Paula Welch | Murder - Mystery

In A Goode Inheritance by Paula Welch, Bartholomew (Bart) Goode, facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, summons his dysfunctional family to his grand estate, Cricklewood Hall, and shocks them with a will that is more a game than a gift. He leaves his fortune not to the most deserving, but to the first who can solve a series of cryptic puzzles—pitting siblings, children, and ex-wife against each other in a weeklong contest. As the family’s greed, old wounds, and betrayals come to the surface, alliances falter, secrets unravel, and the actual cost of inheritance—emotional and material—is revealed. In a twist, Bart is not dying after all, but using the game to force his family to confront their fl...

Florence Lea Dombey | Suspense & Thrillers

Consummate Confidences by Florence Dombey is the sixth book in The Willow Chronicle and a sweeping saga that examines crime, deception, and secrets in a seemingly idyllic town in 1957. The story follows Brittany Alistair Macey, who returns to her small hometown of Port Townsend after a daring escape to French Polynesia with Willow Benton, Carl Meyers’ daughter. While Bambi tries to rebuild her life with her infant daughter in her father’s vacant house, the town is shaken by the long-overdue return of Willow, who vanished from Honolulu months earlier. Meanwhile, a series of murders of young women in Port Townsend and Seattle threatens to unravel the town’s veneer of tranquility. As Carl Meyer...

John Thorndike | Fiction - Inspirational

The Passionate Sister by John Thorndike is inspired by the story of the author’s mother. It follows Virginia “Ginny” Thorndike, a middle-aged, recently-divorced former anesthesiologist, as she struggles to maintain sobriety after a lifetime of addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. The novel opens with Ginny leaving rehab and being driven home by her son Rob, who helps her purge the house of every trace of liquor and pills. Ginny’s path to rebuilding her life passes through her complicated relationships: with Rob and his brother Jamie, both adults with unconventional lives—Rob on a commune, Jamie in Key West with his partner Miles. As Ginny attempts to claim a sober existence in her Sa...

Leah Orr | Thriller

Leah Orr’s The Fruitcake is a darkly comic suburban thriller set in the affluent, sun-drenched Laguna Palms neighborhood on Florida’s Hutchinson Island. The novel begins with Holly Kelly’s reluctant participation in a community fruitcake exchange, only to stumble upon a gruesome murder committed by one of the enigmatic Hudson sisters. As Holly’s narrative unspools—from her family’s move to paradise, through the forming of eccentric friendships (especially with Gina, Greta, and Chloe) to the unraveling of suburban secrets—the story alternates with chilling chapters from a captive’s point of view, held prisoner in the infamous Hudson basement. Meanwhile, the tangled histories of the Hudson fam...

Christina J Donato & Ralph A Walton | Poetry - General

An Olio of Poems is an expansive and eclectic collection by Christina J. Donato and Ralph A. Walton, organized into nine thematic sections that range from lighthearted reminiscences about dogs and favorite foods to sobering meditations on depression, faith, social justice, and the passage of time. The book opens with accessible poems about beloved pets, transitions into playful celebrations of culinary delights, and then plunges into the raw depths of mental health struggles. Midway, the tone shifts to spiritual musings, where Christian faith and gratitude are foregrounded, before moving on to poems probing issues of race, class, and identity. Donato experiments with classical forms—sonnets,...

B. Truly | Romance - General

In Summer Fated to Be Mine, B. Truly delivers an emotionally charged narrative of love, heartbreak, and second chances. It is the first and engaging entry in The Summer Choice series. The story follows Zakiah Morelli, who, along with his brother, shares a tight-knit bond—until the fateful summer they all fall for the same girl, Iliana Kaplan. Zakiah always believed he and Iliana were destined. Still, when it becomes clear her heart isn’t entirely his, the resulting heartbreak fractures his relationship with both Iliana and his brother Elijah. Two years later, love finds Zakiah again in the form of Glory Glover. Still haunted by his first heartbreak, Zakiah resists, afraid to risk his heart a...

Oliver 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...

Dorothea 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...

Kenan E. Sahin | Education

American Educational Excellence: The Foundation of Our Values, Democracy, and Market Capitalism by Kenan E. Sahin, PhD, offers a comprehensive and nuanced defense of American education, examining its core values, historical evolution, and unique institutional ecosystem. Sahin argues that American educational excellence is rooted in fundamental values such as initiative, innovation, family autonomy, community volunteerism, and a decentralized governance model. He traces the development of American educational institutions from colonial colleges to a vast, diverse, and resilient system of over 6,000 postsecondary and thousands of K–12 schools, showing how their success stems from a blend of va...

Eric Locsh |

Eric Locsh’s Possum Stew (and Other Apocalypse Recipes) is a darkly comic, immersive tale of survival in a post-apocalyptic America. The story follows Scott Bryant, a once-famous chef, as he navigates the ruined outskirts of New York City after a devastating environmental disaster known only as “the Storm.” He has watched the slaughter of his entire team and carries the stigma in the very core of his being. In the aftermath, Scott is captured by violent gangs, loses his sous chef Ted to brutal violence, and scrambles for survival, sustained by culinary memories and dwindling supplies. After a harrowing escape, Scott holes up in an abandoned cabin where his desperation grows to the point of c...

Laurel 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...

Colin 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...