Book Review - Small Town Michigan: Legends, Lore, and Attractions in the Wolverine State

About the Book

Reedy Press is pleased to announce the release of our newest local interest book, Small Town Michigan: Legends, Lore, and Attractions in the Wolverine State, by Amy Piper.

Williamston, Chelsea. Germfask. Indian River. Vicksburg. Grand Haven. These aren’t just dots on a map; they’re small towns brought to life through their stories, legends, and lore.

We’ve seen those picture-perfect small towns where time seems to slow down, shopkeepers remember your name, and neighbors still gather for parades and ice cream socials. But you don’t have to watch a Hallmark movie to find that charm. Small Town Michigan invites you to explore the authentic warmth, character, and heart of Michigan’s often-overlooked communities.

Throughout Michigan’s industrial ups and downs, its waves of settlers and visionaries, small towns have quietly endured. They’ve rebuilt after fires, revitalized main streets, and reimagined old factories as art studios and coffee shops. In every part of the state, from lakefront harbors to inland crossroads, you’ll find places that thrive on connection, creativity, and a sense of pride.

From their founding stories to what it’s like today, each of the 50 towns featured on these pages shares a unique story. You might think you know Michigan, but this book will take you beyond the familiar, revealing hidden gems, local legends, and lore that make each town special.

Wander through historic downtown Chelsea and see a show at actor Jeff Daniels’s Purple Rose Theatre. Take your picture with Benny the Beard Fisher in Germfask, or get your adrenaline going in Indian River’s color corridor with an off-roading side-by-side adventure through Michigan’s hardwood and pine forests with Big Bear Adventures. Explore the tip of the Mitten by boat on Michigan’s inland waterway. Learn about Michigan’s maritime history at the Michigan Maritime Museum with an on-water experience aboard a replica 1810 tall sail sloop.

Let the relaxed pace remind you of what “small town” means. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway, a weeklong adventure, or a fresh way to explore your hometown, Small Town Michigan offers an invitation to reconnect with the heart of the Great Lakes State.

Small Town Michigan is available wherever books are sold.

My Take on the Book
As someone who has lived in Michigan for years and who lives in one of the small towns listed in this book, I thought I already knew most of what the state had to offer, but Small Town Michigan: Legends, Lore, and Attractions in the Wolverine State surprised me at every turn. Amy Piper captures the personality of Michigan’s smaller communities in a way that feels both nostalgic and refreshing. Instead of focusing only on the well-known tourist spots, the book shines a light on the stories, traditions, and hidden treasures that make these towns unforgettable.

What I appreciated most was how each chapter made me want to plan a road trip. From quirky landmarks to rich local history, the book reminds readers that some of the best experiences in Michigan happen far from the bigger cities. The writing is approachable, engaging, and packed with fascinating details that even lifelong Michiganders may not know. This is the kind of travel book you keep nearby because it inspires adventure long after you finish reading.

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NewGel Helps Reduce Scars in Days

About the Product
Scars come in many shapes, sizes and types. Now there’s a customizable treatment solution that helps improve the appearance of scars from C-sections or other surgeries, acne, burns and other injuries, as well as keloid and hypertrophic (or raised) scars. If you’re covering the best new at-home health and wellness products on the market, please read on about NewGel Plus Silicone Scar Tape and let me know if you want to test it!

Like NewGel’s existing range of physician-developed silicone scar therapy products that are considered the gold standard in hospitals and clinics worldwide, it uses 100% medical-grade silicone to help flatten, soften and fade scars while improving skin texture.

This convenient 1.5” x 48” roll of reusable silicone tape is reusable, flexible and easy to cut to the exact size required for each individual scar. Unlike other scar treatment brands, it features extra thick 1mm silicone for superior occlusion. This thickness helps create an optimal healing environment by maintaining hydration and protecting scar tissue.

The tape is comfortable to wear and can be washed and re-used. Made in the U.S.A. in an ISO-certified GMP facility, it is safe, non-toxic, fragrance-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic, and includes medical adhesive tape to keep sheets securely in place. MSRP $39.99. They’re available at NewGelPlus.com and on Amazon.com 

My Take on the Product

NewGel Plus Silicone Scar Tape stands out as one of the more thoughtfully designed scar care products I’ve tried. The thicker medical-grade silicone feels durable without being uncomfortable, and the roll format makes it easy to trim the exact size needed for different scars. I appreciated how flexible the tape was, especially on areas that move often throughout the day. It stayed in place better than many thinner alternatives I’ve used and didn’t irritate my skin after extended wear.

