When high school sweethearts Barry and Beth discover, after a lifetime apart, that they are both living in the same rules-heavy, soul-deadening Minneapolis retirement community, the 70-year-olds agree that there is still much more left to this life—why not become septuagenarian vigilantes? Together, they hit the road in a 2011 Mustang, eager to right some wrongs, challenge miscarriages of justice, and keep their lively chatter going. (“I wish you wouldn’t call it croaking.” “Would you prefer expire?” “No! That makes us sound like we’re cartons of milk.”) Now, if they can keep from falling asleep on stakeouts, the bad guys of roadside America will be on the ropes, as Essen (author of the Time Is Irreverent trilogy) spins a warm, easy-going travel comedy that boasts some slyly hidden meditations on growing old.

While Essen’s comedy sparkles in scenes of break-ins, Spam theft, high-speed chases, line dancing, and debates about what to name the duo’s organization, The Silver Squad also succeeds as drama and character study. With late addition Jenny, first encountered in Iowa on the run from her abusive husband, Barry and Beth find themselves in many delicate, albeit humorous, situations that touch on American crises, from school shootings to the epidemic of homelessness. Some scenes are edged with real tension, and readers will find themselves holding their breath as the pages cannot turn fast enough. When Jenny tries breaking into her husband’s house, the writing is as sharply honed for suspense as any thriller.

Essen enters edge-of-the-seat territory, though the prevailing tone is one of do-gooding coziness. Essen’s heroes offer welcome relief from the usual vigilante tropes of injustice being fought with violence, capes, or guns. In these golden-years capers, Essen finds a fresh sweet spot between adult thriller fun, a spirited sense of moral outrage, and endless wisecracks and insights about old age.

Takeaway: Sparkling road-trip comedy of retiree crimefighters taking the U.S. by storm.

Comparable Titles: Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Murder Club, Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg’s The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules.

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

Click here for more about The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles

Taylor Rose’s best friend is a stuffed animal named Mr. Bear, who spends every second wrapped up in her arms. Gifted to Taylor when she was just two years old, Mr. Bear, with his “deep brown eyes and scruffy hair,” is the quintessential childhood pal, always ready to tag along in Taylor’s backpack on hikes, snuggle during nap times, and travel the world with Taylor and her family. Wherever he goes, Taylor draws comfort from his cuddly presence—until she starts school. During class, Mr. Bear has to stay inside a cubby, and, one day, a bully at recess makes fun of Taylor for bringing Mr. Bear to the playground.

Thus begins the decline of Mr. Bear’s one-on-one time with Taylor—a childhood rite of passage that is heartbreaking to witness, though Trott handles it with gentle love and care. As Taylor slowly drifts apart from Mr. Bear, he remains staunchly loyal, waiting for her return every day and dreaming of the fun things they might do together. Still, the transformation in their relationship is poignant, as Mr. Bear sits in Taylor’s bedroom on a chair, watching her “come and go” while he’s left behind, feeling “sweet and understanding but a little sad”—emotions younger readers will likely find relatable.

Trott brings this charming story full circle once Taylor has children of her own, offering readers an ending that’s as warm and fuzzy as Mr. Bear himself—though he’s now “fragile and a bit old and tired… [and] special care is required.” The understated illustrations allow Trott’s heartfelt narrative to take center stage, but they still capture Mr. Bear’s delightful facial expressions and the endearing bond he shares with Taylor. Kids—and any adult who fondly remembers the well-loved toys from their youth—will find this debut a touching ode to childhood innocence.

Takeaway: A young girl’s bond with her stuffed animal is tested as she grows up.

Comparable Titles: Loren Long’s Otis, Anna M.’s Stuffed Animals Are for Everyone.

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

Click here for more about Mr. Bear

Inspired by the 2021 centennial anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, this anthology presents poems and songs of the First World War, mostly penned by soldiers themselves. Varallo served as a guard at the Tomb in 1948; now, he and Gordon have collected verses that range from propagandistic, glorifying war, to resolutely anti-war poems, as well as heartrending testimony from "mothers, wives, brothers, and sisters."

