Olsten (author of Mimi & the Gold Baton) highlights important writing mechanics and sentence structure through this entertaining adventure. With the help of Sara Not’s vibrant, amusing illustrations, readers will be spellbound by the story’s stars, each with dialogue crafted in a way that makes their role clear: Question Mark only asks questions, Exclamation Point’s responses come with marked surprise and heightened inflections, and Period adds decisiveness and a sense of certainty to the book’s conversations. Even the group’s new friend, Pilcrow, described as “outdated” but “happy to have company,” plays a special part.
Not’s graphics truly steal the spotlight here, flaunting the punctuation marks’ adventure with lively, rollicking scenes of pure glee, whether it’s Comma’s sombrero in preparation for a tropical getaway or the frantic, animal-shaped words on the Island of Chaos, running amok “without proper punctuation [to] save us.” Olsten transforms these common punctuation marks into unsung heroes as they go about restoring order on the Island of Chaos, and she wisely incorporates the important message of feeling loved—and never overlooking the little, but valuable, things in life—as well, making this buoyant, colorful book hum with not just creativity, but a whole lot of heart, too.
Takeaway: A witty, animated tale teaching youngsters the importance of punctuation.
Comparable Titles: Brian P. Cleary's The Punctuation Station, Hudson Talbott's A Walk in the Words.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Looking back on her 1982 fling, Charlotte, like readers, gets caught up in the dream of young love, in this case a French romance so intense that it feels eternal, resonating through every fiber of her being decades later. Mercer, though, springs some hard-hitting reality checks upon this relatable protagonist as Charlotte, now in her 50s, uproots her life to chase that feeling. Charlotte’s plans go awry, of course, and she finds herself blindsided as public tantrums, humiliations, and challenges follow, testing her in ways she never imagined. But her resilience is rousing—“I’m fine, but I’m going to have a nice bruise on my keister” Charlotte declares after one comic mishap—and she finds something new, too. Mercer makes Charlotte’s growth and discovery of a new passion, becoming a chef, inspiring and rewarding to read.
The cuisine (“a vanilla-scented foie gras served flan-style with sautéed pears”) is detailed and enticing, and in true French romance fashion, it all comes with a welcome dash of comedy, taking full advantage of the setup of an American living in France, navigating the language, cultural differences, and unique humor that land Charlotte in the most awkward situations. Touchingly, the romantic drama eventually simmers down allowing the journey of self-discovery to take center stage.
Takeaway: Touching story of a woman chasing love to France but discovering a passion.
Comparable Titles: Ruth Reichl’s The Paris Novel, Jo Thomas’s Escape to the French Farmhouse.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Acknowledging that others have their own sets of core beliefs derived from their own experiences, Leigh demonstrates the process of identifying, interrogating, and eventually rewriting a set of beliefs (“It is important to keep things steady and stable”; “I am smart, but I can't appear smarter than my partner”) that, in relationships, lead to “self-destructive results.” In crisp prose that’s both pained and touched with wit, she digs into the wrenching process of a relationship rooted in those certainties imploding—“Rather than heed your own truth, you bury it in desperate attempts to fix the quickly snowballing issues,” she writes, in one charged, relatable passage.
Leigh avoids firm details about her own trauma, putting the emphasis instead on healing after a breakup, ending unhealthy cycles, and above all “choosing yourself.” Rather than promise easy fixes, Leigh smartly presents this as an ongoing process, urging readers toward “finding your self-confidence, and learning to trust your own voice” as steps on the path to seizing control of one’s own expectations and convictions. Despite the “smart girl” branding, Leigh’s guide toward learning to love again—first one’s self, the others—eschews buzzwords, cute formulations, and big promises. Instead, it offers warm, empathetic straight talk and clear, actionable advice.
Takeaway: Kind guidance for women rebuilding self-esteem after a bad relationship.
