Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
Imagine learning leadership, communication, and strategic decision-making from a former CIA executive, senior vice-president of GE Capital, and recipient of some of the CIA and NSA's top honors! When the footnote of someone's bio is having an MBA from Harvard, you know this is someone worth hearing and learning from! Certainty by Mike Mears is a comprehensive guide focused on leadership, organizational change, and human behavior in the workplace. Drawing from Mears’s extensive experience at the CIA and his research into psychology and management theory, the book explores how creating certainty in the workplace drives innovation, productivity, and employee engagement. The core thesis is that understanding and working with the primal instincts of the human brain is essential for effective leadership. One of the main takeaways from this book is that the human brain is primarily wired for survival, not rational thinking. Secondly, change is perceived as a threat, triggering fight-flight-freeze responses. However, this resistance to change can also stunt or outright cripple someone's personal development and professional growth. It can also keep new ideas and innovations from seeing the light of day. Third, leadership requires understanding these instincts to reduce fear and resistance. Do you want your workforce to be stagnant or do you want it to be exceptional? Do you want to achieve bigger and better things, or do you want to ensure that things stay mediocre or just passable? One of the most fascinating aspects of this book is its framing. This whole book is framed by the real-life example of Otzi, a prehistoric man who lived over 5,300 years ago and whose body was largely perserved. He became known as the "Iceman" for the wintry conditions in which he was perserved. His remains were discovered in the Otztal Alps in 1991. His body, along with his clothing and tools, provided unprecedented insights into the life of Copper Age Europeans. In Certainty, Mears uses Otzi as a metaphor to illustrate how the primal instincts that governed survival in prehistoric times still influence modern workplace behavior. Otzi's reactions to threats and his reliance on familiar environments are likened to the modern human brain’s response to uncertainty and change in professional settings. It goes along with the idea that we're all basically just cavemen with suits, ties, and briefcases (and now smartphones). 5,000 years isn't a long time in evolutionary terms. In other words, organisms don't experience much change in such a time. We're still wired instinctually. But what does change is the world around us—our conditions, our cultures, our societies, and our ideas. This book discusses the delicate interplay of what's termed the auto-brain and the focused brain. The auto-brain operates on instinct, habit, and emotion—reacting quickly to perceived threats and favoring the familiar. It's the part of us that helped our ancestors, like Otzi, survive in dangerous environments. On the other hand, the focused brain is responsible for rational thought, creativity, and problem-solving. However, it’s slow, energy-consuming, and often overridden by the auto-brain. The author makes the point that the brain is a glucose-guzzling machine that doesn't want to work harder than it has to. It's only when you challenge the mind and allow it to stretch beyond its confinements that advacements and growth can happen. Remember, this is largely why capitalist societies tend to be more economically vibrant, viable, and prosperous than socialist ones, which are more strictly and centrally controlled. Capitalism encourages more free-thinking, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. People are encouraged to make new things and try new things, exploring unique paths and fresh opportunities. This leads to things like the telephone, the airplane, the lightbulb, television, GPS, the microwave oven, air conditioning, the Internet, and smartphones. Oh, and we got to the Moon first, but let's not rub that in. This book explores how leaders can bridge the gap between the auto-brain and focused brain by creating environments that foster certainty, psychological safety, and social bonding. By understanding and leveraging the brain’s innate wiring, leaders can overcome resistance, drive innovation, and cultivate productive, engaged teams—getting things done and breaking prior limits. A lot of this information about the auto-brain versus focused brain is based on the works of Daniel Kahneman, who received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his groundbreaking work on decision-making. This really made us think of chess. There are multiple different types of chess in which different types of players excel, largely based on time limits (or lack thereof). There are correspondence chess games that can go on days, weeks, months, or even years. Garry Kasparov, arguably the greatest chess player of all time, would outright leave the chess board in between moves to think and to allow his opponent to think.Then there's blitz chess in which games can be less than 5 minutes long! Some people who are great at correspondence chess collapse during blitz chess because they're not as adapted and accustomed to thinking so fast. However, the best of the best—the grandmasters—do tend to be rather good (if not great or exceptional) in both fast and long games, proving that the best of the best tend to have mastery of both the fast auto-brain and the concentrated, slow brain. What kind of player are you? And how well adapted are you to using both types of your brain? Similarly, in strength sports, athletes are often encouraged to not focus solely on absolute/brute strength but also on speed. The muscles, like the brain, have parts of them (in this case, fibers) that fire fast and slow. To maximize performance, you'd want to maximize both your fast and slow-twitch muscle fibers. Likewise, to maximize performance in a professional capacity, you'd want to maximize both your auto-brain and focused brain. Part of that is confronting the realities that both life and cognition are messy. The author cleverly says that "the modern day office is a soup of social pain." What makes this passage so fitting is how it uses the analogy of a soup, something that usually includes a mix of different contents with different textures and tastes that are supposed to work together in harmony (to make a delicious meal) but can sometimes go south, such as when one ingredient is excessive (like pepper or salt). The workplace is similar. There are a lot of different people with different types and levels of experience, motivation, goals, and ideas. They also tend to come with their own biases. In fact, a large part of this book is acknowledging, understanding, and confronting biases, heuristics, and errors that can limit our thinking. There's the group attribution error, the availability heuristic, the confirmation bias, and more. All of these significantly influence workplace dynamics and how people (in general and in the workplace) think. Mears also provides practical ways for business leaders (at all levels) to get the best out of their workers. For example, he champions what are called "prompts"—simple yet powerful cues designed to align employee behavior with organizational goals. These prompts tap into the brain's natural wiring, helping to reduce uncertainty and foster engagement. He outlines several types of prompts, including Vision Prompts, which help employees visualize success and understand the bigger picture; Inclusion Prompts, which build a sense of belonging and trust within teams; Insight Prompts, which encourage creative thinking and innovation by guiding employees to explore new perspectives; and Focus Prompts, which direct attention and energy toward key priorities. By incorporating these prompts into daily leadership practices, Mears argues that leaders can create environments where employees feel secure, valued, and motivated to perform at their best. We also get some good passages like "I think, therefore I click" (to explain how clickbait works). Does this book have any weaknesses? Well, yes. It can be more than a bit didactic and flat in its tone. There's a lot of telling in this book, and personal stories and case studies aren't as plentiful as one might hope. Ironically, Mears even tells us that "telling is boring." Also ironic is that the author admits that one of the greatest criticisms he received is that his previous presentations/"leadership sermons" were deemed "boring" due to a lack of stories. Indeed, this book could've used a bit more stories and case studies, especially from someone with as rich and interesting a background as Mears. However, this book is outstanding and exceptional as is. In fact, we wish it were longer so we can learn and read more! Check it out on Amazon!
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 Slaying Paradise is a gripping supernatural thriller & romance by T.D. Holiday!
