Pavel’s engrossing memoir comes in the form of a series of essays, some previously published, but several wholly new. Sharing stories from her childhood in the tumultuous times of what was once Czechoslovakia in the 1950s and ’60s, she tells of her perfect timing in obtaining an exit visa to London in 1967, shortly before Moscow ordered all Czech citizens home. A last-minute marriage helped her stay on the western side of the Iron Curtain, where Pavel relished London at its swingingest, working as a model, acting, and “waitressing in an uncomfortable costume and ridiculously high heels” at the Playboy Club—a job that demanded she overcome inhibitions rooted in “Communist propaganda with its unlikely partner, women’s lib.”

In touching yet cannily sophisticated prose, Pavel shares fascinating stories and opinions (“The Beatles-Rolling Stones rivalry was invented by newspapers, but my loyalty skewed toward the Bee Gees”), revealing the funny way she met her American husband, their globe-roving lifestyle, and how she embraced her biggest change yet: settling in the United States to raise their family. She writes movingly of her childhood in Czechoslovakia, where she witnessed food scarcity, limitations on what teachers could teach, the difficulties her mother faced getting cancer medication, and the frustrations her father faced as a business owner—a tailor with seven employees—under an oppressive communist government.

Yet all the while, she paints a loving picture of the family she adores and the beautiful country and people that will always be close to her heart. In London, she at times could not appreciate her surroundings, as she “was focused on the day I would embrace my parents.” A natural storyteller and shrewd observer, Pavel vividly places readers in each setting and nuanced emotional state, from fear and guilt when her toddler son is injured during a typhoon in Hong Kong to her deep yearning for her parents. Pavel always demonstrates a deep understanding of people, keeping readers engaged across decades, continents, and pages.

Takeaway: Moving, incisive memoir of a surprising life after exiting the Iron Curtain.

Comparable Titles: Elena Gorokhova’s Russian Tattoo, Antje Arnold’s The Girl Behind the Wall.

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

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Powered by themes of trauma, bravery, and persistence, Green’s debut centers on a troubled West Virginia deputy, Carl Williams, and his turbulent relationship with his teenage son, James, and the half-wild drug-finding dog, Butch. After James’s track coach overdoses on opioids, Carl and Butch must battle sinister drug dealers, indifferent authorities, a fickle public, and their own personal demons in fictional-but-familiar Stratfield, a small town stricken with poverty and crime. Occasionally aided by a mysterious informant, Carl follows the opioids from Stratfield to D.C. and back.

Carl finds some support in the community, forming a friendship with the town veterinarian, Gideon Boggs—who possibly knows more than he reveals—and a romance with the flirtatious but pushy waitress Del. Complicating matters is the fact that Carl is abusive to James and Butch, becoming violent with them when they don’t immediately obey him, and repeatedly putting Del and his job ahead of James and Butch’s safety and happiness. It’s Butch, then, who emerges as the true hero of the story, repeatedly saving Carl and James’s lives, fighting the drug dealers with superheroic determination and strength, and even sometimes proving more of a caring dad to James than Carl can manage, offering comfort when the younger Williams is sad or injured.

In the novel’s second half, after a wild scene involving Butch, a church service, and a bottle of OxyContin, Green’s emphasis shifts from Carl’s relationships to the opioid crisis, showcasing the toll of addiction, contrasting the drug business with moonshining, and deftly demonstrating the fickleness of the public. More interested in local football games than the epidemic, the community both embraces and turns against Butch and Carl. A blossoming romance for Josh offers some relief from the grim realities of opioids, and a key scene in which Carl reveals a painful secret to James (and Butch) is heartbreaking, though it can’t excuse his abusive, controlling behavior, and the frequent strong profanity makes this an uneasy fit for YA. The finale is bittersweet but realistic.

Takeaway: A cop and a dedicated dog fight opioids and inner demons in West Virginia.

Comparable Titles: Liz Moore's Long Bright River, Paula Munier’s A Borrowing of Bones.

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

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Chehade’s deeply moving novel explores the devastating impact of the Lebanese Civil War through the eyes of two distinct yet interconnected characters, alternating between Hisham, a dedicated Arabic teacher, and Rita, his young student trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding her. In 1975 Lebanon, both Hisham and Rita use their love of books to escape from the violence and uncertainty of their reality, as their country slowly but inexorably marches toward destruction. But when their daily routines become more disrupted by protests, uprisings, and death, they can no longer ignore the tension simmering just under the surface while they “pretend that life was still normal.”

