John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Haunting and raw in its exploration of grief, The End by Adam Cosco is an enigmatic spiral of heartbreak, memory, and one man’s desperate search for closure. Following the devastating loss of his brilliant girlfriend, Eli seeks answers from a secretive group of philosophers and thanatologists bizarrely linked to Selene’s death. The deeper he digs, the more mysteries emerge, including a family legacy of occult belief that blurs the line between sacred, prophetic and profane. Laced with potent language, ontological themes, and the looming weight of Big Tech’s bleeding edge, this utterly unique novel is a chilling portrait of mortality […]

A female-focused guide to building a resilient, profitable business, and an uncensored critique of inequality, UnF*ck Your Business Finances: Unlearn the Shame, Reclaim the Power and Change the Game by Laura Linden is a bluntly expressed but critical guide, which effectively straddles the line between business manual and self-help. Beginning by defining the broad pathways for self-made success in a tough environment, as well as the financial essentials that many entrepreneurs miss, Linden goes on to reveal myriad strategies for expanding capital, engaging investors, and ultimately securing one’s financial autonomy. From streamlining business operations and mastering a balance sheet […]

Offering a stabilizing framework for overcoming addiction and sustaining recovery, The Three Steps to Freedom: A Simple Path to Recovery by Alice J is a down-to-earth manual for effective renewal. Rather than offering vague inspirational language, the book clearly defines the elements of successful recovery, outlines the necessary commitments for success, and unpacks the complex notion of relapse, including how to mitigate the risk, manage the fallout, and formulate a Relapse Recovery Map. Capped off with a strong list of real-world recovery resources for those in acute need, this is a concise but comprehensive tool for long-term wellness, which is […]

The specter of guilt comes calling in The General’s Wife by Suzanne Dana, a well-paced drama giving an intimate glimpse into the hardships and stoicism of military spouses. When the wife of a celebrated general becomes the victim of a blackmail plot, she must wade into the battle of drowning the secrets of her past once and for all. From burnt-out San Diego surfers to elite squadrons of Navy Seals, this neatly woven narrative touches on the tragic turning points and life-altering decisions that shape our paths. Celebrating patriotism and service, while also hinting at the potential for a darker […]