Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
No, this isn't a book about surviving the arduous Oregon Trail or turning to cannibalism in the Donner Pass (like we were kinda hoping), however, this is a book about survival, adaptation, reconciliation, and reconnecting with ones roots in the midst of adversity. This is a story about a conflict and tension within a family. It's a story about what the words “stability” and “security” truly mean. This is the story about a couple torn apart and at odds, each with their own sympathetic and understandable motivations. This is a story about children who have to adapt to life without the modern conveniences they took for granted. It's the story about one child's fall from grace in the absence of a father. It's the story about parents separated from their children—generations and legacies severed and mended. It's the story about a woman's struggle to make things work against overwhelming odds. It's the story of a man rediscovering the things which truly matter in life. Tough Trail Home is a compelling novel with a distinct southern-country aura, ! If you're a fan of things like Little House on the Prairie or Alaskan Bush People--shows in which most modern conveniences aren't available to the characters/figures and they're forced to be resourceful—then you might really love this book! Yes, this takes place in a far more modern (or even contemporary time) than Little House, but it has a lot of that same vibe: put a family out in the middle of the new frontier—out in the middle of nowhere—and let them figure it out for themselves. It's from this concept (and the romantic tension) that this book gains a lot of its intrigue. So we've been a bit broad and general about this book so far. What is this book really about? Well, it's ultimately about a family, the Dunwhittys, who receive a combination of good, bad, and ugly news that's sure to shake up any household. Within the span of maybe an hour, the mother of the family, Lisa, discovers that she has inherited an old ranch estate from her recently-deceased Uncle Joe; almost simultaneously, the father of the family (Michael) discovers that he has lost his job. Making matters even more tense and turbulent, the family is late on rent with the threat of eviction looming over them. Furthermore, the terms of Uncle Joe's will dictate that the ranch cannot simply be sold for money and that if Lisa doesn't agree to own and care for it, it will be donated to charity and ultimately lost to the family. So, the family is faced with a tough decision: accept the responsibility of living in and caring for the ranch, stuck in a strange new place with few employment possibilities or move to a big city like Houston or Dallas, banking on Michael's ability to get a new job and to provide for them. This creates immeasurable tension between Lisa and Michael who vehemently disagree on this decision. While Lisa is willing to make the painful decision to move their family out to the middle of nowhere where they can at least stay in and live off the ranch, Michael remains determined to find a new job and be a bread winner. There's a real clash of priorities, personalities, and even life philosophies in this conflict that many readers will be able to relate to. Unlike many books in which one partner is clearly wrong or even “bad” somehow, both partners have good points and both partners are easy to empathize with. Michael, the closest thing to an antagonist in this book, remains relatable and sympathetic even when he's doing things like going after Lisa for making decisions without him or leaving the family to pursue another path. In 99.9% of cases, this would usually turn the character heel. However, a part of us still loved, cared about, and understood Michael. We would want to be included in our partner's decisions too. We would want to have a say in where our families moved too. We would want to have a say in what kind of lives our children lived. And this enhances the next point: Lisa's doting. In 99.9% of cases, when a character is endlessly and relentlessly doting over a lover whom they're separated from, it becomes frustrating and annoying after a while. This is one of the rare cases in which we completely understood and empathized with the way that Lisa felt. At the same time, we also understood and empathized with her decision(s) to keep on going on the path set in front of her—to forge her own path and a path for her family, even in the absence of her husband. This book features a lot of the struggles of living off the grid like a water heater that is often not working, electricity and internet that are unreliable, creaky, old, uncomfortable furniture, dangerous animals like coyotes and coral snakes, a mice infestation, a dead buck caught in the water tank, a wildfire that threatens everything they love and own, and even some humorous inconveniences like skunks. Along the way, Lisa and her family must learn to adapt including learning how to use firearms to protect themselves, using fire to counter infestations, and using homemade remedies to a skunk's spray because, as Jessica humorously says, “I can't go to school smelling all skunky.” They also get some great help along the way including from Carl, a man separated from his children who often looks after and helps Lisa's family as they adjust to the country. Carl is a candidate for “Best Supporting Character.” Speaking of being separated from one's children, there's a running theme of generations, lineages, and legacies that run throughout the book. For example, Michael watches as his son, Andrew devolves into a ruffian and eventually a petty criminal in his absence. Meanwhile, his own father lends a helping hand to Lisa and the kids in his absence, something he was unwilling to do for Michael when he was growing up (due to work and the culture at the time). At the same time, Lisa learns more and more about her family history including of Uncle Joe, Aunt Minnie, and Minnie's mother, Julia. She gradually pieces together her own lineage. “Amazing. Nature sure knows how to clean up a mess.” Check it out on Amazon!
