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Kill Well: The Steep Climes Quartet: Book One
David Guenette
Set in a near future where the DSM 7 includes a diagnosis of “climate anxiety,” the first entry in the Steep Climes Quartet, Guenette’s pointedly realistic thriller series, opens with a bang, as Cynthia Wainwright witnesses the murder of the boss, apparently at the hands of a police officer, amid the scrub of the Mojave Desert. Cynthia had been scheduled to meet him to drive to a meeting with the head of an investor group interested in their company Carbon’s End, which is committed to “fossil fuel divestiture.” When Cynthia, stunned, gets a text from the boss she has just seen get killed—a boss with whom she has been sharing a sexual relationship—she flees the scene in a panic. She’s hunted (by a killer, by PIs she’s not sure she can trust) but eventually finds possible security with young Jimmy, a recent college grad she encounters on a train leaving a Chicago roiled by brownouts and climate riots.

Jimmy’s heading to the Berkshires to see his father, Davin Caine, an artist/farmer/consultant and “COVID divorcee” currently applying his skills to helping a local news startup survive. The mystery of who wants Cynthia dead will upend both men’s lives, as they uncover a conspiracy involving oilmen, lobbyists, PACs, and a powerful effort to protect fossil fuel profits. Guenette demonstrates a sure hand throughout for step-by-step investigations and how the world actually works: tracking, hacking, oil business shenanigans, how contract killers communicate, and even the struggles of raising sweet corn and running an Airbnb.

Despite the crackerjack opening, the novel is chatty and fitfully paced, especially in a first half that alternates Cynthia’s flight (and sensitively handled mental struggles) with Davin’s gardening, consulting, and property management. In these, Guenette explores, with a convincing edge of reportage, the realities of climate change, and plants seeds for this long novel’s strong final third. It’s all convincing and plausible, but thriller readers will be eager to get back to Cynthia.

Takeaway: Pointedly realistic thriller of murder, the fossil fuel industry, and climate activism.

Comparable Titles: Brooks B. Yeager’s Chilly Winds, Joel Burcat’s Amid Rage.

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

Life Plans On Dive Bar Napkins
Paul Manser
Blending concision with tales of excess across the world, Manser’s compact debut packs a potent punch. The 33 chapters, some just a few paragraphs long, tell stories of adventure traveling—in Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Norway, the U.S., and more— from the perspective of a man who calls the heavily mustachioed Mexican cop shaking him down for a bribe “Officer Porn Star.” The kind of adventure that Manser describes only comes when one eschews all-inclusive cruise packages and ventures freestyle into the world, armed with a quick wit, sense of adventure, a trusted buddy, and alcohol. Lots of alcohol. But this collection is more than a catalog of drunken tales. Manser’s stories are poignant, well observed, and build to bittersweet endings of not-meant-to-bes and lessons learned the hard way. Ever humble and looking for the bigger picture, Manser spares us Hemingway-esque machismo and produces a book as surprising as the locales it covers, all while holding the reader in rapt attention.

An accomplished magazine and travel writer, Manser brings readers the globe in a spare, polished, self-revealing voice. With crisp, vivid description and bursts of wit, his stories can verge from the somewhat comical to the truly frightening in short order. In describing his trip to the Arctic Circle we can feel the cold claustrophobia as his dog-hauled sled spins out of control: “My face is pushed into the snow… The sled falls over my legs. I can’t breathe.”

The stories are just as likely, though, to turn comic, as in encounters with a Guatemalan tarantula or the beautiful woman at a Reykjavik bar who notes that she could possibly be Manser’s cousin. Manser’s stylish prose is matched by a sleek layout and strong photography, with design elements that handle the chores of place-setting, freeing Manser to start his tales at their high points. The result is inviting and exciting, a triumph of travelogue and design that’s full of surprises.

Takeaway: Tautly told global travel misadventures, with a keen eye for design.

