Editorial Reviews

Blending domestic scenes with her signature supernatural style, Linda Watkins delivers another addictive read with The Blood of the Viper, the fifth installment of her Kate Pomeroy Mystery series, which never ceases to entertain. Kate faces an ancient evil that has been waiting centuries to mingle with human blood, but she also has a family to protect – a new life that has been nearly denied her one too many times. The tension of action-packed storytelling via fully-developed and nuanced characters makes it hard to stop reading, while the nerve-twisting scenes of gothic horror will thrill loyal fans of […]

A unique and unusual noir thriller by author CB Laurence, Murder at the Mansfield is the first moody installment of the Express Investigations series. When Hollywood’s sweetheart ends up behind bars for alleged murder, it will take a divorce attorney turned investigator with a big heart and a silver tongue to unravel the tangled case. An unlikely team of sleuths diving dangerously deep into the seedy underworld of power, lust, and money, this quick and gritty mystery is escapist fiction at its best. Sharp dialogue pulls readers into the past, while larger-than-life personalities torn from the big screen make this […]

A quick and breezy read for young travelers and nature lovers, Little Squiggle’s Lake Adventure by Laura Smetana and Stirling Hebda, with illustrations by Laura Smetana, is a charming tale of exploration and friendship. As Little Squiggle learns, doing something for the first time can be scary, and things don’t always go according to plan, but taking risks can also deliver exciting rewards. With vivid watercolor illustrations and easy-to-follow language, this is an ideal bedtime story for those just beginning their reading journeys. Though the plot does move quickly, and can sometimes feel abrupt, the lessons are clearly conveyed for […]

Peeling back the psychological curtain of trauma and its devastating impacts, Unknown Assailant by Joanne Doucette is a smart, well-researched, and wildly unpredictable thriller. A keen detective and a no-nonsense psychologist, Beau and Pepper make an electrifying investigative team at the core of this third installment of the Dr. Pepper Hunt Mystery series – their sleuthing savvy is only overshadowed by the undeniable tension that sparks and flashes between them. Pushing past procedural tropes of the genre and diving into thought-provoking narration, Doucette flexes both her storytelling and psychoanalytical skills. Though the narration does far more heavy lifting than the […]

Author Kelly Evans transports readers to 7th century France in The Beggar Queen, a masterfully penned mosaic of historical fact and compelling fiction. In an era where life is cheap, but love can be costly, an unlikely young woman navigates the treacherous waters of the Merovingian court and changes the course of history, though few have ever heard her name. Steeped in cultural, religious, and societal detail, this story will appeal to academic lovers of history, as well as those seeking a dramatic escape. While the dialogue occasionally feels too modern, and there are some anachronistic idioms, the reading […]

Full of razor-sharp wit and driven by a hyper-contemporary voice, Junk Sale by Patrick Lombardi is a wickedly smart and hilarious collection of short stories and essays. From a casual thief who gets the tables turned on him to a scathing hot take of modern job interviews, these brief tales capture a collective disdain for modern life, a dissatisfaction with normality, and the essential role that humor plays in our survival. The dialogue feels ripped from real life, despite their clever articulation, and each story is tightly edited and polished. Highlighting the painful isolation of our internal monologues, and what […]

A dazzling opening salvo in The Queen of the Witches Trilogy, The Witch’s Song by J. Lyndon Hickman is a magical work of fantasy, resonating with contemporary lessons and classic adventure. Stirring the waters of gender dynamics and calling into question humanity’s destructive fascination with technological advancement, the prose is impactful, but just as easily lighthearted. This broad emotional range, buttressed by a pair of unique protagonists, makes this a gripping read from start to finish. The revelatory progress from normal life to a magic-infused existence is exhilarating and immersive; Hickman has crafted a gem of a read with […]

A sprawling and majestic epic start to a fantasy new series, Rand by Silvia Shaw is an empowering and timely piece of fantasy fiction, bridging two worlds with grace and a whip-smart pen. Readers are drawn into a brilliant world with a detailed history that is unlike so many other carbon-copy realms in the genre. Driven by an intrepid protagonist imbued with the mind of an academic and the courage of a warrior queen, this read populates these pages with a pantheon of unique female characters, and cleverly ties off loose ends. From backstabbing court drama and savage magical battles […]