Today's Featured Books

Free this weekend: NYC's Museum of Modern Art International Highlights Tour. The tour will focus on MOMA's international (non-American) art collection: Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau, Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Salvador Dali, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and more. Saturday, June 10, 2:00 - 3:30 PM CDT.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Pablo Picasso

A princess who became prey, a lovechild who was never loved, a treacherous kingdom on the verge of collapse. Idalia Averill never imagined her life could go from royalty to ruin so suddenly, just as her family never expected the Sudulay's betrayal. Now, desperately fleeing her homeland to avoid capture, Idalia's survival will depend on her ability to discern friend from foe—especially among those closest to her. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

An "Editor's Pick" in the June 20, 2022, issue of Publishers Weekly, this masterful, inspiring, and critically-acclaimed debut poetry collection features memorable poems on humility, hope, love, justice, peace, and more. These are poems both poetry lovers and readers new to poetry can enjoy deeply. As part of Robert's ongoing efforts to promote accessibility in poetry, he has included a glossary of poetry terms, reading suggestions, three brief essays, an author biography, and more in his book. Very highly recommended for all poetry fans. 4.4 stars, 38 ratings. From $2.99 SHOP NOW / 

In a world where magic is forbidden and gods are tethered to their dreams, a boy goes on a quest to save a girl with a heart of ice. Jarin, a lonely son of a famed warrior, only ever wants to follow in his father’s footsteps. When a mute girl is found wandering the snowy plains, he vows to find a way to lift her curse. But her secret will threaten everything he loves. Lumi’s Spell is an epic coming-of-age story about friendship, betrayal, and the true cost of vengeance. Book 1 in the Lumi Series. 4.8 stars, 13 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Maybe You Should Give Up by Byron Morrison

USA Release: June 27, 2023
UK Release: 13 July, 2023
Paperback: $17.95
Ebook: $0.99


In Maybe You Should Give Up, you’ll discover cycle-breaking techniques that have been broken down into easy-to-follow steps that will empower you to get out of your own way and stop sabotaging yourself.
 
All of this stems from author Byron Morrison’s own journey of transformation, as well as nearly a decade’s worth of research and working with people in 15 different countries to help them take control of their lives.

Maybe You Should Give Up is a book about empowerment. About helping you break through everything that is stopping you from achieving the happiness and success you want.

Not only will you change the way you think, you’ll also change how you process problems, deal with setbacks, and feel about yourself so you can finally stop being the stumbling block in the way of the life that you want and break through to the next level of happiness and success.

• Audiobook edition
• The Next Level You video series
• The Next Level You Workbook

About the Author
Byron Morrison is a high-performance coach, author, and speaker. Over the last decade, Byron has helped CEOs and business leaders around the world to become more effective by helping them take control of their role so that they can maximize their time, lead with confidence, and grow a business without losing their sanity. 

Byron is author of The Evolved CEO Book Collection: The Effective CEO and CEO in Control. He also offers on-demand courses designed to provide leaders with all the tools and guidance needed to get to the next level: 

• AMPLIFY: The ultimate productivity, time, and energy management course for CEOs and business leaders.
• UNSHAKEABLE: Master the mental game needed to become a highly effective CEO.

Free online: Pick up a Page Turner. It's National Crime Reading Month in the UK. Join Steve Cavanagh, master of the modern thriller, and a panel of bestselling crime authors as they reveal their favourite crime and thriller reads, and the books that inspired them. Thursday, June 8, 1 PM CDT.

“You can’t beat a good whodunnit: the twists and turns, the clues and the red herrings and then, finally, the satisfaction of having everything explained to you in a way that makes you kick yourself because you hadn’t seen it from the start.” ~Anthony Horowitz

The Daughter, an ancient elemental goddess and custodian of the dead, rises after a thousand years of slumber, her power unmatched and her wrath unbridled. Eregar, a decorated knight living out his twilight years in relative peace, is tasked with leading a band of young mercenaries into the heart of the Frozen Plains to assess the threat. But as they venture deeper into the icy wasteland, they find The Daughter’s machinations in full swing and are forced to act before it is too late. 4.6 stars, 45 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

An Oracle Walks into a Bar

Book 1 in The Misadventures of a Paranormal Post-Relationship Personal Effects Repossession Specialist
4.5 stars, 63 ratings
FREE!


August Shade has found his niche. He’s a post-relationship personal effects repossession specialist. Satisfaction not guaranteed. But at least you’ll have your favorite whatever back.

Vilde Tank has found her destiny. Guided by her horoscopes, the huldra hires August to reclaim an unusual book. It reveals the secret of the Zodiac’s thirteenth sign, bestows its reader with the power to write their own future, and is currently in the possession of her vampire ex-lover.

Clarissa Steyer has found her calling. The oracle writes horoscopes for the local paper. Her celestial predictions help keep the world spinning. Now August is in all of her visions and the world might be coming to an end. She knows that the shapeshifter can change into a lot of things, but can he change the future?