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 Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
A Bargain with Darkness by Peter Eliott welcomes readers back to dark, gripping, and frightening city of Sullward, better known as Hell's Labyrinth, a storm-torn and crime-ridden city full of violence, corruption, and—above all—bidding. Mercenaries—”shadow bidders”—dedicate their skills and often-unscrupulous services to the highest bidders. This includes kidnappings, theft, assassinations, beat-downs, torture, and outright murders. One of the best and most reputable shadow bidders is Vazeer the Lash, the protagonist of the series, who has just survived both a grand conspiracy by the villainous Raving Blade to get him to assassinate the lord of lords and a freak storm called a Swell Driver (similar to a hurricane)—two events the plunge the already-turbulent city into utter chaos. In the aftermath of these events, Vazeer finds himself alone in Hell's Labyrinth without his former comrades, namely Nascinthe (his love), Flerra Tellian (his brood sister), and Hellgrinder (his muscle). Already ravished with guilt and regrets over these losses and the consequences of his career as a mercenary, Vazeer discovers that the events of the previous book have left a huge power vacuum and a frantic race for absolute control of the city. Furthermore, he is pressed by a mixture of both dream-like visions and the cold, hard reality to broker a peace deal—the titular bargain with darkness—with the Raving Blade, Count Ulan Gueritus, himself, a man responsible for the loss of his comrades and a lot of the suffering in the city. He meets many new friends, comrades, and allies along the way like Sebastien, Jisselle, Selene, Cad, and Miles. Selene comes to serve as a bit of a surrogate to Flerra Tellian, his brood sister, with whom Vazeer often compares her. We are also introduced to an important character in Terza Falconbrow, Vazeer's former lover with whom he'd parted long ago. Terza effectively acts in a role similar to Nascinthe in the previous book. Furthermore, a face from the past triumphantly and tragically reappears in this book: Coljin Hellgrinder, the soon-to-be Count Ujendus, a man who—perhaps rightfully—blames Vazeer for abandoning him to certain death. Hellgrinder is now faced with the same choice that Vazeer is: to join the clearly-evil, sadistic, corrupt, murderous, power-hungry, and ruthless Raving Blade as a Baron and gain some sense of immunity/security in the coming war for power, or recognize Count Ulan Gueritus for who he really is: a manipulative and calculating monster who will betray and discard you as soon as he sees no use for you (or becomes mildly annoyed with you). The fate of Baron Adanein, who is brutally tortured and killed, serves as an example to Vazeer of what fate might await him if he displeases the Raving Blade, a man he should hate and despise more than any. However, in this dark world of scarcity and insecurity, Vazeer understands that denying the Raving Blade would mean the end of his career, livelihood, and likely his life. The long-awaited encounter between the two is one of the tensest scenes we've ever read! It also leads directly to one of the greatest action scenes we've ever read, pitting Vazeer against an immensely formidable opponent against whom his old tricks don't work. We wanted to briefly mention that the Raving Blade and Coljin Hellgrinder are given a bit more depth this time around. The Raving Blade, while clearly evil, is also someone—like Vazeer himself—who wants to move on to bigger, better, brighter things in his life. Despite his power and influence, he is still someone who has had to live underground and out of sight for most of his existence. He wants to step out into the light and become almost like a true politician, like a mayor, governor, or king. He wants to be legitimate, in a sense, similar to how Vazeer wants to live a more normal, less-secretive life. Coljin Hellgrinder, one of our favorites from the last book, is also rather sympathetic despite his imposing and antagonistic role in the book. Hellgrinder is a victim just like Vazeer. The two are products of a dark and violent society. They did what they had to in order to survive. There's a part of the reader that still hopes Hellgrinder survives and is able to find some semblance of redemption. Vazeer is definitely a more complex and interesting character in this book. For one, you can really tell that he is full of regrets. His thoughts about Flerra Tellian in particular are sorrowful and mournful while also reflective. He still remembers her in better times. There is one moment when he is trying to tell the story of what happened, and he resists talking about Flerra Tellian for fear of breaking down in tears. This also shows that Vazeer has emotional depth, caring, and compassion. He's not a murderous monster like the Raving Blade and other criminals are. There's a scene in which he gets into a scuffle and one of the hoodlums lands face-down in the puddle. Vazeer has enough of a conscience to lift his head out of the puddle so as to not let him drown to death. He also still maintains his love for art and architecture, still yapping about them in nauseam, which is true to his original character. In fact, one of his huge objections to the Raving Blade is—of all things—the count's desire to own his most prized painting. This is somewhat humorous and bizarre, but it showcases how fixated Vazeer is one his