CLEVELAND, Ohio – Many books released this year have clear ties to Northeast Ohio – either the author is from here or the topic, protagonist or subject have a connection to the region.
Humor to history, books for kids, memoirs and more – the collection is a diverse lot.
If you are in the market to buy a book or two for a loved one during the holiday season, we’ve got you covered.
2025 book roundups
Friday, Nov. 28: Music
Monday, Dec. 1: General food / cookbooks
Tuesday, Dec. 2: Drinks
Wednesday, Dec. 3: Around the globe – geographic eats
Thursday, Dec. 4: Sports
Friday, Dec. 5: Northeast Ohio authors / topics
If you like to read about Ohio as place or a setting, or if you want to wave the flag for authors from here, read on:
Jennifer Boresz Engelking is out with her fourth book, a collection of intriguing stories about Lake Erie places, people, buildings and lore.Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Hidden History of Lake Erie
Jennifer Boresz Engelking, The History Press, 192 pages, $24.99
The local author keeps uncovering stories, often tucked away and forgotten (this is her fourth book about the region). These well-researched and readable stories are the result of Boresz Engelking’s deft ability to separate fact from fiction, legend and reality. She dove into a mine and came out with gems. As she says: “One of the biggest compliments I have gotten is people saying, ‘I didn’t think I liked history and then after I read your book, I did.’” Related: NE Ohio author dives into fascinating stories in ‘Hidden History of Lake Erie’
How to Be a SaintMarc Bona, cleveland.com
How to Be a Saint
Kate Sidley, Sourcebooks, 224 pages, $19.99
If you have ever thought of what it takes to become a saint, either in general or for yourself, this guidebook is for you. “I hope it has fun with the history rather than making fun of it,” says Sidley, a writer for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” who grew up in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood on the west side. Related: Cleveland native writes humorous guide to sainthood
Plain JayneMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Plain Jayne
Jayne Kennedy, Andscape Books, 384 pages, $28.99
The pioneering African-American television personality has done a lot in her career, and she’s been making trips back to speak in Northeast Ohio, where she grew up. Her memoir is a breezy, interesting read. Related: Jayne Kennedy’s ‘Plain Jayne’ maps out career from NE Ohio to groundbreaking TV role and beyond
Cleveland’s Neighborhood TavernsMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Cleveland’s Neighborhood Taverns
Tom Kaschalk, The History Press, 202 pages., $24.99
It wasn’t so long ago that corner bars were a strong part of the fabric of the city. And the author has taken a wonderful historic jaunt, complete with many photographs, to set a scene of what life was like with taverns dotting the city. Related: ‘Cleveland’s Neighborhood Taverns’ author delivers historic pub crawl
Stella and Roger Are on the MoveMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Stella and Roger Are on the Move
Clothilde Ewing, Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, $19.99
The author’s latest book is about a 7-year-old girl struggling with the idea that her family is moving. Ewing was raised in Cleveland Heights and is a former staffer on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Related: Cleveland-born author-former ‘Oprah’ show staffer releases latest children’s book
Mr. Moser’s NeighborhoodMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Mr. Moser’s Neighborhood
Christopher Roy, Artography Press, Cleveland, 236 pages, $45.
Roy spent years volunteering in Cleveland State University’s special collections department, where he came across hundreds of photographs of the old Otto Moser’s. He dug in and researched the rich trove of history at the famed joint, one of the many longtime hot spots downtown. Related: Otto Moser’s vaudeville history captured in new book
Diego FuegoMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Diego Fuego
Allison Rozo and Rafael Rozo, Penguin Workshop, $18.99.
The couple, who live in Akron, crafted a fun book about a special firefighting dragon from Tierra del Fuego. Related: Diego Fuego! Akron couple teams up on unique children’s books
How Donating a Kidney Fixed My Jump ShotMarc Bona, cleveland.com
How Donating a Kidney Fixed My Jump Shot
Jim Sollisch, BookBaby, 2025, 166 pages, $18.99.