Plagued by the oracle’s horoscopes, haunted by a dark past, and grappling with his penchant for making bad decisions, the only sure thing about August’s future is that it looks short.

"Sharp and funny—think the Hitchhiker's Guide only paranormal." ~Andrew Shaffer, NY Times bestselling author

A Scarecrow Wins an Award

Book 2 in The Misadventures of a Paranormal Post-Relationship Personal Effects Repossession Specialist
4.7 stars, 16 ratings
From $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)


Shapeshifter August Shade saved the world. The personal effects repo man bested a vampire, a warlock, and a troll without even breaking a sweat.

While his growing celebrity has been good for business, it’s also meant taking jobs farther from home. Now, the cranky shapeshifter is in farm country—definitely not his natural habitat—and mixed up with two feuding hag sisters, a loan sharking coblyn, and a mysterious woman with a very scary ex. The manure hits the fan when his best friend blows the lid off a major conspiracy and lands August in a heap of trouble.

A Scarecrow Wins an Award is a great read for fans of John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin, Arcane Casebook by Dan Willis, Moth Busters by Margaret Lashley, and Douglas Adams's A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

A Siren Sings Her Heart Out

Book 3 in The Misadventures of a Paranormal Post-Relationship Personal Effects Repossession Specialist
New Release: Coming June 30, 2023
From $0.99 



August Shade needs a break. Reptilians are trying to take over the world. Powerful paranormals are a little too interested in whether he lives or dies. After years of laying low, the grumpy shapeshifter’s face is all over the Internet. If that wasn’t bad enough, August’s best friend is playing around with necromancy.

Desperate to clear his head, the cranky shapeshifter heads north to the shores of Lake Superior. Now he’s drowning in lake monsters, paranormal prophecies, and reptilian plots. A drink would help, but the only bar in town is a karaoke bar.

For a guy who has tried to not make waves, life is getting pretty choppy. It’s sink or swim for the poor repo man. If he’s going down, though, August will make sure he goes down singing.

About the Author
Scott Burtness writes about ordinary Midwesterners making an extraordinary mess of things. "If the flannel fits…" says Scott.

Important to note: To Scott, "ordinary” includes vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, shapeshifters, aliens, and more.

When Scott is not writing, he can be found hanging out at the local brewery, hanging out with his dog, or hanging out with his dog at the local brewery. Learn more at Scott's website, sign up for his monthly newsletter, or follow him on social media: TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads.

Congratulations to Martha Engber and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Bliss Road, a memoir about living a lie and coming to terms with the truth.

★★★★★ “Illuminates the complicated path of a neurodiverse family.” ~Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal: Living with Aspergers Syndrome

Bliss Road by Martha Engber

Martha Engber lives a charmed life in the suburbs with a husband and two kids where everything is fine, fine, fine until suddenly she’s…completely broken. She’s so used to lying to others and herself that she has no idea who she really is or how she feels about anything. What happened? Why is her life smooth driving one minute and totaled the next?

In this sometimes funny often devastating memoir, Martha describes the arduous journey toward discovering the invisible roadblock that ran her life off course: her psychological distress is the result of being the neurotypical daughter of a dad with undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a condition that affects more than 75 million people worldwide.

Martha uses personal anecdotes and research about the emergence of ASD as a diagnosis to explain the psychological, emotional, and social challenges she faced as a child, then as an adult and parent. Along the way, she shows the sometimes harrowing but eminently rewarding route others can follow to chase down the source of their family angst and to reach a more blissful future.
 
Praise for Bliss Road
★★★★★ “A raw and real memoir, illuminating the complicated path of a neurodiverse family fixed in a legacy between trepidation and tenderness.” ~Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal: Living with Aspergers Syndrome

★★★★★ “With bracing honesty and rare insight, Martha Engber’s courageous, highly readable account of her experience as the child of a parent with undiagnosed ASD is compelling, joyous, and inspiring.’” ~Byddi Lee, author of The Rejuvenation Trilogy

★★★★★ “A glorious blend of insights and wisdom, this memoir may just be what we need to deepen our human capacity for love and understanding.” ~Imi Lo, author of Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: How to Manage Intense Emotions as a Highly Sensitive Person

★★★★★ “Engber skillfully integrates current knowledge about autism into her own engaging story as the child of a parent on the autism spectrum.” ~Patti Isaacs, author of The Second Long March: Memoir from a Witness to China’s Transformation

Free online: Nature's Wonders - Meet the Author. Nature’s Wonders is a mix of evocative writing, beautiful photographs, and facts that serve as an inspiring guide to connecting with nature. Author Jane V. Adams has been featured in BBC Countryfile Magazine and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Tuesday, June 6, 2 PM CDT. 

"There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ~Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

A lovely coffee table book incorporating poetry and illustration. Written especially for seniors, this book is about all of the caring, hard work, and thoughts still felt by an aging population. "I hope this book will be a keepsake on a bookshelf to read when someone needs some inspiration or comfort. It will bring back some memories of how life flourished years ago." -Arlene Kinnavy. From $22.42 SHOP NOW /