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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 20, Number 3 March 2021 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Jobs/Careers Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf General Fiction Shelf Romantic Fiction Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf LGBT Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Travel Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf
Criminology Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Just a Girl
Karen Ann Harden
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781982249076, $30.95, HC, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Girl-Challenge-Childhood-Trauma/dp/1982249072

Synopsis: "Sanctuary Trauma" is trauma caused by those closest to us in our home environment, where we are supposed to be safe, often goes undetected. "Just a Girl: Our Challenge to Heal Childhood Trauma" by Karen Ann Harden is a true life story about how it is possible to embrace our childhood wounds that have shaped us and redefine our story moving into adulthood, so we do not pass on abusive cycles within our own home.

Karen also names out the challenges we may have to reach out to those children who are hurting and who need us most when their home environment is in chaos. To challenge the old story of "What is wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?".

"Just a Girl" takes you on a informed and informative journey of the soul. First, to understand the dynamics of an unsafe home and how it can affect a child's perception of life through the eyes of Karen's shared experience; and secondly, to understand the effort it takes to move out of the path of being a victim to an empowered path of being your truest self.

In "Just a Girl" Karen encourages others to take this journey with her, to seek understanding, and to reflect on their own life's journey toward healing. and ultimately to change the story of their life for the better.

Critique: Written with an impressively intimate candor and revealing insights, "Just a Girl: Our Challenge to Heal Childhood Trauma" is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary life achievement in overcoming childhood abuse and emerging has a healthy and fully functioning adult. An absorbing and ultimately inspiring read, "Just a Girl: Our Challenge to Heal Childhood Trauma" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections in general, and Mental/Spiritual Healing Self-Help/Self-Improvement reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "Just a Girl: Our Challenge to Heal Childhood Trauma" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781982249052, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Currently residing in Northern Wisconsin, Karen Harden has been an advocate, volunteer, director, program developer, grant-writer and fund-raiser for youth programs locally, statewide, and nationally.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Surviving Remote Work
Sharon Koifman
Distantjob
9781777402907, $16.99, PB, 226pp

https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Remote-Work-Sharon-Koifman/dp/1777402905

Synopsis: Simply stated, "Surviving Remote Work" by Sharon Koifman is a compendium of the tools, strategies and tactics necessary to survive and thrive as a leader and entrepreneur in the remote, working from home age that the current pandemic has thrust upon so many millions of employees and their employers.

"Surviving Remote Work" covers : How to keep your company culture alive remotely -- or even build one from scratch; A world-class recipe for onboarding new remote employees -- that has received praise from dozens of clients and hundreds of employees; How to manage and avoid distractions -- for yourself and your team; What is the best remote communications technology that no-one is using; How to protect your business' (and you client's) data in a fully-distributed operation; How to keep the extroverts in your team from wanting to kill themselves; How to keep the introverts in your team for wanting to kill the extroverts -- and so much more!

Basically, "Surviving Remote Work" was written by someone who experienced everything described within in pages firsthand -- and made all the possible mistakes (plus a couple of impossible ones!) -- so you don't have to!

Critique: Timely, expertly written, exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Surviving Remote Work" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, college, and university library Contemporary Business Management collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA students, academia, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, working-at-home employees, and non-speciality general readers with an interest in the subject that "Surviving Remote Work" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Sharon Koifman is obsessed with remote management and has over two decades of experience running three companies 100% from his computer. During this time, he learned how to create an amazing work culture, one where people love to come to work. These days he runs DistantJob, a very unique recruitment agency geared specifically for finding full-time remote employees who work from all over the world. He wrote "Surviving Remote Work" in the wake of the COVID crisis in order to help businesses not only survive, but actually thrive in this new environment.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Cash Uncomplicated
Aaron Nannini
Isla Vista Press
www.cashuncomplicated.com
9781735938103, $14.99, PB, 220pp

https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Uncomplicated-Mindset-Building-Wealth/dp/1735938106

Synopsis: Is paycheck-to-paycheck panic and unsuccessful monthly budgeting leaving you feeling empty and unsatisfied? Living a financial life that doesn't align with your values is an impossible way to build wealth. Personal finance doesn't have to be complicated. Even if you're not a Wall Street millionaire, you can understand wealth management, adopt a growth mindset, and discover a financially independent life -- before retirement!

In "Cash Uncomplicated: A New Mindset to Building Wealth", Aaron Nannini shows you that it's possible to achieve financial freedom and eliminate money worries with common sense principles, even if you've made mistakes in the past. Filled with reflective exercises and easy-to-follow foundational strategies for the everyday person, "Cash Uncomplicated" is your guide to value-based money management, without complicated technical terms and jargon.

