Editorial Reviews

This interwoven tale of family, resilience, betrayal, and the moral evolution of a nation is powerful and stirring, but also subtle and humble in its storytelling. The novel is a striking meditation on America of the past and present, particularly when it comes to exploring ideas of disability, justice, and the small choices we make that change who we become. It’s hard not to draw comparisons to Faulkner, both in the deep colloquial writing style, and a memorable narrator somehow separated from the rest of the world. With breath-catching flashes of poetic grace, unexpected descriptive beauty, and a meaning-laden flow […]

A young man tries to find peace while navigating the troubled waters of trauma and self-discovery in The Pebble Champion by A.D. Pritchard. Stories about life-changing events are often compelling and relatable, as trauma and loss are universal for readers, and this coming-of-age story is no different. Laced with vivid snatches of flashback and memory, this emotionally charged novel is raw and vulnerable, but also told with the confidence of a skilled storyteller. There are occasional sections of dialogue that feel overly wordy, or inauthentic to how young people speak, but this is a small criticism within a largely impressive […]

A young girl’s charming obsession for bears of all kinds takes center stage in One Night in Beartown by Nick Jones. Inspired by a real-life town of painted bears, Congleton, this is a beautiful children’s story of friendship and resilience, and being honest about what you love, without fear of being teased or judged. Packed with vivid illustrations, an engaging story, and strong thematic messages that should resonate for young children, this is a unique addition to any bookshelf, and one that can be returned to time and again. There are a few hiccups in the language that feel a […]

A vivid and heartfelt tale of family history, unexpected adventure, and abiding love, Just Where They Wanted to Be: The Story of My Amazing Parents (2nd Edition) by Ellen Sollinger Walker is a powerful and memorable recounting of her parents’ life. A beautiful blend of memoir and travelogue, the author not only takes readers around the world through her parents’ recollections, but is herself a part of this epic story. From Papua New Guinea and Yemen to the Bahamas and the Galapagos Islands, this globe-trotting read is a love story about the wild parts of the world, in addition to […]

As an adventurer, storyteller, and fearless student of the human spirit, Linda Durham delivers a deeply entertaining and inspiring memoir in Still Moving. As the title suggests, this is a story of perpetual dynamism, lifelong curiosity, and relentless introspection. The author navigates the globe, and an uncertain career shift, recounting tales that occasionally feel born for the big screen, but are told with humility and authenticity. Equally philosophical, personal, and playful, this is a detailed wander through the author’s past, and an intentional exploration of self. There are some redundancies in the prose, and the odd string of tangential […]

Author Bill See shares a poignant, powerful, and rare perspective in Everything That Came Before Grace: A Father-Daughter Story. This unassuming novel is not only a nostalgic trip through the 90s, but also a challenging dive into mental illness, depression, and the self-loathing so many quietly bottle inside. Struggling to keep steady on the path to redemption, the main character balances the hefty responsibilities of single fatherhood with the weight of his self-doubt, dark shadows, and perennially broken heart. This is a revelatory and savagely honest story, one steeped in relatable emotions and realistic dialogue that captures the pain […]

Phil Slattery presents a heartfelt collection of poems from his romantic past in Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover. From literal confessions of unrequited love to abstract, image-heavy fantasies, the themes of passion, lust, and longing are unmistakable and broadly represented. There are primal emotions explored throughout the collection – trauma being overcome, identity being rediscovered, and dwindling hope finding ways to be rekindled. Despite a variety of structural forms in the verse and a number of standout lines, this outpouring of poetry relies too heavily on classic romance language and familiar imagery. […]

An unusual collection of three spine-tingling tales, Things That Go Bump in the Night by JC Bratton is a modern take on classic horror — inexplicable visitations, vengeful spirits, and macabre dolls that simply don’t stay put. These short novellas are quick reads, meant for a single-sitting scare, which allows Bratton to show her skill at rapidly building an engaging story. The dialogue is stilted in certain scenes, and the exposition can feel heavy-handed, but that can in part be attributed to the brevity of these tales. Despite these narrative critiques, there are plenty of eerie twists to entertain readers, […]