This magnificent, captivating book blends action, faith, and moral struggles within a narrative of divine/spiritual warfare. The novel follows protagonist Travis Holiday, a police officer who, after a near-fatal accident, is chosen to become the Iron Warrior, God's champion in the war against Lucifer (Satan). A major focus of this book centers around Travis and why he—as a flawed yet honorable person—is uniquely positioned as the Iron Warrior to help the most people possible. Travis exemplifies the idea that, as the book tells us, “God does not look for those who are perfect to serve him. He looks for those who are willing and able.” You can look at very flawed people in The Bible like Paul, David, Samson, Daniel, Abraham, Peter, and more for evidence of this. Travis's partner in this dangerous spiritual tango is Lynda Lynch, a former prostitute, adopting the name "Sensation" as a pseudo-abstract entity. Just as Travis is designated as God's Iron Warrior (one step down from an angel in our view), Sensation is designated as the Devil's tool of manipulation and societal degradation via her insidious "Free Love Initiative" (which isn't what it sounds like) and as the leader of the Diabolical Donnas (acting sort of like a demon/she-demon in human form). Fascinatingly, Sensation is an antagonist, a love interest, and a deuteragonist wrapped into one very special character who blurs the lines between good and evil. She's arguably the most compelling single character we've read about so far in 2025. What makes Sensation such a compelling character is that she's effective in all of her literary roles. She's a formidable threat and villain. Sensation and her Diabolical Donnas can wreck your day if they wanted to. She's also a deeply emotional, layered, and wanting character. Her desire to love and "be loved" is so strong that it seems to be what guides even her darkest and evilest decisions and actions. It's also, simultaneously, what guides her best decisions and actions. This is also effective because it highlights the main villain's (Luc/Lucifer) ability to use and exploit the wants, desires, and inclinations of people for his own gain. Luc preys on Sensation's desire to be loved, causing her to warp the very idea of love into something unrecognizable including drugs, guns, criminal acts, lawlessness, anarchy, and a complete rejection of God and religion—the true purpose behind the not-so-aptly named "Free Love Initiative." And that's another interesting and compelling thing about Sensation. Her "Free Love Initiative" actually sounds good (despite it being fundamentally flawed) because of Sensation's charisma and knack for presenting arguments. She's a talented and gifted speaker, which may be another reason Luc chose her to be the front and mouthpiece for his movement. Sensation is both strong and formidable while also being sensitive and vulnerable—a really beautiful mix for a character. Similar to a Power Ranger or a Sailor Scout, she seems to have two alter egos. The same can be said for Travis, who is both Travis and the Iron Warrior. Sensation is both Sensation and Lynda Lynch. As Sensation, she is (presumably) large and in charge. As Lynda Lynch, she is significantly more down-to-earth, living in a simple home, dreaming of being a movie star, regretting past mistakes/actions, and even ordering sushi (humorously). As Lynda Lynch, she is so relatable. Aside from Travis and Sensation, there are several other characters in this book who range in terms of how interesting and relevant they are. Along with Mark, who is a more generic mentor character, Mike (likely a reference to the Arch Angel, Michael) serves as Travis's mentor, guide, and friend as he adopts the role of Iron Warrior. Being a flawed character, Travis often has doubts, fears, questions, and concerns about things that are happening and what he should do next. Mike is able to steer him in the right direction, though it's ultimately up to Travis to decide (and sometimes he deviates). Mike shares that he knows of others who've been Iron Warriors in the past who have failed including causing World War II, the Holocaust, and the riots of 2020-2021. As a result, there are characters in this book like Sidious Craig and Coldred Black who serve as enforcers of Luc's evil will. And, yes, they do have funny names that evoke thoughts of pop culture characters like Darth Sidious from Star Wars. This book is incredibly comical! We even have characters running up and drop-kicking them and throwing chairs at their heads like this is WWE! It's funny, fun, and entertaining. Other characters who become very important later are Loveland, Cassidy, Domino, and Domino's daughter, Ashley. What's incredible about all of these aforementioned characters is how dynamic and layered they are. Loveland is effectively the secondary antagonist of this whole book (after Luc), but even she changes and develops throughout the book. She starts this book as more of a henchman/lackey to Luc and Sensation, even being pushed and slapped around at times. But her fanatical idealism and devotion for Luc causes her to become the key instigator of this book's climax. Speaking of climaxes, this book also features a giant monster called Abaddon who gives Travis an interesting beast to fight. Anyway, going back to the characters... there's Domino, one of the Diabological Donnas who—like Sensation—sees her darkness gradually be chipped away due to her interactions with Travis and her love for her daughter, Ashley. Domino seems to be in charge of the pornography segment of the Free Love Initiative, but she treats it more as transactional and as a business than as something she's passionate about or emotional invested in. This shows that even people in frowned-upon/socially-unacceptable businesses like the adult film industry have hope. Remember Mary Magdalene? This book sees a lot of competing ideas, ideologies, and (perhaps most importantly) concepts of love. We see a start contrast between Luc's Free Love Initiative and Travis's Real Love Movement in this book. Set against the backdrop of Carnage Coast—a city teetering between salvation and damnation—the story explores themes of faith, redemption, power, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. This book is really interesting and fun to read. It does have some weaknesses. First of all, all the stuff with Lazarus really didn't stick with us. Yes, it helps to layer Lynda as someone who was sexually abused and exploited, but that could've been established in a short conversation with Travis (which is pretty much what happened anyway). Also, the writing can be rough at times with lines like "far more darker" (rather than "far darker"). There's also an inordinate amount of cussing and foul language in this Christian book, probably more than what was needed. Something positive we wanted to point out is how Travis is seemingly able to defeat Sensation, an antagonist early in the book, not through fighting prowess, strength, or using weapons, but by showing her grace, empathy, understanding, non-judgment, and love. This really reminded us of things that Donald T. Hardison II said and championed in One Man's Journey. Often, the way to help a person who is suffering or struggling isn't to judge them and give them advice. The best way to help them is often just to listen to them without judgement. It's incredible to read about Sensation going through her arc. We're told that she's surprised that Travis asks about her and how she feels. We're told that his kindness and grace warms her heart. We're told how touched she is that someone like Travis is willing to hear her story. There's also some good writing in here. One of our favorites is the "depth of the ocean" bit: “When I look at the ocean, it reminds me of God. The water is everywhere. We don’t know how deep it goes. It’s filled with life. We can dive in and explore. But we can’t go to the true depths of the ocean. It’s not humanly possible. He allows us to float atop without any effort. The current can take us away. Take us to wherever. For years, I fought against the current. He was bringing me here the whole time.” Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 93/100 (9.3 out of 10)
Elements of Change by Keynin Battle is a delightful and imaginative journey that seamlessly blends classic fantasy elements with a fresh, contemporary twist. This relatively short novel follows the transformative adventure of Keith Cottam, an ordinary young man thrust into an extraordinary world where magic, camaraderie, and destiny intertwine. Keith, disillusioned with his mundane life, is summoned to a world of magic by representatives of eight races: elves, trolls, goblins, lizardfolk, dwarves, fairies, vampires, and demons. Chosen as the latest human champion, he learns that his predecessors used their unique abilities to combat the darkness. Keith is tasked with training in magic while navigating school life, forming friendships, and facing challenges. Keith learns he is the latest in a line of humans chosen to protect this world from the looming threat of Lord Valac, a powerful lich who was sealed away long ago but whose followers are actively working to free him. As Keith trains at a magical academy, he forms close friendships with students from different races, including the noble vampire Catherine, the merchant goblin Noah, the warrior lizardman Zosk, and the cheerful demon Lulu. Along the way, he also adopts and cares for a young demon girl named Olivia, creating a surrogate family and finding a sense of belonging. Keith's skills in magic quickly grow, and he demonstrates his capability in a magical duel, earning widespread recognition and political intrigue as the rulers of the eight races take notice of him. The stakes rise when Ahvas, a leader of the Dark Undeads, attacks the academy to retrieve the fire diamond, a powerful artifact that could tip the balance of power toward darkness. Keith and his friends rally together, using their unique abilities to save their school and prevent Ahvas from achieving his goal. Keith emerges victorious but faces lingering threats from Lord Valac, who continues to plot his return from the shadows. Through courage, teamwork, and determination, Keith overcomes personal doubts and external challenges, rising to the position of student council president and solidifying his role as the world’s defender. However, the ominous final moments suggest that Keith's journey is far from over, setting the stage for future confrontations with the forces