"Cash Uncomplicated: reveals: The simple spending funnel tool to align your core values with finances and regain control without deprivation; Smart investing and budgeting strategies to effortlessly pay yourself first -- even with kids; The two silent killers that can add up to tremendous costs and self-inflicted pay cuts; Three clear strategies to reduce bad debt while leveraging assets for more passive income options; An easy short-term, medium-term, and long-term goal setting plan to implement now.

By following the precepts, insights and instructions that comprise "Cash Uncomplicated", you can stop making financial decisions on other people's terms and get focused and intentional with your money.

Critique: Expertly written, effectively organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Cash Uncomplicated: A New Mindset to Building Wealth" is an ideal, practical, and effective instructional guide and manual to becoming financial independent for life. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Money/Finance collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cash Uncomplicated" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Aaron Nannini is the founder of CashUncomplicated.com. After struggling with money as a young adult, he achieved financial success through principles such as life goals, daily habits, and intentional money decisions. Using a value-based spending mindset, he went from a net worth of less than three thousand dollars to complete financial clarity and harmony -- all in less than five years. He believes that anyone can achieve financial freedom without sacrificing their lifestyle or happiness. He also maintains an informative website at: www.cashuncomplicated.com


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Living Life Fully with Macular Degeneration
Doris Winn Polak
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781663211491, $17.99, PB, 156pp

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Life-Fully-Macular-Degeneration/dp/1663211493

Synopsis: Macular degeneration is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time, however, some people experience a gradual worsening of vision that may affect one or both eyes. While it does not result in complete blindness, loss of central vision can make it hard to recognize faces, drive, read, or perform other activities of daily life. Visual hallucinations may also occur but these do not represent a mental illness. (Wikipedia)

Doris Winn Poloak was not willing to accept less of a life because of her poor eyesight as a result of macular degeneration. She found tools and techniques that allow her to live life to the fullest and has passed along what she has learned and experienced in the pages of "Living Life Fully with Macular Degeneration" which will prove immensely helpful for anyone with a new diagnosis of macular degeneration.

Critique: "Living Life Fully with Macular Degeneration" is especially recommended for those who are newly diagnosed and would like to understand what they can expect over the next weeks, months and years from their eyes. While an invaluable addition to senior citizen, community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Macular Degeneration supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Living Life Fully with Macular Degeneration" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

To Be of Use
Edward Arenson, MD, CWSP
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781796099072, $40.99, PB, 182pp

https://www.amazon.com/Be-Use-Including-Conquest-Childhood/dp/1796099074

Synopsis: The year was 1971. Childhood leukemia, the most feared disease in the era of antibiotics, was the most common cancer of childhood and 100% fatal. These were especially trying times for doctors like Edward Arenson who had chosen the field of pediatric oncology.

In the absence of effective treatment, doctors confronted with childhood leukemia had little to offer but their good intentions. On the other hand, things couldn't get much worse, so they were certain that they must get better. Little did they know, however, that they were on the cusp of a breakthrough.

It has been observed that remissions achieved with combinations of chemotherapy drugs often end with the appearance of leukemic cells in the nervous system. Perhaps the nervous system is a "sanctuary site" where drugs cannot reach leukemic cells. To address this problem, radiation is given to the brain. Within a few years it was noticed that many children are still in remission longer than expected. Ultimately, the medical community were willing to call them "cured".

In the pages of "To Be of Use: Five Decades as a Cancer Doctor Including the Story of the Conquest of Childhood Leukemia", Dr. Arenson relates this and numerous other major developments in cancer treatment as experienced by him. He also provides his personal perspective on those people and events which moved the field forward and others that didn't.

In "To Be of Use" the current status is of childhood leukemia is critically and sometimes humorously reviewed.

Critique: Providing a unique historical perspective based upon personal and professional experience, "To Be of Use: Five Decades as a Cancer Doctor Including the Story of the Conquest of Childhood Leukemia" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, university, and medical school Health/Medicine collections in general, and Child Leukemia supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted for medical students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "To Be of Use: Five Decades as a Cancer Doctor Including the Story of the Conquest of Childhood Leukemia" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Now retired at the age of 75, Edward Arenson during his third year of medical school, decided to pursue a career in pediatric blood and cancer the training for which began at Children's Hospital in Denver and was completed, after two years in the Army Medical Corp, at UCLA. At UCLA, Dr. Arenson focused on cancer and bone marrow transplantation before moving to Albany Medical College as Section Head of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. There he developed an interest in brain cancer before returning to Denver to focus on "neuro-oncology" at the Children's Hospital. Dr. Arenson became interested in the problems of cancer survivors and the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat the late effects of radiation therapy.