The range of poets and writers is broad. John McRae's "In Flanders Fields,” one of the more famous poems of the era, is told from the point of view of the war dead, who rousingly urge the living to keep fighting. George M. Cohan's song "Over There" was a rallying cry for the Americans in the war, cheering on the boys saving allies from the "Hun." Familiar selections like Kipling’s “My Boy Jack”—mourning a son who died in the war but rejoicing that he "did not shame his kind" by avoiding combat—are joined by surprises like Ivor Bertie Gurney’s mournful “To His Love” or the hit 1919 tune “How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?” One heartening theme is writers praising the soldiers of a different country, such as Ella Wheeler Wilcox's slightly besotted ode to the "bonnie Highland laddies" of Scotland.

Much less celebratory is the work of Siegfried Sassoon, whose poems are a scorching and satirical attack on those who pushed young men into the hell of war. The editors themselves take no part in the philosophical argument for or against war, though Varallo contributes some of his own poems about two soldiers on opposite sides: one kills the other, who is out of ammunition, but is haunted by the act. Varallo asks simply, "Who wins?" That cuts to the essence of the experience: it lingers far beyond the battlefield itself. Biographical information for the poets is often sourced from Wikipedia.

Takeaway: Rousing, mournful, thoughtful anthology of verse by soldiers in the First World War.

Comparable Titles: Lorrie Goldensohn’s American War Poetry, Rupert Brooke et. al’s A First World War Poetry Collection.

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

Click here for more about A Tomb Guard Remembers

Sprightly and sparkling despite its hefty length, this intimate epic of art and politics from Maxwell (author of The Rogue Queen) examines the life, mind, and choices of medieval poet Christine de Pizan, whose poetry made her the toast of France in the late 14th century. As her nation faces conflict from abroad and within, Maxwell’s de Pizan is, at the novel’s start, a widow liberated from financial deprivation by a surprising opportunity: she is invited to earn a living copying books in the king’s library. De Pizan quickly comes to love this “peaceful life,” working “high above the city’s fray in the Falconry Tower.” When she is encouraged by one of her several mentors to write her own poetry, however, she soon finds herself the center of the court’s attention, earning admirers in dukes and even the queen—and the enmity of the poet she bests in a royal competition. De Pizan notes, tartly, that he “does not think that I, a mere woman, possess the wit necessary to write poetry.”

Maxwell tells this literary tale with brisk authority, moving quickly through de Pizan’s ascent and her growth as an artist, thinker, and person. Dramatic incidents abound, as de Pizan, who is soon commissioned to write and read for the queen herself, faces public controversies and a burgeoning sense of her own responsibility as discord roils the nation. “What can I do? I am just one woman!” she asks, when a dear friend and priest urges her to work for peace. Dialogue and characterization compel, though the prose, honed for clarity and ease of reading, tends to avoid a poet’s lyricism.

What most fascinates is de Pizan’s growing awareness of the injustice of women's position in society. The poet shrewdly maneuvers to secure stations for her children’s future while honing her voice and arriving at pressing questions like “Why were so few books written about praiseworthy women?” Maxwell has written one, a lively rendering of a life and mind that inspires.

Takeaway: Briskly told historical novel of France’s brilliant 14th century woman poet.

Comparable Titles: Coirle Mooney, Elizabeth Chadwick.

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

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Sharp-witted Jessica Chase carves a precarious path of independence in the shrouded streets of 1890s San Francisco in this smart historical debut. Jessica has left her former confidant and lover, a manipulative con artist named Felix Rodgers, back in Boston, yet even the firmest convictions can be shaken by old threats. Felix has come west, prowling the streets of the booming city with his arrogance and predatory instincts. Soon, Jessica's wealthy Uncle Alfie announces, “My girl, someone is poisoning me.” Shaken, Jessica decides to stop running away and agrees, reluctantly, to participate in a self-serving scheme of Felix’s purportedly crafted to expose the assailant: a staged burial to fake Alfie’s death—a plan as risky as it is ingenious.

Braun’s narrative crackles with tension, delivering a fun and thrilling ride as Jessica orchestrates her counterplay: she will con her conman, who is eager to possess her. Enlisting a diverse and quirky squad—her long-lost brother Bayer, a séance mediator named Rebecca, and the burly circus strongman Boris—she attempts to outmaneuver Felix at his own game. Jessica evolves from a neglected child who grew up seeking love in all the wrong places into an independent and resourceful woman reclaiming her agency against patriarchal dominance. Her character is empowering, defying the stereotypical representation of how "every successful woman is a man telling her what to do," as Felix puts it, by proving herself a cunning architect of her own redemption.

