The General Fiction Shelf

Mending What Is Broken
Robert McKean
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470 https://livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604893410, $21.95, PB, 338pp

https://www.amazon.com/Mending-What-Broken-Robert-McKean/dp/1604893419

Synopsis: At mid-life, Peter Sanguedolce has learned that having a big hear=
t and good intentions are not enough. Divorced (again), he's slowly losing = everything he cares about, including his family's sewer pipe business and, = possibly, shared custody of his young daughter, Jeannette.

His ex-wife, Avis, and her new husband, Elliot, are poised to remove Jeanet=
te from Peter's unraveling life.

Then Peter begins to pay closer attention to everything: a comment from Jea= nnette, Elliot's odd behavior toward her, and Avis's determination to send = their daughter away to boarding school.

In the midst of the search for a new school, Peter is drawn into a foolhard=
y plan to reconnect his elderly former neighbor and friend, Jacob, with his=
estranged daughter, whom Peter had, in his youth, admired from afar. But j= ust when everything could spin out of control, Peter focuses on his daughte=
r above all else, and once again sets out on a journey, this time to protec=
t Jeanette.

"Mending What Is Broken" is a bittersweet story about the families we make = and that we lose, about working class towns and fading dreams -- and creati=
ng second chances in life.

Critique: Original, exceptional, memorable, "Mending What Is Broken" showca= ses author Robert McKean's genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of narr= ative driven storytelling style that fully engages his readers from first p= age to last. Skillfully written and an inherently interested read, "Mending=
What Is Broken" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal re= ading lists and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Robert McKean (https://www.robmckean.com) is the author of = the short story collection "I'll Be Here For You: Diary of a Town" which wa=
s awarded first-prize in the Tartts First Fiction competition (Livingston P= ress). His novel "The Catalog of Crooked Thoughts" was awarded first-prize =
in the Methodist University Longleaf Press Novel Contest. The novel was als=
o named a Finalist for the 2018 Eric Hoffer Award. Recipient of a Massachus= etts Artist's Grant for his fiction, McKean has had six stories nominated f=
or Pushcart Prizes and one story for Best of the Net. He has also published=
extensively in journals such as The Kenyon Review, The Chicago Review, and=
others.

Maribelle's Shadow
Susannah Marren
Beaufort Books
535 Flatbush Avenue, PMB 287, Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825310294, $16.95 PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Maribelles-Shadow-Susannah-Marren/dp/0825310296

Synopsis: As the editorial director of Palm Beach Confidential, Maribelle W= alker knows what lurks beneath the glittering facade of the moneyed elite o=
n Florida's most glamorous coast. Or does she?

When her adored and impressive husband, Samuel, dies suddenly, the secrets = and lies between Maribelle and her sisters rise to the surface. Compounding=
the anguish, the authenticity of their socially ambitious mother and lavis=
h lifestyle of mansions, privilege and couture clothes is thrown into doubt=
..

As their carefully constructed image unravels, each sister realizes she mus=
t fend for herself. The pathway out is steep and worth any risk. Until the = winner takes all.

Critique: A carefully crafted, original, inherently riveting, and impressiv= ely compelling tale of deception and family loyalty, "Maribelle's Shadow" b=
y author Susannah Marren is a riveting read that will be of immense interes=
t to fans of contemporary women's fiction. While especially and unreservedl=
y recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collection=
s, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Maribelle's Shadow" =
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

Editorial Note: Susannah Marren (http://www.susanshapirobarash.com) is the = author of Between the Tides, A Palm Beach Wife and A Palm Beach Scandal and=
the pseudonym for Susan Shapiro Barash, who has written over a dozen nonfi= ction books, including Tripping the Prom Queen, Toxic Friends, You're Groun= ded Forever, But First Let's Go Shopping, and A Passion for More. For over = twenty years she has taught gender studies at Marymount Manhattan College a=
nd has guest taught creative nonfiction at the Writing Institute at Sarah L= awrence College. Presently she is teaching at the Westport Writers Workshop=
..

Famous in a Small Town
Viola Shipman
Graydon House
http://graydonhousebooks.com
c/o HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com
9781525805073, $30.00, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Famous-Small-Town-Viola-Shipman/dp/152580507X

Synopsis: For most of her eighty years, Mary Jackson has endured the steady=
invasion of tourists, influencers and real estate developers who have disc= overed the lakeside charm of Good Hart, Michigan, waiting patiently for the=
arrival of a stranger she's believed since childhood would one day carry o=
n her legacy -- the Very Cherry General Store.