treasures. Hey, if someone tried to take your shiny Charizard card away from you, you'd want to knock their block off too! Now, it is kinda odd to most normal people to read him react this way about an otherwiseminiscule issue, especially given the amount of evil that the Raving Blade is responsible for. However, it is what it is. Vazeer has always been like that. He was obsessed with his harbinger artifact in the previous book for goodness sake. It also needs to be said that Vazeer is very sarcastic and good with words. He also uses his words to talk himself out of bad situations or to delay a bad outcome. One thing that is really exceptional in this book is the world-building. Yes, Sullward is a big, huge, important city, but it is also a city within a land that's rich with history and culture! There are so many discussions about things like the roles of women in this society, the history of the ancient queen who made a lasting impact on the land, the Priestesses of Azmoul, horticulture, nightshade, and even the division between different sections of the land and different peoples like the Tergonians, Tundrians, Derjians, and North Derjians. Everything seems so deep and lived in. That's GREAT world-building! If this book has any weaknesses, despite the somewhat-illogical decisions Vazeer and others make, it's that the pacing can get really slow and bogged-down. The middle of this book is truly a deep valley full of a lot of chit-chat and meandering. Thankfully, the ending of this book is climactic, fulfilling, and great. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)
A mysterious black box is discovered in the heart of London, Stepney, before abruptly going missing! Potentially containing nuclear-grade uranium-235—enough to produce an explosion “something like Hiroshima”—the box is feared to have fallen into the hands of the world's most dangerous people: the notorious Russian mob, a bloodthirsty cartel, a skinhead hate group, extremists, or even outright terrorists! It's a race against the clock for Harry Taylor, a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector), and his special black ops unit of the British police force, SO22, to find the nuke and stop the culprits before they can produce a “new Nagasaki”--a catastrophe of biblical proportions in the heart of the United Kingdom! Deadly Game by film legend Sir Michael Caine had us leaning in and at the edge of our seats! If you love books by Tom Clancy, like his Rainbow Six series, you will absolutely love this book! Aside from the intensity and thrilling nature of the plot, a plot in which death and disaster could await with every page turn, this is really a book that hinges on an immensely compelling and likable character: Harry Taylor. Harry is an old-school, gruff, tough, yet surprisingly lovable veteran of both the police force and the war in Afghanistan. We are told that he was involved in numerous special ops rescue missions in places like Tora Bora, some of the most dangerous and challenging scenarios you could ask of a soldier. He drives a big, heavy, gas-guzzling old fleet vehicle that has gone out of fashion due to fears over climate change (and general modernization). He expresses frustration over what he sees as the excessive regulation, auditing, micromanaging, and handcuffing of law enforcement. It's hard not to feel his pain and to root for him! Anyone who has either served in law enforcement or who has sought justice against criminals only to be told that there's “only so much we can do” (either from law enforcement or the justice system) can empathize with the way that he feels. It is with this in mind that the reader can really understand why his special unit, SO22, exists. We'd compare SO22 to being a mix between SWAT, Rainbow Six, the Navy Seals, MI6, and Blackwater. SO22 does the things that normal law enforcement can't normally do—taking on heavily-armed organized crime groups like the Kricks and assuming and counter-espionage and counter-terrorism duties that you'd expect of the CIA or FBI. Our favorite description of the SO22 unit in the book compares the unit to a “wild-card elite team for special projects”--one that will do whatever it takes to put the bad guys either behind bars or six feet under, eliminating the threat to the public. SO22 was born out of frustrations with the limits that metropolitan police units had to deal with like restrictions and rules of engagement. It is implied that SO22 almost behaves like a private military company or PMC in the sense that, while working with the normal police force, they aren't sworn to the same rules and regulations as the police, thus have less liability. They are less susceptible to the political side of law enforcement which, the book argues near the end, is more about politicians and public officials getting into or staying in office by appeasing the public than actually stopping crime. You can't help but cheer for SO22, both in concept and in practice. It's a “rebuke” to the rest of the police force while simultaneously a blessing to it. There's a certain rebelliousness to it. And, as we all know, each of us has a bit of a rebel inside—the side of us that doesn't like to be told “no” or that “you can't do that.” It also sheds light on the reality of fighting evil—truly, truly vicious, vile, ruthless, and bloodthirsty people. You can't always play nice and talk things through with criminals and terrorists. Sometimes, you have to shoot first and ask questions later. Sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. SO22 is the “fire” in this situation. This is the kind of unit you'd want to run into a school during a mass-shooting and turn the shooter into bloody confetti. This is the kind of unit you'd want to come to your rescue when you're held hostage by white supremacists or