Comparable Titles: Adam Fletcher’s Don’t Come Back, Eileen Kay’s Nothing Went to Plan and Other Silver Linings.

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

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The Wannabe Investor: 40 Must-Know Facts Before Buying Your First Stock
Ann Marie Sabath
Approximately 40 percent of Americans shy away from investing in the stock market due to lack of knowledge, funds, or confidence, Sabath (author of What Self-Made Millionaires Do That Most People Don't) notes in this pragmatic guide crafted to invite new investors (ie, “wannabe”s) into the fold. Sabath, herself a wannabe-investor-turned-diversified stock owner, lays out in each chapter a “Must-Know Fact,” each separately numbered. Fact #1 concerns the importance of becoming financially literate. Not doing so, she argues, “hinders us from achieving financial stability” and “building wealth.” She knows that intimately—before applying these lessons in her own life, Sabath was an “ordinary person” whose money went to sleep for a Rip Van Winkle-like 20 years languishing in low-performing certificates of deposit, all while the stock market roared ahead.

Sabath’s 40 facts demystify the world of finance, debunk myths (“I don’t have enough money to invest”), and lay out a clear route to understanding one’s own finances and taking the steps not just to invest but to make informed choices. Sabath explains, in crisp and direct prose, basic concepts as long-term investing, while offering action steps, examples, hypotheticals, and more. She demonstrates that one should contribute to qualified retirement plans while building an emergency fund and eliminating debt. Other issues covered include risk, tax minimization, automatic investing, the importance of working with a fiduciary, and the power of compounding.

Sabath’s straight-talking lessons will open new investors’ eyes in this era of self-directed retirement accounts, long life spans, and a questionable Social Security system. For all her helpful specifics (“allocate no more than 10 percent of your portfolio to a single investment when you’re purchasing it”) perhaps Sabath’s greatest lesson is that the secret to investing success is no secret. Systematically saving and sensibly investing while minimizing taxes and expenses will help one live a comfortable life. As Sabath notes, most of us are capable of meeting such challenges. The Wannabe Investor illuminates the path.

Takeaway: Clear-eyed advice for anyone making excuses not to invest.

Comparable Titles: Jean Chatzky and Kathryn Tuggle’s How to Money, John Bogle’s The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.

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

Verse of Life
Joel David Kilgore
Kilgore’s spirited and hefty second collection (following The Spirit’s Call) uses poetry as ministry to reinvigorate faith in the hearts of Christian readers, examine the relationship between America and God, explore theological mysteries, and plead in the face of injustice to “Let us all be seen as children / Of the God that we believe.” Whereas Kilgore’s debut offered a general overview of his Christian faith, the almost 200 poems constituting Verse of Life focus on the innumerable ways Christ presents Himself in the poet’s life and the employment of faith as lifestyle rather than mere belief. “The art of holy living,” Kilgore writes, “Is in a single prayer, // To ask and then be faithful // That God will meet you there.”

For Kilgore, poetry functions as prayer—a subject upon which he devotes many lines and guidance, noting “It just takes one prayer / To know Him e'er true”—but also as a means of channeling the voice of God. In “From Whence It Comes,” the speaker notes, “as words do hit the paper // They jingle life and rhyme, // They often tell a story // That truly isn't mine,” but instead “a gift from God.” That might sound lofty, but these simply structured rhyming verses express a faith “All sprinkled with humility / And a pinch of humbleness or two.” Spiritual reflections on earthly matters are striking: “Let Me Breathe,” for example, is a poignant elegy for George Floyd.

“Congressional Seat” and “The Leader” also utilize Christian morals, condemning dishonesty and sin among sitting members of congress and presidents past, but the thread that binds Kilgore’s collection together amid topics secular and spiritual is a forthright commitment to “life with God” that is profound in its plea simply to pray and have faith in God’s answer. Through verse, Kilgore searches, connects, and rejoices, inviting readers to join him.

Takeaway: Prayerful poems that examine living in the path of Christ.

