In the first of the Rock 'n' Romance Legends series from Merrill (author of Hurricane Reese, among others), Boone Collins and Shane Butler, both frontmen for some of today’s most popular rock bands, confront their past as they discover each other. Grandsons of the rock legends who founded one of the biggest bands of the 1970s, California, they each seem to have it all—good looks, incredible talent, adoring fans, an upward trajectory pointing to even greater fame, and a contentious relationship that the press just loves. At California’s Hall of Fame induction, these fractious not-quite-brothers are jolted by a surprise romance between Shane’s grandfather and Boone’s grandmother. As sparks fly, circumstances force Boone and Shane to spend time together, and they discover that perhaps they’re not rivals after all… and that maybe there’s something more if they let their guards down.

Merrill conjures a sweet romance with lots of heart, some spice, and a convincing portrayal of contemporary rock stardom as a demanding job rather than a hedonistic holiday, all while exploring the leads’ lives as musicians, friends, caretakers, and lovers. Boone is publicly beloved yet feels that his grandmother, an Oscar-winning actress, is the only person who truly cares for him. Boone also harbors secrets and doubts, feeling a little lost as he faces a health crisis.

Merrill proves adept at laying bare the wounded souls of creative men in the entertainment world as the story touches on touring, producing, the interpersonal dynamics of being in a band, and the persistent problem of imposter syndrome. The romance between Boone and Shane develops quickly, but not so quickly that the pieces don’t fit together. The chaos and conflict around them is engaging, though it never overshadows these men’s touching exploration of new feelings. Lovers of smart, media-savvy m/m romances will cheer.

Takeaway: Sweet romance of two male rock rivals’ unexpected connection.

Comparable Titles: Tammy Subia’s Heartbreak Honey, Christie Gordon’s On a Different Mission.

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

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Schneer launches this well-balanced guide to making sense of qualitative research with a chilling narrative of his own severe spinal injury—suffered on Christmas Eve in 2015—that led to years of pain, surgeries, and tentative recovery. The “grit” he develops through that process serves as a metaphor not just for his personal resilience, but his professional resolve as well, with his “spirit to drive qualitative research to its zenith” forming Backbone’s structure. That passion for qualitative market analysis—born out of Schneer’s sharp interpersonal observation skills and early work in theology, where he learned to “synthesize” abstract topics—propels his development of seven principal qualitative research traits, outlined here in easy-to-grasp, clearly-defined terms.

Often viewed as the polar opposite of data-driven quantitative research, qualitative analysis is, Schneer argues, just as crucial to the business world, particularly in its recognition of the nonverbal intelligence and emotions that power decisions. He dedicates much space to his seven different qualitative researcher characteristics—curiosity, on preparedness, extroversion, synthesizing complexity, listening with your eyes, grit, on being venturous—and sprinkles in discerning snippets, such as curiosity being the spark that fuels qualitative research, or the need to be a “people person” for a successful research career, while drawing on personal and professional examples for further clarity.

Schneer tackles the role of Artificial Intelligence in qualitative research as well, deviating from similar resources to expound on how AI can “help identify changes in emotion based on stimuli”; research accuracy, he asserts, can be improved by “combining qualitative research with body language and backed up by Artificial Intelligence.” Schneer’s friendly tone infuses this quest to enhance personal communication with warmth, something sorely needed in an age of nonpersonal, machine-driven interaction, and he motivates readers to leave their professional field better than they found it, writing that “there is no giving up, only getting up.”

Takeaway: Inviting, easy-to-grasp study on qualitative research, with contemporary insights.

Comparable Titles: Annette Lareau’s Listening to People, John W. Creswell and Johanna Creswell Báez’s 30 Essential Skills for the Qualitative Researcher.

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

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Blending the gothic and the romantic with a light touch, Page’s debut kicks off a duology centered on Estelle, a young woman in the kingdom of Eventide whose indentured service to a meat-pie seller is abruptly ended when she catches the eye of Dirk, a blind wizard who shuns daylight, grants wishes for a living, and clearly harbors dark secrets. Uncertain whether she’s a guest, servant, or captive, Estelle is brought to swank Nightingale Manor, where the staff proves welcoming—"Well, my dear, the best cure for a worried mind is a caring ear,” declares the lovable Berry. Readers won’t be too surprised to learn that beneath his (literally) frigid exterior, Dirk is both hurting and capable of love … or that in Estelle’s starlit aura, he sees something rare: hope.

