The recommendations here are written in frank, down-to-earth language that makes a sometimes-intimidating topic easy to grasp. Williams acknowledges ERPs can be complicated, and he assures readers that a little uncertainty is normal, writing that his “goal isn’t to scare you out of taking action, but to open your eyes to the complexity and provide assurance that ClustERPucks are avoidable.” The material may sound unglamorous, but it’s crucial: he covers pragmatics such as the cost of licenses, how to determine a company’s need for ongoing support services, and the nuts and bolts of different ERP products (dividing them into two categories, closed ecosystem and open), while delving into general business principles as well, including the value of clear communication and understanding investments versus costs.
Williams includes basic visuals to illustrate his principles in addition to resources for continued study, but what’s most valuable about ClustERPuck is the straight-shooting instruction on how to avoid disastrous, time-consuming, and money-wasting ERP projects. And that advice, he argues, is worth its weight in gold, because the alternative will be a system that “probably is worse than what you’ve already got despite the fact that its whole purpose was to make things better.” Professionals ready for a deeper understanding of ERP systems and implementation will find it here.
Takeaway: Clear, concise advice on Enterprise Resource Planning projects.
Comparable Titles: Alexis Leon’s ERP Demystified, Marianne Bradford’s Modern ERP.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
“Jail World” describes an Orwellian dystopia where the world’s population is confined in a correctional facility upheld by seven guiding “disciplines,” which include principles like “Don’t read” and “Live to eat.” Other stories, like “Windmill” and “The Dwitter Note,” imagine sci-fi futures, complete with flying cars and techno-communes, where governments have direct communication technology with each individual of the state. As the title suggests, empathy for “outsiders” abounds, including “the outcasts, the dissidents, the outlaws,” and more, though female characters tend to be one-dimensional.
Often satirical and thought-provoking, Andersen’s stories toy with morality, especially in the context of capitalism and overconsumption. “The Package” follows Sam in his obsessive quest to reclaim the parcel he believes lost in the mail; he ventures to mail centers and warehouses, causing strife and mayhem in his effort to claim his package and relieve the “pang of emptiness” he feels in its absence. Humanity is sacrificed in lieu of material objects. Andersen’s concluding vignettes—including an account of longing and drinking in military life, and an ambiguous memory of being sent to an adult man’s workshop to learn about hard work as a child—and “Short Shorts” lack the compelling narratives of the longer stories, yet his poetry in particular has an enriching complexity that readers can revisit again and again.
Takeaway: Somber, yet biting poems and stories exploring social and spiritual isolation.
Comparable Titles: Alan Kaufman’s The Outlaw Book of American Poetry, Donald Ray Pollock’s Knockemstiff.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A
Casey’s reports from those retreats offer vividly described lessons, insights, and revelations that demystify the process of meditation and spiritual searching while never diminishing the greater mysteries. Casey describes awakenings, recovering memories of a “unified connection with all,” and also understandable uncertainty about her first experiences. “What do you do here?” she asks, with hesitation, after expressing concern that she’ll feel “strong feelings” during an intense, three-day “Zen sesshin.” Her teacher’s answer: “We sit.” And she did, learning that “in the realization of ultimate Truth, all must be seen by oneself.”
The result is an unusually grounded book of discovering truths, with an emphasis on the work that this demands, including setbacks and doubts, but also the real changes Casey experienced as she learned to name feelings, recognize “five primary hindrances,” confront “emotional patterns of despair and unworthiness,” and “transform shame into forgiveness and make amends.” Even if the book didn’t cover her eventual path as a mindfulness meditation teacher, readers would probably guess—page after page, with warmth and clarity, she teaches.
Takeaway: Encouraging, relatable memoir of discovering meditation, Buddhism, and one’s path.