Comparable Titles: Nancy Colier’s The Emotionally Exhausted Woman, Jaime Mahler’s Toxic Relationship Recovery.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Suffocating and urgent, Deena Undone excels in psychological tension and the slow, unnerving unraveling of its protagonist. Every skillfully weaves the dynamics of family obligation and guilt into a deeply unsettling narrative, making Deena’s internal struggle both relatable and heart-wrenching. Characterization is exceptional, especially in how it captures Deena’s emotional entrapment. The ambiguity of the supernatural elements adds to the pained and eerie suspense, though that uncertainty, plus the slow-burn pacing, may not appeal to readers seeking a splashier sort of horror. Still, Every’s creeping dread and acute psychological insights make this an engrossing, provocative read, alive with striking detail.
For fans of psychological horror, dark family dramas, and gothic fiction, Deena Undone offers a deeply immersive and chilling experience. Readers who enjoy cerebral, character-driven horror with layers of emotional complexity and terror that swells up with subtle force will find this novel gripping, especially as it delves into themes of guilt, power, and the tangled webs of toxic relationships.
Takeaway: Richly atmospheric story of psychological tension and supernatural horror.
Comparable Titles: Hye-young Pyun’s The Hole, Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Jo’s epic yet intimate series-starter charts Calen’s first steps in standing up to a man—and by extension a society–—who has often taken violent advantage of her. Brother Stokely regularly uses a Bonding Stone to funnel Calen’s mana into himself, for reasons Calen wonders about. Amid the bleakness, though, the world Jo has conjured bursts with life: harvests and planting, inventive uses of mana, women who care for each other in secret, and prose that moves swiftly while still relishing nature.
The suspense of Calen’s plight, and her deep concern for others—including young Nelle, the Vessel that Calen tries to warn away from Brother Stokely, and Rosalind, a woman from Calen’s past eager to come to her rescue—keep the pages turning with an urgency warmed by empathy. Also engaging: the journey of discovery, for readers, of how this world works, what being a Vessel really means, and the question of what too much power can do to those that misuse it.
Takeaway: Alt-Appalachian fantasy series starter alive with feeling and bold women.
Comparable Titles: Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland, Namina Forna’s The Gilded Ones.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
This fast-paced middle grade read is full of colorful characters and energized fighting sequences that will amuse young readers, though the storytelling and the colorful but garish art often lacks polish. Granny Granola introduces Connor to a secret team of Elite Cereals at her headquarters, the Cereal Box, offering Armitage ample opportunity to show off a fun, inventive world of superhero cereals that young readers will get a kick out of, especially as the characters, amusingly, resemble some real-life breakfasts. As the super-cereals come up with a plan to thwart Colonel Cereal, they realize they can't just rely on their superpowers, but they must strategize and work as a team.
What stands out most here is the bumper crop of truly funny characters, who parody both cereals and superhero narratives—and who ultimately prove bold and resourceful in their quest to "save the children of the world” from a future of boring breakfast. Young readers who love imaginative comedy will cheer on this story packed with action (and fiber).
Takeaway: Wildly playful story of superheroic cereals.
Comparable Titles:Kelly DiPucchio's Super Manny Stands Up!, Aaron Blabey's The Bad Guys.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A-
Armour’s goal is to help readers draw closer to God—“a God who listens, a God who speaks, and a God who heals,” she writes—and she aims for that goal by sharing her personal triumphs and tragedies, many of which caused life-altering changes within her family, such as the death of her son, her need to undergo multiple surgeries, and the loss of her parents. Always, Armour reflects on how she leaned into her faith to guide her through grief, major life decisions, and setbacks that often threatened her power to move forward.
Readers will witness the journey of a woman with unfailing faith and an unwavering desire to serve; through anecdotes from her childhood, alongside her adult efforts to help others, Armour shares her work as a youth minister and beyond, giving credit for her professional victories to God—for the gifts of knowledge, healing, and discernment she’s received from him. Asserting that God has christened her “an ambassador for the faith,” she closes with a call to action for different religions to unite, reflecting that “God likes the diversity of sounds ringing from around the world.” For readers not familiar with the Catholic faith, Armour includes a glossary of related terms at the end.