The novel’s dual perspective provides a layered and insightful look into how war affects individuals across different generations and social backgrounds, and Chehade’s prose is both lyrical and unflinching, painting vivid scenes of beauty and redemption amid the destruction. Both Hisham and Rita seek solace and understanding through their writing, a reflection of Chehade’s own grappling with chaos through storytelling, and this meta-narrative approach enriches the novel, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters’ inner struggles as they navigate loss, hope, and the unexplainable endurance of the human spirit.

Chehade’s depiction of the Lebanese Civil War is both intimate and expansive, offering readers a personal lens through which to view the lives upended by the conflict, and her attention to sensory details—and skill in evoking the characters’ lived experiences—make the novel immersive and strikingly real. The end result is a challenge to more simplistic narratives about war, as Chehade (author of Loom) provides a nuanced exploration of its complexities—and the often-overlooked personal stories behind the headlines. This is a compelling and thought-provoking work that, much as Hisham strives to do in his teaching, highlights the resilience of the human spirit while seeking to “make beauty out of the sordid world.”

Takeaway: Evocative rendering of a country fragmented by civil war.

Comparable Titles: Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Take Me with You, A. Naji Bakhti’s Between Beirut and the Moon.

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

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Moran (Woman Obsessed) shares her mother Estelle’s story growing up Jewish in early 1900s San Francisco—and her decision, as an adult, to conceal that identity: “My mother made no apologies for the way she lived,” Moran writes. The book starts with a glimpse of Estelle’s own mother Rose’s immigration to America before delving into Estelle’s childhood, defined by her abusive father and Rose’s escape to San Francisco to start over. From a young age, Estelle questions her identity, longing for “a bigger world that was more exciting and less restrictive.”

Throughout Estelle’s story, she grapples with frequent antisemitism in the world around her, balancing the constant pull she feels between her past and her future. Moran constructs Prohibition-era San Francisco through Estelle’s young eyes, revealing the struggles women faced during the time—including restricted abortion access and society’s harsh judgments for single women—while transporting readers through notable historical events that reverberate throughout Estelle’s world. When Estelle meets her future husband, John, the couple quickly realize that her complex relationship with her Jewish heritage matters more to their friends and family than it does to them. “You can be what you want, believe what you want. It makes no difference to me,” John tells his bride-to-be.

Moran stays keenly aware of the vicious antisemitism her mother faced in her daily life, starkly portrayed against the backdrop of America’s Great Depression and the Second World War. The memoir is at its best when tackling the more vulnerable and exposed aspects of Estelle’s life, including her work in an OSS office during the war and her growing terror at Hitler’s murder of the Jewish people. Some minor grammar issues distract from the otherwise evenly balanced narrative, but this is still a moving tribute to a mother who was “a force of nature, an extraordinary being, an abiding presence who lived her life with grace and goodness.”

Takeaway: Stirring memoir of a mother’s complex relationship with her Jewish heritage.

Comparable Titles: Esther Amini’s Concealed, Margaret K. Nelson’s Keeping Family Secrets.

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

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Ali’s picture book debut follows young Dani as she learns valuable lessons about friendship in elementary school. Dani loves kickball and playing charades with her brother, and though she admits to being shy in certain situations, she has a knack for reaching out to her peers when they need it most. Take Emily, a classmate suffering from a chronic illness that precludes her from enjoying more active recess activities; when Dani sees Emily miss out on outdoor time one day due to her health, she promptly decides Emily needs a friend—and invites her outside for safer activities, like cards and board games, that allow the girls to have fun without putting Emily at risk.

Dani’s compassion for others bubbles up in nearly every interaction she has, and Ali fashions her into a positive role model for younger readers to learn how to build thoughtful relationships with peers. When she’s caught between two arguing classmates during a learning activity, Dani seeks the teacher’s help—a smart move for school-aged children to learn—to resolve the conflict. This allows her to conquer her own shyness and reach out to Chris, who, she discovers, has a special way of influencing her for the better. Exchanges like these are sweet to behold, and adult readers will find several opportunities for meaningful conversations about kindness, friendship, and empathy in this story.