Like generations of Jackson women before her, Cherry Mary, as she's known l= ocally, runs the community hub that is part post office, part bakery and pa=
rt sandwich shop. She had almost given up hope that the mysterious predicti=
on she'd been told as a girl would come true and the store would have to pa=
ss to a man!

Becky Thatcher came to Good Hart with her ride-or-die BFF to forget that sh= e's just turned forty with nothing to show for it. Ending up at the general=
store with Mary is admittedly not the beach vacation she expected, but the=
more the feisty octogenarian talks about destiny, the stronger Becky's mem= ories of her own childhood holidays become, and the strange visions over th=
e lake she was never sure were real.

As Becky works under Mary's wing for the summer and finds she fits into thi=
s quirky community of locals, she starts to believe that destiny could be r= eal, and that it might have something very special in mind for Becky!

Critique: An original and fun read from cover to cover, "Famous in a Small = Town" by the literary talented novelist Viola Shipman is especially and unr= eservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Women's Fiction co= llections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Women's Fri= endship fiction fans that "Famous in a Small Town" is also readily availabl=
e in a paperback edition (9781525804854, $18.99) and in a digital book form=
at (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Wade Rouse (https://waderouse.com) writes fiction under his=
grandma's name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose heirlooms inspire = his writing. He lives in Michigan and California, and hosts Wine & Words wi=
th Wade, A Literary Happy Hour, every Thursday.

The Second Ending
Michelle Hoffman
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
9780593599136, $18.00, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Second-Ending-Novel-Michelle-Hoffman/dp/0593599136

Synopsis: Prudence Childs was once the most famous kindergartner on the pla= net. After teaching herself to play piano at age three, she performed at th=
e White House, appeared on talk shows, and inspired a generation to take up=
lessons. But as adolescence closed in, Prudence realized that she was bein=
g exploited and pushed into fame by her cruel grandmother, so she ran away.=
Broke and alone, she took a job writing commercial jingles, which earned h=
er a fortune but left her creatively adrift.

Now forty-eight, with her daughters away at school, Prudence agrees to comp= ete on a wildly popular dueling pianos TV show to reconnect with her inner = artist. Unfortunately, her new spotlight captures the attention of her terr= ible ex-husband, Bobby, who uses the opportunity to blackmail her over a lo= ng-buried secret. If she doesn't win, she won't just be a musical failure; = she'll also be bankrupt and exposed in front of millions.

Her on-air rival, virtuoso Alexei Petrov, a young internet sensation with a=
massive audience and a dreamy Russian accent, has problems of his own. His=
demanding parents made him a technically flawless pianist but left him wit= hout friends, hobbies, or any kind of life outside his music.

As they prepare to face off onstage, the retired prodigy and the exhausted = wunderkind realize that the competition is their chance to prove to their b=
ad exes, tyrannical family members, and, most important, themselves that it=
's never too late to write a new ending.

Critique: A beautifully crafted, original, novel and a terrifically enterta= ining read from cover to cover, "The Second Ending" by author Michelle Hoff= man is unique, compelling, and memorable. A prized and welcome addition to = community library Contemporary General Fiction collections and available fo=
r personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Sec= ond Ending" is the stuff of which Hallmark Channel Movies are made!

Editorial Note: Michelle Hoffman is a former arts and entertainment writer = for The Arizona Republic. She began formal piano lessons at the age of five=
and now lives in Arizona with her husband, two spoiled Shih Tzus, and a ve=
ry large piano.

Any Other City
Hazel Jane Plante
https://www.hazeljaneplante.com
Arsenal Pulp Press
www.arsenalpulp.com
9781551529110, $19.95, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Other-City-Hazel-Jane-Plante/dp/1551529114

Synopsis: "Any Other City" by novelist Hazel Jane Plante is a two-sided fic= tional memoir of Tracy St. Cyr, who helms the beloved indie rock band Stati=
c Saints.

Side A is a snapshot of her life from 1993, when Tracy arrives in a labyrin= thine city as a fledgling artist and unexpectedly falls in with a clutch of=
trans women, including the iconoclastic visual artist Sadie Tang.

Side B finds Tracy, now a semi-famous musician, in the same strange city in=
2019, healing from a traumatic event through songwriting, queer kinship, a=
nd sexual pleasure.

While writing her memoir, Tracy perceives how the past reverberates into th=
e present, how a body is a time machine, how there's power in refusing to d= ust the past with powdered sugar, and how seedlings begin to slowly grow in=
empty spaces after things have been broken open.