Takeaway: Uplifting faith narrative emphasizing unity in God’s love.
Comparable Titles: Kasey Van Norman's Nothing Wasted, Kimberly G. Jackson's Gifts From God.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Edmiston covers a lot of international—and temporal—ground in this suspenseful sophomore novel (after Confessions from the Cubicle) of alchemy, ancient gods, and lost artifacts, where the present collides with the past in a maelstrom of secrets and revelations. When Benjamin meets the enigmatic Cle, a past friend of his grandfather’s whose knowledge of the painting is uncanny, he finds himself whisked away on a cross-continent adventure with her, while learning that there is more to his mysterious companion than meets the eye. The backstory unfolds slowly as Benjamin uncovers the secrets of his grandfather’s past, leading to a cascade of epiphanies that alter everything Benjamin knows about his grandfather—and the world.
Edmiston balances on the knife-edge between tension and wonder throughout, never sacrificing the story’s meticulous historical detail while still delivering enough suspense to keep readers engaged. The perfectly balanced blend of spirituality, romance, and mystery interlaces with lessons on “the boundary between light and darkness… [and] weak souls whose energy can be easily drawn to evil,” making this as profound as it is action-packed. Fans of historical fiction paired with a sliver of fantasy will find much to enjoy in the twists and turns of Benjamin’s quest for the truth.
Takeaway: Historical fiction and fantasy interlace in a timeless quest for truth.
Comparable Titles: Daniel G. Miller’s The Tree of Knowledge, Will Adams’s The Alexander Cipher.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
When not recounting tales of past near-glory, Dorchak reflects on the current ways his body is in revolt. When his wife tells him not to move the “Large, Heavy Thing,” middle age consciousness kicks in, forcing him to wonder if “you’re only trying to move it because you’re afraid to choose the option of getting someone else to do it… that would mean admitting how old and out of shape you are.” He ties earlier youthful adventures to his somewhat wiser escapades as an adult, contemplating the pitfalls of looking back on past decisions. “Poor Life Choices can be made at any age or stage of life” he writes, “but making them when you are younger is advised, so that you learn from them by the time you are older.”
Readers who appreciate tongue-in-cheek humor and healthy doses of self-deprecation will be entertained, though Dorchak does wade into deeper waters at times. In “Taxes and Death,” he reflects on his fraught relationship with his father, distinguished by sharp arguments and years of silence, painting his father’s death in bleak tones—“he all but died alone in the rain like some sort of character out of a Hemmingway novel”—before dredging up his father’s last words to him: “Yeah yeah yeah... love you.” This is a lighthearted reminder of our collective nostalgia for the abandon of youth.
Takeaway: Playful collection of youth’s lighter moments.
Comparable Titles: Dave Barry’s Live Right and Find Happiness, Bruce Sheets’s A Boomer Memoir.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Complicating Charlotte’s sense of new possibilities: the fact that someone seems to be stalking her. DaSilva writes the sweet and sexy tension of new love well, juxtaposing it masterfully with the terrifying tension of being stalked. As the story digs into the mysteries of Jared’s past and Charlotte and Sy’s present, the leads’ attraction to each other proves undeniable, and soon Sy is the person Charlotte calls when she becomes convinced someone is stalking her, following her to her husband's grave, staking out her home, and sneaking into her bedroom at night. Sy, though, fears he might not return from his latest mission in his job, so Charlotte must take matters into her hands.
DaSilva’s slim, fast-moving novel packs a lot of wonderment and hard choices into relatively few pages, with Charlotte facing the question of whether to try to go back to what she once had or take a chance on something new. The speculative premise takes a backseat to the chemistry between the leads, making the novel ideal for romance readers interested in science fiction, military life, and romantic leads who are alpha-male types ready to sweep a lady off her feet and away from her problems.
Takeaway: Paranormal romantic thriller of a woman bereft but manifesting strange powers.