Ali addresses several potential sources of conflict for children, including how to bridge differences across cultural divides. However, that section feels a bit awkward, as Dani’s teacher compares students of different races to white and brown eggs, advising the kids in her class that “If you did not see the color of the egg, you would not notice a difference.” Still, the illustrations are bright and lively, and Ali smartly includes a list of potential questions kids can use when getting to know their peers.

Takeaway: Important lessons on friendship in a school setting.

Comparable Titles: Patty Brozo’s The Buddy Bench, Lisa Moser’s A Friendship Yarn.

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

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Morris once again brews a captivating blend of historical thriller, mystery, and the supernatural with the second installment in her Fiona Shanahan series, after Fiona Rising. Set in the vibrant but shadowy streets of 19th-century New Orleans, the novel follows Fiona, an investigator with a hidden past, and her steadfast partner (and lover) Michael Henley, on their latest quest—to locate a client’s estranged lover. That assignment takes the couple down a perilous journey into the very heart of darkness, as what appears cut and dried on the surface transforms into a sinister plot involving malevolent voodoo priestess Annette Chambord and her army of zombies.

Morris’s portrait of New Orleans is a tantalizing mix of shadows and glitz, and she skillfully captures the area’s rich cultural heritage and underlying darkness, from the mouthwatering Creole dishes and evening sheen of the St. Louis Cathedral to the city’s stringent social hierarchies and voodoo magic. Her meticulous research is evident throughout, giving the novel an historical accuracy that grounds the supernatural elements and pulls readers deeper into the story’s richly textured world—a world underpinned by well-drawn, memorable characters. Fiona is both compelling and resilient, brimming with courage that propels the narrative, and her interactions with the mysterious Comte de Saint Germain and loyal Henley bring both tension and depth to this enigmatic tale.

From sharp, authentic dialogue to the novel’s stunning atmosphere, Morris delivers evocative imagery and lavish sensory details that bring vivid life to every scene, particularly the otherworldly battle Fiona must undertake—with help from her friends and the legendary Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau—to stop Annette’s reign of terror. Themes of power, corruption, and redemption coil throughout, adding emotional weight and thought-provoking subtext, and Morris’s well-timed twists will keep readers hooked. The seamless blend of historical fiction and supernatural intrigue makes this installment one to savor.

Takeaway: A supernatural showdown threatens 19th-century New Orleans.

Comparable Titles: Deborah Harkness’s Black Bird Oracle, Rena Rossner’s The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

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

Click here for more about The Slave Maker

Proffit’s debut novel, conjuring a sweet romance amidst a vividly evoked New Jersey beach town and boardwalk, tells the story of overcoming past misunderstandings that act as obstacles to true love. Struggling music teacher Billy Pine makes ends meet by playing piano at La Péniche, partnering with legendary drag queen Viktoria Sinclair. Attractive Pierce Talon, Billy’s high school classmate, offers him a breakfast cook’s job at the charming Sea Spray Inn, where Pierce is chef. There, Billy meets Thad Lambert, a music director in Marsha Morgan’s dance company, and soon love blossoms—much to Pierce’s chagrin. Thad offers Billy a chance to feature his composition in the fall season of the dance company, though Billy remains confused about Thad’s feelings.

Attentive to wildlife, weather, issues of class, and the pressures and pleasures of mounting a show, Proffit’s somewhat leisurely style matches the pace of life in the small town of Beachside, with evocative descriptions of beaches, old mansions, and a classic boardwalk filled with “arcades, fortune tellers, T-shirt shops, pizza stands and rundown beachfront vacation rentals.” The cast’s love of music and cocktails creates a sophisticated party atmosphere, with dialogue that sparkles. The sharply named Pierce Talon is compelling, especially as he chooses to give up his hyper-masculine image and be kinder. Equally memorable is the feisty Viktoria Sinclair, whose impeccable style and golden heart light up her scenes. Thad Lambert, meanwhile, is given less interiority than the others, as the story hinges on his silence and reluctance to take the relationship with Billy forward.

Refreshingly, the author paints a community that is very accepting of gay love, apart from Pierce’s struggle with his father’s opinions on masculinity and queerness. A touching incident with the lovely dog Finn functions as an apt metaphor for Billy’s life, and in the end, there is hope—a break in the ice, a place to surface for air. A warm, relaxed, and energizing read.