Comparable Titles: Christian Wiman’s “Hammer Is the Prayer”; Geoffrey Hill.

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

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Red Season
Gary Genard
Genard’s standout fiction debut follows Dr. William Scarlet, surgeon for Scotland Yard in the Golden Age of Queen Victoria’s reign, and man with a secret: he possesses psychic abilities that allow him to glimpse the darkest hearts roaming the streets of London. With just one touch, Scarlet can expose the horrific fate of victims and their killers, a talent that lands him in the spotlight when children start disappearing from London after dark. As the crimes escalate, the supernatural seems to gain in power as well, sparking all manner of intriguing happenings: a séance plunges its participants into visions of snakes and rivers of blood, sleepwalking hints at something darker, and madness abounds.

The blend of mystery, history, and something possibly beyond our ken is enticing. Scarlet, a member of the wonderfully named Society for Supernatural and Psychic Research, is quickly bonded to this like-minded group of gentlemen desperate to solve the horrific crimes. Those crimes, tantalizingly, seem to coordinate with sundown and the moon’s patterns each month, prompting Scarlet and his trusted colleague, Django Pierce-Jones, to initiate a perilous investigation that will please lovers of supernatural-adjacent suspense as the heroes find themselves in the crosshairs of evil from both sides of the veil.

Genard’s cast of characters is rich and engaging enough to build a series upon, including the famous (and slightly pompous) artist Ambrose Reed, a widower who has found love again with fiancée Elizabeth Wilson, as well as Elizabeth's elder sister, Catherine, unmarried and independent, strong of mind and opinion. Added to the mix are Mrs. Bain, the mysterious older woman who woos Ambrose away from Elizabeth, and the late Mary Reed, Ambrose's deceased wife. Genard’s protagonist is both kind and rebellious, unable to stop using his powers as long as they bring peace and aid the public, and his humane use of his powers will endear him to readers—while keeping them eager to see his future adventures.

Takeaway: Scotland Yard faces séances, murder, and the possibly supernatural.

Comparable Titles: Michael Ward’s Rags of Time, T. L. Huchu’s The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle.

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

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My Dark Desire
Parker S. Huntington; L.J. Shen
A daring and sumptuous enemies-to-lovers pleasure for those on its wavelength, this dark romance from Shen and Huntington, the follow-up to their scintillating My Dark Romeo, kicks off with the first of its daring transgressions. Farrow Ballentine, a “survivor since birth” who has always been made to feel unwanted,” hides in the back of the Mercedes SUV taking her viciously rich stepsisters to the mansion of “spoiled billionaire” Zachary Sun. Farrow is on a classic fairy-tale mission, updated for the era of Instagram and chat threads: steal from Zach’s office a pendant that Farrow thinks of as “the only memory I had left of Dad.” Amid A+ wisecracks and deliciously outraged depictions of luxury, Farrow makes her move—only to be interrupted by Zach himself. Her first thought: “So perfect. So glamorous. So soulless.”

From there, My Dark Desire revels in anticipation, as the leads dance teasingly toward and away from each other with a wickedly sharp Cinderella edge. Telling himself that his desire to teach a lesson to his little “Octi”—for “Octopus”—is something other than turned-on curiosity, Zach turns up at Farrow’s stepmother’s house with her missing shoe and, at the point of a knife, he strikes a deal with Farrow: she is to be the help.

The trigger warnings, reader, are justified, as the authors wring this scenario for all it’s worth, emphasizing Zach’s arrogance and wealth, Farrow’s feisty wit, and devising an escalating series of wild, delicious erotic confrontations, all while taking seriously the wounded souls of both leads, as well as the ins-and-outs of wills, inheritances, and the shocking schemes and power of the super-rich. The novel is a feast of quips, insights, and steam, as Farrow tries not to surrender to “his husky command”—and then surprises him with acceptance of his true self. Readers who love this breed of tale will be in a hellish heaven for its full, epic length.

