Setting up a classic middle grade hero’s journey, Nuri introduces readers to Deniz Sayber, a boy whose desperate family situation leads to the revelation of his own magical powers—and casts him directly into the fire of an age-old struggle between good and evil. When Deniz turns eight, his father’s mounting debts threaten the family, forcing them out of their beloved home and into an apartment in a new town. While Deniz copes with the loss of his old friends, the family falls further into disarray, until Deniz finds himself—along with his mother and sister—relocating once again, to a strange, mystical town called Seventh Stream.

That sparks Deniz’s fantasy journey, played out in an enchanting valley where it’s spring-like year-round, nature puts on strange light shows, and a friendly rabbit is more than it seems. As Deniz begins to realize his new home is far from typical, the landlords—the Hatchers—take him under their wing, revealing he is a Sventur and has inherited magical abilities. Under their tutelage, he learns that forces larger than himself are at work, feeding on the world’s “suffering and fears,” and have their sights set on convincing children to cross “the line between good and evil.” As Deniz prepares for this final battle, Nuri probes how souls can be damaged by life’s experiences—and whether cruel people can ever change.

Ending with a hint at more to come in this complex world, Dragon’s Heart embraces deep emotional themes within a familiar framework. Genre fans will recognize many of this debut’s fantasy elements, though Nuri caches these within intriguing magical lore. Issues with pacing and stilted dialogue will require patience from readers, but for those dedicated to fantasy that inspires, Dragon’s Heart makes a stirring promise that “we’ll cry many more times in our lives, but we mustn’t break.”

Takeaway: Troubled boy discovers magic powers in time to save the world.

Comparable Titles: Jenny Nimmo’s Midnight for Charlie Bone, B.B. Alston’s Amari and the Night Brothers.

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

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Musician Himeda continues the warmly creative Bardic Isle Series, set in a world where music is literal magic. Kaelin is a teenager with gifts that could make him a great power, but like anyone with enormous potential, he needs training. He seizes the opportunity to learn from the four Masters of the Bardic Isles. But forces within the Bardic Order consider Kaelin a threat, and it all goes wrong when he’s falsely accused of stealing a Master’s tuning fork—and, until his judgment, gets placed under an “instrumental restriction,” meaning he can’t even play his flute or harp. The apprenticeship he longed for is now something like being out on bail, as the men whose respect he needs think he’s a thief.

As in the first volume, Himeda’s love for music shines throughout, and the reverence her characters feel for it is matched by the author’s interest in the art and craft of making it, from tone to tuning to the “shades of expression” coaxable from harp strings and vocal cords. Even as he can’t actually play, Kaelin eats, drinks, and dreams music as he moves from one Master to the next. The stakes are high, involving the future of the Order and more, but also intimate, charting in lively, engaging detail Kaelin’s coming of age as a person, creative artist, and wielder of magic.

The prevailing sense of humanity, of characters who respect even their adversaries, edges the series toward cozy territory, but vivid prose and surprising magic—“low, undulating minor arpeggios” weave around one character, “pulling him gently up and out of his home”—will please lovers of any thoughtful fantasy, The momentum slows for music lessons, but Kaelin is easy to cheer for, a young man of bone-deep goodness, eager to enter harmonious states of learning and creation. This sequel offers enthralling world-building, lush accounts of music and magic-making, and an ending that is truly suspenseful—an especially good trick given that the climax involves men sitting around debating.

Takeaway: Music is magic in this heartening fantasy series of a bard’s road to mastery.

Comparable Titles: Emma Bull’s War for the Oaks, Mary Gentle’s The Black Opera.

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

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This brief historical fiction debut by Grey reimagines Julius Caesar’s life and military campaigns as driven by Vampyre influence. In a detour from similar books, Grey’s Julius Caesar is a study of contradictions: his battles—and political decisions—hinge on the chilling machinations of behind-the-scene Vampyres, though Caesar detests their methods. But even as he bemoans their presence in his life, he reflects that “their advice and manipulation were as responsible for his rise from a disgraced family to one of the most powerful men in all of the Republic as his prowess in battle and ability to inspire men.”

