Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 91/100 (9.1 out of 10)
Burst the Bubble by Tia Warrick provides an in-depth exploration of the pharmaceutical, biotech, and clinical research industries. Aimed at demystifying these fields, the book serves as a guide for those considering a career in these sectors. Despite its comprehensive nature and valuable insights, the book tends to come off as somewhat flat and robotic, perhaps due to the technical subject matter and Warrick's straightforward writing style. This is especially apparent in its first half. Its second half picks up the pace and tone quite a bit, discussing topics that seem broader-reaching like leadership and employee/worker motivation. The book is meticulously organized, beginning with an overview of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, their evolution, and the wide range of career opportunities they offer. It then delves into the pivotal role of Contract Research Organizations (CROs), site-hospital interactions, and the significance of vendors in clinical trials. Each chapter is packed with detailed information, making it a valuable resource for those new to the field. Burst the Bubble is very comprehensive. The author leaves no stone unturned, providing a thorough understanding of the clinical research landscape, from the organizational structures of pharmaceutical companies to the specific roles within CROs. The book offers practical advice on career development, including the importance of certifications and self-reflection, which can help readers chart their career paths effectively. Warrick includes real-life success stories and case studies, adding a layer of relatability and inspiration for readers. The book's technical nature and Warrick's clinical writing style may make it less engaging for some readers. While the attempt to use humor and idioms is commendable, it often falls flat, failing to enliven the dense material. Unlike more narrative-driven career guides, Burst the Bubble lacks emotional depth, which could make it harder for readers to connect with the content on a personal level. We kept hoping that the author would provide more personal or fascinating stories related to their points. To this book's credit, it raises awareness and interest while exploring a field and a topic that's important to ALL of us. All of us are impacted by the medical/healthcare field. Anyone who gets a flu shot or takes medicine is affected by it. Anyone who gets a check up when they're sick or needs a physical exam for work is affected by it. Every pregnant woman giving birth in a hospital is affected by it. Here in Utah, the biggest employer happens to be a healthcare corporation (Intermountain Health), so thousands of employees and their families are directly affected by it. And let's face it: diseases have been the bane of human existence since the dawn of time. Isn't it about time that we invest more into clinical research to combat diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's? It's 2024 and yet these diseases still ruin and end lives. This is something that we're very passionate about as supporters of the Cancer Research Institute. Another thing we really loved about this book were the sections about leadership and employee/worker motivation. Unlike the rest of the book, which seemed overly specific and niche—full of jargon and whatnot—these leadership and employee/worker motivation section are applicable to just about everyone (a much broader audience). In other words, we were able to relate and take away from these sections more. Overall, Burst the Bubble is a well-researched and valuable resource for anyone interested in the clinical research industry. It excels in providing detailed, practical information and comprehensive coverage of the field. However, its dry, technical style may not appeal to all readers. For those willing to navigate through its dense content, the book offers a wealth of knowledge and insights that can aid in career development within the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Check it out on Amazon if you're seeking an extensive guide to the clinical research sector!
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 Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)
Lasting Transformation is an ambitious, introspective, and empowering self-help book by Abby Rosen, PhD! This book provides a unique combination of practical and—what we would call—“metaphysical” advice to help you to achieve your best and happiest self. Something we appreciated about this book is that this isn't a book about being an alpha-male or lady boss. It isn't a book about crushing your enemies, opponents, and problems. It's not a book about getting rich quick. It's not a book about hooking up with guys or girls. It's a book about being YOU-- a fulfilled YOU, a HAPPY YOU. From beginning to end, Rosen emphasizes how important it is to prioritize your happiness and mental health/well-being. So many times, we sacrifice ourselves, our health, and/or our happiness to make others happy. So many times, we work ourselves into the ground to make someone else rich. We go out with someone to make them or our parents or friends happy. We stay in unhappy relationships because it's what others want. We keep working unhappy jobs because we don't see a way out or we don't want to displease our employers or coworkers. We don't follow our dreams for one reason or another. Worst of all, we say that this is life and that's all there is to it. The voice that tells us that “this is life and that's all there is to it” (or other such things) is one of many negative, pessimistic voices that keep us down and hold us back. They rob us of our smiles and our laughter. On that note, one of the things that the author talks a lot about are the voices—the subpersonalities—that make us sad, depressed, anxious, or feel utterly defeated. These include the “Pusher.” That is the voice that keeps telling us to go, go, go and that we haven't achieved enough to deserve good things yet. There's the “Beach Bum,” the voice that tells us that it's not worth trying or doing. There's the “Inner Critic,” the one that keeps us from doing or saying stuff so we don't make a fool of ourselves in front of others (supposedly). There are the “Nurturing Parent” and “Critical Parent” voices that seem to hover over us like a helicopter, a puppeteer controlling our every movement. There are our various “Inner Child” voices that often feel scared, nervous, or vulnerable. There's the “Perfectionist,” the voice that is obsessed with everything being absolutely perfect, else the person risks feeling defeated or disappointed. This voice, similar to the Pusher, almost never seems to be happy, satisfied, or content. That's because perfection is a futile and impossible pursuit. All of these voices have their place and exist for a reason, however, one of the keys to our happiness, fulfillment, and mental health is knowing when to listen to these voices and when to silence them. On that note, one of the biggest takeaways we had from this book is that YOU are in control, not the voices. YOU make the final decision. YOU choose to be happy. While that may not be the most unique affirmative concept ever, it's definitely powerful and meaningful. It restores power back to the person rather than their negative, pessimistic subpersonalities. Speaking of being empowered and being in control, some of our favorite quotes from this book are: “I have a mind, I am not my mind” “I have emotions, I am not my emotions” These are powerful! A lot of us feel like we