While the novel is episodic and hefty in length, Page establishes all of this with brisk, chipper aplomb, quickly getting to the heart of the matter—the curse that Dirk has been suffering under ever since dabbling in necromancy to restore life to his beloved sister. Estelle quickly begins to find her place in the labyrinthine manor, studying herbs with the gardener and soon developing skills in magic, guided by Dirk himself. Unlike many romantasies that luxuriate in dark held-captive scenarios, Page eschews provocations as the leads lower their walls and discover each other. This choice, plus a disinterest in graphic spiciness, diminishes the tension somewhat but will please readers who prefer their fairy-tale fantasies upbeat and healthy.

The broader plot involves the machinations of wizards beneath the town of Bulbrook, plus Estelle and Dirk’s efforts to remove his curse and unlock the mysteries of Estelle’s soul. Characterization is lively and consistent, with antagonist wizard Fiorenza a particular delight. While the pacing flags somewhat in a second half involving Dirk’s alma mater and a wizards’ council, Estelle’s development into a confident woman, wielding magic and innovating new healing techniques, is a pleasure to witness.

Takeaway: Warmly romantic fantasy debut of a servant bought by a mysterious cursed wizard.

Comparable Titles: Tricia Levenseller’s The Shadows Between Us, Lauren Blackwood’s Within These Wicked Walls.

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

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A chance remark from a grandmother sparks an enchanting story-within-a-story one morning as she helps young Lisbeth detangle her hair. “The ladybugs must have thrown a grand gala in your hair last night,” the grandmother says. When Lisbeth asks, “What ladybugs?” her grandmother happily improvises, telling Lisbeth a funny, lively tale of an insect party on Lisbeth’s head, complete with refreshments, music, and dancing. (One ladybug uses his six legs to play the cello, guitar, and violin.) Young Lisbeth deduces that the tangles in her hair must be leftover party streamers, prompting her to ask, “Grandma, why didn’t the ladybugs clean up after themselves?” As readers imagine a ladybug frolic and get lost in hair that playfully stretches across page spreads, Lisbeth’s grandmother enjoys the opportunity to make a point about being a good helper and cleaning up even the messes one didn’t create.

Shadrick’s amusingly alliterative storytelling surveys the planning, the fiesta itself, and the messy-haired aftermath, as ladybugs Lana, Lola, and Laney come up with the idea to throw a party to distract themselves from the scary weather. They enlist the help of their friends—including artistic types like Lorelai, who has an eye for fashion and whips up creative costumes—but don’t think ahead to the most important part: that having fun also comes with some responsibilities.

Vibrant paintings from Maya Penzlik bring rich, unruly life to this charming tale of a grandmother and granddaughter bonding while performing a tedious task. Buoyant detail and a sense of warmth distinguish both of the book’s realities: the everyday family relationship with its PJs and smiles, and the gorgeous imaginative world of the ladybugs, who dance, sew, and show off fancy-funny costumes against a backdrop of sun-kissed flowers. These are pages to soak up and get lost in. This adorable children's story will delight elementary-aged kids but also parents and teachers.

Takeaway: Charming children's story of hair-tangling lady bugs and one glorious party.

Comparable Titles: Audrey Wood's Silly Sally, Ed Heck's Many Marvelous Monsters.

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

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Ritter offers a practical and insightful roadmap to help readers conquer fears and move toward self-mastery. This self-help guide is thoughtfully organized into two main sections—Personal and Professional—each packed with actionable strategies for improving both life and career. Ritter opens with the essential idea that fear is not a fixed reality but instead a perception shaped by our thoughts and beliefs. He encourages readers to confront their fears head-on by stepping into uncertainty. Strategies like “conquer your fears” and “feel your feelings” urge readers to reframe their mindsets—to “shift from victim to creator”—and fully embrace their emotions, rather than avoid them.

The text is simple and sharp, with an emphasis on practical tips and results. Themes introduced through introspective questioning allow readers to initiate a dialogue from within. RItter adopts a warmly didactic tone, evoking the feeling of a personal guru instructing you through every step. In the Personal section, Ritter delves into cultivating a positive mindset, nurturing relationships, and finding purpose. He advises readers to “[c]reate a life that helps you feel good,” suggesting the importance of removing negativity and focusing on uplifting experiences. Ritter also stresses self-belief and encourages readers to share successes openly as a way to build confidence and foster recognition.