Despite a life lived under the threat of destruction if he disobeys the Vampyres, Caesar’s deep, abiding love for Rome shines throughout Grey’s narrative, serving as a catalyst for his efforts to rid the city of Vampyre rule. Here, his passionate coupling with Cleopatra is formed on their joint desire to expunge Vampyres (referred to as Magicians in Egypt) from their countries, and, as the pair craft secret plans together while fighting the very real dangers surrounding them, Caesar becomes intimately familiar with his eerie enemy—an enemy that Grey casts as tricky, powerful, and, surprisingly, mortal.

Though some scenes stretch credulity—Caesar and Cleopatra’s Nile cruise turns into a Vampyre-catching quest, and after a vicious beating by an irate Vampyre during his North African campaign, Caesar sends out a body double in battle—Grey leaves readers with thoughtful reflections on whether otherworldly persuasions may have affected Caesar’s well-known tactical movements and political shifting. Just as Grey’s Caesar is on the cusp of eliminating his supernatural adversaries, Grey paints him into a desperate corner, turning his desire to break Rome free from Vampyres as the reason for his own downfall. The epilogue dangles other potential historical run-ins with Vampyres, offering readers the possibility of more to come from Grey in the future.

Takeaway: Reimagining of Julius Caesar’s life, dictated by Vampyre influence.

Comparable Titles: Seth Grahame-Smith’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Brian M. Stableford’s The Empire of Fear.

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

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Kelly’s piercing collection of memoir pieces and poems leaves the reader with a vague ache in the heart. Jim, orphaned after his parents separate, is raised by his uncle and aunt in Southern Oregon, where his grandfather also comes to live with the family. In some ways it is an idyllic childhood, roaming the woods and working the farm, hunting and listening to his grandfather’s tales. But as he tries to live “an honorable life,” Jim also feels an undercurrent of loss as he yearns for his father, mother, and brother. As a veteran who is ultimately discharged with “no medals, no wounds, no horrific nightmare memories, but with a sense of the machine of military mind that operated on fear and redoubled itself with vast sums of money,” Jim contends and tries to come to terms with collective guilt, often doubting if humanity was humane enough.

While the material is often searching, many of the poems and pieces deal with the practicalities of logging. Kelly deftly juxtaposes the often violent lives of the people who make a living cutting down forests with the violence done to the trees, likening the work to nothing short of genocide. Kelly presents an empathetic insider’s account of hardworking, hard-drinking, generally short lives. Characters who linger include Jim’s grandfather who gets his son’s small farm up and running within a year of moving there; Richard Long, a six-foot-seven giant with “dinner-plate-size[d] hands”; and of course the towering conifers—anyone encountering one in the Cascades, he writes, would “approach this presence with awe.”

Lyric and moving, both prose and poems are shot through with an unnamable pain, a longing for something intangible. Kelly compares the evil in this world to a minotaur trapped in a maze, often breaking out and causing untold destruction. Kelly’s honest and unsparing gaze doesn’t absolve his own countrymen too, but he sees hope in the philosophy of universal love. A poignant read.

Takeaway: Profound, genre-crossing memoir of farm life, logging, and war and its costs.

Comparable Titles: Richard Powers, Howard White.

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

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Darland’s bold and candid debut offers readers an intimate look at his journey through a life marked by chaos, trauma, and eventual triumph. He recounts painful childhood experiences of abuse at the hands of his parents and stepfather, sharing how he ultimately broke free from this cycle of trauma to become a successful business owner and dedicated family man, encouraging readers that “everything starts with you evolving into a better version of yourself.” Along the way, the friendships Darland builds—and the acts of kindness he receives from strangers—highlight the stunning power of empathy and human connection.

From a young age, Darland finds himself in a toxic environment, turning to alcohol as a means of escaping the dysfunction and abuse in his home. That search for fulfillment leads him down a path of destruction, chasing freedom and adrenaline through various vices. Yet Darland’s resilience shines through as he embarks on a journey of self-recovery, navigating through odd jobs, serving in the Iowa Army National Guard, and eventually building a thriving business, all testaments to his grit and perseverance. In lyrical prose, he describes how “the ashes of my chaos… formed a beautiful forest for me to venture into and draw from different trees of wisdom, knowledge, and faith.”