are “emotional people” and can't see life without being completely guided by our emotions, for better or for worse. Likewise, a lot of us feel like our minds (or bodies) are all that we are, but that's far from the truth. We are a whole. We have dimensions and layers. This book even seems to take the perspective that we have a soul and/or a spiritual self that transcends those things while also intersecting them. Our brains are one of many organs that keep our selves chugging and churning. This book also emphasizes the importance of relationships and how they both teach us and reveal new things to us—about the world, other people, and ourselves. One of our other favorite quotes from this book is: “Hearts that don't touch can't ignite.” This refers to the mental blocks or apprehension that keep us from fully experiencing or immersing ourselves in relationships. A lot of these blocks or apprehensions come from repressed or hidden (often poorly-hidden) issues, some of which spring from negative experiences in the past like abuse, infidelity, or some other betrayal of trust. This book is actually an amazing read, particularly in its first half. However, we have some reservations about the second half of this book. The reason we say that is that this book seems to take a complete 180 in its second half, emphasizing more meta concepts like spirituality and meditation—to what seemed like a pseudo-religious degree. That's not something we were necessarily braced or prepared for. Many readers may be put off by this, especially if they were bought into the more practical concepts in this book. Similar to REAL Psychology by Scott Flagg, PhD, this book starts getting into bizarro territory with weird concepts like “Soul Wisdom Consciousness.” There's even the questionable quote that “meditation is medication.” Having just read the article “Mindfulness Would Be Good For You If It Weren’t So Selfish” by Thomas Joiner, also an accomplished psychologist (who developed the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide), we view those kinds of statements with heavy skepticism. As Joiner alluded to in that article, mindfulness and meditation are not magical or a replacement for modern medicine. That's not to say they can't help, we'd just caution against overselling these things. Otherwise, this is a great book! Check it out on Amazon! Review of “Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #4)” by Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson7/15/2024  Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (MORE SO THAN REVIEWS OF ISSUES #1 & #2) Might Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #4) is the climactic grand finale of this phenomenal comic book series by Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson! Once again, it is brilliantly and beautifully illustrated by Nico Leon. This book picks up where the last one left off, revealing how Olivia Hart, the daughter of Kimberly Hart and Tommy Oliver, came into possession of the green ranger power coin. Olivia Hart is clearly a fish out of water, lacking the training, conditioning, and experience of the seasoned, veteran Power Rangers. Olivia even says she thinks she needs to throw up after teleporting because she's not used to the Ranger powers. We love that, even though Olivia is morphed, she isn't portrayed as adult-sized or as an insta-badass, which is something that was really annoying about Justin, the blue ranger in Power Rangers Turbo. Yes (in the case of Justin), it's kinda empowering for kids as a kind of escapism, but it also feels unearned and undeserved. That's not the case with Olivia, who has to adjust and adapt to the suit and her Power Ranger powers. Selena Repulsa, the conflicted daughter of Rita and Zedd, is easily able to get the upper hand. Making matters worse, Finster and his putties are ready to join the fight. Thankfully, however, Kimberly is able to use the fallen dragon dagger—one of the most iconic items in the entire history of Power Rangers (gosh, you can just hear that catchy tune it used to make in your head)—to pry the entrapping forcefield open! This releases the OG Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers to join Olivia in her fight against the forces of evil! You can't help but punch your fist in the air, jump, and cheer when you see all of these iconic characters finally get to fight side-by-side again! It really is awesome to see each and every one of these characters let loose and throw down! Something that needs to be mentioned is that Zack brings out his original “hip hop kido” fighting style that looks more like break dancing! So nostalgic! Somewhat humorously, he can even make observations and carry on conversations while fighting like this. The grand majority of us would be out of breath and probably trying to hold down our lunch. Anyway, everyone transforms after this including Selena Repulsa, who has possession of the late Trini's triceratops/yellow ranger morpher. It's so cool! As the characters explain, Selena possesses some of the powers of the yellow ranger in combination with the powers of Rita and Zedd. She is a force to be reckoned with! At the same time, she's not invincible or invulnerable. Similar to the previous issue, she still drops her guard and shows her inexperience from time to time. This, similar to Olivia's situation, was great to see! It's like if two angry teenagers with attitude just happened on some morphers, lacking training and experience. It's kinda fitting in that sense, when you really think about it. Another character that needs some props and attention is Finster. Once again, Finster gets a lot more screen time and development than he did in the original series. For once, you can actually tell that he's both angry and vengeful for all the pain and misery the Power Rangers put him through for years, destroying his creations, his home (presumably the Moon Palace) and almost destroying him. So, like that one guy who drank the whole Dr. Jerkyl & Mr. Hyde potion in League of Extraordinary Gentleman, he transforms himself into a hulking, four-armed, blade-wielding version of himself. Now, we have to say that this is both very cool and very weird. This is really unlike Finster. Finster is a bubbling coward and has always been a bumbling coward. He has rarely—if ever—been front and center in a battle the way that Goldar and Scorpina have. Quite simply, he has never been a fighter. He has always been a thinker. So, to see him throwing himself into combat like he's Leonidas in 300 is pretty dang bizarre, but we can play along for the sake of this great story. Anyway, there are a few big, huge reveals that we have to talk about. If you're still trying to avoid spoilers, maybe click away and read the comic. ____________________________________________ BIG SPOILERS AHEAD ____________________________________________ Are you still here? Ok. Well, the contraption that Finster and Selena concocted to bring Rita back brings about a very different outcome. Rather than bringing back Rita, it brings back Tommy. Now, this is sure to divide the fan base. Some like the finality of Tommy's sacrifice and how it reflects the actor's real-life passing. Those are the fans who probably emphasize stakes and consequences. Others will be happy to see Tommy back and reuniting with his friends and family. Those are the fans who want a more positive and uplifting story. We were somewhere in the middle. However, this did give us a great payoff in terms of some development for Rita Repulsa. Apparently, Rita saw that Tommy was desperately trying to protect and save Selena