The General Fiction Shelf

First Among Nations
Ira Mosen
Olive Blossom Press
9781735374109, $18.95, PB

https://www.amazon.com/First-Among-Nations-Struggle-Perseverance/dp/1735374105

Synopsis: Zar is a Jew who was raised in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem -- but who breaks away from this insular world to pursue his dream of playing soccer professionally.

Egel, a kibbutznik, and Hajji, a Muslim, are two young Israelis from very different backgrounds, but who share with Zar a passion for soccer. Their destinies intertwine as they become teammates on The Israel National Football Team, representing their tiny country in the World Cup.

From the ancient stone walls of Jerusalem's Old City to a kibbutz set in an oasis of orange orchards, an Arab Israeli village in The Galilee and an Israeli army base in the Negev Desert, "First Among Nations" by Ira Mosen fully captures the sights, sounds, tumultuous history and modern realities of Israel.

Critique: An inherently compelling and thoughtful novel by an author with an impressively flair as a novelist for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling that is engagingly entertaining from first page to last, "First Among Nations" by Ira Mosen is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "First Among Nations" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Journey of the Spirit Man
George Mendoza
www.georgemendoza.com
Wise Tree Press
9780578754950, $7.99, PB, 176pp

https://www.georgemendoza.com/books

Synopsis: Michael Seymour lived a charmed life-a wealthy, good looking young man who took for granted his status as a popular star athlete, top student and beloved son. Then it all came crashing down. A champion runner, Michael is in college, preparing for a big race, when he finds himself distracted, unable to focus, and then, mid-race he passes out. Not only does Michael lose the race, but he discovers the reason for his fall-unbelievably he has a rare and incurable disease. Devastated by the news, he seeks to forget everything, at least for one night, and drags his best friend Mark out with him to drown his sorrows, only to have the evening end in tragedy when Mark is killed. But for Michael, this is just the beginning of a long and fantastic journey of self-discovery and redemption.

Critique: An inherently absorbing read from cover to cover, "Journey of the Spirit Man" by author George Mendoza is an extraordinary and original novel by an author with an impressive, entertaining, narrative driven storytelling style making this an especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections and the personal reading lists of those who appreciated a deftly crafted and memorable read that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf.

The Boys Next Door
Dan Greenberger
Independently Published
9798655706583, $9.99, PB, 321pp

https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Next-Door-novel-Beatles/dp/B08BV1XYQW

Synopsis: Alan Levy is a college student who, in the fall of 1960, spends a semester abroad in Hamburg, Germany. There, he has the misfortune to rent a room next door to an up-and-coming rock and roll band from the North of England. They call themselves the Beatles.

They are loud, rambunctious, and high-spirited. They are wildly unconventional (at least compared to Alan's Ivy League polish) and play horrible, jarring music at all hours of the night. They are friends, however, with a young woman with whom Alan has fallen hopelessly in love -- a beautiful German photographer named Astrid.

"The Boys Next Door" by Dan Greenberger is a bittersweet love story and a tall tale; a fast-paced, comic what-if, and a true fantasy fulfillment for Beatle fans everywhere. It's a loving evocation of a time when rock and roll was new and dangerous, and when the lads from Liverpool were taking their first baby steps toward conquering the world.

Critique: A deftly crafted and inherently absorbing novel that will have a very special appeal for the legions of Beetles fans, "The Boys Next Door" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library General Fiction, Biographical Fiction, and Coming of Age Fiction collections and personal reading lists.

Forged
Deborah Cox-Walker
World Castle Publishing
https://www.worldcastlepublishing.net
9781953271426, $10.99, PB, 209pp

https://www.amazon.com/Forged-Deborah-Cox-Walker/dp/1953271421

Synopsis: What if a work of art was your only means of escape? Scarlet Delamere, an aristocratic orphan, turns to a 16th-century portrait for a way out of the prison her home has become. In the pages of "Forged" by Deborah Cox-Walker, character fuses into art and love into politics in a deftly crafted coming of age novel which centers on a flame-haired nude who looks out silently at the mundane from her gilded frame.

Critique: An inherently absorbing novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling that holds the fully entertained reader's complete and compulsive page turning attention from cover to cover, Deborah Cox- Walker's new novel, "Forged", is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Women's Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated 'coming of age' fiction fans that "Forged" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).