The pacing flags during chapters focused on Felix’s indulgent drunken escapades, but Braun compensates with a layered portrayal of his character—a man with an "unlucky" past whose vulnerabilities are masked by his narcissism—rather than a one-dimensional villain. The novel is rich in fascinating and evocative historical detail, especially concerning the ethical ambiguities of the Gilded Age, like grave robbing in the name of medical progress. With its mix of clever and playful heists, eerie spiritual theatrics, and the seedy taverns and sinister graveyards of the Barbary Coast, readers will surely delight in this book.

Takeaway: Thrilling 1890s San Francisco heist story—and a woman’s journey of redemption.

Comparable Titles: Emma Donoghue’s Frog Music, Karen Joy Fowler’s Sister Noon.

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

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The first installment in Finn’s debut series plunges readers into a vivid world where the boundaries of reality and illusion blur. Seventeen-year-old Tyler Yaxley has his fair share of problems: his stepfather is abusive, his mother emotionally absent, and his brother, Jordan, disappeared years ago. When he meets the unconventional Martin, and starts noticing odd phenomena shimmering in the world around him, Tyler questions whether he’s losing it—or if something bigger than himself is taking shape. After bullies viciously attack him, Tyler wakes up in a mysterious place called Res—a haunting realm where he’s immediately plunged into the Iudicium, a series of trials that test his strength, morality, and resolve.

Tyler's trials are a brutal gauntlet of psychological and physical torment, where he confronts grotesque creatures, treacherous landscapes, and impossible choices, but they’re just the start of his tortuous journey. As he faces fallout in Res and in the real world, Tyler also learns of his connection to an ancient inner energy—Vinculum—that feeds off a human host. While Tyler’s Vi, called Kiijh, grants him supernatural abilities, those come with a cost, serving as a source of power and a symbol of his fractured sense of self. Throughout Tyler’s awakenings, Martin functions as his mentor, keying him into the different dimensions of reality and his role as a chosen one.

Though occasionally dense with lore, Dissonance balances introspective moments with action, especially in the climactic confrontation with Milo, whose elemental powers push Tyler and his team to their limits. Finn further complicates Tyler’s journey with Jordan’s reappearance, reopening old wounds of abandonment and betrayal, but, despite his harrowing struggles, Tyler emerges stronger and more determined than ever. That transformation sets the stage for an exciting sequel, where Tyler must face the looming threats of Res and beyond. Anyone who has ever fought to find their place in the world will be riveted.

Takeaway: Young adult faces tortuous trials to find his place in a fractured world.

Comparable Titles: Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series; Maggie Stiefavter’s The Scorpio Races.

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

Click here for more about Dissonance

Two octopi find their way to freedom in this adorable picture book debut by Lacy. Harry, a “very sweet” octopus who nevertheless “tries to be scary,” lives at a zoo where he’s famous for his nighttime escape attempts, much to the chagrin of the keepers. Harry may be well-loved and celebrated, but he has too much energy to be contained. Even as he desperately tries to keep himself busy by redecorating his tank and sneaking out for extra snacks, he still longs for the deep blue ocean. When a new octopus—the pretty Suzette—joins his tank, his dreams of freedom finally seem within reach.

Lacy’s eight-tentacled star is a winning combination of mischievous and sweet, as eager to help Suzette adjust to her new surroundings as he is to wreak havoc when the zoo staff isn’t watching him closely. When he finally builds up the nerve to get close to Suzette, Harry is stunned to find out he now has a partner in crime—and the pair quickly go about planning their getaway, with the help of Harry’s entertaining “Octo Map” that details their possible escape routes. Dana Cooper accompanies those master plans with dainty watercolor illustrations that undulate with the colors and shapes of the briny deep, culminating in a final kaleidoscopic portrait that swirls the shades of Harry and Suzette’s happily ever after across the page.

Young readers will revel in Harry’s horseplay and be amused by his roguish facial expressions and poses, as well as Suzette’s more demure but equally entertaining body language. Lacy’s lessons on animal conservation also hit home, though the rhyming structure used to deliver those lessons feels forced at times. Still, kids able to read between the lines will feel the strong pull of two caged octopi that “really just want to roam.”

Takeaway: Two octopi with a taste of freedom charm in this bubbly tale.