before the Benevalator exploded, so she decided to save him as well. This is actually powerful and beautiful. And, no, this isn't a character betrayal. We've long known that Rita, despite all of her evil plots and eccentricities, was never pure evil. How do we know that? Well, because the original Z-wave in Countdown to Destruction: Part II (in Power Rangers in Space) didn't kill her or Zedd, it reverted them to benevolent human forms. In Power Rangers Mystic Force, she was even one of the more powerful forces for good in the form of the Mystic Mother, the “empress of all good magic.” Furthermore, we know that Rita had the ability to love. She genuinely loved Zedd and remained married to him long after his love spell had worn off. She also genuinely loved and cared about Selena, as shown by the fact that she had Squatt and Finster take care of her and also wanted her to be a part of the post-war celebration. So, we can totally buy that Rita would do a kind and even self-sacrificing act to reward someone for taking care of her daughter. So, ultimately, this book is able to be a lot deeper, more emotional, and more impactful than you might expect from an action comic. It's about family. It's about love. Even Selena seems conflicted at the end of this book, similar to Astronema in In Space. That's really something we love to see! There's also the mystery of who the new white ranger might be. Is it Trini somehow back from the dead or from another timeline? Is it a redeemed Rita Repulsa? What a cliffhanger! Check it out on Amazon! Review of “Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #3)” by Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson7/15/2024  Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (MORE SO THAN THE PREVIOUS 2 REVIEWS) Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #3) follows right in the tracks of the previous book as the OG Power Rangers find themselves trapped on Rita & Zedd's old Moon Palace. They are encaged in a forcefield barrier by the mysterious daughter of the two classic PR villains, Selena Repulsa! This book pulls back the curtain a bit more as we learn what happened near the end of Rita & Tommy's lives at the climax of the final battle 22 years ago. It also reveals a bit more about the mysterious new character of Selena Repulsa. We learn that she was rescued by Tommy when he discovered that there was a child in the palace—essentially in the middle of the battlefield—at the center of the blast radius of the Benevalator. We learn that, from Selena's perspective, Rita attempted to preserve her essence in the morphin grid itself. Selena was discovered, alone and afraid, by Bulk & Skull as police officers. It is tragic and sad to see Selena as a child caught in a situation like this. You really get a sense that she was innocent. She says and does childlike things like calling Finster “Fixter” and mistaking Bulk for Squatt because of his excess weight and stoutness. That also reveals that Finster and Squatt were probably partially responsible for taking care of her on the Moon Palace 22 years ago, indicating that they weren't all bad either. This book also starts to develop the character of Finster a bit more. This is arguably the most development that Finster has ever had in all of Power Rangers. He has always been the goofy, weak, bumbling idiot mad scientist who creates the monsters with his magical clay. In this book, we actually get to see him remote, such as when he reacts emotionally to Rita's death. However, there's a catch to that. He's not just alarmed by her apparent death, but he is fixated on the fact that they're about to “lose.” He seems to prioritize defeating Tommy over the safety of Selena in the flashback scene, which is quite interesting. You could make an argument either way. Maybe Finster is trying to recapture Selena from a hated enemy. We also get to see how depraved Finster is, even cannibalizing his own creations to survive. Then again, what else was he supposed to do? He was wounded, injured, and trapped on the moon without anything else to eat. Anyway, Finster and Selena reveal their big plan to bring back Rita Repulsa using a machine which draws from the captured power coins, Lord Zedd's staff, and the remainder of Finster's clay. However, Kimberly seems to have a secret up her sleeves, one that reveals why Finster & Selena's contraption is failing: a sixth power coin of the sixth Power Ranger! Almost all of this book is one big conversation in one location. Similar to issue #1, it's a lot of exposition—a lot of explaining. Thankfully, the illustrations by Nico Leon are superior to the ones in issue #1. They're more like the bright, beautiful, and vibrant illustrations of issue #2. They really pop! We're starting to get that this four-part epic has a wave-like flow to it. There are peaks and valleys, and issues #1 and #3 appear to be the valleys. However, you need moments like that for the sake of storytelling. You need the audience to understand what's going on between the big set piece actions scenes and wildness. Check it out on Amazon! Review of “Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #2)” by Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson7/14/2024  Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS Words can hardly describe the feelings we're feeling after reading—no, EXPERIENCING—issue #2 of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return by Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson! Our jaws are on the floor. Our eyes are wet with tears. This comic book... this BOOK. It's INCREDIBLE! The illustrations are even better and more vibrant than the previous book. Credit goes to Nico Leon and Dono Sanchez-Almara for making that happen. What's more? It's filled to the brim with compelling, heart pounding action! That was sorely missing from the previous installment. Right off the bat, we know that it's all about to hit the fan. Zordon is dead. Alpha 5 is dead. The Power Rangers are on a do-or-die mission to attack Rita & Zedd's moon palace/base as if it's the last thing they'll ever do. There's no turning back. There's no surrender. They've brought all of their Zords on this suicide mission far from home. Furthermore, they've brought along a secret weapon known as the Benevolator, a type of explosive device that seems to replicate a Z-wave. The Z-wave was a phenomenon that Andros (the Red Space Ranger) accomplished at the end of Power Rangers in Space by helping Zordon to sacrifice himself for the universe. It's a double-edged sword here just as it was in the original canon. Rita and Zedd order Finster to bust out every monster in their arsenal. Even Goldar and Scorpina are eager to throw themselves into this climactic final battle. This is kinda a big deal for Goldar granted that he has shied away from direct physical combat after being defeated in the early episodes of the series. Many of his superiors actually referred to him as a “coward” despite him obviously having exceptional fighting prowess. Something we really loved and appreciated about this book is that, despite the darker, more violent, and more grim tone of this spin-off as a whole, the Power Rangers still act like the Power Rangers and the bad guys still act like the bad guys. What do we mean by that? Well, despite the Rangers clearly being out to avenge their fallen mentor and robot—characters who were practically family to them—they aren't here to just kill and destroy all the bad guys. They actually want to use the Benevolator to turn all of the bad guys, including Rita and Zedd, to good. This is actually