If a movie were made of Halima Alaiyan’s dramatic life of dislocation, disappointment, and transformation, it would challenge credulity. In 1948, when she was barely a year old, her village, Ibdis in Palestine, was destroyed by Israeli... Read More

Near-ecstatic prose and a complicated subject matter make for challenging and timely reading. In "Crimes of Faith", Anah Jochebed employs visionary prose that seems to have been crafted while in an ecstatic state to give voice to her... Read More

"The Bubble Kids" adds much-needed context to lives that could very well parallel those featured in blood-soaked headlines. A compelling and hopeful young adult novel that reinforces the universality of the bonds of friendship, love, and... Read More

Secret societies, violent murders, and the evil that every person is capable of drive one lawyer into darkness in order to save those he loves. Larry Fine’s "Murdering Lawyers" is a fast and frenetic take on Shakespeare’s well-known... Read More

In this humorous slice of life, a potpourri of domestic discontent, Cinderella complex, and cold hearted reality leaves unforgettable memories. Beth Moran takes liberties in her portrayal of a shy, insecure heroine in "Making Marion",... Read More

The werewolf-vampire conflict is the backdrop to this paranormal mystery, but the writing elevates this tale to more than just a skillful blend of genres. In this urban fantasy novel, Alexander Smith lives in an alternate Boston where... Read More

Subtly revealing where animals live, what they eat, and various unusual, fun facts, this book is sure to be a favorite. Each page presents a hilarious scenario of a rattlesnake, hedgehog, ostrich, or octopus (among others) eyeing a human... Read More

Japan is civilization personified. Art, design, food, health, infrastructure, civility—name a societal / cultural benchmark and you can make a compelling case that the rising sunners lead the world. So when the United Nations came... Read More