Showcase: Gaza Faces History by Enzo Traverso

Today I'm showcasing a timely look into a most troubling situation that author Enzo Traverso goes to the heart of and a perspective that we don't usually see by my favorite indie publisher, OtherPress.
I can't wait to read it and I hope you get to too!
Enjoy

ISBN-13:  978-1-63542-554-3
Publisher: Other Press
Release Date: 10-01-2024
Length: 128pp

Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

In this urgent, insightful essay, a respected historian places the Israeli-Palestinian war in context, challenging Western attitudes about the region.


Is the destruction of Gaza only a consequence of the October 7, 2023 attack, or is it also the outcome of a long process of dispossession and eradication? Do Palestinians have the right to resist the occupation? Is talking about genocide anti-Semitism? Enzo Traverso goes to the root of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by calling history into question and offers a critical interpretation that overturns the one-sided perspective from which we have become accustomed to observing what is happening in Gaza.

Israel is usually described as a democratic island in the middle of an obscurantist ocean, and Hamas as a movement inspired by bloodthirsty fanaticism. The destruction of Gaza is reminiscent of the golden age of colonialism, when the West perpetrated genocides in Asia and Africa in the name of its civilizing mission. Its essential assumptions remain the same: civilization versus barbarism, progress versus intolerance. Alongside the ritual statements about Israel’s right to defend itself, no one ever mentions the Palestinians’ right to resist decades-long aggression. But if a genocidal war is unleashed in the name of fighting anti-Semitism, it is our own ethical values and political norms that are tarnished: the assumptions of our moral conscience—the distinction between oppressor and oppressed, perpetrators and victims—risk being turned upside down. The October 7 attack was terrifying, but it must be analyzed and not just condemned. And we must do so by summoning all the critical tools of historical research. Should the war in Gaza end in a second Nakba, Israel’s legitimacy will be permanently compromised. In that case, neither American weapons nor Western media, nor the distorted and outraged memory of the Holocaust will be able to redeem it.

GIVEAWAY Showcase A Broken Reflection by Shelly M Patel a Partners in Crime virtual tour

Today is my stop on the A Broken Reflection by Shelly Patel tour
Enjoy the showcase and make sure you enter the #Giveaway at the end.

A BROKEN REFLECTION

by Shelly M. Patel

October 7 - November 1, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

In the game of deception and betrayal, nothing is ever as it seems, not even murder.

Secrets would be revealed in the dead of night, and lives would be changed forever. With each body count rising, Claire and Stephen began to unveil the truth, exposing the dark side of their seemingly perfect lives. In the shadows, Jessica watched from the sidelines with grave anticipation, ready to take hold of her moment. The game of cat and mouse had begun. Will Claire and Stephen be able to ride out the storm and rebuild their lives? Will Jessica seal her place next to Stephen no matter what the cost? Will the killer ever be caught?

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Published by: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 2024
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 9798350963038
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

 

#GIVEAWAY Showcase Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills a Partner in Crime virtual tour

 

Today it's my pleasure to be back in the game by featuring a Showcase for DiAnn Mills, Lethal Standoff and once again hosting for my all time favorite blog tours, Partners in Crime.
Enjoy and don't forget to enter the #Giveaway at the end.

LETHAL STANDOFF

by DiAnn Mills

September 2-27, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Justice can be elusive.
Family secrets can be deadly.

The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking in a volatile criminal case filled with unanswered questions. And Carrington Reed is running short on time to piece together clues that will solve the puzzle.

Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to the scene when reports come in that fifteen hostages are being held by the Kendrix brothers in an abandoned house in south Texas. When she arrives on site, Carrington quickly learns that the brothers are armed and refuse to release their victims, a group of undocumented immigrants, until the local police identify their father’s murderer.

Working closely with Levi Ehrlich, a handsome investigative reporter who has covered some of Carrington’s negotiations in the past, she finds herself being undeniably drawn to him. Carrington digs deeper into the death of the Kendrixes’ father and begins to notice that some details surrounding his death aren’t adding up.

As Carrington investigates the brothers’ claims and tries to piece together their motive for taking innocent people captive, it soon becomes clear that they are trying to hide something and that revenge for their father’s death may not be what they’re really bargaining for after all. To protect the hostages and ensure the brothers don’t carry out the rest of their sinister plot, Carrington must get to the bottom of one family’s secret and the truth they’re trying so hard to hide before time runs out.

Award winning author DiAnn Mills delivers pulse-pounding romantic suspense about secrets, betrayal, and finding a path to forgiveness.

