Editorial Reviews

Offering a compelling range of emotionally charged narratives, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful by Kimberly Sullivan is a brilliant collection of short stories with an Italian backdrop. The Italian women and ex-pats who find their lives intricately and sometimes painfully tied to Italy are each unique and complex: strong-headed women, vulnerable wives, pained mothers, and women who have run away but have mustered the courage to return. Each one of Sullivan’s characters and personal stories are richly drawn with Sullivan’s vibrant and nuanced prose, for a collection that brings to life the splendor of Italy, while vividly exploring the inner […]

Charting a safe course through the uncertain economy, author Steve Amoia offers a valuable handbook of modern advice in his Post-Pandemic Financial Guide. While some of the knowledge in the first section may be familiar to financial professionals or those savvy to the dynamism of the stock market, the second section regarding retirement planning is imbued with new ideas shaped by recent world events. A timely, well-informed, and easy-to-understand refresher on details that have changed since the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic, this guide is uniquely and effectively focused on financial planning based on contemporary challenges, for a timely and […]

An exploration of faith, independence, temptation, and purpose, He Should Know by Mike Greene is an affecting novel about growing up, showing up, and standing up for what you believe in. As Kevin moves through the world, he must balance his unique relationship with God and his desire to connect meaningfully with the people in his life. While the powerful messages of unity and personal fortitude behind the story are clear, the execution of the prose has a number of issues, including grammatical, syntactical, and spelling errors. Additionally, the writing style is flatly declarative and the heavy-handed dialogue lacks compelling […]

Tapping into the grim recesses of human nature and imagining what new shadows the future might hold, Computer Love: A Digital Anthology by Ricardo Pierre-Louis is an unsettling but deeply affecting collection of stories. In an age of increasing disconnection as humans face a global existential crisis, Pierre-Louis asks difficult questions about morality, progress, responsibility, resilience, and love through this collection of powerful tales. The stories are subtle and fearless, gritty and clever, ranging from flash fiction to character-driven drama, parodies of capitalism, and intimate portraits of sorrow. There is some room for technical improvement in the prose, or further […]

Written with searing honesty and a compelling contemporary voice, The Girl in the Blue Blazer by Alretha Thomas is an engrossing novel that touches on urgent social and ethical issues, engulfed in an emotionally charged plot. When Pamela finally receives the offer for her long-coveted internship with Clifford Investments, she is beside herself, but she doesn’t want to become Andrews Clifford’s protégé for sheer ambition…Pamela seeks revenge, with unpredictable results. Balancing narratives between the past and the present, Thomas spools a story that is both unique and universal, told with clear and sincere prose that brings emotional authenticity to a […]

Impressively researched and beautifully written, The Darlings of the Downs: Five Generations, One Destiny by Casey Walsh follows the journey of two Irish sisters who leave the brutal poverty of Cork in 1879 to start a journey to Australia. Covering 100 years of family history, Walsh immerses readers in the sisters’ story as they carve out a life for themselves in the new world, showing the long-term effects of chances taken and missed, unrequited love, and sudden tragedy. The novel’s core story focuses on the toughmindedness and importance of a strong female line, resulting in an empowering read that is […]

Whimsically blending Regency style with a touch of the fairy tale, My Cousin Darcy by Robin Elizabeth Kobayashi is a smart, fun, and creative installment of her Sofia-Elisabete Stories, which reimagines characters from Pride and Prejudice. The historical dialogue, cultural touchpoints, and deep dive into the sporting side of British life suggest significant research by this detail-oriented author, along with skillfully balancing social intrigue, romance, and relatable vulnerability. Moreover, the writing contains beautifully woven allegories that bind the rich and descriptive prose with layers of meaning. Building on Austen’s storied protagonist, Kobayashi imbues this inventive series with authenticity, […]

A dark and spiraling mystery that probes into human nature, violence, and the supernatural, The Hook by James Pack is an original, dialogue-driven thriller. Searching for his mysteriously vanished wife after returning from his tour of duty as a Navy medic in Vietnam, Earnest Kemp is a determined and increasingly desperate man. His arrival in small-town Maine coincides with a bizarre and brutal murder, but he shakes off suspicions as he becomes enmeshed in the investigation, praying that it will lead him to his wife and child. Penned with a gritty grace that blurs the line between reality and something […]