BAKAASUR
Genre: Children’s (Early to intermediate readers)
IR Verdict: BAKAASUR is a fun picture book that could be read to younger children or simply enjoyed by older readers. Author and artist Deven Jatkar uses a classic character from Hindu mythology as a basis for a contemporary story, introducing elements of Indian culture and family life to all readers.
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AMERICAN FAUST
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: AMERICAN FAUST is a timeless cautionary tale that poses complex questions to which there are no simple answers. It is a worthwhile read, not least because it implicitly invites readers to ask uncomfortable questions of themselves.
GIANT OF THE VALLEY
Genre: Popular Fiction
IR Verdict: With GIANT OF THE VALLEY and THE WITNESS, author Harry Groome has succeeded in crafting two thoroughly enjoyable novellas of very high caliber that show how two elderly patriarchs react to change by reflecting on their pasts and how each make very different decisions on their futures.
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THERE’S NO BASKETBALL ON MARS
Genres: Young Adult
IR Verdict: In THERE’S NO BASKETBALL ON MARS, Craig Leener presents an autistic boy’s search for fulfillment and the resultant reinvention of the self. With the striking chaos of the external world reflecting Lawrence’s anxieties, the novel serves as a superb lesson in how to draw sensation from the reader, and leave him all the richer for it.
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‘OUT HERE IN THE STARS
Genres: Memoir
IR Verdict: Author JL Homan reveals his trials and tribulations as a member of the LGBTQ community in ‘OUT HERE IN THE STARS, reflecting on challenges and self-discovery in an approachable, authentic style that will give inspiration to others in similar situations.
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THE MUSIC STALKER
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Author Bruce J. Berger demonstrates his exceptional storytelling skills in THE MUSIC STALKER where a young classical pianist must confront real and perceived villainous influences to determine her fate. Memorable characters and strong dramatic content make this a novel worth reading.
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DARIA’S SECRETS
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: At turns tender and intense and anchored by nuanced characters and detailed settings, DARIA’S SECRETS is a reflective literary novel that explores the impacts of generational trauma and how therapy can help heal those wounds.
DREAM PHAZE – Imagination
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Matt Watters uses captivating dialogue to explore the near-future moral complexities of anonymity, privacy, and censorship in this theme-driven science fiction novel.
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EVOLUTION CONTINUES
Genre: Business
IR Verdict: William Meisel’s EVOLUTION CONTINUES: A Human-Computer Partnership, presents an optimistic view of the role of computers in humanity’s future and is a refreshing change from the doomsday scenarios typically pushed by media and popular culture.
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LEAVES IN THE WIND (HOJAS AL VIENTO)
Genre: Biography
IR Verdict: Ricardo Suárez-Gärtner’s LEAVES IN THE WIND (HOJAS AL VIENTO) is an intriguing, unique journey through the author’s lineage, using brief stories and two languages to concoct a timeline that is easy to follow while incorporating the beauty and color of several other cultures.
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WITHIN
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: Peter Gribble’s thoughtfully-constructed world-building in WITHIN (book 2 of his “The City of the Magicians” series) results in a fictional fantasy universe readers can almost taste and smell, peopled with characters who are both realistic and surprising.
THE 7TH PRELIGHT
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Part hard science fiction novel, part forensic murder mystery, Brett Mumford’s fascinating THE 7TH PRELIGHT is a truly unique story about alien life and a love of learning for the sake of empathetic understanding.
THE CASE OF ABSENT ANSWERS
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: R.L. Fink’s MICKIE MCKINNEY: Boy Detective, The Case of the Absent Answers is a clever, fast-paced novella introducing a schoolboy private eye and setting the scene for further adventures. Frequently funny and easy to relate to, McKinney is a new character well worth investigating.
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BURNING AND DODGING
Genre: Women’s Fiction
IR Verdict: BURNING AND DODGING, Julie Wittes Schlack’s intoxicating literary novel, uses poignant, conversational dialogue to elevate sophisticated discourse on the nature of truth, whether unbiased or not, in journalism and art.
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DISTORTED PERCEPTION
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Jonathan R. Snowling does an exemplary job at luring readers into the corrupt inner workings of Panamanian politics in DISTORTED PERCEPTION, an intriguing political thriller with a large cast of intense characters, dangerous situations and political intrigue.
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BONES
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: With BONES, Audrey Taylor Gonzalez delivers a rich and poignant Southern narrative in a perfectly-paced, page-turner package—simply superb writing.
AND THEN THERE’S MARGARET
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Carolyn Clarke’s skillful and subtle storytelling in AND THEN THERE’S MARGARET, a playful coming-of (middle)-age novel, navigates a path that is funny without being absurd while creating a relatable narrator who encounters a magnificent little-old-lady menace.
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN SHOELACE
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
IR Verdict: THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN SHOELACE is an exciting story for middle-school readers that plays for laughs more than swashbuckling high seas adventure, with an endearing pirate hero who should have many further escapades ahead.
THE ATROPOS MAKER III
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: With numerous plot twists and surprises THE ATROPOS MAKER III:The Awakening moves the saga of the secret American intelligence network forward and this time out author N.J. Lujan adds in emotional weight alongside the action and adventure.
MUNDANITY
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: With its worthy hero and successful world-building, Jonathan Carreau’s MUNDANITY is a dazzling novel that reflects many of the political tensions in America at this time.
TIEZZI’S BOARD
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Ham Martin’s well-crafted literary novel, TIEZZI’S BOARD, illustrates the importance of social capital and how family and friends–when sharing their experiences and history out loud–can make each other’s lives richer.
LIKE DUST, I RISE
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: One of those books that’s difficult to forget once they’re over, Ginny Rorby’s LIKE DUST, I RISE is an important, unforgettable, soaring tale of perseverance and the necessity of clinging to dreams, even when hope is especially fragile in desperate times.
IN DANGER OF JUDGMENT
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A stunning debut, David Rabin’s IN DANGER OF JUDGMENT is an engrossing page-turner. Shocking twists barrel full-speed into an action-packed and tense crime thriller readers won’t see coming.
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR TREASURE FOUND
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: Exploring one of history’s most enduring mysteries, Bart Rice’s KNIGHTS TEMPLAR TREASURE FOUND is a solid debut from a talented writer and historian.
FAR OUT MAN
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Chuck Snearly’s FAR OUT MAN offers readers an intriguing blend of comedy, commentary, and genre-bending fiction that never fails to entertain.
THIS IS (NOT ABOUT) DAVID BOWIE
Genre: Short Stories
IR Verdict: F. J. Morris’ THIS IS (NOT ABOUT) DAVID BOWIE is a ‘must-read’ collection of thought-provoking flash fiction every bit as evocative as the musical icon who inspired the title.