of darkness. Something that really stands out about this book is that it's relatively short for a novel (probably between 40K-50K words), but it's DENSE with world-building and characters. It's a pretty ambitious project for something so small. It really does seem packed, for better or for worse. There are times when characters and groups of people are thrown at you one after the other, and it's sometimes hard to keep track of who is who and what is what. It also often seems like this book is one of those adventure-filled but meandering books, one in which it often seems that characters are just going places and doing things. That might sound harsh, but that's part of the fun: discovering and finding things. It's kinda why a lot of us like traveling. Another thing that's entertaining (and actually kinda funny) about this book is how Keith is pretty much a chick-magnet living a heroic male power fantasy. He's surrounded by females from all sorts of magical, mystical races, many of whom seem to want to vie for his hand or at least are available for the courting. There's Catherine Rodate (the hot vampire girl), Lulu Infernus (the cheerful demon girl), and Princess Gemstarzah Aeglin (the hot elf girl who probably looks like prime Evangeline Lilly or Cate Blanchett). This almost becomes like one of those Japanese dating SIM games. It's also funny that there are one or two times when a bunch of these female characters go to events with Keith together. He is literally surrounded by them. Anyway, while setting the stage for bigger things to come, it doesn't seem like this is a standalone book. This actually seems like the first in a series, ending on a dramatic cliffhanger. All in all, this was a short and entertaining read that's sure to satisfy fans of fantasy. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
The saying goes that lightning doesn't strike twice; well, somehow, someway, Sally Kashner (author) and Remesh Ram (illustrator) have done it again! Cora's Garden Rescue is yet another phenomenal, top-notch, high-scoring children's book by Sally Kashner! It is vibrantly and brilliantly illustrated by Remesh Ram. It follows in the footsteps of Cora's Christmas Challenge, only the third children's book to ever receive a 9.6 score from us. It is the direct sequel and second book in the Cora Can Collection series, which is shaping up to be an elite children's book series. Cora's Garden Rescue rejoins Cora—a cute, caring, and compelling character based on the author's granddaughter, Kaylee. Fun trivia: Cora and Kaylee both have freckles, green eyes, and the rare (less than 2%) and brilliant trait of bright, vibrant curly-red hair! But Cora's unique and bold appearance isn't the only thing about her that stands out. Like Kaylee, Cora is creative, courageous, and adventurous! She loves to try new things and take up challenging, new tasks. In the previous book, Cora took up her mother's “Christmas challenge” and turned that into a mission to build a shelter for a family of rabbits to take refuge from the cold. In Cora's Garden Rescue, Cora's mission/task is arguably even more bold, complex, and involved. In the story of this book, Cora realizes that her beloved Grandma is a feeling a bit down about the condition of the community garden, which has fallen into disrepair. Most of all, it has deteriorated due to a lack of love and care from its community members, of which Grandma has been a long-time contributor. Perhaps in older age, her ability to tend to the garden has diminished along with the garden itself. In fact, the book does a very subtle yet powerful comparison-contrast between the health and well-being of the garden and Grandma's health and mood. When the garden is down, Grandma is down. When the garden is up, Grandma is up. This goes along with tricks like lighting and colors (that we'll delve deeper into later). But most importantly, Cora has the sensitivity and empathy to understand how her Grandma feels and why she feels that way. She knows that something (the sad state of the garden) is making Grandma sad, and—like the terrific character and person she is—she determines to do something about it! Using her powerful combination of compassion, charisma, creativity, and leadership, Cora is able to rally her friends (Zoe, Jace, and Finn) to help fix and care for the community garden. Now, a few things need to be mentioned before we get into the second half of this book. The illustrations by Remesh Ram, while still colorful and appealing, do a phenomenal job of setting the dimmer, more somber tone of the first half of this book (which helps the book to establish stakes and emotional depth—which was very effective)!. It's not quite dystopian or post-apocalyptic, but it really gave us that vibe! In the beginning of the book, the expression on Grandma's face is sad and contemplative. Her lips and eyebrows droop. The expression on Cora's face is concerned and worried, as is the face of the family's tabby cat. If you look closely, though the tabby cat's face looks almost identical on two separate pages (suggesting a copy & paste job), it actually isn't. The eyes are actually different, indicating that the cat is actually looking at someone/something in a different location from the previous page. In fact, he/she may be thinking. This is very subtle but very cool to notice! Also, his right paw is in different positions. In the first, it reaches up but apprehensively toward Grandma, as if the cat doesn't know quite how to help and comfort her. In the next, the cat's paw is down, indicating more decisiveness (as the characters realize why Grandma is sad). Now, we would prefer if the cat's pupils were bigger (and, thus, cuter), but that's a minor complaint. Anyway, the narrative and illustrations do a great job at establishing how poor the garden's condition is. Talk about dystopian/post-apocalyptic! There is trash and bottles littered everywhere. The roses are dying. The vines are wilted. There are patches of brown dirt where flowers, bushes, or other plants should be. A tree branch is fallen and absent of leaves. Flower pots are on their sides. Planks of wood lay scattered on their sides. Saddest and most impactful of all, there's a butterfly named Buttercup in the garden who is in a miserable and pitiful state. Its wings are tattered and torn. It has little to no color, especially compared to the brightness of the tabby cat's fur or Cora's red hair. Buttercup asks for help, giving a great sorrowful and exasperated expression (like a Disney or Pixar character). It's hard not to feel for Buttercup! This book does such a great job at getting readers on board with the objective! As mentioned before, Cora rallies her friends to help—presumably the same friends she met/made in Cora's Christmas Challenge (though those characters were cloaked in heavy winter gear, it was a little hard to tell if they're the same people). Now, Cora's friends—for the most part—look great. Zoe (who is a person of color) really stands out with how detailed she is. Every curl and braid of her hair was drawn and colored with care. She's almost as detailed as Cora herself. Zoe also seems to be the leader, at least of the other three friends, leading the charge in cleaning the garbage before the others. There's also Finn, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy, who especially loves animals and wants them to have a safe, healthy environment to live in. We think we caught onto that aspect of his character in the previous book. However, there is one character in this section of the book whom we thought could've been illustrated in a little more appealing light. Let's just get it off our chest: Jace looks strange in all but his portrait. We think he is supposed to be Asian (like some of us judges are) with his dark hair and more narrow eyes. However, he looks almost androgynous or even feminine a lot of his times. We think we know why: it's his eyebrows, eyes, and lips. No, it's not because his eyes are more narrow, it's because (for some strange reason) the area around his eyes appear to have been glammed up with make-up. The area above and around his eyes look like they have some pink and gold around them. We considered if he might be transgender or something, but then we realized he's clearly referred to by the pronoun “he.” Another thing is that his lips are very wide and very red, almost as if wearing lipstick. We're not sure if this was intentional or incidental. There's a planting scene around page 22 in which the width and size of Jace's lips/smile is greater than the width between his eyes and eyebrows! It's actually a little unsettling—almost Joker-like. His eyebrows are also much more narrow and thinner than some of the other characters, almost as if plucked or drawn-on. If he's supposed to be male, maybe his eyebrows should be thicker? Cora's are naturally thick but still appealing. Anyway, it's not the biggest deal. It's one character. Also, Jace does do some great things in the book, like showing his friends how to collect rainwater. Also, if you look really closely at that scene, Zoe has a really interesting expression on her face—almost one of resentment or even jealousy (though this is unlikely given the positive tone and message of the book). It's fun to have some head canon though! Maybe Zoe doesn't like people stealing her thunder and showing her up? She's human like the rest of us! Ok, well, it's far more likely that she's just inquisitive. Her right hand is gesturing as if to ask, “What are you doing?” It's really subtle though. By the way, the page on which this scene takes place also demonstrates one of the author's and the illustrator's coolest tricks (as seen in the previous book): using the environment to present text. On this page, the shingles on the roof form lines that serve as lines for the text! We really appreciate things like that. Speaking of expressions, it's so cool and cute to see the tabby cat's facial expressions change throughout the book as the situation improves. He started off the book looking sad, worried, and apprehensive. He progressively becomes happier and more cheerful, which is a welcomed sight! The tabby cat also helps in the process, taking notes, making lists, and even collecting leaves. Everyone in this book makes an impact and plays their part! It's about community, teamwork, and working together—which we loved! Some other familiar faces return in this book including the adorable squirrel and the rabbit family, still tending to their shelter! How cute! We also see more bees, birds, and butterflies join the ecosystem of the garden. The book becomes progressively brighter, more colorful, and more vibrant as the characters like Grandma and the tabby cat become happier and more fulfilled/satisfied. One of the last scenes in the book is of the book is of Cora closing the gates to the garden as the sun sets. The bright, warm golden hew illuminates the whole scene. It's beautiful! And a very nice touch by the illustrator (and concept by the author)! The book also has a bonus, epilogue-like section which basically talks about different cat behaviors. It's amusing and entertaining, but we didn't put too much stock into it. It's superfluous to the core book/story. There's also a neat certificate at the end that young readers can sign at the conclusion! What a nice way to encourage children to read! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
