Editorial Reviews

Steeped in wartime drama and driven by storybook romance, The Secret of the Grand Hôtel du Lac by Kathryn Gauci is a riveting work of historical fiction. Peeling back the lore of the French resistance during World War II, this novel is both a gripping spy thriller and a deeply personal adventure of a dauntless rebel in uncharted territory. With a mesmerizing ability to transport readers into barrooms and battlefields as readily as quaint French towns and dense forest landscapes, Gauci weaves a rich, well-constructed tapestry of language, suspense, and history in this enthralling, page-turning read.

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A dark and ominous thriller, Rites and Wrongs by Holly Harrison is a deep dive into history, faith, and their occasionally violent intersection. With descriptive writing that brings southwestern landscapes and mysterious traditions to life, this book is research-rich, penned with confidence, and armed with a consistent narrative voice. Though the pace slows in some passages and chapters, this is a deeply engrossing read overall, backed up by exceptional storytelling chops, a strong ear for dialogue, and engagingly flawed characters that are hard to forget.

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A whimsical and wickedly fun read that leaps off the page in vivid and detailed illustrations, Badfreaky: The Meanest Witch is a wildly creative new children’s book by Konstantinos Adamopolous. Tracing the tangled tale of Meanloudmouth and Badfreaky, this book plunges young readers into a magical world of nasty witches, quirky characters, daring adventures, sinister schemes, and an upside-down town in desperate need of saving. Although some of the language feels stilted or awkward, possibly due to jumbled translation, the images are mesmerizing and this smile-inducing story is an unpredictable delight.

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Displaying the flexible mind of a scholar, artist, and mystic, Duncan Van Etten has built a profoundly good first-time collection of poetry in The New Orations: Vol. 1. Moving effortlessly between poetic forms of haiku, free verse, and sonnets, and dancing between complex subjects of jealousy, hope, nature, and even the futility of art, Van Etten demonstrates a versatile style, respect for tradition, and a mastery of language. Along with the more prose-leaning pieces often resembling lyrics or spoken-word improvisation, there are poems that will pique any reader’s interest, whether you love hip-hop, Shakespeare, or Ginsberg.

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David Myles Robinson raises the bar once again with the legal exploits of Pancho McMartin in Tropical Deception, the fourth installment of his series. Combining the tension of a murder mystery with the procedural drama of a legal thriller, along with a colorful cast of suspects, this novel is a quick and enticing read. Despite the occasionally flat delivery of dialogue and exposition, the story is laced with tempting red herrings, cleverly penned language, and a deftly crafted plot. For those readers seeking an immersive escape with a healthy dose of tropical swagger, Robinson makes it hard to stop […]

An ambitious and visceral work of dark fantasy, Wolf Omega by Joseph Stone is a fantasy delight for lycanthrope lovers, and anyone who enjoys a wild, generation-spanning epic. Expanding the literary lore of werewolves in new and creative directions, this 17th century adventure is a well-researched novel of self-discovery, empowerment, family, and vengeance. Dripping with rich language, the storytelling is patient, thanks to the author’s confident voice, and undulates between dramatic dialogue, intrigue, and action. Aside from the occasional clumsy or hackneyed description, this second installment of The Lykanos Chronicles is a ravenously good read.

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Drawing on a broad spectrum of fields and perspectives, Predict Your Success is an intuitive and impactful guide for discovering your authentic path and remaining resilient through life’s storms. The declarative confidence of the author is encouraging, breaking the complex and daunting tasks of self-improvement and goal achievement into much more digestible steps. The author’s tone is perfectly balanced between an authority and a trusted advisor in this original and engaging personal development guide.

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An homage to fatherhood, history, and America’s beloved pastime, Shadows of Swayne Field by Ronald R. Harrington is a masterful journey of memory and a nostalgic adventure into the past. Family secrets and paternal legacies give this book a looming sense of mystery, while Harrington’s patient storytelling and creativity will appeal to readers of all genres, whether they’re sports fans or not. While there are some editing errors and occasionally heavy-handed passages of exposition, the narration is charming and the characters are relatable. Ultimately, this book is a love story to baseball, a celebration of forgotten history, and a narrative […]