Garfield's Guide to Drawing the World's Best-Looking Cat (and His Friends)

Garfield's Guide to Drawing the World's Best-Looking Cat is a fun tutorial guide for drawing Garfield and friends. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Lerner, it's 32 pages and will be available in paperback, library bound edition, and ebook formats.

This is a concise step by step tutorial featuring Garfield and associated characters. Aimed at younger artists, the text is easy to read and the drawing instructions are clear and accessible. The instruction starts with a tutorial of how to draw Garfield's face and head, and progresses through different poses up to composites with multiple characters in one drawing. Many of the drawing pages have finished drawings of Garfield with his snarky running commentary ("Nermal is so cute. I hate cute").

This would make a great selection for school or classroom libraries, as inspiration for a maker group, or a superlative gift for a young artist or reader, possibly bundled with some drawing materials to do their own stories.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Preserving the Season: 90 Delicious Recipes for Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Chutneys, Pickles, Curds, Condiments, Canning & Dishes Using Them

Preserving the Season is a recipe and tutorial collection to creating and using jams, jellies, chutneys, preserves, foraged foods, and more. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Fox Chapel, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a really comprehensive collection to both preserving foods as well as using them. The layout is easy to understand, not overcomplicated, and accessible. The introductory chapters cover tools, supplies, seasonal preserves, equipment, ingredients selection, and general tips on preserving.

The recipes are arranged roughly thematically. The chapter for berry preserves, also includes a number of allied recipes which use or feature the berry preserves. There's a lovely recipe for Devonshire cream tea featuring berry preserves (strawberry for preference) clotted cream, fresh scones, and proper tea. Thematically, the book has a very English feel. There are curds and chutneys, tarts and puddings, and preserves (greengage) which aren't very well known in most of the USA. That being said, these quintessentially British staples are arranged cheek-by-jowl with schnitzel and kaiserschmarren.

The recipes each contain an introduction, ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar, and step by step instructions. Measurements are given in American standard, with metric in parentheses (yay!). The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced, but some might require mail order or access to canning supplies and tools. 

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but the included photography is clear and easy to follow and sufficient. If the book has a flaw, it's that (to me) it felt like it tried to be too much. It's not just a collection of preserving tips and recipes, but also tries to include recipes to use those items, as well as a little bit on foraging/wildcrafting, and some bread recipes tossed in for good measure. 

Five stars. This book would make a superlative selection for smallholders, orchardists, gardeners, local food fans, adventuresome cooks, and other lifestyle readers. This is a well written, eminently reasonable, usable guide to making and enjoying the excess produce of our gardens.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Basic Bitchen

Basic Bitchen is a fun new recipe style collection by Joey Skladani. Due out 4th Aug 2020 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 224 pages (hardcover) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The general style of the text and collection is young, stylish, humorous, slightly snarky (ok,fairly snarky) and fun. The recipes have clever names and the author's voice is over the top in an irreverent exuberant way.

The layout is easy to follow and the recipes themselves are varied and tasty. An introduction covers the basics: stocking a pantry, necessary kitchen tools, and helpful tips. The following chapters include the recipes grouped thematically: Basic Bevs, Snappy Apps, Grand Entrance Entrees, Sinful Sweets, and Brunch (The most important meal of the day).

The recipes include a title, description with yields and prep/cooking time, ingredients in a bullet list, and step by step instructions. Ingredient measurements are given in American standard only (no metric). Alternative ingredients and additions as well as tips and hints are provided in highlighted text boxes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex.

This would make a good choice for young culinary style-forward cooks, maybe newly moved into a new apartment, or living on their own for the first time. This is a fun niche cookbook. It won't be a staple in years to come, but for here-and-now, it's a fun choice.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Big Book of Cidermaking: Expert Techniques for Fermenting and Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider, from Sweet, Bubbly, Botanical, or Hopped to Barrel-Aged Apple Brandy and Pommeau

The Big Book of Cidermaking is a technique and tutorial guide for making hard (alcoholic) ciders by Christopher and Kirsten Shockey. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Storey, it's 272 pages (in the print verstion) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an exhaustive and encyclopedic manual for the keen amateur homebrewer. Ciders have long lacked the same cachet as homebrew and artisanal beers, but are deservedly enjoying a renaissance amongst savvy brewers.