Motifs recur like musical phrases, and traces of what used to be there peek=
through, like a palimpsest. "Any Other City" is a novel about friendship a=
nd other forms of love, traveling in a body across decades, and transmuting=
trauma through art making and queer sex -- a love letter to trans femmes a=
nd to art itself.

Critique: Eloquent, complex, fascinating, original, deftly crafted, and a c= ompelling, compulsive, page turner of a read from start to finish, Hazel Ja=
ne Plante's novel, "Any Other City" will prove a welcome pick for personal,=
community, and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction and LGBTQ Fi= ction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Any = Other City" is also available from Arsenal Pulp Press in a digital book for= mat (Kindle, $9.49).

Editorial Note: Hazel Jane Plante (https://www.hazeljaneplante.com) is a li= brarian, cat photographer, and writer. Her debut novel Little Blue Encyclop= edia (for Vivian) (Metonymy Press, 2019) won a Lambda Literary Award and wa=
s a finalist for a Publishing Triangle Award. She releases music under the = name lo-fi lioness and helms the podcast t4t, which is about writing while = trans.

Graceland
Nancy Crochiere
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063288430, $18.99, PB, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Graceland-Novel-Nancy-Crochiere/dp/0063288435

Synopsis: Hope Robinson can't seem to please anyone lately, especially not = her mother, the flamboyant soap star Olivia Grant. Olivia loves Elvis more = than Jesus and, convinced she's dying, insists on a final visit to Gracelan=
d. Unfortunately, that's the one place Hope can't take her. Hope fled Memph=
is years ago with a shameful secret and a vow never to return.

Olivia, though, doesn't understand the word no. Instead, she wrangles Hope'=
s pink-haired daughter, Dylan, to drive her to Memphis by promising to reve=
al the mystery of her long-lost father. Hope must stop them before they exp= ose the truth and all hell breaks loose.

As the women race from Boston to Memphis, encountering jealous soap actors,=
free-range ferrets, and a trio of Elvis-impersonating frat boys, everyone'=
s secrets begin to unravel. In order to become the family they long to be, = Hope, Olivia, and Dylan must face hard truths about themselves and one anot= her on the bumpy road to acceptance, forgiveness, and ultimately, grace.

Critique: Original, fun and funny, "Graceland" by novelist Nancy Crochiere =
is a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish. Clever and enga= ging, featuring a wealth of memorably interest characters, and more unexpec= ted plot twists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster, "Graceland" wi=
ll prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community libra=
ry Contemporary Women's Fiction collections. It should be noted for persona=
l reading lists that "Graceland" is also currently available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $1.99).

Editorial Note: Nancy Crochiere (https://www.nancycrochiere.com) chronicled=
the ups and downs of family life (including her obsession with George Cloo= ney) in her humorous newspaper column, "The Mother Load". Her essays have a= ppeared in the Boston Globe and Writer's Digest, and on WBUR's Cognoscenti = blog. In her free time, she acts as an extra in feature films and TV shows.

Lump
Nathan Whitlock
Rare Machines
c/o The Dundurn Group
www.dundurn.com
9781459751286, $18.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Lump-Nathan-Whitlock/dp/1459751280

Synopsis: Cat's career has stalled, her marriage has gone flat, and being a=
stay-at-home mom for two young kids has become a grind. When she finds out=
, all within a few days, that she is pregnant, that a lump in her breast is=
the worst thing it could be, and that her husband has done something unfor= givably repulsive, she responds by running away from her marriage and her l= ife. A life that, on the outside, looks like middle-class success.

Her actions send waves of chaos through the lives of multiple characters, i= ncluding a struggling house cleaner, a rich and charismatic yoga guru, and = even an ailing dog.

Lump is a dark comedy about marriage, motherhood, privilege, and power.

Critique: A deftly crafted, entertaining, original, and memorable novel, "L= ump" by Nathan Whitlock will have a special and particular appeal to fans o=
f satirical fiction at its very best. With a wry approach to family life an=
d a lampooning tragical comedy from beginning to end, "Lump" is unreservedl=
y recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction colle= ctions. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lump" is also a= vailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Nathan Whitlock (https://www.nathanwhitlock.ca) is the auth=
or of the novels A Week of This and Congratulations On Everything. His work=
has appeared in the New York Review of Books, The Walrus, The Globe and Ma= il, Best Canadian Essays, and elsewhere.

How We Healed
Melody & Arric Fowler
https://www.melodyfowler.com
Poetic Gems Publishing
9781738647026, $16.50, PB, 208pp

https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Healed-Melody-Fowler/dp/1738647021

Synopsis: Desperate to escape a difficult life in the South, Drunetta Brown=
flees to New York City with her children. And there, she develops powerful=
friendships that help her claim her place in a changing world. -- But ther=
e is nothing ordinary about the journey she takes in life, or the people in=
it.