This debut novel is like John Grisham meets Akira--a strange and unique sort of blend! Bottled Lightning by L.M. Weeks is a legal thriller set in Japan featuring Tornait “Torn” Masao Sagara, a tech lawyer who becomes entangled in an elaborate conspiracy involving corporate espionage, high-stakes energy innovation, and deadly adversaries determined to bury a world-changing technology. Torn’s client, Saya Brooks, has developed a revolutionary lightning-based energy storage system that threatens to disrupt the global energy industry. But as powerful forces conspire to suppress her invention, Torn finds himself thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse, dodging assassins, corporate backstabbers, and the murky underworld of Japanese organized crime. This book blends legal drama, intense action sequences, and geopolitical intrigue. The novel doesn’t just stay in the courtroom—it races through Tokyo’s motorcycle underworld, delves into corporate boardroom wars, and even explores the shadowy influence of multinational energy giants. Torn is more than just a lawyer—he’s a motorcycle-riding, judo-trained strategist, making him a unique protagonist. As his name ("Torn") suggests, he's also a bit of a gray character who is prone to lying and cheating. This can make him compelling to some readers while making him off-putting to others. Even the author's own stepfather, a beta-reader, was disappointed by some of Torn's choices. However, this moral ambiguity is precisely what makes Torn such a layered and unpredictable protagonist. He operates in a world where legal ethics, corporate loyalty, and personal morality constantly clash, forcing him to make questionable decisions in the name of survival or success. Some readers will appreciate his strategic cunning and adaptability, while others may struggle with his self-serving tendencies and emotional detachment. Ultimately, Torn is neither hero nor villain—he’s a pragmatist navigating a morally complex world, which adds to the novel’s depth and realism. However, if you've ever had a partner who behaved like Torn, it's hard not to be repulsed, upset, and disappointed in him at times. In fact, there were times when we found Torn (and the book in general) to be aggravating. Another aspect of that is how plodding, overly-detailed, and dense it seems. The author seems to want to describe every little thing, every little detail, every little thought, and every little action. There are times when we read about characters doing such things as opening doors and washing their hands—things which don't advance the plot or reveal anything about the characters. Unsurprisingly, this is the author's first book. Also, unsurprisingly, the author later talks about how editors took an ax to numerous parts of this book and removed them to his initial emotional distress. There's still a lot of fluff and unnecessary things in this book that severely disrupt the flow and pacing of it. It also does seem like the author tried to shove every single little thing he's personally interested in into this one novel: Japan/Japanese culture, motorbikes, martial arts, law, technology, etc. While this can make for a rich, immersive world, it also results in overloaded exposition and unnecessary digressions that bog down the pacing. At times, it feels like the author is eager to showcase his expertise in multiple subjects, but instead of seamlessly integrating these elements into the narrative, they occasionally come across as self-indulgent detours. I like and understand these things , and I think you'll like and understand them too. This tendency to over-explain and over-describe makes the novel feel dense and cumbersome, particularly in sections where legal jargon, business negotiations, or technical explanations are drawn out beyond what is necessary for plot progression. While some readers might appreciate the authenticity and depth, others will find themselves skimming through passages that could have been streamlined or omitted entirely. This causes pacing and flow issues that ultimately cause the book to lose some of its edge as a thriller, which is somewhat ironic because the narrative repeatedly feels the need to remind us that the characters' hearts are racing at X-number of RPMs, sweating, or breathing heavily. Characters constantly react like they're in fast-paced, life-threatening situations, but the slow, plodding pace of the narrative caused us to not perceive them that way. A lot of that comes from the convoluted nature of this book. Here's just one example of that: How many organizations are involved (or potentially involved) in this conspiracy? Raijin Clean, Wakkanai Drilling, ChinaPetrol Ventures, Harden Industries, Yamakawa Gumi, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the Japanese government, U.S. Intelligence Agency (implied CIA or NSA), Magadan Oil & Mining, Eagle Technologies Capital, the Russians and their mercenaries, possibly even the North Koreans. Yes, having a few red-herrings is good for a mystery or a detective novel, but this seems to be a bit much. It's A LOT for readers to keep track of on top of Torn's sexual escapades, motorbiking, martial arts, and legal talk/jargon. Speaking of legal talk/jargon, it's cool that this seems to be a genuine and authentic portrayal of legalese, but... it's also a bit much for the average reader. Anyway, on a more positive note... Another major aspect of this book is the world-building. In fact, you can almost make the case that Japan is a character unto itself. The author’s deep familiarity with Japanese culture, legal systems, corporate dynamics, and even underground subcultures makes the setting feel authentic and immersive. Instead of relying on surface-level depictions or clichés, the novel delves into the complexities of Japan’s business world, legal environment, and even the nuances of daily life. From the rigid hierarchical structures in law firms and corporate boardrooms to the intricate traditions of Japanese etiquette, every detail contributes to a fully realized and believable world. Moreover, Japan isn’t just a backdrop—it actively influences the story. The legal restrictions Torn faces, the bureaucratic hurdles, and the social expectations all shape his decisions and conflicts. The book also captures the contrasts between modern and traditional Japan, from cutting-edge technology and corporate power struggles to samurai-era ethics, underground biker gangs, and organized crime. It's ambitious and admirable, but there are still times when it seems to be a bit much to shove into 300 or so pages, especially when there's a super convoluted conspiracy plot also going on in background. Anyway, unlike in many Western thrillers in which lawyers operate with relative freedom, Torn faces a strict legal system that assumes guilt rather than innocence. His interactions with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police early in the novel highlight how Japanese law enforcement places heavy emphasis on confessions and bureaucratic procedure, making it clear that Torn's Western-style legal maneuvering won’t always work. Later, his legal battles in the corporate boardrooms showcase the rigid hierarchies and power dynamics that dominate Japanese business culture, where alliances and reputation can be just as important as the law itself. This adds a layer of authentic tension, as Torn must navigate not just legal challenges but also cultural expectations and unspoken rules. This is relatable for anyone who has been a victim of a crime or who has sought justice for a wrongdoing regardless of where you are in the world. Police officers, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system (in general) are often constrained by restrictions or limitations including something as simple as being understaffed. There are times when it seems like these entities—which you'd think are there to right wrongs and protect us (the citizens)—are lazy, slow, lax, and ineffective. There's a scene in this book in which the police come to a conclusion about Russian involvement long after the progonist has already done so. They seem to be ten steps behind. If you've ever dealt with law enforcement in an attempt to report a crime, be a whistleblower, or be an informant, you'd know that there's only so much they can do. They're often overloaded with cases and tend not to prioritize yours. It's not uncommon to seem ignored or disregarded by law enforcement. They also tend to have to be reactive rather than proactive. In other words, you could know of a coming threat or potential threat, but police will tend not to do anything about it until something bad actually happens. Beyond the legal world, the novel also explores Japan’s underground subcultures, particularly through the Roulette Tribe—a group of elite motorcycle racers who dominate the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway’s racing circuit. These sections bring Tokyo’s street racing culture to life, detailing the thrill of high-speed chases, the camaraderie between bikers, and the dangers of pushing limits in an environment where a single mistake could mean death. The attention to detail, from the intricacies of motorcycle mechanics to the specific stretches of Tokyo’s highway system, makes these sequences feel grounded and exhilarating. Torn’s connection to this world isn’t just a hobby—it’s an extension of his personality, reflecting his need for control, his willingness to take risks, and his refusal to play by the rules. The corporate intrigue in the book is also deeply embedded in Japan’s business culture, showing how major energy companies operate