The Book Lovers Guide

Theirs was a May-December romance lasting nearly 40 years. It was built on mutual love and respect but began with a fierce intensity in its infancy. When Leon Hale passed away just shy of 100 years old in 2021, his parting words to his widow Babette were touching directions: “Write about me!” Writing was what had brought the unlikely pair into each other’s world as Babette had reached out to Hale in 1981 for guidance with her own writing. Hale was a veteran columnist for the Houston Post at the time. Leon responds to Babette’s letter with a phone call and an introductory meet-up is coordinated. At the time of their first get together, Leon is 60 while Babette is 37. They came from different generations and were born in different environments, but a spark was lit almost instantly.

Babette finds Hale disarming with his charm. Hale finds Babette beautiful. Despite their attraction, the wounds of previous broken relationships are raw. They proceed with caution, their intimate moments transcend the physical. The remaining months of the year bespeak of their falling in love and letting the cards fall where they may.

This Familiar Heart is a love story that defies conventions. Author Babette Fraser Hale acknowledges the formidable task of writing of her husband’s life from a semi-detached perspective, yet she more than flourishes in her detailing the idiosyncrasies of their romance. The love she possesses for her late husband and the love he had for her is palpable throughout every page. This is a dual memoir that proves to be both heartwarming and captivating.

A feeling of envy passes through Talasyn as she watches her friends celebrate their wedding. Talasyn’s thoughts are consumed with the interminable Hurricane Wars waged between her home kingdom of Sardovia and the Night Empire. The celebration of her best friends’ nuptials is interrupted by an ambush that results in the loss of Talasyn’s friend Sol. Talasyn is determined to defeat the evil at the heart of the Night Empire and soon finds herself squared off against Prince Alaric in a physical confrontation where both find worthy opponents. Despite Talasyn’s desire for swift revenge, she soon learns details about her past and who she is. Talasyn not only possesses powers desired by malignant forces, but she must align with a foe to defeat a greater adversary. 

The Hurricane Wars is the exceptional debut fantasy novel from author Thea Guanzon. Talasyn is a fiercely independent woman and a true warrior. The attack on her kingdom and friends has left her itching for retaliation. As the plot thickens, she must compromise her feelings in order to help her family and kingdom. Thea Guanzon brilliantly portrays the inner turmoil that runs through Talasyn as she must decide her path forward in becoming a leader. This was an enjoyable read from start to finish and the anticipation for a sequel is palpable.

So many books, but only as much time as we allow ourselves to indulge. I always wish there was more time, but the books I list here are worth the time. Not every book listed was a 2023 release, but they were read this year and were memorable. Even if not mentioned here, nearly every book consumed this year was better than average.

Biographies/Memoirs:

Being Henry: The Fonz and Beyond By Henry Winkler

The life and career of the legendary actor/director as seen through his eyes are explored in this funny and heartwarming book.

Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson by Roland Lazenby

A struggling NBA franchise seeking a breakout player to rejuvenate the fanbase….A new owner looking to make a splash in the league…and a burgeoning superstar from Michigan State about to make that happen and turn a city’s focus to them for the next decade. “Magic” is an electrifying biography.

The Life We Chose: William “Big Billy” D’Elia and the Last Secrets of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Family-Matt Birkbeck

Billy D’Elia served as the last boss of the Pittson Mafia Family, having served under the legendary and influential Russell Buffalino. A true crime memoir that spares no details in exploring a life lived in the Mafia.

Borderline: Defending the Homefront by Vincent Vargas

The life of a soldier is seen at home and abroad in this excellent offering. Vargas saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan and survived close calls. His service continued with his tenure with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He offers a fresh perspective on the continuing border crisis while also offering solutions to the oft politicized issue.

The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy by Paul Myers

A companion read to the excellent documentary “Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks” (2022), author Paul Myers chronicles the lives of the individual members and their metamorphosis into the beloved and influential sketch comedy troupe. A book that is never short on laughs.

Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network by Ari Ben-Menashe

Ari Ben-Menashe served the Israeli government with distinction in the field of Intelligence. He was a conduit for high-stakes weapons deals between Israel and the US along with Iran and other countries. By the 1990s, he had become a disposable asset. Neither the US or Israel counted on Ben-Menashe’s resolve and willingness to reveal both countries’ best-kept secrets. A look into the murky world of intelligence gathering and covert ops.

Non-Fiction

Coal Country Killing: A Culture, A Union, and the Murders that Changed it All by Robert K. Tanenbaum and Steve Jackson

A powerful union…A catastrophic mine collapse…A divisive election between two one-time allies. A triple murder that shocked the country and eventually brought down a union president. A gripping read that surpasses the true crime genre.