Critique: With the publication of "How We Healed", co-authors Melody and Ar= ric Fowler have carefully crafted a compelling novel on the them of startin=
g over and fully engaging their readers with an original, thought-provoking=
, memorable and poignant story of healing from emotional injuries. Of speci=
al appeal to readers with an interest in African/American Women's Fiction a=
nd Multicultural Romance, "How We Healed" is especially and unreservedly re= commended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. I=
t should be noted for personal reading lists that "How We Healed" is also a= vailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Melody Fowler (www.melodyfowler.com) is a free-spirit born = and raised in Vancouver, BC. She worked for prominent Vancouver law firms, =
a psychiatrist, and retired after decades working for a Crown Corporation. = She is also a recognized painter and a poet. She published a book of poetry=
, "Life Lyrics" in 2011. She now lives outside Vancouver, with her husband = Arric, where their backyard, affectionately known as the "Fowler Vineyard",=
continues to produce amazing wines and jellies.

Yuwa: A Novel
Chen Yixin, author
Howard Goldblatt, translator
Long River Press
https://longriverpress.co.nz
c/o China Books
www.chinabooks.com
9781592652587, $16.95, PB, 140pp

https://www.amazon.com/Yuwa-Novel-Yixin-Chen/dp/1592652581

Synopsis: Set in a dirt-poor area of Gansu Province in China's far west, "Y= uwa" is an original work by novelist Chen Yixin that features a boy who ris=
es above his marginal existence in a village bypassed by economic growth.

Yuwa (rain child) leads a simple life surrounded by an extended family, lov=
e, and friendship. He tends sheep with his grand-uncle, who teaches him abo=
ut life; he goes to school with his best friend, whose loyalty never wavers=
; he has an aunt who dotes on him and a mother who worries about him. As a = novel, "Yuwa" builds in intensity and emotion after Yuwa experiences heartb= reak after heartbreak.

While symbolizing the challenges facing the villagers, the story also illus= trates how a child's indomitable nature and inherent decency help him endur=
e despite the forces of nature, tradition, and cruelty arrayed against him.=
It is difficult to read Yuwa without taking note of its symbolic resonance=
and message of hope.

Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership by Howard=
Goldblatt, "Yuwa" is a novel by Chen Yixin that was originally published i=
n Chinese in 2019. A finely crafted and impressively original work of liter= ary fiction available from Long River Press in a highly portable paperback = edition (5 x 0.35 x 7 inches, 6.7 ounces), "Yuwa" is especially and unreser= vedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library = Contemporary International Literary Fiction collections.

Editorial Note #1: Chen Yixin is young writer who was born and grew up in a=
village similar to Yuwa's. Chen's childhood experience has given him a uni= que perspective on contemporary life in impoverished parts of China that se= ldom emerge from the shadows. With plain language and compassion, Chen has = created a truly memorable character in an undersized child who survives aga= inst all odds.

Editorial Note #2: Howard Goldblatt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_G= oldblatt) is the translator of numerous works of Chinese fiction, including=
Xiao Hong, Su Tong, and Nobel Laureate Mo Yan.

Survivors of the Hive
Jason Heroux
Radiant Press
www.radiantpress.ca
9781989274866, $22.00, PB, 120pp

https://www.amazon.com/Survivors-Hive-Jason-Heroux/dp/1989274862

Synopsis: Loss. Grief. Centipedes. Silence. The word "no." The word "yes." =
A high school poetry contest that may or may not be linked to the end of th=
e world. The characters each of the four short stories that comprise "Survi= vors of the Hive" by author Jason Heroux are under one form of attack or an= other.

A grief-baffled son hopes to save an innocent insect from a toxic genocide,=
a daughter struggles to accept loss while visiting a community overwhelmed=
by denial, a sorrow-stricken father recalls his bizarre final conversation=
with his only child; the individuals in these the four short stories (Tell=
Me Again How the Silence in the Chamber of Exaltation Sounds; The No Probl= em; Tango Zero Hour; The Last Poetry Contest) discover how difficult it can=
be to let go of what's gone in order to live with what's left.

Critique: Original, eloquent, and of special appeal to readers with an inte= rest in deftly crafted and surreal fiction, "Survivors of the Hive" is a va= lued and recommended pick for community and academic library Short Story an=
d Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for persona=
l reading lists that "Survivors of the Hive" is also available in a digital=
book format (Kindle, $20.90).