noble and honorable of them. We are so happy to see good guys acting like good guys for once. This makes it clear that our heroes are still heroes and that the Power Rangers are still recognizable as Power Rangers. One of our concerns with the first issue was that the Power Rangers weren't acting like Power Rangers. All of them were entangled in a lie to conceal their identities. Jason was out pummeling and probably killing baddies as a vigilante. Kimberly was willing to let Billy's potentially life-saving research and Zack's potentially world-saving clean energy initiative go to the wayside just to keep the power grid a secret. What happened to doing the right thing? What happened to sacrificing your personal wants and desires for the greater good? Well, we actually get to see those virtues and values play out here, particularly in the character of Tommy Oliver, the original green/white ranger. Tommy is able to see the bigger picture. He understands that this conflict and the stakes involved are bigger and more important than himself. That's a hero. That's a role-model. That's a Power Ranger! And we finally get to see what it was that turned Kimberly from the positive, optimistic, fun-loving, and hopeful character into a mopey, negative, and pessimistic kill-joy. It's absolutely heartwrenching and hits like a bag of bricks! Furthermore, it makes perfect sense for Tommy's character, Kimberly's character, and the plot as a whole. Releasing the power of the Benevolator really does seem like the only way out of the situation that the Rangers are in. If they fail, not only do they fail to avenge their fallen loved ones, but they also leave the Earth and the rest of the universe wide-open to attack, invasion, and subjugation. Our hearts pounded and our tears flowed as Tommy and Kimberly clung to each other in that desperate situation. Our hearts broke and tears poured as Kimberly dropped to her knees and covered her mouth with both hands, holding back a scream from the very depths of her being. What makes this scene all the more epic, powerful, and tragic is that the loss of Tommy isn't the only major loss here. Rita is also killed as Kimberly desperately tries to protect Tommy from her. You can tell that this was done out of desperation rather than malice. Kimberly did not intend to kill Rita, even after all the terrible things that Rita did. Kimberly still recognized Rita as a sentient humanoid being and a PERSON. That really resonated with us. That's what a Power Ranger would think. That's how a Power Ranger would feel. Now, you could make the argument: Well, what about all of Finsters monsters and putties? Didn't they get killed off practically every episode? Well, the lore kinda makes it clear that these monsters and putties aren't sentient beings with—and this is going to sound strange, but it's probably the best way of describing it—souls. The monsters and putties are pretty much bioweapons or bio robots. They aren't that dissimilar from the battle droids in the Star Wars prequels. They are literally made of clay. Rita and Zedd, on the other hand, are actual people. They actually have great emotional depth and feelings. And, yes, they probably have souls. The conclusion of Countdown to Destruction: Part II made that very obvious since they reverted back to “good” in that telling of the story. Furthermore, we know for a fact that—for all of their evil and wrongdoing—Rita and Zedd genuinely, authentically love each other. We know this because the love potion that Rita used on Zedd wore off a long time ago, yet he still adores her. With that said, it's also heartbreaking for us when Rita falls to Kimberly's bow and Squatt runs to inform Lord Zedd that Rita, his wife, has died. This is tragic as well, even though these characters are bad guys. It's hard not to feel for Zedd in that moment. Yes, Zedd, the guy who looks like the literal devil and who wants to destroy everything. The reason for that is multifold. First of all, like we said, we know that Zedd genuinely loves/loved Rita based on the fact that the love potion wore off. He loved her enough to stay married to her and, apparently, have a child with her. If we're going to take the original canon into account, they may have had two children (one of them being Thrax from Operation Overdrive and the other being Selena, the daughter who is portrayed in this book). Our hearts broke for him too. Another thing that made the death of Rita heartbreaking was the fact that the whole scene before this climactic battle showed the villains in a jovial, cheerful, and even positive light. They were actually acting like their absent-minded, bumbling TV selves as they celebrated their huge victory over the Rangers. They seemed so high-spirited like nothing could hurt or touch them. And, of course, that all changes when the Rangers drag the battle into the ninth inning. Before Rita fights her final fight, she is actually in a very good mood. She actually appears to be going to get her baby to celebrate. Now, there is a bit of misdirection using Squatt as a red-herring, but it becomes pretty obvious that Rita is talking about a child after a while. Who else could it be? The whole scene is tragic for both the death of Tommy Oliver and Rita Repulsa, two of the cornerstones of Might Morphin' Power Rangers universe—arguably the most iconic Power Ranger and Power Rangers villain, respectively. The reactions of the characters, especially Kimberly and Zedd, are priceless. They're heartwrenching! This book also has one of the biggest twists we've ever read in a book! And we've read HUNDREDS of books! This might be the biggest. We were not expecting the Trini-looking girl from the last book (Selena) to turn out to be evil. We definitely did not expect her to turn out to be the daughter of Rita and Zedd! And her character—from top to bottom—is fantastic! She looks menacing, like a younger hybrid between her mother and father. However, there's definitely vulnerability to her. Even Kimberly gets the jump on her and gets a hit in, probably using her Power Rangers/fighting instincts. It is clear that Selena, despite her powers and lineage, is vulnerable in more ways than one. First of all, she's young. Second of all, she seems to believe a lie (that Rita saved her), meaning that she's impressionable. Third, she was seemingly raised by humans, discovered by Bulk & Skull while they were police officers. By the way, that was cool to see! So, despite her evil lineage, there's still humanity in Selena and, thus, hope for her. Maybe she can be redeemed! It is so awesome to have a villain who is conflicted. It reminds us of Darth Vader from Star Wars or Astronema from Power Rangers in Space. It is also awesome to have Olivia Hart make her deput as the new green ranger! What a great book! Arguably the best comic/graphic novel to ever come through our contest! Check it out on Amazon! Review of “Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #1)” by Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson7/14/2024  Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Return (Issue #1) is an emotionally gripping homecoming for the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (MMPRs)! It is co-written by Matt Hotson and the original Pink Ranger herself, Amy Jo Johnson! What really elevates this book are the solid illustrations by the talented Nico Leon. Furthermore, Francesco Segala adds a vibrant touch in terms of color. These two did a brilliant job at bringing these timeless characters back to life while also capturing the likenesses of the cast members themselves. In