The Professional section tackles job satisfaction, leadership, and career advancement. Ritter’s recommendation to “control your job satisfaction” by creating a meaningful work environment and “increase your visibility” through strategic networking is especially useful for career progression. He also emphasizes building trust and respect within the workplace, underscoring the value of a collaborative and supportive environment. Becoming Fearless is an empowering and accessible guide, providing readers with tangible steps to reshape their approach to fear and actively pursue personal and professional growth. Ritter’s direct, clear style and the book’s actionable strategies make it an invaluable tool for anyone on the path to self-improvement.

Takeaway: Empowering guide to facing fear and uncertainty to build confidence.

Comparable Titles: Brianna Wiest’s The Mountain Is You, Ethan Cross’s Chatter.

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

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Immersive, haunting, and melancholy, Huff’s tale draws out the obligations and degradation of the social elite, played out on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Dame Isobel, the scion of a filthy rich family that mines the moon’s seabed for precious metals, is caught having sex with a woman, an illegal act. While her wealth saves her, her lover, Liore, is punished with a lobotomy. Tormented and desperate, Isobel devises a plan: she orders her ship to capture one of the native lifeforms, called a Fisherman, from the moon’s vast ocean, in hopes that the Fisherman’s god, Aeter—rumored to grant wishes—will help her restore Liore.

The lives of Huff’s well-drawn but damaged characters quickly collapse into desperate actions. Isobel has three weeks to find Aeter before she’s forced into conversion therapy and an arranged marriage, and Fisherman—whose outer layer that enables them to shapeshift was removed by Isobel to ensure their compliance—is equally frenzied and enraged that their skin has been stolen. The story unfolds from Fisherman’s tortured perspective, delving into issues of control, sexual autonomy, and distorted views of cultural conformity, all against the background of a frantic race to find a god who can grant both freedom and destruction.

Huff (author of Free Burn) incorporates erotic sexual descriptions and subtle elements of retribution into the storyline, as Isobel is as much a shapeshifter as Fisherman in many ways, a prisoner of a culture forcing her to give up her identity. Still, her treatment of Fisherman—who assumes the form of a female human to please Isobel and keep her sexually satisfied—echoes her own subjugation at the hands of others. As the plot morphs into a weighty examination of humanity’s greed and brutal disregard for divergence of any kind, Huff’s characters undergo their own transformations, leaving readers with a profound reflection on what truly defines a monster.

Takeaway: Stirring tale of the depths of love in an unforgiving alien world.

Comparable Titles: C.L. Clark’s The Unbroken, Kameron Hurley’s The Worldbreaker Saga.

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

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Both a celebration of the values and promise of the United States and a dense, outraged, epic-length polemic that excoriates the treatment of conservatives, Tea Partiers, and Trump supporters in the American press, Fragoules’s impassioned debut argues that today’s “radical left elitists are in many ways the modern equivalent of the Roman Catholic Church, feudal lords, and royal cohorts who once dominated and subjugated Europe.” The book also charts Fragoules’s research into the nation’s founding, the brilliance of the Constitution, and the vigorous debates between Madison, Jefferson, and others on subjects like the separation of church and state.

Considering American history and the roots of division, Fragoules acknowledges the brutality of history, slavery, and the “wanton destruction and the massive death” that followed Columbus in the New World. The Founders, she argues, were imperfect, but the Constitution transcends that—nothing in it “limited the application of American ideals by race or sex.” She likewise surveys millennia of the Catholic Church’s harsh enforcement of its doctrines, linking the punishment of heretics to the cancellation or treatment of conservatives in the sciences today. She quotes at length, often hundreds of words at a time with little context or explication, from popes, presidents, historical thinkers, and contemporary firebrands like Dinesh D’Souza (approvingly) and Bill Maher (not so much).

