A SINGLES CINDERELLA STORY
Genre: Chick-Lit
IR Verdict: A SINGLES CINDERELLA STORY effectively combines a lighthearted dating narrative with actionable strategies for initiating grounded and communicative romantic relationships, making for both a fun and introspective read.
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SAMSON: THE WRATH OF GOD
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: W.K. Leslie’s SAMSON: THE WRATH OF GOD is hated by many–from his own father who thinks he’s good for nothing, to most of the nation of Philistia. He’s a Hebrew rebel, whoremonger and destroyer and the hero of this gripping, forceful story of Biblical proportions.
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TOKYO TRAFFIC
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A high-energy thriller set in the gruesome world of human trafficking and child pornography, Michael Pronko’s TOKYO TRAFFIC keeps the adrenaline pumping until the very end.
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MONDAY MORNING MILLIONAIRE
Genre: Finance
IR Verdict: Milan Somborac learned many painful lessons at the hands of those wanting to relieve him of his money rather than help him grow it, but all valuable education comes at a cost, and with the author’s succinct financial primer MONDAY MORNING MILLIONAIRE, readers get access to a wealth of pecuniary wisdom for the price of a book.
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WALTZ IN SWING TIME
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: Visually lush and emotionally stirring, Jill Caugherty’s WALTZ IN SWING TIME takes the reader on a journey into the bittersweet past of passionate, talented Irene Larsen, a girl who comes of age during the Great Depression and manages to survive it by her wits.
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THE HIDING GIRL
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: The story that author Dorian Box has created for Emily Calby is nothing short of thrilling, but it’s THE HIDING GIRL’s masterful interplay of character, setting, and theme, along with its fast-pace and high emotional stakes that makes it a real page-turner.
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THE DARKEST OF GAMES
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: With engaging characters, a complex yet competent storyline and a writing style which captures the urgency of the narrative, Lawrence Ricketts has created nothing short of a top-notch thriller.
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THE INSURMOUNTABLE EDGE
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: THE INSURMOUNTABLE EDGE (Book One) is an on-point action thriller with a wisecracking antihero that will win over fans of Tom Clancy, Jeffrey Deaver and Robert Ludlum. PTSD makes for an unreliable narrator and a wild — at times surreal — ride in this military who-done-it.
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THE ULTRA BETRAYAL
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Glenn Dyer’s THE ULTRA BETRAYAL is a historically-accurate, action-packed World War II spy thriller with enough daring adventure and carefully-prepared plot twists to keep the reader avidly turning pages until the final conclusion.
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MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF SUCCESSFUL CEOS
Genre: Business
IR Verdict: MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF SUCCESSFUL CEOS by psychological consultant James P. Armatas contains a wealth of information for readers interested in any aspect of business culture, practice, and history.
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MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE by David Hartshorn is a beautifully written and heartfelt novel of love and loss, home and family, that will leave readers reflecting on their own lives and relationships.
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LEVIES OF DEVOTION
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Matthew Taylor’s prose may sometimes come off as needlessly overwritten, but there’s no denying the epic sweep of LEVIES OF DEVOTION, a love story that will capture reader’s attention as it weaves a tale spanning two continents, three generations, and five decades.
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DAK ACKERTHEFIFTH AND THE ETHICS OF HEROISM
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: By turns boisterously comic and searchingly poignant, Joshua S Joseph’s inventive novel, DAK ACKERTHEFIFTH AND THE ETHICS OF HEROISM, features vivid characters, effective pacing, and a protagonist who, in telling the story of his life, must rethink the overarching narrative of heroism he has used as a template for interpreting his own actions and experiences.
A BAGFUL OF KITTENS HEADED TO THE LAKE
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Each essay in A BAGFUL OF KITTENS HEADED TO THE LAKE serves as a snapshot of Betty’s bond with her father, and how his limited days re-contextualizes her memories of him. Some pieces are brief, some are long, but all are a painfully honest glimpse into the onslaught of emotions that come with caring for an ill parent.
ANNA’S DANCE: A Balkan Odyssey
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: ANNA’S DANCE is a tender, evocative account of a young woman’s reckoning with her past and the intergenerational trauma of the Holocaust set in the smoldering context of Eastern European political intrigue in the 1960s — an informative, beautiful, and romantic odyssey of self-discovery.
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PIRATE RADIO
Genre: LGBTQ
IR Verdict: PIRATE RADIO by Merms is an incredibly good book–a humorous, touching, multilayered love story that aspires to shine light upon improving the world.
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SINAI UNHINGED
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: SINAI UNHINGED is a perfectly-paced thriller that balances gripping action and strong emotional stakes with thought-provoking questions about the very fabric of the universe.
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MEET DUKE AND BRODY!
Genre: Children’s (Early to Intermediate Readers)
IR Verdict: After a rocky start, two dogs overcome their differences and soon become inseparable in Melody A. Cooper’s charming and beautifully illustrated tale of doggy friendship in MEET DUKE AND BRODY!
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THE CODE
Genre: Popular Fiction
IR Verdict: THE CODE is a well-crafted, intelligent and timely social satire about America’s ability to elevate, transform and digest the celebrity heroes it creates and is well worth a read.
TAKING TIME
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Character-driven though somewhat light on world-building, TAKING TIME handily navigates the corporate, ethical, and practical ripple effects of time travel without skimping on entertainment.
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REGAINING PARADISE
Genre: Inspirational/Spiritual
IR Verdict: Declaring human beings are born with an innate sense of justice and inherent ideals, author Paul Corson takes a philosophical, metaphysical, quasi-scientific look at how civilization might go about evolving towards learning to fashion a better world in the layered REGAINING PARADISE: Forming a New Worldview, Knowing God, and Journeying into Eternity.
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MY TRAVELS WITH A DEAD MAN
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: Steve Searls’ MY TRAVELS WITH A DEAD MAN is a compulsive page-turner that contains elements of romance, tragedy, adventure, journeys through space and time, terror, mysticism, and meditation. It’s a high-octane, multilayered odyssey that is perfect for readers looking for a little bit of everything.
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CENTRAL CITY
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: With its intricate plot and delicious, film noir-ish prose, CENTRAL CITY is an engrossing murder mystery helmed by two familiar yet originally drawn characters: the hard-boiled detective and the world-weary antihero, straight out of the best of pulp fiction.
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THE SUBSTANCE OF ALL THINGS
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: THE SUBSTANCE OF ALL THINGS by Sam Harris is a fine debut novel and a rapid read with strong characters and insights into the therapeutic process.
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