Showcase- Not Your Crush's Cauldron by April Asher

Today I'm showcasing April Asher's next installment in her Supernatural Singles series, Not Your Crush's Cauldron which is Olive Maxwell's story. And check back because this is high on my tbr shelf.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250808035
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: 02-13-2024
Length: 336pp
Supernatural Singles #3
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

In April Asher’s next Supernatural Singles novel, Not Your Crush's Cauldron, a buttoned-up witch takes a stroll on the wildish side, sparking an alert that lands her a familiar Guardian Angel.

Olive Maxwell much prefers teaching about the Supernatural world to taking part in it and leaves the magical shenanigans to her two sisters. After assigning her college students a project designed to nudge them outside their comfort zones, Olive realizes she’s never once stepped a toe out of her own . . . and it’s about time that changed. Her first trip into the unknown? Moving in with her longtime crush and friend . . . tattooed, motorcycle-riding, and pleasantly pierced Baxter Donovan.

Bax Donovan, Guardian Angel not-so-extraordinaire, has acquired so many black marks on his record it looks like a Scantron test. He’s been given one last chance to keep his Guardian wings—a high-profile Assignment he knows all too well. Olive is usually as low-risk as it gets. Hell, she wrote the safety manual. But something landed her on the Guardian Angel Affairs radar, and he guesses it has something to do with the heart-pounding stunts she’s determined to check off her Dare I Docket list.

Keeping Olive out of trouble is about to be his toughest Assignment. He’s at real risk of shattering the only Guardian Angel code of conduct rule he’s yet to break: Don’t fall in love with your Assignment. And he isn’t so sure that’s a bad thing.

Showcase- All I See Is Violence by Angie Elita Newell

Today I'm showcasing All I See is Violence by Indigenous author and historian, Angie Elita Newell who draws from real events to intertwine the stories of a professor, a soldier, and a warrior from three different time periods.

This is an important story and I hope to have it read and reviewed soon!

ASIN: ‎ B0CB9HPHDC
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Release Date: 01-16-2024
Length: 312pp
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

A woman warrior, a ruthless general, and a single mother―three stories deftly braided into the legacy of a stolen nation

The US government stole the Black Hills from the Sioux, as it stole land from every tribe across North America. Forcibly relocated, American Indians were enslaved under strict land and resource regulations. Indigenous writer Angie Elita Newell brings a poignant retelling of the catastrophic, true story of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the social upheaval that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1972 during the height of the American Indian Movement.

Cheyenne warrior Little Wolf fights to maintain her people’s land and heritage as General Custer leads a devastating campaign against American Indians, killing anyone who refuses to relocate to the Red Cloud Agency in South Dakota. A century later, on that same reservation, Little Wolf’s relation Nancy Swiftfox raises four boys with the help of her father-in-law, while facing the economic and social ramifications of this violent legacy.

All I See Is Violence weaves love, loss, and hard truths into a story that needs to be told―a journey through violence to bear witness to all that was taken, to honor what all of our ancestors lived through, and to heal by acknowledging the shadows in order to find the light.

#Giveaway - Showcase Hunted by Proxy by Manning Wolfe a Partners in Crime virtual tour

Hunted By Proxy

by Manning Wolfe

January 15-February 2, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

In this lawyer on the run action suspense, can attorney Quinton Bell hang on to his new life as he hides in plain sight?

Hunted By Proxy takes you on a heart-pounding journey through the life of a criminal defense attorney, whose world, as he knew it, was wiped out by the very client he tried to save.

Quinton establishes a new life and law practice in Houston and thinks he’s outrun the dangerous adversaries who chased him there. Just as he begins to relax, he receives a mysterious note that proves to him that he’s still in danger and running from a powerful and relentless adversary. But who?

With each passing moment, the noose tightens, and he must draw on every ounce of wit to outsmart those who still want him exposed, or worse, dead.

Will Quinton Bell find a way out, or will he forever be a target in a deadly game of cat and mouse?

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thriller
Published by: Starpath Books, LLC
Publication Date: January 2024
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: B0CFWWCX7F
Series: Proxy Legal Thriller Series, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Showcase: Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly

Today I'm showcasing Diane Kelly's latest in her Mountain Lodge Mystery Series, Snow Place for Murder. Stop by and check it out!
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250816016
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperback
Release Date: 10-24-2022
Length: 304pp
The Mountain Lodge Mystery #3
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview

The third in the charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series by Diane Kelly, in Snow Place for Murder, the weather at the Mountaintop Lodge is truly frightful…

International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.

But locals are at odds over the idea, and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty, and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.

Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.

Who put the developer on ice and why?

