues for a middle ground between the New Atheists and traditional believers, an in-between paradigm that shatters the false dichotomy between science and religion. "I would go so far as to say that faith almost necessitates a belief in evolution," King writes, but atheists who nod at that will likely feel challenged, elsewhere, at King’s championing of the “hidden scientific and psychosocial benefits that are built into the institute of worship” or his amusing suggestion that perhaps “God simply wiped out the dinosaurs out of sheer boredom.” Such thoughtful irreverence powers God, the Evolver as King offers a fresh, often surprising exploration of these issues, heavily backed by an eclectic mix of references and data points—from cutting-edge science, an array of sacred texts, the intelligence of crows, to Nietzsche's assertion that man created God and not the other way around.

With both a light touch and academic confidence, King posits that extraterrestrials may have seeded life on Earth, supporting Richard Dawkins's argument for a Higher intelligence, parallel to ancient scriptures' description of angels. He further examines the ancestry of early humans (Adamites) interbreeding with hominids—a theory he finds echoed in the Koran—and speculates that interactions between Adamites and Neanderthals could explain myths about trolls and giants, perhaps even inspiring worship due to physical differences—leading to a conclusion that humans possess an innate drive to search for the divine. King’s bold sweep of evidence and argument—among other topics, King contemplates apocalypses, space travel, immortality, self-determinism, the multiverse, Carl Sagan’s idea that humans are made of “star stuff,” and the possibility humans were fashioned from clay—imbues the book with wonder.

King suggests with some passion a fundamental unity among all religions as they evolve. Readers who welcome the challenge of fresh thinking and tearing down rigid boundaries will enjoy this exploration of the DMZ between science and spirituality.

Takeaway: Ambitious, fascinating reexamination of the conflict between science and spirituality.

Comparable Titles: Francis J. Collins's The Language of God, Ursula Goodenough's The Sacred Depths of Nature.

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

Click here for more about God, the Evolver

This compelling historical novel skillfully blends medical mystery with the tumultuous backdrop of the Spanish-American War and the fraught geopolitics of the era, specifically in Puerto Rico, where the U.S. is beginning its occupation after years of neglectful Spanish rule—and many citizens of that island nation are daring to expect “that the United States will grant us self-rule, as they have promised Cuba.” Set in 1898, the story follows Bailey Ashford, a young medical graduate and U.S. army lieutenant, thrust into a battle against an invisible enemy that threatens to destroy the population—a disease that ravages the island. While others insist it’s malaria, Ashford, who believes “the microscope is the instrument of the future,” soon develops his own theories, all as countless lives hang in the balance.

García Saúls meticulous research shines through as he paints a vivid picture of turn-of-the-century Puerto Rico, capturing both its natural beauty and the harsh realities of colonial rule. The author's descriptive prose brings to life the "majestic mountains and breathtaking tropical beauty" of the island, creating a stark contrast with the grim medical crisis unfolding within its borders. Also striking: the juxtaposition between the lives of the “coffee aristocracy” and the workers “crushed under abject poverty accentuated by chronic disease.” The heart of the narrative, though, lies in Ashford's relentless pursuit to uncover the cause of the illness plaguing these “jíbaro” workers, farmers, and peasants.

García Saúl skillfully portrays Ashford's growth from a fresh-faced lieutenant to a determined and resourceful doctor, drawing readers into the urgency of his mission. The medical detective work is particularly engaging, offering readers a glimpse into the challenges of early tropical medicine and epidemiology. While grounded in historical events, dramatic tension and personal stakes, especially the clash between Ashford's medical mission and the broader political context of the American invasion, power a story that explores rich questions of colonialism, public health, and moral responsibility.

Takeaway: Engrossing novel of medical heroism, war, and Puerto Rico.

Comparable Titles: Esmeralda Santiago’s Conquistadora, Audrey Blake’s The Surgeon’s Daughter.

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

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Early childhood friendships happen easily, with a willingness to play nicely often being the only requirement for BFF status. This open-hearted tendency to accept everyone despite their differences is the focal point of Taylor’s joyful picture book for young children. In the story, a Labrador named Daisy May traverses her forest home on the way to town and meets many new and diverse friends along the way, including a cat, a frog, a bird, and a squirrel. Because these species typically fight, a cranky snake disapproves of their friendship: “Where’s the prejudice, anger, hatred, and spite?” he hisses. “It’s all very alarming and so easy to see that all six of you are not meant to be.”