Takeaway: Epic dark romance bursting with wit, passion, and soulful leads.

Comparable Titles: Rina Kent’s Monster series, Elizabeth O’Roark’s A Deal with the Devil.

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

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Blessed and Beautiful: Psalm 1 (with Psalm 121)
Tayo Oshaye
Oshaye’s third in her Mini Psalm Book series (after I Am Confident in God and Fearless) pairs Bible psalms with a group of animated trees in this endearing story. The tale starts with “God, the Creator” planting five trees—Firi Firtree, Pinely Pine, Larry Cedar, Oaklan Oak, and Juniper Broomley—in a charming forest that’s supported by a meandering river, aptly named Deep Spring. Out of all the trees in Edenwild Forest, Larry Cedar is the most majestic, known for his strong roots and herculean height, but his gifts come with a serious side of arrogance, too, as he often proclaims, “No tree in the forest comes close to what I offer!”

That arrogance predictably drives a wedge between Larry and the other trees, particularly Pinely Pine, who wants nothing more than to win the supermodel medal at the forest’s upcoming talent show. In between her and that dream stands Larry, of course, with a streak of undefeated wins and a colossal ego, all prompting Pinely to eventually lose heart—and threaten to leave Edenwild forever. Luckily, the trees band together and remind Pinely—and Larry—of God’s unconditional love, cultivating their forgiveness of each other and acceptance of their own special talents.

The story’s ending is both prickly and sweet, as a hurricane rolls in and alters the forest’s landscape forever, but the art of Yana Popova, especially the realistic facial expressions on Edenwild’s evergreen residents, gives the tale a soft, entertaining edge. Biblical concepts spring up throughout, as the trees discuss scripture, pray together, and proclaim they are “planted here to display God’s glory.” For younger readers, Oshaye details fun nature facts, like the almost-200 year life span of juniper trees, and closes with a recipe for toasted nut pancakes and a challenge for readers to create their own “friendship chorus” to share online.

Takeaway: Trees band together to discover God’s love in this charming faith-based tale.

Comparable Titles: J. Alasdair Groves’s Tomas Looks Up & Out, Darby A. Strickland’s Something Scary Happened.

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

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LOVE AT THE PENTAGON: A Nick & Gia Story
Kimberly A. Biggerstaff
Biggerstaff (author of the Rogov Romance series) tells the story of Nick Foster, a marine who chooses to stay single after the tragic death of his wife and unborn child. His niece, Barbara Harris, determined to follow in his military footsteps from childhood, her mother Deborah, and retired fellow marine Samantha Barrett, along with her unusual family, form his inner circle, until he meets Gunnery Sergeant Gia Lorenzo. Despite the difference in their ages, Nick feels drawn to her in a way he hasn’t experienced since his prior marriage, but their romance could prove dangerous to both their careers—prompting them to keep it a secret.

Biggerstaff’s candid prose is the perfect fit to convey the everyday happenings of military personnel and showcases her experience serving in the Air Force. The characters are uncomplicated and appealing, the loving Gia a perfect fit for Nick, a “marine’s marine,” who manages to be as affectionate as he is hardcore. The possibility of their relationship leading to a court-martial for “fraternizing” is ever looming and complicates the wholesome, sweet flavor of the budding romance, but despite that wrench in the works, the courtship progresses smoothly, with snippets of tension interspersed throughout—including the consequences of an attempted kidnapping and the machinations of a sexual predator.

Those roadblocks introduce welcome conflict into the storyline, and Nick’s struggles with allowing himself the compassion to rebuild his life are palpably wrought. As he continues to rise in the ranks professionally, his feelings for Gia also expand, allowing them the necessary space to create their own happily ever after. Frequent references to the characters in Biggerstaff’s other novels water down the narrative at times, and Biggerstaff’s explanations of military lingo embedded in the storyline can be distracting, but ultimately Gia and Nick deliver a satisfying, feel-good romance.