The layout is accessible and the text is understandable and well written. The authors explain each of the steps logically and well. The introduction includes some history, definitions of types of cider and terms, an overview of equipment, and the general process of moving from apples, to cider step by step.

The second section contains numerous recipes, both basic and advanced, including tutorials for different methods of fermentation (including a good solid introduction to wild fermentation) infusing, spiking with wine and other spirits, and finally enjoying the fruits of one's labors.

The recipes each contain an introduction, ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar, and step by step instructions. Measurements are given in American standard, with metric in parentheses (yay!). The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced, but some will obviously require access to mail order or a specialty brewing supplier (especially the equipment).

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but the included photography is clear and easy to follow and sufficient.

Five stars. This book would make a superlative selection for homebrewers, sustainable agriculture folks, smallholders, orchardists, gardeners, local food fans, adventuresome cooks, and other lifestyle readers. This is a passionately written, eminently reasonable, usable guide to making and enjoying good cider.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Ten-Step Drawing: People: Draw a range of figures & faces in 10 easy steps

Ten-Step Drawing: People is a tutorial and instruction book to drawing people in a variety of poses by Justine Lecouffe. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The titles in this series are all formatted in a similar manner and this one is no exception.

A very short general introduction includes a capsule instruction page on how to use the book, and how the tutorials are set up (basic guidelines, geometric step by step shapes, refinement, finishing).  The following tutorial chapters are specific for different elements of facial anatomy in various poses and include specific anatomy: eyes, noses, etc, leading to some full studies (relaxed standing, at ease, profile standing, perchinig and leaning).

I like these tutorial booklets, they're inexpensive and full of useful info for artists looking for improvement in their own work. It's nice to see them being released for beginning artists and learners.

Four stars - for what it covers and for a short tutorial guide, it does the job admirably well.

Disclosure: I received an early eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Christmas Delights: A Faith-Filled, Family Favorite Holiday Cookbook

Christmas Delights is a collection of recipes and ideas for the Christmas season. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Barbour Publishing, it's 224 pages and will be available in flexibound format.

The layout is simple and the recipes are arranged thematically: beverages, breakfast & brunch, Christmas dinner (main dishes and sides), Christmas Eve parties, cookies and candy, festive breads, and party dishes to feed crowds.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. There's no included conversion chart for metric measures.Descriptions are contained in the header for each recipe. The nutritional information is not included.  Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex. I was surprised that most of the recipes are not cookies or sweets. The bulk of my holiday baking is cookies and fudge and similar things for sharing and gift-giving and there weren't many here to choose from however, it's worth noting that the review eARC of the book provided represented about 50% of the final page content, so there's likely to be more of all the recipe categories in the press edition of the book.

These are tasty, easy to prepare, homestyle cooking for sharing with family and friends.

Each of the chapter headers includes a simple devotional paragraph or short prayerful saying. The writing is not strident or preachy. They're comforting and joyful and wouldn't be taken amiss by non-Christian readers.

The photography is not abundant; most of the recipes are not illustrated, but the photographs which are included are clear and well done.  I wish there had been more photographs and serving suggestions, but I do understand that extra photography increases the price of book projects very quickly.

As a bonus, many of the recipes include gift giving packaging ideas for sharing.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

An ABC of Equality

An ABC of Equality is a colorfully illustrated and appealing ABC picture book for kids - babies to older children. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it'll be 56 pages and will be available in boardbook format.

I really like the concepts and the aim of this little book. The idea of equality, dignity, self expression, worthiness, and beauty for all people no matter who they are is wonderful and worthy and needs to be taught to everyone, the younger the better. The problem is that tying these advanced and sometimes difficult concepts to an ABC book seemed like an odd combination to me.

At any rate, the pictures will appeal to babies and toddlers and the pictures and text will allow adults to at least begin to have simple conversations with their children and youngsters about identity, ethnicity, xenophobia, physical abilities and how to celebrate our differences and not allow them to divide us.

This is an exuberant book and I really think it's important to start to teach our children respect and kindness for everyone. There are -some- parts of the book which struck me as oddly formulated: LGBTQIA for example says "It's okay to be whoever you want to be". Apart from the obvious grammatical ding (whomever), I was somewhat uncomfortable with the idea that identity and lifestyle are choices. Generally though, the detractions are similarly minor and fleeting.