particular, Zack (the Black Ranger) and Billy (the Blue Ranger) look almost exactly the way that actors Walter Jones and David Yost do in real life. By comparison, Amy Jo's character, Kimberly (going by the alias “Emma Phillips”), appears a bit more cartoonish and more like a generic red-haired woman. Her facial features subtly change in different panels. For example, her nose is noticeably shorter/smaller from pages 13-22, then resumes to being longer on page 23, more resembling the actual person. This might be a minor gripe, but it's something we definitely noticed. Amy Jo Johnson was every boy's crush in the 1990s and she genuinely remains one of the most beautiful women alive into the 2020s, so we'd liked to have seen her in a bit more flattering light. At the same time, there's an aspect to the character's appearance which works for the sake of the character and story. Kimberly is clearly a person who has been through and suffered a lot. The character isn't a young, hopeful spring chicken doing handstands and somersaults anymore. She is someone who has lost numerous people she has loved including Tommy, her love, and Trini, her best friend. She is someone who has fought the forces of evil and survived almost daily assaults from the likes of Rita, Zed, Goldar, Putties, and giant monsters. She has been possessed/turned “evil” multiple times by multiple villains. She has almost died numerous times. So, we can understand why the character would appear a bit more downtrodden than the gorgeous actress she's meant to reflect. And that comes with pros and cons. On one hand, Kimberly is a much more serious and brooding character than she ever was before. She exudes an introspective, dark, mysterious aura in contrast to the outgoing, friendly, positive aura she used to have in the series. On the other hand, Kimberly—in all honesty—comes across as a real Debbie Downer or party pooper in this first issue. Her light is all but extinguished. She's constantly irritable, angry, and upset with other characters. One such incident is when Billy & Zack revealed how they've been trying to use their Morphin' grid/Morphin' coin powers for good. Billy was using it for his potentially life-changing research (teleporting food and medical supplies to those in need or teleporting people out of disaster zones). Zack is using it to produce clean energy (presumably to address climate change). Kimberly throws one of several fits or outbursts in this scene, even going so far as to hit the table and get the attention of the waitress and others in the establishment. She has seemingly convinced Billy & Zack to lie about who they are and where the Power Rangers come from. Which begs the ethical question: Should Power Rangers lie? We understand that she's doing these things for good reasons: to protect the secrets of the Rangers so they don't get misused or fall into unscrupulous hands. However, these scenes paint her in a really negative, unlikable light. Keep in mind: Kimberly (the Pink Ranger) is arguably the most beloved Power Rangers character of all time. Really, her only real competition is Tommy, the original Green/White Ranger. That's not to say there haven't been other great Power Rangers characters like Astronema/Karone from In Space, Olympius from Lightspeed Rescue, or Trent from Dino Thunder, but the original Pink Ranger is absolutely ICONIC. Kids of the 90s think about Kimberly a lot like others think about Luke Skywalker, Optimus Prime, or Santa Claus, especially girls who grew up at the time. This is a character who is supposed to inspire hope and optimism. So, similar to Luke Skywalker's portrayal in The Last Jedi, it is extra painful to see her portrayed as being such a depressing, negative, and gloomy person. That is something that bothered us a little bit. Again, we're not invalidating the character's right to mourn for those she has lost and to wrestle with the PTSD she most certainly suffers from. However, there's a way to go about that for a character like Kimberly. For example, think about Vash the Stampede from the original run of Trigun. The pain, suffering, and loss he experienced was immense, but he buried it behind a facade which overcompensated for the hurt in his heart—overly cheerful, overly happy, overly positive, so much so that it became obvious to those close to him that he was hiding something deep inside. Kimberly in this book is so explicitly grim. She's so... doom and gloom. She's so crushed and defeated. It really is tragic to see such a positive, uplifting character fall into such a pit of despair. And perhaps that's what the creator were going for. It's the ultimate twist to show a character who was once so full of life and hope become someone who seems to be waiting for time to expire. And, you know what? We get it. There have been times in our lives when we've lost our smiles. There have been times in our lives when we didn't want to go out and party, choosing instead to be alone to wallow in suffering in pain. It's part of a process—a grieving, coping, and healing process. The ending of this book introduces us to some hope for Kimberly's character. Perhaps a relative of Trini's can restore her hope and faith in the future? On that note, perhaps the best thing about this entire first issue is the amount of respect paid to the fallen Power Rangers. Seriously! Both Trini and Tommy, whose actors passed away in real life, are given epic tributes throughout this book. In fact, we found ourselves genuinely emotional and teary eyed during several of these scenes. There's a scene in which Billy is talking publicly about Trini's life, accomplishments, and how she touched people, and Kimberly is shown reflecting on the times that she and Trini spent together. That whole panel was probably the best and most beautiful part of the entire book! It helps that those flashbacks are so much brighter and more vibrant than the rest of the book, portraying the characters in their classic overly-bright 90s outfits. That is contrasted with a shot of Kimberly in a much darker panel saying, “I miss you, my friend.” We then immediately transition to Kimberly visiting the grave of none other than Tommy Oliver, the love of her life, leaving a white rose at his grave. His gravestone reads, “His spirit lives on.” Both of these scenes grabbed us by the heartstrings. One thing that we're still wrestling with is what's going on with Jason. Apparently, Jason was a firefighter who underwent a deep trauma of his own. He became trapped in his Red Ranger morphed form, apparently becoming a kind of vigilante in that form. We're expecting Issue #2 to expand on this a bit more. UPDATE: So, apparently some of us less cultured judges misunderstood the panels about Jason. One of our nerdier judges pointed that out today. Apparently, Jason isn't permanently trapped in his morphed form, it's more so like he became addicted to using the Morphin' powers to do good, probably to fight terrorists and gangsters or something. What actually happened was a mysterious cloaked figure attacked him and took his Morphin' coin, which will likely play out and be explained in the next issue. Who is this mysterious figure and why did they want Jason's Morphin' coin? Our biggest gripe with this first issue is that it FLIES. It actually almost feels rushed. Furthermore, exacerbating this feeling, about 75-80% of seems like exposition. In other words, there's A LOT of explaining in this book. Most of it is all crammed into one diner scene. So, in all honesty, we came away from this issue thinking, Is that all? Really? It wouldn't be half bad if there wasn't