Sam’s devotion to her family is a highlight throughout, especially to April, as she’s careful not to put work ahead of her time with her daughter—though her search for the arsonists sometimes overshadows those goals. Sam still carries guilt over her alcoholism, and Ferrendelli probes the limits of that dark emotion, using it as a catalyst to fuel Sam’s efforts, sometimes misplaced, to help April’s deep depression after Carol’s murder—as in the scene where Sam gives April a pony, expressing to a friend that “I want nothing more than for her to be happy and okay. And I don’t know what else I can do. She’s all I have left of me.”
The story stumbles when it centers too much on extraneous clues connected to the arsonists, getting bogged down by lengthy descriptions of firefighting equipment and Sam’s obsession with her weight (Ferrendelli includes multiple references to Sam’s physique, characterizing her throughout as trying to “shed the pounds”). Crime scenes are fittingly intense, and the arsonists’ excitement—and obsession—at setting fires is disturbing to read, but the ending stays upbeat. Scenes at Sam’s beloved ranch, her oasis of calm in a sea of chaos and evil, are uplifting, as is the blossoming romance between Sam’s grandmother, Nona, and her longtime friend Howard, offering readers some glimmers of hope amidst the foreboding darkness.
Takeaway: Single mom fighting her own demons hunts for serial arsonists.
Comparable Titles: Sara Paretsky’s Burn Marks, Christopher Pike’s Slumber Party.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Smith renders self-help as a personal and intimate experience, with a slew of personal advice, anecdotes, and, most of all, encouragement—to stay positive, practice self-forgiveness, and stop worrying about situations outside of your control. He speaks to readers in gentle, casual tones, never losing sight of his rosy outlook—even when addressing weighty topics like end-of-life events and toxic emotions. “The more time we spend feeling bad about our mistakes,” he writes, “the more likely we are to do something else bad,” pushing instead for readers to “make amends… and move on.” Those pep talk snippets are both welcoming and refreshing, a soothing answer to the moments in life that can feel insurmountable.
Smith's references to religion, philosophy, and case studies on well-knowns like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix underscore his desperate search for answers. From there, ideas such as the power of the self, mindfulness, and gratitude spring forward, as Smith demonstrates that the path to recovery will be long and challenging but ultimately rewarding. Change hinges on willpower, mindset, and being true to yourself, he writes, and, in his own words, there’s no time like today to start “enjoy[ing] a more fulfilling life.”
Takeaway: Upbeat guide to creating a joyful, fulfilling life.
Comparable Titles: Brianna Wiest’s The Mountain Is You, Sue Varma’s Practical Optimism.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Memories of Lucinda Eco
Barnes dazzles with his sharp characterization, briskly engaging prose, and dazzling worldbuilding, crafting the Beyond—a parallel universe where reality bends and twists at the will and intent of witches—into a vivid, immersive landscape. The novel is a spellbinding blend of magic and mystery, alive with tension, laughs, and real emotional resonance. Standout setpieces abound, involving lizard guides with stitched mouths and eyes, ancient cave pictographs, and supernatural bonds with witches and their animal allies, conferring Spiritual, Mental, or Physical power.
While the book is lengthy, it does not bore. Beneath the enchanting and sinister world of witchcraft Barnes conjures with effortless skill is a meditation on power—how it can be wielded for good or evil—the effort and intent needed to reach one's potential, mastering fear, and how trauma shapes the becoming of a person. Barnes invites readers to see the humanity in every character throughout this multi-layered tale that will surely cast a spell on the readers.
Takeaway: Fun, epic adventure of a girl fighting to save her abuelita from a curse.
Comparable Titles: Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
"Every coping skill you learn is like a tool in a toolbox," Nurse Dorothea shares with her class, touching on different mental health conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, and depression, while encouraging her students to share life events that can trigger stress—and exploring the role genetics may play in who develops mental health disorders. The story stays upbeat and positive, as Nurse Dorothea teaches readers different coping styles—emotion focused, problem focused, meaning focused, social coping, and avoidance coping—alongside personal examples from her students, analyzing how each style works, what could be improved on, and how to develop new skills for mental wellness.
