As I write this message, the first day of Fall is approaching. That means less daylight and more indoor activities. Hopefully, reading is one of those activities that you partake in on a regular basis. In this issue, we trust you will find more than enough books to keep you busy for hours to come.
During the pandemic, Shelf Life was publishing less issues, only because libraries and bookstores were either closed or not accepting any outside materials for distribution. That has caused a backlog of reviews not used in our issues. Some of the titles here may be a bit older, but that should not stop you from adding them to your collections. Reviews are also a bit shorter to accommodate more reviews.
As before, I urge you to visit the various Shelf Life sites online with up-to-date books reviewed. They are on Facebook and YouTube‘s Shelf Life book review channels, and on Goodreads where you will find almost 500 of my reviews on the Paul Sutter page. Shelf Life is also found on the WordPress site as well. John Milner, one of my long-time reviewers, is constantly updating the various sites. I thank him for his tireless dedication to Shelf Life over these many years.
So sit back and enjoy this issue, and please don’t hesitate to send me your comments pro or con and also what you might like to see in these issues and online. Thanks so much!
Paul Sutter
Editor/Publisher
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The Butterfly House
by Katrine Engberg (Translated from the Danish by Tara Chase)
(Scout Press – $22.00 – 346 pages)
“It all makes for entertaining reading, continuing what Engberg began in THE TENANT.”
Heartbreak Bay
by Rachel Caine
(Thomas & Mercer – $23.95 – 324 pages)
“… a book we won’t forget, any more than we can forget the talented author.”
All the Colors of Night
by Jayne Ann Krentz
(Berkley – $36.00 – 324 pages)
“Jayne Ann Krentz brings together even more suspense and tension to the series with this book.”
The Match
by Harlan Coben
(Grand Central Publishing – $37.00 – 343 pages)
“Coben has done a superb job of weaving the story with Wilde in the middle.”
The Secret Path
by Karen Swan
(Pan – $24.99 – 410 pages)
“This is a typically solid romance book from Karen Swan.”
The Marriage of Rose Camilleri
by Robert Hough
(Douglas & McIntyre – $24.95 – 255 pages)
“If you are seeking a book filled with passion and emotion, THE MARRIAGE OF ROSE CAMILLERI is perfect for you.”
The Juice
by Janice Stilson
(Dragon Moon Press – $24.95 – 403 pages) -Reviewed by John M. Milner
“…a hard-to-put down page turner.”
The Ex Hex
by Erin Sterling
(William Morrow – $19.99 – 320 pages)
“The book is geared towards younger readers, but older readers will find much to enjoy in this book as well.”
Enemy at the Gates
by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills
(Emily Bestler/Atria – $38.99 – 344 pages)
“This is classic Mitch Rapp, with constant peril.”
Book of Night
by Holly Black
(Tor – $36.99 – 306 pages)
“It creates a riveting story, right up to the intense conclusion.”
The Last House on the Street
by Diane Chamberlain
(St. Martin’s Press – $37.99 – 352 pages
“…a powerfully emotional book, blending past and present, and secrets haunting a small town nearly five decades later.”
The Midnight Lock
by Jeffery Deaver
(Putnam – $37.00 – 426 pages)
“Jeffery Deaver never fails to make a Lincoln Rhyme story an interesting read.”
Before the Ruins
by Victoria Gosling
(Henry Holt – $36.50 – 275 pages)
“The book is more character-driven than action-oriented, but that is no problem.”
Call Me Elizabeth Lark
by Melissa Colasanti
(Crooked Lane – $36.99 – 296 pages)
“Melissa Colasanti writes with great skill and the ability to keep one reading until the last page.”
The Second Cut
by Louise Welsh
(Canongate- $33.95 – 370 pages)
“…holds up well in the sequel, adding another chapter to the life of Rose and Rilke.”
