Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Thoughtful, engaging, and arresting. A ticking clock diligently marks the unflinching forward march of time, but B. L. Bruce takes a more organic approach in her elemental poetry collection, Blue California Sky. Tender buds, fallen snow, and fledgling birds chronicle the passage of time, while emphatic verse touches hearts and journeys through the quotidian experiences […]
A heartening tale about ordinary people thriving under extraordinary circumstances. Local lore tells the tale of an unfaithful wife, Wairaka, who paid for her infidelities by being cast into rock. Six centuries have passed and the stone lookout at Wairaka Point still stands, watching over Nick James and his family home. It is sometime in
A resonant journey that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Memoirs and biographies often captivate us with personal tales of extraordinary experiences that can inspire courage and hope. Though we don’t all sail the stars or overcome oppression, most of us have unique stories and interesting anecdotes worth sharing. Proof can be found in Mark Shaiken’s
Local lore is expanded and rosy glasses are shattered. No longer a naive rural girl who dreams of an action-packed life, Blue Haven is now living a frenetic adventure of her own. Though leaving the protection of New Haven for the first time in her life should be an amazing experience, an earlier attack left
Children will love every quirky page of this ultra-silly story. It‘s the spooky season and you just received an exclusive invitation to a most unusual event. Delivered straight from the clutches of a wide-eyed bat, you have been invited to a wacky costume party and the festivities are slated to begin at nightfall on October
A lovely addition to any little ocean-lover’s library. Ten Little Sea Turtles is a cheerful children’s counting book by Kim Ann. The adventure begins as the first smiling sea turtle emerges from the sand and makes its way to the ocean. The moonlit journey soon introduces a second, then a third friend as they head
Intrigue is present throughout, with the writer’s imagination and rich world-building keeping readers invested until the end. Beneath the grime and glamour of Seattle city life, where any sense of morality is as rare as a comet, lies a waking nightmare that needs to be stopped in Miguel Hernandez Jr’s novel, Spider’s Bait. The vicious
Everything about this edgy collection builds eager anticipation for what else the authors have in store. Black Magick: 13 Tales of Darkness, Horror & the Occult showcases a range of macabre tales penned by seasoned masters of the genre and rising stars in the world of nightmarish fiction. From inevitable deadly ends to the mystery
A heartfelt novel about trust, tolerance, and aging with—and sometimes without—grace. Life keeps handing Sunny all the hits, but even a period of homelessness can’t slow her down. Gwendolyn runs in fashionable circles back home in New York, though an extended trip to California challenges her ideas on sophistication. Charlie might have a bestselling novel
Emotionally demanding and profoundly rewarding. Laney was barely even legal when Franklin, a man ten years her senior, took her as his wife. Four lackluster decades pass before Laney decides to go a different route. “Forty years is enough. I think it’s time to put a period at the end of this sentence.” Much to
A beautiful story of loyalty and tenacity. They may share a similar upbringing, but cousins Cate and Albie couldn’t be more different. As kids, they go to the same Catholic school, play together, and have friends in common. But that doesn’t mean they have the same ideas on how the world should work. Cate isn’t
A pulsating thriller. Colby Tye isn’t winning any awards for Father or Husband of the Year, and he’s fine with that. He’s an unrepentant bully in his own home and isn’t afraid to let his menacing personality surface around his neighbors when they pry into Tye family affairs. A community church offers some assistance, but
A blend of flavors and textures that will entice any reader. Ah, an Italian wedding! The perfect setting to reflect on your marriage vows. For Toni Agosti, her wedding day feels more like a million years ago rather than the decade she’s brushing up against. At first, Christian was her perfect match, an adventurous soul
A novel that demonstrates resilience in the face of even the most daunting challenges. Few among us would relish time in prison, but if we found ourselves incarcerated, certainly that moment of freedom, our eventual release, would be a glorious affair, right? “If anyone tells you getting out of prison is easy or joyful, they’re
An atmospheric fantasy novel that never shies away from complex philosophical topics. “To an alchemist, the pursuit of knowledge is the most enthralling crusade upon which to embark. The only worthy quest for an endless existence.” Foremost among the alchemists of The Orders, The Rector has filled their purposeful existence by zealously collecting and expanding
A melodic story about finding one’s voice when all has seemingly been lost. Memories can be a double-edged sword, a wonderful tool for recalling our most treasured moments but also a terrible weapon reminding us of things we wish we could forget. For Simon Richter, the ability to wield his sword of memories is waning
Thrills and chills swirl into a freaky collage of depravity and camaraderie. For a town as quaint as Lost Grove, the imposing Orbriallis Institute is an odd juxtaposition. The modern facility has an impressive reputation for its cutting-edge research, but rumors of unorthodox treatments and unscrupulous methods keep even the nosiest neighbors from prying. What
An effervescent novel that is easy to read and even easier to get completely lost in. Known affectionately as the Wedding Wizard, Cassia is thorough, thoughtful, and meticulous, bordering on neurotic. She’s also a half-human, half-faerie single mom who can see magic, but after nearly 30 years, still can’t make any of her own. A
A sentimental trip down memory lane that will leave you eager to spend time with family. A growing boy and his mother share a touching moment in Christina M. Carroll’s charming picture book, The Things I Love. As the little boy settles into bed for the night, they consider the pictures in a memory book,
A gentle tale that soothes like a lullaby. The citizens of Pernia ought to be enjoying celebrations across the kingdom for Prince Faaris on his eighteenth birthday. Instead, the royal family is attacked and the city of Asteris is thrown into chaos. The King’s trailblazing new law is upended and Faaris is left vulnerable. Unsure
Absurdly addictive fiction at its finest. After a meaningful run working for the San Francisco Police Department as a homicide detective, Seth Wolf has returned to his hometown. Accepting the position of sergeant isn’t a promotion by any stretch, but it allows him to care for his aging parents. When the body of a lifeless
Entirely analytic and unrelentingly optimistic. Have you ever been looking for an answer to a question only to find that the deeper you dig, the more complex the question becomes? After looking in many directions and from different angles, you finally conclude that the right solution is the simplest one. For Dr. Tony Nader, substantial
Just what children need to realize how special they truly are! A children’s book full of positivity, inclusivity, and warmth, I’m Beautiful Because I Am is one that kids will not only love to read, but also learn essential qualities from, such as kindness, empathy, and gratitude. Azizi Tuere’s gorgeous picture book helps young ones
A balanced tale that remains refreshingly optimistic. Seattle wasn’t always home to grunge bands, the Space Needle, and soy lattes. In the 1940s, northwestern Washington was known for gasoline shortages, scrap drives, blackouts, and relocation assembly centers. Amid this turbulent landscape is young Scotty Johannsen, the quintessential teenage American boy finding his place in the
