After All by Alan Johnson is a beautiful coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the turbulent years of the ‘60s in Lincoln, Tennessee. Cubby James has two years left to complete college and it already feels like it will take an eternity, and he...

Culling the Herd by Edward Etzkorn is a bold narrative that follows the journey of Chloe Freestaff, a young journalist who wants nothing but to gain recognition in her profession. She follows a group of scientists determined to save mankind from itself. These scientists believe...

White Plains by Rebecca Perkin is a good fantasy tale for young adult readers. I like stories where someone from our version of Earth is taken to another world. The connection to our place and time makes the protagonist’s actions and reactions understandable, but the...

The symbolism in the title of this spellbinding novel caught my attention and I was irresistibly pulled to it. In The Midst of Fire: A Novel by Sierra Kay surpassed my expectations, a story that features great characters, two powerfully contrasting settings, and a conflict...

There could be only thing more impressive than reading Punch Happy by Lux Alani. That would be having the opportunity to meet her in person and/or to hear her talk at one of her speaking engagements. What an inspiring woman and author! In her intro,...

Thirteen is the female protagonist of Fixer 13 by G. Michael Smith, the first book in The Forevers series. Thirteen has just turned 13, and 13 seems to be her lucky number. She seems to be very lucky in general, and very bright, too. She...

Barrow of the Damned is a young and new adult horror novel written by Jonathan J. Drake. Gavin, Dale, Katie and Jane were having a blast during the week-long extended role-play event hosted by Mr. Stephens at the Wardhope Centre, but the foam swords and...

Enlightenment: This Earth by Ken Kirkberry is a sci-fi read with characters and a plot that will appeal to young adult readers. Meet fourteen-year-old Sean, who has just survived a car crash, and hasn’t yet fully recovered from the trauma when he is thrust into...

During a hospital visit, a young woman is detained and incarcerated against her will in the thrilling suspense novel, The Caging at Deadwater Manor by Sandie Will. Jeanie's mother died when she was fourteen, leaving her and her brother to be raised by their father....

There is a saying that I read in Rich Dad, Poor Dad that has stuck in my mind over the years: “The poor and the middle class work for money; the rich make money work for them.” And that is the secret that summarizes the...

Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa for the West by Mansoor Ladha is a gripping memoir that explores a historical event that caused a lot of suffering to millions of people in Uganda in East Africa, and that hastened the exodus of many ethnic...

Brought To Our Senses by Kathleen H Wheeler is a poignantly depicted fiction novel about the agony and trials of a family as they witness the decline of their mother as she ages. Jessica, Teri, and Elizabeth have begun noticing that their mother, Janice, is...

Robert, an old and dying man—older than he realizes—and his intelligent car are driving into Death Valley. He is reminiscing about his wasted life. There is not much else to do except listen to music and view films as the dreary days merge into each...

Do you know what a Guinea Hen is? It is a fowl, much like a chicken, with flaps hanging on either side of their beaks. Originating in South Africa, these birds make excellent guard birds. Charlie is a Guinea Hen. He lives with a flock...

Suppose you were a werewolf that was afraid of the dark. Or a spider that is afraid of bugs? Phantasmagorical Phobias by Michelle Path is a darkly humorous collection of children's short stories that explores fears and phobias. Discover how people and other creatures face...

Intense and intoxicating, Rising Vengeance by Stephen J. Trolly is described as epic fantasy for young adult readers, but it most certainly is a delightful read for all fans of epic fantasy, a story with a powerful setting, great themes, and a conflict that is...

From Australian author C.V. Williams comes an enchanting eclectic collection of short stories titled A Grain of Truth a Pinch of Salt. This compilation brings together tales of familial struggles, love, protection, exploration, health, and aging. And, under her sure hand, each theme is daubed...

Full Circle: A Refugee's Tale by Joe Vitovec is a gripping historical novel that recaptures the horrors of World War II and the suffering inflicted on many people by the Nazi occupation, and the Communist regime that would transform Czechoslovakia into a place of oppression...

Three women. Three generations. Three love stories. All centered on the romantic aura of lilacs. Sara’s marriage was short, her husband lost at sea. Her passion for her lost love never dwindled and, though others tried to court the pretty young widow, no one had...

Sprouting Spiritual Growth: A Memoir and Guide to Spiritual Journaling by Marie Higgins would be “timely” for a reader regardless of where s/he is on life’s journey. Higgins tells of her period of feeling separated from God, and of feeling a growing separation from those...