Takeaway: Charming queer Jersey romance that sparkles with dance, music, and feeling.

Comparable Titles: Alison Cochrun’s The Charm Offensive, James Acker’s The Long Run.

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

Click here for more about The Object of His Affection

Chen offers readers a sprawling mystery thriller debut set on the fictional island of Kundras in South America. The plot centers around two women: disgraced psychiatrist Reyna Manalaysay, on the loose after she was caught “selling scripts” for pain medication to patients, and Hollywood starlet Evelyn Moss, who has left Los Angeles to escape her opportunistic family. Their worlds collide when they’re both taken hostage and dragged to Kundras—where a delusional general rules, in the midst of a brutal battle with his combative rival. That thrusts both women into a life-and-death fight to escape Kundras intact, before the island’s tumult spells their doom.

Chen leads with intricate descriptions of violence and torture that drive the story, throwing readers —along with Reyna and Evelyn—into a foreign, ruthless, and dangerous world, where everything follows its own incomprehensible logic. Though Evelyn takes time to adapt to this new environment, Reyna, from the start, seems thriftier, intuitively understanding the power plays at work on the island. Her tactical knowledge at times seems far-fetched, but Chen does a good job of getting inside her head while introducing readers to her backstory, sharply crafting the mechanics that drive her unconventional choices.

Thriller fans will find a parade of power-hungry leaders here, each with their own special brand of fear-inducing violence that nets them superficial compliance, and Chen throws in a slew of bomb-dropping twists and turns that keep the energy humming, right up until the novel’s staggering last moments. Ultimately, this is a well-rendered sketch of the internecine, never-ending cycle of brutality that countries sometimes get caught up in—where a deficit of law and trust erodes all attempts at stability. Fans of twisty thrillers with a healthy dose of bloodshed and gore, alongside intricate politics and strong female characters, will relish this wild ride.

Takeaway: Wild ride of hostages, politics, and jaw-dropping violence.

Comparable Titles: J.M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians, Jodi Picoult’s A Spark of Light.

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

Click here for more about Into Kundras

A vibrant travelogue conjuring the rich complexities of the medieval world at the dawn of the 13th century, the first book in Cycon’s The Emissaries series finds a naïve young merchant navigating a tangle of church, courts, and commerce across Europe and the Byzantine Empire, as a robust mix of powers jockey for dominance. The Church is calling for a new crusade, kings from Rome to the Holy Land strive to protect their domains, and merchants, of course, forever seek new ways to buoy their bottom line. Convinced by a 35-year-old letter that a king named Presbyter John, whereabouts unknown, is the “key to recapturing Jerusalem and regaining the only relic of the True Cross,” Pope Innocent III tasks a devout monk, Brother Mauro, and eager young merchant Nicolo to seek out Prester John’s kingdom.

Complicating matters is Nicolo’s ulterior motive: to find out from Presbyter John the source of the valuable Eastern spices the West clamors for. Mauro and Nicolo’s journey is episodic and filled with rich historical detail, their travels revealing the world to them and readers alike. Wonders abound, like the monastery San Giovanni of the Hermits, where Nicolo’s head is turned by jasmine and orange blossoms, or a masked ball, where the young man’s passions are ignited. Brother Mauro begins the story as a sheltered monk ripped out of his comfort zone, and his genuine piety contrasts with the ambition of religious officials who use their positions to increase their own influence. Concurrently, Nicolo’s dealings with merchants suggest where the real power lies.

The biggest strength of the novel is the great care Cycon takes to show the social, economic, religious, and political circumstances in every city along the way, from Genoa (“controlled by hardheaded men of commerce”) to Constantinople (“a polyglot of races, accents, and clothing”). Some chapters move slowly, with the proportions of historic detail and lively incident not always ideally balanced, but the novel often proves an immersive, illuminating pleasure.

Takeaway: Vivid novel of a journey across cultures and commerce in the high middle ages.

Comparable Titles: Elif Shafak’s The Architect’s Apprentice, Jenny White’s Kamil Pasha Novels.