Takeaway: A breezy military romance between a gunnery sergeant and an emotionally-scarred general.

Comparable Titles: Suzanne Brockmann’s The Admiral’s Bride, Susan Stoker’s Protecting Caroline.

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

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Red, White & Verse: Our Myths, Legends & Stories
Greg McNeilly
McNeilly offers a collection of original verse exploring myths, heroes, and history. Clear-eyed about the past but deeply committed to the nation’s founding principles, McNeilly uplifts by celebrating a union that strives to become more perfect and “refuse[s] to accept the world as it is and instead strive[s] to shape it into the world it could be.” The result is a celebration of American figures, beliefs, and civic virtues with a big-hearted spirit that has, in the 21st century, gone out of fashion. Written in a steady, sturdy AA/BB form, paeans to George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thanksgiving, and the War for Independence are rousing despite the familiarity of the topics.

Contemporary readers may find more that surprises in poems on John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, along with delightful odes to several national parks and natural wonders. McNeilly also features American economic dynamos, like Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan, to showcase the country’s get-the-job done ethos: “Work is the organized way we serve one another, //[...] In every humble endeavor, in each monumental task, // Lies the heart of America, beneath our star-spangled mask.” Though proudly patriotic, McNeilly acknowledges that “America is complex,” noting in the preference the shame of slavery and how resistance has met “each new wave” of the immigrants who “came to this continent in search of a better life and often, by brawn and brain, empowered by common values, created that life for themselves.”

McNeilly’s collection is educational, both in its subjects and its revival of a common-cause esprit de corps that has guttered in an age where digital media incentivizes division. Preceding each poem is a biographical or historical summary of the subject, and pen-and-ink illustrations are interspersed throughout. Along with these elements and the rhymed quatrain structure of his verses, McNeilly’s collection has substantial read-aloud value for children and would make for a fun introduction to American history that embraces the country’s greatness and aspiration for continual improvement.

Takeaway: Rousing poems celebrating America’s history, spirit, and potential..

Comparable Titles: Christopher Cole’s Patriotic Poetry, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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

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Pretty Wrecked: Confessions of a Teen Addict and Her Road to Recovery
Tracy Viola
In her profoundly insightful debut, Viola gifts readers a front-row seat to the wrenching realities of addiction—and a window into the hope of recovery. Growing up in a wealthy Philadelphia suburb, Viola’s childhood took a toxic turn when she was 12 years old, thanks to her abusive stepfather, Richard. Viola eventually turned to substances to numb the pain, writing “Sixteen-year-old Tracy wouldn't even recognize thirteen-year-old Tracy” of her deep journey into addiction. When rock bottom hit at age 19, Viola embarked on a different journey—this time to rebuild her life and learn how to “love and respect myself.”

Viola’s stark honesty is on full display as she recounts the painful side effects of her addiction: sexual assault, homelessness, and strained family relationships are just some of her tragic experiences, but she’s careful to emphasize how the hard work of recovery paid off—despite a failed stint at Hazelden in Minnesota—leading to a successful sobriety journey, with the assistance of local rehab and abundant AA meetings. After earning a bachelor and master’s degrees, Viola established her own thriving consultant business and achieved “a solid, amazing marriage… [with] no games [and] no baggage.” Viola and her husband, Mike, have two daughters who, she writes, are learning “the value of grit and working towards success.”

Viola, now 27 years sober, is an incredible success story for those facing similar struggles. “Nobody tries a little something at a party - a wine cooler or beer or hit of pot or a mushroom or a pill - and is suddenly hit with the reality of what one’s life will look like in 4 years after trying that one harmless little thing” she writes. Her bravery will sow seeds of hope for fellow addicts and those who love them, alongside reassurance of a way forward and a life without substances, fear, or judgment.

Takeaway: Raw memoir of addiction with a healthy dose of hope for recovery.

