With her keen investigative powers and penchant for bending the rules of police tape and clue recognition, Majick is a charming amateur detective reminiscent of Jessica Fletcher or Miss Marple. The mystery of a shadowy intruder may be romantic, obsessive, or something else entirely, but it is undeniably intriguing, and the swirl of eccentric characters she moves through makes it easy to lose yourself in the tangle. With a touch of magical […]
A galactic military thriller bursting with royal intrigue and adventure, Wielders of Woe: Inferno by Jeffery Roarke Jr. skillfully blurs the lines of sci-fi and fantasy. Fearlessly wielding the fiery powers of his mystical charna, Prince Halcion is forced to embark on an epic quest of redemption, determined to reclaim his stolen birthright. Slow-burning and patient, with revenge-heavy hints of Dumas, the detailed prose is sparkling and creative, while the expansive worlds that Roarke has created feel real enough to touch. Setting the stage for a compelling sci-fi/fantasy saga, Inferno is an exceptional opening salvo for a new series.[…]
One young man must defy the oppressive distinctions of a futuristic society in Nations of Niche, a frightening parable of the future by Micah Ingram. In this uniquely imagined dystopia, one’s class has been replaced by one’s “niche,” resulting in a chilling allegory of a restructured world, wherein humanity has reinvented ideas of purpose, labor, productivity, and the meaning of life itself. At times, the book reads more like a fable than a novel, without much emotional development of the characters, but still with a clear focus on the thematic message. The premise is strong, but the book is […]
A dystopian vision of a divided America comes pouring from the pages of The Greater Good by Seth Daniel Parker, a relentless prophecy of a novel that will make you shudder with recognition. A Job-like protagonist escapes the matrix of a mind-shattered nation to become a firebrand for the next revolution. With ominous and poignant undertones of Kafka, Orwell, Heller, John Kennedy O’Toole, and even Hunter S. Thompson, the author pulls back the curtain on a sick society, while poking fun at our unspoken and collective terrors with wit, shock, and raw storytelling power. Laced with timely social critique and […]
An engrossing remastered fairy tale from the delicate pen of author Jenny Knipfer, The Regal Pink is a well-crafted first installment of the Retold Fairy Tales series, which reimagines classic storylines. Flipping genre tropes of the damsel in distress, Diana is a rebellious and curious flower-fairy determined to free the wish-granting Daniel from the cruel clutches of his uncle. As these young protagonists chase down their own destinies, defying expectations and supporting each other’s journeys, the slippery slopes of love are seemingly impossible to avoid. With straightforward prose and a stripped-down storytelling style that moves at a fast pace, this […]
A lone wolf warrior and living legend with a rifle comes face to face with his unburied past in I See You by Benjamin J. Burton, a short but tense psychological thriller. Assigned to eliminate a deadly terrorist, a black ops American sniper discovers that the ghosts of his previous victims seem intent on ruining the covert op. With detailed military action, troubled heroes, and surprising supernatural twists, this fast-paced story is recommended for its unique mixture of paranormal horror and military thriller. A thorough edit would clear up the occasional grammatical errors and overdramatic formatting, but overall, this is […]
When her sister goes missing, this heir to a dominant family of magic users must tap into her powers to end a generations-long feud, but it will require more sacrifice than Kori could have ever expected. Past lovers, betrayal, long-kept secrets, unique magic rules, and malicious secret societies converge in a rapid-fire adventure that defies genre labels, touching […]
An alluring academic with a magical secret, and a bloodthirsty detective with centuries of life experience, collide in Witches at the Gate, a riveting mystical mystery by M Greenhill. After a coven of witches is slaughtered in modern-day Salem, a professor of the occult joins the hunt for a sinister killer, but uncovers a much larger and darker plot – one that will resurrect an ancient evil and open the gateway to Hell. Though the premise has notes of other sagas, the engaging overlap of folklore, Gothic gore, and supernatural romance makes this addictive novel an exceptional intro to […]