Editorial Note: Jason Heroux (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Heroux) i=
s the author of four books of poetry: Memoirs of an Alias (2004); Emergency=
Hallelujah (2008); Natural Capital (2012) and Hard Work Cheering Up Sad Ma= chines (2016). He is also the author of three novels: Good Evening, Central=
Laundromat (2010); We Wish You a Happy Killday (2014) and Amusement Park o=
f Constant Sorrow (2018). Jason holds a BA degree from Queen's University, = and was a finalist for the 2018 ReLit Novel Award. He was the Poet Laureate=
for the City of Kingston from 2019 to 2022.

Who Brought the Dog to Church?
Tracy L. Smoak
Emerald House Group
https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Emerald_House_Group
9781649604224, $18.99, PB, 328pp

https://www.amazon.com/Who-Brought-Church-Tracy-Smoak/dp/164960422X

Synopsis: Betty is sure that Ida Lou does not belong in their church when t=
he woman shows up to the Good Friday service with her small dog in tow. But=
before she knows what's happening, Betty is pushed into helping the woman =
as she deals with the sudden hospitalization of her husband. Having lost he=
r own husband just one year ago, Betty is chosen as the perfect person to h= elp walk through this valley with the newcomer -- along with the other wome=
n of the WUFHs (Women United For Him).

Sarah McAdams knows her husband loves her. He just loses his temper sometim= es. It comes with the stress of being a highly recognized police officer. B=
ut when Sarah makes the decision that this is not the life she wants for he=
r young son, will she be able to get out alive? Where can she go? And who w= ill help her?

God works in mysterious ways -- and through ordinary people. The town of Pr= osper is about to experience some drama -- and it all starts with a dog who=
comes to church!

Critique: Original, entertaining, deftly crafted, and a throughly enjoyable=
read from first page to last, "Who Brought the Dog to Church?" will have a=
very special appeal to anyone with an interest in Contemporary Christian F= iction and Women's Friendship themed novels. While especially and unreserve= dly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it shoul=
d be noted for personal reading lists that "Who Brought the Dog to Church?"=
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Tracy L. Smoak (https://www.tracysmoak.com) is a freelance = writer and the author of Living Water to Refresh Your Soul (Redemption Pres=
s, 2022), and a nonfiction about encouragement based on Bible characters (B= old Vision, 2023) Throughout all her writing, her goal is to address deep i= ssues and bring comfort with the good news of Christ.

The Beauty of Rain
Jamie Beck
https://jamiebeck.com
Montlake
c/o Amazon Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/montlake.html
9781542032421, $16.99, PB, 331pp

https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Rain-Novel-Jamie-Beck/dp/1542032423

Synopsis: Winning the lottery changed Amy Walsh's life, but the cost was gr= eater than she could bear. In the aftermath, she struggles to find joy and = purpose. Only one thing feels certain now -- she will never spend one cent =
of the prize money on herself.

Worried, her older sister, Kristin DeMarco, invites Amy to live with her fa= mily while she heals. Unfortunately, this arrangement leads to trouble for = Kristin: Divided focus affects her career. Her daughter prefers Amy to her.=
And Amy's unsolicited opinions provoke tension between Kristin and her hus= band.

Meanwhile, Amy is making drastic plans of her own, which include giving awa=
y all her money. But first she must convince Kristin not to squander her mo=
st valuable asset -- time with her family.

As the sisters help each other reimagine their futures, life's unpredictabi= lity sends them to surprising places that test their love and resilience. W= ill they learn to live in the now, before it's too late?

Critique: A well crafted and inherently engaging novel of sisterhood and fa= mily life, "The Beauty of Rain" showcases author Jamie Beck's impressive st= orytelling skills. While also available for personal reading lists in a dig= ital book format ($4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brill= iance Audio, 9798400116353, $19.99, MP3-CD), "The Beauty of Rain" will prov=
e a popular and prized addition to community library Contemporary Women's F= iction collections.

Editorial Note: Jamie Beck (www.jamiebeck.com) is the author of eighteen no= vels. She is a two-time Booksellers' Best Award finalist, a Women's Fiction=
Writers Association STAR Award finalist, and a National Readers' Choice Aw= ard winner. Fans can get exclusive excerpts and inside scoops and be eligib=
le for birthday-gift drawings by subscribing to her newsletter at https://b= it.ly/JBeckNewsletter

Always Orchid
Carol Van Den Hende
Azine Press
9781958223000, $32.95, HC, 346pp

https://www.amazon.com/Always-Orchid-Carol-Van-Hende/dp/195822300X

Synopsis: Phoenix Walker will never be the same. Nine months after a heroic=
act leaves him forever changed, he refuses to hurt Orchid Paige ever again=
..