Comparable Titles: Marya Hornbacher’s Wasted, Koren Zailckas’s Smashed.

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

Walter Times Two
Annika Champenois
With a delightfully sweet tone and loads of laughs, Champenois (author of Artfully Annoying) immerses readers in a faith-based romance that packs serious heart. Third-year college student Aurelia—a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—is attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah while her family is on an extended mission in Costa Rica. Her life is decidedly rewarding; between her writing and editing studies, time spent with best friend and roommate, Jackie, and her love of languages, the days are full. But, more than anything, Aurelia is aching for true love—and the opportunity to be a full-time mother.

Aurelia wins that chance for love, but in the most unexpected of places, when she opens the door one day to find a gorgeous man named Walter, on bent knee, offering her a heartfelt proposal and engagement ring. The only problem is Aurelia has no clue who he is—but he seems to know her. Even worse, he spins a story about traveling too far back in time, claiming there are now two of him—and both are interested in her. What follows is a slightly madcap adventure featuring time travel, clean romance, and faith, as Champenois playfully toys with the concept of two Walters—one with full knowledge of the past and one who’s happily lost in the joyous voyage of falling in love.

The time travel elements are immersive, if a little confusing, and readers without Aurelia’s religious background may encounter some unfamiliar elements (particularly the significance of being sealed in the temple for marriage or the yearly general conference), but Champenois includes religious notes in the supplementary material for added clarification. Aurelia eventually earns her happy ending, and the novel’s innocence and sense of wonder will appeal to readers who enjoy tender, satisfying love stories.

Takeaway: A faith-based romantic comedy with lively time travel hijinks.

Comparable Titles: Traci Hunter Abramson’s Dancing to Freedom, Nancy Scanlon’s Once Upon a Summer Night.

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

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The Burying Point: A Ray Hanley Crime Thriller
Derik Cavignano
Pulsing with banter and compelling characters, this dark procedural from Cavignano continues the Ray Hanley series with an unpredictable blend of crime and horror. Boston Police Detective Hanley (introduced in The Art of Dying is placed on a missing person’s investigation in the infamous town of Salem, just up the coast. The commute and interruptions to his home life are not appreciated, but the case is urgent: the possible victim is Cassie Barnes, the 19-year-old niece of Captain Barnes. Hanley is partnered with Salem’s Elena Martinez, on her first case. She doesn’t appreciate being placed with a man who doesn’t know the area and doesn’t know her capabilities. This odd couple grinds through interviews, chasing down clues as they come, as the case proves ever stranger and darker.

Cavignano ramps up the tension as what starts out as standard police procedural work escalates into grisly murders and portents of unimaginable evil. To save Cassie and as many others as possible, Hanley and Martinez must face their pasts, and Salem’s, and also their own disregard for the supernatural. Deleted security tapes, slaughtered cows, and other missing women stand as smaller puzzles in the quest of a larger goal: bring Cassie home safely before it's too late. Characterization is strong—Martinez fought hard for her spot as a detective, vowing to protect young women in a way she wasn’t when she was young—and the detectives’ journey toward trusting each other offers warmth in the darkness.

Action-packed yet deeply researched, The Burying Point grabs from the first pages with crisp, focused prose and dialogue-driven scenecraft. Subtle clues will pique readers’ interest as they work out the fascinating puzzle along with Hanley and Martinez. Bursts of violence and horror are graphic but effective, and the brisk pacing and short, impactful chapters will inspire late-night readers to ignore the clock and tell themselves they’re just going to read one more. This is a strong choice for fans of police procedural dramas and horror stories alike.

Takeaway: Half crime drama, half occult horror story, this procedural is all memorable.

Comparable Titles: Cynthia Pelayo’s Children of Chicago, Ragnar Jonasson’s The Girl Who Died.

