Editorial Reviews

A thoughtful and emotional collection of short fiction, POMSILv2 by Sheldon Charles is a captivating and unpredictable group of stories. From young lovers finding connection on a dance floor to Covid-inspired casino drama, future fiction about terraforming, and hard-hitting reflections on military legacy and PTSD, Charles once again proves his versatility in subject, mood, and execution. Some of the narration suffers from telling, rather than showing, but the pace of the stories is consistent, and the characters are cleverly crafted. With an ear for authentic emotions and an eye for both contemporary and classic themes, this collection is in turns […]

Elizabeth Buchmann combines evocative photography and equally compelling poetry in her innovative and immersive collection The Meticulous Unveiling: A Visit to the Mind. In nine diverse sections that evoke both a sense of openness to the world and pensive self-reflection, Buchmann explores such concepts as freedom, love, instinct, ego, pain, natural healing, and happiness. There is sometimes an incongruity in the language between verses, giving some poems a halted feeling, but overall, this collection is impressive for its erudition and success in navigating two separate mediums; it’s somber, at times, but also playful in the placement and quality of […]

Author and illustrator Stacey Penix has crafted a spirited journey through a child’s expansive imagination in her creatively illustrated book Where Do Balloons Go When They Disappear?? This engaging children’s book follows a young boy who wonders what happens to balloons when they fly away, with readers following the balloon as it possibly travels through the galaxy, across the ocean, and more. Using well-timed rhyming and coupled with brightly colored and detailed illustrations, the book is expertly crafted, while teaching a subtle lesson about loss. Some concepts may be too sophisticated for young children, such as “atmosphere,” but this can […]

Two young boys learn about the excitement, risks, and proper usage of their new high-tech toy in Drone Adventure by Chris Mather. With the increasing popularization of drones in recent years, this is an important read for a new generation of gadget-savvy children. Despite the occasional slant rhyme and awkward syllable count in the rhythmic flow, the writing is straightforward, educational, and engaging. The quality and cleverness of the rhymes improve as the book progresses, and despite being quite short, Mather packs in plenty of understandable and critical information for young drone users. Balancing simple illustrations with an instructive two-part […]

Penned with the linguistic and lyrical mastery of a trained storyteller, Rupture State by MB Bartkowski is a dramatic piece of future fiction, replete with thrilling twists and subtle philosophical undertones. Otto, a young man ostracized from everything he knows is forced to unravel the mystery of his collapsing life as he charts an unknown course to the other side of the world. While this may seem like a vague and familiar premise, it is elevated to profound heights by the skilled voice of the author. Summoning visceral environments, capturing tension with ease, and driving the story along with powerful […]

Providing a behind-the-scenes look at the technology that has revolutionized life as we know it, The Other Computer History: Amazing, amusing and expierenced stories about the Computer science from 1959-2004 by Hans Bodmer is an eye-opening and hands-on glimpse into the past. From card-punchers and encryption devices as big as filing cabinets to the earliest prototypes of the phones we now can’t live without, this memoir recounts rare anecdotes at the heart of computer science, with the personal touch of a high-spirited storyteller. Unfortunately, the prose feels choppy, disjointed, and poorly paced, largely because of the frequent grammatical errors, as […]

A young girl torn between two worlds must carve out a new home in Ghana after disaster strikes in Slaves of Men and Gods by Jacqueline Smith, a dramatic and original YA thriller. Digging into issues of adolescent development, gender dynamics, relatable questions of morality, traditional Ghanaian practices, and more, the target audience may be teenagers, but the themes are complex and mature, while never talking down to readers. With vivid characters and vulnerably emotional writing, this authentic tale about cultivating new roots is an engrossing and wholly unique read.

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An intensely rich and beautiful book written with the poetic touch of a writer whose heart unmistakably beats with Andalusian blood, Inheriting Our Names: An Imagined True Memoir of Spain’s Pact of Forgetting by C. Vargas McPherson is the devastating story based on true events of a family torn asunder by Franco’s Civil War in 1930s Spain. Tragedy mingles with religion and tradition as hunger and death approach the family’s barrio in the city of Seville. Now, their granddaughter, the author, travels to Spain to imagine their story, and uncover the truth that stays silent under Spain’s so-called Pact of […]