Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews

Review: Wolf in Wanderley by Dave J. Andrae

Wolf in Wanderley by Dave J. Andrae

An unapologetic tribute to Gen X mentality and the timeless frustrations of aging, Wolf in Wanderley by Dave J. Andrae is a story of haunted pasts, hope for the future, and the cruel paralysis of the present.

Facing the downward slope of his modest career as a fringe filmmaker, Wolfgang Barnes hunkers down in Florida, settling into the limbo of life’s next chapter while working on his version of a memoir. After an unfortunate encounter with a mace-wielding neighbor, Wolf meets Maisy, the punk-rock twenty-something next door, and her mother Katherine, armed with her boomer logic and skeptical caution.

Unbeknownst […]

Review: The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes

The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes

A shocking recollection of abuse, power, and repression in one tragically brief life, The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes is a stirring portrait of emotional processing and the dark secrets we carry too often to the grave.

Following her sudden death, Mary Armstrong’s diary passes into the hands of an old friend, one who never expected to find it full of haunted memories, taboo secrets, and philosophical streams of intense exploration. Layered with intimate confessions about her earliest sexual experiences, including shocking revelations about her father, a prominent conservative Senator, this journal becomes a gateway to Mary’s imaginative and undeniably […]

Review: To Reclaim a Life by Nelson Erlick

To Reclaim a Life by Nelson Erlick

A gritty and unflinching musing on living, dying, and the purgatory that can exist between the two, To Reclaim a Life by Nelson Erlick is a penetrating look at the human psyche.

Following the slow decline of his relationship with Rebecca Wilson, the last love of his life, Richard King faces the tragedy of watching her commit “suicide by cancer.” On her deathbed, she makes him promise to avoid any erratic behavior for two years, a thinly veiled request that he not take his own life, no matter the darkness of the days ahead. He honors her plea, while constantly […]

2026-04-30T09:48:55+02:00April 14th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Return to Dixie by Truscott Jones

Return to Dixie by Truscott JonesTruscott Jones delivers a potent reimagined history of the United States in Return to Dixie, echoing and exploring the stark divides that still sunder America today. 

In this startling vision of the past and present, Lincoln was assassinated before his inauguration, the Civil War never occurred, and the Confederacy persists into modern times, as does its foul legacy of racial supremacy. Within this contentious and creative premise, the story follows a tightly crafted cast of characters – a Shakespearean pair of star-crossed college students, a border-breaking legend of the ring, a sinister sheriff, and a rebellion-loving leader. As their […]

How to Break a Girl by Amanda Sung

How to Break a Girl by Amanda SungA vulnerably told story of three soulmates making their way in a world far from home, How to Break a Girl: Whatever doesn’t break you makes you write a novel about it by Amanda Sung is a striking and original novel about the balance between assimilation and identity.

Three Asian-Canadian immigrants – the endearingly awkward Lily, the strong but scarred Aurora, and Elizabeth, the hopeless romantic – are the trio of protagonists at the heart of this novel, each boasting a richly developed backstory and distinctly entertaining personality. Elizabeth fears falling into the same submissive patterns that she did with […]

Review: Because of His Heart by Stephen A Marvin

Because of His Heart by Stephen A Marvin

A gripping tale of personal sovereignty, soul-searching, and the need to speak our hardest truths, Because of His Heart by Stephen A Marvin is a slow-building masterclass in fractured romance.

When Dr. Erica Seames is surprised by her husband Charles during a shift at the hospital, he witnesses a moment of indiscretion that sends him spiraling into a fit of jealousy and mistrust. His violent reaction and the subsequent rift in their marriage lead Erica to flee, seeking comfort in her childhood home and the anonymous confessional of an online blog.

The thinly veiled truths she reveals through her writing […]

2026-02-02T19:00:12+02:00January 23rd, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

A Girl Like You by John T. Lucas

A Girl Like You by John T. LucasA dramatic work of contemporary fiction set against the seductive and sinister streets of Las Vegas, A Girl Like You by John T. Lucas follows two old friends, James and Erik, as they attempt to escape for a weekend, but instead find themselves adrift in a sea of dangerous decisions.

Erik’s marriage is falling apart in real time when a damsel in distress saunters across his path – Gracie is desperate to escape the sex trade and the cruel pimp that runs her life, and Erik might just be the noble knight she needs to get free. James, in contrast, […]

2025-12-12T16:59:13+02:00December 12th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Review: MIJO: We Bend, Not Break by Francisco Castillo

MIJO: We Bend, Not Break by Francisco Castillo

A stirring portrait of the immigrant tradition in America and the burdens of memory that can bury us, MIJO: We Bend, Not Break by Francisco Castillo is an absorbing tale of resilience and reinvention.

Capturing the intergenerational trauma and trajectories of one fearless Mexican-American family, the story depicts the diverse journeys of Joaquín, his son Alejandro, and grandson Gabriel. From the violent dead ends of rural Mexico and back-breaking work in the tomato fields of southern California to struggling up the white collar tower and assimilating into contemporary US culture, this sprawling narrative runs the gamut of the immigrant experience […]

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