religious extremists who want to saw your head off for the internet and the world to see. This is the kind of unit you'd want to be in the mix in recovering a nuclear weapon that could result in the deaths of thousands, tens of thousands, or even millions of people! At the head of the unit, supervising Harry, is Bill Robinson, the hard-nosed, grouchy, and often short-tempered director. This guy is no-nonsense, but he is also a realist. He is the kind of leader you don't want to admit you need in a time of crisis (because he can be a pain in the backside). Also supporting Harry is Sergeant Iris Davis, one of the most gifted and skilled snipers in the world. At age 32, capable, competent, and gorgeous, Iris comes across as an incredible sidekick and female protagonist. She's arguably our favorite character and a shoe-in for our “Hottest Character” and “Best Supporting Character” awards. Not only is she a great shot with a Heckler & Koch G3, and not only is she extremely tough and patient in taking her shots under adverse circumstances, but Iris can also rock a dress and heels (if needed), lean on hardened criminals until they talk (if needed), and even pick locks! What a dreamy gal! She serves as a little bit of a love interest for Harry, but it never becomes creepy, weird, or forced. It's more so implied that he either really likes, admires, or at least appreciates her. One of the subtle hints we get is that “Iris could always make him laugh, and it always felt good.” Whenever characters can make each other smile and/or laugh, you know there's chemistry there. What's also really nice to see is that Harry is protective of her and puts himself in danger to make sure that she's not hit in the middle of a gun battle, that she gets the medical attention she needs when she's hurt, that she's not the first person discovered when one of the bad guys is searching a room full of dead dudes, or hit by debris or irradiated during an explosion. This shows us that Harry, despite being tough on the outside and rough around the edges, has a good, nurturing, and protective heart. He cares about people, especially Iris and his colleagues/comrades. This really elevates him as a character in our eyes. Being on SO22 is a rough existence. We are told that everyone on the unit is either single/unmarried or becomes single/unmarried due to how the job is. It's a “home wrecker.” So, to see these SO22 comrades bond and look after each other is genuinely touching. Now, this plot is a wild one! And there are a lot of potential suspects, many of whom are red-herrings or who overlap. There's Jon, the leader of a dangerous white supremacist group known to have been involved in bombing cultural/religious sites, kidnapping, extortion, torture, and murder. There's Xavier Ramirez, a nefarious Mexican cartel boss known to have forced at least one man to dig his own grave before burying him alive on camera, that on top of likely hundreds if not thousands of murders. There's Vladimir Voldrev, a notorious yet eerily calm and studious Russian crime boss who is called a “Ghost” or an “Obeah Man” (half-demon, half-man) by the people of Barbados he often does business with. Then, there's Julian Smythe, who carries the facade of a wealthy, posh English gentleman seemingly obsessed with collecting art. Believe it or not, given all the descriptions we've given of these horrible, terrible suspects, Smythe comes across as the most annoying, frustrating, and—dare we say—punchable. There's just something about him that makes you want to reach into the page and strangle him for answers like you're Homer Simpson and Bart has just insulted you. Maybe it's just the fact that he seems and acts so higher-than-though or better-than-though. There's believed to be some sort of conflict/blood-feud/rivalry going on between Smythe and Voldrev as the result of Smythe allegedly being responsible for the death of Voldrev's lover aboard a yacht (which answers earlier questions we had about why this book features a boat on its cover when most of the plot of this book takes place on land as opposed to at sea). Now, this comes to make a bit more sense near the end with a few other surprises, but it was a bit muddled and confusing on the way there. Now, this book is a very interesting and intense read, but it has its bumps. There's another character named Carol who is the scientist/nerd/Velma of SO22. She gets her own back story (about being a prodigy, graduating from college in two years or something) and is relevant in providing information and needing to be saved from time to time, but she seems superfluous a lot of the time, especially since a lot of what she says about atomic energy and its history is nothing new to anyone who took basic sciences in college. She also gets heavily overshadowed by Iris in the strong-capable-intelligent-and-beautiful-woman niche. Similarly, the whole thing with the White Supremacists involving Carol or even the side-plot with the Kricks seemed a bit like fluff. We don't want to jump to conclusions, but we felt like that arc might've just been there because so many of the other villains were foreigners (Ramirez & Voldrev) and the sentiments about law enforcement were at least slightly conservative/right-leaning, so the narrative needed some white, right-wing extremists to balance things out. At least the fight with the Kricks helped to establish SO22 as a group of badasses. There's also a scene in this book that we think was supposed to be extremely tragic and shocking, but that came across as unintentionally funny, if not outright hilarious. Here's a hint: it involves a submarine, a bicyclist, and a bazooka. That's some Looney Tunes stuff! Maybe the author wanted to lighten the mood? It's like cracking a joke while the widow is mourning at a funeral. Ok, not gonna