The Romantic Fiction Shelf

Northern Lights
Michael Chatlien
Independently Published
9798673640173, $14.99, PB, 308pp

https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Lights-Michael-Chatlien/dp/B08FP54PL2

Synopsis: "Watch out for the creaking." An Inuit woman gives Greg Walsh this warning before he heads on a wilderness trek in the Canadian Rockies with his friend Dean, Sarah Brandt, and their guide.

In the wild, Greg and Dean (conservative, blue-collar workers) soon conflict with Sarah, a liberal, career woman. Then Greg hears creaking and pulls Sarah away from a landslide that kills Dean and Ben and sweeps away all their supplies except a knife and a canteen.

Greg and Sarah argue, but soon cooperate to survive. They find they have unexpected similarities, and each comes in touch with unresolved pain. A friendship forms, then grows into love. They face dangers, forging a deep trust that neither of them have ever experienced.

Greg and Sarah survive the wild, but back home, their social groups sow discord. Yet they don't want to lose the most profound relationship in their lives. Will they survive together?

Critique: An exceptionally well crafted and inherently entertaining read from cover to cover, "Northern Lights" deftly showcases author Michael Chatlien's impressive flair as a novelist for effectively blending romance with adventure. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Northern Lights" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Gold Fever
Lawna Mackie
Independently Published
9798645344313, $13.99, PB, 372pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Fever-Book-Treasures-Heart/dp/B088LD4K26

Synopsis: Could it be true? The gold existed. A treasure map alluded to such a find, but for over a century it was rumored a fable, one told by an old crazy man -- Samantha (Sam) Avery's great-great-uncle. One huge problem existed. Her brother Finn sent her the map and told her to run. Sam knew her big brother was in trouble and she had to help him.

In Dawson City, Yukon, Hunter Gray, outfitter and guide had been hired to do a job -- pick up someone named Sam Avery at the airport and take 'him' to the old Charlie Avery cabin up the mighty river. What Hunter Gray hadn't expected was for Sam to be a Samantha, who wore fashion designer shoes, had a sharp tongue and a goddess like appearance -- the vast wilderness of the Yukon was simply no place for somebody like her.

Sam had to learn quickly. How hard could it be to ride a horse and live without running water and restaurants for a week? It didn't matter, her brother needed her and Sam had to convince the ruggedly handsome man and his wolf (yes, a wolf!), that she was up to the adventure. Spending night and day together, Samantha knows the attraction between them is growing quickly. Not only is Samantha determined to rescue her brother, but she must now save her heart from a man who doesn't believe in love.

Critique: The debut novel of author Lawna Mackie's 'Treasures of the Heart' series, "Gold Fever" clearly showcases her impressively effective and entertaining narrative storytelling style and will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans that "Gold Fever" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).

Moments Like This
Anna Gomez & Kristoffer Polaha
Rosewind Books
https://vesuvianmedia.com/rosewind-home
9781645480457, $14.95, PB, 285pp

https://www.amazon.com/Moments-Like-This-Kona-Love/dp/1645480453

Synopsis: After Andrea "Andie" Matthews chooses her career over a marriage proposal and then loses a promotion she worked so hard for, she jumps at the chance to take a break and help run a friend's coffee shop. Alone in Hawaii, Andie befriends the staff and quickly grows to care for them, making her determined to revive the company.

As luck would have it, she meets the mysterious Warren Yates on Christmas Eve. They share a cup of coffee, some conversation, and even a moment, which leads to many more in the coming weeks. When Andie learns who Warren really is (and what he actually wants) she is torn between her feelings and his deception. -- But will Warren be able to win her heart back?

Critique: The debut title in the From Kona with Love series by the team of Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha, "Moments Like This" deftly blends multicultural romance, love, loss, and redemption into a compelling family saga that is set in the beautiful islands of Hawaii. An inherently absorbing read from cover to cover, "Moments Like This" is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated romance fans, and will prove to be a welcome addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Franklin Rock
Mark E. Klein
Greenbriar Publishing
9780976168461, $27.95, HC, 360pp

https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Rock-Mark-Klein/dp/0976168464

Synopsis: Sometimes heroes appear when we least expect them. Franklin Rock has arrived just when we need him most. An undergraduate student, Franklin discovers that he has been chosen. In one extraordinary moment-a brief but crystal-clear glimpse into the future-Franklin learns that his life is to be an adventure unlike any other.

Professor Charles Niemeyer, a Gandalf-like mentor, begins to skillfully guide Franklin along his journey. But before he has the chance to teach Franklin what he needs to know, Professor Niemeyer suddenly dies, leaving Franklin a blank book with a remarkable title: Franklin Rock: The Man Who Fixed the World.

