John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Crucial life lessons and empowering personal affirmations for young children overflow on the vibrant pages of What I Tell Myself First by author Michael A. Brown, with illustrations by Zoe Ranucci. Unlike many other motivational books directed at younger readers, this book addresses both the good and the bad, presenting realistic, optimistic, and self-driving ideas that can help to shape developing minds. Beautifully illustrated with a clear vision of childhood challenges, What I Tell Myself First is an honest and original take on positivity and self-help for youngsters.

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Author G. Michael Madison offers an authentically deep plunge into reservation life in the 1960s and 1970s with his powerful novel The Rez: An American Love Story. The first in a trilogy of books, this is a profound examination of an oft-overlooked culture during a historically tumultuous time. Delicately dissecting the issues of racism, family, ambition and the American Way, The Rez is a humanistic peek into another world. With vivid dialogue and a sincere respect for his three-dimensional characters, Madison has laid the foundation for a deeply affecting series that feels contemporary and relevant.

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Author Tom Schneider transports readers to the violent and inspiring crucible of America in The Storm 1776, capturing the patriotic vigor and sacrifice of the country’s tentative first steps. Told through the humble eyes of a traumatized young boy and his sister trying desperately to find their father, the writing is both heartfelt and historically vivid. Exploring themes of revenge, duty, familial bonds, and persistence in the face of tragedy, The Storm 1776 is a gripping escape that echoes with authenticity.

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Ray Keating’s perennial hero, Pastor Steven Grant, returns with his unique blend of high-octane action and spiritual gravitas in Root of All Evil? As always, Keating’s whip-smart political pen is sharpened with gritty language, dark twists, and a bold plot line that feels both powerful and timely. Beloved side characters from earlier novels return to support the warrior monk in his pursuit of righteous justice, and Pastor Grant continues to expand as a complex protagonist, once again carrying a tangled and thrilling book on his capable shoulders.

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Born of tragedy, anger, and a refusal to surrender, poet Loren Jakobov delivers a timely and powerful collection with Truth is a Woman. Varying widely in both form and subject, and boasting experimental styles, these pieces are a testament to the women who have historically been silenced, and the terrible injustices that persist to this day. Some poems do come across as diatribes in verse, but most of Jakobov’s poetry lands heavily. A tribute to those who have suffered most, this is not a lighthearted collection, but it is torn from the pages of reality, encasing universal messages and painful […]