lie, we kinda loved laughing at that part. Sometimes, you need a good laugh. There are also scenes in this book that seem drawn out and excessively chatty. There are times when we felt that there was just too much dialogue—too much of characters just sitting around and talking. Yes, some of these guys (like Voldrev) aren't people you'd normally have a conversation with, which you'd think would make these exchanges tense or uncomfortable, but they actually all seemed tame and mellow as if these feared criminals were just “normal people” going about their business. In fact, the interrogation with the low-level criminal who kept frequenting the crime scene was probably the best exchange in the book! Now, that was tense! Yes, you might be able to find a hint or a clue here and there, but it really didn't need to be dragged out that long. It almost feels like the author just didn't want the book to end, adding layer on top of layer on top of layer, creating a Gordion knot that needed to unwind eventually. Furthermore, you could also argue that this book has a pretty wonky, weird, over-the-top ending that we definitely didn't see coming. We'd almost argue that it's almost Hideo Kojima-like in nature. Then again, you could say the same about other such books by Tom Clancy, for example. There is a degree of intrigue that comes from getting to know this mysterious villain in bits and pieces without quite knowing who they really are. For example, the book drops hints about some health problems the villain may be having. He listens to ASMR and takes melatonin to be able to sleep at night, for example. There are suggestions that he might be ill, even terminally so. We wanted to comment on the audiobook version of Deadly Game. It is excellent, albeit somewhat flawed. There are times when it sounds like the narrator gaffed slightly (like when he says the word “Barbarian” and it sounds muddled or edited over). It also sounds like the narrator repeats the line “...to be squeamish further down the line” likely losing his placing. This is understandable. Narrating an audiobook, especially a sizable one like this is a lot of hard work and a ton of pressure! Anyone who has done it or tried to do it before will tell you that it's not easy or simple. You can't really expect perfection, so we're basically nitpicking, which is what we do. A part of us also kinda wished that Sir Michael Caine himself would have narrated this because no one delivers lines as emphatically as the legend himself. However, we understand why. Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about why this audiobook is excellent. The narrator (Eddie Marsan) performs a range of accents and voices including the gruff accents used for Harry & Bill, the frazzled accent used by the low-level criminal in the interrogation room, the posh and pompous accent used by Julian Smythe, the Carribean accent used by Pepe, and the Russian accent used by Vladimir Voldrev. It is truly impressive to hear the narrator go from one voice or accent to the next! This had to be immeasurably stressful, which is why we think it might've been a good thing that Caine left it to another person to narrate. We get it. It's hard enough to write a book, you don't need to lose hair over narrating it, especially this intricately. Last but not least, we wanted to give props to some of our favorite lines and passages from this well-written book: “Some puzzles aren't meant to be solved, they're just traps set by demons.” Yes, we know this line was made possible because of Carol, who we earlier slagged. We digress. “...he had never chased a beast with a bite like this one.” “...half of police work is a matter of priorities. Psychedelic mushrooms versus mushroom clouds? In the end, there wasn’t really a choice.” In conclusion, whether you read the paperback, eBook, or audiobook version, you are bound to enjoy this book! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
What Lies Buried by Leslie Kain is the much-anticipated sequel to Secrets in the Mirror, one of the best and most mesmerizing books to ever come through our contest—the undisputed winner of our 2023 Winter Contest! Secrets in the Mirror is a really tough act to follow. So, how does What Lies Buried stack up? Pretty well, in fact! Yes, there are a few rough and rocky spots here and there. Yes, there are some pacing issues. Yes, there's often too much going on, many of which seems superfluous at times. However, for all its faults, we have to give credit where credit is due and say that Kain successfully continued one of the most captivating stories we've ever read—a story we didn't think could be continued. What Lies Buried rejoins Gavin, the main protagonist and good twin in the previous book, and his lovely wife, Katie. To bring you up to speed, Gavin is the responsible, hard-working, caring, nurturing, and stable twin brother of a firestorm of a character named Devon. Devon absolutely captivated us in the last book, evoking harsh and powerful feelings and emotions in us that we rarely feel for a fictitious character: rage, frustration, hatred, anxiety, and anger. Devon suffered from narcissistic personality disorder and likely a range of other mental illnesses and disorders brought about (in part) by his relationships with his self-sacrificing twin brother (whom he called “Twinkie”) and with their violent and abusive father, a man responsible for their mother's death. This resulted in Devon becoming an alcoholic and junkie, often using and abusing his twin brother while stalking him and his family like some obsessive creep. Our sympathy for him gradually eroded until we felt we had none left. Devon became such a huge problem and threat that Gavin and his family fled all the way to the middle of the Pacific Ocean to get away from him and the range