Editorial Reviews

A gritty and steamy post-apocalyptic novel where violence is king and trust is the rarest currency, Rise by Margot de Kerk is a hard-nosed opening to The Iron Fists series. Harley is a tough-as-nails bartender at the only hotel in a burned-out town, but when a charming and mysterious construction trader arrives, it doesn’t take long for the gossip to start flying. The chances for actual romance amidst societal collapse and a minefield of gang rivalries are far from good, but Harley is not one to back down from a challenge. Written with an intentionally rough and raw pen, where […]

Diego the Smelly Dog, written by A.G. Russo with illustrations by Alona Baulina, is the story of the unique friendship between Ava and Diego, a smelly stray dog who shows up at her house. Ava is not allowed a pet because of the expense, so she must bring him to the shelter, but will anyone pick an old dog as their companion? A heartwarming tale with a happy ending, the story is both dramatic and tender, sending an important message about caring for those who may be unwanted and neglected. Finely illustrated with pictures that tell a story even […]

A riveting YA ride, The Ties That Bind by Susan L. Markloff is the globe-spanning second chapter of her Human-Born Era series. After defeating Cregorous with an ominous prophecy and seizing her foretold destiny, Jen must now connect with the other Human-Born hybrids scattered around the globe. However, the US government is hot on her trail, the ultimate motives of the mysterious Agerians remain suspect, and Jen still hasn’t tapped into the full depths of her power. With fast-moving action scenes and a colorful array of heroic young characters on bumpy journeys of self-discovery, this is an endlessly creative and […]

A mixture of academic intrigue and romantic torment, Southern-Fried Woolf by Drēma Drudge is a clever and intelligently written work that is part essay and part fiction. While dealing with yet another scandal around her rockstar husband Michael, Briscoe also has to write her thesis on Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse. Healing through her literary work, sassy band manager and country music lover Briscoe attempts to make sense of her husband’s infidelity in a way one only can through art. A celebration of how books and music can help one transcend life’s daily trials, Southern-Fried Woolf is a quick-witted […]

A gritty tale of revenge, lust, and the fight for freedom, Fate by T. Kennington and C. Roth is the enrapturing second piece of their Karma and Fate Duet. Rowan and Micah are done running after finding something worth fighting for in the sultry embrace of LA, setting the stage for a traumatic face-off with their respective demons. However, Micah knows very well how dangerous her past can be for those she loves, and as the circle of retribution closes, it’s only a matter of time before more blood is spilled. Despite some awkward dialogue and plot twists that […]

The perennially empowering hero for a new generation returns for another adventure in Athens Ophelia The Partitioner: The Catalyst Lyrics by Zachary Aneiress. After years of searching, Athens has finally found his tribe, a truly eclectic team of heroes, but amassing those forces of good only seems to encourage ghosts from the past to start hunting for revenge. Watching the Guardians of the Cosmos crystallize into a more functional team, rather than Athens always battling solo, makes for a nice shift in the series, and adds valuable depth to the lineup of characters. However, there is a consistent lack of […]

Lucky Red: A Lunar New Year Tale by Mika Mayen is an enchanting children’s picture book to discover the legend behind the Lunar New Year. One day a man in red arrives at a village by the sea and promises the villagers to rid them of a terrible beast, colorfully brought to life by illustrator Icha Jati. While some of the language may be a bit complex for young children and need explanation (“plagued” or “bleakness,” for example), the eye-catching illustrations are incredibly vivid and expressive throughout, and the captivating storyline offers important cultural instruction. All told, this is an […]

A scattered gathering of memories, visions, and streams of enlightened consciousness, Welcome Home: What if I chose to live after death? by Gaspar Michel is an abstract exploration of life and death. This experimental memoir reads like a dream journal crossed with a philosophical thought experiment, adding a healthy dose of spiritual cross-examination and Christian revelation. The final thesis merges ideas of personal connection, heroic meaning, and truly believing that God will answer our prayers, for a conclusion that is both surreal and thought-provoking. That said, the reading experience is undeniably hurt by poor formatting, problematic editing, and a lack […]