Comparable Titles: Jack Kornfield’s After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, Sharon Salzberg’s Real Change.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Unlike many authors who report insights and connections from beyond the edges of our science, Morgan never over-interprets such incidents. (Others here include a patient with precognition, a possible ghost at a Singapore university, some experiments, and other surprises.) Instead, Morgan presents them with a storyteller’s elan, a welcome lightness of touch, and a sense of curiosity and quiet awe that makes it easy to give the tales credence. The effect is more like a trusted friend thinking through the implications of a shiver-inducing mystery than an author peddling lofty secrets.
The conclusions he draws—about aging and memory, about how educating the “wealthy and powerful” about life extension might make them “better motivated to heal the world that they would live longer in”—prove both wise and playful. Morgan indulges that sense of play in some loose, silly chapters that experiment with memes, emojis, and jokes about Xi Jinping and Kardashian amplitude. That material isn’t especially edifying, but it’s honest to the “Time Statues” mission—setting down who Morgan was at these moments.
Takeaway: A psychologist’s surprising moments, insights, and brushes with the beyond.
Comparable Titles: Rupert Sheldrake’s The Sense of Being Stared At, Edward F. Kelly and Paul Marshall’s Consciousness Unbound.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: C
Illustrations: C-
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B-
Replete with catchy visuals and down-to-earth writing, Earn It is unconventionally appealing. Pratt advises readers to “Do the Opposite” of the norm, offering an original framework that covers mindset, strategy, creation, and audience development, all with the idea that bucking the status quo will net the best results. Rather than falling back on what he calls “selfish” marketing instincts, such as urgency and interruption, Pratt helps readers focus instead on generosity, patience, and spotlighting the greater good. By shifting to content that is a desirable gift versus a distracting disturbance, he asserts that teams will see greater financial success as well as more positive views of their brand.
Though Earn It’s methods may feel more anecdotal than carefully measured, Pratt addresses crucial marketing concepts in a refreshing way while offering readers handy how-to pointers, including usable idea-generating exercises, strategies to make advertising content unique, tips to build a niche audience, and more. His real-world examples, from Red Bull to Shopify, illustrate the guide’s concepts in understandable ways, and he sprinkles advice from marketing experts (Ann Handley and Jonah Berger, among others) throughout his writing, closing with a timely—and uplifting—reminder to “Stay Creatively Brave and Committed.”
Takeaway: Down-to-earth guide on shifting from interruption marketing to high-end, creative content.
Comparable Titles: Jeff Rosenblum and Jordan Berg’s Friction, Meera Kothand’s One Hour Content Plan.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Sachdeo presents a host of checklists, sidebars, and hard-won insights, including step-by-step walkthroughs for refinancing, renovating, and other “major steps when building a rental property investment portfolio.” The guidance is both best-practices general (“Screen tenants thoroughly”; “Establish clear rental criteria”) and helpfully granular (one table demonstrates the “Advantages and Disadvantages of a Cash Purchase,” and Sachdeo’s “comprehensive list of financial documents that you should review” lives up to its title).
The result is a guide for readers who are serious about putting in the work and understanding all the decisions and planning that stand between them and their dream. Sachdeo specializes in answering the questions you might not know to ask, like what to look for in a management company or a property manager, the pros and cons of incorporation, and environmental factors to keep in mind when scouting potential properties. Numerous case studies demonstrate the reality of being a landlord, laying out the strategies individuals adopted and the lessons they learned. A hefty glossary of real estate terms will help arm the would-be mogul prior to any negotiation.
Takeaway: Practical, thorough guide to investing in and managing rental properties.
Comparable Titles: Brandon Turner’s The Book on Rental Property Investing, Symon He’s Rental Property Investing QuickStart Guide.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Gauri’s vibrant characters steal the spotlight in this thoughtful debut, with the most memorable—Rav Uncle—coming across as both horrendous and, at times, hilarious. He is loud, aggressive, and full of himself, riding roughshod over people’s emotions and sensibilities, even as he desperately tries to hide his vulnerabilities beneath a veneer of authoritarian bluster. Avi and Meena are equally well fleshed out, with entirely relatable confusions and conflicts, but the character readers will find themselves rooting for the most turns out to be Peeku: vulnerable, confused, intimidated by his overbearing father, but standing up for himself and making his own decisions in the end.