What impressed me most was how reusable the strips are. After gently washing and drying them, they still maintained good adhesion, which helps justify the higher price point. While results are not instant, consistent use noticeably improved the texture and appearance of older scars over time. The tape also creates a protective barrier that keeps the area hydrated without feeling greasy. If you’re looking for a non-invasive scar treatment that feels high quality and easy to incorporate into daily life, this is an excellent option.

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Secret Michigan: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

About the Book
From the only king who ruled in the United States to the only President who was also a king, you’ll unearth the fascinating stories behind popular places. From a state with a car culture history, discover the origins of the world’s largest tire, the only state highway that doesn’t allow motorized vehicles, and what ship is a designated continuation of a United States highway. You’ll discover the answers to these questions and many others in Secret Michigan: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. The book explores weird museums where you can have your picture taken holding a human skull, wonderful natural beauty where rafting over clear springs reveals the trout below, and where obscure shipwrecks lie in a shipwreck alley. You’ll learn about the people who made history in the Great Lakes State, like a hall-of-fame rock band that turned around a small-town football team’s losing season, the first Black woman to sue a White man – and win, and how a man survived the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Some people would like to keep you in the dark, but local author Amy Piper pulls back the curtain to reveal secrets some Michiganders don’t want you to know.

My Take on the Book
As someone who has lived in Michigan for years, I thought I had a pretty good sense of what the Great Lakes State has to offer. Secret Michigan: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Amy Piper proved me wrong—in the best way possible. This engaging guide uncovers a side of Michigan that many residents and visitors rarely see. From quirky museums and unusual roadside attractions to fascinating pieces of state history, the book highlights destinations that are as surprising as they are memorable.

What makes the book especially enjoyable is how it blends storytelling with travel inspiration. Each entry offers a quick glimpse into a unique place or historical moment, making it easy to imagine planning a weekend road trip to see it for yourself. Even lifelong Michiganders will likely discover spots they’ve never heard of before.

If you love exploring hidden corners of the state, this guide will spark curiosity and remind you just how many unexpected treasures Michigan holds.

 
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Book Review - Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth

About the Book
Some journeys we choose. Others choose us.

In Belonging to the World, you are brought into the book in the aftermath of tragedy, where Barry Hoffner wanted to feel the pulse of the world again. The whole world.

When Barry Hoffner lost his wife and travel partner, Jackie, in a sudden tragedy, his grief was a black hole that consumed everything. But amid the quiet wreckage of loss, something unexpected stirred: the call to move, to reconnect, and to live fully again.

What began as a reluctant return to the road became an audacious mission to visit all 193 countries on Earth-not to escape his pain but to transform it. Along the way, Barry discovered a world with far more depth and complexity than headlines suggest-one full of unexpected joy, even amid hardship and struggle. From war zones to mountaintops, refugee camps to ancient ruins, he found people whose kindness and openness brought him back to life.

Belonging to the World is a deeply felt memoir of healing from grief, finding resilience, and forging human connection across the globe.


My Take on the Book

Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth is a powerful meditation on loss, movement, and the quiet ways human connection restores meaning. After the sudden death of his wife and travel companion, Barry Hoffner does not set out to outrun grief—but to sit with it while re-entering the world. His decision to visit every country becomes less about geography and more about reawakening curiosity, trust, and presence.

What makes this memoir especially compelling is its emotional steadiness. Hoffner writes with humility, allowing grief to coexist with wonder, fear, kindness, and joy. The encounters he describes—often brief, sometimes profound—reveal how generosity and shared humanity transcend borders, languages, and circumstance. The book balances reflective inner work with vivid observations of places rarely centered in mainstream travel writing.

Belonging to the World is ultimately about choosing engagement over withdrawal. It’s a moving reminder that healing doesn’t erase loss—it expands life around it.