already a 30th Anniversary Comic Special serving as a prelude to all of this, explaining a lot of what's going on. It's almost like having a prologue, then explaining the prologue in chapter 1. Then, why have a prologue? Another feeling we had was: Haven't we been here and done this already? How many more times can you retcon the same story? Just last year (in 2023), we got Power Rangers: Once and Always on Netflix, which we have mixed feelings about, and which this seems to mirror a lot. We also got the Power Rangers movie in 2017. As much as we love Power Rangers, we were really hoping for something new, fresh, and different as opposed to the same ole' same ole'. Like, Rita Repulsa herself has been done to death. The poor lady was already redeemed in Countdown to Destruction, yet we had to see her continuing to be evil in Once and Always and on planet Nibyro in Power Rangers Dino Fury. UPDATE: After reading some of the other issues, our concerns above were addressed and we were genuinely elated by the surprises in this series! Lastly, we wanted to mention a few of the beautiful nods and homages to the original series we noticed. There are so many, but here are a few: - Bulk and Skull make cameos near the beginning of the book. Well, actually, it almost appears as if Bulk is here reflecting on his time hanging out with Skull. So, like... is Skull... dead? Or did he just move on from Angel Grove? The last we remember, Bulk & Skull (of all people) led the human revolt when Dark Specter's armies under Astronema tried to force humanity to submit to their rule in Countdown to Destruction. We don't remember Skull dying. Maybe we're reading too much into that panel. UPDATE: One of our nerdier judges pointed out that the character we thought was an older Bulk is actually an older Ernie, the owner of the restaurant that the characters frequented in the original series. Apparently, his actor, Richard Genelle, had actually passed away, so it is touching to see a third OG of the series receive a tribute here. UPDATE: One of our nerdier judges pointed out that Countdown to Destruction probably didn't happen in this universe because it's an alternate retelling and alternate version of what happened at the end of the Zordon Saga. - Kimberly still appears to wear the half-heart locket necklace that Tommy gave her in White Light, Part II - Selena appears to be the spitting image of Trini. It's almost chilling how similar they look! - The head of Alpha 5 can be seen on Billy's desk with a rose left there as tribute. We are super excited for issue #2! Check this out on Amazon!  Score: 91/100 (9.1 out of 10)
Remember Me: Loved and Lost But Never Forgotten is an incredibly touching, emotionally-charged book by Rachel Vogel. The book reflects on the inspiration, experiences, and lessons that the author gained from her late mother. This book leaves no question that she left an undeniable impact on her life. This book also contains the reflections of Kevin (the father of Rachel's child) in regard to his mother, Diane. This is a very personal and sentimental book. However, if you're expecting this book to be all doom, gloom, mourning, and sadness, then you'd fortunately be mistaken! This book is full of light, life, joy, and even humor. This is such a humorous—if not hilarious—book at times! Think back to some of the wild and wacky things that you and your parents got yourselves into. Think back to all the strange, funny, inappropriate, and out-of-place things they may have said. It's like what Dr. Scott Flagg said in Real Psychology: humor is a way of perspective shifting. Perspective shifting, in turn, is one of the key necessities in life. In a manner of speaking, Vogel's mother was/is quite a character in this book! She was the author's “wingwoman”--their helper, their supporter, their “biggest defender.” She was also spunky and a bit sassy! There were even times when she was a bit raunchy and flirtatious, which we found very amusing and entertaining, particularly when it came to the ski instructor whom Bandit (the star raccoon in Vogel's children's book series) is based on. So, what are some of these wild, wacky, and fun memories the author has of her mother? Well, surprisingly, a lot of them have to do—of all things—with bovines (cow-like animals)! There's one story in which the mother gets all frazzled and a bit hysterical over an apparent stampede of cows that also left manure all over the driveway. To be fair, we all would've been a bit frazzled and a bit hysterical. But the way that the mother expresses herself is so funny and entertaining! Likewise, there's a scene in this book involving a bull-like animal called a watusi at a petting zoo in which the creature seems to get pretty upset and angry about the family turning their attention to feed a nearby reindeer. Now, this is probably the tensest and even scariest scene in the book, but the mother quickly diffuses and makes light of the situation with the hilarious way she interprets it! There's another adorable, hilarious story in which the author collects frogs, one of her mother's greatest fears, because of misinterpreting what someone said. This leads to some hilarious shenanigans! This is a book, along the lines of Are You Ready? by Dr. Kimberly Harms, about legacies and memories—the things we leave behind for those we love (and the things they leave behind for us). It's also about reflecting on the past while carrying on into the future. There's actually a section at the end of this book in which you can actually write different notes, letters, and reflections based on the prompts. That's right: this book invites YOU, the reader, to reflect and think about your loved one. We appreciate that. One of our favorite passages from this book reads: “Beyond all else, hold family close and love them dearly. Do not let a night go by without saying (and meaning) 'I love you.' Resolve any quarrels and do not let them linger. Remember the most important thing in life is love. Love without limit as I love you, forever and always, in life and beyond.” If that doesn't give you the feels, we don't know what will. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
You never know when you might meet your next best friend! Sometimes, one kind, altruistic act can turn into a lifetime of happiness and experiences! The 3 Bulls is a heartwarming, cheerful, and positive story about friendship! Darius is the new kid in town. Like a fish out of water, he is unfamiliar with the new surroundings and environment. Aside from the immediate family that made the trip with him, he is friendless, fatherless, and lonely. He visits a playground and sits alone on a “Buddy” bench. Some of the kids consider what to make of him (and what to do about him). Two of the boys, Liam and Noah (likely named after the author's real-life children), decide to go up to Darius and offer to be friends! Although a bit predictable and what you'd expect in a children's book, it's nonetheless a beautiful and precious moment! It's the way that we'd all want our children to treat other people, especially people who are feeling sad, lost, and/or lonely. What's incredible is that this little act of kindness blossoms into a lifelong friendship for all three of them! They call themselves the “Three Bulls” as they all want to play for the Bulls someday. Now, at first we thought this meant the Chicago Bulls NBA team, but this turned out to be the local high school team. According to newspaper cutouts, it appears they did get to live their dreams of playing for the Bulls together! While basketball is a big part of their activities as friends, they also do other things together like eating, kayaking, playing Frisbee with a dog, triple-dating to prom, and going to the beach. As they get older, they graduate together, get married, play golf, have picnics and barbecues, and—as older men—even go fishing together. What started off as a simple, straightforward children's story about friendship becomes something much deeper and more profound. We have to give props to the book's illustrator, Anthony Richichi, our previous Artist of the Year. This is one of his best jobs so far, particularly portraying people. Two panels/pages especially impressed us: The collection of photographs on page 15 and the collage on page 19. WOW! The amount of effort that must have took can't be understated! And those two pages accomplished so much in showing the passage of time, the numerous different experiences the three friends had, and the depth of their bond. Congratulations to Sean Martin and Anthony Richichi in achieving all of that! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