No Crying in Baseball: The Inside Story of A League of Their Own: Big Stars, Dugout Drama, and a Home Run for Hollywood by Erin Carlson

The story about the founding of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was meant to be told by the right director. Penny Marshall was a director looking to break through the boys club that dominated Hollywood. “A League of their Own” was meant for her, yet the path to its success wasn’t written in stone..Studio interference, temperamental talent, and other variables combined to test Marshall and others on the road to the big screen. An intelligent, endearing and occasionally poignant read.

Last Call at Coogan’s: The Life and Death of a Neighborhood Bar by Jon Michaud

The prospects for the new watering hole didn’t look promising. The location was in a crime-ridden area of NYC. However, there were visionaries in ownership who saw possibilities. Coogan’s would bring in many patrons in its nearly 35 years of operation and would generate fond memories for nearly all of them. This book serves as a lovely requiem for the legendary establishment.

Starkweather: The Untold Story of the Killing Spree that Changed America by Harry N. MacLean

Decades before the term “serial killer” was coined and profilers were tasked with finding them, Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate shocked the nation with a series of killings that commenced in Nebraska in January 1958. Their reign of terror would not exceed two weeks, but their mark in the world of crime and pop culture had been indelibly etched. Author MacLean offers a refreshing take on the culpability of Fugate 65 years after the transpiring events.

Masking the Truth: How COVID-19 Destroyed Civil Liberties and Shut Down the World-Donald Jeffries

The insanity that consumed the world beginning in March 2020 and continues to the present is captured and explored by the brilliant author and researcher Jeffries (“Hidden History”). The lockdowns, mandates and the rise of authoritarianism are highlighted and deconstructed in this illuminating book.

Fiction:

My Darkest Prayer-S.A. Cosby

S.A. Cosby (“Razorblade Tears”, 2021) knows how to craft a mystery. “My Darkest Prayer” continues the trend of page-turning hits. Nate Waymaker has been asked to look into a suspicious death in his hometown but knows all too well the injustices that are overlooked by the local law enforcement. Nate is not one to be deterred in his investigation.

City of Dreams-Don Winslow

The second book in the “Danny Ryan” trilogy witnesses the flight of Ryan and his associates in the wake of the destructive mob war that decimated Irish and Italian organized crime factions in Providence. Ryan must find a distant refuge from enemies while keeping his friends and family safe. Hollywood may prove to be the best or worst choice to lay low. Winslow’s penultimate work in the trilogy explores the melding of the Mob and show business and dazzles with every plot twist.

The Hunt-Kelly J. Ford

The local radio station has sponsored a scavenger hunt which has transfixed the citizens of Presley, Arkansas. However, a rash of untimely and suspicious deaths has coincided with “The Hunt” over the last decade causing many to view the contest with fear and suspicion. Nell Holcomb believes her brother’s death was one of them. As the game has been revived, the possibility of another person’s demise casts a pall over a high-stakes contest. A mystery/thriller that is impossible to put down.

Here in the Dark: Stories-Meagan Lucas

An assembly of eclectic tales that explore the complex fragility of the human condition. Lucas provides stories that will stay with the reader regardless of length, as the emotional impact is unforgettable.

The Wild Dark and The Wild Fall-Katherine Silva

Liz Raleigh chose solitude to forget the world around her. She sought refuge in a cabin hidden deep in the woods. However, she senses a presence close by. She soon discovers that the outside world has dissolved into chaos, visions of the departed are wreaking havoc on people’s minds, and her own survival may just be an otherworldly presence. The Wild Fall continues Liz’s story nearly a decade removed from the events of its predecessor. Liz and a group of survivors search for food and shelter from the encroaching dangers of the woods and the untamed monsters within. Silva has a bright future ahead based on the compelling nature of these two rewarding reads.

Brian Vukadinovich did not seek out attention. He was living his life and carrying out routine tasks when he was the victim of mistaken identity and subject to a thrashing from the Valparaiso Police Department in September 1981. A judge would rule in favor of Vukadinovich in 1982 and chastise the police officers. A coordinated effort of harassment and intimidation would await Vukadinovich in the wake of the ruling and a small monetary settlement. False arrests and excessive force would be commonplace experiences in the ensuing years as spiteful law enforcement officers had zeroed in on Vukadinovich for scrutiny and intimidation. However, Vukadinovich wouldn’t yield to the abuse of the long arm of the law and would seek redress through the courts. Initially successful at the local level, the federal courts began to parry his thrusts and throw out his suits for one specious reason or another. Four decades removed from the incident and Vukadinovich hasn’t begun to relent.

