In the introduction to Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Having a Bad Life: A Memoir, Lewis Kempfer tells readers what his book is not: “It’s not a typical memoir that focuses on one event, nor is it an autobiography, chiefly because I’m not a celebrity....

Gary McDougall’s Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God reads in such a way that you are immediately invested in who this man is and what is transpiring on the page. One of the quotes that really painted a picture for me of what life...

Six Stories Up by Kregg P.J. Jorgenson is actually a captivating collection of five very short stories and one short novella. I cannot remember enjoying a collection as engaging as this one in a long time. What makes it so good is the realistic characterization,...

Planet Twerp by Jacqueline Pansy is the story of a 12-year-old boy called Dean, who while on a cruise ship with his dad, is distressed to hear that a typhoon is heading their way. After his dad tells him that he may have to leave...

At its heart, Earl of Dryden: Chronicles of a Bluestocking by Tammy Andresen is a story about two people who recognize the horrific obstacles they face and learn to trust each other enough to fill the void in their lives. Fin may be an Earl,...

Too Wicked to Woo is the first book in the Chronicles of a Bluestocking series by Tammy Andresen. Miss Penny Clearwater is a sensible woman who knows her bounds and how to get out of sticky situations that life decides to put her in at...

Puerto Rican Love Stories by C.P. Florez is a collection of short stories steeped in love and romance that carry the unique thread of their Puerto Rican flavor and culture. The stories are many and varied. In The Oligarch and the Poet, we see an...

Better Endings is the second book in the Tammy Mellows Series by Tina Hogan Grant; an engrossing novel with a strong female protagonist. Having had her share of heartache and abuse, Tammy Mellows finally escapes from Steven, the heroin-addicted father of her son. Now she...

Sweet Pea loved spending time with her Papa. She helped her Papa by pulling the weeds and planting the seeds while he was gardening. After some weeks the garden was ready to harvest. It was full of beautiful leaves of different shapes and colors. Papa...

Bells, Tails, and Murder by Kathy Manos Penn is a Dickens and Christie Mystery. Leta and her lovable pets are taking on a new mystery as they settle into her retirement in England. Little does she know that her retirement won’t be as quiet and...

When Tempest Raines’ son is held captive in a Russian rebels’ compound, a good friend suggests she approach US Navy SEAL Chance Adams for help. But Adams is a hard sell: he is set in his ways and thinking. He is determined not to let...

In Deception: A Hollywood Mystery by Britt Lind, Josh Sibley, a singer-songwriter, has hopes of making it big one day. With good looks and lots of talent, he finds his personal road to stardom mired in rejections, manipulation, disappointment, and greed. Added to that is...

Traveling Tessa is an adventure fantasy novel for children and preteens written and illustrated by Carrie Crawford Martinelli. Tessa was so excited that autumn had finally arrived. She had been counting the days, almost wishing that they would fly by more quickly. Tessa and her...

Side Steps: Terrorizing Sound Bites is a volume of collected poetry on a variety of personal and socio-cultural themes and was penned by author Amy Jean. Written for adult audiences due to some content and language usage, the work explores the experience of women still...

Loose Lips by Mack Guinness is a gripping suspense thriller set in New Orleans. The main character, Cleveland Jones, isn't a cop anymore, but a veteran who minds his own business running a homeless shelter. His life takes a dangerous turn when he is suspected...

Side Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites Part 2: Some Things are Black and White by Amy Jean, with illustrations by Eric Savage, is a non-fiction poetic memoir that follows Jean's first book and its shared title. Many of Jean's work correlates to her own life and...

Eloquence That Feeds the Soul should be the subtitle for A Sword Song for Blood Roses, a poignant offering of poems by Joan Wiley. While relatively short insofar as books go, A Sword Song for Blood Roses definitely packs a huge emotional punch. It’s divided...

Sasha Savvy Starts It Up is an educational novel for middle-schoolers and preteens written by Sasha Ariel Alston. Sasha’s excitement over starting the new school year as a sixth-grader became even more intense when her mom announced there was going to be a hackathon at...

Journey to Jumbalot by Ryan Wakefield takes readers on a gripping adventure with many wonderful creatures. Professor Wizoom is excited to build a doorway into another world, but his cat, Alby, is afraid to lose him since he had lived as a stray cat for...

A Day with Granny Nelly is a humorous story written by Linda Matesa. Granny Nelly’s grandson comes over to spend the day with her. Right from the start things get a little wild and crazy as they prepare to head to the grocery store. First,...