Williams intertwines past and present, devotion and heartache, in a metaphoric story centered on Ronan Byrne and Emily Walton, two fractured individuals who come together on a bridge in New York City in December 1968, moments before Ronan plans to take his own life. Emily, recovering from a devastating accident, becomes the unexpected savior for Ronan, who is mourning the death of his beloved wife, Carrieann. The supernatural force responsible for uniting the pair later drives their separation, though their subconscious bond remains unbreakable.

The bridge Ronan and Emily meet on serves as a powerful image for their relationship throughout the book, symbolizing connection and the joining of past with present—and illustrating how love can transcend any challenge. Their initial joining is ripe with both spiritual and existential tokens, and, though Williams later shifts the narrative to 1975—where Ronan is managing a business alongside his sister Michelle while Emily runs the Safe Haven Clinic, providing mental health services to veterans and underserved individuals—the pair’s bond endures, tested over decades as buried histories resurface and threaten to untangle the delicate threads of destiny that bind them.

Williams (author of Unexpected Places) seamlessly blends genres, delivering a romance that is achingly tender and realistic, paired with mystery and suspense elements that add welcome tension. The narrative culminates in the COVID 19 era, where the supernatural force unveils itself in a poignant twist of fate that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Ronan and Emily’s journeys illuminate how individuals can find purpose and make a difference in a constantly changing world, making this a thoughtful exploration of personal and societal transformation. Despite occasional moments where the social commentary feels heavy-handed, the enduring love story between Ronan and Emily will keep readers engaged. Ultimately, this deeply emotional and socially conscious fiction is a testament to the power of love.

Takeaway: Emotive, socially conscious story that testifies to the power of love.

Comparable Titles: Christian Kiefer’s The Heart of It All, Gae Polisner’s The Memory of Things.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A

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TED speaker Knill offers a look at her life as a deaf person through the 1960s and 2000s in this eye-opening debut. Having acquired progressive hearing loss due to in utero rubella, she charts out her journey to cochlear implant surgery—all while living in an inaccessible world that demanded countless emotional and technical adaptations from her. Through this, Knill—born at a time when neither accommodation laws nor assistive technology were properly in place—takes readers through both her personal experiences and society’s evolving treatment of persons with disabilities, cautioning readers against “failing to acknowledge hearing loss as a distinct and valid perspective in its own right.”

Knill also aims to educate readers about disabilities in general. Though her wry humor and pragmatic writing keep the memoir lively, the book is information-heavy at times, and that, coupled with a non-linear narrative that jumps across different times in her life, can make for a slightly challenging read. However, readers quickly get used to Knill’s style as the memoir progresses, as she goes a step beyond traditional accessibility talk and puts forth the refreshing concept that disability is not disabling; rather, it is society’s refusal to accommodate that is disabling. Knill opens readers’ minds to a new world, sharing that “a person with a disability might not have chosen their condition, [but] that doesn’t mean they actively wish for another life.”

While Knill’s experiences with disability are front and center here, she also delves into an array of other life circumstances: her childhood and parental dynamics, friendship, faith, community, romance, and work, all with her hearing loss—or “deaf gain” as an alternative term—expertly woven throughout. Knill includes a call-to-action at the book’s close, asserting that “those who claim that diversity goals are discriminatory… dismiss the fact that they have been given a head start; the deck is already stacked in their favor.”

Takeaway: Eye-opening memoir and call-to-action on accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Comparable Titles: Anne Boyer’s The Undying, Claudia Marseille’s But You Look So Normal.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A

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Writers Pangburn and Shearer team up with cartoonist Nic Touris to tell a single story in two different ways through an intricately crafted “flip book.” Each half of the graphic novel presents the story of two siblings’ trip to Egypt from a different character’s point of view. One half follows the perspective of tween Otto, an aspiring cartoonist who draws stories featuring his own superhero characters. When the book is flipped over, it tells the story of the same Egyptian adventure from the perspective of Nan, Otto’s teenage sister who wants to be a travel blogger like her mother.