Showcase: Ammon's Horn or The Mystery of the Brain by PIERRE MAGISTRETTI & CHRISTINE MAGISTRETTI

Today on the blog I'm showcasing, Ammon's Horn, a new release from fave indie Other Press, a perfect example of necessity being the mother of invention.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1-63542-360-0
Publisher: Other Press
Release Date: 10-24-2023
Length: 400pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Five cutting-edge scientists compete for $100 million and control of a new institute dedicated to eradicating Alzheimer’s in this edifying, Da Vinci Code-esque thriller.

Spurred by his wife’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and disenchanted with the slow progress in finding a cure, a rich Swiss businessman launches a contest for promising young neuroscientists who can think “outside the box.” Chosen for their scientific excellence and originality, they must travel throughout Europe in search of the answers to five fiendishly difficult riddles, each combining an enigmatic neuroscientific question with a geographical and historical challenge.

As their personal stories unfold, the competitors share their moments of elation and disappointment when they solve a riddle or reach a dead end. Soon a conspiracy materializes to threaten and endanger the scientists, which at first seems random, but then becomes increasingly deliberate and targeted.

The nature of the riddles and the talents of the competitors open a world of discovery for us too as we learn about some of the most pressing areas in current brain research, such as neurodegenerative diseases, stem cell grafts, artificial intelligence, drug addiction, genetics, and the mechanisms of memory. And as the candidates visit some of the great European cities—Prague, Vienna, Cordoba, Cambridge, Geneva, Venice—we also experience their beauty and intrigue.

Showcase: Bound to Violence by YAMBO OUOLOGUEM

I love all the diverse offerings from OtherPress and I'm excited to share, Bound to Violence one of their new releases with you.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13:  978-1-63542-358-7
Publisher: OtherPress
Release Date: 09-26-2023
Length: 272pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

This critical edition of the epic 1968 Malian novel explores its enduring literary power and the racist plagiarism scandal that devastated its author, the first African winner of France’s prestigious Renaudot Prize.

An engrossing, tragic tale spanning the thirteenth to the twentieth century, Bound to Violence recounts the fate of the imaginary empire of Nakem and the dynasty of the Saïfs who reign there as devious masters.

While the novel was initially praised as an insider’s guide to and critique of African history, with its vivid descriptions of the brutality of local rulers and the slave trade, Yambo Ouologuem’s biting satire goes far beyond his native land. Through the society of Nakem, he paints a universally relevant portrait of sex, violence, and power in human relationships.

In this new edition of Ralph Manheim’s vigorous translation, professor and award-winning documentary filmmaker Chérif Keïta provides invaluable context for the novel, whose publication in the West was mired by accusations of plagiarism, fraught with racist undertones.

Showcase: Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer

Today I'm showcasing #1 bestseller Jennifer Armentrout's debut in her scorching adult fantasy series, Fall of Ruin and Wrath. Stay tuned for my review of the Macmillan Audio edition coming soon!
Enjoy!

 

ISBN-13:  978-1250750198
Publisher: Macmillan/Bramble
Release Date: 09-17-2023
Length: 432 pp
Awakening #1
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.

From Jennifer L. Armentrout, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Blood and Ash, comes the beginning of a searing fantasy romance series for adults, Fall of Ruin and Wrath.

Featured in Cosmopolitan! Most Anticipated from HuffPost Books • BookRiot • PopSugar • Paste Magazine • SheReads • The Nerd Daily • Goodreads • r/RomanceBooks and more!

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.

Breathtaking suspense and scorching romance meet in this immersive new fantasy from a mega-bestselling force, Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Showcase: My Shadow is Yours a novel by EDOARDO NESI Translated by GREGORY CONTI

Today I'm showcasing My Shadow is Yours a novel by Edoardo Nesi, it's a novel about an author and a new release from my favorite indie publisher, OtherPress.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1-63542-068-5
Publisher: OtherPress
Release Date: 09-12-2023
Length: 288pp

Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

A recent college graduate accompanies a reclusive middle-aged writer on a chaotic road trip to Milan in this hilarious, heartwarming novel about love, friendship, and the pitfalls of nostalgia

In 1995 Vittorio Vezzosi rose to worldwide acclaim with his debut novel, The Wolves Inside. Unfortunately for his adoring fans—and his publisher—he wouldn’t write another word. Instead, the great author shut himself away in a farmhouse overlooking Florence.

After twenty-five years of silence, however, a corporate takeover lights the fire under Vittorio to produce a new novel, and bright young classics graduate Emiliano De Vito is hired to assist him. Off to a rocky start, the odd couple embark on a madcap journey in a 1979 Jeep—without a roof or windshield or doors—to Milan, where Vittorio will speak to a crowd of thousands.