Orchid is ready to forgive. Convincing her guy she still loves him, no matt=
er his injuries, she works to rebuild their intimacy. But their move to her=
family's ancestral country unveils China's superstitions against people wi=
th disabilities. Worse, their friend's life has been upended by those preju= dices.

Will Phoenix and Orchid find a way to beat the odds and turn discrimination=
into compassion?

Critique: "Always Orchid" is the riveting third book in author Carol Van De=
n Hende's 'Goodbye, Orchid' contemporary fiction series but can be read and=
enjoyed as a standalone novel. Deftly crafted characters, and inherently f= ascinating plot twists and turns, "Always Orchid" will hold a special appea=
l for fans with an interest in multicultural romance and personal life jour= neys that ultimately and successfully lead to unconditional acceptance and = romance fulfilled. While especially and unreservedly recommended for commun= ity library Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for person=
al reading lists that "Always Orchid" is also available in a paperback edit= ion (9781958223048, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Carol Van Den Hende (www.carolvandenhende.com) pens stories=
of resilience and hope. Her novels Orchid Blooming and Goodbye, Orchid dra=
w from her own Chinese American family's history, and have won 30+ literary=
awards, including the American Fiction Award, IAN Outstanding Fiction Firs=
t Novel Award, and Royal Dragonfly Awards for Disability Awareness and Cult= ural Diversity. Carol's mission is unlocking optimism as a writer, speaker,=
global marketer, digital strategist, Board Trustee and Climate Reality Lea= der.

The Cost of Living
Daisy DeMay
https://daisydemay.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888764, $18.99

https://www.amazon.com/Cost-Living-Daisy-DeMay/dp/1639888764

The Cost of Living tells of Sara, who faces losing everything. The opening = lines of her story reflects the reality of many a reader: "I truly believed=
I had prepared myself for the inevitable. Unfortunately, I underestimated = how I would react when confronted with chaos and deadly destruction."

Such a situation doesn't have to embrace war or natural disaster. It can so=
me from the heart, from a physical storm that love and marriage become when=
their initial hope turns into despair. That's the situation Sara finds her= self in at the opening of this story, as she reflects on the events that ha=
ve brought her to this place and the transformations experienced by a coupl=
e that once "...believed love could conquer anything the world threw at us.=
"

Curveballs come in many guises and unexpected moments of revelation, as Sar=
a reveals during a probe of her abusive past and the possibilities in her p= resent and future relationships. More so than most stories about manipulati= on, abuse, and recovery, Sara's tale embraces not just the circumstances of=
her life, but how it got to this point and, perhaps more importantly, what=
it takes to leave it all behind.

Spectacular comparisons between threats that come with concurrent danger an=
d beauty are presented in the form of perceptions about the world's opportu= nities and adversities: "Yes, it is spectacular out here, but amongst all t=
he beauty you have found is the sound of the sirens going off to let us kno=
w this is dangerous. We have to get to the basement."

Three years of marriage brings the storms outside indoors, taking them to h= eart in a manner that transforms Sara. All it then takes is realizing conne= ctions to past patterns in order to break them -- but this involves total d= estruction before recreation can take place. The experience will strengthen=
if it doesn't kill first, and the sea change in attitude that Sara undergo=
es during this process provides compelling insights readers will appreciate=
: "I wasn't trying to understand what was left. Instead, I was searching fo=
r a way out."

Daisy DeMay creates an evocative, moving story about the costs of past abus=
e, present-day revelations, and future options. Readers should anticipate n=
ot only emotional storms that could trigger emotional responses, but explic=
it sexual scenes as Sara, Adam, Sam, and others become survivors in differe=
nt ways. DeMay introduces some surprising twists to anything readers might = anticipate as predictable, from literally mindful connections to facing the=
end of one world and the beginning of another.

Whether she's talking about disaster, survival, or interpersonal conundrums=
, one thing to be said about The Cost of Living is that it redefines the no= tion of freedom, escape, captivity and survival on many levels through vivi=
d, thought-provoking scenes that embrace both action and strong characteriz= ation.

Libraries and readers seeking stories of transformation and revised purpose=
s will find The Cost of Living a compelling interplay between characters th=
at face their pasts and consider the ultimate price of being a survivor. Ea=
ch character aims to restart their world and everything around them with ne= wfound insights and visions about their purposes and relationships.