One of Our Own
by Jane Haddam
(Minotaur – $37.99 – 226 pages)
“This book is truly a gem…”
In Your Dreams I Hold A Knife
by Ashley Winstead
(Harper Collins – $24.99 – 357 pages)
“…Ashley Winstead definitely has what it takes to go a long way in the literary world.”
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry
by Mary Higgins Clark
(Simon & Schuster – $35.95 – 386 pages)
“This is Mary Higgins Clark at her finest, using her masterful skills to once more create a true page turner.”
Unsolved
by James Patterson and David Ellis
(Little Brown – $36.50 – 472 pages)
“It is a most impressive work of suspense, in the James Patterson tradition.”
Right Behind Her
by Melinda Lerigh
(Montlake – $19.95 – 309 pages)
“Book number four in the best-selling Bree Taggert series reminds us why we like these books so much.”
Long Range
by C.J. Box
(Putnam – $37.00 – 360 pages)
“C.J. Box has made the books interesting and complex.”
The Harpy
by Megan Hunter
(Grove Press – $38.95 – 208 pages) – Reviewed by John M. Milner
“It becomes a very cerebral story, where what is taking place on the page takes a backseat to the message about women in society…”
Forgotten in Death
by J.D. Robb
(St. Martin’s Press – $38.50 – 384 pages)
“FORGOTTEN IN DEATH is book fifty-three featured Eve Dallas. This one is as good as any of the previous fifty-two.”
Before She Disappeared
by Lisa Gardner
(Dutton – $36.00 – 382 pages)
“It is a story of perseverance and strength, how one person can make a difference no matter the odds against her.”
High Stakes
by Iris Johansen
(Grand Central – $24.99 – 363 pages)
“Johansen in typical fashion accelerates the tension and action to stratospheric levels.”
As The Wicked Watch
by Tamron Hall
(William Morrow – $23.99 – 388 pages)
“The book is told through Jordan’s eyes, making the story more personal and intimate.”
The Nameless Ones
by John Connolly
(Emily Bestler/Atria – $37.00 – 420 pages)
“…hard-hitting and violent.”
The Receptionist
by Kate Myles
(Thomas & Mercer – $23.95 – 376 pages)
“…an excellent debut from a very gifted author.”
Cutthroat Dogs
by Loren D. Estleman
(Forge – $34.99 – 196 pages)
“Chalk this up to another superior crime drama from a true mystery master.”
The Heron Cry
by Ann Cleves
(Pan MacMillan – $38.99 – 383 pages)
“…quite complex at times, all the more reason to read the book.”
Hell and Gone
by Sam Wiebe
(Harbour Publishing – $24.95 – 323 pages)
“…makes for a classic crime story.”
Creatures
by Crissy Van Meter
(Algonquin Books- $36.95 – 244 pages)
“It is an eventful time, as her life is about to change. It gives the book charm and dramatic appeal.”
Watch Out for Her
by Samantha M. Bailey
(Simon and Schuster – $24.99)
“Samantha Bailey has created a classic thriller, keeping readers guessing.”
*** Non-Fiction Section ***
Going There
by Katie Couric
(Little Brown – $38.00 – 510 pages)
“It is an ambitious and entertaining book, chronicling her most interesting life.”
Pulp Power (The Shadow, Doc Savage, and the Art of the Street & Smith Universe)
by Neil McGinness
(Abrams – $82.00 – 352 pages)
“…an impressive book to the tenth degree, a true coffee table book that you will treasure like a bar of gold.”
How to Cook Everything
by Mark Bittman
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – $52.00 – 952 pages)
“It certainly lives up to its name, telling you how to cook hundreds of recipes quite easily anad effortlessly.”
The Donnellys Volume 1 Powder Keg 1840-1880
by John Little
(ECW Press – $24.95 – 514 pages)
“The attention to detail in the book takes us back to those days, as you could feel the hatred simmering…”
Trees in Trouble (Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change)
by Daniel Mathews
(Counterpoint – $38.95 – 288 pages)
“…a common sense overview of the decimation of America’s western pine forests.”