Peeku’s position serves as a metaphor for the deeper themes at play here, as each character comes to terms with their reverence for tradition in the midst of a contemporary world that calls for flexibility: Meena, who longs for passionate intimacy with Avi even as she espouses the perks of arranged marriage; Avi, who considers his views more modern but still suffers disappointment when Meena falls outside the “maternal archetype”; and Peeku, who naively believes that love truly conquers all. This is an often funny and thought-provoking tale on the nature of love and long-term relationships in a world that glorifies individualism.
Takeaway: Refreshing take on arranged marriage and small-town American politics.
Comparable Titles: Akhil Sharma’s Family Life, Manju Kapur’s The Immigrant.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Freedom is a tangible but still distant dream for Sykes, though the tide was turning against slavery. Parson and the UCST fight bravely despite inadequate training or supplies, earning the respect of their Union Army, but as Mason demonstrates continually, his fight began long before the war itself—Sykes must fight to simply enlist in the army as a Black man and “contraband of war,” a term for escaped slaves who sought refuge at military camps but were often relegated to menial tasks.
As it follows the battle against the Confederates—from Fort Monroe to Richmond, from contraband to serving in the cavalry, from ghastly diseases to bloody battles—Mason’s novel often emphasizes the historical record over fictionalized scenes or sensational drama, though moments of doubt and fear have power. That works, though, despite some repetitive passages—the history is more exciting than fiction. Often, Mason, a descendant of Sykes’s, reports what the real Sykes wrote to others, capturing epochal events and the everyday textures of life. The result is a powerful reminder of the crucial, often overlooked, role Black soldiers played in the Civil War. Thorough introductory material provides essential context.
Takeaway: Fascinating “documentary” novel of a formerly enslaved man seizing freedom in the Union Army.
Comparable Titles: Joyce Hansen’s Which Way Freedom?, Douglas K. Egerton’s Thunder at the Gates.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Instead, he calls for an unwavering focus on exceeding customer expectations and offers a wealth of hard-won, practical advice, from reminders not to “fall in love” with established processes to the six steps of his *Digital Irreverent* Playbook. He also offers advice on spreading responsibility among competent partners and instilling in teams a sense of ownership (he prefers Project Owners to Project Managers). Otherwise, the book is an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and, above all, instructional read.
Digital Irreverent is a resourceful, of-the-moment guide for those looking to take their organization to that seemingly elusive next level. Irreverence, a concept explored in depth, is linked with agility, inquisitiveness, and the ability to pounce on new opportunities without worrying about entrenched hierarchies. Small companies, Jaroslawski notes, can benefit from new technology just as readily as larger competitors, and the small company that is first to market may quickly become a dominant player, especially if it is satisfying customer needs in a way its established competitors—likely less open to irreverent innovation—have failed to achieve.
Takeaway: Practical, thought-provoking guidance to empowering digital development teams for success.
Comparable Titles: George Karseras’s Build Better Teams, Nigel Vaz’s Digital Business Transformation.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
On the hunt, Elliot discovers Ember’s spitting image in a Terran orphan, Aurora, who is astonished to discover that, like Ember herself, she can connect to his mind through the “empathic link” shared by Aetherian Royalty. From there, Ideue keeps the story hurtling along as Elliot, Ember, and crew (including the scene-stealing AI Zorac) strive to discover the emperor’s secrets, take revenge, and build an enduring foundation for humanity’s future. Despite the novel’s scope and hefty length, the pages turn quickly, the storytelling powered by something as potent as any antimatter drive: Ideue’s passion for space adventure in a classic vein, for stout heroes, ragtag crews, and bold missions; for epic space battles described with an attention to tactics; for stakes that are both civilizational and deeply personal.