As they travel across Italy, bonding over wine and women, and butting heads over the struggles Emiliano’s generation inherited from Vittorio’s, the two begin to see the world, and writing, in a different way.

Showcase: Night of Lyons Anthology and exclusive Guest Post with one of the contributors Ruth A Casie

Ah what a way to start a week showcasing a fabulous connected story anthology and an exclusive guest post from Ruth A Casie one of the contributing authors.

And a HUGE Shout out to Caffeinated PR for putting the post together!

Enjoy!

Showcase- Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders by John Glatt

If you've watched the news lately you've obviously seen a story about prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh who has been charged for the murder of his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul. 
Now true crime author John Glatt has recounted the tragic story.

ISBN-13: 978-1250283481
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: 08-08-2023
Length: 320pp
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

In Tangled Vines, bestselling true crime author John Glatt reconstructs the rise of the prestigious Murdaugh family and the shocking double murder that led to the downfall of its patriarch, Alex Murdaugh.

Among the lush, tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity―but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was discovered shot in the head on a local roadside.

But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, dark secrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as much as they were loved. And they wouldn’t hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own; two years before he was killed, a highly intoxicated Paul Murdaugh was at the helm of a boat when it crashed and killed a teenage girl, and his light treatment by police led to speculation that privilege had come into play. As bombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a new portrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even plan his own death, to save his family’s reputation.

#GIVEAWAY Showcase - The Devil Within by James L'Etoile a Partners in Crime virtual tour

Devil Within

by James L'Etoile

July 24 - August 18, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The border is a hostile place with searing heat and venomous serpents. Yet the deadliest predator targets the innocent.

A sniper strikes in the Valley of the Sun and Detective Nathan Parker soon finds a connection between the victims—each of them had a role in an organization founded to help undocumented migrants make the dangerous crossing. Parker discovers no one is exactly who they seem.

There’s the devil you know and then there’s the devil within—when the two collide, no one is safe.

Devil Within is the sequel to the Anthony and Lefty Award nominated Dead Drop.

Book Details:

Genre: Procedural/Thriller
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: July 2023
Number of Pages: 310
Series: The Nathan Parker Detective Series, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Showcase: A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

Today I'm showcasing, A Fatal Groove, by Olivia Blacke #2 in The Record Shop Mysteries.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250860101
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: 7-25-2023
Length: 304pp
The Record Shop Mysteries #2
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Second in the Record Shop series by Olivia Blacke, A Fatal Groove is a mystery for the record . . .

CATCHING A KILLER WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT.

"A winning combination."–New York Times Book Review

It’s springtime in Cedar River, Texas. The annual Bluebonnet Festival is brewing and the whole town is in harmony. Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie thought opening Sip & Spin Records was going to be their biggest hurdle, but the Frappuccino hits the fan when the mayor drops dead—poisoned by their delicious coffee.

Since Tansy was the one to brew the coffee, and Juni was the unfortunate citizen who stumbled upon the mayor’s body, the sisters find themselves in hot water. Family is everything to the Jessups, so with Tansy under suspicion, the sisters spring into action.

Between the town festivities, a good old-fashioned treasure hunt, and an accidental cow in the mix, Juni will have to pull out all the stops to find the mayor’s killer.

Showcase: South A Novel by Mario Fortunato

Today I'm showcasing South A Novel by Mario Fortunato another fab new release from my favorite indie Other Press.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13:  978-1-63542-204-7
Publisher: OtherPress
Release Date: 05-16-2023
Length: 384pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

GOODREADS

Overview:

Through the loves and losses of a middle-class family from Calabria, this heady, atmospheric saga retraces the history of twentieth-century Italy.

As a young man in the Seventies, Valentino leaves home in search of a better life. With age, he begins to feel an intense regret, a longing for the world and the people he left behind, which he might not be able to recover, even after returning.
Set in Magna Graecia, the sun-drenched land where ancient Greeks stopped in their travels and happily settled, now full of ruins, South takes us back to a time when notaries and lawyers were undiscussed authorities in small towns. Meet the Notaio, his lover Magda, a Polish countess and a spy, and delve into their love story in Naples; meet the Farmacista, owner of the first chemist’s shop in town, his wife Lea, and their children; follow the paths where these lives cross, and Tamara, Mara for short, marries into the Notaio’s family; get to know charming Uncle Giorgio, an extravagant loner, owner of two small Gauguins, and Gioacchino, the house ghost.
Servants, drivers, peasants fully devoted and bound to their masters enliven this tale of love and loss, war and peace, politics and power, told in an elegant, affecting prose that transports us through time and space.

