Editorial Reviews

A powerful political thriller, Root of All Evil by Aura Ayira is a searing portrait of subjugation, violence, and the limits some people must go to find peace. Zayani seems to have it all from a distance – wealth, power, and beauty. However, forced to marry a ruthless dictator, she’s also a prisoner, and every opportunity to escape comes with a moral quandary and a violent cost. Written with vivid prose that is at once beautifully expressed and terrifying, the novel is no doubt unsettling, but it also tells a viscerally gripping story about the importance of freedom and personal […]

A fascinating and in-depth interpretation of the Bible, The Sacred Sword: New Biblical Discoveries by Ed Jusino helps paint a clear picture of what the text was specifically designed to teach. Providing specific verses from the Bible, the author explains in detail what the text refers to, how it fits into the larger narrative of the Bible itself, and what lessons it is meant to impart for everyday life, making the book a fantastic resource for both committed believers and religious scholars. While the Bible is potentially open to interpretation for each reader, there are distinct lessons to be learned […]

An epic fantasy adventure, The Scoundrel’s Blade by Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis is an excellent opening installment of the Chronicles of an Outcast series. In a classic hero’s journey, the story follows Avathar as he tries to find his place in a world that was torn apart in a great war between Gods and Demons. As Avathar struggles to learn who he is, he will also learn more about the war that changed his world, and how he fits into the bigger mystery of the seemingly endless battle between good and evil. Coming in at over 500 pages, Halkioti’s novel establishes […]

Exploring the dark dynamics of the veteran experience through the eyes of a story-gathering guide, CW3 Cesare Giannetti offers readers another unique lens in De Facto Pathfinder. From the very start, Chris Longo is a character that readers will want to connect with, whether they’re a veteran or not. The benefit of having a veteran author writing about veteran affairs gives the book not only a tangible degree of authenticity, but also empathy. Giannetti is able to share exposition, narrative, and internal monologue with the same omnisciently confident voice, one that endears and invokes trust, resulting in an intensive, […]

A gripping pastoral thriller that could easily be a movie or series, The Icehouse by J.J. Richards is a richly developed tale of a murderous specter reappearing from the past. An aging and charmingly out-of-touch detective is pushed to the edge of ethics and emotions when a dormant menace embarks on a deadly spree in the English countryside. The dense writing is deeply nuanced, packed with allusion and detail, summoning a vivid world to life, despite the ominous, slow-burning pace. There are occasional anachronistic or odd words that feel out of place in a UK setting, but overall, the novel […]

Pulled into the crossfire of another deadly conflict from the past, Stephen Grant must switch collars from wedding officiant to efficient warrior to save his friends in For Better, For Worse by Ray Keating. Fueled by a furious desire for revenge, a merciless arms dealer targets the nuptial weekend of two CDM team members, but with a guest list of hardened heroes on hand, it won’t be an easy party to crash. The story hits all the notes of previous installments in the Pastor Stephen Grant series, with a typically ferocious pace, high-tension storytelling, and a spray of breathless action […]

Teeming with extraterrestrial world-building, The Northern Route by Walter Robinson is a jaw-droppingly creative sci-fi adventure splashed on a truly epic canvas. Vesta Amore is a skilled investigator in any star system, but joining a controversial humanitarian mission brings unexpected dangers, temptations, and tests of loyalty. Challenging the most powerful corporations in the galaxy is a good way to make enemies, but along with a brilliant yet bitter sleuth, she won’t be unraveling the conspiracy alone. A breathless plunge into a fully-developed galactic collective of alien races, histories, traditions, and grudges, along with future-tech galore, there is something new for […]

Thrilling from the start, Her Devoted Protector by Alessa Kelly is a high-stakes romance with a healthy splash of tense drama. Ivy Wren has plenty of secrets, and Mark has a wound in his heart that simply won’t heal, but she is the Attorney General going to war with a sprawling drug empire, and he is the loyal soldier she can always count on in a crisis, particularly when her son gets caught up in a kingpin’s dangerous web. This installment of the Rescue & Protect series crackles with dramatic intensity, pushing deep into Ivy’s traumatic past, for a powerful, […]