Monthly Archives: October 2023

A magical flurry of mana, monsters, and epic attitude, Heroes of a Warless World by Darren L. Holloway tells the wild tale of Aria and her soul-linked protector, Rory, as they try to unlock the secret of their shared destiny. Creatively crafted and engagingly written, this action-packed read is something like a video game transposed into a novella, and while there are some technical stumbles, the spirited first-person narration, illustrations, and character interplay drive the story forward, with the dialogue feeling cinematic. Dodging otherworldly assassins and hilariously navigating their sometimes contentious relationship, Aria and Rory make for an entertaining pair […]

A recently jilted designer wakes up confused and covered in her best friend’s blood in Reasonable by K.T. Carlisle, a dark and dramatic first installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis? series. The lives of four friends who were rocked by collegiate tragedy and then bound by a joint business make for an interesting emotional foundation, and their explosive dynamics are the driving force of the plot, which moves forward at a quick pace. Leaping forward and back in time, this character- and dialogue-driven drama will keep readers guessing as the full sinister scope is revealed. Unreliable narrators, spectral […]

Part social commentary and part motivational manifesto, Cloak of the Living Dead by Ernest Johnson demands the reader to look at the world and decide if they are simply going through the motions of existence or actually living their lives to their fullest potential. By discussing his own life’s tribulations and experiences, Johnson aims to show the reader how to be “alive” and aware rather than “dead” and oblivious to the world around us, pointing out the many deadening aspects of life that keep us down – bad relationships, pointless jobs, unhealthy diets, and more. At times difficult to follow […]