Now on his own, Franklin must navigate towards his surprising destiny. Along the way, he encounters some wonderful characters. A mysterious man named Govinda who seems to know more about him than Franklin knows about himself; Maurice Burnside, a humble, elderly cancer patient who teaches Franklin life's most important lessons; Lori Constantine, a beautiful woman who can see his heart; and some of the greatest minds of the 20th century all make their mark on Franklin.

Critique: A master of the Science Fiction & Fantasy genre, author Mark E. Klein has created an original and impressively memorable time travel/metaphysical fantasy novel that will hold the reader's thoroughly engaged attention from first page to last. Certain to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated science fiction and fantasy fans that "Franklin Rock" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780976168447, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

The Book of Geezer
John Teton
Scarlet Tanager Books
https://scarlettanager.com
9781734531312, $25.00, PB, 268pp

https://www.amazon.com/Book-Geezer-John-Teton/dp/1734531312

Synopsis: "The Book of Geezer" by John Teton is the story of a brother and sister in Northern California who get derailed from their ambitious career paths in art and science when their obsession with a mysterious elderly neighbor propels them to the inside of the sun and beyond. As a novelist, Teton puts an impressive literary spin on a rollicking tale of young professionals who get caught up in a mystery far more fantastic than they'd anticipated on the night they sneaked into an overgrown house on an island in the middle of a lake.

Critique: A deftly crafted, thoroughly original, and exceptionally entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Book of Geezer" showcases author John Teton's narrative storytelling skills making this an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Book of Geezer" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Franklin Rock
Mark E. Klein
Greenbriar Publishing
9780976168461, $26.95, HC, 360pp

https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Rock-Mark-Klein/dp/0976168464

Synopsis: Sometimes heroes appear when we least expect them. Franklin Rock has arrived just when we need him most.

One-part Siddhartha and one-part Forrest Gump, undergraduate student Franklin discovers that he has been chosen. In one extraordinary moment-a brief but crystal-clear glimpse into the future-Franklin learns that his life is to be an adventure unlike any other.

Professor Charles Niemeyer, a Gandalf-like mentor, begins to skillfully guide Franklin along his journey. But before he has the chance to teach Franklin what he needs to know, Professor Niemeyer suddenly dies, leaving Franklin a blank book with a remarkable title: Franklin Rock: The Man Who Fixed the World.

Now on his own, Franklin must navigate towards his surprising destiny. Along the way, he encounters some wonderful characters. A mysterious man named Govinda who seems to know more about him than Franklin knows about himself; Maurice Burnside, a humble, elderly cancer patient who teaches Franklin life's most important lessons; Lori Constantine, a beautiful woman who can see his heart; and some of the greatest minds of the 20th century all make their mark on Franklin.

Franklin's time-travels provide clues to his destiny. "If you pay attention, Franklin," Professor Niemeyer tells him, "You can see the future in the past." The professor's words prove to be prescient.

Critique: Deftly blending elements of a science fiction adventure, a coming of age story, and the value of optimism, hope, and perseverance, "Franklin Rock" showcases author Mark E. Klein's impressive literary talents as a novelist with the kind of narrative storytelling skills that keep and hold the reader's fully absorbed attention from first page to last. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collection, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of Metaphysical & Time Travel fans that "Franklin Rock" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780976168447, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

The Optical Lasso: Beware of Neptune's Dark Side
Marc Corwin
Manhattan Book Group
http://www.manhattanbookgroup.com
9781644241561, $20.33, PB, 376pp

https://www.amazon.com/Optical-Lasso-Beware-Neptunes-Dark/dp/1644241560

Synopsis: In the year 2140 CE, Planet 9, more commonly known as Vixus, has resurfaced on the edge of the Milky Way. It is the only known planet that periodically reverses its rotation. Last seen in the middle of the Kuiper Belt in 2066 CE, it mysteriously disappeared after being discovered by a Galactic Corps scout ship. The unknown energy source enabling Vixus to spin in opposite directions represented great power which could help turn the tide in a war Earth was losing.

The Fighting Fury, the Corps' finest platoon, has been called in to conduct a search and rescue operation for several missing landing parties. Following a fierce battle on the planet surface, Lieutenant Janet "Cat" Miles, leader of this elite group of combat women, was captured. She soon found herself imprisoned with the Corps' most fabled leader, Commander Jason Cody. His name would forever be linked to the infamous wormhole hidden on Neptune's dark side; an area of space now cautiously avoided by all due to the menace which lurks within.

Paranoia raced through both leaders' minds. Could he trust a woman who seemingly had no imperfections? Could she trust a man who had vanished from sight years ago? Earth's future laid in the balance as they struggled to overcome their mutual distrust and acknowledge what those before them understood: "If you live long enough, the wisdom will come."