At its core, this memoir serves as a stark reminder of how childhood scars can persist into adulthood, perpetuating a harmful cycle if not confronted and healed. Darland’s reflections are interspersed with life lessons drawn from deep introspection, teaching readers the importance of letting go of their past to prevent trauma from defining their future. Written in a conversational style that feels much like advice from a trusted mentor, Power in Chaos offers readers an inspiring road map to overcoming adversity, ensconced in the powerful message that personal strength lies in embracing and harnessing the chaos within.

Takeaway: Bold message of harnessing inner chaos to overcome trauma.

Comparable Titles: Anya Liftig’s Holler Rat, Casey Gerald’s There Will Be No Miracles Here.

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

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Scott's debut, set in the mid-21st century, launches readers on a thrilling journey into the future of space exploration. The story follows the crew of Arcadia 7 on a NASA mission to Mars, as they navigate the complexities of interplanetary travel, personal relationships, and the relentless pursuit of scientific discovery. Addy and his wife Bria, on track to depart for Mars with NASA, are thrown for a loop when disruptor Noel Roma bursts onto the scene, offering them an alternate mission with more money and more risk—and a goal of colonization instead of research. Complicating matters further is Addy’s ex-girlfriend, Scarlett, whose shocking personal news for Addy puts the entire mission at risk.

Scott's narrative is a skillful blend of hard science fiction and human drama. The technical details of space travel are meticulously researched, providing a realistic backdrop for the story's events, and Scott’s background in high-tech is evident in his precise descriptions of spacecraft operations and the challenges of interplanetary living. Characters are vividly realistic, each with their own motivations and flaws, none more so than Addy, whose obsession with being the first to land on Mars drives much of the plot—and his own downfall at times. His relationship with crewmates, particularly Bria and fellow astronaut Sally, add surprising depth to the story while highlighting the psychological strains of long-duration space missions.

Tripping Toward Mars shines when illuminating the ethical dilemmas that crop up during space exploration. Addy’s willingness to conduct an unauthorized engine burn to beat the Chinese to Mars raises questions about the cost of ambition and the boundaries of acceptable risk, and Scott presents such complex issues in a way that encourages readers to ponder humanity’s future in space. ​This is not just a story about reaching Mars; it is a reflection on human nature, the drive for discovery, and the sacrifices made in the name of progress.

Takeaway: Entertaining space mission augmented by human drama.

Comparable Titles: Kate Rauner’s Glory on Mars, Richard Rimington’s Defiant Space.

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

Click here for more about Tripping Toward Mars

Originating as a father's never-sent letters to his teenage children from war-torn Ukraine, this inviting, upbeat compendium of life lessons and advice for young adults urges readers to nourish, boost, master, and “level up” skills in crucial areas like mental health, relationships, financial strategy, and entrepreneurship. Lovingly presented in a way that befits its origins, Scott’s guidance offers actionable advice to accomplishing life goals and curating personal success, with an emphasis on the things it takes grown-ups years to learn themselves, if they ever manage to do so: adjusting one's mindset, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and wellness, and building support systems to forge relationships that will lead to lasting wealth and thriving lifelong happiness.

Scott lays out steps toward crafting a well-rounded, well-lived life, noting in a section on Wealth Management that he had to learn that “money is just a tool, not the ultimate goal.” Self-assessment tools and the author’s warm, coach-like approach offer guidance toward determining what, for individual readers, one’s ultimate goal might be. The 50 short sections here share motivational steps and experienced insight as Scott presents "a buffet of vital knowledge.” His guidance ranges from big-picture to granular, with an emphasis on the results that accrue, over a life, from early investment in changes like developing healthy sleeping habits, journaling, and performing exercises to increase memory functions and boost brainpower.

Scott’s fresh COPE formulation (capturing, organizing, producing and evaluating) offers a framework for becoming more productive and fulfilled in life endeavors. It’s a welcoming tool, of a piece with Level Up’s easy-to-follow topical lists, interactive questions, and entertaining illustrations by George Miroshnichenko. Blending the mindful with the practical, Scott focuses not just on practical tips about entering the workforce or planning for retirement but on the fulfillment of the mind, body, heart and soul. The result is an encouraging roadmap to growth and intentional learning.

Takeaway: Thorough, inviting guide to starting out in life for young adults.