Rogues in Black Robes is a book designed to stir anger in the heart of the reader. Brian Vukadinovich’s struggle should linger in anyone’s memory long after the book has been concluded. Excessive force and corrupt actions by law enforcement should not be discarded. Corruption in the judicial system needs to be addressed and not ignored. Misconduct in the higher levels of the justice system enables the rot at the base levels and the public pays the bill in every way. The words and actions of the author have helped expose the dishonest cliques that call the shots all the way to the Supreme Court. This is a book that merits multiple reads and belongs in classrooms.

Ten years have passed since the ghosts of the past appeared to some and woods began to reclaim the land. Liz Raleigh remains beleaguered with the memories of the ones she lost. The presence of her long gone friend Brody still lingers. She is determined to survive and stay ahead of the encroaching wilderness. She has taken up with a small group of fellow refugees, including Park Ranger Hank and his now teenaged daughter Evie. The group survives by scouring for supplies located in vacant homes or stores. Bartering with other groups helps procure needed items such as medication. The eclectic bunch make the best of a life that can instantaneously be changed as the looming gloom approaches at an uncertain clip. As each day passes, Liz’s concerns now include a rebellious teenage in Evie and a phantasmic presence that seems to be stalking them. 

The Wild Fall is the captivating sequel to The Wild Dark where safety is a fleeting feeling and fear is constant. The story alternates from the perspective of Liz to the perspective of the youthful Evie. Liz is thankful for the people she’s found yet possesses a cop’s skepticism for what the future may bring. Evie has grown up in a shattered world where her losses have been many, her defiant spirit is strong but may also bring trouble for more than just her. Katherine Silva has written a rewarding follow up in her Wild Oblivion series that excels at providing heartstopping along with poignant moments. Silva has a bright future ahead with enjoyable books such as this entry.

Liz has been living her days and nights closed off from the outside world. She has been staying in a cabin where the only interruption to quiet solitude are the ghosts that haunt her. Liz was a Detective when a tragedy robbed her of her partner and best friend. The crushing grief is the weight she carries while anything else is secondary. Her seclusion is breached when she is questioned by a park ranger about a missing man. The creepy vibes that Liz has been experiencing are magnified as she prepares to head back to civilization. Shadows and screams of unknown origin have Liz questioning her sanity. Something has gone wrong on an unimaginable level and Liz will need a friend more than ever. However, as Liz and her newfound friend Hank travel from nature to populated areas, they are eye witnessing the apocalypse in slow motion. An escape may never be far enough.

The Wild Dark is a horror mystery that lets the suspense build to an intense crescendo with each chapter. The development of Liz as a protagonist/heroine is done through flashbacks from the recent past which segue into the predicament that consumes her present. Liz is a lost soul, but the collapse of society has awakened her. Author Katherine Silva’s brilliance lay in developing a cerebral chiller that doesn’t need the grisly to push the story. The reluctance to relinquish our ghosts can lead to the truly unspeakable.

By Vincent Vargas(Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent)

War doesn’t end with the change in frontlines. The call of duty for a soldier will often linger even after the bullets have stopped flying and the bombs are no longer detonating. In 2015, Vincent Vargas was getting prepped for his daughter’s upcoming birthday party as news of the daring prison break from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY dominated the headlines. The two convicted murderers were on the run, but Vargas doubted the Border Patrol would be tagged into the hunt. He was quickly disabused of this thought and off he went. For over a decade, Vargas followed any assignment given him and performed admirably first as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan and then in his various roles in the United States Border Patrol(USBP).

Borderline: Defending the Home Front serves as part memoir along with a bird’s-eye view of a much-misunderstood and oft-maligned government agency. Along with his own personal experiences while being a member of the Border Patrol, Vargas delves into the lengthy history of an organization that protects the lengthy borders of the United States. The recollections of fellow agents and soldiers are interspersed in Vargas’ compelling narrative. Despite his past history with the BP, he maintains an even-keeled approach in his views on the border situations. When the mainstream opinion about the border and the Border Patrol tends to skew left or right, Vincent Vargas tells things like they are….because he lived it. A rewarding read from start to finish.

Candace Nix sits in a chair and answers the questions put to her. She is a powderkeg of emotions as her actions are scrutinized by higher-ups in law enforcement. A distracted mind led to grave consequences and the weight of the world lay on Nix’s shoulders in “Voluntary Action”. Meagan Lucas’ first story sets the tone for a compilation of frequently poignant short stories contained in Here in the Dark. Nix’s descent into tortuous limbo segues to the dreary life of Janelle in “Picking the Carcass”. Janelle is the mother of two and straddles the line between poor and destitute. Her fortunes begin to change when she finds gold in a dead raccoon. However, her needs require a continuous stream of hidden treasure and gold doesn’t just randomly appear more than once, right?  The reader will be transported to the lonely but unorthodox world of young Tillie in “Buttons”, a story that will leave the audience slightly unsettled. Two of the stand-out offerings in this sterling work are “You Know What They Say About Karma” and “Kittens”, where I struggle for the right words to qualify in describing something so heartrending. 