I liked the book and I think it will be a useful tool for introducing important concepts to youngsters.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Pele

Pele is a new biography for young readers in the Little People, Big Dreams series. I've reviewed a number of these titles and all of them are delightful and exuberant little books which cover the lives of famous cultural, science, arts, and innovative icons while maintaining an age-appropriate level of detail.

Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it'll be 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Written by Isabel Sánchez Vegara it's well written in clear accessible language.  The gentle and vibrant illustrations were well done. The art by Camila Rosa is appealing and colorful and supports the story. The illustrations are bold and simple.

Well written and appealing, I am really enjoying all of these little books. This one is a worthy addition. I also appreciate that there are suggestions for further reading in the back of the book with the timeline of Pele's life.

Four stars. This would make a superlative reading circle book, classroom library book, or gift.  Pele is obviously a supremely gifted athlete, but the book also highlights his accomplishments as an ambassador for equality and his charitable works. This book is a tribute to an icon who still represents the ideals of sportsmanship and brotherhood for so many thousands of people worldwide. It's nice to see him being introduced to a new generation of kids.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Colourful Fun Embroidery: Featuring 24 Modern Projects to Bring Joy and Happiness to Your Life!

Colourful Fun Embroidery is a new tutorial and project guide to surface embroidery by Clare Albans. Due out 30th Aug 2020 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

I enjoyed this book. The pictures are all very clear and colorful, the projects are well designed and appealing, and the text is upbeat and encouraging. The introduction includes a discussion of tools, supplies, and basic techniques. The bulk of the book is taken up by the 24 (by my count) projects. The projects themselves are varied and attractive, from embroidered hoop-framed sayings, banners, an embroidered patchwork bag, and more. Most all of the projects could certainly be easily adapted to other finishes.  All of the templates are included. Each tutorial contains an introduction, materials list (nothing too exotic or difficult to source), and step by step photo tutorials from start to finish. Tips and alternative finishes are included in the tutorials. The book also includes a supplies and links list (but no index).
 
It should be noted that this book is about surface embroidery, not cross stitch.  It's lovely to see tutorials and and upswing in interest for the other fibrearts; it seems like only cross-stitch had any following for a long long time and it's nice to see surface embroidery enjoying a renaissance. I really love the breezy and sweet style, and the quirky comfortable projects.

Beautiful projects. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Truth about Baked Beans: An Edible New England History

The Truth about Baked Beans is a fascinating miscellany history of the culinary traditions and roots of New England and the people who live there. Due out 25th Aug 2020 from the NYU Press, it's 352 pages (in hardcover) and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

It has an accessible and engaging narrative. The author starts by examining the origins of the iconic Yankee staple: Boston brown bread and baked beans. I had grown up never once questioning the story that it was handed down from "Indian" cooks. The author makes a compelling argument for a much later origin in the 19th century coinciding with a strong drop in local sugar prices (and a wish to market the area's cultural and tourist attractions to an upwardly mobile traveling middle class).

There are some historically period recipes reproduced here for things varied (and delicious sounding). Recipes for fried dough, plum cake, pierogis, greek pizza and more add some interest and will be fun to reproduce and try, but by far the emphasis is on the history behind the development and blending of the cultures which make up New England.

The book is meticulously annotated throughout. The author has cited both period and modern scholarly research to support the narrative. There are numerous chapter notes, and an index (to come in the release version). The chapter notes alone will keep keen readers reading for ages.

The author has a casual academic style of writing; accessible and careful, with proper annotation, but not overly convoluted or impenetrably difficult to read. She manages to convey a wealth of information without being pedantic or preachy. I really enjoyed reading this historical catalogue of how closely food is intertwined with place, with social development and expansion, and with the people who live in New England.

This would be a great choice for libraries, local historians, food historians, period reproduction cooks, Bed & Breakfast/hospitality, or for fans of New England cuisine.