Comparable Titles: Jaqui Meyer's Adulting Life Skills for Young Adults, Sean Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

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

Click here for more about Level Up! 50 Game-Changing Life Skills for Young Adults+

Santa Claus runs into a heap of trouble in this unconventional holiday adventure by Plecas (author of Keith Lives!). Despite inflation and stiff competition from Amazon, Santa is far from “outdated and irrelevant”—a fact he is quick to tell his financial advisor, Mr. Pickle, when their pre-Christmas meeting detours into how to cut costs and increase efficiency. But that’s just the beginning of Santa’s problems. His first Christmas stop feels all wrong—and quickly devolves into quite the mess when the homeowner, an elderly man with a chip on his shoulder, catches Santa in the act and promptly concludes that this “large black man in a bright red suit” is a home invader.

From there, it’s a medley of mayhem for the jolly old elf, as Santa endures attempted murder, dangerous street fights, and the possibility that Christmas could be canceled this year. Luckily, Plecas depicts Santa as calmly steadfast through each predicament and gifts him with a cadre of entertaining characters to help turn his night around: there’s young Joy, whose only Christmas wish is that her deployed father could return home for the day; Lulu and her cane-bearing, don’t-mess-with-me Meema, who comes to Santa’s rescue in more ways than one; and the dashing Denzel, a former Army Ranger now serving as an attorney. Even as Santa faces overwhelming craziness, his entourage proves up to the challenge, helping him find his way back to his sleigh, circling over the last house he dropped into, per their Christmas rescue plan in the event something goes awry.

Readers will find all the important holiday messages here, from the need to “see the world through the eyes of a child” to the belief in something greater than yourself. Plecas ends with a sweet reminder that it’s never really about the presents under the tree—it’s about the love in our hearts.

Takeaway: Santa endures sleigh loads of danger to save Christmas.

Comparable Titles: Eoin Colfer’s Juniper’s Christmas, Ben Miller’s Diary of a Christmas Elf.

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

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In this engrossing fourth book of Domowitz’s Getz Parker Magical Mysteries series (following Murder of a Martyr), readers embark on a colorful murder mystery where politics, religion, and alchemy collide, with deadly results. When information securities magnate Getz Parker is asked by four strangers to locate the alchemical Name of God, he turns them down to focus on supporting Will Kraken, presidential hopeful and Synodal decentralist. After an attempt on Kraken’s life leaves one of the four dead, Parker finds himself entangled in a conspiratorial web of power, ideology, and Heavenly pursuits where everyone’s a suspect—and the Name of God sits at the bloody center.

Readers will find themselves hypnotized by the anachronistic futurism of Domowitz’s setting, mixing Victorian and Steampunk aesthetics with sci-fi trappings like body-mods, AI, and virtual realities, to create a unique backdrop that teems with vibrant characters and an elegantly complex, all-too-believable political landscape. The plot occasionally gets lost in the weeds of its conspiracy, and some readers will struggle with the esoterica threaded throughout, yet Killing Kraken marches on with populist aplomb, grounding itself via the often humorous, always colorful observations of Parker’s AI assistant who serves as narrator.

With a background in financial technologies, Domowitz puts the “real” in magical realism: the story’s alchemical mysticism exists firmly within the bedrock of its political machinations and organic human interplay, where, to quote the author, “detectives shall well and truly detect.” The prose is both evocative and economic, building fast yet effectively, and results in beautifully lived-in characters and a thrilling roller-coaster pace that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end. Mystery may beat at the heart of Killing Kraken, but it’s no guesswork to see that Domowitz has crafted a work of inspiring and engaging science-fiction that readers will greatly enjoy.

Takeaway: Alchemy and politics prove a murderous mixture in this rousing adventure.

Comparable Titles: Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, Liam Fialkov’s The Newton Code.

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

Click here for more about Killing Kraken

Ink and tears fuel Winther’s forlorn yet hopeful collection that marks the speaker’s transition from love to heartbreak to transcendent catharsis through the making of poetry and art. The book itself feels like a purging of pain and loss that results in a spiritually and emotionally cleansed renewal. Winther draws on Eros to describe “a love so fierce, we dared not speak,” as if language’s limitations and impurity would soil it; in Winther’s “moment of pure love and sweet surprise,” words paradoxically both have no place and illuminate the distinctions of what love even is, whether it’s “A sanctuary found in each other’s eyes” or that “true fulfillment” found in “the act of giving.” Yet unlike Eros and Psyche, such loving unions in Winther’s poems often tend not to last, souring in a mire of abuse and infidelity.

