HOW A MONSTER IS MADE
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A top-notch psychological thriller that explores one family’s journey through alcoholism, child abuse, and mental illness. Lashbrook’s lean style is reminiscent of classic noir crime fiction.
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THE ART OF LOVE (& LOATHING)
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: THE ART OF LOVE (& LOATHING) is a wry, cynical, yet surprisingly touching look at life, creativity, identity, and love through the eyes of a flawed but likeable protagonist.
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RING ON DELI
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: RING ON DELI is a rich, incisive story that vividly illustrates the inequities in the American economy and offers a serious look at those fighting to hold on to what they have and those who join them in the fight. Whether you call it a page-turner, a must-read, or a story you can’t put down at night, RING ON DELI lives up to every enthusiastically positive description about a novel.
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ONCE YOU KNOW
Genre: Women’s Fiction
IR Verdict: Madeleine Van Hecke’s remarkable novel ONCE YOU KNOW asks many insightful questions, continually adding new sober layers to an astonishingly complex and relevant subject.
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THE SECRET OF ROSALITA FLATS
Genre: Humor
IR Verdict: Light and breezy, THE SECRET OF ROSALITA FLATS by Tim W. Jackson is perfect summer reading for anyone who loves diving into a good mystery without, in real life, having (or being able) to get their feet wet.
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DEAR DURWOOD
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: Clint Eastwood fans will gobble up DEAR DURWOOD, an action-thriller with a modern-day Western feel and cool, collected, and highly capable, Durwood Oak Jones will effortlessly charm readers with his rough and tumble resourcefulness and plain country manners.
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CHILDREN OF THE MIRACLE
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: CHILDREN OF THE MIRACLE by Daniel Weisbeck is a thought-provoking, heart-palpitating dystopian adventure into the possible consequences of genetically modified human beings.
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VANWEST THE PAST
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Kenneth Thomas’s VANWEST: THE PAST merges imaginative technology with electric action and a subtle message about technology’s effects on the climate, rising above its use of stereotypical characters to offer an exhilarating, action-packed science fiction adventure.
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POLK GULCH
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Reading, at points, like an alcohol-fueled dream, POLK GULCH by Andrew Bardin Williams is a colorful, meandering look at what it means to make a beautiful life with someone, only to have that song end.
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DAISY HAS AUTISM
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Marvelously crafted, informative, insightful, enraging, heartwarming, and at times even humorous, DAISY HAS AUTISM by Aaron J. Wright is a book that shouldn’t be missed, especially by those who have raised, or are raising, children on the autism spectrum.
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STREET OF STORYTELLERS
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Nuanced perspectives and historical context surrounding Pakistani culture add depth to the coming-of-age story at the heart of STREET OF STORYTELLERS. Author Doug Wilhelm particularly excels at immersing readers in the vibrant and chaotic streets of Old Peshawar through rich, sensory details.
DOES LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE?
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Breezily self-depreciating and dripping with irony, the humorous chick lit novel DOES LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE? by Regina Price is a wonderful take-me-away antidote to modern-day stress.
KISSING DAISY PARKER
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Michael Milton’s KISSING DAISY PARKER is smart, sad, and silly. This charming, poignant coming-of-age story depicts awkward shames and triumphant joys of adolescence in all of their hormone-fueled glory.
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KALIKO ON THE SHOALS
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Quality wordcraft, poetic imagery and incredible insight into the LGBT experience make KALIKO ON THE SHOALS a worthwhile read.
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THE LUCK OF MADONNA 13
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: A coming-of-age adventure set in the distant future, E. T. Ellison’s THE LUCK OF MADONNA 13 opens a journey of discovery into an inventive, multi-faceted realm, with strong characters, a rapid pace, and memorable inventiveness.
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GATES
Genre: Poetry
IR Verdict: GATES is Jay Green’s vibrant and eclectic debut poetry collection, but there’s no trace of rookie status here. This is an accomplished body of work that marches along with passion and rhythm, startles and delights with its rich collection of distinctive and powerful pieces, and marks Green out as a talent and a voice well worth following.
THE DEADLY CROCUS
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: A whimsical fantasy with surprisingly dark undercurrents, E.T. Ellison’s THE DEADLY CROCUS throws its orange-haired heroine into a whirlwind of lively adventure, bizarre situations, and nonstop action
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THE EQ INTERVENTION
Genres: Parenting, Psycology
IR Verdict: THE EQ INTERVENTION by Dr. Adam L. Saenz offers a clear, rational explanation of the concept of emotional intelligence, aimed primarily at teachers but useful for anyone, along with simple but useful tools for measurement, understanding, and emotional self-regulation, told in an engaging and accessible style.
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REMEMBERING SHANGHAI
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: REMEMBERING SHANGHAI: A Memoir of Socialites, Scholars and Scoundrels is the fascinating tale of a long gone way of life, as well as an emotional and historical journey.
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THE BENEVOLENT LORDS OF SOMETIMES ISLAND
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: THE BENEVOLENT LORDS OF SOMETIMES ISLAND is a fantastic coming-of-age thriller that puts a positive spin on troubled adolescence.
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