Second Coming: Elvis. Extraterrestrials. Dogs. – D. B. Borton

(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) #CommissionsEarned Second Coming is a humorous science fiction story about Lawrence and Elvis, two aliens who have traveled to earth for the second time. Their mission is to bring a message and that is, if Earth does not stop sending weapons into space, then it will be destroyed. The first time…

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The Tower of the Antilles – Achy Obejas

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “We explained that where we come from the greatest achievement is to leave.” And leaving Cuba means reinventing oneself in a new country. The Tower of the Antilles is one of ten short stories centering on life unique to the Cuban experience. Many stayed in Cuban communities in Miami. But some…

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Size Zero – AC Moyer

(Reviewed by Don Jung) Size Zero is a bizarre and crazy murder mystery that revolves around the dark side of the fashion industry. LeClaire Model Management focuses on keeping their young models skinny by strange, unusual methods and then spinning them into the sex trafficking world. The main characters are Cecil LeClaire, the son of…

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The LoveSpell Experiment: My Year Exploring Love & Discovering a Secret to Happiness – I. J. Weinstock

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) While celebrating New Year’s Eve, I.J. Weinstock heard his late wife, Joy, ask him… ‘What do you love?’ I liked The Secret Sex Life of Angels by this author, so I was interested in reading this book. But it turned out not to be that kind of book. It is a…

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Autopsy of a Father- Pascale Kramer (translated from the French by Robert Bononno)

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “A kind of bottomless fear wrapped her in herself, and she wished she had never set foot in her father’s world again.” Ania and her son Théo came by train to her childhood home of Les Épinettes to visit her estranged father, Gabriel, whom she hadn’t seen in four years. She…

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The Least Among Us: Waging the Battle for the Vulnerable – Rosa DeLauro

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Morally speaking, the social safety net acknowledges that we are accountable to one another. It originated from our recognition that the vulnerable and the poor are not alien populations; they are us, in certain times and sometimes unforeseen circumstances.” So, what happened? Why did a bipartisan agreement for this safety net…

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Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way – Ryan White

(Reviewed by Don Jung) There are so many interesting tidbits in this book about the life of Jimmy Buffett, but it is different than most biographies. It’s written by an outsider who has been fascinated by this man, since both of their lives have been dominated by one word, “change”. Jimmy Buffett-A Good Life All…

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Raising a Hand: A Photographic Music Festival with a Cause – by Dave Clements

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) “What you are about to see is a collection of…entertainers representing all genres of music from around the world, coming together abstractly “in concert” for the first time.” If this were an actual music festival instead of a photographic music festival, it would go on for months! There are over 200…

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American Rococo: Essays On the Edge – Isham Cook

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Isham Cook advises teens to get rid of their smartphones. He equates Airbnb with an upgraded way of couch surfing. He’s obsessed with big breasts and younger Chinese women. By the way, he currently lives in China. He’s an atheist, but has problems with them as a group. After all, they’re…

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Into Autumn: A Story of Survival (Four Seasons Book 1) – Larry Landgraf

(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Into Autumn is a science fiction story written about a man named Lars Lindgren. An apocalypse has happened ending any electricity, water, services, and gasoline. Life is hard for everyone, and Lars is able to somehow survive by planting vegetables on his 40-acre land and eating off the fish and animals…

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