Book Reviews

4.8

Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind is a New York Times-bestselling heroic fantasy novel that earned the Quill Award and was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year upon its original publication; this 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, published by DAW on October 3, 2017, adds illustrations by Dan dos Santos and presents the complete text in a collector-grade hardcover format designed for devoted fans of the Kingkiller Chronicle.

A Clash of Kings: The Illustrated Edition by George R. R. Martin

4.8

This 2019 Random House Worlds hardcover presents George R. R. Martin's Locus Award–winning second A Song of Ice and Fire novel alongside over twenty all-new illustrations by Lauren K. Cannon — a collector's edition designed for fans who want Westeros's War of Five Kings brought to visual life, with a foreword by Bernard Cornwell adding literary context to one of epic fantasy's defining texts.

Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy by The School of Life

4.8

Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy, written by The School of Life, edited by Alain de Botton, and illustrated by Anna Doherty, distills ideas from 25 philosophers into accessible, self-help-framed chapters designed to help children ages 9 and up engage with fundamental questions about how to live. Publishers Weekly called it "a useful, if narrow, introduction to emotional intelligence via philosophical thought," and critical coverage named it among its Best Children's Books of 2018 — a strong reception for an illustrated children's philosophy title with a distinctly practical bent.

Jun 14, 2026

A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers

4.7

First published in 1993, A Voice in the Wind is the opening novel in Francine Rivers's Mark of the Lion series — a sweeping Christian historical fiction set in first-century Rome that follows Hadassah, a young Jewish-Christian slave, as she navigates faith, survival, and conscience amid the decadence and brutality of the Roman Empire. It is widely credited with reshaping the possibilities of the Christian fiction genre.

Ambitious Science Teaching by Mark Windschitl, Jessica Thompson, Melissa Braaten

4.6

Published by Harvard Education Press in 2018 and recognized as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title that same year, Ambitious Science Teaching presents a research-grounded framework designed to make science instruction both rigorous and equitable across a wide range of subjects and grade levels. Co-authored by three university-based science education scholars, the book targets practicing and pre-service teachers seeking a coherent, practice-centered approach to science pedagogy — and it has seen adoption in schools and districts pursuing science teaching improvement at scale. This review is based on published sources and the book's documented contents; hands-on classroom application has not been independently tested by LuvemBooks.

Jun 17, 2026

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest by Cheryl Strayed

4.5

Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail recounts her 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995 — a journey undertaken at age 26, with no prior hiking experience, as an act of self-rescue after her mother's death, the collapse of her marriage, and a descent into heroin use. It reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list, was the inaugural selection for Oprah's Book Club 2.0, and spent 52 weeks on the NPR Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller List — a record of cultural impact matched by its literary reputation.

The Secret Sewing Society: An utterly gripping by Siobhan Curham

4.5

Siobhan Curham's The Secret Sewing Society is a dual-timeline historical novel set in Ukraine — moving between the present day and World War Two — that follows a devastating family mystery and generations of women bound together across conflict and secrecy. Published by Bookouture on January 26, 2026, it has drawn an enthusiastic wave of early reader and blogger response, with reviewers describing it as heartbreaking, gripping, and emotionally resonant.

Jun 11, 2026

Summer Island: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

4.4

Summer Island is a standalone novel by Kristin Hannah, first published in 2001 and later reissued in paperback by Ballantine Books, that charts the fractured relationship between a Seattle talk-show host and her estranged daughter against the fog-laced backdrop of the San Juan Islands. It is a concentrated, emotionally-driven story of family secrets, the cost of public personas, and the difficult work of forgiveness — representative of Hannah's earlier, more intimate period before she turned to sweeping historical narratives.

Jun 19, 2026

Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell

4.4

Then She Was Gone is a tightly constructed psychological thriller in which Lisa Jewell traces one mother's decade-long grief over a missing daughter — and the terrifying answers that surface when she finally stops running from the past.

Jun 13, 2026

My Year of Really Bad Dates: A Memoir by Rachel Lithgow

4.1

Rachel Lithgow's debut memoir, published by She Writes Press on November 11, 2025, chronicles her year of spectacularly ill-fated online dates in the aftermath of a gutting breakup—while simultaneously navigating a 22-year divorce, single motherhood, career reinvention, and a PTSD diagnosis. Kirkus Reviews awarded it their "Get It" verdict, calling it "funny, honest, and heart-wrenching," and the book delivers exactly what its title promises: the dates are, indeed, really bad.

Jun 12, 2026

Christmas Coloring And Activity Book For Kids: 50 Christmas Coloring Pages for Kids

A full review of Christmas Coloring And Activity Book For Kids: 50 Christmas Coloring Pages for Kids by Coloring Zone Press House is coming soon. Here's what's known so far.

Jun 19, 2026

Provocative Philosophical Questions That Inspire Deep Thinking and Deeper Living by Atlas Britton

Atlas Britton's independently published guide frames philosophy as a living, practical pursuit by presenting thought experiments and big questions drawn from history's most celebrated thinkers — designed for curious readers with no prior academic background.

Jun 15, 2026