At these hateful words, Daisy May jumps into action. “We have one thing in common. We’re all creatures of Earth, each unique and special with value and worth,” Daisy May barks back at the snake, who slithers away into the grass. Importantly, the snake is not converted to share their point of view or join their game, which mirrors how this scene will play out with most real-world bullies kids will encounter. The rhyming, singsong prose will help keep kids engaged and share the fun-loving spirit of the real Daisy May, who belongs to Taylor and whose images fill the last few pages of the book.

The colorful illustrations show the animals enjoying their woodland home and help drive home this book’s important message about inclusivity. Friendly and smiling in each scene, Daisy May is shown frolicking along trails and running through fields of wildflowers accompanied by her myriad furry and feathered pals, with a grinning green frog perched proudly on the back of a short-legged dog named Lance. Ultimately this sweet story will help kids understand that kindness and acceptance are the keys to lasting relationships.

Takeaway: A labrador meets many diverse new friends in her forest home.

Comparable Titles: Alfredo Soderguit’s The Capybaras, Jessie Sima’s Not Quite Narwhal..

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

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Gracely’s captivating middle-grade fantasy mixes magic and the strength of found family, through the eyes of Max Berger—an orphan tasked with protecting a magical orb by a moon spirit. Escaping his horrifying living situation at the Helpren Municipal Orphanage for a night, Max is shocked to witness a supernatural battle in the sky. When a beautiful moon spirit named Sarina wins—and asks Max to watch over her powerful Orb that has the potential to destroy the world while she seeks help—he agrees to safeguard it and meet again on the next full moon. That choice launches him directly into the path of an epic, otherworldly maelstrom with deadly ramifications.

Gracely (author of the Misfit’s Magic series) skillfully mixes the real world with the mystical, portraying Max’s very normal struggles as a high school boy—with a penchant for mischief—alongside his attempts to manage the enigmatic Orb at the same time. He’s infinitely relatable, a strongly rooted character despite having amnesia from an earlier accident and no memory of who he is, and he wants nothing more than to find a family of his own. That wish eventually comes true for Max, when he’s paired with a new foster family overflowing with odd yet endearing siblings, but it puts him in a tight spot when it’s time to return the Orb to Sarina.

Thanks to Gracely’s brilliant imagery, readers will feel as if they are journeying alongside Max as he faces a dark force too terrifying for words and his own staggering role in an ancient mystery. His quest pulls in friends and family, and Gracely crafts each of his foster sibling’s quirks in a way that makes them a crucial player in this epic battle of good versus evil. Max ultimately wins that battle, and Gracely makes the road to get there as fun as it is suspenseful.

Takeaway: Teen boy and his new family help magical beings save the world.

Comparable Titles: Peter J. Woods’s Joey Finch series, E.G. Foley’s The Gryphon Chronicles.

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

Click here for more about Moon Spirit

Bühler’s of-the-moment debut explores how leaders can apply AI in a responsible, ethical way to benefit their organizations, stakeholders, and the broader world, now in a future in which change will prove relentless. She begins by exploring the ways in which AI is already being used, then examining some common ethical frameworks designed to help address big questions, from deontology to teleology to virtue ethics, and demonstrating their practical application in real-world case studies involving AI. Using the analogy of a Swiss Army knife and inspired by Macgyver, she provides a suite of tools—the Ethic Pocketknife—for embedding “ethical principles into AI strategies and operations,” from the Transparency Tweezers to the Accountability Awl. Bühler explores how these concepts can be applied through the examples of two in-depth thought experiments: a health care company and a financial services agency both applying AI to serve their customers better.

Bühler is a long-time consultant with deep experience helping companies through difficult projects, and this expertise shines through in her explanations of the steps it takes to manage complex institutional transformation in ethical, responsible ways. Much of her language is more complex than many leadership guides, with a high level of detail even in her hypotheticals—including fictional quotes from her invented companies—but her flashes of wit and practical advice are paired with thoughtful rigor, and helpful illustrations, examples, repetition, and subheadings keep things clear. (Especially in the opening chapters, the text at times reiterates points more often than necessary.)