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

Click here for more about A Quest for God and Spices

Bursting with weird magic, conspiratorial intrigue, owl attacks, Post-Life Entities (PLEs), and a mad land where cackling mouths in the ground each look “like a titanic clown buried alive,” the third entry in James’s Hourglass series (after The Ferryman's Toll) delivers an electrifying paranormal thriller that offers continual surprises and bursts of action while delving deep into the consequences of wielding dark powers. Clyde Williams, once a comic-book artist but now a necromancer who has accidentally bound the soul of his deceased best friend to his own, grapples with necromantic abilities that have earned him a position in Hourglass, the government’s paranormal intelligence agency, but also placed him under intense scrutiny from the authorities of the Median realm, “the dreaming kingdom situated halfway between sleep and the undead vistas of Erebus.”

The narrative kicks into high gear when violence erupts at a classified facility, forcing Clyde back into active duty despite concerns about his stability. James crafts a world where the line between protector and potential threat becomes increasingly blurred as a powerful new “Spark”—the Hourglass term for “divinely enhanced humans”—is taken in by the Cairnwood Society, the “infernal” enemies of Hourglass. Alienated and frustrated by contemporary life, that Spark, David, serves as a dark mirror to Clyde's journey, raising questions about the fine line between control and chaos as James explores how past trauma and present circumstances can shape choices, for better or worse.

A spirited subplot following Russian necromancer Kozlov’s expedition through Erebus adds another layer of intrigue to an already complex plot while also weaving through the entire narrative, connecting seemingly disparate elements into a cohesive whole. James populates this hostile dimension with fresh, wholly original terrors and otherworldly entities that both delight and disgust. For all the visceral, inventive conflict and worldbuilding, James offers a haunting exploration of power and its corrupting influence, perfect for readers who enjoy their dark fantasy with psychological depth and moral complexity.

Takeaway: Superior paranormal thriller, rich with mad invention and moral urgency.

Comparable Titles: Paul Cornell’s Shadow Police Series, Charles Stross’s Laundry Files.

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

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Ogunyemi debuts with a candid guide seeking to demystify financial planning for college. Aimed primarily at high school graduates, his advice centers on how to tailor higher education to affordable colleges, particularly those that offer scholarships, financial aid, and work-study programs. Ogunyemi’s steps are simple and straightforward, applicable to any reader willing to put in the hard work required for financial independence, and his encouragement that “You do not have to graduate with a mountain of debt and a bleak financial future. You can start your adult life with forward financial momentum” resonates.

The writing is direct and fast-paced, rich with practical advice that will hit home, whether Ogunyemi is explaining the basics—how to navigate the FAFSA, understanding different types of scholarships, and deciphering 529 plans for parents—or delving into more advanced areas, such as handy pointers for crafting a winning scholarship essay or how to glean valuable experience from internship opportunities. Ogunyemi touches on financial practices for general living as well, covering the dangers of credit cards, basic tax planning, and how to evaluate the necessity of purchases before making them.

Preparation is key, Ogunyemi writes, and he offers a slew of hands-on checklists, tools, and reflection points to help readers take initiative when planning for their educational and financial future. Asserting that building a budget is the first step to managing money, he also includes common missteps as well as a sample budget worksheet to conquer this often-neglected area. Particularly helpful is the included glossary of related terms and Ogunyemi’s equation for determining how much money to save per month for college expenses. His can-do tone permeates the guide, always focused on making dreams achievable through clear-cut, measurable goals, as he urges readers to “be vulnerable and ask questions”—and recognize that the sacrifices they must make will be worth it in the end.

Takeaway: Simple money management advice for young adults planning to attend college.

Comparable Titles: Jake Cousineau’s How to Adult, Cary Siegel’s Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?.

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

Click here for more about Broke College Kids' Guide to Financial Freedom

In Wells and Barclay’s charming book for young children, a magical pup named Charlie Wags uses his unique abilities to explore London. When Charlie wakes up, he’s in the mood for adventure—but his realm extends beyond the backyard enclosures of most dogs. “Charlie is your average pup in every way but one: he loves to see the world and travels all around for fun,” the authors explain in spirited, songlike prose. Adorably, he ventures to these far-flung locales with a simple wag of his tail. While in London, Charlie embraces the tourist life, enjoying fish and chips and visiting famous landmarks like Big Ben and the Thames.