Showcase: Mothers and Dogs Stories by Fabio Morabito Translated by Curtis Bauer

Today I'm showcasing, Mothers and Dogs, Stories by Fabio Morabito, another fabulous offering my favorite Indie, OtherPress.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1635420821
Publisher: OtherPress
Release Date: 05-16-2023
Length: 192pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

GOODREADS

Overview

Drawing from everyday life in Mexico and abroad, these subtle, unsettling stories probe the boundaries between sanity and madness, life and death, safety and danger.

The first story collection from prize-winning author Fabio Morábito available in English, Mothers and Dogs features fifteen tales that show the emotional extremes in seemingly trivial details and quotidian situations: two brothers worry more about a dog locked in an apartment who hasn’t been fed than they do about their dying mother; when the lights go out on a racetrack, a man’s evening jog turns into a savage battle between runners; a daughter learns to draft business letters as an homage to her mother.
As he deftly explores feelings of loneliness and despair endemic in modern society, Morábito weaves threads of unexpected humor and lightness.

Showcase: The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes

Today I'm showcasing The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes a new release by Park Row Books, a Harlequin imprint. I was so intrigued by the book and one of my favorite genres is Magic Realism so I just downloaded it - be sure and come back when I review it too!
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9780369735249
Publisher: Park Row Books
Release Date: 05-16-2023
Length: 368pp
Buy It from the Publisher

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

From the New York Times bestselling author, J.C. Cervantes, THE ENCHANTED HACIENDA introduces us to the magical Estrada family.

"This is a contemporary coming-of-age story, with a sprinkling of magic, that’s one of my most anticipated reads of the year." —Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author, in Elle Magazine

“The warmth and humor of The Enchanted Hacienda immediately cast a spell over me.”
—Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home—the enchanted Hacienda Estrada.

The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow’s mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams—but not Harlow. So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family’s magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless? But maybe it’s not magic she’s missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she’s far more powerful than she imagined.

With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.

Showcase: An Honorable Exit by by ÉRIC VUILLARD Translated by MARK POLIZZOTTI

Today I'm showcasing An Honorable Exit Eric Vuillard's examination of what precipitated the first Indochina War
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1-63542-352-5
Publisher: Other Press
Release Date: 04-25-2025
Length: 160pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview

From the award-winning author of The Order of the Day, a piercing account of the lesser-known conflict preceding the Vietnam War that dealt a fatal blow to French colonialism.

How can a modern army lose to an army of peasants?

Delving into the last gasps of the First Indochina War (1946–1954), which saw the communist Việt Minh take control of North Vietnam, Éric Vuillard vividly illustrates the attitudes that both enabled French colonialist abuses and ultimately led to their defeat and withdrawal. From the Michelin rubber plantation, where horrific working conditions sparked an epidemic of suicides, to the battlefield, a sense of superiority over the “yellow men” pervaded European and American forces. And, as with so many conflicts throughout history, there were key actors with a motivation deeper than nationalism or political ideology—greed.
An Honorable Exit not only brings to life scenes from the war, but also looks beyond the visceral reality on the ground to the colder calculations of those who seek to benefit from conflict, whether shrewd bankers, who can turn a military win or loss into financial gain, or intelligence operatives like the CIA, who aim to influence governments across the globe.

Showcase: Planting Our World by Stefano Mancuso

Today I'm showcasing, Planting Our World by Stefano Mancuso, another new release from my favorite Indie publisher, OtherPress.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1-63542-256-6
Publisher: Other Press
Release Date: 4-18-2023
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

With fun, fascinating vignettes, a renowned neurobiologist illuminates the interconnectedness of plant life and how we can learn from it to better plan our communities.

We animals account for a paltry 0.3% of the planet’s biomass while plants add up to 85%. And when, with just a little training, we are able to look at the world without seeing it solely as humanity’s playground, we cannot help but notice the ubiquity of plants. They are everywhere, and their stories are inevitably bound up with ours. As every tree in a forest is linked to all the others by an underground network of roots, uniting them to form a super organism, so plants constitute the nervous system, the plan that is the “greenprint” of our world. To ignore the existence of this plan is one of the most serious threats to the survival of our species.
In this latest book, the brilliant Stefano Mancuso is back to illuminate the greenprint of our world. He does it through unforgettable stories starring plants that combine an inimitable narrative style with remarkable scientific rigor, from the story of the red spruce that gave Stradivarius the wood for his fourteen violins, to the Kauri tree stump, kept alive for decades by the interconnected root system of nearby trees. From the mystery of the slipperiness of the banana skin to the plant that solved the “crime of the century,” the Lindbergh kidnapping, by way of wooden ladder rungs.