John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A tongue-in-cheek urban fantasy thriller, A Devil in Every Dark Corner by Amanda Braun Boe is a witty and witchy supernatural mystery that is impossible to put down. Imogen thought she had left behind her quirky family’s Otherworldly Investigations, but finds herself pulled back into mystical sleuthing thanks to her perennially perfect little sister. Coming back to the world of magic means facing her oldest demons, tapping into new depths of power she never thought possible, and possibly saving the world. A brilliantly penned, identity-driven drama, with humor laced effortlessly throughout believable dialogue, this is an impressive and entertaining start […]

A romance with the whimsical flavor of a fairy tale, Mightier Than Magic by G.S. Kenney is a delightful romp of royal courting and magical mischief. When the meekest princess of the realm befriends a powerful foreign captive, he becomes her unlikely suitor in this charming coming-of-age adventure. Teenage royal rebellion and young love are common bedfellows, and newfound magical abilities are a perennial plot point in fantasy, but Kenney rises above the genre with her delicate prose, bringing to life the characters’ innocence and memorable passion. A thorough final edit is recommended for typos, grammatical errors, and some smoothing […]

A rebellious young apprentice from an ancient druidic order returns to America and its tech-cult worshippers in Dreams of Electric Valhalla: A Rael Armstrong Adventure by J.D. DeSain. Though she is far more used to cutting down lizard people and vanquishing disguised demons, Rael’s new mission takes her into the machine-learning heart of cutting-edge tech, where the line between science and wizardry is already murky. With tongue-in-cheek narration, sharply witty dialogue, and a brash storytelling style that crackles with contemporary energy, this is an original mash-up of modernity and magic that is unique in the fantasy genre.

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An essential and evidence-based bridge between body, mind, and spirit, The Mindful Path: Combining Psychotherapy and Buddhist Practices by Michael Jones Ph.D. presents the surprising overlap between the tenets of Buddhism and the foundations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Using the language of both belief systems, Jones expertly shows how they can be used in conjunction for meaningful relief from anxiety, sadness, anger, depression, and stress, through two introductory sections and eight comparative chapters, along with personal anecdotes and layman-level breakdowns. A comprehensive guide for life and a modern fusion of seemingly disparate philosophies, this is an accessible and revelatory […]