Comparable Titles: DJ Burk’s Gamba, Tohby Riddle’s The Great Escape.

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

Click here for more about Octopi are Very Sly

The fourth installment in Bélanger’s Your Words poetry series offers a rousing, heartfelt interplay of nature photography and poems that explore the poet’s Christian faith, particularly the threshold between heaven and earth, the spiritual plight of selfishness, and the practice of faith and theological contemplation. In “There’s Room,” when Bélanger writes, “the sign on the door // In big bold gold letters // Reads Vacancy // There’s room // Inside // Ample // Always,” the door is an opening to heaven, but it’s also an invitation to enter a life of spiritual abundance based on a practice of faith.

For Bélanger, poetry is part of that practice; through her poems, she allows readers access to her world of faith: “I’m showing you part of mine // I write,” and in turn, she is able to reach God through her art. “Come close,” she writes in “The Traveling Bag”: “Do you see? Look how Louise is beautifully written on God’s palm.” But in Bélanger’s conceptualization of faith, it is not just her name written on God’s palm—it is everyone’s. As she writes in “I Matter to God,” “I matter to God // I matter to Jesus // Realize today // The same can be said // About you!”

Between each poem, Bélanger also includes stunning original photographs depicting floral portraits, idyllic landscapes, and other picturesque flora from all seasons, plus surprises like rain streaking on a window. There is a quiet, simple brilliance in each of them, and they show how Bélanger’s faith shapes the way she sees the world and the beauty she finds in it; each flower, and each petal in each flower, is a perfect creation of Bélanger’s God, and all of them deserve attention and appreciation. Readers seeking a multifaceted, thought-provoking, and visually engaging poetry experience based in faith will find abundance in Bélanger’s collection, which reminds the faithful that “We can choose // To be instrumental // To magnificent goodness.”

Takeaway: Gorgeous collection of nature photography and inspiring Christian poetry.

Comparable Titles: David Lyle Jeffrey’s “A Testament of Witness,” and Dana Gioia’s “Pity the Beautiful"

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

Click here for more about Your Words Your Love (Your Words Collection)

Biddle (author of They Believed They Were Safe) gives voice to women of the Bible in this unique reimagining, where God is described as the “nonbinary creator of the world” and well-knowns like Eve, Ruth, and Delilah set their records straight. Fittingly, the story begins with Eve, “supposedly the Earth’s first woman,” as she explores the blame levelled at her over centuries, reflects on Adam’s finer qualities (he “admired brawn more than brains” she muses), and recounts the painful outcomes for her children, Cain and Abel. That sets the stage for a high-spirited, often tongue-in-cheek revision of biblical stories that layers historical Christian events with contemporary travesties.

Biddle's reinvention of silenced, abused, and oppressed women provides a humorous—and at times cynical—take on biblical stories that have historically unfolded from a male perspective. Ruth reflects on her journey as an "alien" in a foreign land; Bathsheba shares her side of the love affair she was forced into when a David took a liking to her; and Delilah defends her actions against Samson, yet defers judgment, writing “I was a serial floozy. Or a heroine. Your choice.” Biddle also incorporates a contemporary woman by the name of Moira—a 21st century descendant of Eve, who sees a correlation between herself and these biblical women and the treatment they faced at the hands of the men in their lives.

Though entertaining, Biddle’s writing also offers serious food for thought, advocating for women whose perspectives have been largely overlooked, as well as unapologetically calling out the lack of women’s autonomy over their own lives and bodies within biblical stories. The narrative also invites some input from men in the Bible and touches on several of-the-moment issues like gun control and discrimination, while offering brief asides from God, who ruminates on the deteriorating state of the world and tells readers “I cannot rescue you from your current lunacies.”

Takeaway: Creative reimagining that gives voices to women of the Bible.

Comparable Titles: Michal Lemberger's After Abel and Other Stories, Anna Solomon's The Book of V.

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

Click here for more about Listen To Me: The Women of the Bible Speak Out

Newman’s latest historical fiction, after Will O’ the Wisp, follows the intertwined lives of Pete and Alex, two brothers bound not by blood but by circumstance, amid the harsh realities of mid-20th-century America. When the Barnes family discovers Alex—a young Black orphan—hiding in their North Carolina dairy barn, they take him in—not from kindness, but because they need an extra hand on the farm. As Alex grows, he’s treated like an outsider by most of the family and society at large, though Pete—the second to youngest Barnes and Alex’s same age—considers him a brother. As the boys grow, their separate narratives unfold, powered by themes of racism, identity, and resilience.

