Editorial Reviews

A raw and unforgettable collection of poetry, A Few Moments of Honesty by Dani Solace is confessional and vulnerable, posing new questions about personal identity, and revisiting the mystery of one’s sense of purpose. Fluidly moving between challenging themes and painful recollections, the poetry flows seamlessly from traditional metered rhyme to pieces that feel crafted to be read aloud. Examining the paradoxical struggle of artists and a range of intimate crises too often left undiscussed, Solace peels back the pain of walking a divergent path, while sagely offering hope to those who follow.

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Presenting the grim future of an abandoned planet and the prodigal return of our species to its cradle, Runaway Humanity by Joshua Valentine is a savagely penned and fearless slice of dystopian science fiction, reflecting the author’s mantra at the onset, “Don’t allow human nature to take center over that of mother nature.” From the nascent colony on Mars to the brutal wasteland of our blasted homeland, the journey of Drs. Drake and Shelby Hilton is both philosophical and packed with apocalyptic action. Exposing dark corners of desperation and the resilient spirit of survival, this terrifying glimpse of our planet’s […]

Brett Monk and McKenna Langford once again deliver a fast-paced mystery in Trapped By A Lie, the third book in their Moms Who Lie series, which gets better with each installment. By now we know the players, or at least we think we do, as the investigation of a teenager’s disappearance in the seemingly idyllic town of Toxey reveals more about the town and its denizens, coloring in elements from previous installments. The authors are experts at letting the mystery unfold piece by piece until reaching a satisfying conclusion, which hooks readers in for another installment. The book’s many […]

Author Rick Mammoth drops an explosive new novel in Driving Unclaimed Cargo, a short and astute read for those who love offbeat military thrillers. When a prototype weapon is accidentally sent to Estonia, instead of Florida, the powers that be in Washington need to get it back quickly and quietly. A shadowy member of the top-secret “Animal Kingdom” enlists his curious and adventurous nephew to secure the package and drive it to France, without setting off any international alarm bells, or starting a nuclear war. This high-stakes road trip novel is cleverly crafted, but the editing needs work, with […]

A dramatic, dialogue-driven portrait of an imploding marriage, Maria Daversa’s Sweet Baby Mine intimately depicts the impact of mental illness and secrets on a partnership. Daversa has a keen eye for powerful description, and the story is a nuanced commentary on how nostalgia can fuel unhealthy relationships past the breaking point. The starkly honest passages about the characters’ pasts and motives create an intimate portrait of the protagonists, which heightens the uncertain moral tension on these pages, weaving together a pervasive sense of psychological stress that is ultimately hopeful. A tense yet delicate exploration of addiction, regret, and toxic cycles […]

A page-turning mystery set within the aristocratic world of wine-making, Tainted Wine by Linda Watkins is the second tantalizing installment of her Steve Daniels Mystery series. A hard-nosed investigator must dig into the devilish past of the heiress to a winery, but he risks being pulled into an intoxicating web along the way. With the blunt and declarative storytelling style of classic noir pulp, and the sharp tête-à-tête of cleverly crafted dialogue, readers are quickly immersed in the bold attitudes, old-fashioned language, and nostalgic mood of the 1950s. Though there are some superficial errors that could be polished with a […]

A paranormal tale of good versus evil, The Charterhouse of Evil by Janice Tremayne is a fun but chilling work of supernatural horror with a stellar protagonist at the helm. Spirit hunter Clarisse Garcia is investigating mysterious deaths at a Benedictine Monastery, aided by her husband’s spirit-tracking technology and challenged by powerful demons and the monks’ code of silence. While the plot unfolds somewhat slowly due to retelling elements from previous installments, which distracts from Clarisse connecting the accumulating clues, the mystery itself is engrossing and evocatively told, with the book ultimately working as a standalone novel. Fans of paranormal […]

Peeling back the sinister layers of conspiracy, espionage, and manipulation that shift beneath our modern world, Contrarian by Lucas Sterling is a complex thriller that hums with both tension and humanity. From lockdowns, bad water, and ecosystem collapse to deadly terror plots and shadowy assassins, the novel is a character-driven puzzle that presents readers with contemporary dilemmas of morality and duty. Though Sterling has a habit of giving away a bit too much information in his narration, this breakneck international drama is steeped in the deadly seriousness of today’s environmental crisis, for a timely and riveting read.

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