The information may be dense to wade through, but Dow presents it in an entertaining way, breaking up the more complex topics with Lindsay Roberts’s bright, engaging illustrations. Nurse Dorothea makes the information relatable for a student audience, addressing stressors like bad grades, relationship struggles, and bullying, resulting in an engaging resource for dealing with life’s more challenging moments. The book’s strategies for reducing stress, including mindfulness, positive affirmations, and physical exercise, are both actionable and rewarding, and Nurse Dorothea closes with a call to action to “help others on their journey to good mental health.”
Takeaway: Middle grade resource teaching coping strategies for mental health.
Comparable Titles: The School of Life's What Are You Feeling?, Elizabeth Cole's I Am Stronger Than Anxiety.
Production grades
Cover: C+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-
Readers will find this entertaining, interactive, and, above all, respectful, as Moulton honors burying practices throughout, encouraging readers to observe the hushed reverence that shrouds cemeteries—and even offering suggestions on how to get involved in historical tracking and preservation. Her analysis of the meaning behind common gravesite symbols is particularly intriguing, as readers will learn the ins and outs of the “fine art” behind stone carving, why a weeping willow was often used on headstones as a symbol of immortality, and the different interpretations of hands used in cemetery engravings.
What’s most appealing in Moulton’s guide are the interactive activities she includes, ranging from scavenger hunts for recurring symbols to space for readers to record their favorite epitaphs. Her emphasis on cemeteries as a wealth of historical information is eye-opening, and she offers a local history challenge for readers to research headstones that catch their attention. Black and white photographs of various markers and monuments dot the pages, rooting Moulton’s in-depth analysis in dramatic visual imagery, while appendices offer opportunities for further sleuthing, including typical symbols, abbreviations, and potential archives to “make your research more exciting.”
Takeaway: Interactive guide that makes cemetery exploration interesting and engaging.
Comparable Titles: Loren Rhoads’s 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Greg Melville’s Over My Dead Body.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
As Won shares personal anecdotes and his own struggles with being seen, being true to himself, and finding happiness, he provides actionable steps to aid readers in pursuing their own abundant lives. "By deciding to move from using our ego to one of authenticity, we give up the unnecessary struggle," Won writes, explaining that, by existing in the ego, most people focus entirely too much on fears of failure and rejection, struggling to escape their own head and getting bogged down by internalizing what others think of them. He also delves into the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious, explaining how all three areas of the mind "influence our actions and outcome in the manifestation process."
The material is often abstract and complex, as Won touches on themes that include grief and death, finances, authenticity, and more, but he capably breaks down even the most perplexing topics in language that simplifies while it enlightens. At the end of each chapter, Won includes questions to help readers explore, through journaling and self-reflection, how his guidance can be personalized. For readers intrigued by the metaphysical, Won provides the steps to discover their path to happiness and the tools to meet the challenges of the road ahead.
Takeaway: Inspiration to move away from the ego and into love.
Comparable Titles: Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements, Vex King's Things No One Taught Us About Love.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Magda’s story draws on well-known biblical characters, including Peter and Paul—two men who led the charge for spreading the gospel after Jesus’s death, but who, according to Magda, conveniently neglected to mention women’s contributions to that history. Werner (author of The Good at Heart) pens an immersive story of the men and women who followed and loved Yeshua, all through the realistic perspective of a woman who viewed Yeshua as a human, flawed man with miraculous gifts. Magda interlaces this emotionally charged narrative with love, humanity, and religion, reflecting on Yeshua’s days in Caphernaum and Jerusalem and his time spent with disciples who "weren't all men.” As she shares insights on Yeshua’s female followers—herself, Shoshanna, Yohanna, and Ilana—she also highlights Yeshua's true message of "radical equality and radical tolerance."