Pangburn and Shearer ingeniously weave Otto and Nan's stories together, avoiding repeated scenes while using each character’s different context and viewpoint to cleverly link the two halves of the tale. When the siblings decide to explore a tomb, Otto is tasked with tracking down the spirit of an ancient mummified cat to placate the tomb’s resident mummy, while Nan focuses on searching for the special bracelet she lost in the chaos of their hasty exit. Pangburn and Shearer smoothly integrate historical and contemporary facts about Egypt as the siblings pursue their own goals and work through their conflicts.

While each narrative is satisfying on its own, the different points of view it offers enriches the story in surprising and amusing ways—in Nan’s version of the siblings’ snorkeling trip to the Red Sea, she focuses on how Otto tripped and pushed her into the water, while Otto's version omits that event but reveals a shark Nan didn’t see. The authors’ succinct and vivid prose keep the narrative’s momentum moving briskly forward, and Touris's art is energetic and wildly expressive, giving life to chase scenes and the climactic conflict with the mummy. More than just a gimmick, the book’s novel format will enhance readers’ understanding of the siblings’ conflict and better appreciate their journey toward mutual understanding.

Takeaway: Creatively formatted graphic novel of Egyptian history and sibling relationships

Comparable Titles: Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series; Judd Winick’s Hilo series

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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Agent Derrick Faulk is back in Gittlin’s action-packed sequel in his AndroBiotica series, after Nearly Human. When an embarrassing demotion costs him the director job in the Investigative Division of the National Science Service, Faulk teams up with his close friend and innovative entrepreneur, Adrien Mattias—owner of AndroBiotica and best known for creating “nearly Human Androids.” When Mattias discovers, with the help of his employee Kristina Flemming, a near future where tech similar to his is being irresponsibly distributed by Life-Like Technologies, he recruits Faulk’s help to shut down the infringement, setting Faulk on a trailblazing adventure that could forever alter the delicate balance between humans and Androids.

Gittlin pens complex three-dimensional characters and an inventive, unique world that features realistic tech advancements and scientific developments. Derrick Faulk is a no-nonsense agent who excels at keeping secrets and clinching deadly missions, but he falters when it comes to matters of the heart, a problem that only intensifies when he’s tasked with traveling to the future alongside Flemming—and realizes his former flame, Aurora, is also part of the mission. As the two race against time—the protective technology in their body gear lasts only 96 hours before it disintegrates, causing their cells to rupture—to save their future from a certain Android takeover, Gittlin fills the narrative with forbidden romance, covert missions, and the uncertain symmetry between human nature and advanced AI.

Faulk’s mission teems with thrills, and his special skill set, alongside Flemming’s knowledge of time travel, give them the expertise needed for this dangerous cat and mouse adventure. The narrative sheds light on the potential for criminal misuse of AI technology, a timely message for contemporary sci-fi fans, and Gittlin’s out-of-this-world robotics and futuristic elements combine to make this an immersive and turbulent roller-coaster that will hold attention until its final climactic conclusion.

Takeaway: Exiting SF thriller probing the criminal misuse of human-like androids.

Comparable Titles: Martin Tuori’s A Singular Goal, Annalee Newitz’s Autonomous.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+

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Doyon’s witty and poignant debut novel explores the American dream through the lens of a millennial food-truck chef. Set against the backdrop of Washington D.C.'s bustling food scene, the novel follows Arjun Chatterjee, an Americanized Indian immigrant, as he navigates love, ambition, and identity in a world of oversized dreams and precarious realities. With only a trickle of regular customers, Arjun agrees to team up with a diverse group of neighboring food trucks to throw a block party—Gourmet Battle of the Vans—that will get the word out about all the food trucks in the lot.

With prose as flavorful as Arjun’s fusion cuisine, Doyon skillfully uses the food truck microcosm to comment on cultural identity, entrepreneurship, and the search for meaning in modern America. Populated with a diverse cast of chefs, musicians, office workers, and even a rescued pigeon, the vividly drawn characters each add their own unique spice to the community. With their range of backgrounds and perspectives, conflicts do arise within the “food truck family,” but readers will love watching relationships evolve, as when former lawyer-turned-food truck chef Melinda overcomes her ire at itinerant coder Jared for stealing her Wi-Fi and feeds him one of her Burger Bombs because he looks hungry.