Newman’s tale of brotherhood captures the deep bond between Pete and Alex—a bond that is tested as their journey expands. They attend segregated schools, each learning vastly different histories, with Pete steeped in white narratives while Alex soaks in the knowledge of his Cherokee teacher. Alex’s journey to discover his self-worth and place in the world is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, and Pete’s love for him offers a glimpse of hope in a story otherwise rife with challenges. Their odyssey spans pivotal moments in history, from the Great Depression and Second World War to the Vietnam War, highlighting the impact of these events on their relationship, as the boys dream of escape by enlisting in the army, only to confront the harsh inequalities of race even while serving their country.

Vivid descriptions of rural life, military service, and racial tension add rich layers to Newman’s narrative, immersing readers in the characters’ struggles and triumphs while exploring war trauma, systemic discrimination, and gentle self-discovery amid the harsh cruelty of their world. Boys is a complex dive into human connection, an ode to finding strength in adversity, the enduring scars of racism, and the power of love and loyalty.

Takeaway: Two men raised as brothers confront racism in mid-20th-century America.

Comparable Titles: Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half, Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age.

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

Click here for more about Boys

Urging readers to sing more, embrace their inner fools, and be open about loneliness, psychologist McKenzie’s spirited debut offers a fun, inviting guide to enhancing personal well-being and improving mental health. McKenzie notes the troubling decline in happiness levels in nations like the United States, Canada, and Australia, as highlighted in the 2024 World Happiness Report, before making the case that happiness is not a fixed state but a fleeting emotion—one that demands continuous effort and intentional action to sustain. With the conversational tone of a dear friend who happens to be a psychologist, McKenzie presents non-medication-based strategies (among many: getting hands dirty with plants, embracing the “warm glow” of giving) that can lead to lowered levels of stress and anxiety. While McKenzie argues that there is no such thing as a “happy pill,” she recognizes the crucial role of medication for some people but notes that “75% of patients prefer the idea of therapy over medication.”

The vibe is encouraging, as McKenzie shares a wealth of compelling science, relatable personal anecdotes, hard-won wisdom, and smart advice (like “The fear of appearing foolish crushes opportunities for spontaneity, mastery, and joy”). Each chapter focuses on a specific activity proven to boost happiness, ranging from cooking to seeking awe to rearranging furniture. McKenzie bolsters her recommendations with up-to-date research that underscores the power of everyday activities: singing, for example, triggers the release of endorphins and oxytocin, chemicals linked to joy and stress reduction, while gardening boosts serotonin and lowers cortisol, alleviating symptoms of depression.

McKenzie’s writing is engaging and approachable, breaking down complex psychological concepts into digestible insights. Her practical tips help readers integrate these strategies into daily life, emphasizing small, incremental changes that build lasting mental health benefits. This engaging, practical resource issues an inspiring and achievable call to action, demonstrating proven methods for taking charge of one’s happiness.

Takeaway: A psychologist’s compelling, practical guide to improving happiness and mental health.

Comparable Titles: Sonja Lyubomirsky’s The Myth of Happiness, Richard Beck’s The Shape of Joy.

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

Click here for more about "I Just Want to Be Happy"

Pappas shares her inspirational journey toward recognizing and embracing the wise woman within to safeguard mental and physical well-being. The Magic of Yes blends encouragement for healing with stories of women overcoming challenges and often wrenching circumstances. Pappas describes a traumatic childhood, including psychological abuse and her mother’s attempt to exorcize Satan from her, and her father committing her to an asylum at age 16. She escaped and embarked on a lifelong personal journey of taking responsibility for herself. She determined the trajectory of her life by taking risks, embracing gratitude, engaging in continuous learning, and more. She taught herself to say “yes” to curiosity and “no” when necessary to establish boundaries and ensure self-respect.

In the confident tone of someone who has overcome significant hurdles and challenges, Pappas shares her mission of developing a sense of self-awareness and integrity, distinguishing between one’s personal and professional self, and making oneself a top priority with the power of WIIFM (what’s in it for me?). After each chapter, Pappas offers DREAM (desire, reflect, explore, acknowledge, mantra) activities to help readers experience greater happiness and delight. Pappas also presents encouraging stories from a sisterhood of wise women, such as *In Your Own Skin* well-being facilitator Katheryn Trenshaw, and Compost Happens author and psychologist Diana Dean.

