Reviews in Brief

A gripping dive into a dystopic future where human nature itself is up for debate, The Interchange by John Steven Welch is an original work of dystopian fiction, creating a daunting but captivating world that eerily reflects the current social climate. In a society where control masquerades as progress, and natural birth is outlawed, Aureole Agnor is equal parts warrior and philosopher, examining the importance of bodily autonomy, familial and romantic love, and demonstrating the soul’s resilience in the face of tyranny. As powerful in its prognostications for the future as Brave New World, Welch has crafted a tale that is both intimate and vast, pulling readers into the novel’s moral labyrinth, with the reader inevitably questioning their own response to authoritarianism, along with the characters. An expert mixture of humanist philosophy and electric storytelling, this multifaceted novel deserves wide attention.

With the goal of empowering readers to overcome financial stress and rewrite their own money story, Financial Dignity: Stop Worrying About Money and Start Living Life On Your Terms by Andreas Jones strikes an essential balance between managing personal well-being and monetary stability. Offering advice on changing your mindset about money, planning for the future, making a budget, breaking free of debt, investing wisely, and much more, this book is confidently penned and loaded with invaluable advice. From relatable examples and clarifying anecdotes to data-rich research and novel financial strategies, the text is inclusively designed for a broad range of readers struggling with any number of financial stressors.

A boundary-pushing plunge into a vividly imagined future, Anticipation Day by Jeff Michelsen poses powerful questions about identity, the human experience, and our digital destiny as a species. Extrapolating real-world advancements in artificial intelligence and computing power, this novel proposes a world with an annual day of escape for every eligible American – a chance to visit any time or place imaginable through a hyper-real simulation. However, as early adopters of this revolutionary program, the protagonists quickly discover that tricking the brain and distorting reality comes at a disturbingly high cost, resulting in a provocative mixture of Black Mirror and The Surge. Though the meticulously outlined plot is occasionally slowed by detail, this near-future novel holds a broad and timely appeal, given our increasing immersion in digital technology, which feels distressingly prescient even with the far-flung premise.

Shedding light on a misunderstood affliction and offering empowering guidance for relief, From Cursed to Cured: How to Treat & Cure PMDD Naturally by Rachel Lynn Fox is an essential holistic handbook for managing severe premenstrual discomfort. From meticulous reviews of hormonal activity and the physiological impacts of premenstrual dysphoric disorder to philosophical, emotional, and spiritual techniques that soothe the body and master the mind, this is an impressively informative guide. Fox shakes off the traditional taboo of talking about menstruation, explaining the most critical and overlooked aspects of menstrual health, and presents a comprehensive multidisciplinary path for women ready to overcome this debilitating condition. Drawing deeply on the author’s personal experience with PMDD, this eye-opening book is equal parts accessible, practical, intimate, and important.

A survival guide and collection of journal prompts for frazzled but appreciative parents, Parenting – Controlled Chaos by Floriana Luz is an innovative workbook to help navigate the daily struggles of parenthood. Colorfully and ironically designed like a children’s book, this inventive guide contains exercises, journaling ideas, witty lists, and pages of space to document parents’ daily problems and triumphs. Whether it’s dodging Legos or negotiating bedtime treaties, Luz’s manual reminds parents that they are not alone, and offers a welcome space to document the barrage of chaos in real-time so it can be referenced like a home movie when the kids are older.

With the aim of liberating readers from the frustration of excessive analysis, second-guessing, and self-doubt, From Overthinking To Happy Living: How To Stop Overthinking Everything, Manage Stress And Anxiety, Find Inner Peace Through The Bible And Quantum Physics by Olga Ogden is a relatable and practical guide for self-improvement. By outlining the root causes of overthinking, as well as the secondary factors that contribute to this unproductive cycle, the author unpacks and destigmatizes a surprisingly common mental block. Encouraging readers to connect with a higher power, while simultaneously embracing the wondrous nuance of neuroscience, this book is dually down-to-earth and far-reaching in its outlook and prescriptions, offering a comprehensive companion for anyone who struggles to understand and overcome their self-made obstacles.