Lucas (Songbirds and Stray Dogs, 2019) weaves a collection of sixteen stories that are impactful, regardless of length. Each entry is unique in their direction and theme, more than a few are gut-wrenching in their denouement. Lucas doesn’t lean on gore to sell the horror of humanity, just motive and actions. This collection of yarns will have the reader riveted from start to finish and anticipating more work from this fine author.

In the town of Presley, Arkansas, the townsfolk are gearing up for the yearly hunt for the
“Golden Egg”. This search consumes the minds of many before the arrival of Easter. The hunt is
sponsored by the local radio station, the clues lead to various locations around town and the
grand prize could be enough money to make life comfortable for a few years. Since the dawn of
the contest, a shadow has loomed over the spectacle of this scavenger hunt. A fair number of
people involved or connected to the search have turned up dead. A few of the citizens have
urged the contest to be shut down in sympathy to the families of the departed. The contest
sponsors insist that the deaths are unrelated and the popularity of the hunt is too great for
rumors or “urban legend” to end it.

In 2022, the “Hunt” for the Golden Egg has recommenced after a year hiatus due to
COVID-19. Nell Holcomb is one of Presley’s citizens who longs for the hunt to be scuttled. Her
brother, Garrett, is considered to be one of the first victims of the alleged killer known as “The
Hunter.” As the 2022 game begins, co-workers and friends are concerned about Nell’s state of
mind. Nell’s mindset is scattered at best, as she has been taking care of her nephew (and
Garrett’s son) Elijah since he was little. Recently, she has begun a relationship with an unknown
party that could cause commotion if it came to light. As this relationship progresses, Nell
becomes more secretive.

Ada is Nell’s best friend and surrogate Aunt to Elijah. Ada is an avid hunter for the
Golden Egg. She has to tamp down her enthusiasm for the hunt in order to respect Nell’s
feelings, but she looks for clues during her downtime and often with Elijah. As the days tick
down to Easter and the Golden Egg seems closer, a paranoid feeling grips Ada with every noise
she hears while hunting in a desolate area. Nell’s mental state threatens to come undone with a
chance encounter. The town of Presley has never witnessed a hunt quite like this year’s.

The Hunt makes its intent known in its opening pages. Author Kelly J. Ford
(Cottonmouths) hints of the mayhem soon to come as the hunt for small fortune dominates the
thoughts of the small-town denizen, even if the pursuit puts them in harm’s way. Nell Holcomb
has never gotten over her brother’s death, she wears her survivor’s guilt on her sleeves. When
things are normal, she throws herself into her work at the plastics factory. If things have gone
sideways, she seeks comfort in self-destructive tendencies. Two of the people she cares about
deeply are Ada and Elijah. Ada is Nell’s closest friend but as close as they are, there remains a
gulf of something left unsaid between them. The Hunt is an intoxicating mystery/thriller novel
that doesn’t rely on over-the-top blood to scare the reader as much as a steady dose of
cerebral moments that tease you until a most satisfying conclusion.

Losing a child is one of the most difficult situations a person can endure. The joy of the pending arrival of a new addition to a family is suddenly dashed by the inexplicable ending of the baby’s life, either through miscarriage or stillbirth. The loss of a baby can be difficult for a couple but is often devastating to the mother. A mother’s special connection to their baby evolves on a daily basis and the baby’s development and nourishment hinges on the mother’s body. The loss of the baby during the nine-month period or shortly thereafter leaves an impact on a woman that is indelible. The five stages of grief are experienced on a loop, often by Mother and Father. “What If” scenarios are pondered, despite there being no fault in the tragic outcome. You’re Not Alone offers a compendium of stories from various women and men who have suffered the loss of a baby at some point in their lives. 

You’re Not Alone is not easy reading, as each offering comes with a foregone tragic conclusion. However, the silver lining comes with each individual’s sharing of grief, an emotional catharsis that attempts to reach out to someone who suffers a similar fate. The book provides memories from both men and women recalling this poignant moment in their lives and how they coped. Not every story ends with a loss, as some had successful pregnancies shortly thereafter or further down the road. The loss of one’s child can’t be truly forgotten, no matter how brief their appearance is in your world. Once you learn of your baby’s existence, that moment is bookmarked in your mind. The second that jubilation is ripped away is equally impactful. Michelle Fulton has admirably compiled and contributed to a collaborative effort that will reach out to those in need of healing. An inspiring book.