I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Brieanna Wilkoff sends readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride as they journey with Rae Ballester through the grief of her father’s sudden death into a new dawn driven by friendship and hope in I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU, a beautifully written debut YA novel that announces the author as a writer well worth following.
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UNCONTROLLABLE
Genre: Women’s Fiction
IR Verdict: UNCONTROLLABLE by Sara Staggs is a wrenchingly-painful but ultimately heartwarming look at the way that the human brain can wreak havoc on its owner’s life, and on the courage and tenacity needed to face life in the face of uncontrollable epilepsy.
MEDITATIONS ON BLUE JESUS
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Contemplative and inspirational, Gil W Stafford’s MEDITATIONS ON BLUE JESUS offers an intimate look at the life and art of a remarkable artist living with a genetic condition. By widening his focus beyond simply discussing the selected paintings, the author (and artist’s brother) provides an holistic view of his sister, her life and his part in it. The book is a joy.
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COLLABORATIVE CONFIDENCE
Genres: Business
IR Verdict: Dr. Heather Backstrom’s COLLABORATIVE CONFIDENCE is a practical and informative handbook that women—and their employers–can turn to when in need of guidance or inspiration.
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FROM YOUR HOSTESS AT THE T&A MUSEUM
Genres: Poetry
IR Verdict: Poet Kathleen Balma’s FROM YOUR HOSTESS AT THE T&A MUSEUM is a wide ranging collection that is both accessible and fun to read but its real power is in the ideas and phrases that stay with the reader long after the book has been set down. An excellent first collection that will bear frequent revisiting.
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MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY SPACE
Genre: Home & Garden
IR Verdict: Grounded in Eastern philosophy but not suffocated by it, Reiko Gomez’s MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY SPACE (written with Peter Kaplan) is an important precursor to DIY home decorating.
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THE LUCK OF MADONNA 13
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: A remarkable flight of fancy, E. T. Ellison’s THE LUCK OF MADONNA 13 benefits from rich world-building, and flits between genres with easy grace.
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SIGMUND FRAUD
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: SIGMUND FRAUD (LICENSED IMPOSTER) by Jeffrey T. Leonards is a poignant and moving look at the crumbling personal life of a psychologist, reflected and refracted in the lives of the patients he’s trying to help.
THE RAVEN’S CRY
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: With THE RAVEN’S CRY, Kim Herdman Shapiro tells a deeply immersive, evocative tale against an enticing backdrop of characters and plot threads that will leave cozy mystery fans eager to explore in future installments.
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SEBASTIAN AND THE MIGHTY TOKEN
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Jonathan Day’s SEBASTIAN AND THE MIGHTY TOKEN is an engaging read, offering a salutary tale about how essential it is to pay it forward and the importance of never giving up.
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THE AETHER CHRONICLES: Rebellium
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: An action-packed, adrenaline-fueled story of courage, daring, and resistance to tyranny, THE AETHER CHRONICLES: Rebellium by AJ Wolfe is a promising start to a series based on Elemental magic.
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YOUNG MOTHER WITH RED HAIR
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Engrossing from start to finish, M. A. Dunn’s YOUNG MOTHER WITH RED HAIR is often unsettling, sometimes affirmatory, and occasionally sinister and yields queasy insights into what it means to exert power through genius.
HYPHENATED RELATIONS
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: HYPHENATED RELATIONS by Daniel Maunz is a warm, humorous novel about family, love, loss, and relationships. Twists and turns in its story lead to a deeply satisfying ending, making this delightful novel a pleasure to read.
MONSTERS (Book Two)
Genre: Romance
IR Verdict: Heather Killough-Walden writes with wit and style in MONSTERS, BOOK TWO (Hour of the Dragon) bringing a multitude of fantastical characters to life with relentlessly dramatic, heart-pounding scenes. Established fans will adore the familiar escapism of a quality dark romance while new readers will feel able to enter the author’s world and find themselves instantly at home.
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WATERBORNE
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: With intriguing concepts and well-rounded protagonists, J. Luke Bennecke’s WATERBORNE is a high-octane page-turning thriller, elevated by fascinating scientific detail and an empathetic hero.
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DANI CAPELLO: Shadows of Men
Genre: LGBTQ+
IR Verdict: Though a few thematic threads are left hanging, M.S. Izbicki’S DANI CAPELLO: Shadows of Men both impresses and satisfies with a confident narrative voice, comforting plot structures, and heartfelt affection for the queer youth who still struggle to live authentically and happily in modern America.
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A DREAM OF SHADOWS
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: A tightly-plotted fantasy debut, Peter Eliott’s A DREAM OF SHADOWS tells a breathtaking, enthralling tale, bursting at the seams with a rotten, yet likable ensemble of murderous rapscallions and an absorbing world concealed in fog and shadow.
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IF IT STINGS. . .THAT MEANS IT’S WORKING
Genre: Poetry
IR Verdict: J.A. Carter-Winward’s visceral and clever collection of narrative poetry, IF IT STINGS, peels back social facades to expose the hurt beneath.
BEWICCHED: The Sea Wicche Chronicles
Genre: Paranormal
IR Verdict: With an intriguing back story that can be expected to be further revealed, Seana Kelly’s BEWICCHED (The Sea Wicche Chronicles) is a well-written contemporary fantasy novel that skillfully introduces a new character-driven series.
THE SELF-LIBERATION OF PARSON SYKES
Genre: Historical Fiction
IR Verdict: Written by the protagonist’s great-grandson David J. Mason, THE SELF-LIBERATION OF PARSON SYKES is a compelling book which covers the early life of Parson Sykes, who escaped slavery and served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and whose story has been transmitted through several generations of his descendants.
SEASON OF THE DRAGON
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: Beautifully realized and brimming with detail, Natalie Wright’s fantasy epic SEASON OF THE DRAGON offers a delightful take on the vengeful child trope.
MAP OF A SOUNDLESS CLOCK
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Matthew Rudd Reynolds’ MAP OF A SOUNDLESS CLOCK is a richly-woven YA fantasy, filled with believable characters and a tightly plotted story.
PHANTOM EXPRESS
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: S. T. Cameron’s PHANTOM EXPRESS is a well-plotted, exciting addition to today’s canon of middle-grade historical adventure stories.
TIME STORY
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: With TIME STORY, author W.W Marplot has created a highly entertaining page-turner. Blending the paciness of a YA novel with the philosophical maturity of serious adult literature, it’s a sci-fi romp well worth any reader’s time.
AMAGANSETT ’84
Genres: Literary Fiction, Young Adult
IR Verdict: A touching coming-of-age story set in a sleepy eastern Long Island fishing community, and by turns poignant, romantic, and tragic, AMAGANSETT ’84 by Shelby Raebeck bristles with nostalgia for days gone by.
THE UNUSUAL PENGUIN
Genre: Children’s (Early to intermediate readers)
IR Verdict: Beautifully written by Madelaine MacRae with illustrations by Anna Fernandez, THE UNUSUAL PENGUIN is a beautiful picture book with an important and always timely message. Young children will love the story and, just as importantly, adults will enjoy sharing its carefully crafted words and delightful illustrations.
A GIGANTIC LEAP
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Though it relies on familiar tropes, David L. Brown’s A GIGANTIC LEAP offers an engrossing and imaginative take on the “judgment of humankind” science fiction story.
MAPKEEPER
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Authors Emily McKeehan and Natalea Waller join forces to weave an exciting tale of magic, intrigue, and surprisingly relatable young adulthood in MAPKEEPER: Journey Through the North.