After becoming a successful businesswoman, Pappas worked in Ethiopia distributing medicine. Some of her stories about the inexcusable abuse that African women faced are difficult to read, but their courage to better their lives is captivating. The numerous stories of women overcoming abuse and adversity offer compassionate advice, reminding readers that they are not alone in their individual experiences—and serving as heartening reminders that cycles of abuse can be broken. Pappas provides contemplative wisdom, grounded advice, and practical lessons for women of all backgrounds who desire self-determination.

Takeaway: Advice and encouragement for women in healing and saying “yes” to wisdom and growth.

Comparable Titles: Karena Kilcoyne’s Rise Above the Story, Stephanie Foo’s What My Bones Know.

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

Click here for more about The Magic of Yes

In this upbeat debut blending memoir, advice, and heartfelt expressions of faith, Millet recounts the steps—both personal and business-related—it takes to break into the multifamily real estate industry. A YouTube video inspired the Louisianan Air National Guardsman to seek greater financial independence, and then, through a series of courses, conferences, and reflective time spent in prayer, he gradually learned the steps, skills, and acronyms—HELOC, DTI, LTV, and even a literal ABC—that helped him finally close on his first deal in 2024.

Millet documents the relatable highs and lows of this endeavor, frankly admitting to feeling “wet behind the ears” while doing his best to sound professional. Getting his wife on board, raising capital, walking away from an early prospective deal during the due diligence period, and experiencing interest rate hikes during another purchase were all hurdles. Persistence, even after hitting what marathon runners call the “Wall,” proved essential, as did Millet’s faith and conviction that he is “worthy of success.” Millet goes into detail about the personal changes he made to get into the right mindset for this career change, while sharing advice about finding deals, pitching (“it’s important to understand what your counterpart is feeling”), and addressing the fears of loved ones and stakeholders.

Rather than a step-by-step guide to starting up in real estate, Millet offers readers a quick-paced, well-edited memoir of a young businessman navigating the hard work and everyday challenges of striking out in a new field. “You need to know what you don’t know and then strive to learn it,” Millet writes, his tone taking on the inspiring tenor of a coach who still finds the lessons fresh. The result is an inspirational tale about trusting a higher power and daring to work for one’s dreams, a motivational example of how working on yourself leads to rewards in other parts of life, a call not to be stymied by setbacks, and a reminder to fear “regret much more than failure.”

Takeaway: An entrepreneur's frank account of growing a real estate business.

Comparable Titles: Alan Corey’s A Million Bucks by 30, Jonathan Clements’s My Money Journey.

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

Click here for more about For Such a Time as This

Medlin’s action-packed first in their Spirit Tamer series pairs a desperate agent with a plucky alien soldier and deadly automaton on a war-wracked world where there are no right sides. Overman Agent Black Dog has three weeks to pay off her debts to the company, otherwise they’ll repo the implants keeping her alive. To do so, she contracts the aid of War Devil, a sentient battle suit, and its carrier, Zecona Giovanni, an Abot. Their mission: destroy the Rebellion defenses so the Federation can take the city of Korsecstan. But everything has a price, and nothing is as simple as it first appears.

SF fans will love the cool technologies Medlin displays, like weapons that generate their own ammo, the shape-shifting War Devil, and the nigh-invulnerable Black Dog, whose self-healing augmentations steal the spotlight after a slew of rousing action sequences. Medlin’s straightforward plot is accentuated by character-centered detours, like Zecona looking for meds to treat his gravity sickness, or a promising early segment involving Black Dog and a girl named Nadia, who threatens to complicate Black Dog’s life. However, loosely jointed prose and a lack of focus across the board keep The War Devil’s intriguing constituent parts from wholly forming into a truly lethal read.

The War Devil is at its best when playing fast, loose, and cool, skimming over the more complex ideas and themes—like the racism faced by Zecona’s displaced people or a late-game reveal for Black Dog concerning identity and self—while staying firmly entrenched in Medlin’s dangerous world, where every day is a gamble and freedom is more of a slippery slope than an earnest vision. Conceptually gleaming but mechanically underdeveloped, this quick-fire debut still has the basic weapons needed to wage an exhilarating war on future-minded fans, and the main trio is endearing enough to keep attention buzzing for the next in the series.