in a world of backroom deals, silent takeovers, and brutal competition. The novel explores keiretsu-style business alliances, where companies are often intertwined in complex, interdependent relationships that make hostile takeovers and betrayal a dangerous game. Torn’s battle against Vince Harden and corrupt investors mirrors the real-world struggles of Japanese firms trying to protect their independence from foreign control. Instead of a generic corporate thriller, the novel crafts a realistic and culturally specific portrait of Japan’s financial and energy sectors, where tradition and modern ambition collide. Even the smaller moments reinforce Japan as a living, breathing character. Scenes where Torn and Saya navigate the bustling streets of Shibuya, the neon-lit chaos of Shinjuku’s nightlife, or the tranquil, traditional atmosphere of a ryokan (Japanese inn) help bring the setting to life. The contrast between ultramodern technology hubs and historical districts gives Japan a distinct personality that influences the story in a way few thrillers manage to achieve. Instead of just being an exotic location, Japan actively shapes the challenges, conflicts, and themes of the novel, making it feel like an integral part of the narrative rather than just a backdrop. Ultimately, Bottled Lightning is an ambitious and intricate debut, offering a unique blend of legal thriller, corporate espionage, and high-octane action, all set against the backdrop of a meticulously crafted Japan. L.M. Weeks clearly has a passion for detail, which gives the novel a deep sense of realism but also weighs it down with excessive exposition and a sometimes overwhelming level of complexity. Torn Sagara is a compelling but divisive protagonist, a morally gray character whose questionable ethics and relentless drive make him intriguing but not always likable. The vast number of organizations, conspiracies, and overlapping power struggles add layers of intrigue but can also make the plot feel overcomplicated and difficult to track. While the book succeeds in world-building and high-stakes storytelling, its dense prose and slow pacing at times diminish its impact as a thriller. Still, for those who enjoy deeply researched, intricate thrillers with a strong sense of place, this novel is a refreshing departure from standard legal dramas. It’s a book that demands patience but rewards readers who enjoy complex characters, rich settings, and a thriller that dares to be different. If Weeks can streamline his storytelling in future works, his unique blend of law, technology, action, and culture could make him a standout voice in the genre. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
Hiding in Holland is a profoundly moving and intricately layered memoir that intertwines personal survival with historical reflection, offering a vivid portrayal of life during the Holocaust. In this book, Shulamit Reinharz masterfully balances her father Max Rothschild’s firsthand accounts of hiding in the Netherlands with her own sociological insights, creating a narrative that is both intimate and expansive. Through Max’s courageous acts of resistance, the book sheds light on the moral complexities of survival and the broader societal dynamics of Dutch collaboration and resistance. Rich in historical detail and emotional depth, Hiding in Holland challenges conventional narratives about the Holocaust, emphasizing the resilience of the human spirit while confronting the enduring scars of trauma. This work is a testament to the importance of preserving memory and understanding history through the lens of personal experience. Hiding in Holland was compiled through a meticulous process by Shulamit Reinharz, blending personal archival discoveries with professional research. And it shows! This book is dense with historical and contextual information, helping readers to better understand the time, place, and circumstances that Rothschild and his contemporaries were living in. We learn early on that the inciting incident that sparked the formation of this memoir was fateful and fortuitous. To be more specific, the creation of Hiding in Holland was sparked by an incident in 1974 when Shulamit Reinharz and her husband, Jehuda, were visiting her parents' home in New Jersey. While attempting to fix the heating system in the basement (after investigating an odd noise it was making), they stumbled upon a collection of disintegrating boxes containing notebooks and documents written by Shulamit's father, Max Rothschild, in German. Curious about the contents, they brought the materials upstairs and asked Max about them. He dismissed them as unimportant, but Shulamit, with his permission, took the boxes home to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she preserved and organized the items into binders. Though initially too busy to delve deeply into the materials, decades later, Shulamit had the documents professionally translated and combined them with her father’s handwritten memoirs and her own sociological insights to create a comprehensive account of his experiences during the Holocaust. This chance discovery and subsequent preservation effort became the foundation for the memoir, illustrating the importance of uncovering and documenting family history. This actually reminded us a lot of how Roni Rosenthal's Holocaust-era books--The Lilacs I Once Knew and Where the Lilacs Bloom Again--came to be, with Rosenthal coming upon old documents belonging to her grand-aunt (Friddie Stoleru), a Romanian Jew who lived through World War II, the Holocaust, and the antisemitic aftermath of communist rule in the country. It's actually rather chilling and powerful how both Rosenthal's and Shulamit's ancestors lived through very similar, perilous situations in different parts of Europe, antagonized and persecuted by essentially the same antisemitic forces: Nazism and Communism. It's also sobering to think about how Kalman Hartig from Near the Danube Bridge (by Catherine Allen-Walters & Elisabeth Hartig Lentulo) was experiencing many of these same things as a Seventh-Day Adventist persecuted in Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, Hank Brodt from Holocaust Memoirs by Deborah Donnelly & Zaidy from Zaidy's War by Martin Bodek were experiencing persecution as Polish Jews. What's especially powerful about all of that is how the descendants of these Holocaust survivors kept the struggles, triumphs, histories, and stories of the Jewish people alive via word of mouth and the written word. And that's pretty much what Hiding in Holland is: it's a history. Specifically, it's the history of Max Michael Rothschild's turbulent times hiding and surviving in the German-occupied/Nazi-collaborating Netherlands. And there are so many layers to peel back and unwrap in all that. Perhaps the passage that best emphasizes that is: “My disillusionment was directed against nearly everyone, starting with the Zionist personnel who delayed rescuing members of the youth groups. It applied to the Allied governments’ gentle treatment of the Nazis after the war; to the scholars (or “so-called” scholars) who thought they understood the Holocaust better than those who endured it; to Russia, of course, which was transforming idealistic socialism into totalitarian communism; to the United States, which claimed it could not afford to bomb the death camps or bring Jewish refugees to its shores. And more.” In other words, this book does a phenomenal job at exhibiting the frustrations of Holocaust victims and pinpointing the many failures by different individuals and groups who failed to stop or mitigate the atrocities of the Holocaust. The blame is not squarely on the Nazis, Hitler, or the Germans themselves, but on those who knew what was happening and 1. Didn't adequately warn anyone, 2. Didn't resist it, 3. Didn't Stop it, or—worst of all—4. Actively collaborated, helped, and assisted in the genocide. In the fourth category, there were the Green Police (Ordnungspolizei), the NSB (National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands)/Dutch Nazi Party, Landwachters (community spies who would identify Jews), traitors, collaborators, and local officials who did the bidding and enforced the edicts of the Nazis. Even more sickening about all this is how the Dutch often celebrate being Nazi-resisting and supporters of the Jews, though actual history tells a different story. For example, the book rightfully slams a myth about Queen Wilhelmina (the Dutch queen) which wrongfully credits her for being a symbol of resistance against the Nazis. In fact, she fled the country and pretty much surrendered it into Germany's hands in only a few days after the Germans began dropping bombs. Yes, she visited other countries and claimed to speak for her people, but she also sugarcoated her role in the resistance and what was actually being done in her country. In general, many in the Netherlands were complicit in collaborating with the Germans in the persecution of Jews. In all fairness, the book does provide credit where credit is due such as highlighting the strike of 300,000 non-Jewish workers against Nazi persecution of the Jews, leading to 400 of them being arrested. This event is commemorated annually in the Netherlands, known as the “February Strike” or the “Dokwerker's Strike.” So, it's not all bleak. In fact, one of the primary aims of this book is to highlight the many brave individuals and groups who stood up for Jews and did what they could to try to help them—forming a kind of underground railroad which allowed for Max and others like him to escape and survive. There were several hidden hosts, Dutch farm families, and anonymous supporters who helped. A footnote explains that “the Westerweel group was unusual in being comprised of German Jewish Zionists and Dutch non-Jews. Shushu, Kurt Reilinger (nicknamed Nano, a friend of Dad’s), Ernst “Willy” Hirsch, and “Cor” Windmuller (a non-Jew who later would play a major role in Dad’s life) also tried to help the pioneers escape from Holland to a destination abroad, including Palestine. Joop’s wife, Willie, was arrested on one such mission. Another team member, Franz Gerritsen, falsified identity documents.” So, these individuals risked it all because saving lives and protecting people from wrongful persecution was the right thing to do. Shushu is a figure who stood out in this regard, serving as one of Max's best allies through much of the book. Other important supporters include the Schoutens. The Schoutens, Niek and Aag, were a