Editorial Reviews

A sensational collection of genre-defying stories, The Man Who by Thom Cree is a meticulously written work of prose, echoing Faulkner and Hemingway in each story’s poetry and ambition. Trauma begetting revenge, wartime espionage, vigilante justice in forgotten places, and the seething tension of cultural clashes make this striking collection a suspenseful thrill. Savagely intimate, these stories and the subsequent spycraft novella are unpredictable slices of layered emotion, violence, conspiracy, and closure, commanding readers’ attention with every acrobatic line.

 […]

Drawing readers into one man’s decade of “senseless adventure,” Hayden Thompson paints a stunning European portrait of leisure and boundless curiosity in Marvelous Days. A newly retired expat in search of fresh purpose, Kevin embraces his wanderlust and embarks on a sunset chapter of travel and discovery. Rich in allusion and detailed explorations of the French countryside, Germany’s cities, and the Mediterranean coast, this reads like a travelogue, memoir, and cultural exposé rolled into one insightful narrative. For any aging wanderer who feels hesitant to make the leap into the wilds of travel, this contemporary novel is a sensitive, sensible, […]

A lyrical and unflinching dive into a radical childhood, Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack is an emotive novel about the meaning of home when it is fleeting and ephemeral. Jackson is an enigmatic whirlwind of a father more interested in leading a coastal commune than raising two children, which leads Siddhi and Sienna to form a profoundly independent sibling bond. Taking readers across oceans and friendships and wild years of formative exposure, Wallack’s prose is alive with the open-eyed curiosity of youth. Navigating clashes of belief and morality, as well as the storms of sex, fidelity, religion, and “traditional” […]

Author Ray Marcuss challenges the lines of mortality, sanity and connection in The House of Laurel Lake, an emotionally charged novella about losing yourself and finding a way back. A career-ending event sends a detective into a new chapter of his life, but his respite in Florida with his niece is interrupted by a ghostly obsession that drives him to the edge of madness. Tightly packed with detail and elevated with an uncertain edge of the supernatural, this multilayered tale of tragic romance is a compelling tangle of complex emotions until the very last line.

 […]

A touching novel about surrogacy, The Sisterhood of Motherhood by Darla Nagel is a sensitively penned and moving work of contemporary fiction. When Ivy Jean finds out that she won’t be able to have any more children due to the onset of aggressive cervical cancer, her sister-in-law Bethany offers to act as a surrogate mother, leading to a complicated new level in their relationship. Legal and medical technicalities, family tensions, and emotional turmoil are all covered with grace and subtlety, in a novel that is at once informative about the process of surrogacy and intimate in its poignant portrayal of […]

Someone is manipulating the free will of powerful Spellbinders in From the Ashes by Shari Marshall, the thrilling third installment of the magical Ember Files series. Still reeling from the death of his twin, Kyson Adelgrief lusts for blood and vengeance against the Influencers, forcing them to embark on an offensive rescue mission, but he may not be the only threat in the shadows. Continuing to balance creative fantasy with tense relationship-building among the uniquely gifted but relatable protagonists, Marshall’s whip-smart writing and sinister themes make this novel a gripping addition to a wickedly creative and superbly plotted saga.[…]

A vividly inventive novel aimed at children with learning disabilities, Sally O’Malley and the Pirate Gold by James E. Mullins follows Sally, the charismatic daughter of a pirate captain, and her inseparable monkey, Mister Chitters, as they go on a treasure-hunting adventure. In this modern take on pirate fiction, Sally spies the sinister Patch-Eye Pete sneak into her father’s cabin one night and come out with a mysterious scroll. Luckily, Mister Chitters is ready to pounce, and back in they find a treasure map inside, which leads them on a page-turning, high-seas quest. With special attention to typeface, line spacing, […]

A gentle introduction to cognitive awakening and the power we all have to pursue mindful practices, Spiritual Enlightenment: A Guide to Awakening to Your True Self by L. Owen Paxton overflows with honesty, humor, lived experience, and relatable wisdom. Dissecting the oft-overlooked corners of our internal world, the book provides cognitive tools and strategies to achieve mental clarity, a stable identity, and a balanced relationship with ego. Though the book doesn’t break a lot of new ground for the subject, it is still a well-conceived and thought-provoking blend of philosophy, psychology, spirituality, and science, for a deeply compelling and perceptive […]