POTY BOOK REVIEW SERVICE

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FULL BOOK TITLE: Girl Grit: Savage Not Average

AUTHOR NAME: Alexandra Elinsky PhD

PUBLISHER NAME: Austin Macauley Publishers

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Grit-Savage-Not-Average/dp/B0DGPKMG3M/

Dr. Elinsky’s Girl Grit: Savage Not Average is a manifesto for women determined to reclaim their self-worth and shatter societal constraints. The first installment in the Human Empowerment trilogy, this book is a self-help battle cry, urging women to step out of the shadows and embrace their full potential. Dr. Elinsky blends rigorous research with raw personal reflection, forging an exploration of the gender-based conditioning that holds women back and the transformation required to break free.

Structured in two distinct parts, Girl Grit first unpacks the deeply ingrained struggles that women face from childhood, tackling themes of love, identity, and self-worth with a keen awareness of the societal norms that perpetuate them. Chapters such as Starved for Love and Don’t Expect to Be His Princess Forever fearlessly expose the myths women are raised to believe, calling out toxic patterns that diminish confidence and autonomy.

The second half of the book pivots to empowerment, offering actionable strategies for readers to cultivate grit, resilience, and self-mastery. Dr. Elinsky’s concept of the Fire Woman—a self-assured, fearless woman who refuses to be silenced—serves as a guiding force, inspiring readers to embrace their inner strength. From setting boundaries to challenging abusive narratives, chapters like The Snake, The Lioness, and The Sharkand Real Monsters Don’t Live Under Your Bed deliver transformative insights, making this book a practical roadmap for self-reclamation.

Dr. Elinsky’s writing is both lyrical and authoritative. She speaks directly to her readers, often employing bold, magnetic language. Her tone is unapologetic, her message urgent, and her call to action undeniable. 

For those ready to challenge the status quo and step into their own, Girl Grit is the spark that will ignite transformation. As Dr. Elinsky warns, this book is not for the faint of heart—it is for those ready to rise.

About the Author:

Dr. Alexandra Elinsky: #1 Best Selling Author, Celebrity Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, Leadership Coach, Mother, and 10X Business Award Winner with 15+ years’ experience coaching and training professionals globally. With clients in 20+ countries around the world, Dr. Elinsky has helped individuals achieve personal and professional excellence. 

FULL BOOK TITLE: The Third Act 

AUTHOR NAME: Kathleen Brehony 

PUBLISHER NAME: Kathleen Brehony 

https://www.amazon.com/THIRD-ACT-Kathleen-Brehony/dp/B0DHQSWDTK/

Grief and renewal intertwine in this introspective tale of two women navigating life’s uncertainties.

Shannon O’Connell and Elizabeth Matthews are both searching for meaning in The Third Act, Kathleen Brehony’s meditation on love, loss, and reinvention. Shannon, still raw from heartbreak, the slow decline of her mother, and the loss of her best friend, wades through relentless sorrow. Elizabeth, meanwhile, has faced career setbacks and failed relationships, yet clings to the hope of a fresh start. Their alternating perspectives offer an exploration of past wounds and the possibility of healing, though Shannon’s grief-heavy chapters sometimes overshadow Elizabeth’s quieter resilience.

Brehony’s prose is thoughtful and deeply introspective, inviting readers into a rich, reflective narrative. The novel embraces long internal monologues that, while poignant, encourage a contemplative reading experience. Its dual-perspective structure beautifully reinforces themes of past and future, endings and beginnings. 

Despite moments of deliberate pacing, The Third Act delivers an emotional core that lingers. Brehony reminds us that no matter how much life has unfolded, there’s always room for another chapter. For readers who appreciate reflective stories of loss and self-discovery, this novel offers a heartfelt and resonant take on second chances.

About the Author:

Kathleen Brehony Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist whose passion for her work has led her to examine love and loss and the resounding power of friendships to support us even in life’s most difficult moments. She is the author of Awakening at Midlife (Riverhead), Ordinary Grace (Riverhead), After the Darkest Hour (Holt), Living a Connected Life: Building Relationships that Last a Lifetime (Holt), and co-author with Karen Jones of Up the Bestseller List (Adams), with co-author Robert Gass of Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound (Broadway) and with Esther Rothblum Boston Marriages: Romantic but Asexual Relationships Among Contemporary Lesbians (University of Massachusetts Press).

Kathleen was Host and Associate Producer for a weekly television show All About Women (WDBJ Roanoke, VA) and produced and hosted a short-form radio program, Heartwaves, that ran throughout North America for years. She has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows including the Today Show, was the subject of an hour-long presentation on PBS (CPTV, Connecticut Public Television), and is an excellent public speaker.