Dutch couple who played a heroic role in helping Max, they sheltered Max for six months in their small apartment and later agreed to hide his fiancée, Ilse, reuniting the couple during the war. Ultimately, it seems that of the people who helped Max, Shushu and the Schoutens had a especially strong connection to Max, becoming akin to family. There were some ebbs and flows—ups and downs—in this support system, however. For example, the farming family (the te Riets), allowed him to stay for just under a year before asking him to leave because he looked too much like a Jew to farming neighbors, putting them at risk of being turned in. There's also a somewhat funny story about Max hiding in a cramped space with another male individual named “G.S.” with whom Max was forced to share a bed (because the space only fit one bed). When G.S. would have romantic dreams, he would try to embrace Max while sleeping, leading to him comically being rebuffed. Max doesn't seem to have thought highly of G.S. They played the same boring card game together and basically stuck together because it was the only way they could survive. Could you imagine being trapped under the floorboards or in a cramped attic with someone you don't like? Yikes! One thing we really got from this memoir is the feeling of anxiety that Max and other Jews felt just from not knowing. There was little warning and little free, trustworthy information available. In fact, for much of them, BBC radio was the only somewhat-trustworthy source of information they had, and it was Anglo-centric (of course). Also, listening to foreign radio was apparently punishable by death. If the Nazis or their collaborators caught you listening to it, they could shoot you. We're told that Max and others “lived on rumors” and that it was “fuel” for their souls in the absence of knowing anything for certain. Speaking of information, that leads onto another key point: education. Max and Reinharz both constantly ponder the role of education in allowing terrible ideas like Nazism and antisemitism to spread and propagate. After all, German society didn't become pro-Nazi and antisemitic overnight. It was a process that many teachers, professors, and institutions took part in. These ideologies were nurtured over time. This really got us thinking about one of the book's key messages: What is taught in school or what is written in law isn't necessarily moral, ethical, or right. One last aspect of this book that's intriguing is Max's relationship with his girlfriend, Illse, who is German. We're reminded how, despite their separation and Illse's absence for much of this book, just having a loved one to live for makes all of the difference. We may not be reading this book or writing this review if Illse didn't exist to give Max hope. This is a solid Holocaust memoir. There are times when it seems rather dense, which impacts the pacing. It often seems like the author felt the need to stop and provide exposition and to explain a lot, particularly at the very beginning and the very end of the book. For example, the author talks about the Kindertransport program, which we learned about in Until the Stars Align by Carolyn Summer Quinn, and other such programs. We learn about the difficulties of immigrating and escaping Nazi-controlled territories and how countries like Ecuador were only open to farm workers. It's great for context, but it also becomes a bit much. You can really tell that the author did a lot of additional research to flesh out what happened to Max. It does seem like a huge info-dump and bog the book down at times, but it's not that big of a deal. And it has the positive effect of making this both engaging and educational. The middle portion of the book—which mostly consists of Max's experiences hiding in Holland—is genuinely tense and captivating. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 92+/100 (9.2+ out of 10)
The Mystery from Way Back When is a charming and intriguing historical-fiction novel by Carolyn Summer Quinn! Like many of Quinn's novels, such as Until the Stars Align and To Bloom Like a Tulip, this book reflects upon and revolves around the time-period of World War II and the Holocaust—the darkest and most violent period in human history. With that serving as the historical backdrop, these novels explore much more than violence, persecution, and war (as you might otherwise expect). In fact, Quinn's WWII-era novels tend to focus on individuals trying their best to live relatively normal lives in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty happening in their world. Indeed, despite the fact that a lot of the attention of WWII fiction tends to focus on the bombs, guns, planes, warships, and soldiers, civilians still had to make a living and survive. They still had to run stores and do their jobs. They still had to take care of babies and children. Hospitals still had to operate along with train lines and more. Just because a war is happening doesn't mean that society freezes to a hault. People do everything they can to adapt and survive despite these harsh realities and circumstances. And that's one of the things that Quinn does best in these WWII novels: showing the humanity that remains despite an ongoing war. The Mystery from Way Back When follows Benedict (Ben/Benny) Finnegan, a nostalgic and kind-hearted man revisiting his childhood neighborhood, Keighry Head in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1983. It should be briefly noted that the author had once lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey, bringing personal experience and realism to this novel. Finnegan is there to attend the final Mass at Sacred Heart Church before it transitions to a new parish and becomes Our Lady of Fatima Church, something that historically happened. This bittersweet event serves as a reunion for old community members and a chance for Ben to reconnect with his past. And that brings us to the other major character in the book: Antonia. Antonia March is a poised woman on a journey to uncover the truth about her mysterious origins. Her story intertwines with Ben’s when she arrives at the final Mass, hoping to meet the man who played a pivotal role in her life decades earlier. As a newborn, Antonia was abandoned on the steps of Sacred Heart Church and discovered by young Ben and his brothers, an event that became a defining moment in the Finnegan family’s story. In the note left with the newborn Antonia—who was still covered in amniotic fluid with her umbilical cord still attached—a request/demand is made to "Raise her a Catholic!" Now, as an adult, Antonia seeks answers about her past, including the identity of the mother who left her and the circumstances that led to her abandonment. Her quest is both personal and urgent, driving the narrative forward. Ben's wife, Imogene, chimes in quite a bit, serving as one of the book's most vocal characters. The book also follows Tara, Ben’s curious teenage daughter who bridges generational gaps and connects with her family’s past. Together, they navigate themes of family, identity, and belonging as they unravel secrets tied to the Keighry Head community and Sacred Heart Church. At the same time, they reflect on Ben's memories of living during the frightening and uncertain time of World War II. In reflecting on his personal story (and what he knows about Antonia), Benny discusses how he experienced and remembered the war. What's especially interesting is that Benny, being young and relatively naive, couldn't understand a lot of what was happening in the world at the time, just that a big war was happening with two "theaters" (the Pacific and European). There's actually a time when he mixes up Hirohito (from Japan) and Hitler (from Germany) because he conflates them as both being the enemy. It really says a lot about the innocence and naivity of children who are impacted by war—they have little to no say in the matter, often barely understanding why war is happening at all. Speaking of being impacted by war, Joseph Finnegan, Benedict (Ben) Finnegan's father, was sent to the Pacific theater of the war, leaving his wife, Claire Finnegan, to care for their children and household in his absence. Joseph's deployment deeply impacted the family, shaping the dynamics within the Finnegan household and leaving Ben and his brothers to navigate life under their mother's care and the guidance of their grandfather, Patrick Finnegan. Joseph's absence during the war serves as a backdrop for much of the story's exploration of resilience, familial bonds, and the challenges faced by families on the home front. Nancy O'Connell also deserves some attention as the one who was physically seen leaving Baby Antonia, leading her to be pursued as a suspect by Benny and others who are eager to solve the mystery. Molly is depicted as a practical and nurturing mother to Nancy. She has a sharp wit and strong moral compass. She plays a key role in the neighborhood by providing guidance and emotional support, often acting as a voice of reason during pivotal moments in the story. All of that comes into play later in uncovering the secret parentage of Antonia. And, gosh, is it a cobweb—a Gordian knot of who is who and what is what. It's strange how this book is actually shorter and flies a lot faster than it physically appears. 184 pages looks and sounds like a lot, but we managed to get through it in about 3-4 hours. With that said, we also had to reread it a few times because we missed and mixed up a few things. Similar to a lot of Quinn's novels, the family dynamics and relationships are so much more complicated than they need to be. In The Mystery from Way Back When and To Bloom Like a Tulip, in particular, we found ourselves constantly trying to figure out who was related/connected to who and how. You could insert an "Uncle's-Sister's-Nephew's-Neighbor" joke here because that's often how this feels. Even going back to Until the Stars Align, Quinn always seems to want to have these huge, sprawling casts of characters. There's a point to which that becomes a bit too much to follow. Like, in Cans of Cola Just Don't Cry, the author also felt the need to include the veterinarian's family in the mix. Even one of the villains had to have a crazy girlfriend join in. Actually, The Mystery from Way Back When shares a lot in common with these other books by Quinn. Like Cans of Cola Just Don't Cry, the protagonist discovers an abandoned baby (human baby or baby chimp) and needs to uncover the mystery behind who left them there and why they were left there. Like Until the Stars Align and To Bloom Like a Tulip, we get a child's perspective of World War II. There's something beautifully metatextual about that. For example, we imagined all of these child characters in these three WWII books celebrating on Liberation Day, which is naturally a big deal in all three. Lastly, we wanted to talk about a subplot that explores a more subtle theme: the theme of why it's wrong to judge people based on their race or nationality. There's a character in here named Hans Breckenbauer who is German. Characters constantly suspect that Hans is a German spy and is up to no good (simply because of his race and nationality). However, as you might expect, the truth is never so straight-forward and simple, and it's wrong to judge people just based on those things. With that said, this is yet another example of a periphery/side character and subplot being packed into this already-packed novel, further complicating it. Anyway, through this book, Quinn weaves a poignant tale of family, identity, and resilience, leaving readers with a profound appreciation for the enduring power of compassion and community. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 91/100 (9.1 out of 10)
