John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Introducing cartoonishly out-of-this-world villains and navigating the beautiful puzzles of LGBT love, Athens Ophelia The Partitioner: Dusk by Zachary Aneiress is a bold, uncompromising, and inspiring YA read. In this fifth installment of Aneiress’ series, the new-age mythological hero must once again balance between the dramatic trials of teenage life and the shadowy threats he and his crew of quick-witted comrades must face down. While the rapid-fire storytelling is engaging, the prose is peppered with easily fixable errors, incomplete or unclear sentences, tense disagreements, and unnatural syntax that regularly interrupts the reading experience. The thematic choices are timely, the plot […]

An intimate and unfiltered look at the immigrant experience, the horrors of war, and the human capacity for transformation, A House in the Wild Berry Tundra by Akram Didari is a remarkably captivating tale. This short story is an intoxicating dive into Iranian culture and tradition, as well as a heartfelt examination of personal growth, familial grief, adaptation to new worlds, and the unifying power of community. A chronological and geographical puzzle in terms of narration, Didari weaves this straightforward yet powerful narrative with the skill of a master storyteller. Every short chapter adds more depth, introduces a new character, […]

Endless royal intrigue, the uprising of an oppressed people, and a young warrior determined to step out from his father’s shadow make A Sun Going Down by A.C. Aerie a powerful and provocative read. A foiled assassination attempt leads the would-be victim on a quest across the sea to carry out his own murderous mission, but the journey opens his eyes to much harder truths about his own future kingdom, and the deeds carried out in its name. Boasting a rich cast of well-developed characters and a patient storytelling style, this plot transcends the classic road journey premise for a […]

A desert quest to meet a CIA legend turns into a deadly and surreal bid for survival in Ghost Town by A.J. Thibault. The fabled spymaster is up to his old tricks of deception, and has lured the sharp-tongued protagonist, a CIA operative himself, into a twisted experiment that could turn the tide of the Cold War. Through a mind-bending plot that has both characters and readers questioning the nature of reality, this Wild West spy novel is far from your average mystery, western, or paranormal thriller. The dialogue doesn’t always crackle with authenticity, but the storytelling is rich and […]