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

Click here for more about The Burying Point
Brilliant Emotions: Great Agony, Great Promise - True Stories from a Buddhist Psychotherapist
Paul Cashman
“We tend not to trust our own brilliance, our true nature,” psychotherapist Cashman writes at the start of this clarifying self-help guide that draws on the author’s lifetime study of two traditions he believes are more related than we may know: Buddhist meditative practice and clinical psychology. In Brilliant Emotions, Cashman demonstrates how “exploring, befriending, liberating" our feelings can help us in connecting to—and ultimately trusting—that “true nature.” To guide readers toward it, he presents a Four-Step Practice, an original tool for learning how to regulate, embrace, and control one's emotions. Demonstrating through client anecdotes and his own personal life lessons, Cashman explores feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, and jealousy, making the case that these "negative" emotions are in fact common, natural feelings that can, when faced and examined, offer valuable insight, especially into their own triggers.

This empowering text lays out a practical, comprehensive process to do just that: give readers the skill and confidence to acknowledge these feelings, better understand themselves, and regulate their actions when these emotions rise up. Noting how these feelings can power negative actions such as alcoholism and domestic violence, Cashman delves deeply into ways to recognize them and to take steps to cope with and potentially heal from the underlying issues that may stir them. His Four-Step Practice is his own reconstruction of the Four Karmas, the transformative Tibetan Buddhist transformative technique that “uncovers the wisdom contained within emotion,” and Cashman persuasively connects ancient wisdom with contemporary life and psychology.

Brilliant Emotions pushes readers to face dark feelings and their causes head on. With clear, concise examples and actionable steps and strategies to explore emotions safely, Cashman provides an organized outline and program to do the work toward emotional intelligence and healthy coping strategies. For the curious or for those already steeped in mindfulness practices and healing therapy, this is a compelling read and powerful resource.

Takeaway: Powerful, practical guide to facing and understanding negative emotions.

Comparable Titles: Anita Phillips's The Garden Within, Allison Choying Zangmo and Anyen Rinpoche’s Stop biting the Tail You’re Chasing.

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

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Rise Above the Story
Karena Kilcoyne
This urgent, compassionate guide to reframing one’s own narrative and thinking blends practical self-help advice, complete with much hard-won practical knowledge, with a raw look at Kilcoyne’s own life story: how she endured a hard childhood, struggled to find happiness as an adult, and then, through therapy and a host of searching techniques, began the hard but edifying work of “unraveling decades’ worth of emotional malnourishment and releasing the shame that fueled my story.” Growing up with abusive parents, watching her father go to prison, and caring for her siblings and a mother who never left bed, Kilcoyne never had a childhood, mortified at being destitute and often facing life without water or power—in every sense of the word.

Kilcoyne developed a fear of abandonment and a deep need to hide her shame, and she made unhealthy relationships and personal choices well into adulthood. When she began the slow path towards healing, an empowering path she lays out here for others, Kilcoyne discovered she needed to face how the personal “story” that she told herself was holding her back. Her vivid, moving account of healing will pull readers in, and survivors of any type of trauma will relate and feel real hope as Kilcoyne demonstrates how a debilitating narrative can be changed with dedicated work, the courage to get to know one’s self in the deepest ways, and a willingness to try multiple approaches.

Kilcoyne leads the way by telling her story—both what she lived and what she felt—with rare candor and insight, while coaching readers through clear, resonant explanations of trauma, brain chemistry, and more. As she introduces a host of steps toward story0changing (mindfulness practice, journaling, therapy, mediation, and many more) she notes that everyone’s healing journey will be different. Above all, she asks readers to trust the truths that emerge from this work, arguing “ This is the doorway to your new life.” Journal prompts and incisive questions invite reader introspection.

Takeaway: Powerful, inviting guide to resetting one’s narrative of trauma.

Comparable Titles: Lisa Weinert’s Narrative Healing, David Denborough’s Retelling the Stories of Our Lives.