Policies and Pain by Dr. Spencer Dayton is a comprehensive exploration of societal issues through a philosophical lens. It delves into various domains, including healthcare, economic inequality, environmental justice, and workers' rights, with a focus on actionable reforms guided by moral and ethical principles. Philosophical and opinion pieces are bound to be controversial. And you don't have to like or agree with everything the author says (heck, we didn't). However, that's not to say there isn't value in what the author says. Nor is this to say that the words in this book don't come from a good place. In fact, this book come from a very good place. The author genuinely seems to care about the life, safety, and welfare of others, as well as the greater good of society and the future of humanity. This book was directly expired by Dr. Dayton's own experiences, particularly his battle with cancer. Through this battle with cancer, Dayton had an epiphany about the human right to life-saving medical care. Dayton proposes that not only is healthcare a universal human right, but so are equity, justice, a healthy environment, economic security, a right to participate in government, education, opportunity, and dignified work. It's hard not to jump up and cheer when you read this list of universal human rights, but... not so fast, my friends. You can't force people to work when they don't want to work. You also can't force people into a house when they want to live on a beach (and, yes, people exist who would prefer to live on the beach). You can't force people to go to college when they don't want to go to college. You also can't force people to go to the hospital if they don't want to go to the hospital. A lot of this list of human rights operates under the assumption that all people want the same things, and that's simply not true. Look at Afghanistan, for example. No matter how hard the United States tried over 10 years to turn Afghanistan into a constitutional democracy/republic akin to us, it failed. Why? Because not everyone wants to be exactly like America. Not everyone wants a utopia in which everyone is equal. Some people want to be RICH. Some people want to be POWERFUL. Some people want to be bigger, better, smarter, and wealthier than everyone else, and that's perfectly normal. It's human nature. To deny these truths is to deny human nature. We know this sounds cold and callous, but it's true. Human beings operate better when given a CHOICE. It's in a human being's nature to CHOOSE. This is why the United States of America—for all its faults—is great. It's because of choice. You have the right to live on the streets, it's not a crime to be homeless. You have the right to refuse medical treatment, it's not a crime to refuse medical treatment. Key of all: You have the right not to work a conventional 9 to 5 job, and instead because an inventor, an innovator, and/or an entrepreneur. That's why we're the world's leader in innovation. That's why we're the world's leader in film, music, and popular culture. That's why we're the wealthiest country in the world with the strongest economy and military. It's because of CHOICE. Choice leads to creativity and innovation. Creativity and innovation lead to newer, better, and more improved things—the Internet, telephones, smartphones, mass-produced cars, airplanes, etc. Far and away, this book's biggest weakness is its over-reliance on using Marxism and communist/socialist concepts to defend his arguments. Let's be blunt: Marxism—and the socialism that came from it—aided in the deaths of about a hundred million people in the 20th century, primarily in China and the USSR, but also in places like Cambodia. You can't take a large population of people and force them all to work. You can't force them all into housing. You can't force wages on them. If you do that, you're setting yourself up for disappointment and worse. Human beings aren't mindless worker bees who do everything for the good of the queen and colony. They're individuals. And perhaps that was one of the key things that upset us about Empathic Evolution by Jennifer Elizabeth Moore as well: the idea that human beings are just like cells in a body—cogs in the machine—bricks in a wall. It's the Marxist idea that everyone exists to serve the greater good of the whole. Yeah, it sounds good (just like a lot of this book sounds good), but it usually falls apart in practice. In fact, not only does it usually fall apart, but the implementation of Marxism usually has disastrous consequences. Again, look at mid-20th century Russia and China. We're not saying that America didn't have problems back then (or that it doesn't have problems now), but we didn't have tens of millions of people dying due to mismanagement under Marxist ideals. Now, in all fairness, Karl Marx isn't the only philosopher whom Dayton draws inspiration and support from. He also references thinkers like John Rawls (famous for his theory of justice), Amartya Sen, and Martha Nussbaum. At the very least, this book is a reminder of how we can do so much better as a society to provide for the marginalized, poor, homeless, and others in need. If you're open to more left-leaning philosophical talk, you can check this out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
A Freezing Ski Trip is a charming, adventure-filled, and—at times—tense children's book by the incomparable Tuula Pere! At its core, this is really a book about the unique love and connection between siblings. It is also a book about budding independence, exploring one's limits and boundaries, and children leaving the nest and trying new things. It's also a bit of a cautionary tale about recognizing safety hazards and other dangers and recognizing one's present limitations (and adjusting accordingly). In Utah, there are many cases of people who go missing during adventures into the Wasatch Mountains—home of the greatest snow on Earth. We also know of many tragedies in which skiers are grievously injured—some irreparably—or even killed in skiing accidents. It's a high-risk, high-reward sport with the environment and conditions always being unpredictable. While this can make it fun and exciting (serving as a challenge), it can also present great risks. So, this story resonated a lot with us. The book follows two children, a brother and a sister named Liam and Lily. Liam is the older, more responsible, more cautious, and more skilled/experienced one (in terms of skiing). On the other hand, Lily is a young maverick and a risk-taker. She's quite a daredevil, for better or for worse! Liam and Lily embark on their first skiing trek together independent from their parents. As you might expect, their parents show some worry and concern, but Liam and Lily reassure them. As a parent, you can't always be there physically for your children. You might want them to always be protected and always be safe (which parent doesn't want that), but you also have to let them explore, adventure, and make their own mistakes. It's part of the growing up process. The best you can do is raise them right, teach them, and trust them to make the best decisions possible. And there will be times when they ignore you, argue with you, or do the opposite of what you taught/instructed. That's part of the learning and growing up process. Well, Lily (and, by extension, Liam) learns a hard lesson about throwing caution to the wind in this book. Lily, growing impatient due to apparent hunger (or an appetite for sausages), leads them off the beaten path in attempt to get to the food sooner, seeing it as a shortcut. Making things worse, she also ignores an elderly couples warnings that the slope is very steep and dangerous. Liam does his best to advise his little sister, but respects her independence. Being a good big brother, he goes along with her and does his best to encourage, protect, and look after her. Lily's stunt causes a lot of snowballing problems including one of her skis breaking and getting to the cottage rather late, finding it closed due to water damage. What's very beautiful about all of this is how the siblings—despite their different personalities—still bond together to get through these challenges. In particular, Liam proves to be a great big brother, trying his best to fix Lily's ski and encouraging her when she's afraid or doubting herself. He knows that she draws courage and a higher morale from his positive attitude. So, the two siblings are able to endure long enough for rescuers, prompted by the parents of the siblings, to find them. This is really a beautiful story! It's also elevated by the colorful and stylish art by Catty Flores, a mainstay in Tuula Pere's children's books. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 89/100 (8.9 out of 10)