Bühler’s Ethic Pocketknife provides an excellent set of values, practices, and tools for implementing AI in a variety of situations, assessing AI programs, facing ongoing challenges, and fostering a culture of integrity. This is a helpful introduction to this concept with a comprehensive view and a plethora of examples. Any reader interested in AI, especially one in a position of leadership, would benefit from absorbing the lessons from this illuminating guide.

Takeaway: Fresh lessons and an “ethical pocketknife” for using AI in businesses.

Comparable Titles: Reid Blackman’s Ethical Machines, Beena Ammanath’s Trustworthy AI.

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

Click here for more about Navigating Ethical Leadership in the Age of AI

Readers familiar with Hašek’s satirical Czech novel of war and survival only from earlier English translations will likely be jolted by Sadlon’s version, first published in 2000 and here updated in a new edition to mark the centennial of Hašek’s 1923 death, which left the serialized novel unfinished. Often printed in the west with an emphasis, in both translation and critical assessment, on protagonist Švejk’s good humor even as he gets impressed into becoming cannon fodder in the first World War, Hašek’s masterpiece is revealed, in Sadlon’s handling, as a book of greater bite, heft, and complexity. The broad strokes of this first book (of three) have not changed: After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, the soldier Švejk finds himself interrogated and institutionalized in response to rambling remarks made about the Austrian emperor over a pub feast of “five beers and one roll with a sausage.”

Upon his release, Švejk receives a summons to a medical examination to determine his fitness to fight in the coming war. He demands his cleaning woman push him there in a wheelchair, declaring “at a time when it is so grim for Austria, every cripple must be at his post.” As always, this first book of Hašek’s sprawling novel centers on soldiers’ talk, including scabrous monologues about latrines and what maladies will help get one out of service (“I got a dislocated foot for a tenner”), plus hilarious accounts of card games, training mishaps, and soldiers’ certainty that they face death.

Here, though, the laughs are more pained, the scatology more pointed, that good humor laced with mustard gas. Rather than a bumbling Pangloss, this Švejk resists readers’ efforts to see him as sympathetic. He’s often cruel and oafish, animated by no clear philosophy, quite unlike the pacifist teacher Hašek describes in the prison passages. The result is challenging and provocative, a century on. Prefatory material addressing translation issues is academic but illuminating.

Takeaway: Illuminating translation of the human complexity of a Czech classic.

Comparable Titles: Vladimir Voinovich, John Kennedy Toole.

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

Click here for more about The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War, Book One

With straight-talk, a coaching mindset with a military edge, and insights drawn from hard-won experience about how individuals and groups communicate and collaborate, Kelly presents his playbook for leaders and team members to achieve success through his role as an After Action Review facilitator/specialist. Designed to help learn “from what we’ve done so we can improve what we do,” AAR's give organizations opportunity to "strive for perfection but succeed with improvement.” Kelly lays out this approach throughout this illuminating, easy-to-read guide, providing action items for leadership and team members alike, with a focus on collaboration, inclusion, communication, and accountability. His process is based on four key questions to probe after an action, all born from his military background: What was supposed to happen?, What actually happened? and more.

All of these questions culminate into revealing a truth that otherwise can be hard to get to: the "why" of how an event or action played out. Kelly makes clear that everyone throughout an organization, from the C-Suite to the custodial staff, should be involved in event prep and AARS, always kept informed of the desired outcome and their role in achieving it. He makes recommendations for hiring for "fit," as well as ensuring consistency of message and actions, identifying the learning needs and styles of team members, and busting out of the silos that form in many organizations. Kelly reinforces the impact of each individual team member on the entire organization. Drawing on his own background and fresh research, he puts the onus on leadership to engage with team members but also vice versa.

Ultimately, Kelly argues, the purpose of the AAR is to establish best practices throughout an organization, within each team, and by each individual to ensure overall success. Kelly’s blending of memoir and leadership advice roots his ideas in his military experience, but the guidance, tips, exercises, and clear plan for implementing AARs are all applicable to a variety of orgs and businesses.

Takeaway: Clarifying guide to assessing and improving group performance after events.

Comparable Titles: Simon Sinek's Start With Why, Christopher D. Lee’s Performance Conversations.

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

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