Editorial Reviews

Sissy, Angela, and Nicki are back in Lila Johnson’s third Fat Girls Club installment, The Queen of Hearts, a hilarious and heartwarming novel about friendship, confidence, and personal growth. Following on from the previous books, these three focal characters continue their challenging and ultimately inspiring lives through the trials of love and self-improvement on different sides of the globe. Humming with authentic dialogue, vivid landscapes, and complex emotions spilled beautifully on the page, this book is an easy slice of fun that still manages to provoke important questions about honesty, image, and societal concepts of success, making this powerfully-voiced book […]

Author Brian J. Purcell bursts into the magical mystery scene with The Divination of Celia Connolly, a dark tale of serial killers hitting close to home, and the tangled world of supernatural policing. Celia is the witty heart of this wicked tale, boasting sharp dialogue and a rebellious attitude that makes her a pleasure to read. Impressive in the depth of the magical mechanism, this new world is a fascinating one to explore, though the prose is a bit heavy on exposition. The narration is overly declarative and procedural, with few moments for reflection, but the boundless creativity on […]

Two memorable lives collide in This City is Empty, an emotionally gripping and challenging novel by Rovshan Abdullaoglu. Willie and Wisam’s unlikely friendship is steeped in intellectual maneuvering and debate, making this both a wonderful story and an educational treasure hunt with gems of knowledge peppered throughout. Driving headlong at tough topics such as depression, psychological disorders, family loyalty, individual honor, and cultural expectations, this story defies classification, but also demands attention. Abdullaoglu weaves philosophy, poetry, rhetoric, and self-reflection in a masterful way, making this novel an unpredictable and ultimately profound read.

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Author Louisa Pateman bares her soul, and her relatable story of unlucky love in Single, Again, and Again, and Again… From the whimsical memories of early childhood romance to the painful reality of a thirty-something who feels doomed to loneliness, this book will strike a chord in anyone who has had a heartbreak, especially if it hasn’t fully healed. Readers trace Pateman’s ever-changing life plan throughout this vulnerable and savagely honest narrative, watching her mindset and philosophy shift in fascinating ways. While this is only one person’s story and strategy for finding self-satisfaction and purpose, there is also universal insight […]

Capturing the root, growth and revelations of romance during a tumultuous time in history, Uri Full of Light by author Holly Sortland is a vivid cultural snapshot and a delicate exploration of personal evolution. Hannah and Uri dominate the storyline of this decade-spanning tale, which includes the awkwardness of youth, challenges to faith and family tradition, compassionate friendship and the pain of both real and vicarious loss. The language is authentic, the detailed scope of the characters’ lives is immersive, and the dialogue is both emotional and believable. While some expositional sections drag in terms of pacing, this remarkable story […]

Simple in delivery and profound in depth, Moments: This to the Next is a soothing collection of thoughtful poetry from Gary W. Burns. Addressing universal and abstract concepts, as well as cerebral truths and meditative peace, many of these poems read like koans or haikus – brief, but intended to be consumed slowly and with great consideration. Many of the messages are classic wisdom restated in a poetic tongue, but there are also unique observations buried in these off-beat verses that hit home. Though some readers may want more complexity, Burns reflects on unifying themes with a subtle touch, making […]

A dissatisfied optometrist attempts to put the fuzzy pieces of his life back together and find a new direction in Blackout: You Gotta Love Phoenix by Frank C. Senia. What begins as a “Hangover”-esque mystery develops into a real-time examination of how we spend our years, and the priceless value of taking a step back from our lives. Penned with an informal, conversational tone that often dips into stream-of-consciousness prose, the writing could certainly use some sharpening, but the main character’s reinvention of his life does keep the story interesting. The pace can feel breakneck, leaving little room for serious […]

A cross-generational tale of suffering and perseverance, The Man on the Rails is an unforgettable musing on the value of life and the prices we must often pay to survive. In a narrative exploration of cultural biases and belief structures, as well as the complex confusion of romance in times of tragedy, this story is anything but a straight line or an easy escape. As is found in Abdullaoglu’s other work, there is an engaging juxtaposition of modern knowledge, ancient cultural traditions, and intense philosophical effort. While this cerebral undercurrent can occasionally make the story feel cold – a vehicle […]