Winther’s poems mostly take the lyric form, though haikus punctuate the collection also, offering a structural rhythm that allows the different types of poems to harmonize. Some even approach prose territory, but those are some of the weakest selections in Winther’s collection, falling into a stream-of-consciousness that’s not as sharp or revealing as the tighter verses. The strongest passages often prove moving while offering flashes profundity and grace that will reach readers due to their raw vulnerability and honesty: “you swallowed me whole // I just didn't notice.”

In the loss of love, heartbreak and grief is all-consuming; as she writes in “Love’s Illusion,” “Oh, the pain of a love betrayed // A symphony of heartache, never to fade,” yet the despair is never total, and each of these pain poems ends with a hopeful refrain. Phoenixes rise from ashes in Winther’s poetry again and again, and the collection as a whole is a manifestation of the speaker’s rebirth following her destructive heartbreak. The act of writing, of confessing, of making is an act of healing. As Winther writes, “mending, I find peace.”

Takeaway: Vulnerable poems of a journey through love, heartbreak, and catharsis.

Comparable Titles: Amanda Lovelace, Rupi Kaur

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

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Cohen chronicles the revitalization of Toronto’s Regent Park in this inspiring debut, as he walks readers through his team’s efforts to redevelop a neighborhood that had become “isolated and deeply stigmatized throughout the city.” The revitalization takes place in three phases, as Cohen lays out the groundwork of a community effort—including residents, housing committees, and city officials—to transform a “challenged inner-city” while ensuring minimal disruption to the area’s residents. Throughout, Cohen poses the question: "Is revitalization a genuine attempt at redevelopment that respects the people and history of a community . . . or is it simply gentrification in disguise?"

In addition to details on the housing project, Cohen shares his upbringing, love for music, and memorable behind-the-scenes footage that spotlights gentrification’s impact, the crucial need for affordable housing, and how to obtain government assistance for areas suffering from "deteriorating living conditions." During Regent Park’s revitalization process, the original residents were factored into the discussion and given a voice in their neighborhood’s renovations, a point Cohen lovingly emphasizes—alongside the insider’s glimpse he gives readers of the day-to-day procedures that come with rebuilding a neighborhood: obtaining permits, gaining (and losing) funding, and adjusting construction timelines. "Although not everyone was happy with the choices, the key was that they had choice, rather than an ultimatum,” Cohen writes.

Regent Park is now “the gold standard” for revitalizing neighborhoods according to Cohen, and, as he shares the project’s wins and setbacks, he also details its inspiration for his songwriting—and eventual musical production, in The Journey Musical. Cohen’s revitalization blueprint unfolds through the project photographs he includes as much as it does through the text, and, though Regent Park is not yet fully completed, his vision surpasses just one neighborhood, bounding onto an international stage where “strong, inclusive communities… [in which] everyone has an opportunity to learn, grow, work, and prosper” steal the spotlight.

Takeaway: Powerful testimony of revitalization done in partnership with impacted residents.

Comparable Titles: Ronald R. Sundstrom's Just Shelter, Willow S. Lung-Amam's The Right to Suburbia.

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

Click here for more about Rhythms of Change

This offbeat, energetic second offering in Allen’s Black Oops Detective Mystery series (after Cad to Cadaver), finds PI Tracy Black working one of her bread-and-butter cases: surveilling a cheating spouse. She successfully snaps photographs of the adulterous couple in flagrante, but before jilted husband and brewery owner Blake Geist has a chance to take his wife to the cleaners in the divorce, he is found dead in a vat of beer. Tracy is surprised when Geist’s widow contacts her and her partner, Adam, to investigate, but a shocking turn of events tangles Tracy in a complex web of suspects.

