John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

In the whimsical What I Tell Myself About Talent, author Michael A. Brown takes young readers on a colorful and inspiring journey through their endless potential. Choosing one’s path in life is a major challenge, particularly when there are so many options to choose from, but this book argues that it’s never too early to identify your passions and take steps towards your future – a unique focus for a children’s book, acting as a kind of self-help book for children. With evocative illustrations on every page and valuable insights for children and parents alike, this quick read is […]

A self-aware robot with love on the brain entangles himself with a would-be dystopian heroine in Automaton Nation by author Cynthia Kumanchik. With fast-paced action, a compelling duo at the heart of the story, and a Orwellian sense of terror that feels all too real, this is a creative and timely piece of near-future fiction. The plot holes and unpolished prose do leave something to be desired, but the spiraling plot and unique character dynamics do make this book hard to put down, while posing plenty of tough questions about the uncertain future waiting just around the corner.

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The Ebony Queen by Abby Lane is a dark and expansive fantasy novel, the sophomore installment of the Reign of Blood and Magic series. Maternal devotion is twisted by a queen’s selfish desire for power, casting a blanket of evil that entangles this thoroughly built and unique fantasy world. Despite boasting original magical mechanisms and a deft descriptive pen, there is sometimes a leading tone to the storytelling, which makes the plot occasionally feel predictable. That said, the story is rich and complex, with numerous engaging protagonists that make the prose dynamic, immersive, and ideal for fans of epic fantasy.[…]

A holistic blend of self-help, financial advice and abstract philosophy, Journey to Your Summit by Dave Vetta is a unique guide to finding balance and satisfaction in life. Bouncing from anecdotal stories about positive mindset and perspective to extended musings on purpose and strategies to improve productivity, there is a bit of everything in these pages. Some of the advice veers into the overly vague, and the matter-of-fact tone used by author can be a bit too confident at times, but the large-scale messages and directness of the prose are excellent. Ideal for those who are new to self-improvement books, […]

Sissy, Angela, and Nicki are back in Lila Johnson’s third Fat Girls Club installment, The Queen of Hearts, a hilarious and heartwarming novel about friendship, confidence, and personal growth. Following on from the previous books, these three focal characters continue their challenging and ultimately inspiring lives through the trials of love and self-improvement on different sides of the globe. Humming with authentic dialogue, vivid landscapes, and complex emotions spilled beautifully on the page, this book is an easy slice of fun that still manages to provoke important questions about honesty, image, and societal concepts of success, making this powerfully-voiced book […]