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

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The Last Magdalene
Donna D Conrad
Bold and sumptuously told, this re-imagining of the life of the woman known in the English-speaking world as Mary Magdalene plumbs the human desire for the divine as Conrad conjures a secret world of high priestesses, Goddess-worship, and sensual rituals. Miriam of Bethany is raised within Jerusalem’s temple of Asherah, where her mother serves in the role of Magdalene, a role that Miriam, too, is expected to hold. As she receives an education and, at puberty, gets initiated into sensual rites that do not deny a woman’s pleasure, Miriam is separated from her mother and told of her own expected fate: a daughter of Bethany is destined to marry the Mashiach of David, the king who will destroy the enemies of Israel. Miriam, enticed, believes she’s already met the Mashiach: her handsome lover, the “ruffian” Barabbas.

Readers will know, of course, that Barabbas is not the man (or god) to whom Miriam truly is destined. After a ravishing first third set in the temple and alive with tactile, persuasive detail, The Last Magdalene picks up speed, connecting Miriam, a woman of a sect often derided as “harlot”s, to Yeshua bar Yosef, a contender for the role of Mashiach purportedly capable of miracles—who welcomes her but declares “I shall leave no stain of my lust to condemn man to a life of suffering.”

What happens from there provokes and surprises, even as Conrad deftly blends her inventions (detailed in a helpful afterward) with both historical and Gospel records. This depiction of Yeshua is human, with an emphasis on the era’s politics; miracles involving healing and wine are presented with room for skepticism. What’s most arresting here is Conrad’s evocation of beliefs and ceremonies, her challenging of perceptions of women’s roles in ancient life, and the provocative connection Miriam eventually shares with Yeshua, a miracle of its own. The climax jolts due to Conrad’s surprising choice of where to end this first volume in a projected series.

Takeaway: Provocative, sensual vision of the life of Mary Magdalene.

Comparable Titles: Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent, Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers.

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

Click here for more about The Last Magdalene
Husbands: LOVE AND LIES IN LA LA LAND
Mo Fanning
Outraged, dishy, and surprisingly funny, this plunge into the worst of Los Angeles and its fame machine centers on aspiring actor Kyle Macdonald, whose life takes a dramatic turn after Carlton Dupree, assistant to world-famous director and pedophile Aaron Biedermeier, shares a jolting surprise. At a drunken escapade in Las Vegas six years ago, the mock “Elvis” wedding between Kyle and the director was actually the real thing, despite assurances that the arrangement would be annulled. What follows is a rollercoaster of fragile relationships, greed, power struggles, and Hollywood’s darkest secrets, focusing on a ripped-from-the-headlines scandal: the abuse of young men looking for a break.

Fanning (author of Ghosted) narrates Kyle’s naïve pursuit of fame and fortune with brisk prose, sharp dialogue, and a strong sense of dark ironies. Misguided Kyle strives to connect with the right people to land a coveted audition and earn an actor’s life of luxury. However his journey takes a sinister turn as he becomes entangled in Dupree and Biedermeier’s web of dominance, manipulation, and murder, with devastating consequences for all involved. The characters are deeply flawed and damaged, each grappling with their own demons and insecurities. Aaron Biedermeier emerges as a monster who wields power without regard for the consequences, while Kyle finds himself drawn to Aaron’s current fiancé, Noah Winters, and into the world of lies and deceit, unable to discern the truth. He struggles to break free of the toxic influence of those around him.

Kyle and his counterparts navigate a landscape fraught with moral ambiguity and ethical compromise. The characters’ illogical choices and repeated gullibility can be painful to read, yet the ways these men are manipulated feels true, underscoring the harsh realities of an industry where appearances often negate integrity. Fanning accomplishes his goal to echo the justice that survivors deserve when abusers walk free and to give voice to the silent and hidden tears.

Takeaway: Brisk, surprising novel of the toll Hollywood demands of ambitious young men.

Comparable Titles: Beth O’Leary; Ella Berman’s The Comeback.

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

Click here for more about Husbands
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