Jennifer Huston Schaeffer | Biographies and Memoirs
Jennifer Huston Schaeffer's memoir, Mommy's Boy, is a unique story of a bond between a woman and her canine son, a story of the transformative decade she spent with Benny, a rescued Westie-Maltese mix who became her “doggie soulmate.” Following heartbreaks and realizing traditional motherhood might not be her future, Jennifer adopts Benny in 2014, finding unconditional love that heals her loneliness. The narrative follows their journey from Chicago to Indianapolis, where Benny helps Jennifer pursue a romance with Brad. Together, they face Benny’s complex health battles, including pancreatitis and gallbladder surgery, treating him as their child. For how long can they keep Benny with them?...
Continue ReadingCameron Lane | Fiction - Literary
In The Quiet One, urban planner Sera Linden arrives in the stubborn coastal town of Wintermere to revitalize the historic St. Avila's Chapel. She expects resistance but finds an unexpected ally in Julian Vero, a reclusive craftsman secretly restoring the chapel without credit. Their relationship unfolds not through dialogue, but through shared silence and mutual respect for the space. A single kiss acknowledges their growing bond, but corporate reassignment forcibly separates them. Sera eventually returns to present a revised proposal that honors the town’s history rather than erasing it. Will Sera preserve the chapel as a space of belonging and deepen her connection with Julian in this hear...
Continue ReadingMichael J Cooper | Historical Fiction
Set in 1290 during the twilight of the Crusades, Michael J Cooper’s The Rabbi's Knight follows Knight Templar Jonathan St. Clair and Rabbi Samuel on a very perilous journey from Acre to Jerusalem. St. Clair bears an ancient manuscript containing secrets to the Temple Mount, which Samuel helps decipher through Kabbalistic instruction. However, their pilgrimage is fraught with danger; a rival rabbi, Solomon Petit, conspires with an Emir to assassinate Samuel and sell Acre’s defenses to the Mamluks. As the last Christian stronghold braces for siege, St. Clair and Samuel must evade killers, aided by unexpected allies, including a young Scottish pilgrim, William Wallace, and Petit's remorseful pu...
Continue ReadingRon Morris | Thriller
In a Country with No Name by Ron Morris follows Bert Mars, a young English teacher in Bangkok who abandons his teaching job for what he believes is a glamorous opportunity with CLB, a television network owned by Thai tycoon Chiang. Transferred to an unnamed neighboring country, Bert becomes entangled in a conspiracy to overthrow Prime Minister Thaw Kai after a business dispute over broadcasting rights. Recruited into Chiang’s inner circle, Bert helps install communications equipment for a coup attempt. Will he and his friends succeed in this daring mussion to overthrow a government or will this insane adventure become his undoing? The answers are surprising. Ron Morris delivers a comp...
Continue ReadingWilliam J. Cook | Thriller
In William J. Cook's intense psychological thriller Persona, Dr. Carter Lane, a Salem psychiatrist, faces a nightmare after his true best friend Michael’s suicide and therapist Roslyn’s attack. When his wife Julia is murdered and decapitated, mimicking the infamous “Hoffman Horror,” a case from Carter’s past where he treated a man who killed his family. Suspecting his dissociative identity disorder (DID) patient, Arthur Frampton, Carter is pulled into a complex web of deceit as he is framed for sexual assault and a private investigator's cold murder by the duo. As persistent detectives Rochefort and Dykstra close in, Carter discovers a shocking truth about his colleague Will Meerschaum and h...
Continue ReadingAJ Streator | Poetry - General
AJ Streator’s From the Shallow End to the Deep End is a gorgeous collection of ninety-five sonnets that capture the author’s experiences, psyche, and autobiographical journey through varying shades of life. Structured clearly into three sections—The Shallow End, Middle of the Pool, and The Deep End—the collection features themes ranging from nostalgic childhood memories and family bonds to the painful experiences of divorce, mental health struggles, and aging. The poems are a reflective ledger, examining the author's intimate relationships with his mother, father, siblings, and children, while exploring resilience, faith, and redemption. Rather than adhering strictly to traditional romantic...
Continue ReadingAlisa Jean | Romance
Matthew (A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series, Book 3) by Alisa Jean is just as tantalizing as the first two books in the series. This entry introduces another unique, compelling hero, a character as genuinely flawed and lovable as those in the other books. Meet Matthew Holt, a Hockey player for the L.A. Quakes team and a man who will do anything for his team. He spares no energy when he plays and can even get brutal if that is what it takes to defend the team and teammates. Then something bad happens: he is traded to a team thousands of miles from home, away from friends and family. And he doesn’t like that. Now his anger has only one outlet—the hockey pitch. But something else is happening:...
Continue ReadingOliver Libby | Non-Fiction - Government/Politics
Strong Floor, No Ceiling: A Bold Plan to Rebuild the American Dream—for Everyone by Oliver Libby offers a radically moderate blueprint for a fractured nation. Entrepreneur and policy innovator Oliver B. Libby urges us to move beyond division with a pragmatic vision rooted in both tradition and innovation, equity and growth. Libby’s “Strong Floor” approach ensures every American has access to healthcare, education, and opportunity—while his “No Ceiling” philosophy champions the limitless ambitions that drive progress. Inside, you’ll find actionable strategies to restore trust in institutions and elections, a new model for bipartisan cooperation, and a call to civic renewal. Learn how capital...
Continue ReadingDorothea Jensen | Poetry - General
Dorothea Jensen’s Liberty-Loving Lafayette is a delightful and accessible introduction to the Marquis de Lafayette, the young French nobleman whose courage and idealism played a crucial role in securing American independence. In rhyming verse, Jensen swiftly summarizes Lafayette’s journey: from his youthful enthusiasm for the American cause, to his pivotal friendship with George Washington, his bravery in battle, his role in securing French support, and his decisive contribution at Yorktown. With lively illustrations and supplemental resources, the book invites young readers—and adults—to discover Lafayette’s remarkable story in an engaging, memorable way. This book provides intriguing detai...
