Book Reviews
Explore thoughtfully curated book reviews that help you discover your next favorite read.
Lonestar Loathsome: Tales of Murder, Monsters, and Mayhem, by Nathan Klayman—Book Review
Nathan Klayman’s “Lonestar Loathsome” serves up a wickedly entertaining anthology of short stories that marries pitch-black comedy with visceral horror, all set against the sprawling backdrop of Texas. This collection of short fiction, promising “Tales of Murder, Monsters, and Mayhem,” transforms the…
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Automation, by Stephanie Paich—Book Review
In her new dystopian novel “Automation”, Stephanie Paich conjures a vision of the future that feels unnervingly plausible, a world where individual agency has surrendered to automation and self-driving transportation pods have reshaped modern life. Told through the eyes of 26-year-old Thomas,…
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From the Desk of Buster Heywood, by A.K. D’Onofrio—Book Review
From page one of “From the Desk of Buster Heywood”, A.K. D’Onofrio invites the reader into an immersive world where the magical and mundane intertwine in a sleepy New England town. Through the eyes of our eponymous unlikely hero—a socially anxious, meticulous…
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Kelly’s Folly, by T. H. Forest—Book Review
In her new novel “Kelly’s Folly”, T.H. Forest delivers a laugh-out-loud and often poignant coming-of-age story that fearlessly tackles the messiness of adolescence in the American Midwest. The novel follows Kelly Townsend, a queer British teenager transplanted from England to the suffocating…
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Signs & Wonders, by Angelic Rodgers—Book Review
In “Signs & Wonders,” Angelic Rodgers throws readers into the heart of Arkansas’s culture wars through the story of Leah McHendrick, a schoolteacher caught between her classroom and her increasingly demanding evangelical church. The novel kicks off with a bang: Leah reluctantly…
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Gifts with Hard Swords, by Scott Telek—Book Review
Scott Telek’s “Gifts With Hard Swords” breathes fresh life into the Arthurian legend, presenting King Arthur not as a distant mythical figure but as a vulnerable teenager thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Though sixth in The Swithen series, this volume works well as…
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Hearts on the Line, by R. Katze—Book Review
From page one, R. Katze’s debut novel “Hearts on the Line” pulls readers into a tender small-town romance that beautifully captures what happens when two people with shared history reconnect after years apart. If you’re craving a cozy, slow-burn romance, Hearts on…
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A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom, by Anna Keibler—Book Review
Anna Keibler’s “A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom” is a vivid and unflinching memoir of her years living in China as a young American woman navigating culture shock, mental illness, bureaucratic chaos, and personal transformation. At times funny, uncomfortable, and heartfelt, the…
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Discovery, by Louise McLaughlin—Book Review
Louise McLaughlin’s “Discovery” is an imaginatively gripping urban fantasy novel that mixes workplace satire with fantasy in a way that feels fresh and oddly believable. At its core, it’s a story about hidden power—who really has it, who thinks they do, and…
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Colony, by Ron Wolff—Book Review
In “Colony”, Ron Wolff offers a compelling and impressively assured debut—a science fiction novel that sets its sights not on battles or interstellar conquest, but on the intimate terrain of coming-of-age in an unfamiliar world. Set on Mars in the aftermath of…
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