Critique: A rollicking good story and a classic example of the kind of science fiction adventure that would have been perfectly at home in the Golden Age of science fiction pulp magazines, "The Optical Lasso: Beware of Neptune's Dark Side" by Marc Corwin is the very definition of fun read. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated science fiction fans that "The Optical Lasso: Beware of Neptune's Dark Side" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).


The LGBT Shelf

A Gay Man's Guide to Life
Britt East
https://www.britteast.com
Houndstooth Press
https://www.houndstoothpress.com
9781544509235, $32.99, HC, 274pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Mans-Guide-Life-Stand/dp/1544509235

Synopsis: Many gay men find ourselves trapped in a series of no-win situations. If we don't live honestly and openly, we won't have the skills, wisdom, or relationships necessary to manifest our dreams. But when we do come out, we must confront the full force of societal homophobia, and consider a variety of questions: Can we create family without mimicking the norms of straight society? How do we cultivate sustainable gay friendships amidst our internalized homophobia? In a world of hook-up apps and disposable relationships, how do we find lasting love?

In the pages of "A Gay Man's Guide to Life: Get Real, Stand Tall, and Take Your Place", Britt East draws upon his own life experiences to answer these questions and presents an approachable, no-nonsense path for gay men to dismiss the excuses and get down to the business of improving their lives. No new-age mumbo jumbo or wishy washy self-help jargon. Just real work focused on real results to unleash our true selves and unlock our best lives.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A Gay Man's Guide to Life: Get Real, Stand Tall, and Take Your Place" is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring -- and a 'must read' for anyone who is a gay man living in and dealing with a straight world. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library LBTGQ collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Gay Man's Guide to Life: Get Real, Stand Tall, and Take Your Place" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781544509228, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).

Editorial Note: Britt East is an author and speaker who uses his experience, strength, and hope to challenge and inspire change-oriented gay men to get down to the business of improving their lives. With over two decades of personal growth and development experience in a variety of modalities, such as the 12 Steps, Nonviolent Communication, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and the Hoffman Process, Britt is committed to building a personal practice of self-discovery that he can then share with gay men everywhere. He lives in Seattle with his husband and their crazy dog. He also maintains an informative website at www.britteast.com


The Self-Help Shelf

Your Next Big Idea
Samuel Sanders
Heard Publishing
9781734913026, $14.99, PB, 280pp

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Next-Big-Idea-Problem-Solving/dp/1734913029

Synopsis: "Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving" by Samuel Sanders is a business and self-help creativity book that will enable the reader to: See how people produce ideas by examining the world around them; Learn how to ask questions and recognize details about your observations; Complete creativity exercises to get in the right mindset, rid yourself of stigmas, and brainstorm solutions; See the importance of sharing your ideas and solutions; Understand how to analyze the feasibility of your ideas.

"Your Next Big Idea: is for aspiring entrepreneurs, small and large business leaders, as well as those with the desire to improve their problem-solving and creative skills; are aspiring entrepreneurs itching for the idea they want to move forward with; improve problem-solving skills and find more creative solutions, increasing the effectiveness of knowledge management; guide a team through the decision-making process; acquire a creative mindset to attack problems and help you develop the skills to become a creative person.

Critique: Practical, insightful, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Business Management collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA students, academia, entrepreneurs, corporate administrators, business managers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).

Everyday Mindfulness
Melissa Steginus
https://melissasteginus.com
TCK Publishing
https://www.tckpublishing.com
9781631610820, $19.99, PB, 249pp

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Mindfulness-Practices-Yourself-Transform/dp/1631610821

Synopsis: In the pages of "Everyday Mindfulness: 108 Simple Practices to Empower Yourself and Transform Your Life", author Melissa Steginus guides you through the most powerful daily mindfulness practices that help you rewire your habits and rewrite your life. With step-by-step instruction and evidence-based exercises you can do in as little as 5 minutes a day, it's never been easier to make positive changes stick in your life. "Everyday Mindfulness" is a powerful personal development program cleverly disguised as a book.

Most of us are so busy that we forgot to focus on how we really feel, what we truly desire, and what we need to do to move our lives in the right direction. "Everyday Mindfulness" is your master manual for reconnecting with yourself and your inner resources so you can take immediate action to transform your life. The power to change your life is in the small things you do every day. "Everyday guides you through over 100 simple practices, in small doses, so you can discover what works best for you and build on it.

