Editorial Reviews

A magical flurry of mana, monsters, and epic attitude, Heroes of a Warless World by Darren L. Holloway tells the wild tale of Aria and her soul-linked protector, Rory, as they try to unlock the secret of their shared destiny. Creatively crafted and engagingly written, this action-packed read is something like a video game transposed into a novella, and while there are some technical stumbles, the spirited first-person narration, illustrations, and character interplay drive the story forward, with the dialogue feeling cinematic. Dodging otherworldly assassins and hilariously navigating their sometimes contentious relationship, Aria and Rory make for an entertaining pair […]

A recently jilted designer wakes up confused and covered in her best friend’s blood in Reasonable by K.T. Carlisle, a dark and dramatic first installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis? series. The lives of four friends who were rocked by collegiate tragedy and then bound by a joint business make for an interesting emotional foundation, and their explosive dynamics are the driving force of the plot, which moves forward at a quick pace. Leaping forward and back in time, this character- and dialogue-driven drama will keep readers guessing as the full sinister scope is revealed. Unreliable narrators, spectral […]

Part social commentary and part motivational manifesto, Cloak of the Living Dead by Ernest Johnson demands the reader to look at the world and decide if they are simply going through the motions of existence or actually living their lives to their fullest potential. By discussing his own life’s tribulations and experiences, Johnson aims to show the reader how to be “alive” and aware rather than “dead” and oblivious to the world around us, pointing out the many deadening aspects of life that keep us down – bad relationships, pointless jobs, unhealthy diets, and more. At times difficult to follow […]

A grown-up retelling of two classic stories, Through an Emerald Gale (A Snowfall in Oz Book 1) by Jordan Riley Swan is an epic collision of magic and royalty in the whimsical land of Oz. A sinister queen has her malevolent sights set on ultimate youth and eternal power, but the infamous Wicked Witch will go to war before she bends the knee. Leo, Nik, Crow, and Dorothy are a nostalgic group of familiar heroes, while Swan’s dextrous and deliciously clever pen makes this darkly entertaining story come to shimmering life with vivid scene-setting and an unpredictable storyline. Deftly melding […]

Following in the tradition of Animal Farm, but with a lighter touch, The Perilous Journey of Gavin the Great by Don Gutteridge is an enchanting fable for all ages, full of poetry and wit. Gavin, a young raccoon, wakes up after a storm to find Earthwood changed into a desert of mud and fog, offering a not-so-subtle allegory to our current living conditions. Gavin knows he needs to take responsibility for his brothers and for all wood creatures in the difficult journey ahead that will redefine what home means for everyone, illustrating how best to act in a time […]

Reframing the scope of existence with comforting charm and emotional weight, The Perilous Journey of Gavin the Great by Don Gutteridge is the deceptively whimsical story of an unavoidable animal exodus in the face of environmental disaster, and the collisions of fear and ambition that inevitably arise. Peppered with compelling black and white illustrations, the richly told story is brought even more vividly to life through these visual additions, for a beautifully conceived fable both visually and lyrically. A hard-hitting allegory for a readership of “Tallwalkers” on the precipice of their own macrocosmic catastrophe, this novel succeeds in teaching empathy […]

Linking the mysteries and masterworks of history to a nearly omnipotent supercomputer from the 29^th century, Father of the Future by Darren Dash is a time-hopping sci-fi thrill. Cassique is a Time Fixer, devoted to realigning the past to protect the present, but life in the 29^th century is a digitally anesthetized and tech-dominated dystopia, and might benefit from some free will and open-minded genius of the past. Barbed with sarcastic and self-aware narration, this wildly creative read weaves issues of religion, science, and politics into a masterful allegory of contemporary society, seen through the spectacularly inventive lens […]

A time-leaping portrait of grief and fraternal connection, Invisible Sun by Andrew H. Housley probes deep into the unique scars and stains left by those we love, particularly when they make the tragic choice to leave this life. Ian and Chadwick, still reeling in their own ways from the sudden death of their brother, must navigate haunted memories, strained bonds, and painful past choices as they make his final arrangements. Authentic and revealing in its emotional depth and sensitive approach to the subject matter, this is a powerful, soul-baring novel that will be intimately relatable to readers whose lives have […]