The project is sprawling and deeply felt—Fragoules’s account of her family’s immigrant success story is rousing, and a passion for liberty shines throughout. But for all the history and first principles investigated here, many of Fragoules’s arguments feel like the product of their heated moment. Readers not already on board with her opinions about Trump, climate change, the science of conception, and more will likely find little to persuade them. Fragoules decries how leftist “elitists,” the “woke,” and a vague “they” demonize and presume the worst of the right, especially the 2008 Tea Party movement, even as she compares Democrats to Hitler and insists, “The left is not opposed to racism; they just think it’s justified when directed at the right people.”

Takeaway: Searching study of the founders’ beliefs mixed with red-meat outrage at the contemporary left.

Comparable Titles: Glenn Beck; Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism.

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

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Bartles’s grabber of a speculative fiction debut brings together a plucky spy, a vengeful butler, and a shy baker to navigate the mysteries of an Appalachian utopia in the climate-ravaged near future. All Henry Townsend wants is to bake for his patron, SustainAble CEO/philanthropic billionaire Lady Duggery, and forget the climate-ravaged world beyond Sediment Valley. But activist Brisa Arroyo looks to sabotage SustainAble’s cryptomines hidden beneath the supposedly green-powered Valley, while Duggery’s loyal butler, Colson Dagwood, harbors a dangerous secret and a burning desire for revenge. After a failed attempt on the visiting Pennsylvania Militia leadership, the three unlikely allies find themselves entangled in a sinister plot involving earthquakes, magic, and missing citizens.

Readers will fall headfirst into this frightening near-future vision of a country torn apart by extreme weather, corporate greed, and ecofascism; where activists fight clandestine battles, enigmatic Awakened wield Earth’s gifts to protect the planet, and the rich lord over a common caste scraping to get by. Bartles explores his rich world via crisp prose and a roster of nuanced characters alive with complexity and heart—and always capable of surprise. This attention to drifts of mind and the textures of everyday living brings the world to life, though at times it diminishes narrative momentum and can feel at odds with some superhero-coded action. Still, A Valley to Harness mostly maintains consistent balance and flow, and despite the excitement of supernatural powers and a fight for freedom, Bartles’s scenes pulse with humanity and strange, striking detail.

Bartles’s focus on a well-drawn, predominantly queer cast offers an honest, tender, and beautifully knotty forecast of possible futures for a community too often “othered” by society, and the simmering romance between Henry and Colson is a delightful reminder that even in the darkest era there’s room for love. Fans of genre-defying spec-fic with thought-provoking worldbuilding and deceptively complex characters will relish this.

Takeaway: Smart, humane novel of revolution and Earth-derived superpowers in a climate-ravaged future.

Comparable Titles: Graham Masterton’s Drought, Emmi Itäranta’s The Weaver.

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

Click here for more about A Valley to Harness

Katsoulas debuts with an encouraging parable centered on a classic matchup of the powerful and the upstart, in this case a creative battle of chess between a king and his subject. When the King, the “Ruler of everything” and “nature’s Commander,” issues a challenge for his people to devise “the most perfect strategy game,” a poor, unknown subject steps up to the plate—and presents a chess set, determined to astound his ruler and grasp the prize: guaranteed wealth beyond his imaginings. So begins an epic metaphorical battle, as the subject, referred to as an “unimportant black pawn,” instructs his monarch on the game’s rules—and tries to convince the “Great Conqueror” that chess is worthy of his favor.

Beyond an innovative take on chess showdowns, The Pawn Against the King registers the dynamics at play between the powerful and those who are perceived as weak. As the pawn carefully manipulates his ruler into falling for the game, he also measures careful steps to his own victory, plotting his moves and weighing his words until he emerges as not just a brilliant game maker but also a surprisingly worthy opponent for “the absolute Monarch.” Katsoulas crafts the subtleties of that battle with brevity, though astute readers will read between the lines and grasp the larger themes at play here.

Katsoulas’s stereotypical portrayal of a selfish, spoiled monarch—with little regard for the people he’s charged with protecting—takes away somewhat from the novel’s impact, though the twist at the end is satisfying. Hidden in the folds of the book’s rallying cry against complete power are wise snippets of battle advice with parallels drawn to everyday life, as in the pawn’s explanation that life, much like battles, is unpredictable, and “Sometimes, we’ll need to deviate and fight unorthodoxly.” Fans of thoughtful tales with tempered moral themes will appreciate this compact call to boldness and innovation.

Takeaway: A game of chess represents larger themes on battle, life, and power.