At each location, the story provides simple, distinctive details that children will find easy to understand and captivating, such as the “shiny crowns and jewels and royal mysteries” at the Tower of London and the stoic guards at Buckingham Palace. This will get kids excited about all there is to discover while traveling, while also introducing a fascinating city to families who might not have the means or ability to go on vacation. The book includes a map of London and extended descriptions of each place Charlie visits, which will encourage kids to find what interests them and learn more on their own.

Sanna Sjostrom’s detailed, dreamy illustrations offer an idealized perspective of London from Charlie’s wide-eyed point of view, following the playful pup as he navigates the city. With shaggy, brown fur and starry black eyes, Charlie smiles gently as he goes sightseeing, with the most amusing images showing him wearing a suit and top hat to tea and riding a Ferris wheel under a deep blue sky glittering with stars. In the end, Charlie is eager to get back to his cozy bed: “He loves to see the world, but home is still his favorite place.”

Takeaway: Charming story of a curious dog named Charlie traveling to London.

Comparable Titles: Sam Taplin’s London Sounds, Lucy Cousins’s Maisy Goes to London.

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

Click here for more about The Tales of Charlie Wags

Continuing the thoughtful drama of homecoming, preservation, and rapacious real-estate development that began in A Span of Moments, Beech sets this sequel in early 1997 as Jake Crawford, the scientist-turned-mayor of Marcosta Island along Florida’s Gulf Coast, fights to protect his home, its environment, and its old Florida culture. Readers are advised to start with the first entry, as A Spiral of Moments hits the ground running, with billionaire resort developer Derek Nielson buying up property on the island while Jake seeks out surprising allies to help thwart him. The situation takes a turn when a famous Hollywood director, inspired by the story of a heroic World War II pilot who once lived on the island, comes to isolated Marcosta to shoot. Jake knows that “economic progress is the sole arbiter of the state’s future, the environment be damned.” Can he seize an opportunity to preserve the island?

Beech plunges readers into a complex ecosystem full of characters with their own motivations, capturing the tensions of a world on the verge of change—Marcosta Island can do little to stop the onslaught of developers, with even the town’s referendum banning the state from building a bridge to the mainland being challenged, thanks to Nielson’s connections in the legislature. But Jake and a slew of individuals around him are hell-bent on trying to stop what might seem inevitable. Beyond that urgent throughline, Beech relishes local color—shrimpers; pelicans; a bicycle cop noshing donuts at the Spud Hut—and smartly explores themes of filmmaking, love, sickness, care, and piracy on the lawless sea.

That expansive vision, along with some mystery and suspense elements, at times diminishes narrative momentum, but Beech ultimately reels in all the loose ends. And his central point—how to adapt to development without selling your soul—comes across admirably. Lovers of stories about islands, Florida, and development will enjoy this entertaining novel.

Takeaway: Compelling novel of a mayor fighting to preserve a Florida barrier island from developers.

Comparable Titles: Patrick D. Smith’s A Land Remembered, Peter Mathiessen’s Killing Mister Watson.

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

Click here for more about A Spiral of Moments

This charged second entry in Taylor’s series follows young Jamie Goldberg—who calls himself “a psychological alien, a soon-to-be-homeless person, and a reluctant pervert”—facing the dawn of the Reagan era as a rape survivor and queer man seeking to understand himself amid a sea of hormones, homophobia, and hollow pursuits. Assuming that coming out will make his life easier, Jamie instead earns the horrified contempt of his “progressive” parents, who promptly kick him out of their Detroit home, setting off the events of the book.

Taylor’s prose is striking and vivid, showcasing Jamie’s wry self-awareness as he takes the reader into these fraught years. With wit, intimacy, and fearless frankness, narrator Jamie shares his experiences, discoveries, pleasures, and trauma: the curiosity about sex, the experimenting, the ramifications, the self-loathing, the suicidal ideation, the specter of AIDS, the pain of hearing a man he’s loved say “‘love’ like it was a dirty word.” Jamie’s sharp humor and Taylor’s even-sharper prose keep the storytelling irresistible, even as Jamie is let down by nearly everyone in his life (his derisive brother tries to persuade him to see an out-of-state Jewish psychiatrist to “cure” him). It’s satisfying to see Jamie’s innate spirit of love and decency win out.

