John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A coming-of-age thriller packed with shadowy conspiracies and unburied legacies, Jordan Frost and the Awakening by J.A. Simmons is a YA adventure of slow-burning revenge and powerful self-discovery. Jordan, an orphan, has never met his parents, but after being swept into The Desert by a mysterious woman to avoid a malicious killer, he discovers the unbelievable truth of his ancestral origins. Quickly mastering the rigorous Ways of a secret warrior society, Jordan taps into a power he didn’t know existed to find the redemption he didn’t know he deserved. While the fast-moving story is undeniably exciting, the text requires a […]

A patriotic and passionate ode to citizenship as an idea and a state of being, Citizen Can: Just a Concerned Person Who Believes We Can Attain a Higher Level of Mutual Existence by John L. Hurlbut is a timely reflection on responsibility to ourselves, each other, and the nations we call home. A memoir, political primer, and self-help manual all rolled into one, the prose is philosophical but accessible, peppered with powerful quotes from great leaders and thinkers of past and present. Exploring societal dynamics, tribalism, and the contemporary landscape of immigration, citizenship, and national loyalty, Hurlbut makes a compelling […]

Designed to help higher learning institutions and educators increase retention and graduation rates among college students, Real Outreach: A Practical Guide to Retaining and Graduating College Students by Ezella McPherson, Ph.D. proposes a proven model to more deeply engage with young people and enhance academic outcomes. Supported by her lived experience as a collegiate student of color and her many years in academic advisory positions, this book offers actionable information on how best to help students succeed, beyond helping them pick classes and balance their schedules. From mentoring programs and novel technologies to supporting student organizations and facilitating networking opportunities, […]

A harrowing and heart-opening tale of resilience, Should’ve Been Dead: Lessons from a Crack Addict Who Broke Free by Sweta Patel with Rory Londer delves into the psychology of addiction, the unexpected triggers that overtake self-control, and the journeys of healing and reinvention that can pull us back from the brink. Rory Londer spent nearly two decades as a crack addict, but transformed himself into a successful entrepreneur and a compelling public speaker, determined to share his hardest lessons after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Reminding readers that they too can transcend the greatest challenges of their lives, this gripping memoir […]