The Alphabet Woods
Jenny Poelman
Warren Publishing
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781960146274, $33.00 Hardcover/$19.99 Paper

https://www.amazon.com/Alphabet-Woods-Jenny-Poelman/dp/1960146270

The Alphabet Woods follows fifty-seven-year-old Key North's move to rural N= orth Carolina, which represents a sea change from her former ordered, staid=
lifestyle. The move brings with it a reintroduction to new environments, p= eople, and old acquaintances that change when they enter this world, bringi=
ng with them new realizations that Key is forced to absorb from the start.

Her responses to those who eschew her remote choice are pointed and humorou=
s, reflecting much of the tone of her journey of self-discovery: "I'm not t= echnically in Troy. I'm four miles past it, on the edge of civilization. I'=
ll try to get word to you of my well-being now and then when the traveling = tinker comes through and can take my ciphered missive."

The story opens not with Key's move, but with little boy Wain's struggles w= ith a monster that lives and is accepted in his own home. It's a monster he=
can't avoid. The child abuse scenario which evolves may prove a trigger po= int for sensitive readers, but is an intrinsic part of a story that evolves=
new connections for Key, Wain, and those who inhabit this community of int= erconnected lives.

Jenny Poelman ties seemingly disparate threads of threat and opportunity wi=
th the psyches of individuals of all ages who at first seem lost, but demon= strate that they are, in fact, survivors of extraordinary circumstances. Ke= y's increasing involvement in Wain's life and a mystery that holds answers =
to questions that could change everything makes for a moving story of life = connection replete with thought-provoking moments of revelation and confron= tation:

"...it doesn't matter whether you were drunk or sober. Your actions toward = Wain were the actions of a monster. And he's paying the price."

As magical realism influences too-real lives affected by substance abuse an=
d new connections, readers will appreciate this vivid story of a middle-age=
d woman who transforms her world, only to find that her new environment int= roduces conundrums she never anticipated.

A literary work of middle-age transformation and evolving friendships that = rest on uncertain and unusual foundations, The Alphabet Woods is highly rec= ommended for libraries and readers seeking memorable stories of struggles t=
o learn and efforts to translate life lessons into real change. It unfolds = gifts that arrive from unexpected circumstances and from taking leaps of fa= ith, powered by the music of the soul and the strength and connections invo= lved in taking risks, and is highly recommended for a wide audience of thin= king readers.

Fast Fiction Volume 2: Man vs. Machine
Scotty Cornfield
www.scottycornfield.com
Flagstone Press
https://tinyurl.com/9unxrswn
B0C3BGX6S5, $10.49 ebook/$15.95 paper

https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fiction-Vol-Machine-101-Word/dp/B0C9WH6RQ2

Just how much can be written in 101 words? A lot, as Scotty Cornfield prove=
d in his original Fast Fiction and here, again, in companion volume Fast Fi= ction Volume 2: Man vs. Machine.

Both books pay tribute to the fact that not only can a story be well-develo= ped in merely 101 words, but that prompts from others can set off a chain r= eaction of creativity plumbing the wellspring of originality to come up wit=
h circumstances and tales well worth reading.

Perhaps at no other time in human history does the fast fiction form feel s=
o compelling and necessary. Given the time (and, often, literary) constrain=
ts of modern readers, fast fiction lends particularly well to quick reading=
and long-term, thought-provoking digestion. The breadth of themes and insp= ections in this second book expands the novel idea and incarnation of fast = fiction, inviting both literary and general-interest audiences to imbibe in=
a rich, heady brew of diverse experiences.

Cornfield wrote 75 flash fiction stories for this collection, then took the=
same prompts he used to write his original tales and fed them into AI syst= ems ChatGPT and Google Bard to see what computer-generated stories looked l= ike.

Humans like to have the last word, so he produced a 76th story that departs=
from the inspirational steam of prompt-generated flash stories to sum up t=
he collection's 'man versus machine' duel.

An introductory explanation not only reveals the birth of this collection's=
core concept, but cements the idea that, in this gathering, human-authored=
stories are presented alongside AI-created fast fiction. The separation be= tween man and machine is clarified by a change in font and the AI author in=
parenthesis, representing a unique collaboration between man and machine t= hat profiles both the strengths and drawbacks to AI-generated literature.

The contrast in approaches opens with the Cornfield-generated "Don't Let th=
e Sweet Name Fool You" and its AI version, "The Minimalist Funeral."

