Editorial Reviews

An homage to a beloved piece of boardwalk history, Mr. Fascination and the Fascination Machines by Michael Jasorka is an eye-opening peek into the colorful history of electro-mechanical pinball machines. This niche graphic novel traces the century-long journey of the mechanized arcade game Fascination, telling the tale of its mysterious mob ties, cult classic fame, and underdog survival in that growing industry. Written in comic book style, there is an overreliance on expositional bubbles that can be difficult to differentiate, but the illustrations and obvious passion for the project elevate the book over some stumbles in presentation. Celebrating a piece […]

An extraordinary adventure into the darkest halls of power, Menace: An Agent Dean Cold Novel by Ray Keating is a confidently cool piece of Cold War sci-fi, coupled with top-secret action. To stop a clandestine takeover of the Soviet Union by mind-controlling tech, Agent Dean Cold must put aside his grief at the loss of his partner and face down a sinister cabal of Commanders bent on pushing the world towards nuclear war. Joined by a handful of Secret Service vets and a drum-playing chemist, this spy-game group of companions becomes the first and last line of defense against a […]

A gritty but tongue-in-cheek satire of hard-boiled gumshoe fiction, Sham Shamus by Charlotte Stuart is a creative twist on the private eye genre, where the lines between hunter and hunted disappear entirely. When P.I. Eric Henderson is hired to find a ruthless political climber and informant who’s wanted by the mob, the case hits shockingly close to his dangerous double life. Cleverly laced with witty dialogue, a razor-sharp protagonist, and slick but believable supporting characters, this multilayered work of detective fiction manages to be both amusing and suspenseful, expertly pillorying old-school detective novels while also showing abundant reverence for the […]

A stunning read that swelters with tension and sultry grit, The Devil Take the Blues by Ariel Slick is a macabre masterpiece of family, sacrifice, and the seductive charms of darkness. In a bid to save her sister’s life, Beatrice must make a deal with Old Scratch, who’s currently seeking desperate souls and top-shelf music in small-town Louisiana. As forbidden hearts entangle and time runs short on Beatrice’s hunt for the would-be killer, the full picture of this hellish web dramatically comes into focus. This immersive and sharply penned novel is marked by consistent linguistic flair and the author’s unflinching […]

A heart-rending tale centered on faith, power, independence, and redemption, Please Don’t Marry Me: The Alyssa Holt Story by Irene Williams is a searing portrait of feminine survival in a world built by men. On the cusp of womanhood, Alyssa Holt runs away to Los Angeles to escape a marriage proposal from her lecherous small-town pastor, eventually finding happiness with new friends and a positive direction in life. However, Alyssa is soon drawn into another marital scam, one that echoes her past trauma, forcing her to confront what she truly desires in terms of love, connection, and commitment. Despite leaning […]

A raw, uncensored, and essential read about dirty deeds in the digital age, Sex Bytes by TechChick is a graphic peek under the sheets, delivered by a profoundly funny insider. Serving up savagely honest advice on everything from warm-up rubdowns and sloppy kissers to overworked body parts and mind-blowing sex acts, the unabashed author presents a Q&A review of kinky but fascinating knowledge. Whether you need new information on titillating positions, details on bedroom etiquette, or explicit tips on the specifics, this is a necessarily dirty plunge into every bedroom corner you could imagine, acting as both a relationship manual […]

A critical guide to understanding our internal body and solving the mystery of persistent negative symptoms, The Vagus Nerve Solution: Science-Backed Methods and Simple Exercises to Calm Anxiety, Restore Deep Sleep & Improve Digestion by Tina Woodward is a thorough compendium of medical knowledge and practical strategies for relief from myriad issues. For many patients, anxiety, sleep disturbances, disrupted digestion, and other common chronic health issues can all be linked to the dysfunction of one often overlooked “master nerve.” This eye-opening book outlines the physiological impacts of poor vagal tone, presents step-by-step techniques for nervous system regulation, and offers long-term […]

A powerful novel about losing yourself in order to find a way home, When Things Go Missing by Deborah J. Brasket is an achingly poignant exploration of femininity, responsibility, and liberation from societal expectations. When Franny boldly heads south of the Baja border, she leaves her husband and grown children behind to fend for themselves and decipher the meaning of her spontaneous vanishing act. With their maternal glue of the family missing, this dysfunctional trio must finally face their failings – pride, apathy, addiction, alienation, and a woeful lack of direction. Featuring sharp, emotional storytelling and painfully flawed characters traversing […]