While the book's episodic structure occasionally feels disjointed, it ultimately reinforces the unpredictable nature of Arjun’s chosen path and struggling artist’s lifestyle, and his quest for culinary and romantic success is a compelling throughline that will keep readers invested in his journey. The characters’ philosophical musings at times edge toward the heavy-handed, but Doyon blends humor with moments of profound introspection (Arjun enlists the pigeon he rescued in his quest for existential answers). This savory slice of contemporary American life will edify readers who have ever dared to follow their dreams or wondered, "Why am I here?"

Takeaway: Quirky, thoughtful meditation on creativity, purpose and the American dream.

Comparable Titles: Michelle Jauner’s Crying in H Mart, J. Ryan Stradal’s Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

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In Kadas’ inspiring picture book for young children, a girl named Lilly discovers her strengths and learns the power of being different. Curious and brave, Lilly loves to go hiking and explore nature, always stocking her backpack with a pencil and paper to write down what she sees and her homemade peanut butter cookies. One day she decides to venture into the “magical forest on the edge of town” where she’s heard creatures live who can speak to humans. She only walks a short distance before she encounters a possum and a friendly dragon, who tell her she is safe and welcome.

As she keeps exploring, Lilly encounters an eleffump, which is what she called elephants when she was very young. When questioned by Lilly, the eleffump confirms that it cannot jump, but the lumbering animal does not sound upset. Instead, it kindly helps Lilly reframe her question: “So, it’s not about what we can’t do, but what we can do that makes us special?” With this guiding thought, the eleffump introduces Lilly to magical creatures in the forest who all have unique abilities, and they work together to achieve a common goal that will benefit everyone. This will encourage kids to look at their own strengths and how they can be useful to the world around them.

Anil Yap’s lively illustrations follow Lilly on her journey, showing her as she prepares for her trip, leaves her neighborhood, and ventures into the colorful, shimmering magical forest. Teeming with butterflies, bees, and other wildlife, the forest is vibrant and welcoming, particularly the ethereal, glowing eleffump, which grins and lets Lilly hold its trunk as they walk side by side. Each creature is also clearly shown alongside an explanation of its special skills, drawing a parallel between this fantasy world and the real people kids will meet.

Takeaway: A girl named Lilly explores a magical forest and learns the power of being different.

Comparable Titles: Bess Kalb’s Buffalo Fluffalo, Judy Schachner’s Skippyjon Jones.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A-
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about The ELEFFUMP That Couldn't JUMP

You can teach new tricks to old dogs, young dogs, pet parents, and professionals alike, Michaels demonstrates. Offering a comprehensive approach to humane and effective dog training, Michaels’s user-friendly guide is an essential resource for both pet professionals and dog owners that draws from years of hands-on experience and research. Michaels offers simple yet effective techniques for most situations anyone looking to train a dog will encounter, from leash-walking to whistle-training to handling animals with aggression problems, all presented with inviting clarity, understanding of readers’ concerns, and a refreshing commitment to honoring the emotional lives of dogs–a passage on dogs’ experience of separation anxiety, for example, debunks some familiar guidance (“Do not listen to misbegotten advice to let your dog 'cry it out'”) and offers fresh steps toward teaching “your dog to enjoy being a dog and a ‘happy camper’ even when you are not home.”

Michaels packs this hefty volume with much practical advice and wisdom: to assist with house training, scatter treats around thoroughly cleaned areas where a dog has urinated or defecated to reinforce desired behavior. For a stress-relief activity, create a “sniffer patch” with dog-friendly plants. All this is laid out in a polished, user-friendly design allowing readers to quickly find specific sections of interest (like the fundamentals of “force-free training” or clear advice on preparing a pup to greet guests), though the text rewards thorough reading, especially chapters like “Setting Your Dog Up For Success,” which should be mandatory reading as part of adopting.

A significant feature is Michaels's Hierarchy of Dog Needs (HDN), inspired by Abraham Maslow. This adaptation emphasizes positive reinforcement, choice, and the inherent wholeness of animal nature, driving forces behind Michaels’s advice throughout. The HDN serves as a foundational framework for Michaels’s force-free alternative to traditional training methods, making it a valuable tool for both pet owners and industry professionals. Michaels's approachable style ensures that every dog owner—and every dog—will feel supported.

Takeaway: Thorough, illuminating guide to force-free dog training attuned to dogs’ emotional needs.