Five stars. It's abundantly clear that the author has poured prodigious effort and careful academic research into this tome. I can't imagine there's much left unanswered about New England's culinary traditions. I feel much enlightened anyhow.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Moon: A Beginner's Guide to Lunar Features and Photography

The Moon is a hybrid atlas and photography tutorial manual dedicated to Earth's own satellite. Due out 30th Aug 2020 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Author James Harrop is an experienced photographer and he provides quite a lot of specific information for readers concerning equipment, atmospheric conditions, and other criteria to reproduce or capture their own images.

The book itself follows a logical and accessible format. From the general photography terms and equipment he moves on to more specific detail of DSLR imaging, mobile phone images, sensors and image resolution, Sharpcap, stacking, image processing in Photoshop, composite images in ICE, and lunar features (with a cool checklist to tick off seen/imaged features).  If those terms don't mean a lot, it might be reassuring to know that I am a complete newbie when it comes to photography and the author takes pains to make the concepts painless and understandable. This really is a mostly beginner friendly guide to capturing images better than I had thought possible with the equipment I had. I also liked the way the author used actual screenshots with specific programs to guide the reader through some of the software features. (Click here. The interface should look like this. Do this step, then that).  I also liked the way technical terms are defined in highlighted sidebars on the pages on which they appear. It makes it *so* much easier than looking things up at the back of the book.

Well written, very interesting, and night-time astral photography is a hobby anyone can do at a beginning level (whilst social distancing). I gained an appreciation for the subject reading the book. This would make a superlative selection for astronomy fans, photography hobbyists, or anyone looking for a neat way to use up some insomnia hours. It's all ages accessible and virtually free to start, since everyone has a mobile phone.

Five stars. Quite comprehensive.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Scientists Who Dared to Be Different

Scientists Who Dared to Be Different is a biography collection both historical and modern aimed at younger readers. Released 31st July by Arcturus Publishing, it's 202 pages (ebook edition) and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully illustrated book which includes biographies for titans of science and exploration (Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Galileo) to scientists who are equally worthy but lesser known by the general public outside their spheres of influence (Valentina Tereshkova, John Forbes Nash, Katherine Johnson, Mary Anning). The subjects of the biographies often lived very challenging lives and suffered a great deal because of their ethnicity, sex, or mental/physical handicaps. The biographies are roughly 10-15 pages each and run to a fair bit of age appropriate detail. Each of the them includes several colour illustrations.

I've been banging on about the importance of STE(A)M education for decades and this would make a superlative addition to the classroom or school library, or gift for a young person. 

The book also includes a short glossary, but no index. Five stars for plucking out a wide variety of 'lesser known' science and maths legends from varied backgrounds and time periods.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

27 Essential Principles of Story: Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park

27 Essential Principles of Story is a masterclass in plotting and storytelling aimed at authors by Daniel Joshua Rubin. Due out 18th Aug 2020 from Workman Publishing, it's 384 pages (for the ebook) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an -extremely- well written and usable manual presenting clear and concise examples of plotting, tension, characterization, setting, dialogue, theme and other parts of narrative fiction which are essential tools for writers. The tutorial examples are arranged thematically: essential principles of plot, character, and setting dialogue & theme. Each of the tutorial chapters is presented with a real life example from literature, tv, or other media and broken down and examined point by point. Highlighted text boxes provide prompts and self quizzes to help the reader master the presented material.

Wonderful book on the nuts and bolts of story creation and writing. It would also be quite useful for reviewers and other readers who need to understand the bones of creative writing. Highly recommended.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Wild Game Instant Pot: 70+ Recipes to Make the Most of Venison, Turkey, Pheasant, Duck, Goose, Rabbit, and More!

The Wild Game Instant Pot is a tutorial and recipe collection for wild game by Beverly Hudson. Due out 25th Aug 2020 from Quarto on their Voyageur imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is an interesting and varied collection of recipes, well curated and written, combining the labor saving and control of the Instant Pot with dishes featuring game (with alternate proteins listed for each recipe if game isn't on the menu). The format is easy to follow and the layout is logical and progresses from a basic tutorial for using the instant pot to safety and some food handling tips.

The recipes are arranged thematically: Sandwiches, Soups & Chili, Big game main dishes, Small game mains, Gamebird mains, sides, and party recipes. The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric/SI units in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store (apart from the meats, and those have alternatives listed). The appendices include a pantry list of staples, high altitude adjustments, adapting stovetop and slow cooker recipes for the Instant Pot, as well as a cross referenced index. There is no included nutritional information supplied in the recipes.