Werner capably builds tension and suspense as Magda reflects on Yeshua’s life—and her own destiny alongside him, including becoming his wife—using this familiar story to expose the “truth” of the Messiah—and his ultimate sacrifice for mankind. Throughout, Yeshua is painted in shades of unconditional love and peace, as Magda, and his other followers, join efforts to spread his message—and Magda seeks a balance between her very human love for Yeshua and the greater purpose surrounding them. Fans of historical retellings will be captivated.
Takeaway: Fresh take on the story of Jesus, from Mary Magdalene’s perspective.
Comparable Titles: C.A. Gray's Messiah, Jill Eileen Smith’s Dawn of Grace.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Gurgu skillfully portrays the challenges of Geo's new position, including the threat of armies of Nightmares, while exploring the intricacies of gaining trust and wielding authority in a broken world and fractious society. The loving dynamic between Geo and his partner Bree adds depth to the narrative, giving Geo a reason to fight. Gurgu's world-building continues to impress, with the author painting a richly detailed picture of the Caves and the various factions and forces at play (“Yeah, well, we adapted democracy to the needs of our times,” one politico admits), plus coll innovations like fossil ships and the returning Night Hunter. The introduction of Han the Great as a looming threat adds another layer of complexity to an already complex plot, setting up future volumes.
The prose is taut and engaging, driving the story forward with a mix of political intrigue, bloody visions, weird science tinged with fantasy, and engaging character development. Gurgu balances multiple threads and mysteries, keeping readers invested in both the immediate challenges facing Geo and Bree and the larger conflicts shaping their world. Newcomers to the series are advised to start with the first book.
Takeaway: Inventive post-apocalyptic sequel blending weird science, politics, and pulp thrills.
Comparable Titles: Kameron Hurley's Nyx series; K.R. Griffiths's Adrift Trilogy.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Mayer deftly separates the book’s two eras, reciting through Qaya’s chronicle an archaic narrative, at times difficult to understand, yet wrought with poetry that evokes a vibrant ancient culture—“Cannot mistake when Trek draws nigh whose People send their trekkers forth upon the land” Qaya reflects. The modern account, told alternately by expedition cook Arthur and his girlfriend, photographer Gabby, provides meticulous details of the team’s scientific methods in the frigid landscape. The action eventually picks up when the students decipher Qaya’s extraordinary journey, embrace magical realism—one says he was rescued in a storm by a shadowy spirit guide— and believe the skin’s messages are meant for them.
Mayer’s text, and sprinkling of black and white illustrations, illuminate his expert knowledge of the novel’s setting, and the characters come to brilliant life in his capable hands, particularly Qaya, who, when she returns from her Trek, will become her People’s friend in the Spirit World and counsel to the elders. Her discovery of the skins, unharmed after a snowstorm, sparks in her a deep desire to leave them behind as a legacy– in hopes that a great magic will lead future inhabitants to uncover them and learn of her people. Mayer also encloses a glossary of Inuktitut terms and reference list that lend this singular debut a reverent air of authenticity.
Takeaway: Modern archaeologists uncover the extraordinary journey of a prehistoric Inuit girl.
Comparable Titles: Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk’s Sanaaq, Donna Barba Higuera’s The Last Cuentista.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Bodnarczuk writes with touching precision of Thomas, an Eagle Scout and “edgy iconoclast who stood apart from many societal expectations and exhibited an unconventional type of wisdom.” Thomas shared his parents’ questing spirit, asking hard questions of the world—his “doubts,” Bodnarczuk notes, “[lived] side by side with his faith in God.” Bodnarczuk plunges into hard questions himself, exploring with tender frankness why Thomas would have purchased Xanax illegally—and digging into Thomas’s adolescent nightmares, from years before, of being hunted by a cloaked figure.