Comparable Titles: Zak George's Dog Training Revolution,. Marty Becker’s From Fearful to Fear Free.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook

Physician and researcher Gabayan shares her journey creating The Wisdom Research Project, born out of her experiences navigating her own physical health issues, in this intuitive debut. Hoping to “understand wisdom from a scientific perspective,” she interviews 60 adults, probing their values, advice for younger generations, coping skills for the rough patches in life, and more, teasing out eight common elements—resilience, kindness, positivity, spirituality, humility, tolerance, creativity, and curiosity—that relate to wisdom. Those elements, Gabayan asserts, will help guide readers in developing their own wisdom, “to build a stronger, more supportive society and connection with one another.”

Beyond Gabayan’s scientific-based research, this guide offers readers several opportunities for personal reflection, in the form of journaling prompts and interactive questions, that drive home the advice Gabayan gleaned from each interview. Her interviewees are an eclectic group—ranging from scientists to ministers to authors—with dynamic pointers that cover an array of topics, including the need to understand others’ perspectives when resolving conflict, how tolerance can enhance self-esteem, and why “creativity is essential to our growth as a people.” Also important, writes Gabayan, is the skill of playfulness in the face of life’s difficulties: “have a sense of humor about yourself as much as possible. Doing this will lighten any mood” she encourages.

Gabayan consistently returns to her eight wisdom elements throughout the guide, with accessible language that makes the counsel easy to follow. She closes by revisiting her initial quest to define wisdom, identifying her emerging elements of wisdom as universal (“incorporating them will enrich your life in ways you might not even have imagined. They will give your life more meaning and a greater purpose” she writes), while still urging individuality and balance when mastering them. Above all, she reminds readers that the “search for wisdom is just the beginning of a journey to a better life.”

Takeaway: Researcher defines wisdom through a scientific lens.

Comparable Titles: Paul Roden’s 5,000 Years of Wisdom, Ervin Laszlo’s The Wisdom Principles.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Common Wisdom

This sweet debut from Garcia imparts lessons from the corporate trenches on how to nurture authentic leadership—the foremost of which is negating the common professional myth that we must keep our emotions out of work. Garcia starts with her own career, sharing how her personal life crumbled just when her professional life started to excel, and identifies that success has more to do with feelings about oneself than the size of a paycheck. The crux of this guide, she writes, is how to harness “the totally normal and natural human emotions that we all feel every day… they are actually our superpower and not our downfall.”

Garcia’s direct style is refreshingly honest, and she acknowledges early on that it’s not easy to lead, urging readers to “experience the relief that will come from getting real with the people you serve.” Her own personal catharsis—which she admits was a long overdue turning point in her life—served as a springboard, leading her to develop an “authenticity map,” outlined in the guide, to help readers “navigate through the mess” that comes with life’s ups and downs. Garcia also forays into handling rejection and rightly describes the harmful effects sexism, discrimination, and out-of-control egos can have on organizations and the individuals working for them.

The bulk of the guide draws from Garcia’s personal experiences, with several eye-opening statistics sprinkled throughout, building a somewhat intimate framework that allows her to explore weighty topics in a companionable manner. She addresses the idea of “quiet quitting,” includes self-assessment sections at the end of each chapter, and shares her personal recipe for resolving the shame (“remove the secrecy, silence, and judgment”) that can accompany failure. “You will never not be messy,” Garcia writes, but that’s part of the journey—one that, once undertaken, deserves celebrating.

Takeaway: Uplifting guide to mastering—and celebrating—life’s messy moments.

Comparable Titles: Paula Caligiuri and Andy Palmer’s Live for a Living, Karla McLaren’s The Power of Emotions at Work.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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In the third installment of his Masquerade series, (after The Detour), Hiemstra delivers an action-packed mystery centered on CIA agent Luke Stevens—currently undercover as a pastor thanks to North Korean terrorists—who is still reeling from his ex-wife’s death but hopeful he’ll have a chance for love again. Meanwhile, North Korean Yong Dae Chû, known as Ruth in America, is a law student working as a courier for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB). The two are drawn to each other, but both are wary of new love—and when international tensions start to rise, it throws the couple into a dangerous mix of intrigue and betrayal.