of problems that came with him (including organized crime). Devon was such an impactful, standout character that we named him “Best Villain” in our 2023 Winter Contest! That is a huge honor and a big nod to the impact of a single character in a work of fiction. Unfortunately, Devon is not physically present for the grand majority of What Lies Beneath, which is more concerned with the aftermath of his actions and what impacts they had on Gavin and Katie. However, though Devon may not be physically present for much of the book, his influence is felt throughout. What Lies Buried focuses on Gavin experiencing and suffering from a special kind of PTSD known as “complex PTSD” or C-PTSD caused by his haunting interactions and experiences with his twin. He must navigate this trauma or risk harming and possibly even losing his beautiful family. Speaking of his family, this book—more so than the last one—heavily focuses on Katie, his incredible wife who stuck it out with Gavin through thick and thin. This book really made us appreciate Katie and her character more. First of all, she puts up with all of Gavin's crap including him being unreliable as a father and a husband when he is battling his demons. She battles her own demons in relative calm and silence while Gavin is far more animated and vocal about it. We didn't realize that Katie actually lived through quite a few traumas earlier in her life, experiences which may have strengthened her and given her more fortitude and patience. We also didn't realize how long Katie and Gavin have been lovers, including going to a school dance together in high school. So, not only are Katie and Gavin romantic partners, they're also best friends—practically lifelong friends. We'd argue that Katie is really the MVP of this book and possibly of the whole series, not so much as a literary character but as a human being. Katie is an AMAZING human being. She is the wife that every husband would want. She is the mother that every child would want. She is the owner that every puppy would want. This book concerns Katie's trauma and PTSD alongside Gavin's. Katie is at constant risk of suffering from another unique form of PTSD know as “vicarious PTSD” in which a loved one can experience trauma and related symptoms originally and initially suffered by another. This hands like the sword of Damocles over the heads of both Gavin and Katie as they attempt to raise a child under constant risk of losing their sanity, themselves, and each other. Gavin and Katie give the audience great case studies as far as psychology goes. Gavin, for example, is drawn to Dr. Jim Pedersen, his school therapist whom he knew since childhood. However, when Pedersen is unable to provide the healing and answers he desperately needs, he seeks out other sources like Dr. Skokau, who seems to want him to focus on avoiding his triggers (which is easier said than done). Around the same time, Katie seeks her own healing and answers from people like Dr. Ted. This book really gets into the weeds of the psychology. This is both a strength and a weakness of the book. It is a weakness of the book in that it seems to slow and bog down the pacing. These characters talk A LOT. Simultaneously, it often seems like those parts sound like a Wikipedia article rather than the characters themselves speaking. For example, there are times when Katie starts talking like SHE's the doctor/therapist/psychiatrist, coming up with detailed diagnoses and conclusions of her own. Now, Katie is pretty smart (having gone to law school, apparently), but she isn't an encyclopedia. It's bizarre when she starts talking like one. But we digress... Meanwhile, while being a psychological thriller/psychological fiction novel, this book also has some mystery and even crime-thriller elements, mostly involving Devon's (and their family's) dark and disturbing history with organized crime, a history that intersects with the murderous Italian mob and a ruthless criminal named Richard Salvatti. And, by the way, what lies beneath the estate may haunt and shock you. The threat of these criminals, along with their own mental struggles, constantly looms like an ubiquitous dark shadow over Gavin, Katie, and their daughter, Maggie. No one is safe. Even the family dog, Patches, finds himself in peril. Playing alongside all of this is Gavin attempting to reconcile his memories of his relationship with his brother—a relationship which seems parasitic, one-sided, and toxic. However, we gradually learn that Devon loved Gavin, albeit in a way that seems more than a bit obsessive, creepy, and disturbing—even taking pictures of him and writing choppy diary entries about him. Uncovering the history of his family is likened by Gavin as being “archaeological.” Besides the criminal stuff, Gavin is even able to discover things like the Harvard study that he and his brother were a part of as babies. Now, we have to briefly mention that this book REALLY eroded our love and sympathy for Gavin as he becomes more and more like Devon, becoming rude, angry, inconsiderate, and short with Katie among other things. Like Devon, Gavin goes to the dark side, on the verge of becoming unforgivable. That's a scary thought considering how much we loved and adored him in the last book, but that's how powerful trauma can be. Something we totally forgot about (because Devon overshadowed and dominated much of the last book) is how terrible a human being their father was. It could be argued that their father is largely responsible for the way that the twins became. One last thing we want to mention about this book is that, while the writing isn't awe-inspiring like the previous one, there are some incredible passages. Here are some of our favorites: “She feels like her life has become a mixed metaphor for madness.” This is