The novel is often bold and inventive in form, thrilling readers who favor character and innovation over narrative momentum: a set piece involving Wagner’s Parsifal is wild, hilarious, erotic, and pointedly long. None of this distracts, though, from Jamie’s essential dilemma: he yearns for a connection, not a quickie, and lives in fear of turning into someone who cares more about “the penis over the person.” This is endearing, not least because Jamie’s essential kindness and longing for love virtually guarantee he needn’t worry. A coming (out)-of-age story both grand and gritty, Jamie’s story will resonate with anyone ever lost in the morass of finding themselves.

Takeaway: Sharply told, boldly inventive novel of coming-of-age queer in the 1980s.

Comparable Titles: Bill Konigsberg’s Destination Unknown, Rasheed Newson’s My Government Means to Kill Me.

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

Click here for more about Goldberg Variations: The Redemption of the Damned

Hermannson’s debut entry in the Fate series delivers a thought-provoking blend of philosophy and far-ranging mythologies. Three disparate youths—the Roman Stoic, Rufus; the Sarmatian warrior-priestess, Keresaspa; and the Saxon poet, Sunu—are united by the seven-headed winged stallion, Long Ears, to face a great evil sowing discord and disunity among mankind. The stakes are incredibly high, as “the balance and harmony of the world is in peril,” and the trio, bestowed with seven magical items to aid them, must first overcome their own weaknesses—and in so doing, uncover the commonalities within all of humanity to usher in an age of unity.

Energy and vivaciousness flow throughout The Fate of Our Union, with language and tone more in step with the myth-works of olde than most modern fantasies. Characters wear their philosophies and ideologies on their sleeves here; they are powered by them, desirous of greatness beyond measure and glory that “pleases the soul,” making them more confidently ambitious than relatable. Still, an earnestness lurks in Hermannson’s approach, proving hypnotic despite somewhat inconsistent prose and a lore-heavy backbone that, by the story’s end, leans more toward moral lecturing than a resolute denouement.

Inspired by Indo-European literature and Western philosophy, Hermannson “venerates the heroes and philosophers who honorably embraced their fate” and “weaves their stories into new adventures using their inherited style,” which can be felt in the oft-painterly prose—"blood turned the spring forest autumn red”—and deep research undertaken to bring the various tribes of man, their beliefs, and the Stoicism rooted at its center to life. An ambitious undertaking, The Fate of Our Union overshadows mechanical issues with a dazzling refraction of ancient history and mythology through a philosophical prism, revealing compelling arguments for mankind’s inalienable unity—a timely message sure to resonate with readers.

Takeaway: A thought-provoking fantasy epic that unites mythology and philosophy.

Comparable Titles: Poul Anderson’s War of the Gods, A.E. Rayne’s Winter’s Fury.

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

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Brother and sister duo Dean and Reese Walters return in Cherry’s latest Erutuf National Park book (after Bison Blog), and this time they’re trekking through the Arctic, in yet another wild attempt to protect the park from pirates. When the siblings run into Tyler, a polar bear with a penchant for magic card tricks, he tasks Dean, Reese, and their beloved golden retriever, Tutu—who is along for the trip to Erutuf for the very first time—with a critical mission: they must first locate, then conceal, a special Arctic map from dangerous pirates.

Cherry once again builds a unique world populated with talking animals who buzz with personality, making Dean and Reese’s quest educational—and just plain fun. Snowy, an aptly named snowy owl, is surprised to find out that animals don’t talk where Dean and Reese are from, and sled dogs Timber and Patch warn the siblings to be on the lookout for rogue dogs who are itching to help out the pirates. Tutu also gets her fair share of laughs, as she spends the majority of the story incessantly asking for treats at every opportunity.

Cherry keeps the adventure lively but informative, covering dog-sled teams at work and lessons on dinosaur life in the Arctic, and even Dean and Reese’s enemies come with a lighter side: this time around, the pirates are a trio of female social influencers, seemingly more focused on taking selfies than on stealing the park’s map. As the siblings try to outsmart them, they must use problem-solving, math, and reading skills to work their way through entertaining activities like ice mazes and virtual reality games, all while Dean seeks to lighten the mood with a dizzying array of jokes and the more level-headed Reese strives to keep the mission on task. Cherry closes with entertaining facts and discussion prompts for Arctic fans.

Takeaway: Educational adventure transports a brother and sister duo to the Arctic.

Comparable Titles: Dan Bar-el's The Very, Very Far North, Gary Paulsen's Northwind.

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

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