John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A clever continuation of Jane Austen’s literary legacy, Something About Lizzy: Family Secrets Post-Pride and Prejudice by Robin Elizabeth Kobayashi is an emotionally penned testament to female friendship and self-discovery. Navigating her sixteenth year in the company of her cousin Elizabeth Darcy, young Sofia-Elisabete learns that even a seemingly perfect life can be rife with secrets and regrets. Peeling back the layers of polite society and marital conflict in a fictional but familiar world that loyal readers have come to love, this novel laces surprisingly timely themes of empowerment, bullying, and open communication into a dazzling 19th-century drama with […]

A necessary fictional plunge into the annals of history’s unsung heroes, Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women is a perfectly curated collection of fearless women making their mark on the world. From charming murderesses and devoted patriots to battlefield heroines and rebellious homemakers, these tales of extraordinary women and their dangerous deeds span centuries and nations, for a well-rounded and insightful compendium of unheard voices. The distinct and polished prose of the contributing writers brings their imagined achievements to life, resulting in a captivating, thought-provoking, and undeniably inspiring collection. Transcending the tired themes of compulsory courtship and domesticity, these […]

A compelling work of sci-fi dystopian fiction that hits satirically close to home, Strange New Variations on Life: Escape from Planet Earth (The Pystead Group Book 2) by James Pryor is an expansive and thrilling continuation of this wholly original series, which sees the ambitious Pystead pilgrims leave Earth’s unsafe seas and take to the stars, but their Martian destination is far from a welcoming sanctuary. Navigating mind-bending dualities and alternate personalities, Alice, Philip, and the rest of the crew embark on a turbulent journey into a new chapter for humanity. The prose occasionally feels unpolished and inconsistent, which can […]