What happens when the life you built—the one filled with packed lunches, laughter, soccer games, and a home bustling with noise—suddenly becomes quiet? When the roles that once defined you slip away, leaving you staring at an empty house and wondering, Now what? Everything You’ve Ever Known by Jess Ames delves into this very moment, exploring the reality of starting over in middle age. With themes of reinvention, friendship, and navigating the loneliness of an empty nest, the novel taps into a deeply relatable experience: the search for purpose when the familiar is gone. But does this introspective journey make for an engaging and satisfying read, or does it drift too much into aimless, meandering reflection? Set in the contemporary world, this novel follows the protagonist, Paige, as she grapples with the shifting dynamics of her life after her children leave home, her marriage ends, and she is left to redefine herself in her "second act." Ultimately, she has to wrestle with whether or not this is the twilight of her life or a fresh new chapter full of new opportunities and possibilities. Paige is a relatable, self-deprecating protagonist. At times, she comes across as a pessimistic, Debbie Downer full of doubt, anxiety, and apprehension. However, her struggles with writer’s block, empty nest syndrome, loneliness, and self-doubt make her an accessible and emotionally resonant character. She has a dry sense of humor and often masks her deeper insecurities with sarcasm. For instance, when her friend Kari inquires about the progress of her latest novel, Paige responds with a smirk, "Oh, it's coming along splendidly—if by 'coming along' you mean gathering dust on my desk." This quip allows her to downplay her struggles with writer's block and avoid delving into her deeper anxieties about her creative stagnation. After her children have moved out, leaving her with an empty nest, a neighbor sympathetically asks how she's coping with the quiet house. Paige replies, "I'm loving the silence; it's like living in a monastery, minus the chanting." Her sarcastic remark conceals the profound loneliness she feels in her now-empty home. When discussing her financial situation post-divorce, a friend suggests she might need to budget more carefully. Paige retorts, "Why budget when I can just live off the excitement of checking my bank balance?" This sarcastic comment hides her genuine concerns about financial instability and her uncertainty about managing expenses on her own. Friends encourage her to start dating again after her divorce. Paige responds, "Sure, because awkward small talk and overpriced coffee are exactly what I'm missing in life." Her sarcasm serves to deflect the conversation and mask her apprehension about re-entering the dating scene. When someone praises her for handling her life changes so well, Paige quips, "Thanks, I've been practicing my 'holding it together' face in the mirror." This response downplays her internal struggles and projects a facade of composure. Through these examples, it's evident that Paige's use of sarcasm is a tool to deflect attention from her vulnerabilities, allowing her to maintain a semblance of control while grappling with the uncertainties of her evolving life. Speaking of evolving, throughout the book, she undergoes a slow but meaningful transformation, making this a character-centered/character-focused book rather than a plot-focused one, which may please some readers while frustrating others. She is often joined by her ubiquitous, lizard-chasing Golden Retriever, Roxy, and her "ride-or-die" BFF (and the book's deuteragonist), Kari. Oh, yeah, Kari has two troublemaking near-college-aged sons, Matt and Alex, who probably needed to be disciplined more whilst growing up seeing as their immature, childish pranks and antics are destructive and dangerous. They're supposed to be comedic relief, but they come across as frustrating and aggitating (in our opinion). Paige's children are in here too (kinda...), but don't do much other than tantalize her from a distance with what was and what could have been. Paige's parents are in here too, and at least they're humorous. Paige's dad is probably the funniest character in the book. She also has an uncle, Uncle Mike, who is like her mentor figure and arguably the tritagonist of the novel. He is basically this book's equivalent of Obi-Wan or Gandalf. Oh, yeah, there's also Jenna, the baker, who seems to be here as a foil to Paige, but mostly serves to give the book some tension and drama (which it was sorely lacking and desperately need), since she is the target of the book's only real antagonist, Craig. There are so many of these side characters who kind of seem jammed and forced in here out of obligation—as if the author had a deal with everyone in her life that they would be included in her book. This is ironic because Caleb, Paige's writing/book publishing mentor, keeps advising her to add more characters, throw in more character dynamics, and add more scenes. Ironically, throwing in so many characters and adding too many scenes seems to work to this book's detriment, bogging it down and making it seem meandering. It's almost metatextual in the sense that it seems like the author is living by this writing mentor's advice. Paige, in a lot of ways, seems to be a self-insert character, sharing essentially the same background (being a writer—and, apparently, an editor—for a large educational publishing company). Everything You've Ever Known seems to be the author's first foray into publishing a book of her own, similar to how Paige wrestles with constructing her own first book despite being so experienced as a copywriter and editor. The thing about this book that bothers us is how meandering it seems and feels. It's like the narrative can never just get to the point. We have so many scenes in which the characters are just cooking things or wondering what's for dinner or dessert. It frequently reads as flat and mundane. Read this exchange to get an idea of what dialogue and the flow of this book is like: “I think it’s time for dessert, although, at the moment, the cheesecake I picked out seems woefully inadequate considering the circumstances.” “Cheesecake sounds perfect. They should be done with the dishes by now, so it’s probably safe to go back in. Ready?" There are literally parts of this book that read things like: "I took the chicken out of the freezer and put it in the fridge..." Ok... so, what bearing does that have on the actual plot? How does it move the story forward? Is this a book about cooking the best chicken dish ever to win Master Chef? Perhaps the one passage that exemplifies this whole book is: "In that bathroom mirror, I was Paige, but changing. I had taken the next right step and found myself there. Where would the next right step take me? I was ready to find out. But first, grilled cheese." While this might get a small chuckle from the reader with the clash between seriousness and something as inconsequential as grilled cheese, it also exemplifies how so much of this book drags. It always seems like the narrative and the characters can't move forward and can't advance to the next thing. It's like wearing boots weighed down by cement blocks or sandbags. It's like the author was perpetually as writer's blocked as the character, and she probably was. Reading this book is sometimes like watching someone procrastinate. There's another scene in which Paige spends a Saturday floating in the pool and FaceTiming her kids. It seems to lack narrative drive. Yes, it could be argued as "character building" because it points out how lonely Paige feels, but we already have over a dozen other scenes, interactions, and outright omissions that indicate that. We don't need to hear that water is wet for the twentieth time. The dialogue about Roxy and winter break in this scene seem like filler, as it doesn’t deepen relationships or advance the plot. Speaking of the plot... what's the plot? What's the conflict? Where are we going? The plot can't just be "will she move on, or won't she?" Ok, it could be, but.. isn't that a bit boring? Yes, you could say the plot is a woman dealing with the absence of those she loved and getting used to it, but... where is she going? That’s where the story feels somewhat stagnant at times. Paige is trying to build a new life, but the stakes aren’t always clear beyond general personal growth. She wants to write a book, she joins a book club, befriends local women, and starts planning a writer’s retreat, but much of the conflict is subtle and introspective rather than driven by strong external forces. Furthermore, this book really seems to lack tension. You could almost make the argument that the closest thing to a tense conflict in the book is actually Jenna's abusive relationship with Craig, but Jenna is a somewhat minor side-character and that whole plot-thread really gets relegated to the back-end of this book. In other words, we had to wait a long time to get to that. By then, we were already pretty bored. Anyway, this book does have some award-worthy aspects. For example, Roxy could be a nominee for Cutest Character. Kari could be a nominee for Best Supporting Character, being very similar to Cy from "Untold Prophecies" by Rhiannon Hailey. Similar to Cy, Kari is the tough-loving friend who is always there to give the protagonist a much needed kick in the butt. Paige & Kari could also be considerations for Best Dynamic Duo. Their friendship is actually one of—if not the most—special thing about this book. The two do everything together. It often seemed like Kari's absence earlier on was more detrimental to Paige than that of her ex-husband or kids! That's how tight these two are. And, to be frank, while the plot is kinda bland or seemingly non-existent at times, the writing is actually quite good. One of our favorite parts of the whole book is a sort of introspective list poem that Paige forms with her thoughts. It begins with: "Do I major in business or English? Do I go on a date with this guy… or that one? Do I marry him? Do I end my marriage when I’ve tired of someone else telling me who I am and what I’m capable of? Do I take a chance and apply for a job that I’m wholly under- qualified for but is exactly what I’d dreamt of? Do I dress up or down for my first day? Do I move into the city with Kari? Do I accept a date from the cute new guy in accounting? Do I move in with Mark? Do I marry him? Do we start our family now? Do I work from home or bring Jason to daycare? Do we have another baby? Do I put our strong-willed Anna in time out… or myself? Do I donate my eggs so Kari can experience the sleepless nights and swells of joy that accompany motherhood?" This passage listing Paige's thoughts, concerns, and considerations then becomes progressively more mundane and miniscule, which is ironically fitting in this passage. There are also effective uses of alliteration throughout the book like "paper makes a bad partner..." Check it out on Amazon! |
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