Editorial Reviews

A compelling work of sci-fi dystopian fiction that hits satirically close to home, Strange New Variations on Life: Escape from Planet Earth (The Pystead Group Book 2) by James Pryor is an expansive and thrilling continuation of this wholly original series, which sees the ambitious Pystead pilgrims leave Earth’s unsafe seas and take to the stars, but their Martian destination is far from a welcoming sanctuary. Navigating mind-bending dualities and alternate personalities, Alice, Philip, and the rest of the crew embark on a turbulent journey into a new chapter for humanity. The prose occasionally feels unpolished and inconsistent, which can […]

A dark prophecy for America wrapped in a dystopic thriller, The Pystead Group: Daring To Be by James Pryor is a gritty examination of tyranny, technology, and the mind-bending realm of cognitive science. Beginning a new chapter of life away from the oppressive regimes of the American mainland, Phillip unwittingly aligns himself with a shadowy think tank, enmeshed in a Kafkaesque conflict between authoritarianism and a morally questionable revolution. Boasting a slow-burning plot, a manic-minded protagonist, and thought-provoking philosophical asides, this intense imagining of our potential future is chillingly prescient and entertaining from the start.

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Aneiress Torian is back for another engrossing adventure with his eccentric cadre of companions in Athens Ophelia The Partitioner: Doemitonal Magic by Zachary Aneiress. The son of Athena’s ever-growing powers are no match for the delicate act of introducing your first boyfriend to your father, but when a sinister force from the underworld threatens to destroy his newfound joy, Aneiress must conquer his demons, both inside and out, to protect the many loves in his life. The fiercely contemporary tone and timely themes don’t entirely counteract the problems with grammar and editing, but this latest gritty installment is still packed […]

An illustrated book of self-help for all ages, What To Do When The Problem Is You? A Picture Book for Leaders by Janak Alford is a refreshingly humorous and straightforward look at some of our worst habits. Unfolding like a children’s book with a picture and short rhyming stanza, the book takes on issues such as toxicity and pessimism, offering prescriptions for bad behavior like inclusion and empathy. While the book is certainly breezy, and people will recognize themselves in these couplets, the text might not quite dive deep enough into the serious issues at hand. That said, the book […]

In The Sight of God and Man: A Cowboy Novella by Drew Signor is a classic Western that masterfully blends vivid lyricism, emotional longing, and thirst for retribution. When sinister gunslinger Randy Thompson guns down two innocent people on the streets of Ruidoso, Penryn Llloyd vows revenge – a story that may seem familiar in its set-up, but is handled here with subtlety and grace. Signor’s novella is set apart from other historical revenge tales by the depth of the prose, carefully crafting both character and setting as if the land is a sentient character of its own, resulting in […]

An eye-opening work of self-help with an often overlooked focus, The Boundaries Book That Will Transform Your Life: A Guide on Dealing with Emotional Abuse is an illuminating examination into how boundary setting with family, friends, and significant others can be the most important step towards self-worth. While much self-help literature focuses on personal faults, this book illustrates how other people’s toxicity can be the biggest roadblock to self-acceptance and mental health. The Mindful Matters Institute and author Angela Hoyos draw from scientific research on psychology as well as personal experiences to create an instructive guide that is both methodical […]

A gripping narrative of a woman’s harrowing battle with her inner demons and the societal shadows that loom large, A Book Without a Title by Sonii Marie offers an intimate and powerful reckoning with personal vulnerability. Reading as a kind of confessional manifesto, Marie’s writing unfolds like prose poetry, unveiling raw moments of self-doubt and self-criticism, which ultimately leads to a rousing degree of personal acceptance, even within the intense hardship. While the tenor of the book can sometimes feel relentless in the protagonist’s aggressive self-appraisal, the book is hopeful in its message of triumph over adversity, resulting in a […]

Flipping the paradigm of human domination on its head, The Scorching: Just Press Play by Nick Snape is an inventive new sci-fi series that reimagines survival for our species, carving its own niche in a hugely entertaining mash-up of post-apocalyptic, alien invasion, and climate fiction. The titular apocalyptic event has driven humans underground and under the sea, even as a newly arrived alien force delivers potential salvation on an overheated planet. With genetic modification, mind control, conspiratorial rebellions, and a powerful undercurrent of savage social critique, this opening of a new trilogy is a staggeringly original and timely release from […]