The author – a Cleveland Heights native – has crafted short, pithy essays about, well, life. The succinct, 500-word essays are funny, relatable and poignant. Related: NE Ohio author of ‘How Donating a Kidney Fixed My Jump Shot’ details writing journey
Waiting for MaxMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Waiting for Max
Emily Rosen, The Collective Book Studio, $18.95
Rosen’s own experience having a baby born prematurely led her to create this entertaining children’s book to help folks understand the NICU experience. Related: Former Shaker Heights woman creates special children’s book about NICU experience
Making Light BloomMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Making Light Bloom
Sandra Nickel, Peachtree Publishing Co., $18.99
Wonderfully told true story of Clara Driscoll, a Tallmadge girl who set out for New York City and worked for Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the jeweler. During this time she wrote hundreds of letters to her family and, as Nickel says, we learn it was Clara – not Tiffany – behind the conception of the famed lamps. Years later, the letters were found in one of her sisters’ attic and desk. The letters are archived at Kent State University, where visitors can read them. Related: Author’s book details NE Ohio woman’s creation of Tiffany lamps
Lorain County Family RecipesMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Lorain County Family Recipes
Kelly Boyer Sagert, American Palate / The History Press, 2025, 158 pages, $24.99.
To understand the recipes made famous in this neck of the woods is to understand history and immigration patterns. The author does a nice job laying out the roots of many recipes passed down through generations. Related: Lorain County food book reveals how immigration shaped local cuisine
Dave Grunenwald’s latest book “Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure” raises awareness about the work of food banks while connecting grandparents with grandchildren.Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure
Dave Grunenwald,Halo Publishing International, 37 pages, $13.95 (softbound); $20.95 (hard copy).
Learning constructive things to do with his grandkids became the author’s motivation to write this book. Grunenwald grew up in Youngstown, where he went to high school and college, then attended Cleveland State for law school. He has lived in Hudson for 45 years. Related: Cleveland lawyer pens children’s-book series, newest adventure highlights food banks
Author Erik Piepenburg, a Northeast Ohio native, returns to Greater Cleveland for speak-and-sign events this week.Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Dining Out
Erik Piepenburg, Grand Central Publishing, 2025, 321 pages. $30.
The writer began researching gay restaurants, which he learned “were kind of everywhere – restaurants, coffee shops, bistros. I didn’t see that in New York so much. I thought, ‘What’s going on here?’” His research led him to answer that question. He created profiles of various places throughout the country, telling the stories of the people behind them. Related: ‘Dining Out’ explores history of gay restaurants
The Gales of NovemberMarc Bona, cleveland.com
The Gales of November
John U. Bacon, Liveright, 432 pages, $35.
Bacon’s gripping account revisits the loss of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior, a tragedy deeply resonant in Ohio’s shipping and maritime culture. Through new interviews and research, Bacon honors the crew and Midwest families, examining Cleveland and Ohio’s broader Great Lakes connection and providing compelling historical insight and regional empathy.
Akron at 200Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Akron at 200
Dave Lieberth and Jon Miller, editors; University of Akron Press, 427 pages, $50
In this illustrated volume, essays from diverse contributors trace Akron’s transformation, marking two centuries of Ohio history. Community leaders reflect on industry, culture, civic engagement, and innovation – showcasing the spirit and inventiveness that define the city’s legacy within the Buckeye State.
State ChampMarc Bona, cleveland.com
State Champ
Hilary Plum, Bloomsbury, 224 pages, $26.99
The author, a Cleveland State professor, has crafted her latest novel about a former high school state championship runner who works at an abortion clinic and finds herself in an unlikely role: That of activist protesting what she sees as an unfair arrest of her boss.
BuckeyeMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Buckeye
Patrick Ryan, Penguin Random House, 452 pages, $30
Ryan’s captivating novel explores family conflict and belonging, set against the backdrop of rural Ohio. With richly drawn characters and landscapes rooted in the Buckeye State’s rhythms, this story honors the experience of growing up in Ohio – where the land, sensibility and generational ties shape the heart of the story.
Range of MotionMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Range of Motion
Brian Trapp, Acre Books, 284 pages, $22
Set in suburban Ohio, Trapp’s moving debut follows twins – Michael and Sal, one severely disabled – and their parents as they navigate love, humor and sacrifice. Told through multiple voices, the narrative explores the family’s bond amid challenges, highlighting Ohio life, interdependence and the resilience needed to raise a special-needs sibling.
Not They Who SoarMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Not They Who Soar
Amanda Flower, Kensington Books, pages, $27
Set in Dayton, Flower’s historical mystery features Katharine Wright, sister of aviators Wilbur and Orville Wright. When a murder threatens the famed family, Katharine’s wit and insight, along with her Ohio roots, are crucial in navigating secrets, society and early aviation’s social impact amid a well-drawn Midwest setting. The author lives in Northeast Ohio.