Creative writing courses focusing on the question of what makes writing hum=
an will find plenty to digest throughout the collection through such contra= sts. In this case, the theme of a "bad-ass" mortician whose jokes about dea=
th lead to a stunning revelation in "Sweet Name" take on a different feel i=
n the AI-generated story "Minimalist," in which a deceased's macabre sense =
of humor spills over from death to educate the living. Both stories were cr= eated from the prompt "less is morgue," but the very different threads demo= nstrate how one prompt can, under different hands (or, in this case, machin= ery) lead to very different scenarios. Both incorporate ironic humor, but e= ach story contains provocative messages that are driven home in 101 words a=
nd the space of virtually a moment or two of reading.

Another intriguing contrast is created in the juxtaposition of "Another Fam= ily Teachable Moment" with the AI-created "Perhaps Not the Best Idea," both=
prompted by a single word: "Perhaps." These very different stories of poss= ibility and vision again excel in the unexpected as they explore possibilit=
y in very different ways. As these connected prompts unfold between man and=
machine, a battle of wits and creative responses to words evolves that wil=
l prove especially enlightening discussion material for any classroom (high=
school on up) interested in exploring the wellsprings of reaction, intuiti= on, and the scenarios and approaches that differentiate human reactions fro=
m machine-generated words. Or, is there a difference? You decide. After all=
, you're the reader ... and you're only human. Or, are you?

In a nutshell, Fast Fiction Volume 2: Man vs. Machine's prompt-generated, w= ord-driven art is flawlessly compelling and highly recommended for a wide a= udience, from literary and creative writing students to general-interest re= aders who may have little time, but great interest in inquiring, thought-pr= ovoking, surprisingly disparate short fiction scenarios. Libraries and read= ers searching for powerful examples of what the short form can do, how prom= pts can tap underlying creative responses, and what differentiates the appr= oaches of man and machine will find much food for thought and discussion in=
Fast Fiction Volume 2: Man vs. Machine.

Three People, Three Countries, One Path
Cara A'court
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888528, $14.99

https://www.amazon.com/Three-People-Countries-One-Path/dp/1639888527

Three People, Three Countries, One Path is a spiritual novel about three in= dividuals who think their life course is set, until circumstances bring the=
m together in a journey certain to affect their perceptions and lives.

Many novels have featured such revelations, but Three People, Three Countri= es, One Path holds the special ability to unite the microcosm of individual=
choice and belief with bigger-picture thinking reflecting the lives and sh= ifts of those who believe their destinies have been set.

One of these is narrator Pinia, a Buddhist monk who has achieved the pinnac=
le of faith and lifestyle. Or, so he thinks. The monastery he inhabits has = survived many changes -- but so far, he has not. Nothing draws him or feels=
like home like the temple life. Or so he believes. Life has a funny way of=
transforming even the most staid life, and so his studies of the ways of T=
he Buddha and the path to Nirvana seem to lead him in a singular direction =
-- until it doesn't.

Pinia's ambition to become a Lama is interrupted by a deadly fire, sending = him into a world far from these sacred, tranquil walls. Reconciling purpose= ful disaster with the ways of Buddha and karma is no light venture: "The fi=
re and rage of the energy did not discriminate. It was fuelled too much by = its own pain and hurt. Even now, knowing the complete story I cannot unders= tand the karmic or universal reasons for such an atrocity."

Nor is leaving everything familiar (including beliefs) and heading into the=
uncharted waters of fostering two children, Lakishma and Loysin. But Pinia=
is skilled at rising to causes, and so his venture into his father's life = and the secrets which have powered his transformation and beliefs leads to = revelations that shake his foundations even more than the fire that began h=
is journey.

Cara A'court weaves social, spiritual, and psychological observations into = her story to create a powerfully compelling saga of good and bad choices an=
d the influences that both define and direct them. She injects the ongoing = spiritual concerns of karma, juxtaposing them with rich social inspection a=
s the threat of slavery and China's authority mingle with personal directio=
n and journeys, injecting social and political issues into Pinia's efforts =
to survive and foster his young charges against all odds and powers.

These rich intersections of social and spiritual drive create not only much=
food for thought, but topics suitable for wide-ranging discussion in book = groups, Buddhist spiritual circles, and Asian history and culture students.=
In order for a novel to achieve such broad attraction, it must arrive stee= ped in a personal touch that introduces topics readers may not be familiar = with, such as the political entanglements that touch abutting nations.

Three People, Three Countries, One Path does so with an inviting first-pers=
on focus that contrasts the intersection of these disparate lives, creating=
a story rich in philosophical, spiritual, and social inspection. This requ= ires no background in any of its beliefs or history in order to prove compe= lling and thoroughly engrossing to a wide audience.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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