Comparable Titles: Bob Burg and John David Mann’s The Go-Giver, Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble’s How Stella Saved the Farm.

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

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Inspired by her grandmother’s “ancestral ways of eating off the land” in Castrignano D’ei Greci, Italy, nutritionist Houle explores the evolution of people and food in this health-minded resource. "Half a world, it seems, separates my life from that little farming village where my grandmother grew up picking dandelions and stealing from the edges of farms," Houle writes, as she delves into how the Industrial and Digital Revolutions have transformed our eating habits and lifestyles, the capitalistic mindset of the “Big Food” companies, and why fresh, whole foods are the key to “a new relationship with food, your body, and your intuition.”

Houle’s personal quest to take control of her family’s health was sparked by the digestive pains of her then six-year-old son, which served a catalyst for her plunge into ancestral eating patterns, analysis of the myths surrounding the costs of nutritionally dense food, and growing reliance on “buying locally produced food.” In many ways, her writing serves as a wake-up call for readers on the tactics of Big Food, as Houle addresses not only their tendency to “health-wash” by publicizing misleading statements on the benefits of their products but also their constant efforts to reach the “bliss point” for their goods—“the perfect balance of sweetness from sugar, richness from fat, and savoury flavour from salt” to hook consumers.

As Houle breaks down contemporary society's addiction to unhealthy foods, she also offers readers an alternative, declaring that “our ability to feel good is deeply tied to what we eat.” That alternative includes advocating for local farms, body movement through exercise and strength training, and allowing for moments of boredom in a world plagued by constant notifications and technological engagement. Readers from all walks of life will find wisdom here, and Houle closes with a reminder that “growth does not happen all at once, but with patience and care, it happens inevitably.”

Takeaway: Comprehensive resource on ancestral food and wisdom for healthy living.

Comparable Titles: Mark Bittman's Animal, Vegetable, Junk, Bill Schindler's Eat Like a Human.

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

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Gerald’s unconventional debut is rich with business acumen and hard-won life lessons. Drawing from his years of experience as a shipping executive, he outlines the processes his teams used to overcome production issues and achieve “team synergy,” as told through the eyes of Aubyn, an interim operations manager at a container terminal. As Aubyn sets out to address the issues plaguing his terminal, he cues readers in to the daily operations and logistics of a shipping yard, in the process outlining 13 “Key Personal Introspection[s]”—ranging from the need for meaningful relationships to building an inclusive work environment—that are integral to business success.

Crank it Up! boasts a creative setup that allows for the organic delivery of business concepts, as Gerald embeds valuable lessons at the core of each chapter, each centered around the hands-on examples from Aubyn and his team. Aubyn quickly learns that believing in his vision is the key to team buy-in, and, despite his natural inclination towards privacy and introspection, he also comprehends the need to rally the troops around that vision, leading him to recognize—and depend on—his staff members, from the newest to the often-overlooked. Gerald uses those awakenings to illustrate that “valu[ing] people and their opinions” ignites a productive work environment—and how learning from mistakes can help performance improvement moving forward.

Though the narrative stays specific to the shipping industry, Gerald’s insights can be generalized to all business professionals. He touches on celebrating progress as a team, believing in a higher power to effect “a narrative [that] transcend[s] mere financial gains,” and offers readers candid snippets to apply to daily operations, including KISS (“Keep It Simple Stupid”) and “be inspired by the good you see in others.” His final guidance focuses on being honest about setbacks, relishing victories, and rewarding top performance.

Takeaway: Business principles to unlock teamwork and positive leadership.

Comparable Titles: Joshua Medcalf’s Chop Wood Carry Water, Matt Teney’s Inspire Greatness.

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

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Arrington spins a sweet yet unconventional romance in this touching debut. When Izzy—who has been estranged from her family for a decade—gets word that her beloved grandfather, William, has died, she heads home for his funeral. While she’s there, her grandmother, Marina, announces to Izzy and her snippy mother, Susan Jane, that William left a legacy behind: the story of how he and Marina met, written in his own hand. As Izzy uncovers the secrets to her grandparents’ past, she, too, undergoes a quest of self-discovery, though her journey serves primarily as a springboard for the deeply emotive love story between William and Marina.

