The Anaconda Plan, devised by Union Gen. Winfield Scott, proposed suffocating the Southern ports along the Mississippi with naval blockades. In the center of the Anaconda lay the port of New Orleans, the setting for Ellis’ novel. It’s here, in April of 1862, that we meet Rachel Durand, a young Jewish widow who has lost her husband, Levi, in the Battle of Shiloh. Rachel lives with her younger, pregnant sister Sarah, whose husband, Jacob Mercier, is still away at war. Within a few days, the Union overtakes the Confederate barriers and begins its occupation of New Orleans. Gen. Benjamin “Spoons” Butler—locally referred to as the Beast—is put in charge of the city. When he has the Stars and Stripes hung at City Hall, it provokes a small citizen revolt with dire consequences. Rebellions continue, only more secretly. Months later, with the city suffering from devastating shortages, Jacob returns home severely injured. It’s now up to Rachel to provide for her small family. This is how she finds herself joining a group of New Orleanians who, disguised as peddlers, facilitate trade between the Union and the Confederacy. Ellis’ sprawling drama is a tale of political maneuvers, schemes, backroom deals, and secret alliances. But, most of all, it’s a novel driven by a hefty cast of complex, pivotal characters navigating extraordinary times. The novel ambles slowly but deliberately, bringing readers directly into the harsh details of daily life. Short vignettes set in the White House portray intimate glimpses of President Lincoln, mourning the loss of his son while negotiating the right time to declare the Emancipation Proclamation. Through primary protagonist Rachel, initially a staunch Confederate supporter, we’re introduced to the Jewish community of New Orleans, and the subtle antisemitism to which they are subjected, a topic rarely covered in Civil War novels. Ellis includes a plethora of elaborate AI-generated illustrations, although the captions appear inconveniently in an appendix.

The story opens as Soravelle Davana, once the most feared vampire of the D’Arco dynasty, is awakened from centuries of slumber in an underwater sarcophagus by the death of her twin brother, Mateo. He was her last remaining family member after the loss of their sister, Isi. Using her skills as a former assassin for the Crown, Sora makes her way to the castle her family used to own, only to find that its new occupant is an old enemy, Alobaz “Baz” Hawxley, the man responsible for killing her brother. What starts off as a straightforward revenge tale quickly becomes a game of wills when Sora learns her survival is linked to Baz. Although Sora maintains she’d rather die than submit, Ashta has crafted a morally gray romance from this situation that resists easy answers—Baz is both a conqueror and a captive of his imperial legacy, while Sora is torn between righteous fury and a desire she refuses to name. The author’s lush, dark blend of romance and gothic fantasy explores unwanted desire while sharpening its fangs on themes of vengeance, power, and political intrigue. The central characters are written with deliberate moral ambiguity, allowing their connection to feel raw and authentic rather than romanticized. The narrative pacing sustains a steady rhythm as the stakes are gradually raised. The prose boasts a rich, atmospheric intensity that reinforces the story’s tragic sensibilities, although the story does have instances of clunky dialogue and passages of heavy exposition. The fantastical setting adds texture to plot points, character interactions, and worldbuilding elements (from sentient, vindictive shadows to strange magical creatures), heightening the gothic atmosphere and rendering fate itself as an antagonist. The ways in which the novel treats destiny not as a promise but as an enemy to be resisted are particularly compelling (“Life and Death were known to be wicked gamblers, the more bizarre the scenario, the better”). The tension between vengeance and desire is maintained throughout, allowing the romance to capture readers’ attention through its twists and turns.

Meet Papimento, a young olive-skinned boy who longs to play in the snow with his diverse group of friends, who aren’t especially interested in letting a girl join in the fun (“Girls are not allowed!”). But first, he must bring a bag of flour to his mother, who’s busy baking. He buys a chocolate bar on his errand, and when he takes a bite (“the chocolate went soft and gooey on his tongue”) he’s transported to the snowy Swiss Alps. There, he meets green-eyed Emma, a fearless skier, and together they set out to find the legendary chocolate mountains, which might help Papimento find his way home. Their trek through avalanches and icy slopes eventually boosts the boy’s self-assurance, especially after he witnesses Emma’s bravery and kindness. Instead of resenting her skill, though, he learns from it, and he conveys this worthy message (albeit a little clunkily) to his friends: “Girls can be strong and brave. They also know how to be good friends.” Coelho’s illustrations saturate the page and glow with bright whites and warm browns, contrasting cold landscapes with the inviting richness of chocolate. Additional resources include a recipe for chocolate cake and information about how chocolate is made.

“AI promises to transform the lives of teenagers in many ways, inside and outside the classroom,” notes Allen. The book opens with diagrams that show how young people use generative AI and how they feel about it. (Confusingly, statistics presented just four pages apart differ dramatically and are presented without clarifying context: An opening uncited pie chart indicates that 41% of teens and young adults have never used generative AI, while a 2024 Common Sense Media survey in Chapter 1 gives a figure of 30%.) The introduction describes positive and negative examples of uses of AI, such as monitoring for warning signs of worsening mental health and the distressing discovery that early ChatGPT models “discussed suicide plans with young users and helped them write suicide notes.” Later chapters cover education (cheating concerns, personalized tutoring), deepfakes and cyberbullying (sextortion, the Take It Down Act), chatbots (app-based companions, unhealthy obsessions), leisure (personalized entertainment recommendations, more immersive gaming) and job market applications (developing “skills that AI cannot match,” career coaching). The clear sentences, text boxes, infographics, and stock photos with descriptive captions keep the flow of information organized. The chapters begin with real-life examples and quotations, followed by evenhanded explanations of the power, limitations, unintended consequences, and outright misuse of AI tools.

This accessible short text, illustrated with full-color stock photos, tackles reasons for the toxic atmosphere that exists in the U.S. Allen explains that the internet has accelerated the spread of conspiracy theories long understood as dangerous, through unfiltered social media platforms that spread disinformation and untruths. AI-generated content, such as deepfakes, adds to the problem. Students must be able to consider information sources, analyze them, and evaluate their use. This book provides information about several controversial issues that have divided the public along party lines, primarily the facts and fictions swirling around recent presidential elections and health care issues such as the efficacy of vaccines to combat Covid-19 and their connection (or lack thereof) with autism. The author describes each side’s views, and quotations from journalists and a variety of experts (which are sometimes highlighted in colored text boxes) allow readers to trace how technology has amplified or exposed falsehoods that influence legislation, stoke violence, and cause harm to individuals. Allen’s source notes show that he largely drew upon secondary sources published in 2024 and 2025, making this an up-to-date resource on a fast-changing topic.