Almost all of the recipes are beautifully photographed. These are appealing "everyday special" recipes which are tasty and family-friendly (no kale smoothies between the covers of this one). This would make a really good selection for the smallholder, hunter, self-sufficiency folks, or anyone who wants to try some exotic but family friendly dishes.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

American Sign Language for Beginners: Learn Signing Essentials in 30 Days

American Sign Language for Beginners is a beginner's tutorial guide to ASL by Rochelle Barlow. Released 28th July by Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 192 pages (for the print copy) and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a great 30 day tutorial for learning ASL either independently or as part of a classroom. I liked the easy to follow layout of the book and the accessible language. The introduction covers the author's personal history with ASL as well as the origins and use of signing. The introduction also gives a good breakdown of hand position and posture for signing as well as the "five parameters" (handshape, palm orientation, location, movement, and non-manual markers).

The following chapters are laid out in daily tutorials covering individual words and phrases and leading to more complex and nuanced sentences and contextual signaling as well as verb tenses, sentence structure, and questions. The author has also included a solid resources and links list for further reading. The photography in the tutorials is clear and understandable.

This is a very well done book and would make a good resource for self-learners as well as classroom settings.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Shorefall (The Founders Trilogy #2)

Shorefall is the second book in the Founders trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett. Released 21st April 2020 by Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 512 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a phenomenally well written book. Despite the fact that I hadn't read the first book, this book hooked me. The review has waited a few months because I fell in love with the writing, but found the plot so hard to follow that I needed to go back and read the first book. (It doesn't work well at all as a standalone and they're both doorstop chonky books (512+ pages each)). Getting to the point of being able to write a review was a bit of a commitment. I'm glad I took the time.

I found this installment much less of a rollicking fantasy magical engineering marvel (but not "steampunk-y in the slightest) and more of an exploration of created family, loyalty, pragmatism, good-vs-evil and general epic high fantasy. The magic system is subtle and believable. The author explores the ramifications of the system logically and well. There's an appealing f/f romance subplot which doesn't detract from the main adventure, but might not be *enough* romance for readers who prefer a little plot with their romance.

In some ways, Bennett's writing (and this trilogy) remind me most of Yoon Ha Lee (Machineries of Empire) and Seth Dickinson (The Masquerade) which is sort of weird because they're both really SF writers and this is definitely fantasy. The point is, he's a top shelf writer of speculative fiction and this book is *really* good, maybe one of the best SF/F offerings I've read this year, just don't try to read it as a standalone. I've intentionally avoided offering a precis of the plotline for 2 reasons: first, every other reviewer does just that and second, it's too complex to sum up in a couple of paragraphs.

Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Pressure Cooker Cookbook for Weight Loss: 125 Easy and Healthy Recipes

The Pressure Cooker Cookbook for Weight Loss is a tutorial and resource guide plus recipe collection by Sukaina Bharwani. Due out 4th Aug 2020 from Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 230 pages (for the ebook copy) and available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook is available now). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The recipes are arranged by category: Breakfast, Sides & Snacks, Sandwiches & Bowls, Chilis Soups & Sauces, Meatless Mains (lots of good options here), Poultry & Seafood, Beef Lamb & Pork, and Desserts & Drinks. I really appreciated the inclusion of plant based dishes. These are -hearty- mains that even my meat loving family really devoured (without complaining).

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. There's a conversion chart for metric measures in the appendices. Special recipe notes such as gluten free, vegetarian, nut free, etc are listed in the header for each recipe. The nutritional information:  calories, fat, fibre, protein, &sodium content are listed for the recipes as well as serving sizes.  Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex.

The photography is not abundant; most of the recipes are not illustrated, but the photographs which are included are clear and well done.  I wish there had been more photographs and serving suggestions, but I do understand that extra photography increases the price of book projects very quickly.

This is a huge collection of recipes and even allowing for the fact that some of them are very similar to others in the same category, this will keep electric pressure cooker afficianados going for ages. Many of these can also easily be adapted to non-pressure cooker cooking with the codicil that food handling safety and prep be taken into account.