Emotional resonance echoes throughout this sweet tale, as William’s story recounts the first time he met Marina—at Mildred’s Diner in Hudson, Ohio, where she was a sassy waitress determined to see the world—and delves into his impulsive decision to accompany her on a cross-country road trip to California. Arrington uses that trip as the instrument for the couple’s blossoming romance, ably showing both the literal and emotional journeys they undertake en route. As they stop in Memphis, Oklahoma City, and Denver, Arrington keeps the emotional stakes humming, spurring the couple through discussions of grief, death, and a tender romance rich with sentiment and connection.

Arrington punctuates William’s narrative with snapshots from the present, though Izzy and Susan Jane’s roles are largely peripheral. The 1970s flashbacks to William and Marina captivate, and Arrington sensitively handles a host of challenging topics, including suicide, death, and cancer. Amid those developments—and a shocking twist in the form of a vehicle accident—the story revolves around the deeply abiding, measured bond between William and Marina. Anyone who has wished for a second chance at life and love will be satisfied by this stirring journey from tragedy and heartbreak to happily-ever-after.

Takeaway: Emotional second chance story of love, loss, and rebirth.

Comparable Titles: Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You, Hannah Ellis’s Always With You.

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

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Williams (The Platform Owners Guidebook) takes an unconventional and eye-opening look at the mechanics of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), to help businesses transition from start-up to grow-up and avoid what he terms “ClustERPuck”—ERP operations that miss the mark. He supports the fluidity of ERP projects—they can be spread across numerous areas, he asserts, including accounting, supply chain, logistics, and production dynamics—to streamline business processes, and he divides his advice into two main concepts of Preparation and Implementation, while also offering hypothetical scenarios that address the missteps to ERP implementation—and what to do when things go wrong.

The recommendations here are written in frank, down-to-earth language that makes a sometimes-intimidating topic easy to grasp. Williams acknowledges ERPs can be complicated, and he assures readers that a little uncertainty is normal, writing that his “goal isn’t to scare you out of taking action, but to open your eyes to the complexity and provide assurance that ClustERPucks are avoidable.” The material may sound unglamorous, but it’s crucial: he covers pragmatics such as the cost of licenses, how to determine a company’s need for ongoing support services, and the nuts and bolts of different ERP products (dividing them into two categories, closed ecosystem and open), while delving into general business principles as well, including the value of clear communication and understanding investments versus costs.

Williams includes basic visuals to illustrate his principles in addition to resources for continued study, but what’s most valuable about ClustERPuck is the straight-shooting instruction on how to avoid disastrous, time-consuming, and money-wasting ERP projects. And that advice, he argues, is worth its weight in gold, because the alternative will be a system that “probably is worse than what you’ve already got despite the fact that its whole purpose was to make things better.” Professionals ready for a deeper understanding of ERP systems and implementation will find it here.

Takeaway: Clear, concise advice on Enterprise Resource Planning projects.

Comparable Titles: Alexis Leon’s ERP Demystified, Marianne Bradford’s Modern ERP.

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

Click here for more about ClustERPuck

The title is both description and invitation as Casey’s welcoming debut blends memoir—exploring her own recovery, spiritual searching, and embrace of Buddhist precepts and mindfulness meditation—with guidance for seekers eager to discover all that such journeys entail. Casey writes with disarming frankness about relatable concerns in marriage and motherhood, budgets, and the dissatisfactions of modern life, especially the shift in thinking it takes to break from routine and expectation when first making the choice to look inward. “I often felt I had to be making supper or doing laundry or helping the children right away,” she writes of the early days of her explorations, but with support and the “focus of intention,” she “became more deliberate” about her choices. “[J]ust noticing and being here and now” makes a difference, she notes, and it’s an example that can benefit readers who might not have access to the retreats that helped Casey.

Casey’s reports from those retreats offer vividly described lessons, insights, and revelations that demystify the process of meditation and spiritual searching while never diminishing the greater mysteries. Casey describes awakenings, recovering memories of a “unified connection with all,” and also understandable uncertainty about her first experiences. “What do you do here?” she asks, with hesitation, after expressing concern that she’ll feel “strong feelings” during an intense, three-day “Zen sesshin.” Her teacher’s answer: “We sit.” And she did, learning that “in the realization of ultimate Truth, all must be seen by oneself.”

