Reviews in Brief

The sprawling and seedy web of Martin Smith’s politico-thriller series gets even stickier in Minion or Master II, as George Howden’s international misadventures continue. With a vengeful corporate titan determined to ruin him for complicating his patricidal scheme, the sometimes hapless Howden bounces between Bermuda, New York, London, and more, tirelessly hustling in both his personal and professional circles. Though the author has a tendency to tell, rather than show, the straightforward prose is accessible and paced well, despite the occasional bureaucratic, governmental, or legislative chunk of exposition. Romance, familial tension, corporate intrigue, and shadowy underworlds blend remarkably well in Smith’s second entertaining installment.

A riveting dive into the complex world of geopolitics, smuggling, power brokering, blackmail, and more, Minion or Master by Martin Smith is an intricate plunge into international intrigue. Swirling business deals, exotic locales, dangerous temptations, and manipulative strongmen are just the beginning of George Howden’s densely packed adventures in this new series. Though the prose is in need of a strong proofreading hand, the book’s story crafting is ambitious, historically rich, and compelling. The rapid pace and immersive nature of the prose are quickly addicting, while the unpredictable twists of this transatlantic plot will hold readers firmly to the end.

Against the backdrop of a dramatically changing job market that shows no sign of normalizing, authors Rafael Moscatel and Abby Moscatel present Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, the second edition of a motivating guidebook aimed at every career experience or trajectory. Functioning as both a self-help book for determining your passion, and a peek into what drives business success in the world right now, this is a multipurpose read with a decidedly broad appeal. Covering issues such as blockchain and AI, or navigating the post-pandemic, remote-working environment, this guide is both comprehensive and easy to read, giving a nuanced and forward-thinking perspective on the quickly changing professional landscape.

An exotic and interstellar affair that blurs the narrative line of sci-fi action and romance, Stars on Fire by Sky Gold is the lavish first installment of The Sable Riders series. Eden II may look like a cosmic paradise, but it can also be a prison of perfection and an unexpected battlefield, and when the irresistibly compelling Kainan slips into Selene’s fiercely independent orbit, neither have any idea how explosive – and potentially cataclysmic – their passion might be. Boasting decadent descriptive language, patient storytelling, and immersive world-building, the prose may have some rough spots in terms of proofreading issues, but this novel is a scintillating gem of an escape.

Countess Joliette de Verzat is determined to preserve the legacy of her family’s vineyard in Debra Borchert’s captivating novel, Her Own Legacy, the first book in the Château de Verzat series. The young Countess fearlessly navigates the obstacles of her destiny – duty to the Queen, laws prohibiting her inheritance, a forbidden love, the discovery of an illegitimate brother, and war. When the French Revolution erupts, armed and hungry citizens march towards the Versailles palace – leaving the formidable Joliette to battle for her Verzat legacy, life, and love. With an equally eloquent and dynamic tone, the novel is an immersive piece of historical fiction – both thorough and concise in historical detail – which stands up against other works of this storied time. Charming, gracefully written, with moments of true excitement, Borchert’s historical work is a marvel.

Torri L. Fisher’s Forget Me Not: A Caregiver’s Guide to Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease is an insightful and informative guide to caregiving for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, even at its earliest stages, covering most every issue one will encounter through the lens of Fisher’s own experience, conveyed to the reader with a casual tone. Written with warmth and empathy, the book covers everything from how to recognize early signs of the disease to mental health practices for the caregivers themselves, which is essential and too often overlooked. Though the book is sometimes overly tangential when readers might need more direct answers, it is a handy, humane, and complete guide that should help ease caregivers through the most trying of circumstances.