John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Capturing the energy, pace, and vibrancy of life in Brazil, Rik Stone delivers a thrilling underworld adventure in A Destiny to Die For. Angelita is a smart and savvy hustler who knows how to survive on the edge of danger, but once she finds a stash of drugs worth a life-changing amount of money, the danger on the wrong side of that edge comes looking for her. Written from Angelita’s colorful perspective, the dialogue and character interactions are believable, while some of the confessional moments feel painfully torn from lived experience. With rich descriptive passages, a vividly depicted setting, […]

A powerful and philosophic approach to self-improvement, overcoming trauma, and finding new direction after disappointment, Change. Self Heal. One Day It Just Clicks by Minii Begum is the kind of book that everyone needs at some point in their lives. Part self-help book and part spiritual reprogramming guide, the wisdom contained in this read is straightforward, but there is also greater depth and meaning that could take readers years to fully understand their complexity. As is true of the title, there is some awkwardness in the prose, as well as repetitive sentence structures and occasionally redundant or restated ideas. On […]

Digging back through a lifetime to his transformative travels as a young man, author Steve Amoia transports readers to a different age in Sardinian Days and Italian Nights. An impressively detailed look back at the history-drenched Italian landscape and the legendary realm of Sardinia, readers will be able to immerse themselves in the vivid descriptions of the sea, the aromas, the emotions, and much more. A coming-of-age story told from the wisened perspective of hindsight, this travel memoir is self-reflective, but the memories themselves don’t feel edited or embellished. Far more than just a travelogue, Amoia subtly philosophizes on […]

A spiraling thrill from start to finish, The Return of Dragons by R.R. Harper is an imaginative YA adventure that will be a hit with high-fantasy fans. After more than eight centuries, dragons have returned to Narow, sparking chaos and power struggles across the land, as one young man with a magical bond to these legendary beasts begins the search for his destiny. Despite the classic premise, this coming-of-age story is wildly unique, with a creative magical history, richly developed protagonists (and villains), an unpredictable storyline, and a patient storytelling voice. All told, this world-building debut has laid impressive groundwork […]