Allen (the pseudonym for Maria McKenzie) uses Tracy’s relationship with Adam to infuse this murder investigation with romantic tension. The couple is on the cusp of making it official, but while Tracy waits for a ring, Adam’s unexplained disappearances force her to consider that his involvement in the case may be more than just professional. The fast-moving plot pivots frequently between a wide cast of characters—a sinister rival brewery owner, a local politician with a hot temper and a steamy secret, a jovial German chocolatier—but the couple’s emotional ups and downs contrast nicely with the twists and turns of the investigation.

As the mystery unfolds, Tracy’s lively commentary feels like a no-holds-barred conversation with a friend. As a former FBI Agent and ex-cop with trust issues, Tracy is “naturally suspicious,” but, while her skepticism and insecurity carry over into her work and relationship, she balances the chip on her shoulder with an entertaining sense of humor, as when Adam experiences a head injury on the job and Tracy uses her shirt and sports bra as makeshift bandages, worrying that “a topless black woman hiking in Kentucky would likely go viral.” With its mix of humor, red herrings, and romance, Allen’s mystery will keep readers hooked, right up until the final reveal.

Takeaway: Action-packed whodunit that balances humor and suspense.

Comparable Titles: Janet Evanovich; Alexia Gordon.

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

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When FBI Cartel Counter Intelligence agent Brad Hanley finds one of his own dead after infiltrating the Sinaloa Cartel, he enlists the help of his friend and "the best tracker" he knows, Lance Tallbear, to help him sleuth out the traitor in their midst. But as soon as Tallbear arrives at the crime scene, he realizes that what they’ve stumbled onto is not just the body of an FBI agent, but a "killing ground" inundated with buried bodies. To piece together clues and solve the mystery, Tallbear must risk his own life, going undercover with ruthless criminals smuggling drugs—and people—across the Arizona border.

This fast-paced, gritty thriller—filled with whip smart characters, rich descriptions, and a vividly portrayed Southwest landscape—sweeps readers into the seedy world of organized crime, sex trafficking, and illegal border operations. Hanley—assisted by the Indigenous Tohono O'odham tribe—pairs well with Tallbear, a sarcastic yet capable protagonist that readers will find humorous and fast on his feet, especially when lives, including his own, are on the line. Tallbear quickly finds himself in the crossfire of multiple gangs and the seductive charms of power-hungry widow, Marla Satillo, the “leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in Nogales,” as well as allies who turn out to be anything but.

Lauritzen’s story—the second in his Lance Tallbear series, after Regardless of the Consequences—is immersive and will captivate readers from beginning to end. While undercover, Tallbear views those he comes to work closely with as "an enigma,” reflecting that “they all seemed like normal people, but accepted levels of depravity he couldn’t understand.” With danger hurtling from every direction, Tallbear must keep his wits about him as he tries to deliver on his promise to Hanley while still making it home alive. Secrets, betrayal, and greed pave his road, and readers will be transfixed by his fight for justice.

Takeaway: Heart-pounding thriller of infiltrating the Sinaloa cartel.

Comparable Titles: Ian K. Smith's Ashe Cayne Mystery series; James Patterson's Alex Cross series.

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

Click here for more about The Killing Ground

Smith offers readers the “transformative individual freedom people are so desperately searching for today” in this brief introductory debut to discovering Grace—its nature, how to identify it, and how understanding it can help drive purpose. He outlines five “Gracepoints” on the road to living authentically, asserting that authenticity cannot exist without Grace, that “cross-cultural… life-changing-type-of-knowing.” Those five main tenets include paying heed to intuition, acknowledging “we did not, and do not, create ourselves,” learning to avoid conditioned thinking, understanding our interconnectedness with the world, and utilizing Vivekananda’s essays on “the Yoga of work.”

Smith makes good use of evocative descriptions, demonstrating his understanding of Grace in lyrical prose that hints at the warmth accompanying belonging, acceptance, and peace in one’s existence. Drawing from his own life experience, he explains how daily walks with his dogs evolved into prayer journeys and an eventual realization that “we are never alone; we are ‘undivided’ individual expressions of God being itself, all loved, and with a purpose.” When addressing conditioning, Smith delves into how destructive it can be, arguing that, to truly achieve Grace, we must let go of self-focus and recognize “the ‘I’ we think we are is relentlessly conditioned to ‘get ahead’… [which] creates the all-powerful ‘self’ that stands in opposition to reality.”