We're definitely going to try more of these recipes.  Well written book, tasty recipes. I've dinged a star for the near-total lack of photographs. For cooks who -need- photographs for serving ideas, this will be a disappointment.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Story of Barack Obama: A Biography Book for New Readers (The Story Of: A Biography Series for New Readers)

The Story of Barack Obama is part of a new biography series for young readers. Released 28th July 2020 from Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 67 pages (for the print copy) and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a well illustrated, colorful, and engaging biography. The material is presented chronologically and includes lots of quotes from the people famous for civil rights, service to the USA, and current history. The art supports and illustrates the story very well. There are included time lines with bullet entries which provide a concise look at when important events happened and how they affected him growing up.

This would make a superlative choice for classroom or home library (or public library, when we can use them again). There are text box guided questions throughout called "Jump in the think tank" which ask the readers salient points to expand on during their reading. They invite the reader to think about how things which impacted Mr. Obama are also relevant to kids today.

There is also an included glossary and comprehensive bibliography/resource list for further reading. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to educators.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

In Veritas

In Veritas is a cross genre magical realism urban fantasy by C.J. Lavigne. Released 1st May 2020 by NeWest Press, it's 352 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an exquisitely well written dark fantasy which doesn't immediately capitulate to the reader. The vast (vaaaaast) majority of books I've read lately (and I've read most of the "buzz" books in the F&SF and mystery genres for the last umpty-zillion years) have been easy to read, very accessible, passive books. You can read them, the plot is spelled out for you, and they are what they are. This book is emphatically not that. There are multiple levels to the narrative. The layers have layers. Additionally, the main character Verity has synesthesia so she smells and tastes colours and experiences senses differently than most people and the way the author describes these interactions adds another layer of obfuscation to the story.

The characters themselves are wildly variant and not easily characterizable as hero or villain, ally or enemy. It adds an uneasy tension to the whole book and I don't think I really relaxed at all during the reading. There are a few graphic body-horror scenes (not gratuitous) which were integral. The denouement of the whole was worth the difficult journey.

This is an -astonishingly- gifted author. The book is extremely well written but not easy to read and I can certainly understand that many readers won't want to make the effort. This work doesn't really lend itself to direct comparisons, I'm not sure I've ever read anything quite like it. If forced to pluck out some names, I would say that Tanith Lee and Jane Rosenberg LaForge wouldn't be completely wrong (especially LaForge).

Five stars, even though there will be a lot of DNFs and it took me so long to read that I had to go back and reread the whole start to finish before I managed to read the whole thing.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Strength Training for Beginners: A 12-Week Program to Get Lean and Healthy at Home

Strength Training for Beginners is a quick start guide with a 12 week tutorial to build up and maintain a home training program. Released 28th July 2020 by Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 250 pages (for the electronic format) and available in paperback and ebook. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

I liked the positive, upbeat, and encouraging "voice" of the author. I can imagine that he's a gifted trainer. The book follows a logical format which is accessible and feels do-able. The introductory section enumerates some of the benefits of weight training for all ages and life-stages as well as debunking some weightlifting myths. He also covers the necessary equipment (including some cost saving tips). New equipment is introduced very slowly (in the second and third months of the training program) and is minimal (dumbbells and weight bars).

The second section of the book includes the exercises themselves. All of them are accompanied by clear line drawings and step-by-step instructions. The descriptions are clear and concise. As an aside, I have recently suffered a shoulder muscle injury (torn and degraded supraspinatus) and as part of my physical rehabilitation, -all- of the exercises my physiotherapist has prescribed for me are included in the upper body exercises in this book (with several others). Special highlights, tips, and troubleshooting information are included in text bars throughout the exercises.

The third section of the book contains the actual monthly training routines. There are three months with different focuses for different training levels. None of the routines are outside the ability levels of most readers. The exercise routines in the electronic format have hyperlinks directly in the workout to easily find/refresh the info during a workout. The workouts are varied and have alternative exercises to change up the routine and avoid boredom.

There's also a short bibliography and links list at the back of the book along with a short author bio.

Honestly, who knows when it'll be safe for us to gather and work-out at training centers again. This is a nice, beginner accessible guide to setting up and maintaining a -real- and -achievable- home workout with relatively minimal expense. There are so many mental and physical benefits to strength training at all ages, this is a good place to just get started with no excuses or procrastination.

Five stars. Well written and do-able.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.