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Dead Man’s Pose is the engrossing first installment of the Australia-based Yoga Mat Mysteries by the writing team of Susan Rogers and John Roosen. When a student dies in Elaina’s yoga class – which may not be the accident it initially appears to be – Elaina paints a target on her back with her questions, teaming up with the eccentric Ric, as they investigate Australia’s seamy underbelly. At once fun and tense, this uniquely set mystery is a page-turning read from the start. The tone remains lighthearted throughout, and could have used a shade more of noir-ish tint, but this […]

A riveting visionary read with a fantastical narrative, Mindbender by Avinash Naduvath takes the reader into the caverns of consciousness where you begin to question what is real and what is a dream. True to its title, the storyline tackles six points of view and weaves together a story cocktail packed with mystery and strife. Naduvath clearly has a great sense of the weird and wonderful, from the creation of dastardly Pogo to the kaleidoscopic structure of the narrative, though the writing sometimes veers into the purple to make a challenging narrative more obscure than necessary. What will keep you […]

The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel is a breakout start to a riveting new series. Weaving in lessons about humanity’s perennial weaknesses, Hazel layers in powerful societal statements that will feel timely for YA readers. The world-building and magical exposition is done very well, and the dialogue moves the story along at an engaging clip. Whether fleeing Demons after a cage match in hell or avoiding deadly betrayals from within their merry band, this tenacious crew of heroes are entertaining from the start, in this dark and creative new work of YA fantasy.

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A true coming of age memoir, The Gosling Bride by Eileen Bader Williams is about growing up in the tumultuous seventies and its esoteric religious fervor, as she and her brother join a group that closely resembles a cult. Telling the story of being removed from Catholic school in her teenage years, struggling to form relationships with adults as she grew up, and her experience with faith, Williams’ story is told with both seriousness and endearing humor. Through her travels, she grows into a woman and discovers she has been on the road to true love her entire life, telling […]

Storm and Solace by Robin Woods is an engaging fantasy adventure bringing a modern feel to the fairytale genre. In a world of moral ambiguities, a fallen goddess looks to right wrongs on her own terms, but she just didn’t count on falling in love along the way. An inventive retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this novel works entirely on its own terms, leaning towards the mythic quality of the original in a tale of battling immortals that draws on Norse mythology, but fans of the original will be delighted by Woods’ creative take on the classic fairytale. […]

A thorough resource for entrepreneurs looking to make their business plans a reality, How To Start Your Dream Business: A Beginner’s Guide by Aung Thura offers an impressive number of strategies that will help both experienced and new business owners. Thura deftly manages a balance of pep talk with actionable information, covering every facet of business, without overloading the reader with dry information. Most helpful are the four pillars of success – when combined with the three different business models to consider, the book covers the gamut of potential business needs, which will be useful to most every reader, even […]

A collection of poetry and prose, Every Awful Thing by S.E. Bourne is written with verve and insight. Bourne creates a world wholly her own yet reminiscent of many great writers of the past who captured the plight of Middle America; Lucia Berlin comes immediately to mind, not just for the stripped-back prose and down-to-earth construction, but also in the way metaphor is deftly handled at every level of the narrative – a recognition of the beautiful poetry in the mundane things we do. The few flash fiction stories feel at home as well, with Bourne taking a poetic idea […]