followed shortly by “Fluorescent pink-bottomed white clouds suspend languidly against infinitely blue skies, as if angels had a pillow fight.” These two passages express the bizarre dichotomy and juxtaposition of severity and calm that permeates the characters and their approach to conflict and trauma. “But the story it tells could be either triumphant or tragic.” Like with the “mixed metaphor for madness” passage, the above passage uses alliteration. It also summarizes the theme of the book. One last passage we liked was “...some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end” (credited to Gilda Radner). The thing we love about this quote is that it really reflects the flow and feel of this whole book. This book is kinda a beautiful disaster, much like the lives of the characters. It doesn't always flow well. It's choppy, rocky, bumpy, and coarse. It changes direction often, sometimes abruptly and jarringly. However, that really reflects the chaos of the lives and minds of these characters. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
Becky Lynch: The Man (Not Your Average Average Girl) is an immensely captivating memoir by Rebecca Quin, a multi-time world champion in the WWE who has done it all! The book follows her from her younger years as a pudgy, insecure, and often-bullied child, then ventures into her first days of wrestling school in a high school gymnasium designated as NWA Ireland, developing under the tutelage of the fellow Irishman who would go on to become Finn Balor. The book then goes on to cover her wild experiences in the pro wrestling business, experiences which could be described as up, down, left, right, forward, back, around, and around—giving truth to the idea that the path to success is rarely linear or straightforward. There's a beautiful line in this book about how life is like surfing, all the waves are different sizes and just because you catch a big wave once doesn't mean you can stay on that big wave forever. It's a journey and a path paved with blood, sweat, and tears—of joy, love, sadness, disappointment, gratitude, and hope. It's a story of hoping against all hope, never giving up, believing in yourself, and triumphing against all odds. Quin, the first and only woman to both main-event and win the main event of a WrestleMania (the Super Bowl of pro wrestling), is an inspiration to people around the world, particularly women and girls. Why wouldn't you want to read more about her? To find out her blueprint for success. To learn about what makes this iron lady “THE MAN.” The struggles and thoughts that she describes in this book genuinely surprised us because they reflect a Becky Lynch that we don't normally get to see on TV, someone seemingly incompatible with the unbreakable, unstoppable, superhero-like figure who kicks lass and collects arms. She is someone who stood up against much-bigger and stronger women like Ronda Rousey (the Baddest Woman on the Planet), Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Rhea Ripley. You wouldn't expect her to show weakness, vulnerability, and--dare we say—even a bit of doubt and insecurity. And that's perhaps the aspect of the book that we appreciated the most. This book, while full of some of Becky's greatest hits, is also full of some of her lowest and even most embarrassing moments. The first woman to win the main event in a WrestleMania is also the same woman who was part of arguably the two biggest botches in the history of women's wrestling: one at WrestleMania 35 and the other at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (2015), both of which ended prematurely. This book does a great job at pulling back the curtain on those (and other) incidents—the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's also spellbinding to read about Becky just being a human, just an “average average girl.” We were both compelled and surprised to read about Becky being considered overweight and out of shape as a kid, being called “Becky with a belly like a sack of potatoes” and even failing PE. We had a chuckle about Becky saying that she got “sad and pledged to lose weight... then I just got hungry and wanted pizza.” We've all been there and done that. We may need to provide a TRIGGER WARNING that this book and review do contain discussions of eating disorders. We were shocked to read about Becky's battles with her weight, fitness, and with an apparent eating disorder that seems to have been some form of bulimia. We learn that she tried to live on a diet of water and bread, popped ephedrine pills, and irreparably damaged her health with things like synthetic thyroid hormone during this time. Some of us, having struggled with our weight, fitness, and/or eating disorders, really empathized with her struggles. It's also interesting how her obsession with her body-image clashed with her Irish Catholic upbringing in which women were expected to be conservative, modest, and covered-up. Furthermore, we were surprised to learn how this obsession impacted her energy levels, performance, and even pain levels. We actually didn't realize that when you're extremely low in body-fat (lean enough to see your ribs and spine), the bumps you take in a wrestling ring hurt a lot more. That actually makes sense because you have less mass to distribute and cushion your fall. It also affects your ability to perform and function in the ring and on the road. Becky's tug-a-war relationship with herself is a key theme throughout the book, but what's equally intriguing are the numerous relationships in her life that range in depth and complexity. Inevitably and unavoidably, one of the biggest selling-points of this book is the hope of learning insider information about her relationships with others in the wrestling world, namely Seth Rollins (her real-life