After the death of Mrs. Viola Meeks, a beloved force in Westfall, Missouri, a group of estranged childhood friends returns home after more than a decade, unsure of what they might find, or what battles remain unfinished. The author pulls readers through both past and present in a seemingly innocent portrait of small-town life, but there’s an edge of darkness that […]
A dauntless fallen knight cuts a bloody trail through a blackened world of demonic horror in Grimdark by Kyle Fox, a hellish, sword-swinging work of dark fantasy. Reading like a vivid transcript of an epic RPG dungeon raid, Fox establishes his Tales of Exile series with a savage tone – visceral descriptions that writhe to life in the imagination, coupled with relentless struggle of both the body and mind.
With the progress of each chapter, Jacobus draws closer to the evil that has conquered and ravished his realm, a desperate attempt to eviscerate the plague of demons that has burned […]
A vibrant and mind-boggling adventure through the cosmos, Starmap: An Introductory Pictorial Tour of the Universe by Edward A Ridgill, M.D. is overflowing with accessible information and unforgettable images. For anyone with even a basic interest in astronomy or the workings of the universe, this coffee table book will provide endless moments of reflection.
The designation as a coffee table book is not meant to slight the very real and fascinating chapters of well-penned information in this astronomical offering. Beginning with a generalized big picture – the universe and our place within it – and scaling all the way up […]
A remarkably gentle and probing look at seemingly simple, but deeply complex lives in Upper Appalachia, Furrow and Slice by Richard Snodgrass is a brilliantly penned collection of stories.
A fearless kaleidoscope of pastoral life, this collection is special for its unflinching honesty in the face of our collectively unspoken fears. With straightforward language and casual colloquial speech, the collection feels quite pared down at first glance, with the two- or three-page tales reading like parables. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the rich inner lives of each narrative voice are worth slowing down to enjoy every word.
“The Hill […]
A lethal warrior without banner or cause rises to heights of heroism he never sought in The Hunter’s Rede by F.T. McKinstry, a dark and thoroughly fun new fantasy saga.
Tapping into the best elements of high-genre writing, with cryptic wizards, dark powers, and jaw-dropping plot twists, this character-driven knockout is a thrilling pleasure to read. The sprawling new realm of Ealiron is ripe for storytelling, and newly hooked fans will be pleased to know this is only the first in a four-part series.
Lorth is one of the most compelling new fantasy characters in recent memory, summoning shades of […]
A volatile drama touching on hidden trauma and the pain that binds us to those we love, That Which Remains: Reunion by M. Tess Ossenelli is an intense, emotionally intelligent work of romantic fiction. A doctor’s dark history resurfaces, triggered by a new family crisis and accompanied by long-buried guilt, but he is simultaneously offered an unexpected chance at redemption. With life-or-death stakes and vulnerable characters that readers will find easy to support, this novel spills over with internal struggle. Capturing emotional turmoil in a believable way is a challenge, but Ossenelli hits the mark time and again. Some of […]
With a tongue-in-cheek attitude and razor-sharp wit, The Pop Tart Insurrection by Marcus Herzberg is an over-the-top drama about the struggles of teenage life, and the drastic measures one may take to change things for the better. A manic stream of consciousness from a minor league megalomaniac, this fast-paced, tangent-tossing ride somehow turns the tables on its own protagonist, revealing flaws in his thinking, behavior, and reactions to all the disappointments and harsh realities of growing up. Being at the center of one’s own universe can be a lonely place, and in this sardonic yet incisive novel, that curse of […]
A heartwarming tale for late elementary school readers, The Mysterious Pool by Charlene McIver, with illustrations by Zoe Saunders, is a magical work of middle grade fiction. With plenty of mysteries and puzzles for the young protagonists to solve, as well as talking mice, kindly grandmothers, secret codes, and fairyland treasures, this whimsical ride is an imaginative treat. The writing is simple enough for a variety of readers, but the pace occasionally slows, and there are occasional grammatical errors in the text. However, the illustrations are stellar, and the underlying messaging about friendship and resilience is strongly conveyed. All told, […]