John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Rebellious heroes in exile seek unlikely allies and a legendary weapon in Utcan’s Talisman by Stella Atrium, the epic fifth installment of the Tribal Wars series. In a world where magic and native gifts clash and blur with advanced technology and geopolitical scheming, loyalty is at a premium, but the power to see the future is priceless, and must be protected. Despite the far-flung premise of the series, and its unique kaleidoscope of cultures, philosophies, and supernatural abilities, Atrium weaves relatable tensions of war, resource scarcity, corrupt leadership, and indigenous wisdom across every thread of this tangled plot, for a […]

An investigator hunting down a shadowy murder syndicate and a mystery writer pulled into one of her own stories make Criminal Intent by Joanne Swain a compelling, multilayered thriller. This female-driven tale is a frantic spiral of brash characters, surprising plot twists, and tragic revelations, laced with eroticism and character-rich drama. With a consistent lack of formatting for dialogue changes and long paragraphs that cover too much ground, the clarity and pacing suffers, so an aggressive edit is recommended. However, the bones of this story are worth exploring, as are the two lead characters, so if more attention was given […]

A darkly demonic thrill from Lauren Louise Hazel, The Queen of the Underworld is the resurgent second chapter of her Occult urban fantasy series. Though magic Users are now free from their merciless hunters, the realm of the Fae is a blasted ruin, and an ancient threat has emerged from the shadows, seizing the moment to retake her throne. The book’s titular ruler has possessed the body of Prue’s dear friend and is killing innocent mortals to fully regain her power, and once again a motley crew of YA heroes and unlikely allies unite to defeat a demonic enemy of […]

An enigmatic collection of unconventional tales featuring cerebral wit and a uniquely strange imagination, Briefs: A Word Salad of the Surreal, Absurd & Black-Comedy by Thom Cree is a madcap but cleverly crafted work of absurdist fiction. From invisible drinking buddies and talking fish to eel-heavy pranks and snarky Irish stoners, these seven stories and one darkly brilliant screenplay are inventive snapshots of contemporary surrealism. Laced with linguistic flair and narrative twists, the carefully selected prose leaves readers unsettled and uncertain, but undeniably entertained, as the stories offer a masterful balance of the impossible with relatable lunacy, revealing the undercurrent […]