Recalling those disturbing visions leads Bodnarczuk deep into spiritual, Jungian, and Christian analysis. As Bodnarczuk stares down the hardest questions of all—why?—the pages pulse with a real spiritual struggle, described with rare frankness and clarity, worked through by a thinker who never professes to have all of the answers but whose hard-won insights, in the end, will offer comfort to other believers facing losses that might seem unendurable.
Takeaway: Searching, spiritual memoir of parents’ loss of a child, steeped in Jung and dreams.
Comparable Titles: Timothy Keller’s Forgive, Verena Kast’s Time to Mourn.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Striking details like that abound, as in Tabler’s online writing and previous volumes as he sweeps across the history. This volume covers DuPont chemist Wallace Hume Carothers’s invention of nylon, educational activist Martha G. Bachman’s life-long campaign to improve and extend vocational education opportunities, and the founding of the Delaware Art Museum, originally conceived of as a one-time 1912 event to honor the work of “the recently deceased ‘father of illustration’” Howard Pyle and his proteges. Tabler also digs into the local impact of the Suffragist and Civil Rights movements, the World Wars, Prohibition—the Coast Guard was ill-equipped to deal with rum runners—and more.
Tabler closes with a look at the internet age, making a compelling case for the central role played in its development by three students from the University of Delaware. The result is an engaging, entertaining, warmly inclusive, and occasionally playful history with style and verve.
Takeaway: Engaging, highly illustrated guide to Delaware history from the 20th century on.
Comparable Titles: John Riley’s Delaware Eyewitness, Kennard R. Wiggins’s Delaware in World War I.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
True to the genre, Flade fills this novel with dark turns and grim emotion, as Noah, a talented instructor for the next generation of FBI Academy cadets, tosses and turns at night over the eight female victims in his latest case—with a possible ninth waiting to be confirmed. He’s both anxious and excited to be back in Sadie’s life, divulging to her that while “you were working through tragedy and grief… I was bathing in it,” and the heat between the two is often shadowed by their intense emotional burdens. When Sadie’s brutally attacked in Maryland, and left alive with a message for the FBI, Noah’s fears reach a fever pitch. What follows is a shocking tangle of emotion, bureaucracy, and scattered clues, all seemingly leading the team in circles as they race to prevent further death.
Accessible characters and smart narration smooth the way for readers to immerse themselves in this intricately knotty world of law enforcement, victimology, and trauma recovery. The alternating viewpoints of the main characters offer in-depth windows into complicated psyches, though the Beltway Romeo feels oversimplified, lacking in depth and nuance. Familiar faces from previous stories in the series crop up as well, but Sadie and Noah take center stage. Readers will find plenty of psychological thrills here to satisfy.
Takeaway: Dark emotional ride into a serial killer’s chaos.
Comparable Titles: Sharon Sala’s Bloodlines, Patricia Potter’s Cold Target.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Sjoquist paints an empathetic portrait of an intriguing Chinese family, held up by their rigid value systems and customs, struggling to carve out a life for themselves. As Shuyuan bridles against the thought of living in poverty like her parents, she fights the balance of wanting peace—or “break[ing] the cycle and mak[ing] something of herself.” Shuyuan craves acceptance and approval from her parents, but in China, praise is not easily bestowed, stoking Shuyuan’s jealousy of her successful cousin, Chen Lei, and transforming her into an entirely relatable character.
Beijing’s descriptions are vividly wrought in Sjoquist’s capable hands—the Summer Palace, savory kebabs and juicy striped watermelons, the sun beating through the side streets—and Shuyuan’s outings with Wu Yu and Wei Wen Ho demonstrate the deep bonds of friendship and camaraderie shared by the three. Shuyuan’s interest in learning English, and the efforts of her teacher to shore up Shuyuan’s confidence, are well-delineated, as are her efforts to live carefree, if only for a moment, instead of just battling to survive. Readers will find this an informative peek into the lives of not-so-privileged Chinese children, a reflection on the fight to discover meaning while plodding through the lost innocence that comes with growing older.
