Editorial Reviews

Turning a kaleidoscopic lens on the worlds of power, desire, and connection, Love and Lies Along the Language Barrier: Memoir of a Gay Journalist by M. Faraday is an enthralling confessional of a fearless truth-teller. Spanning a lifetime of lascivious affairs and unbelievable entanglements from Havana and Sri Lanka to Kabul and Joburg, this narrative collage of recollection is far more than a travelogue of sexual escapades. With raw, fluid language and a discerning eye for cultural nuance, Faraday explores themes both taboo and timeless, from sex workers and slavery to queer identity, cultural subjugation, and the journalistic onus to witness the world, offering a compellingly honest account of a storied life.

A slow-boiling drama of youth, connection, and liberation, Echoes from the River by Kathryn Lane tells an emotive story of empowerment against all odds. After her arranged marriage to a well-connected rancher, young Francesca de la Garza struggles to find her place and purpose at a remote cattle station in the 1970s Australian outback. With the help of a kindred spirit, Francesca discovers unexpected community and the sacred beauty around her, even as the foundations of her new life begin to crumble. Immersing readers in the majesty of Australia’s wild corners, while exploring the depths of loneliness in love, and celebrating the bonds of matriarchy that transcend culture, this novel is an impressive historical portrait of resilience that feels both contemporary and timeless.

Outlining the frequently overlooked aspects of writing and promoting a work of nonfiction, The Call to Authorship: How and Why to Write, Publish and Promote a Nonfiction Book by Tim Lindsay is a thorough overview of the entire process for writers looking to expand their skills and audience. The journey from nascent idea to a polished, published work of nonfiction consists of countless crucial decisions – from goal-setting, content gathering, and structural outlines to line editing, formatting, and cover design. With its broadly applicable ten-step approach, supported by dozens of task subcategories and checklists, this is both a philosophical and practical framework for effectively developing, tailoring, and selling your unique perspective on any potential topic, which is accessible enough for novices and detailed enough for established authors.

A servant-to-savior story that resounds with revolutionary thinking, What is the Weight of Magic?: The First Book of Ku Borfutukeshti by Dennis Paul Himes is a sprawling fantasy, centered on control, liberty, and the burden of hiding your true nature. Ku Tementen arrives in the city of Darmis to study her blossoming magic, which is an exciting improvement from her previous life of servitude. However, the unique qualities of her magic put a target on her back and a destiny at her feet, sending her on a collision course with the unpredictable powers of a fading empire. For its lavish plot and world-building depth, the prose is somewhat flat and unvaried, but the imaginative setting and original thematic focus carry the story along, resulting in a transportive, exotic, and accessible adventure.

A sweeping saga of novellas rife with political intrigue, dangerous desires, and a fearless queen on the rise, Fatima’s Story: The Complete Novellas (A Tale of King Justice) by Evelyn M. Exley is an exquisitely crafted piece of high-fantasy romance. Princess Fatima finds herself hidden away in a palatial prison, only to fall in love with the resident ghost – a fateful decision that could destabilize the throne and spin the known world into chaos. Dark, tender, and lyrically developed, this cumulative collection of stories follows one young woman’s eye-opening journey into adulthood and the responsibilities of righteous rule, for a work of fantasy romance that is exceptionally balanced between romantic emotion and fantasy detail.