Briefly Speaking is, quite frankly, the best book on public speaking and presenting that we've ever read! This outstanding book—which is a compilation of three smaller books—is the result of a monumental team effort by co-authors Deborah Shames and David Booth. It is an indispensable guide for anyone looking to elevate their public speaking and presentation skills. The authors, both seasoned communication coaches, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, offering readers a comprehensive road map to crafting and delivering impactful presentations. This book stands out not only for its practical tips but also for its emphasis on authenticity and creativity, making it a valuable resource for speakers at any level. There are so many things about this book that we like that it would probably make this a ten-page review! Keeping it simple... Probably our favorite aspect of this book is how it's able to use the case examples of successful celebrities, actors, athletes, coaches, and others to teach certain points. Here are a few of our favorite examples: The authors tell us that the late, great Kobe Bryant was a very intellectually curious person who didn't just want to succeed, but wanted to know how and why he succeeded. He wanted to know how and why things worked (or didn't work). For example, he couldn't quite figure out why his fadeaway jumper wasn't as effective as he hoped it would be (as he often missed shots with it). However, upon watching a cheetah running on the Discovery Channel, he realized that the cheetah used its tail for balance and almost like an anchor from being pulled out of place and ruining its trajectory. In other words, its tail kept it from wasting movement and moment while facilitating its balance during a movement. He was able to use that knowledge to improve his fadeaway jumper, beginning to straighten one leg like a cheetah's tail. He started to be more effective at it, scoring more baskets. This also teaches us that sometimes we have to change our perspective and view things from a different angle. One of the big takeaways from this book (that goes along with what we were talking about in terms of Kobe) is that we should record ourselves and analyze what we've done. We should be asking ourselves what worked and what didn't. We should be asking ourselves how we can improve. On that note, the book also talks about LA Rams star wide-receiver Cooper Kupp and how he transformed a tennis court on his estate into a laboratory for athletic performance using sensors, recording devices, and other technologies—all with the aim of analyzing, improving, and maximizing his athletic performance. One of the things he learned from it is that he didn't reach top speed until he was already 25 yards into a sprint, making him more effective in moderate to mid-range route running. He was able to use this knowledge to win a Super Bowl and even be the game's MVP despite his relatively small size and unassuming build and stature. The book also uses the late, great Raiders coach, John Madden, as an example of being genuine and using your natural charisma to be a effective speaker, presenter, and personality. Despite being described as looking like an “unkept bed”—being overweight, talking a bit strangely, and being a bit sloppy in appearance—he was apologetically and unashamedly himself, something that resonated with his players and millions of other people. Similarly, the book uses examples of actors/actresses like Robin Williams, Denise Gough, Dustin Hoffman, Michelle Williams, and Christine Baranski to show how they were able to overcome different fears, anxieties and challenges of performing in front of people, largely by being authentic, genuine, and motivated. Remind yourself that the thing that you're talking about (and trying to accomplish) is bigger and more important than any fears or anxieties you may have. Speaking of fears and anxieties, the book acknowledges that the majority of people (about 90%) have some stage fright or fear of public speaking. One book we read in the past said that more people are afraid of public speaking than ghosts, heights, spiders, snakes, and even death! What's amazing is the authors kinda come at this problem in a unique and interesting way (at least as we interpreted it): SO WHAT?! If everyone is afraid of this one thing, then the playing field is level and equal. It's what you are going to do about it that matters. The authors seem to have a similar tough-loving attitude toward PowerPoint and PowerPoint presentations, outright saying: “If PowerPoint isn't necessary, don't use it.” PowerPoint shouldn't be a crutch to make up for poor speaking/presenting abilities. Be minimalistic about it. Don't make your presentation all about the PowerPoint and overload it with slides, images, and information. The presentation should be about you and the topic you're talking about, not about a program that we were all arbitrarily told we had to learn when we were in sixth grade. The authors emphasize PREPARATION and have some great examples. One of our favorite examples regards the legendary Bob Ross, an infectious TV personality who made 30,000 works of art, some of which were made live and on-screen on public television. He made it look so smooth, easy, and effortless! However, did you know that he did a lot of practice and preparation beforehand? He would actually paint a version of what he intended to paint on TV and use it as an off-screen reference. We didn't know that! You also need to prepare for when things go wrong or not according to plan. Expect the unexpected. It's essentially Murphy's Law. And how do you account for Murphy's Law according to the authors? Well, you prep like a SEAL! Now, when we first read that, we humorously thought the author was going to talk about how aquarium workers teach the marine mammals how to do flips, turns, hand-stands, and other tricks. No, the authors actually meant NAVY SEALS. Oh, gosh, we had a facepalm moment there. Sorry. Anyway, the Navy Seals run through a ton of inopportune scenarios and practice trying to overcome/survive them. Maybe your gun got wet and doesn't fire. Maybe your harness got caught on the outside of a vehicle. Maybe your goggles have a leak in them. Maybe one shoe got snagged in a gap and had to be pulled off and left behind. Things like that. Well, unexpected and inconvenient things happen when you're speaking/presenting too. Sometimes your partner doesn't show up. Sometimes the computer crashes or the PowerPoint freezes. Sometimes you simply forget what