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Book Review - When a Good Man Cares Enough to Change Something Crucial

About the Book

In this book you will find a creative new breakthrough and methods for handling the stressful moments at home, at work, and in your relationship

If you are a good man (or you know a good man) who sometimes gets impatient, distant, or tense during stressful moments, these nine quick, non-judgmental chapters can give you the most effective breakthrough methods for definitely improving your daily mindfulness and creative teamwork (at home, at work, and in your key relationships).

Bestselling author and psychologist Len Felder, PhD, doesn't waste time on vague theories or jargon. In this highly practical new book, you will discover:

• How to handle the tense moments in your daily life far more creatively and compassionately than your dad or previous generations knew how to do.
• How to deepen the two-way caring, playfulness, and intimacy in your love life.
• How to make sure you don't alienate someone you don't want to lose (in a relationship or at work) as a result of slipping back into some old, retro, or impatient ways.
• How to clean up the unintentional hurt feelings and misunderstandings that happen in even the best relationships and work settings.

My Take on the Book

When a Good Man Cares Enough to Change Something Crucial is a grounded, accessible guide for men who want to respond differently when pressure, conflict, or misunderstanding show up in everyday life. Rather than diagnosing flaws or revisiting old patterns with blame, Len Felder, PhD, focuses on awareness and choice—what happens in the exact moments when patience runs thin or connection feels at risk.

The book’s strength lies in its practicality. The chapters are brief, focused, and written in a tone that feels supportive rather than corrective. Felder uses relatable scenarios from work and personal relationships to show how small shifts in presence, listening, and intention can prevent unnecessary damage and even repair it when things go sideways.

This is not about perfection or suppressing emotion; it’s about learning how to pause, recalibrate, and respond with care. A valuable read for men committed to growth—and for anyone invested in healthier, more collaborative relationships.

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Book Review - I Am A Lioness

About the Book
In I Am A Lioness, Hear us ROAR!

Lion communities (known as prides) are often misperceived as being led by a male lion.

But in this honest, unfiltered portrayal of savanna life, we learn that lionesses are the pride's true leaders!

Discover how these majestic females nurture young cubs and prepare them for life in the wild, all while making their own vital contributions to the success of the pride.

• Beautiful picture book depicts the world of the savanna in soft, muted colors.
• Ages 3 to 8.
• Hardcover with dust jacket.
• 40 pages.
• 10-1/4'' wide x 9-1/2'' high.

My Take on the Book
This book was full of amazing facts about prides of lions. There was so much in the book that I did not know. If your kids love learning new things. this was a beautifully illustrated and researched book that will help your kids learn so much more than they would have known before the first read the book. Highly recommend!

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Book Review - Best Bunny Brother Ever

About the Book
P.J. Funnybunny from the classic Beginner Book It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny coaches his little sister in Best Bunny Brother Ever, Honey Bunny, at T-ball in a story that celebrates family ties and is perfect for Eastertime and gift-giving all year long!

Honey Bunny Funnybunny LOVES baseball, but is too little to play. So big brother P.J. teaches her T-ball! From warming up to throwing and catching to hitting the ball and running the bases, P.J. and Honey Bunny work side-by-side until she is ready for her first game—where she hits a home run! But is winning what Honey Bunny is MOST thankful for? Or could it be . . . P.J.?

With colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text, this story about family and sports is a perfect Easter treat for beginning readers and Funnybunny fans!

Beginner Books are fun, funny, and easy to read! Launched by Dr. Seuss in 1957 with the publication of The Cat in the Hat, this beloved early reader series motivates children to read on their own by using simple words with illustrations that give clues to their meaning. Featuring a combination of kid appeal, supportive vocabulary, and bright, cheerful art, Beginner Books will encourage a love of reading in children.

Look for more of Marilyn Sadler’s Funnybunny books!
It's Not Easy Being a Bunny
It's Better Being a Bunny
Honey Bunny Funnybunny
Money Money Honey Bunny
Bunny with a Big Heart


My Take on the Book
This was a wonderful story that really shows the power of siblings that support each other. I loved how the story allows OJ to mentor his sister and the mentorship comes around full-circle as Honey takes what PJ shares and accomplishes what she hopes! This is a great story for families to share with their kids!

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