Ideue never ignores advanced tech or scientific ideas, but they also never get in the way of fun or momentum. Elliot’s love of Bablyon 5 and Galaxy Quest is cute, a cue not to take this too seriously—for Elliot, isn’t that like being obsessive about Middle English lit today? The rousing ending, coming some 400 pages after Earth’s destruction, finds what’s left of humanity facing a much wider universe, sure to be explored in later books of the promising New Terrans series.
Takeaway: Fun, action-packed space opera of an Earth captain facing an empire.
Comparable Titles: John Birmingham’s The Cruel Stars series, Gareth L. Powell’s Continuance series.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
From there, The Story of Emiliah Bent morphs into a dark tale of control and danger, as Emiliah refuses to confront her haunting past or challenge the seeming ease of her new lifestyle. The casual first-person narrative pulls readers in with a steady build-up of tension, punctuated by moments of stark intensity as Emiliah’s shifting perception of her relationship moves from dreamlike wonder to desperate urgency. Dickson weaves a treacherous line between romance and thriller, allowing Emiliah and Ben’s relationship to darken with each chapter.
The novel echoes themes of oppression, but with a brutal edge that will push readers to the brink, as Emiliah breaks free from her socially awkward, low-self-esteem prison into a different type of bondage, where tender lovemaking swiftly morphs into something terrifying and Ben progressively becomes more violent and unpredictable. The blend of romance with psychological suspense cuts deep, opening a world of shadows behind a seemingly perfect love story, and Dickson's portrayal of the dangers that can lurk just beneath love’s surface—combined with a killer surprise ending—is sure to resonate with fans of darker romantic thrillers.
Takeaway: Passion, violence, and the past erupt in this dark romance.
Comparable Titles: Nicole Blanchard’s Toxic, Sheridan Anne’s Pretty Monster.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A
Brooksbank (author of All My Love) takes readers on a smooth ride with a down-to-earth, relatable main character. Like many retirees embarking on a new stage, Meg isn’t quite sure what she wants, though she instinctively feels a change is in order. Readers will be endeared as she tries to defy generational expectations and vows “not stir up the air or the water, not do anything foolish like falling in love,” just as she falls head over heels for her old fling. That affair comes with some serious risks, thanks to shocking secrets from Colin’s past, and Brooksbank teases those secrets to add moments of action and surprise to the novel.
Besides the main affair, Brooksbank adds compelling relationships between Meg and other characters, including her neighbors Linh and Suzanne, and Nick—a bohemian pain-in-the-rear whose honest and unapologetic nature, in combination with his genuine care for his mother, makes him entertaining and strangely appealing. His character arc suffers from a lack of development at times, but Brooksbank makes up for that by giving him a crucial role in the story’s surprise ending—one that allows mother and son some reconnection and hope for their future. This soft love story has considerable backbone.
Takeaway: Cozy women’s fiction with high-stakes thrills sprinkled throughout.
Comparable Titles: Lisa Williams Kline’s Ladies’ Day, Nancy Crochiere’s Graceland.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Sarda commands readers’ attention with energized prose, snapping the world and its characters into unflinching focus and presenting a gnarly, atmospheric mosaic of a Hamburg where everybody, as Edda reflects, “knew the difference between an insider and an outsider. And nobody liked the cops.” There’s a lived-in sense to everything (and everyone), where even the idlest of background figures feel less like set dressing and more like essential denizens in their own right. It’s an impressive weaving of vitality and messy humanity.
As a Californian living and working in Hamburg, Sarda leverages his perspective in crafting a striking vision of a “rugged harbor town… with a robust and colorful criminal underworld.” From the WWII-era bunker Edda calls home to the Blankenese foothills overlooking the container islands in the harbor, there is a palpable vein of history pumping beneath the concrete skin of Sarda’s Hamburg to match the beating hearts of his cast. Shuddering with vibrant immersion, Edda Green practically muscles its lesser parts into working order, culminating in the kind of engaging, street-level crime fiction noir fans crave.