"Everyday Mindfulness" is specifically and effectively designed to help you master the six areas of your life: Physical (Listen to your body and reconnect with yourself); Emotional (Understand your feelings and learn to trust them); Rational (Observe your thought patterns to gain mental clarity); Spiritual (Explore your relationship with yourself and your truth); Occupation (Manage your time and energy to pursue your priorities); Network (Nourish relationships that deepen your sense of belonging).

Each of the six sections has 18 exercises, complete with reflection questions, to help you reclaim, redefine, and realize your untapped potential within that area of your life. With "Everyday Mindfulness" you will awaken to yourself, connect with your inner wisdom, and tap into your capacity for self-empowerment, fulfillment, and transformation. It all begins with paying attention. "Everyday Mindfulness" also includes 108 daily mindfulness practices, explanations of the purpose behind each practice, and over 300 reflection questions that encourage profound self-exploration and transformative action.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Everyday Mindfulness: 108 Simple Practices to Empower Yourself and Transform Your Life" is an extraordinary, effectively practical, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library DIY self-help/self-improvement collections. It should be noted that "Everyday Mindfulness" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Melissa Steginus is a Canadian productivity and wellness specialist who teaches expert methods in time and task management, energy management, self-care, and work-life harmony. With a background in social work and years of experience as a coach, counsellor, and business strategist, Melissa brings a holistic approach to productivity designed to help people structure their personal and professional lives to be intentional, empowering, and fulfilling. She also maintains an informative website at: www.MelissaSteginus.com

Prodigy Life: 4 Steps Teaching of Self-Healing Genius Mindset Training
Dr. Goldy Brown
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781982249908, $33.95, PB, 102pp

https://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Life-Teaching-Self-Healing-Training/dp/1982249900

Synopsis: Offering a master class in a single volume, "Prodigy Life: 4 Steps Teaching of Self-Healing Genius Mindset Training" by Dr. Goldy Brown is a DIY self-development program that specifically designed for a quick and comprehensive self improvement, using mind power and techniques for subconscious mind reprogramming. Almost everyone needs to change their own matrix, in order to be successful in finding the right solution for their children as well.

Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and effective in presentation, "Prodigy Life: 4 Steps Teaching of Self-Healing Genius Mindset Training" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. A life changing, life enhancing, life motivating instruction manual, it should be noted that "Prodigy Life: 4 Steps Teaching of Self-Healing Genius Mindset Training" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).


The Travel Shelf

Horseback Across Three Americas
Verne R. Albright
Hellgate Press
https://www.hellgatepress.com
9781555719982, $19.95, PB, 434pp

https://www.amazon.com/Horseback-Across-Three-Americas-Albright/dp/1555719988

Synopsis: In the pages of "Horseback Across Three Americas", readers will travel along with Verne Albright on his famous Peru-to-California ride. Cringe as he encounters vampire bats. Feel apprehension as he's chased by bandits, and when he rides into Nicaragua days after a violent revolution. Be there when a road grader driver tries to run him and his horses down. Experience the tension of facing malaria, typhoid, cholera, and bubonic plague. Come with him across the Peak of Death, where travelers have frozen to death standing. Feel his anxiety when he becomes a fugitive from the law in Mexico. And meet countless fascinating people including a witch doctor, bandits, a smuggler, a bullying sheriff, and a beautiful American girl named Emily.

Critique: A riveting and real life travelogue that reads with all the excitement, action and adventure of a deftly penned novel, "Horseback Across Three Americas" by Verne R. Albright will be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community, college, and university library Travel Guide & Travelogue collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated armchair travelers that "Horseback Across Three Americas" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).

Editorial Note: At twenty-one Verne Albright traveled to Peru and was enchanted by the country and its people. During that first visit he, his wife, and their one-year-old daughter traveled by jeep in the Andes Mountains of four nations. Over the next half-century he returned to Peru sixty-four times and imported over two hundred of its Paso horses -- including a pair he took overland to California, a nine-month trek of more then five thousand miles in eleven nations.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Happy Vet Happy Pet
Sandy Weaver
Panoma Press
https://www.panomapress.com
9781784529314, $16.95, HC, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Vet-Pet-Caring-Caregiver/dp/1784529311

Synopsis: "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver" by Sandy Weaver will change any and every pet owner's relationships with their veterinarian and their animal care provider's team forever. And what pet owners will learn by a careful reading of "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver" could save your veterinarian's life because the information laid out in this instructive volume isn't just life-changing; it's life-saving. Because what you don't know is your veterinarian is nearly four times more likely to complete suicide than the general population.

In "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver", dedicated pet owners will learn why veterinarians carry so much stress, how that stress can be alleviate by them in behalf of their veterinarians, and exactly what to do if they ever find themselves in the presence of a vet (or anyone else) who is suicidal. Pet owners can save a life, and "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver" shows how.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver" is a unique and very special addition to family, community, college and university library Suicide Prevention and Veterinarian Medicine collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of pet owners, veterinarians, mental health practitioners, students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for your Pet's Caregiver" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).

