111bBOOKLIFE, JANUARY 27, 2020
Rachel runs away repeatedly, unable to rec-
oncile her faith and her feelings, but keeps
coming back. Though the flashbacks tell a
convincing story, the courtroom scenes are
far more broadly rendered and a late revela-
tion in the case strains credulity. Still,
strong characters and entertaining drama
redeem the novel’s choppy plot. This con-
temporary love story will please readers of
lesbian romance.★ Okinawa (Future War #2)
FX Holden. Holden, $13.99 trade paper
(334p) ISBN 978-1-706414-11-7
In the prologue of Holden’s thoughtful
and inventive second military thriller about
near-future conflicts involving the U.S.
(after 2018’s Bering Strait), a Japanese lieu-
tenant, Tadao Kato, dies on a kamikaze mis-
sion during WWII after predicting that
Japan and China will ultimately join forces
against the U.S. Flash forward to 2033
when Kato’s vision is realized. His great-
grandson, Takuya Kato, also a pilot in the
Japanese military, is assigned to Red Dove,
“the first-ever joint military exercise
between Japan and the People’s Republic of
China.” Red Dove is launched after China
has achieved its goal of building up its navy
to the point where it’s a match for the
American navy. The U.S. faces demands
from both countries that it abandon its last
naval facility on Okinawa, as a crafty cyber-
attack threatens an advanced, AI-enhanced,
underwater American weapon. Holden’s
plausible geopolitical developments,
including the unification of Korea, will
help readers buy in to the exciting story
line. Tom Clancy fans will be pleased.Shard & Shield
Laura VanArendonk Baugh. Aeclipse, $3.99
E-book (462p) ISBN 978-1-63165-010-9
Baugh (The Songweaver’s Vow) hits the
ground running in the satisfying, high-
stakes fantasy that opens the Shard of Elan
series. The human city of Alham is under
threat from the Ryuven, winged, magic-
wielding creatures. Shianan Becknam, a
commander in the King’s army; Lady
Ariana Hazelrig, a mage; and her servant,
Tam, are tasked with retrieving the Shard
of Elan, a magical object that will form a
shield around Alham, sealing it off from the
Ryuven realm and preventing furtherattacks. The trio successfully secure the
shard, but in the process Shianan unwit-
tingly lets in an enemy who dismantles the
shield. Ariana and Tam are almost crushed
by the collapsing barrier and are forced to
escape into the Ryuven world, where Tam
reveals himself to be a high-ranking Ryuven
in disguise. As Shianan works to free them,
Ariana learns to survive the Ryuven realm.
Baugh keeps the pages turning with tightly
plotted action sequences and taut suspense.
Her multidimensional characters make
consistently believable choices, though the
romantic subplots are a bit half-baked. Still,
high fantasy fans will find plenty to enjoy
in this fast-paced adventure.The Stars May Rise and Fall
Estella Mirai. Estella Mirai, $17.99 trade
paper (388p) ISBN 978-1-68454-753-1
The turbulent romantic connection
between two musicians is at the heart of
Mirai’s fluid, well-plotted debut, a loose
retelling of The Phantom of the Opera set in
the year 2000. La Rose Verboten is a visual
kei band, the Japanese equivalent of glam
rock. After playing a gig in Tokyo, the
band’s 22-year-old drummer, Teru, meets
36-year-old Rei, a reclusive, mask-wearing
songwriter whose career as a visual kei star
ended after a car accident crushed his arm
and severely burned his face. Rei promises
to make Teru a star, offering him private
vocal coaching and arranging for La Rose
Verboten’s singer to be ousted and for Rei
to take his place. As the band’s popularity
grows, Teru struggles to understand his
simultaneous attraction to Rei and disgust
at his scarred skin, a revulsion that will dis-
appoint sensitive readers. Rei’s attempts to
regulate Teru’s life become overly control-
ling, but his slowly revealed backstory will
help readers understand, if not sympathize,
with his actions. Though the dynamic of
their relationship is murky, the way the
complicated characters cope with believable
pain provides a window into a fascinating
subculture. This competent tale will appeal
to fans of gay romance who don’t mind a bit
of darkness in their love stories.Too Many Heroes
Jan Turk Petrie. Pintail, $8.67 ISBN 978-1-9128-
5597-1
Set in post-WWII Britain, Petrie’s fasci-nating if slow-starting novel focuses on
Frank, a man on the run from the law whose
last name changes with every new move,
and Grace Stevenson, the unhappy wife of
a London pub owner who has a gambling
habit and an eye for the lads. Frank takes a
job at the pub and—after some wariness—
becomes Grace’s lover. When Grace’s hus-
band is murdered, Frank, who’s without an
alibi, becomes the main suspect. At this
point, the pace picks up somewhat, and the
twists and turns kick in. Grace is sure that
Frank has been framed. However, when
Detective Inspector Collingwood uncovers
the details of Frank’s criminal past, Frank
fears he’ll be arrested for the murder and
flees London. The inspector becomes
obsessed with tracking him down and
bringing him to justice, refusing even to
consider other suspects. Collingwood’s
relentless pursuit provides tension and
uncertainty in what is essentially a love
story between two unconventional people.
Readers will hope to see more from Petrie.Nonfiction
Culture Spark: 5 Steps to Ignite
and Sustain Organizational Growth
Jason Richmond. BookBaby, $28.50 (212p)
ISBN 978-1-73371-050-3
Consultant Richmond builds a case for
creating a strong company culture and
points to the key elements in doing so in his
invigorating manual. While offering some
astounding stats (a Harvard Business School
study that found an average revenue growth
of 682% for 12 companies with “perfor-
mance-enhancing cultures” over an 11-year
period), Richmond suggests firms that have
reached a “plateau” are in need of
“rethinking their culture.” Readers are
introduced to the “Culture Transformation
Model” and will learn about five steps that
companies must take to achieve the right
culture for them: “Define, Diagnose, Plan,
Measure, Sustain.” Helpful tools range from
discussion questions to the “Purpose
Statement Criteria and Evaluation,” the
“Culture Walk Tool,” and the “Employee
Experience Mapping Tool” (the latter with
a separate tool for customers). In the “Plan”
section, readers will learn about engage-
ment and talent strategies, including key® PW REVIEWS