Hiemstra favors a lightning pace and rapid-fire dialogue, fashioning scenes that turn on a dime with the craftiness that can accompany international politics. Ruth is desperate to help her family back home, a desire she’s granted in exchange for helping North Korea set up a meeting with CIA agent Tom Roberts, who, in the course of that meeting, learns that China’s preparing to invade Taiwan—and Havana, Cuba plans to help out with diversionary attacks on major shipping ports. The subterfuge grows more elaborate from there, with a rogue Chinese operative, Lei Han, approaching Ruth for intel and suddenly working his way up to RGB director, a move that ends with a contract on Luke’s life.

Amidst all the intrigue, Luke and Ruth grow closer, quietly supporting each other, even when that means opening up about their troubled pasts. Their united front renders an interesting counterpart to the political machinations playing out on a bigger stage, as Hiemstra hints at “impolitic actions by the current U.S. administration” that only serve to shore up China’s designs on Taiwan. Hiemstra relays the action with little emotional investment, but for those enticed by political scheming—and familiar with characters in his previous books—this will entertain.

Takeaway: International politics and romance intertwine in this lively mystery.

Comparable Titles: Graham Moore’s The Wealth of Shadows, Lauren Wilkinson’s American Spy.

Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C
Marketing copy: B

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Both open-minded and rooted in faith, Lindberg’s thoughtful followup to God’s Existence: Truth or Fiction? The Answer Revealed finds the author continuing to explore fresh intersections of science and scripture. Lindberg digs deeper into his conviction that God’s existence is clearly affirmable, arriving at points of reconciliation between evolution and the creation of Genesis, and examining the first two books of the Old Testament with an eye toward the biggest—but often most overlooked—questions: who actually wrote them, when, and why? And why, despite occasional sensational headlines, has archaeology failed to dig up definitive proof of the existence of, say, Moses?

“I don’t know if we will ever find archaeological evidence” of Moses, Lindberg notes, “but that does not mean he did not exist.” Driven by a passion for the historical and scientific methods, plus classical reasoning, Lindberg’s approach to Genesis and Exodus is an informed and awed acceptance of their errancies—they were written, he argues, by humans inspired by God, but only one human, in his reckoning, has ever been perfect, so there’s no reason to get hung up on points of confusion like whether Moses parted the Red or the Reed Sea. Rather than reject complexities or confusions in the Bible’s accounts of history, Lindberg brings logic to their mystery. His passages concerning the possibility that a “day” of God (as in the six days of creation) could in fact span millennia is impassioned apologia, a demonstration of faith stoked hotter through the challenge.

This title expands on arguments from Lindberg’s first, especially his “Directed Life Hypothesis,” which in its contention that life’s complexity and diversity demands a conscious creator echoes Intelligent Design. Lindberg, though, challenges ID proponents as much as he does “modern scientific people” by not disavowing evolution entirely. In fact, he argues “that evolution was a principal way God conducted the entire creation.” This is encouraging middle ground.

Takeaway: Thoughtful reconciliation of the creation in Genesis and evolution.

Comparable Titles: Bruce Glass’s Exploring Faith and Reason, Peter Enns’s The Evolution of Adam.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+

Click here for more about God's Existence: Deeper Thoughts for Greater Insights

Writing to readers who might feel “locked” in cycles of negativity and arguments about alcohol with their partners, Palmer and her co-author and own partner, psychotherapist Michael Pond, offer clear, encouraging strategies to help loved ones drink less. Palmer demonstrates effective methods of communicating with partners about alcohol dependence through empathy, compassion, and an emphasis on results—and on how partners can be “a powerful force for positive change” in the lives of those they love. As the title suggests, You Don’t Have to Quit roadmaps achievable change rather than total abstinence, with Palmer making a persuasive case that “a harm reduction approach to alcohol improves your chances that you both feel successful in your efforts and keep your dignity intact.”

To that end, Palmer’s 20 chapters each present steps for helping reduce a partner’s alcohol consumption, from seeing the signs of addiction and understanding what a partner is going through, to finding ways to diminish the harm that alcohol dependence causes—practical techniques include introducing a Sober Sunday, adding a glass of water between each drink, and encouraging the tracking of how much alcohol is being consumed. Later chapters prompt self-reflection on the part of the intervening partner, with Palmer explaining the efficacy of not laying blame and calling names, plus the urgency of positioning oneself as ally rather than victim. Allies, Palmer writes, “can collaborate with your partner, help them create goals, and figure out how to meet them.”