Continue ReadingRyan Normandeau | Fiction - Thriller
Ryan Normandeau’s Connective Tissue is a compelling memoir and business guide detailing his rise from a modest upbringing in New Hampshire to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the high-stakes medical device industry. Normandeau chronicles his journey from an athletic background to working as a medical device representative, described as the “caddie” in the operating room, before founding and selling his own distributorships. Blending personal storytelling with industry insights, the book provides a roadmap for handling this lucrative yet demanding field. It fundamentally answers three critical questions: What does a medical device representative actually do beyond simple sales, and what...
Continue ReadingCarol B Allen | Science Fiction & Fantasy
One If is a well-written science fiction by Carol B. Allen, which presents a compelling and imaginative story about three teenagers, Parker, Edison, and Henley, who are unexpectedly kidnapped and transported to the mysterious world of Spyridon after encountering a seemingly ordinary hummingbird. As they navigate this ethereal realm, they discover a planet facing an environmental catastrophe, with its avian society fighting for survival. The planet brims with political intrigue, threats of war, and ecological disaster. The teens are tasked with helping Spyridon’s inhabitants address environmental stewardship issues. They must face many challenges, but falling in love only makes matters w...
Continue ReadingColin Dodds | Fiction - Literary
The Reign of the Anti-Santas by Colin Dodds is a unique and audacious Christmas tale that takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through a world where the holiday spirit collides head-on with corporate greed, scandal, and societal change. The story is narrated by Elvin, an elf with a front-row seat to the evolution and devolution of Christmas. Elvin's journey begins when he unwittingly accompanies Santa Claus on a Christmas Eve trip, setting the stage for a decades-long adventure filled with intrigue and danger. Dodds creates a narrative that includes Santa's secret affairs, the PR scandal that catapults Rudolph to fame, and the encroachment of humanity on the North Pole. What makes this book...
Continue ReadingLaurel Colless | Children - Adventure
Knights Unite is the fourth book in the Peter Blue Series by Laurel Colless, and it follows Riva du Lac, who is determined to uphold her promise to avoid detentions at Spiral Hall. But a sea cleanup reveals Shem, a mythical fish boy, and a surprise honor from the Spiral Knights forces her to choose between rules and friendship. Meanwhile, Peter Blue has a vision of a water-dwelling monster. Can their unlikely alliance save the knights—and the world? Laurel Colless captures the delicate balance of environmental activism and adolescent adventure through the eyes of Riva, the determined twelve-year-old protagonist. The character development is both nuanced and engaging, particularly in Riva’s j...
Continue Reading
Jennifer Huston Schaeffer (White Dog Books)
Jennifer Huston Schaeffer's memoir, Mommy's Boy, is a unique story of a bond between a woman and her canine son, a story of the transformative decade she spent with Benny, a rescued Westie-Maltese mix who became her “doggie soulmate.” Following heartbreaks and realizing traditional motherhood might not be her future, Jennifer adopts Benny in 2014, finding unconditional love that heals her loneliness. The narrative follows their journey from Chicago to Indianapolis, where Benny helps Jennifer pursue a romance with Brad. Together, they face Benny...
Cheng Wang (Open Books)
Cheng Wang's memoir, From Tea to Coffee: The Journey of an “Educated Youth,” chronicles a remarkable journey across half a century and two continents. Beginning in Mao-era China, Wang is sent as an “Educated Youth” to a remote Inner Mongolian village for re-education during the Cultural Revolution. Following Mao's death and the reopening of universities, he passes the rigorous GaoKao exam, attends college in Dalian, and works in Beijing's electronics industry. In 1984, seeking broader horizons, he emigrates to the United States with only $200....
Michael J Cooper (Koehler Books)
Set in 1290 during the twilight of the Crusades, Michael J Cooper’s The Rabbi's Knight follows Knight Templar Jonathan St. Clair and Rabbi Samuel on a very perilous journey from Acre to Jerusalem. St. Clair bears an ancient manuscript containing secrets to the Temple Mount, which Samuel helps decipher through Kabbalistic instruction. However, their pilgrimage is fraught with danger; a rival rabbi, Solomon Petit, conspires with an Emir to assassinate Samuel and sell Acre’s defenses to the Mamluks. As the last Christian stronghold braces for sieg...
Ryan Normandeau (Forbes Books)
Ryan Normandeau’s Connective Tissue is a compelling memoir and business guide detailing his rise from a modest upbringing in New Hampshire to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the high-stakes medical device industry. Normandeau chronicles his journey from an athletic background to working as a medical device representative, described as the “caddie” in the operating room, before founding and selling his own distributorships. Blending personal storytelling with industry insights, the book provides a roadmap for handling this lucrative yet de...
Welcome to The Book Commentary, home of the Best Books in over 200 categories. Thousands of books are published every month and we pick the best for you. We only recommend and publish reviews for books with ratings of 4-5 Stars. Join our growing community of thousands of readers, booksellers, and librarians and discover books that delight and shape readers like you!
The Book Commentary reviews and recommends books that are independently and traditionally published, as
well as pre-publication manuscripts. We take pride in uncovering notable books from small presses that
readers should pay attention to. We want readers to discover new books and talk about them. Our reviews
are carefully crafted to highlight the strengths of the books and why readers should read them.
Authors can reprint their reviews on all their marketing materials and book covers, in whole or in part
(provided no words are changed, and The Book Commentary is credited). The Book Commentary only publishes
reviews that are rated 4-5 Stars. This means they only publish those reviews for books they strongly
believe are worth readers' investments.