The result is an unusually grounded book of discovering truths, with an emphasis on the work that this demands, including setbacks and doubts, but also the real changes Casey experienced as she learned to name feelings, recognize “five primary hindrances,” confront “emotional patterns of despair and unworthiness,” and “transform shame into forgiveness and make amends.” Even if the book didn’t cover her eventual path as a mindfulness meditation teacher, readers would probably guess—page after page, with warmth and clarity, she teaches.

Takeaway: Encouraging, relatable memoir of discovering meditation, Buddhism, and one’s path.

Comparable Titles: Jack Kornfield’s After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, Sharon Salzberg’s Real Change.

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

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A capstone to his expansive Time Statues series, which interrogates over five volumes (and change!) key moments from a lifetime of searching and thinking, this spirited miscellany from psychologist Morgan examines what he’s discovered, contemplated, listened to, and laughed at in the 21st century. The emphasis is on the parapsychological, on extending life, and on understanding the relative nature of our relationship with time—especially on finding ways to slow its passage as we age. The new millennium kicked off, for Morgan, with a health crisis that left him briefly legally dead and facing two open-heart surgeries. At the same time, he beheld a vision, in Guam, of a small woman who asked him the most pressing of questions: “What would you like to know?” His account of this conversation, and a surprising connection to recent discoveries about the ancient human past, is incredible in every sense of the word.

Unlike many authors who report insights and connections from beyond the edges of our science, Morgan never over-interprets such incidents. (Others here include a patient with precognition, a possible ghost at a Singapore University, some experiments, and other surprises.) Instead, Morgan presents them with a storyteller’s elan, a welcome lightness of touch, and a sense of curiosity and quiet awe that makes it easy to give the tales credence. The effect is more like a trusted friend thinking through the implications of a shiver-inducing mystery than an author peddling lofty secrets.

The conclusions he draws—about aging and memory, about how educating the “wealthy and powerful” about life extension might make them “better motivated to heal the world that they would live longer in”—prove both wise and playful. Morgan indulges that sense of play in some loose, silly chapters that experiment with memes, emojis, and jokes about Xi Jinping and Kardashian amplitude. That material isn’t especially edifying, but it’s honest to the “Time Statues” mission—setting down who Morgan was at these moments.

Takeaway: A psychologist’s surprising moments, insights, and brushes with the beyond.

Comparable Titles: Rupert Sheldrake’s The Sense of Being Stared At, Edward F. Kelly and Paul Marshall’s Consciousness Unbound.

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

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Proposing an antidote to an industry besotted with intrusive marketing, Pratt’s debut urges teams to earn their attention from audiences by “resisting the urge to interrupt [them] with annoyances [and] choosing to blow their minds.” Arguing that contemporary marketers possess a golden opportunity to build willing audiences by producing high-quality content, like podcasts and social media spectacles, Pratt pulls from his own podcast agency experience with notables such as Ford and Audible to lay bare the secrets behind creating content that stands on its own. “The world’s most valuable commodity is attention,” he writes, and this refreshing guide shows readers several ways to harness that resource.

Replete with catchy visuals and down-to-earth writing, Earn It is unconventionally appealing. Pratt advises readers to “Do the Opposite” of the norm, offering an original framework that covers mindset, strategy, creation, and audience development, all with the idea that bucking the status quo will net the best results. Rather than falling back on what he calls “selfish” marketing instincts, such as urgency and interruption, Pratt helps readers focus instead on generosity, patience, and spotlighting the greater good. By shifting to content that is a desirable gift versus a distracting disturbance, he asserts that teams will see greater financial success as well as more positive views of their brand.

Though Earn It’s methods may feel more anecdotal than carefully measured, Pratt addresses crucial marketing concepts in a refreshing way while offering readers handy how-to pointers, including usable idea-generating exercises, strategies to make advertising content unique, tips to build a niche audience, and more. His real-world examples, from Red Bull to Shopify, illustrate the guide’s concepts in understandable ways, and he sprinkles advice from marketing experts (Ann Handley and Jonah Berger, among others) throughout his writing, closing with a timely—and uplifting—reminder to “Stay Creatively Brave and Committed.”

Takeaway: Down-to-earth guide on shifting from interruption marketing to high-end, creative content.

Comparable Titles: Jeff Rosenblum and Jordan Berg’s Friction, Meera Kothand’s One Hour Content Plan.

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

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