you were going to say or get lost in the middle. You need to be prepared with contingency plans and ask yourself what you should do in scenarios like that. Practice, practice, practice. Drill, drill, drill. Another major takeaway we got from this book is that you should be brief and concise. It's the economy of language. People have a shorter attention span than you might imagine, and they can/will start to resent you if you start going overtime. The authors use the example of how jurors can turn against a lawyer and their side of the case simply because they talk too much and come across as inconsiderate, boring, and annoying. People also tend to forget or miss more information if a presentation is too long due to things like the recency effect. Our absolute favorite example of brevity in this book is that of historian and biographer Joseph Persico. Persico had written the sizable biographies of Colin Powell, the Roosevelts, and the Rockefellers. However, he said that his most difficult writing challenge was writing the dedication that would be inscribed in granite at the entrance of the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.. He decided on just seven powerful words: “Here we mark the price of freedom.” With that, he was able to say more than a 100,000 words could. Another great example of brevity is that of Roman speakers and their recommendations on the oratory craft. They believed in the idea of 'Omne trium perfectum,' or that 'Everything that comes in threes is perfect.” Thomas Jefferson understood this when he listed “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as the cornerstone of the Declaration of Independence. Well, how about that? There's an interesting little tidbit in this book about treating oration like keeping a souffle from falling. You don't want to be too rough and forceful while handling a souffle. You have to be careful and treat it delicately. You need to use both finesse and attention. If you speak too fast (like you're blowing your words out of a machine gun) or too forcefully (like you're blowing them out of a cannon), you're going to come across as preachy, didactic, and pushy. That's actually something we experienced while reading some of the books in this contest like the Angelica Wang books or even The Darkest Side of the Moon by M.C. Ryder. Those were still good books, but the language in them sounded insistent or even demanding. People don't like being told what to do. Instead of demanding that people do something or think a certain way, how about inviting them? People are more likely to do something if they can choose it willingly. On that note, there's a passage in this book that we really liked: “Don't use adjectives that tell us how you want us to feel about something. So, rather than 'terrible,' describe what will make us feel terrified.” This really resonated with us because we've read a few books in this contest that really seemed to be pushing a narrative or message in an in-your-face sorta way. It's better to let your audience's minds work for themselves and let them decide. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)
Did you know that the human brain makes up only 2% of our body-weight and yet uses 20% of our total energy? Imagine the untapped potential of the human brain! Real Psychology is a well-researched, well-structured, and superbly-written psychology and self-help book by Dr. Scott Flagg! Real Psychology goes beyond being the scholarly textbook you might expect it to be, becoming much more personal and outside-the-box than you might expect. We'd almost dare to say that it ventures a bit outside the realm of normal psychology, exploring almost a spiritual or metaphysical view of how the mind works (hey, we did say this was a bit outside-the-box), possibly stemming from his interest in Buddhist and Taoist concepts like meditation and mindfulness. These practices play deeply into this book. Indeed, Dr. Flagg, the former director of the American Institute of Parapsychology and the author of Xenopsychology, has some ideas and concepts that challenge the establishment and push the boundaries a bit. However, it is still a book written by reputable, reliable, and time-tested source with Dr. Flagg having a rich and deep well of experience including with VA hospitals and correctional facilities. So, like Dr. Michio Kaku—a theoretical physicist known for his bold claims—Dr. Flagg is definitely someone worth hearing out. Dr. Flagg champions several concepts including the aforementioned mindfulness and meditation. It also discusses key ideas like balancing one's emotions and thoughts, rationality, emotional moderation and decoupling, internalizing and externalizing, and discernment. It also explores concepts like the “parental blueprint” that can either help or hinder a person's growth. A person, according to this book, can follow a parent's example or reject and deviate from it. This really got us thinking about how important it is to set a good example for your children. So many of the memoirs we read include the victims of childhood abuse and neglect, often scarring individuals long after the fact. Flagg also talks about the “Big Five” or his “OCEAN model”: Openness Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism There's also the idea of the “Three Treasures”: Essence (“Jing”) Energy (“Qi”) Spirit (“Shen”) See, we said this book got a bit spiritual and metaphysical! We weren't just making it up. There are also the “Three Jewels” of Taoism: Compassion Moderation Humility And the “Three Necessities”: Honesty Perspective Shifting Willingness to Live One of our favorite tidbits from the “Three Necessities” is Flagg's discussion of humor as a part (or reflection) of perspective shifting. When you really think about it, that really makes sense. Humor serves to dampen the harshness or negativity of an emotion or scenario. Humor can diffuse or make sense of a situation that seems violent, scary, or uncomfortable. Think about Halloween, for example. During Halloween, we dress up in scary costumes, but we do it almost playfully or mockingly, as if to thumb our noses at our fears. This is an example showing our understanding of perspective shifting as described in the book. Flagg is a leader by example and emphasizes how therapists and psychologists should be practicing what they preach and walking the talk. He reminds readers that he actually uses techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and discernment in his own life as well as in his practice. Really, the highlight of this entire book is the writing. Flagg is able to take seemingly mundane concepts like mindfulness (that we've read about a hundred times before) and make them sound so beautiful and epic. Here are some of our favorite lines: “It is in the soil of understanding, the water of communication, and the sunlight of mutual respect that our own potential truly nourishes, transforming individual challenges into a shared journey of evolution.” “This journey is also shaped by the cultural and social rivers in which we swim.” Another thing we really appreciated was Flagg's concept of “dynamic energy.” Our interpretation of dynamic energy is that your body and the universe have a natural propensity or inclination to rise to the occasion. You might feel tired, beaten down, and exhausted, but you'd be shocked and surprised by what you can still accomplish with the amount of energy your body is capable of drawing from! Lastly, we really loved the cover. It's a nominee for “Best Cover!” Check it out on Amazon! |
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