The Tower of Blue by Eric Locsh is an epic adventure that begins with a completely naked Mr. Blue forcing his way into his neighbor's house so that he can call the police to report that his house was robbed, including his phone. Amidst all...

The Captain & the Queen is a young adult coming of age novel written by Phillip Vega. Mateo Nelson expected that his senior year of high school would be relatively smooth and predictable sailing. His grades were decent; his SAT scores were respectable, and his...

The Starfarer by Petra Landon is about two different people who come from culturally different planets. Their names are Sila and Zh’hir and they meet by chance when Sila is brought aboard Zh’hir’s space ship by accident. Terrified and alone, Sila calls out in her...

The Princess Mermaid and the Missing Sea Shells is a fairy tale for children written by Michael J. DiPinto and illustrated by Bobbie Marsh. There once was a beautiful mermaid princess who loved to spread seashells over the beaches at night for visitors to find...

The Mango Seed Doll by Karlene J. Froling is the story of Salon who was born in a tree covered by leaves, and hung there with her brothers and sisters. She was removed from the tree when she was big enough and placed on a...

The Gaze of Dogs is a work of adventurous mystery fiction penned by author Leon Saunders. The central mystery lies in main character Ned Sheridan, who remembers nothing about his life before being delivered to a hostel in St Andrew’s by a mysterious man. But...

In quickly trying to get her adoptive parents' house ready to sell after their deaths, Karen Johnson runs across an old trunk in the attic of the house. The trunk is full of old family historical memories Karen is eager to check out, and in...

The Meaning of Life: A Guide to Finding Your Life's Purpose by Nathanael Garrett Novosel is a compelling work that provides tools for readers to find their purpose and to embrace it. While the title suggests a work that is motivational, the book is written...

The Goddess Within by Iva Kenaz is the sequel to the historical fantasy book The Witch Within, reading as a stand-alone with its young protagonist, Berka. With knowledge of what Berka divinely possesses, she is raised by her father in the 16th-century Italian wilderness, one...

Frankie the cow was grumpy and her problem was that she did not like the view. That was all that she talked about and she had no time for her friends. One summer morning a hedgehog was passing through the fields and saw Frankie standing...

The Cries of the Butterfly: A Love Story by Rajeev Roy is an emotionally charged and exceptionally beautiful story of love and indulgence in that love. There was a time when Wolf Butcher was a happy man. He had everything that he could ever wish...

The Tournament’s Price is a work of historical fiction focused around young adult protagonists and knightly adventures and was penned by author Given Hoffman. Written as the opening novel to the Marked series, this highly engaging and nuanced work takes us back to the age...

In The Emperor’s Assassin by Autumn Bardot, Locusta of Gaul had greater plans for herself than those placed in the path by the Faiths. The daughter of a vintner, she will marry a man chosen by her father and aunt. However, after a brutal attack...

The Lines Between Us is a work of fiction in the historical, family drama, and contemporary mystery sub-genres, and was penned by author Rebecca D'Harlingue. Combining the seventeenth and twentieth centuries via the passage of time, letters, and diaries, this is an enthralling story about...

The Cousins Crime by Manasi Patil is a charming novella with all the right ingredients needed for an afternoon of whodunit mystery, filled with suspense, several suspects, and a satisfying ending. When Krisha and her brother Aarav bicycle to their favorite doughnut shop, Glazer’s Bakery,...

Life on a farm is something many of us cannot even imagine. There is something special about being in contact with nature and animals, and The Parables of Sunlight by Margaret Dulaney explains it very well. In her splendid book, Dulaney tells how she bought...

The Treasure of Peril Island: An Adventure for Teens is a good, old-fashioned swashbuckling tale. Jack is somewhat down on his luck. He has just decided to apply to be a steward again when he crosses paths with an unusual fellow who claims to be...

The Knackerman Who Salvaged the Stars by Caroline A. Connell is a tale that pits humanity against a powerful force. He is invincible and his despicable act sows death in its wake. People see dead bodies from every part of the city piling up. The...

I usually avoid reviewing books of poetry for one simple reason: these are the hardest books to review. But after I read the poem excerpt Michael Pedretti used in his description of the Dog and I, a short collection of 27 of his poems, I...

Many people seek answers to fundamental questions about life. Does the afterlife exist? And how can we find out if our opinions about it are correct? These questions are fascinating but difficult to answer, and anyone who tries to do it deserves our undivided attention....