Editorial Reviews

A tense and multilayered legal thriller, Bad Day for Justice by Charlotte and Don Stuart sits at the captivating crossroads of courtroom procedural, military conspiracy, and cold-case drama. When a potential washout from the US Navy disappears over Canada in a stolen aircraft, top-notch attorneys Duncan Carmichael and Sydney Warren are conflicted at every turn by the case, particularly when the pilot’s father-in-law is mysteriously murdered. Decades later, the unresolved mystery resurfaces, drawing the pair of lawyers into a sinister web of governmental deceit, geopolitical history, and haunted families with old axes to grind. Sharply penned and mesmerizing in detail, this second standalone installment in the Warren & Carmichael Legal Thrillers series is a provocative page-turner that reveals the long and tangled arc of justice.

A bloody mix of fantasy action and snarky fellowship, The Quest for Freedom (The Conquest Trilogy Book 1) by Matthew Devitt follows one man’s impossible struggle to change the world. Armed with the singular goal of liberating humanity from interspecies oppression, Fletcher Rush is a spitfire leader battling the demons, angels, elves, and hybrids who rule the divided realm of Affer. From plotting the takeover of elvish cities and surviving soul-sucking nightmares to threatening murderous queens and handily defeating an endless stream of NPC-like enemies, this novel careens from one intense battle to the next. While the story arc is accessible and quick-moving, the protagonist can often seem superhuman in his abilities and physical resilience, which lowers the stakes overall. The prose could use an additional polish to inject more layered emotion into the story, but the premise of a heroic struggle for liberation is timeless and well-conveyed, providing a thoughtful thematic exploration of prejudice in the quest for power.

A salacious slice of romance in the Pacific Northwest, About Yesterday (Foothills Book 5) by Carrie Thorne is a boundary-pushing work of romance that also dives into family ties and the awkward joys of coming home. Exhausted by an endless carousel of terrible first dates, Trace Perry’s mundane life is shaken up when her former foster brother Cole returns home, broken and longing for the peace of the past. As the spark of their childhood friendship is rekindled, the star-crossed pair lean into unexplored temptations in their playful search for comfort and connection. Expertly capturing the feel of halting intimacy and the unpredictability of love, this nearly taboo novel is a slow-burning escape to be savored.

An epic YA adventure that blurs the boundary of reality and imagination, Rairarubia by W. Royce Adams is an inspiring tale of survival, self-confidence, and the power of friendship. Molly and her father begin co-creating a story about the lavish kingdom of Rairarubia and two unlikely heroes – Romey and Sam. Under the influence of a nasty flu bug, Molly embarks on a storytelling journey with this pair of fictional adventurers, but when artifacts from Rairarubia start appearing in the real world, she discovers that her dreams may be a gateway to an impossible realm. Elevated by a consistently charming narrative voice, the empowering plot presents the idea that our minds are powerful vehicles for both escape and knowledge, which provides a subtle but vital message about the priceless nature of creativity, resulting in a richly told and original work of YA fantasy.

An emotional outpouring of memory and reflection, Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry by Larada Horner-Miller is a poetic portrait of three transient years and the indelible marks they left behind. Detailing her eager plunge into love and a fresh life of adventure, followed by the painful negotiations of a perennially rocky relationship, this catalogue of experience is both relatable and raw, supported by a free-form storytelling style rife with blunt truths. Through vivid musings on her inner self and the external realities sprawled out before her, this second piece of an ambitious memoir is a poetic journey on multiple levels, welcoming readers into the full spectrum of life’s joy and woe.