In Praise of Paths
by Torbjorn Ekelund
(Greystone – $29.95 – 230 pages)
“There is a powerful message in the book, where we can choose our paths, taking us forward or even backwards in life.”
Bad Trips: How I Went from Vice Reporter to International Drug Smuggler
by Slava Pastuk
(Dundum – $23.95 – 235 pages) – Reviewed by John M. Milner
“The story that Pastuk tells in BAD TRIPS is far more than one about drug smuggling.”
35 Years of Wrestlemania
Foreward by Shawn Michaels
(DK Books – $31.99 – 256 pages)
“35 YEARS OF WRESTLEMANIA recalls the highlights, alonghwith winners, losers and other key moments.”
Walking Away From Hate
by Jeanette & Lauren Manning
(Tidewater Press – $23.95 – 240 pages)
“The book seems like classic fiction. the battle of good versus evil. It needs to be required reading in high schools.”
One Day You’ll Thank Me (Essays on Dating, Motherhood, and Everything in Between)
by Cameran Eubanks Wimberly with Michele Bender
Gallery – $47.00 – 186 pages
“She tells the story of that journey on the road to joy and motherhood.”
Fast Easy Cheap Vegan
by Sam Turnbull
(Appetite – $29.95 – 242 pages)
“The book will definitely make food lovers happy and satisfied food wise, for some time to come.”
Miss Dior – A Story of Courage and Couture
by Justin Picardie
(Faber & Faber – $48.95 – 440 pages)
“…a book deserving to be read, showing one person’s life and the perils and triumphs associated with it.”
Smart Plants
by Julie Morris
(Sterling – $39.95 – 310 pages)
“… Julie Morris offers sage advice on how certain plants can help the brain function better.”
Making A Life
by Melanie Falick
(Artisan – $53.00 – 322 pages)
“…Melanie Falick has profiled people from all walks of life, who decided to live life according to their own rules.”
We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of A Sober Life
by Laura McKowen
(New World Library – $38.95 – 248 pages)
“Her words pack great emotion. Hopefully others in her situation will learn from her life.”
The Art of Batman
by James Field
(Abrams – $57.00 – 224 pages)
“The book is the perfect companion to the movie.”
A Killer By Design
by Ann Wolbert Burgess
(Hachette – $35.00 – 308 pages)
“Anyone who enjoys crime shows will appreciate the manner in which Burgess has written a most compelling work…”
Open Every Window: A Memoir
by Jane Munro
(Douglas & McIntyre – $28.95 – 256 pages)
“…a book that will resonate with anyone who dealt with a family member with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.”
Marvel’s Captain America: The Ultimate Guide New Edition
by Matthew Forbeck, Alan Cowsill, Melanie Scott & Daniel Wallace
(DK Books – $31.99 – 200 pages)
“…the book covers every facet of the character, and the many incarnations of the man known as Steve Rogers.”
*** Books for Children ***
The Most Beautiful Thing
by Kao Kalia Yang – Illustrated by Khoa Lee
(Carolrhoda Books – $23.75 – 32 pages)
“…an absolute classic children’s book with a true message.”
Dear Black Child
by Rahma Rodaah – Illustrated by Lydia Mba
(Balzer + Bray – $23.75 – 32 pages)
“…another inspiring book that shows diversity and acceptance, plus feeling one belongs.”
Some Days (A Tale of Love, Ice Cream and My Mom’s Chronic Illness)
by Julia A. Stamm – Illustrated by Chamisa Kellogg
(The Experiment – $24.95 – 32 pages)
“…a most moving story about a mother who is living with Multiple Sclerosis.”
Teatime Around the World
byDenyse Waissbluth & Chelsea O’Byrne
(Greystone Kids – $22.95 – 32 pages)
“The information is fascinating, and adults may learn about the tea trade as well.”
Eyes That Speak to the Stars
by Joanna Ho – Illustrated by Dung Ho
(Harper- $23.99 – 32 pages)
“The book also embraces his culture and the love and closeness of his family…”
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