The Pure Shore ClubMarc Bona, cleveland.com
The Pure Shore Club
Jason R. Lady, Black Rose Writing, 449 pages, $27.95
Lady’s adventure novel follows three eighth-graders in Northeast Ohio who uncover secret clubs, a sentient computer and lurking evil. Friendship, loyalty and growing up shape the fast-paced story. The vivid school and community settings root young readers in regional Ohio culture, making it a heartfelt, relatable middle-grade mystery.
Will Eisner: A Comics BiographyMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Will Eisner: A Comics Biography
Stephen Weiner and Dan Mazur, NBM Graphic Novels, no page numbers, $29.99
This graphic biography celebrates Will Eisner’s career and visionary approach to comics, from his New York origins to reshaping the medium with works such as “The Spirit.” With an afterword by Ohio cartoonist Jeff Smith, the book also highlights Eisner’s profound legacy inspiring the Ohio comics scene.
StrayMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Stray
Bradley Eimer, self-published, 135 pages, $18.99
A lost dog’s journey through the landscapes of Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park serves as a symbol for healing and hope. Eimer’s heartfelt novel honors Ohio nature, resilience and the bonds between humans and animals, capturing both the beauty and challenges found in the state’s wild places.
Lead and SucceedMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Lead and Succeed
Scott Cowan, Amplify, 114 pages, $24.95
Cowen’s guide blends memoir and workbook, sharing personal lessons in leadership drawn from his tenure as Weatherhead School of Management dean at Case Western Reserve University and former interim university president. With actionable prompts and Ohio-based success stories, it is appropriate for Northeast Ohio graduates and young professionals.
Without FearMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Without Fear
Keisha N. Blain, W.W. Norton & Co., 277 pages, $31.99
Blain’s powerful book chronicles Black women’s leadership and activism, drawing attention to key Ohio figures who shaped national movements. With meticulous research, it honors their courage and legacy, offering a deeply relevant regional perspective on the pursuit of social justice and influence in Ohio and beyond.
Knights on the Graveyard WatchMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Knights on the Graveyard Watch
T.B Pasko, Epicenter Press, 277 pages, $N/A
Drawing inspiration from close-knit communities and Ohio’s landscape, Pasko’s evocative novel follows security guards whose relationships and late-night shifts shape small-town life. The book captures the tensions and camaraderie that define work and belonging in the hidden corners of the Midwest.
Living ProofMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Living Proof
Tiffany Graham Charkosky, Little A, 223 pages, $28.99
This emotionally complex memoir examines Charkosky’s Ohio upbringing through a DNA test that upends her family’s secrets. With candor and insight, she explores resilience, identity and the role of truth within the context of Northeast Ohio’s culture and small-town communities.
Ursula MajorMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Ursula Major
B. Robert Conklin, Skip the Preface, 340 pages, $
Conklin’s inventive fiction features interconnected lives and mysteries that unfold within Ohio’s unique environment. With vivid characterization and regional sensibility, the novel offers an exploration of Midwestern mystique, community, and the search for connection in the Buckeye landscape.
From Ohio to Okinawa…Marc Bona, cleveland.com
From Ohio to Okinawa
Jeff Snook, self-published, 295 pages, $24.95
The author, an Ashland native, chronicles his father Ed’s World War II service in the 27th Infantry Division, from draft in 1941 through Pacific battles like Saipan and Okinawa, plus family history and a sibling’s wartime exploits under Jimmy Stewart. The memoir honors the Greatest Generation’s sacrifices, with strong Ohio roots in its author and setting.
Witches and WitchcraftMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Witches and Witchcraft
Edited by Katherine Kerestman and J.T. Joshi, Hippocampus Press, 347 pages, $30
This anthology gathers stories, poems and essays exploring witches and supernatural themes in weird fiction tradition. It draws on classic horror motifs with fresh voices, emphasizing spectral and bizarre elements.
Cultes de GoulesMarc Bona, cleveland.com
Cultes des Goules
Katherine Kerestman, WordCrafts Press, 193 pages, $14.99
Ohio horror author Katherine Kerestman delivers this collection of real-life inspired tales delving into human evil, mortality and dire fates outstripping monstrous horrors. Stories highlight life’s pleasures turning horrific through malice, pondering inevitable death.