  FULL BOOK TITLE: The Light of Faded Stars

AUTHOR NAME: Francis-Adrien Morneault

PUBLISHER NAME: Friesen Press 

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Faded-Stars-Francis-Adrien-Morneault/dp/1038317991/

Back in the bitter cold of a New Brunswick November, in the narrow alleyways where shadows stretch long and the wind carries whispers of the dead, a girl named Evie MacMurrough was found lifeless, her body left to the elements, her final moments written in bruises and broken nails. The detectives arrive in their run-down, contusion-blue Cadillac, inhaling the last embers of their cigarettes before stepping into the crime scene, where death lingers in the air like smoke. The scene is brutal—frozen eyes locked in eternal terror, a body contorted by violence, the scent of decay mixing with the faintest trace of vanilla. A book lies facedown in the dirt beside her, its pages soaked in the same mud that clings to the soles of her killers. Mercy Among the Children. A cruel irony, or a clue waiting to be unraveled?

In The Light of Faded Stars, Francis-Adrien Morneault weaves a crime story steeped in melancholy, where the act of solving a murder is less about justice and more about chasing ghosts. The narrative is thick with atmosphere—cold winds whipping off the Atlantic, cigarette smoke curling through the air, the dead staring back at the living with unspoken accusations. The protagonist, a weary homicide detective with more ghosts than victories, doesn’t just investigate the murder of Evie MacMurrough; he mourns her, as he has mourned all the nameless victims who came before. To him, corpses are a single, endless thread of humanity's cruelty, their stillness an affront to the motion of life.

Morneault’s prose is lyrical, poetic even, elevating what could have been a standard detective novel into something more haunting, more introspective. The writing lingers on the details—frostbitten streets, the desperate clutch of a dying girl, the unrelenting cycle of violence that turns young women into statistics. But it’s not all beauty in darkness. The novel stumbles in places, weighed down by its own philosophical musings. At times, the protagonist’s internal monologue feels indulgent, his reflections stretching long past the point of necessity. The digressions into societal detachment from death, while evocative, occasionally distract from the urgency of the case.

Yet, for all its detours, The Light of Faded Starsnever loses sight of its central question: Who killed Evie MacMurrough, and why? The investigation unfolds with methodical precision, the detective and his partner sifting through the wreckage of a life cut short, each clue leading deeper into the city’s underbelly. There are moments of genuine horror—a chipped tooth from a final, desperate struggle, the missing fingernail that might have found purchase on the killer’s skin, the quiet knowledge that someone, somewhere, is watching as they get closer.

The novel thrives in its atmosphere, its language, its relentless exploration of the spaces between life and death. The resolution, when it comes, isn’t just about unmasking a killer—it’s about confronting the inevitable decay of all things, the ephemeral nature of beauty, the fleeting glow of a fading star. Morneault doesn’t just tell a crime story; he tells a story about the weight of time, the way the past never quite lets go. Forget the usual detective tropes, surrender to the novel’s haunting, elegiac tone, and let yourself be pulled into the cold, gray streets of Saint John. It’s a crime story, yes, but one that lingers like the final drag of a cigarette, smoke curling into the void.

About the Author:

Francis-Adrien Morneault experienced adoption, born an anglophone but raised a francophone. He is an ex-military officer who became a passionate educator. Megan Montreuil Morneault is his beloved daughter. He holds a master’s degree in French literature from Quebec, is an avid reader of all literature traditions, and loves road trips and travel abroad. He lives in a lake house in the Saint John area, New Brunswick, with his wife, Anna. He is currently the Head of the Modern Languages Department at Rothesay Netherwood School, a renowned private secondary school.

  FULL BOOK TITLE: Naked Ultra: A Texas-Sized Misadventure 

AUTHOR NAME: Craig Ohlau 

PUBLISHER NAME: Unpublished 

Craig Ohlau’s Naked Ultra: A Texas-Sized Misadventure is part road trip, part endurance test, and all heart. This short yet engaging story follows two first-time authors who, in a fit of reckless ambition, decide to turn a routine business trip into an unforgettable adventure—signing up for one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons along the way.

From the opening chapter, Ohlau’s writing is fast-paced and full of wit, capturing the blend of excitement and anxiety that comes with both publishing a book and running an ultra-distance race. The narrative unfolds with vivid storytelling, complemented by beautifully rendered watercolor illustrations that bring the landscapes, characters, and chaos of the journey to life.

As the miles add up—both on the road and on the racecourse—the book becomes more than just an adventure tale. It’s a reflection on resilience, the unpredictable nature of personal ambition, and the bonds forged through shared struggle. Chapters like Breaking Point and The Final Descent take readers deep into the mental and physical toll of ultrarunning, while lighter moments, such as The Gospel According to Brisketand Two German Boys and a Texas Feast, add humor and warmth.

At just around 90 pages, Naked Ultra is a quick read, but it is one that is sure to linger long after the final chapter. Whether you're a runner, a writer, or simply an adventurer at heart, this book will leave you inspired!

About the Author:

Craig Ohlau is an award-winning author known for blending sports, adventure, and heartfelt storytelling. His works, including The Sons of Chester and Kings of the County League, have earned national recognition and a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library. He has also penned Naked Iron, chronicling his journey in triathlon, and Grandma, Tell Me Your Story, a memoir honoring his grandmother. In addition to his nonfiction, Craig has published multiple children's books, including the award-winning The Active Book of Monsters and Don’t Wake the Dragon. His latest book, Naked Ultra: A Texas-Sized Misadventure, continues his tradition of capturing the spirit of endurance and adventure.