Takeaway: A vibrant, muscular neo-noir, alive with magnetic characters and a vivid Hamburg.
Comparable Titles: Andrew Warren’s Cold Kill, Nic Saint’s A Field of Blood.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
As Hitchcock reflects on that journey, readers will be swept into the daily ups and downs of a long-term marriage on the rocks, for no glaring reasons other than a gradual growing apart. Both she and Joe feel the tug of an almost-comfortable sense of isolation weighed against the pain that comes with opening up and admitting “I just want to be loved,” and, as they move towards separation, Hitchcock also confronts her tumultuous childhood—fraught with emotionally absent parents and episodes of sexual assault—and its impact on her ability to bond with other people.
The end of Hitchcock’s marriage triggers a new beginning, and she leans on her Buddhist beliefs to find peace—and a way forward when everything falls apart. That path includes her transformation from student to teacher, as she leads meditation classes inside a federal prison nearby her new home, and, eventually, a solitary life on the ranch that creates inroads for her healing. After much self-work, Hitchcock reflects on her redemption in liberating tones, writing that “I always had a nagging feeling that there was something else, something more, some kind of freedom from my unhappiness,” before proclaiming “we can connect with a goodness inside ourselves and find happiness there.”
Takeaway: Memoir of finding happiness within when life falls apart.
Comparable Titles: Jaymen Chang’s I Love This Version of Myself That You Brought Out, Nora McInerny’s No Happy Endings.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+
This entry is a swift, exciting, of-the-moment read that plunges readers into the tangled web of machine learning, augmented and artificial intelligence, and thoughtful exploration of the ethics of all of this. One strong twist finds Charlotte suddenly wondering if actually it’s AI C.J. who needs protection—from humans. Charlotte remains a winning hero, somewhat at odds with her peer group but caring about what matters most, and her friendships bring heart to the material. (A date that suffers from technical difficulties is a highlight.) For all Marie’s persuasive expertise in presenting this world, non-techie readers will not feel overwhelmed by the cool science elements as Charlotte discovers the lies and truths of Cognation.
In fact, Marie smartly uses the school setting to offer pointed, age-appropriate conversations exploring the issues of privacy, hackability, and more. The introduction of soulmates powers welcome exploration of invasive science, with the questions raised being answered, in words and inventive action, by a young generation that has only ever lived with such technologies. Lovers of searching but down-to-Earth science fiction will appreciate this sequel’s accessible and relatable consideration of the urgency of setting boundaries with technology.
Takeaway: Smart YA sequel of an innovative academy, invasive tech, and a bold student hero.
Comparable Titles: Rebecca Hanover’s The Similars, Suzanne Young’s Girls with Sharp Sticks series.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
In “Inner Peace,” the poem’s speaker observes the sun setting and the slow advance of night, and as they experience a flood of tranquility at the sight, the speaker declares, “I decided that the way I perceive the universe // is influenced more by my inner state // than by the lights in the sky.” Hansen explores the notion that internal equilibrium is essential for the self in order to experience a connection with the universe, and a method to engender that personal serenity is to use poetry as a way to express the phenomenon of living. Elsewhere, Hansen makes the connection even more explicit: “Absorbing nature every day // is transforming me,” he notes, a truth that will resonate with anyone who also has prioritized such an observant immersion.
Hansen’s poems also act as vehicles for the existential questioning that results from serious contemplation of the cosmos: “But I may wait a lifetime // and still not get the explanation. // So I put the question on hold // and return to stargazing.” Though somewhat misaligned thematically, the final section, “Love Poems for Kristen,” is nonetheless touching and sincere; romantic love, like the cosmos, is another source of inspiration and spiritual exploration in Hansen’s starry-eyed verse.
Takeaway: Marveling, moonlit collection of poems that illuminate the nightscape of the mind.
Comparable Titles: Sara Teasdale’s “Winter Stars,” Nisha Patel’s “The Blue Bird”
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+