John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Mary Ann V. Mercer, Psy.D delivers an authoritative guidebook for surviving and thriving in Bouncing Back from Difficult Times. This well-researched and data-driven book not only examines contemporary beliefs and science surrounding personality, group dynamics, self-esteem, and mental health, but also humanizes these delicate subjects with a deft narrative pen. The general tips for optimism, and other practical strategies, balance the theoretical and more abstract elements of the book, for a well-balanced overview that reaches far beyond traditional self-help. For those who have suffered difficult times or will in the future – namely, all of us – this book […]

A fierce and confident collection of poetry from the prolific Samuel Ludke, Foreign Currency is a bold compendium of raw, personal verse. Seemingly born for a spoken-word slam, as with Ludke’s other work, these pieces have the flow and attitude of a hip-hop riff, but also the vulnerability of a confessional. Though the form is relatively consistent, the themes bounce from cocky praise of a partner to confused mourning, or from painful personal narrative to deep societal analyses, showing that Ludke’s skill as a wordsmith encompasses both style and scope. A bit more creativity in the imagery would help this […]

Blending stream of consciousness, dark symbolism, and raw verse, Can’t Hold On by Samuel Ludke is a powerful collection of non-traditional poetry. Beginning from a point of personal pain, and expanding into a more general reflection on existence, redemption, violence, and salvation, this is intense and evocative poetry. The more prose-leaning pieces are particularly charged and visceral, but there is some awkwardly chosen phrasing in the poems that strays beyond poetic license. In a short collection, every piece should land clean and memorable, so while Ludke’s offering is strong, and certain pieces are especially powerful, the collection is somewhat uneven […]

Two curious young adventurers find themselves in the strange heart of a magical forest, and at the center of their own family secrets, in The Way of the River by Shan L. Spyker, the first book in the Kellandale Wood series. Despite a high-fantasy atmosphere reminiscent of Narnia and other incredible YA realms, this story remains a uniquely plotted tale, as well as deeply symbolic. The concept of nature being a source of untold power and strength, coupled with a healthy nod towards paganism and older belief systems, makes this novel impactful for a broad range of readers. The prose […]