Comparable Titles: Elizabeth Hunter’s Suddenly Psychic, Sue Fortin’s The Dead Husband’s Secret.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Middle grade readers will get a kick out of Kuhn’s promising series starter, a riveting blend of sci-fi, technology, and fast-paced thrills. The Monster-bot is just that—a robot Tommy normally keeps caged due to its inclination to destroy all other machinery in its sights—but there’s more to it than meets the eye: it’s harboring Tommy’s specially designed Prometheus Chip, an invention allowing machines independent thought. That alone makes the mission worthwhile, and, as Nate and Tommy set out on a quest to track down the temperamental robot, they quickly learn they aren’t the only ones after such a treasure.
Between the story’s AI robots, a whiz kid, and one brave unlikely hero, readers will be transfixed—and the fun doesn’t stop there. Kuhn ties in a no-holds-barred Great Swamp War—waged by opposing groups of kid gangs—that sees dangerous tech fall into the wrong hands, putting Nate and Tommy’s friendship, and their lives, at risk. Kuhn’s black and white illustrations, reminiscent of comic strips, highlight the story’s more suspenseful moments, helping younger readers soak up the tension radiating from the pages of this high-octane treat. The hijinks are certainly entertaining, and Kuhn’s exploration of what it means to be human—and a good friend—hits home.
Takeaway: Two unlikely friends must save AI-robots from falling into the wrong hands.
Comparable Titles: Peter Brown's The Wild Robot, Eve L. Ewing's Maya and the Robot.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Woeppel’s worldbuilding embraces both the silly superhero and summer romance aesthetics in a contemporary setting, with bold characters like Birdie’s sassy gay superhero bestie Jace and new local drama buddy Evie, as well as a collection of hilariously sketched minor characters, many of whom materialize during Birdie’s unsuccessful dates. The banter between Aiden and Birdie shines, both in its initial rudeness and its slow transformation into flirtation, though their actual sexual scenes melt into a more generic desire and lose some of that fizzle. Birdie’s backstory carries weight, but it never dominates, playing out in her memories of her mother’s fear at her daughter’s changes and a sweet 16 romance that foundered amid the discovery of her growing powers.
This is a gentle critique of societal constraints on women’s behavior, and Woeppel’s upbeat message—that accepting yourself, vulnerabilities and all, should be the only goal—broadcasts clearly through Birdie’s ultimate success at finding love while refusing to compromise her own superhuman strength. The transformation she undergoes in her own eyes—and in Chicago’s view—is intense, rendering Aiden’s whispered exhortation to “never let them tame you” a potent reminder of the power that comes with self-discovery.
Takeaway: Playful superhero romance with an undercurrent of feminist empowerment.
Comparable Titles: Alice Winters’s A Villain for Christmas, Laura Thalassa’s Reaping Angels.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Roberts (author of Last Days of Colbosh) creates a world rich with intergalactic danger and adventure, as the Belt’s crew soon find themselves distracted by a larger threat: the Locorrans, an enigmatic race that look human but somehow aren’t, ruled by a mysterious up-and-coming empress, are quietly taking over the universe, privy to incredibly advanced—and threatening—technology. The action takes off immediately, and Jax is quickly swept into a chaotic conspiracy that finds him separated from his crew and forced to rely on his instincts to survive, joined in his fight by Jules, a young woman with insider knowledge that suggests the Locorrans can control brainwave patterns of the people living in Earth’s colonized systems.
Power Play’s world is both entertaining and absorbing, boosted by a host of high-tech weapons and the downfall of Earth as we know it, thanks to a Great War that left the planet reeling from radiation poisoning and terrorized by animals evolving into monsters. The thrills are sometimes restrained by plot developments that snowball with minimal buildup and empty references to an older Earth that most of the book’s characters no longer remember, but this still reverberates as an electrifying journey of self-discovery—and a reminder of the dangers behind creating sentient beings with superior intelligence.
Takeaway: Absorbing sci-fi riddled with intergalactic intrigue and dangerous, power-hungry AI.