Takeaway: Moving story of Beijing teenager fighting for meaning and purpose.
Comparable Titles: Ann Liang’s If You Could See the Sun, Wang Gang’s English.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Reed (author of Free Spirits) masterfully crafts Stone and Ted’s characters, presenting a stark contrast between the dutiful, successful lawyer and the once-promising novelist turned commune dweller. Keen insight into family dynamics shines throughout, as Reed unravels the impact of their father's Olympic-inspired motto—“Citius. Altius. Fortius, Scitius… Faster. Higher. Stronger. Smarter”—on the family’s lives and choices. Most compelling is Reed’s portrayal of the women in Stone and Ted’s lives, as they help the brothers confront and ultimately overcome the lasting effects of their father’s very conditional love, an exploration of healing and growth that adds a hopeful dimension to the novel.
The pacing occasionally slows during introspective moments, but Reed’s narrative remains engaging. As Stone muses that his relationship with Ted is “happenstance… [a] biologic accident,” and Ted refuels his writing off the fumes of their volatile relationship, Stone also reflects on how two brothers, raised the same way, could experience such different outcomes. They eventually find common ground in contemplating their father’s implausible expectations, and Reed wryly observes that they’ve both internalized the belief that “you can’t lose if you don’t play [and] if you don’t play, you won’t win.” This will intrigue readers who appreciate literary fiction that plumbs family dynamics, personal growth, and the tension between ambition and authenticity.
Takeaway: Touching novel of brothers, art, healing, and measuring up to impossible expectations.
Comparable Titles: Ann Patchett's The Dutch House, Lauren Groff’s Arcadia.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+
Wynter’s 20 years as a corporate HR leader—and experience as an executive coach—have afforded her a unique perspective, and she uses that perspective to advocate for women’s success in a male-dominated industry. But Wynter doesn’t stop there; she also provides actionable steps for men in management roles to cultivate leadership achievements for women within their corporations, arguing that gender equality will only be gained through “partnership[s] with men.” She maps out strategies for overcoming fear, emphasizes the importance of accountability, and teaches women to seize their power and readjust their mindset and expectations, through tools such as her "6a Spiritual Practice for Courageous Women,” a daily exercise focused on six steps—abiding, awareness, appreciation, affirmation, action, and applause—to securing success.
"Dismantling an oppressive system is both an internal mindset endeavor as well as an external systemic and culture work," Wynter explains, and her advice can be applied outside of the workforce as well, to "liv[e] a life imbued with purposeful power." She packs the guide with real life examples, many of them culled from her own “gender-aware transformational coaching,” and readers will find her pointers as sensible as they are easy to follow. For women eager to take control of their road to career success—and men ready to insist on gender equality—this is a must read.
Takeaway: Inspiring resource for women to achieve career success.
Comparable Titles: Lisa Nichols's Abundance Now, Elizabeth Leiba's I’m Not Yelling.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Nihalani pulls from various research and well documents her resources at the end of each chapter, to explore how lack of self-esteem makes individuals vulnerable to the judgments of others, especially in the era of social media. People tend only to post the best parts of their lives, Nihalani notes, which can lead others to see their own existence as inadequate. She explores bullying and micro-aggressions, the impact of fashion on one’s perceived value, and the sharp distinctions between how success is measured for women versus men.
With an inviting tone, incisive insights, and a wealth of practical takeaways and hard-won advice, Nihalani encourages accepting one’s flaws and imperfections and not running from bad feelings but not dwelling on them, either—feel them and move on, she advises. Other choice suggestions: use the cognitive dissonance that occurs when behavior does not match beliefs as a motivator for change, and that self-managing time spent on social media helps recalibrate how people see themselves in reality.
Takeaway: Encouraging guide to nurturing healthy self-esteem in the social-media age.
Comparable Titles: Kim Dabbs’s You Belong Here, Corey Keyes’s Languishing.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