Throughout, Palmer offers encouragement and wisdom drawn from case studies as well as personal experience, all written with grace and sensitivity, plus up-to-date research on addiction and its treatment, and deep insight into the sources of alcohol dependence and how couples depend on each other—and push each other away. Palmer’s strategies are flexible, easy to understand, and presented with persuasive power, though she makes clear throughout that achieving these goals is a challenge.

Takeaway: Clear-eyed guide to helping partners reduce the harm of alcohol dependence.

Comparable Titles: Jeffrey Foote, Carrie Wilkens, and Nicole Kosanke’s Beyond Addiction, Candace Plattor’s Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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Casteele spins a rousing debut tale about the infamous Prince of Pirates, Samuel Bellamy, narrated by a seasoned seaman named Loyd, speaking to his curious grandchildren, Clarissa and Charlie, as a tempest brews over present-day Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Drawing heavily from historical accounts, Casteele humanizes the legendary figure of Sam—from his tragic birth and his mother's subsequent death, his mischievous escapades with his ragtag crew of friends, The Scalawags, to his passionate love affair with the unconventional Maria Hallet, and his rise as the wealthiest pirate in the Golden Age of Piracy after a 12-year stint in the navy.

Brimming with energy and thrilling depiction of pirate life—racing with ships, battling storms, smuggling furs, linen, silver, gold, and other treasures, posing as faux traders, keelhauling, and enduring the stench of slaver ships—Casteele masterfully portrays the gritty reality of 18th-century naval life, when ships were the arteries for global trade, without romanticizing its unlawful glory. Sam is not ignorant that The Whydah Gally—his most coveted prize to prove himself worthy to Maria and her disapproving Puritan parents—originally served as a human cargo vessel for 600 slaves. Breaking the tradition of ruthless pirates, he treats his crew fairly and without prejudice, earning him the title of an honorable captain.

While the storytelling is slightly unrealistic—compressing a lengthy saga into a single stormy day—its strength lies in its sharp contrast to modern-day living. Readers, alongside Charlie and Clarissa, are transported to a time when families of seamen have no means of communication other than awaiting their return, people are commodified, and uncommon women are branded as witches "in league with the devil" and hanged. Casteele unearths unflinching truths of a bygone age, reminding us of the progress—and the pitfalls—of our own time, all while readers anticipate the curious end of Sam's voyage and his reunion with Maria.

Takeaway: Humanizing tale of history’s wealthiest pirate.

Comparable Titles: Angus Konstam's Blackbeard, Richard Zacks's The Pirate Hunter.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about The Prince of Pirates

Raichle’s vibrant account of her experience caring for her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s reveals the life-affirming power that art offers to those affected by this disease. “When my sister said to me ‘Mom left us years ago,’” Raichle writes, “I asked myself, ‘If she left, who’s there?’” Though “dimmed,” Raichle’s mother still lived a rich, complete life. Despite her mother’s previous insistence that Raichle “walk away” from the burden of her illness, Raichle chooses to get to know “the wonderful woman who was with me in the moment; not suffering from dementia, but living with it.”

Raichle initially meets her mother’s dementia diagnosis with despair, but “everything changed in an instant” once Raichle’s mother starts painting. Beautifully displayed throughout the memoir, Raichle’s mother’s paintings are vivid, strange, and fantastical, depicting mischievous creatures, but also sunsets, flowers, and in one particularly touching piece, a portrait of Raichle’s mother and the author, with a limb connecting their heads. The paintings allow Raichle to view dementia from a different perspective and learn that “there is more to this disability than pain and sorrow” when the care partner meets the person with dementia where they are, in the present.

Raichle’s description of her journey into this new space of joy, gratitude, and presence is both visceral and reflective. Her anecdotes of her visits to her mother’s assisted living facility depict the residents’ lives of abundance, despite all they’ve lost. Raichle’s mother and the community of people there may not be able to remember each other’s names or the meal they last ate, but their days are filled with laughter, spontaneity, creativity, and music—in one story, the room erupts in spontaneous singing and drumming, an exuberant display of the primal pleasure of shared creation. For readers who have loved ones with dementia, Raichle’s debut is a beacon of hope in the shadow of dementia’s bleak fog.