Comparable Titles: Penelope Wright’s The Queen Trials series, T. Ellery Hodges’s The Never Hero.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
Despite the novel’s economic impetus, Win Condition is brisk, exciting, and suspenseful, thick with detestable villains (especially Char’s First Citizen Violet, who will kill anyone to maintain her power), uneasy allies (like Arrow’s BreakPoint mentor, Sage), and imaginative BreakPoint opponents (especially BRAID, an AI whose “simmed hostility towards humans faded by 5%” after learning it has a human fan.) Among vivid depictions of a radically unequal society and the hedonistic festival the First Citizen throws to distract the unwashed masses, Arrow faces a host of factions, including coup-plotters led by Sage, the underground group who keep the foundational spirit of cryptocurrencies alive, and Arrow’s lovable online friend group, without whom “she wasn’t sure she’d fully exist.”
BreakPoint itself, unfortunately, is somewhat vague, with matches described more than suspensefully dramatized, and a plot point involving a ginned-up prophecy is too quickly glossed over. But, for all Win Condition’s hefty length, Schultz keeps the story moving with purpose and excitement, all powered by a palpable love for freedom.
Takeaway: Epic dystopian adventure of online games, inequality, and crypto freedom.
Comparable Titles: Philip Charter and Niko Laamanen’s 21 Futures: Tales from the Timechain, Ramez Naam’s Nexus.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Ridley keeps readers guessing throughout this twisty satire, starting with Damien’s best friend, “B,” who chronicles their whirlwind friendship-to-roommates journey—one that ended when their codependency started to interfere with B’s love life. B’s girlfriend, Lily, is also gifted a voice, presenting Damien as overprotective and his relationship with B as “weird… like, an obsessive need or compulsion toward each other.” Ridley crafts an intense picture of Damien’s friend group from there, each with their own axe to grind, and many who caustically observe the unhealthy nature of Damien and B’s relationship. That red herring merits further investigation, though, as the story revolves around several suspects, each more believable than the last.
Every character’s thoughts on Damien, who might have killed him, and on each other are alternately funny and sad, painting a portrait of a troubled young man desperately searching for belonging. Even B, in her own flippant style, recounts the woes of Damien skipping from boyfriend to boyfriend with a touch of melancholy, reflecting on his loneliness and vulnerability, while Damien himself comments “I [knew] better than to let myself end up this way.” This will appeal to readers who aren’t afraid of the hard work that comes with solving a good mystery.
Takeaway: Satiric murder mystery with a wealth of likely suspects.
Comparable Titles: Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, Rupert Holmes’s Murder Your Employer.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Kaczka’s vicious blend of suspense, bloodshed, and parody is inspired and original, as he lampoons influencer culture, racism, boomers, buzzword-afflicted corpo-culturists, and more. Abigor, in a frenzy of self-adulation, makes a toast, with human blood, to “one hundred years of excellence” and ruling “the corporate world from the shadows” in one scene, while in others he muses on how strange he finds it that workplaces have become increasingly diverse. Some jolts of horror are both funny and inventive, like the revelation of the contents of the rules book given to conference goers. The satire is heavy-handed but likely to amuse readers wary of management happy-talk, especially as the presentations spin increasingly out of control in flashy, funny ways.
The cast is large enough that not everyone makes an impression, trapped in scenes of lurking evil and lessons about the pillars of leadership, and as the events get ever-crazier the over-the-top ethos diminishes suspense or investment in the characters, who trend toward morbid caricatures, including Abigor’s minion Camilla, who acknowledges she’s “mired in groupthink” but, still, has her sights set no higher than Abigor’s position, in hopes of being “the first woman chair of the Summit Conference.” Kaczka’s social-satire-by-way-of-haunted-house is ambitious, making pulpy entertainment out of a gore-soaked, blunt skewering of late-stage capitalism. There’s a lot to digest here, but readers who appreciate unbridled mockery of self-proclaimed “management mastermind”s will be entertained.
Takeaway: Influencers and corporate-wannabes discover business is hell in thishorror-satire.
Comparable Titles: Lee Mountford’s Haunted: Hotel, Mona Awad’s Bunny.
Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-