BEGINNING OF ARROGANCE
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: A fast-paced high fantasy quest in the tradition of Dungeons & Dragons with bloody, action-packed battle sequences aplenty, Bryan Cole’s BEGINNING OF ARROGANCE features solid world building, a strong protagonist, and a spirited cast of familiar fantasy characters.
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AIRPLANE STORIES AND HISTORIES
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: In AIRPLANE STORIES AND HISTORIES, Norman Currey pays homage to the evolution of the aircraft that has influenced both history and its current stretch into the future. Authoritative and profound, the work is nevertheless infused with human sensibilities, giving the wavering form of ingenuity a haunting air.
THE MIRROR MAN
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A complex and intriguing plot, an abundance of action and outstanding characterization make THE MIRROR MAN a compelling read.
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VISIONS OF JOHANNA
Genres: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Peter Sarno’s VISIONS OF JOHANNA is an engaging, mature and compelling debut novel which, though comparatively short, carries great emotional weight.
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IN CIRCLING FLIGHT
Genres: Women’s Fiction
IR Verdict: IN CIRCLING FLIGHT, Jane Harrington’s captivating novel about the initially tenuous but ultimately resilient connections of a few friends in Appalachia, hits every literary and emotional note with skill and purity.
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HELL SPRING
Genre: Horror
IR Verdict: Isaac Thorne creates characters who feel like real people in HELL SPRING and then puts them through the wringer, but doesn’t get much beyond the surface of their suffering in this brisk, well-constructed horror story.
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BE SOMEBODY
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: With BE SOMEBODY (A Dante Jacoby Thriller), Matt Rogers pairs impeccable writing with a highly effective origin story template that makes for a must-read series debut.
LOST IN CHINA: A Memoir of World War II
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Impressively solid in its historical information and skillfully written, Jennifer Dobbs’ LOST IN CHINA: A Memoir of World War II, effectively describes the people and places she encountered growing up with loving and evocative attention.
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STUMBLE AND FALL
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Part traditional crime story, part study in trauma recovery, STUMBLE AND FALL satisfies readers at both levels, offering a portrait of humanity at its best and worst.
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LOVE SNAGGS
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: Playful, humorous, heartbreaking, and fast-paced, Melanie Joy Mezzancello’s LOVE SNAGGS blends adventure with heartfelt sentiment to illustrate the limits to which both a dog and its owners would go in order to stay together.
DAVID MASSEY AND THE HIDDEN UNDERWORLD
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: Featuring an ever-resourceful eighth grader, a temporal warrior who’s the last of his kind, and a healthy dose of time travel, Andrew M. Nehring’s DAVID MASSEY AND THE HIDDEN UNDERWORLD is a fun, action-packed adventure ready-made for a new generation of YA readers.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: DOUBLE INDEMNITY is the third Jo Crowder novel and establishes Richard Zappa as a first class thriller writer and his homicide detective heroine as one to watch.
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AZABU GETAWAY
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: AZABU GETAWAY works as a stand-alone introduction to Detective Hiroshi but new readers will undoubtedly be drawn to the earlier novels in the series as Michael Pronko’s storytelling is gripping with a prose style that is lyrical and intelligent. A very high quality literary thriller.
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TO WHERE YOU ARE
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: A gripping account of love, loss, heartbreak, and perseverance, TO WHERE YOU ARE is a must-read for anyone directly or indirectly dealing with loss.
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TWAS THE NIGHT
Genre: History
IR Verdict: Pamela McColl’s TWAS THE NIGHT: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem, is packed full of vintage illustrations and lesser known historical details that make the book a bundle of perennial joy, for believers and non-believers alike.
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YOU ARE YOUR HEALER
Genre: Self Help
IR Verdict: Yol Swan’s graceful prose, wise counsel, and palpable strength make YOU ARE YOUR HEALER (The Ultimate Guide to Heal Your Past, Transform Your Life & Awaken to Your True Self) a must-read for individuals seeking inner peace.
THE HAPPY VALLEY
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Dense with historical and cultural references and perceptive insights into human nature on both an individual and societal scale, Benjamin Harnett’s THE HAPPY VALLEY is a poetic, delightfully inventive work of modern mythmaking.
MOON LUCK
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Fans of Andy Weir’s bestselling (and originally self-published) “The Martian” will enjoy Wayne Scott Harral’s MOON LUCK for its captivating science, thrilling plot, comprehensive world-building and heart-pounding suspense.
MALILA OF THE SCORCH
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: W. Clark Boutwell’s third book in an wildly unusual series, MALILA OF THE SCORCH (Old Men and Infidels) sits at the dark end of the science fiction genre in a future world full of sorrow and danger, featuring vivid descriptions and complex world-building.
IF YOUR MOUTH COULD TALK
Genre: Health
IR Verdict: Combining history, policy analysis, and advocacy, Dr. Kami Hoss makes an undeniable appeal for greater emphasis on oral care in IF YOUR MOUTH COULD TALK.
LIFE IS INEVITABLE
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: While the more vulnerable might want to approach Daniel Santos’ LIFE IS INEVITABLE with caution, many young people will relate to the issues the characters face, and enjoy the page-turning fantasy elements – with an ending that leaves readers wanting more.
PLEASANT GOOD EVENING
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Full of anecdotes and presented in a conversational style, sports broadcaster Dan Russell writes with great charm in PLEASANT GOOD EVENING, his witty and insightful memoir of thirty years behind the mic. A must read for Canadian sports fans.
SUSPECTED HIPPIE IN TRANSIT
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: The warts-and-all tour Martin Frumkin offers in SUSPECTED HIPPIE IN TRANSIT is expansive in scope and packed with fascinating stories. It is also a profoundly spiritual, thought-provoking, and funny work conveyed by a natural storyteller.