Takeaway: Joyous, hopeful account of living with Alzheimer’s.

Comparable Titles: Allison J. Applebaum’s Stand By Me and Kari Berit’s The Unexpected Caregiver.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Don't Walk Away

This heartwarming and inspirational tale by Parker (author of The Constantine Conspiracy) offers a unique perspective on small-town dynamics, personal growth, and the transformative power of sports. Set in a picturesque mountain town where football is more than just a game, Parker’s compelling narrative centers on three characters whose lives intersect on and off the field: Chelsea Deal, interim head football coach for Georgia’s Rabon Knights; new transplant Palmer Norman, whose music holds “a touch of darkness born by suffering”; and quarterback Ty Rogers, brimming with natural talent—and haunted by a dark, threatening disease.

The novel's strength lies in its well-developed characters and their intertwining storylines. Chelsea, a refreshing protagonist who brings a unique perspective to the male-dominated football world, boasts a journey from big-city lawyer to small-town coach that is both believable and inspiring, and the young players under her wing are equally compelling, each grappling with personal demons that add depth and relatability to their characters. Parker's attention to detail in describing the atmosphere of high school football in a small Southern town is commendable, from the crowded diners to the tension on the sidelines, allowing readers to feel as if they’ve stepped onto the fifty-yard line themselves, dazzled by bright lights and the roar of the crowd.

Though some of Parker’s sports drama feels predictable, he avoids clichés by focusing on the characters' personal growth rather than just their athletic achievements, granting them the space needed to navigate their troubles and accept each other for being flawed, and, above all, united against the heartbreak life pours their way. The pacing slows at times, especially during the more reflective moments, but those sections ultimately contribute to the story’s emotional payoff, and Parker’s skill at capturing the essence of teamwork and the impact mentorship can have—as when Palmer notes that Rabon “[became] my family… [lifted] me up when I fell down”—resonates.

Takeaway: Thoughtful exploration of community, personal transformation, and believing in yourself.

Comparable Titles: H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights, T.L. Simpson’s Strong Like You.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

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Penned with grace, power, and insight into the power and nature of both faith and discipline over the body, this compact memoir of recovery and mentorship packs a serious punch. At its heart is the inspiring figure of Bob Gorinski, the physical therapist whom Allen meets after an ACL tear upends Allen’s college football career. At the time, Allen, a sophomore, was a promising Christian athlete who felt out of step with hard-partying students —he recounts the “usual awkwardness of reading my Bible while [his roommate] played video games”—and some elements of the college’s curriculum. Recognizing a kindred spirit, Gorinski sprung a surprising invitation on Allen: “Why don’t you come to the house, and I’ll show you some exercises?”

At Gorinski’s house on Bonny Lane, Allen soon found himself challenged to push himself and grow stronger through simple but innovative workouts, including obstacle courses, jumping and agility exercises, weightlifting, and more, all without what Gorinski would call “fancy gym equipment.” This proved fruitful not just for recovery, though Allen faced setbacks and fresh injuries that eventually ended his dreams of rejoining the team. Gorinski also guided Allen and other friends and proteges in workouts of mind and heart, through readings and spirited discussions. Gorinski’s faith—captured in conversations and excerpts from Gorinski’s writing—proved as nourishing as his PT, teaching Allen that faith’s essence “isn’t the absence of uncertainty—uncertainty is necessary—but rather just the right amount of confidence to act in spite of it.”

Allen’s briskly told account is inviting and moving, written with an open-heartedness and a commitment to caring for the body that will inspire young people. (Even the roommates who leave dirty underpants in his bed are treated, ultimately, with a touching lack of judgment.) The story’s end will stir tears, but Allen demonstrates, through his own mentorship and storytelling, that the wisdom and lessons of those who shape us have power as long as we keep them alive.

Takeaway: Rousing story of mentorship and a Christian athlete’s physical and spiritual recovery.

Comparable Titles: Blake Sebring’s Brave at Heart, Keith E. Webb’s The Coach Model for Christian Leaders.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

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