John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Bringing horror, dystopia, and paranoia into a sinister spotlight, Just Underneath by Jason Palmer is a strikingly confident collection of short and offbeat tales. A disease that drives you to scratch – or else drives you insane, a Kafkaesque interrogation over the culpability of a not-so-common housefly, an ominous PSA about maniacally maxing out your muscle mass, and more bizarre stories make this read a weirdly chilling thrill. Psychologically twisted and linguistically mad, with a dash of caustic social critique, these previously published pieces are dark fiction with an extra helping of dark, which makes for a sometimes challenging but […]

A whimsical, heartfelt, and surreal novella from Frank C. Senia, Cactus Dreams pushes the boundaries of belief and redefines the idea of finding one’s purpose in life. Antonio, a young man who can hear secret desires and memories on the wind, embarks on an epic treasure hunt to America. Armed with the mystical wisdom of his spiritual guide, the ethereal Luna, who once led him through a saguaro cactus into a fantastical realm between reality and dreams, this is a desert quest like no other, imbued with a blend of legend and life lessons. The novella feels in part like […]

An inspiring, faith-driven collection of powerful wisdom drawn from lived experience and hard-won healing, It’s Time to Turn Up! No More Trauma by Lady D outlines a path to peace for trauma survivors and those who love them. Both deeply personal and hugely cathartic for both author and reader, this book gives voice to the visceral pain and perennial struggles brought on by abusive behavior, while offering a path out. The clearly expressed and compassionate prose teaches readers to defend their autonomy and rebuild their sense of safety through the author’s personal strategies and vulnerable confessions. She doesn’t sugarcoat the […]

A welcome revelation for parents, guardians, teachers, and people at large, Raising Future Leaders: How to Turn Tiny Tyrants into Titans by Nam Nguyen is a wholly original and accessible compendium of leadership advice. Far more than a standard parenting manual, this book focuses on how to actively provide children with the foundations for success throughout their lives. From key concepts of adaptability, resilience, curiosity, goal-setting, and self-reliance to lessons on habit-building, sleep patterns, social skills, financial responsibility, critical thinking, and kindness, this comprehensive guide is empowering, while sensitive to the fact that children are indeed young and perhaps less […]

Logic clashes with legend in Guardians of the Ley Lines by Greg Maxfield, a thoughtful and entertaining supernatural thriller that challenges both ancient beliefs and the arrogance of modernity. A data-driven researcher is determined to disprove the existence of ley lines in the spiritual nexus of Redstone, Arizona, but the inexplicable phenomena he finds there transcend indigenous folklore or cozy local delusions. Quick-moving and relentlessly probing about the clash of science and spirit, this novel delivers a clever condemnation of contemporary society and a stern reminder for all to respect the lifeblood of the Earth.

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