John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Three legends in the making return to protect Earth and join some unlikely allies in The Flight of the Mytar, Book 2 of Robert Cole’s dynamic Mytar series. Wrestling with otherworldly creatures intent on destruction is one thing, but these heroes must manage that while navigating the daily struggle of recess and schoolyard drama. Cole complements an engaging and exciting plotline with core characters who evolve believably over the course of the novel, with strong messaging about bullies, personal potential, communication, and overcoming differences through unity. However, the execution of the book is poor, in places, with sloppy errors […]

Magically inclined Alyssa McCarthy is back in The New Enchantress, the third installment of Sunayna Prasad’s inventive and charming YA series, Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions. The protagonist’s challenges are closely linked to relatable struggles for young readers – a lack of self-confidence, courage in the face of new milestones, and learning how to manage complex and overwhelming emotions – and the symbol-heavy storyline is easy to follow, providing plenty of exposition for those jumping into the series late, while still keeping up the suspense. However, there is also a good deal of grammatical sloppiness and room for editorial […]

A relentless, breakneck adventure across time and the breadth of the galaxy, The Red Oasis by Joseph Kozak barely gives readers time to breathe between chapters. With a spiraling plot that leaps from escaping underground realms of rock people to epic space battles, warp portals, and dark sorcerers, this genre-bending adventure is packed with action. The plot is comic book-like in its energy, but there is significant room for improvement on the editing and structural side, as it’s difficult to understand the larger context of the plot, and there is little time taken for character development. While the overall plot […]

A thought-provoking tale of the future, The Astral Hacker by Brian Terenna is the dynamic first installment of the Cryptopunk Revolution series. This emotionally gripping YA thriller is ideal for tech-savvy fans of sci-fi and those who love character-driven, female-led drama. Terenna deftly explores youthful struggles of isolation, trust, independence, self-esteem, and digital friendships through the relatable eyes of a teenager surviving a century in the future. Though some of the dialogue is a bit too exposition-heavy to feel natural, the author’s creativity, social commentary, and prophetic powers are on full display, making this a strong foundation for what promises […]

Steamy, smart, and packed with drama, Taming the Legal Luvvie by Amerine Graham, the third installment of her Taming the Bad Boys series, is a delicious bit of pulp fiction. Romance has trouble staying buried for the globe-trotting elites at the center of the story, and this captivating novel has plenty of torrid tangles and double entendres for readers to savor. The characters are complex and well-developed, rather than sexy stereotypes or caricatures, and the emotional puzzles feel authentic and engaging. The writing is intensely descriptive, but there are many instances of awkward phrasing and unclear syntax, much of which […]