Editorial Note: Sandy Weaver is an author, speaker, trainer, mastermind facilitator, and lover of all things dog. Sandy's been around dogs and veterinarians all her adult life. As the Program Director of the Center for Workplace Happiness, Sandy creates the training programs, workshops, mastermind groups, and keynotes that help people lead happier, more successful lives. As a citizen-scientist in the fields of neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and positive psychology, she weaves science and stories into interactive experiences so participants can easily lock in the learning and incorporate new ideas, tools, and behaviors into their day-to-day lives.


The Biography Shelf

Betty: A Memoir
Mary McSwain Steele
Independently Published
9798669934415, $14.44, PB, 261pp

https://www.amazon.com/Betty-Memoir-Mary-McSwain-Steele/dp/B08GVLWC7H

Synopsis: In "Betty: A Memoir" by Mary McSwain Steele, a daughter tells the true story of Betty McSwain her single mother in Rockwell-esque 1950s Wisconsin who struggled against poverty, abandonment, and small-town prejudices in order to secure a future for her children without losing herself.

Breaking the confines of the Midwest to travel the world as a nurse, Betty McSwain finds adventure and romance, but grace eludes her. Only in the joyful spaces between the pain of her son's death and her own multiple cancer diagnoses does she find redemption. Final peace comes under the care of her daughters amid surprising happiness and startling secrets as she unburdens herself in her last days.

Betty McSwain is the personal biography of an unconventional woman from a conventional place, unable to rise above life's messiness, but stoically wading through it. It's also the story of an equally unconventional love that binds a family together and expresses itself in joy, grief, and shared revelation.

Critique: An fully absorbing and inherently engaging read, "Betty: A Memoir" is an extraordinary life story that is a riveting read from first page to last. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Betty: A Memoir" os a compelling and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary American Biography collections. By turns heart-breaking, empathy invoking, and ultimately inspiring, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Betty: A Memoir" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.44).

Editorial Note: Mary McSwain Steele was an award-winning newspaper reporter and section editor before investing nearly three decades of her career as director of a non-profit volunteer program, enriching the lives of seniors and their communities through meaningful service activities.


The Criminology Shelf

Blood on the Suwannee
C. Arthur Ellis, Jr.
Independently Published
9798677315114, $19.95, PB, 483pp

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Suwannee-Dr-Arthur-Ellis/dp/B08GFPM989

Synopsis: Bolita was brought to Tampa, Florida, in the 1880s, and flourished in Ybor City's many Latin saloons. Though the game was illegal in Florida, thousands of dollars in bribes to politicians and law enforcement officials kept the game running out in the open.

In the pages of this 'true crime' study, "Blood on the Suwannee", C. Arthur Ellis, Jr. expertly chronicles how the first casualty was the surreptitious murder of a prominent white bolita queen in the 1930s inadvertently led to the expansion of bolita and bootleg liquor in the county.

The second casualty (the untimely drowning death of fifteen-year-old Willie James Howard at the hands of Klansmen for the crime of sending a Christmas card to a white girl) is the little-known legacy of an African American Everyman in the segregationist South.

The third casualty is the nationally publicized 1952 murder of Dr. C. LeRoy Adams, a white physician and state senator-elect, by Ruby McCollum, the black wife of the county's bolita king.

Critique: An inherently absorbing, impressively detailed, and expertly written study that also reveals the surprising origins of today's American police force, "Blood on the Suwannee" is an extraordinary read and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all True Crime fans that "Blood on the Suwannee" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: The alleged king of bolita in the 1920s was Tampa native, Charlie Wall. During the late 1920s, a turf war began between Wall and Italian gangster Ignacio Antinori, who fought each other, as for control of the numbers rackets in the Tampa area. By the 1930s, Ignacio Antinori and Charlie Wall were in a bloody war for ten years, which would later be known as "Era of Blood". Wall's closest associate, Evaristo "Tito" Rubio was shot on his porch on March 8, 1938. Eddie Virella, "Tito's" former partner at the Lincoln Club, was shot down by gunmen little more than a year before, on 31 January 1937. The war ended in the 1940s with Ignacio Antinori being shot and killed with a sawed-off shotgun. Later, Italian mafiosi Santo Trafficante, Sr. and Santo Trafficante, Jr. also figured prominently in the Florida bolita games. Bolita was widely played in Miami in the middle of the 20th century. (Wikipedia)


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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