Takeaway: Conceptually vibrant SF brimming with action-packed sequences.

Comparable Titles: Drew Avera’s Damaged, Incorporated, Richard K. Morgan’s Broken Angels.

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

Click here for more about The War Devil

In Mutter’s sword-slinging science-fantasy debut, the Alliance of Man must return to the place of its birth in the hopes of breaking free from a terrible servitude. Ill tidings have befallen Axel Starborn: Brond, of the Covenant of Nine and leader of the dark seraph, has revealed to the Five Races that he possesses the Avalon Codex—an ancient tome exposing the dark secret of Mankind’s ancient blood oath to the Beast. Compelled to serve the Nine, Axel must assemble a cohort, including trusted allies: the compassionate Toth Valar, the roguish Redgar Silverheels, and the snake-skinned magic-man, Lorn Zeen. Together, they will risk Eden’s trials in a desperate bid for freedom—or burn it to the ground.

Fans of pop-goth sword-and-sorcery thrillers with mythic themes, bloody demon battles, and jolting revelations about the secret histories of our planet and civilization will find much to enjoy in Avalon Codex. Crafted for big drama, larger-than-life adventure, and epic confrontations, the novel brims with energy. “Baleful hatred was written all over his features as the wind and lightning rebounded around his home,” Mutter writes, as the heroes face one haunting entity in its lair. The pace is brisk, the world intriguing, and the violence inventive, though characterization can feel flat, and the cosmic stakes don’t always resonate on a personal level.

Still, Mutter takes a big swing with his compelling central premise and fascinating figures like Lorn or the enigmatic, age-afflicted Children of September. As the inspired proper nouns suggest (there’s a City of Wailing Doom and a “giant fallen seraph called Mangol Mammoth”), a passion for pulpy, Warhammer-esque fantasy powers the storytelling. The novel features dark rituals, “Soulburn” powers rooted in an ancient bloodline, and horror-tinged set pieces, such as a scene involving a “living black wall of obsidian flesh.” Building to a promising cliffhanger, Mutter offers fresh takes on familiar ideas, including Amazonians and an angelic Silver Host.

Takeaway: Sword-and-sorcery epic in a pulpy, gothic vein.

Comparable Titles: Stavros Saristavros’s The Tome of Syyx, C.J. Pyrah’s Legacy.

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

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Grossman delivers an engaging tale of love and war, coming-of-age, and adult regrets and redemption, set against the turbulent backdrop of 1960s America and Vietnam, plus the aftermath over the next decades. The novel expertly captures an era marked by social upheaval, personal freedom, changing cultural norms, and wrenching controversies, including burgeoning distrust of institutions. The story follows Will Stanford, a young Chicagoan whose carefree existence changes when he meets Glory Walters on a tennis court. Grossman crafts this pair’s brisk courtship with delightful authenticity, creating a romance that perfectly embodies the spirit of the times. Their initial encounter sparkles with chemistry, and their relationship feels natural and unforced, making their eventual union—and new role as parents—all the more believable.

Adult life, however, will test them both. Will's journey from a directionless youth to unemployed father and eventual army enlistee unfolds with much feeling, as Will’s naïveté gets tested—once “in country” in Vietnam, he asks, after being shot at by the Viet Cong, “It’s gonna sound stupid, but why would they want to do that?” The war shakes and disgusts Will, tearing apart both his body and spirit, but as he takes actions that will shock readers, Grossman stirs sympathy. Grossman skillfully portrays Will’s internal struggles, painful disillusionment, hard choices, and surprising swerves as he endures wrenching loss and builds a new life far different than the one he expected.

Despite their electric start and mutual love for Rachel, their daughter, Will and Glory end up on separate paths. Late chapters center on the possibility of reconciliation. While the pacing occasionally slows during transitional periods, this heartfelt, persuasive portrayal of lives and families veering apart—but also of growth and transformation—will keep readers of heartfelt fiction about the American experience invested. Grossman’s attention to period details and drifts of mind creates an immersive experience that transports readers back to a fractious era while demonstrating how its reverberations have shaken lives across decades.

Takeaway: Heartfelt Vietnam War-era story of love, tragedy, and life’s surprising paths.

Comparable Titles: Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer, Robert Dugoni’s The World Played Chess.

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

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