Editorial Reviews

A timely fantasy about castaways fleeing their dying land to seek refuge on a cryptic island, The Last Families by Carla Doria is an epic tale about first contact with brutal worlds and rivalrous clans. Four remaining families with different magical powers must put aside their bitter prejudices if they want to survive in their new hostile environment. While Doria’s plot about the cycles of perishing civilizations can be bleak, the book’s message about finding love and working together is ultimately uplifting, for a visionary and wholly original work of post-apocalyptic fantasy.

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Scottish charmers, controlling fathers, and a holiday miracle or two make A Gentleman for Christmas by Shelley Kassian a delightful Edwardian escape. Cecily and Logan are magnetic characters from opposite worlds whose ultimate fate may feel decided early on, despite the objections and obstacles to their connection, but their coupling still unfolds with delicately crafted tension. Showcasing a wise pen and a mastery of lyrical language, this seasonal read swings between scintillating and sweet, with richly painted players who romance readers will want to eagerly curl up with for the holidays, or any other time.

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In Jacob Lightman’s inventive A Buzz, a young commander named Jaway leads his team on an assignment to unite the rest of the country under an advanced nation called The Land, for an innovative work of science fiction set in South America. Lightman’s narrative largely focuses on episodic adventures, as opposed to wider plot arcs or conflicts, but the innovative world he’s created is thoroughly enveloping. Readers looking for elaborately detailed world-building, intriguing futuristic tech, and sci-fi universes with a more upbeat tone will be quickly drawn into this creative work of speculative fiction.

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A spirited and thoughtful compendium of 365 American-style rhyming haikus, Barton Johnson’s Five Seven Five is a poetry collection that can also double as a daily devotional throughout the year. Johnson’s subjects vary widely, from pieces about love and marriage, to ruminations about death, to thought-provoking observations and witty advice. Much of Five Seven Five focuses thematically on Christian themes, so the compilation would intrigue and engage a more religious readership, but he also touches on universal issues with clever wordplay and charming humor, giving the collection a broad appeal.

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A young Polish immigrant trapped in an abusive marriage in rural Wyoming finds the strength within herself – and her family – to fight for freedom in A Time for Reckoning by Neil Turner. Supported by Grazyna’s uncle from Chicago and his sharp-tongued partner Penelope, this is a character-driven thriller that fearlessly reveals the dark corners of human nature – misogyny, greed, violence, power, and control. Driven by strong dialogue, unpredictable twists, and more than a dash of colloquial country charm, this savagely honest novel is a stellar addition to the Toni Valenti Thriller series.

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An earnest and moving novel about one man’s mission to save his spouse before time runs out, Chasing Time by Thomas Reilly is an emotive mixture of contemporary fiction and fantasy, for a story that reads like a potential film. Anthony “Tony” Lucas has always been talented with predictions, but he could never anticipate how a lost key from his youth that forecasts the future would impact his wife’s eventual ALS diagnosis. Thomas Reilly’s dialogue and storylines are sometimes implausible, but it’s easy to suspend disbelief in this touching story, and the novel’s emotional resonance is engrossing and impressive.

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A cave-dwelling architect hiding a horrifying secret collides with AJ Conti, a dauntless investigator who knows how to take a hit, in Casualty of Innocence by James A. Bacca. A swirling and sinister story of child trafficking, murder, dangerous manipulators, and the lengths we go to protect those we love, this novel has a triggering edge, while also being timely and powerful. In a serial killer thriller, much of the tension depends on nuanced dialogue and subtle narration, which Bacca puppeteers masterfully. There are exchanges where the prose feels heavy-handed or too leading, but overall this thrilling drama is a […]

A thought-provoking guide for people seeking to examine their own spiritual progress, Who Cares? by Dr. Melita J. Murray-Carney is a self-help book proposing timeless questions and subtle wisdom from a devoutly Christian perspective. As a devotional journal, this book requires direct engagement, encouraging readers to learn their own lessons and discover their own revelations through personal reflection and writing, which should help inspire and renew faith. Unlike so many other anecdotal self-help guides with vague proclamations, the devotional focus of this journal gives the reader a more far-reaching focus for self-improvement, and in a wholly welcoming way. Though the […]