Though a quick, precursory read, Authenticity and Grace touches on barriers to authentic living and how to break through conditioning, assuring readers that “anyone in this world… can learn to see Grace operating in their lives,” without requiring “faith or religious affiliation”—though Smith does note that spiritual principles are at play in his definition and exploration of Grace. He closes with encouragement to shed materialism—and separate from our fast-paced, virtual world—to “truly grow in spirit and character and become who we were meant to be.”

Takeaway: Brief introduction to restoring life’s sense of wonder, through grace.

Comparable Titles: Kevin John Delaney’s A Life Worth Living, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Notes for the Journey Within.

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

Click here for more about Authenticity and Grace

Financial advisor Goldfarb urges readers to “not [allow] your emotions to dictate your investment decisions,” but to focus instead on “long-term investing through education.” Acknowledging the potential risks that come with investing, he emphasizes logical decision-making, risk evaluation, and investing for the long run, with the expectation that downturns will happen, but, with the help of a trained, licensed advisor and a diverse portfolio, financial success is within reach. Most interestingly, he draws from his real-life experience—sharing quotes from his clients over the years—to illustrate common investing pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Investor anxiety will sabotage success, Goldfarb argues, and he is emphatic that logical decision-making must drive the investing equation. He lays out, in direct, easy-to-understand terminology, basic concepts such as asset allocation, risk versus return, and the importance of a financial plan. Other practical tips include how to make a basic cash-flow statement, determine a sensible retirement-withdrawal rate, and how to choose an advisor who is a good fit. Goldfarb is at his best when clarifying such common yet misleading beliefs as reverse mortgages are equal to relinquishing home ownership or investors should expect to “outperform the markets significantly every year,” and his ability to simplify complex topics (beta and standard deviation for measuring risk, exchange traded funds, among others) is refreshing.

You’re Kidding, Right? offers a unique, down-to-earth approach that resonates, and Goldfarb sprinkles comedic touches throughout this debut that make the material entertaining as well as informative. Readers will applaud his candid, no-holds-barred advice, applicable to those who are new to investing as well as seasoned retirees, and he closes with a rundown of smart, responsible ways to access income in retirement—along with a sample cash flow statement readers can utilize in their planning. “Try not to overcomplicate,” he advises, “and most importantly, stay the course no matter how tough things may seem.”

Takeaway: Down-to-earth advice on avoiding investment pitfalls.

Comparable Titles: Cary Siegel’s Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?, Scott Reed’s Top 50 Rules of Investing.

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

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Okun sets out to coach readers on the ins and outs of commercial real estate development in this down-to-earth debut, covering areas such as net operating income, capitalization rates, upside potential, and more. Drawing inspiration from the impromptu, “back of the napkin” analytics that often happen when colleagues casually discuss property values, Okun—in a refreshingly direct and plain-spoken style—shares step-by-step instructions to assigning value while breaking down how that process differs from land purchases to owner/user properties to a range of investment properties (office complexes, shopping malls, and the like).

Decades of experience and a knack for simplifying complex topics make Okun’s advice easy to digest as well as informative. He spices the material with hands-on examples, useful checklists, and careful attention to jargon that readers may be unfamiliar with, including a particularly helpful outline of the language commonly used in lease clauses. His advice is technical, straightforward, and applicable to a range of situations, as in his summary of the important points to research before jumping into different leases (retail spaces should always be tailored to location, he writes, while industrial areas can focus more on specifics like ceiling height or access to roll-up doors).

For readers who want to move into sales techniques, Okun delves into those waters as well, sharing his own sales training and a five-step model—complete with sample open and closed-ended questions—to help followers close deals more effectively. He wraps each chapter with a mini quiz designed to enhance information retention (answers are included at the end of the book) and closes with an exhaustive glossary of relevant terms. Throughout, his central emphasis on setup as the key to success—“for every type of property, there are specific items that you will need BEFORE you try to assess and value a property”—is persuasive, and readers will leave feeling knowledgeable, capable, and prepared.

Takeaway: Down-to-earth guidance on commercial real estate development.

Comparable Titles: Robert A. Wehrmeyer’s The Complete Guide to Developing Commercial Real Estate, Rob Finlay’s Beyond the Building.

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

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