John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A shocking and multi-layered thriller, Perilous Last-Minute Christmas Shopping by Annie de Muynck is an unpredictable tale of terror, freedom, perseverance, and the occasional horror of the holidays. Written with a matter-of-fact, methodical tone that still pumps suspense into every scene, the plot moves quickly, giving readers a relentless ride through one woman’s seemingly endless nightmare. The dialogue is snappy and keeps the pace moving, although more emotion in the relationships and interactions could give the story more appeal. Despite the choppy writing and largely procedural narration, this is an expansive and spine-chilling read, and a perfect guilty pleasure for […]

A colorful, inspiring and heartwarming children’s book, Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! by Michael A. Brown is a treasure trove of wisdom for young children. From their very first lessons in life to more abstract ideas of self-esteem and joy, parents provide critical support for a child’s view of the world. Exquisitely illustrated by Zoe Ranucci, this vivid storybook touches on some of the countless opportunities for learning and growth that parents can share as their children grow. The simple language makes this a great starter book for early readers, while the images make it a stimulating experience, regardless of […]

An inspiring and authentic autobiography, Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness, and Love by Justin and Alexis Black tells a compelling story of resilience, lifelong healing, and overcoming unlikely odds. This deeply personal memoir details the journey of a powerful partnership, both as individuals and as a couple, to overcome childhood trauma, abandonment, mental health struggles, and societal opposition to reach a place of love and trust. Written with raw emotion and brutal honesty, the message is further backed up with hard data and stunning statistics, presented with analytical authority that understands how […]

With a scathing tongue firmly planted in his cheek, author W.D. County launches a new satirical salvo with SAMMI and the President. The hyper-intelligent, almost-human android SAMMI (Tom) is back in another adventure, this time to foil a sinister Russian plot involving a “presidential” robot of their own. The linguistic puns and real-time social commentary is relentless and timely, but some of the laughter feels forced, given the unstable global position in which America finds itself today. Within the occasionally heavy-handed humor, there is an exciting adventure plot, which gives this potentially heavy book some uplifting energy. Though some […]