husband), Charlotte Flair (her arch-frenemy, rival, and road partner), Finn Balor (her mentor), Bill DeMott (the now-infamous trainer of FCW/NXT), Ronda Rousey, Dusty Rhodes, Mick Foley, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and even he-who-shall-not-be-named. Ok, never mind, this book somewhat heavily features Vince McMahon, the now-disgraced former owner of the WWE who is surrounded in controversy after being ousted from his own company. Vince is described on both his good and bad days, times when he was surprisingly caring, loving, excited, and accepting like when he learned about Becky's pregnancy, and darker times like when he was furious about Flair kissing her during a match to create a distraction or when she failed to fall after receiving Lacy Evans's finishing move—a part of this book that has already gained infamy online. What's kinda fascinating is that, despite low times and low moments, it seems as though Becky's relationship with Vince was respectful and professional, even verging on friendly and sentimental at times. One of our favorite moments in this book is when Vince admitted to Becky, “I mess up all the time” after she apologizes to him for a mistake. It's also interesting to read about times that Vince, rather than being furious, was concerned about her like after the botched ending of her fatal-4-way match with Charlotte, Emma, and Dana Brooke in which it appeared she might have gotten knocked out and concussed. Speaking of concussions, this book also covers the now-famous incident in which Nia Jax accidentally broke her nose and bloodied her face on TV, creating the image that catapulted “The Man” into superstardom. It's hilarious to read about the text exchange that Nia and Becky had after the incident. But what stood out to us the most about this was Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie, who some of us admittedly hated and/or had a crush on as kids, is like a mother. She's nurturing, compassionate, and caring. When Becky was so concussed that she didn't know where she was and was becoming scared, Stephanie stayed with her and comforted her, rubbing her back and even covering her with her own coat when Becky started shivering in the cold. How beautiful and special is that? That's not the side of Stephanie that we get to see on TV as she usually plays the loud, obnoxious, mean, entitled villain/heel. Another beautiful moment in this book is when The Rock tells Becky that her dad is “always with you.” If you're going into this book to dig up or read about dirt, it is possible that you'll be a little disappointed. Becky is generally a positive person with positive things to say about people, even people who've wronged her in the past. With that said, there are times of drama and tension that Becky doesn't shy away from. For example, one of Becky's boyfriends, an MMA fighter, shares a tenuous relationship with her that escalates and results in heartbreak. There's also a lot of drama that pops up with regard to Charlotte, whom Becky flatteringly calls a “terminator” and “indestructible.” She describes a huge car accident that they were both in together. She also describes the time that Charlotte teared up during rehearsals of their WrestleMania match with Ronda. Seth Rollins eventually becomes her trusted confidant and shoulder to cry on. Seth Rollins doesn't come across like a boyfriend or husband for much of this book. In fact, he seems to almost have a buddy-buddy, man-to-man relationship with Becky. They swear and cuss together often, giving each other tough love. It's almost like they're two burly, manly men with mustaches who just happen to care about each other a lot. That's not to say that we don't get some hot and steamy moments with them, though these moments are equally humorous because of Becky's apprehension and inexperience with deeply romantic relationships. We were reeling about the way that Becky describes Seth as having great thighs and a great “hulking” body. Seth Freakin' Rollins might be a nominee for “Hottest Character”--we never thought we'd say that! It's funny that Becky says that wrestling gave her an outlet to meet cute boys “and I didn't even have to stalk them!” To think that this Irish bombshell had once felt she had to chase boys to be loved or wanted is pretty sobering. A lot of us devalue ourselves and don't realize how beautiful and wonderful we really are. Becky really does come across as a little awkward and not great with relationships, especially romantic ones. She's rarely the one who makes the first move, and she's hesitant to proceed when it seems like the bases are loaded and she's at bat. “Dense” is one way to describe her, especially early on in her life. Honestly, though, a lot of us are dense. It just makes Becky more relatable. Another thing we noticed is that Becky often feels like everyone has the answers that she doesn't—everyone knows something that she doesn't know. It's a familiar and relatable feeling. One of the key takeaways from this book is to always ask. It doesn't hurt to ask. Arguably the turning point of this entire book is the moment when Becky went into Bill DeMott's office and asked for a role on the show, however minor. This eventually landed her as a Rosebud (groupie) for Adam Rose. In fact, she became one of the four main Rosebuds who regularly appeared on TV. Several things snowballed from this situation. First of all, she got to appear on Raw (the flagship WWE show), albeit in her minor background role. Surprisingly, this is when she expresses her now-iconic “exhilarating, intoxicating, and I wanted more” line from the book about how it felt going through the curtain for the first time on WWE TV—not as a superstar but as an extra. Second of all, this also led to her meeting Seth Rollins for the very first time, and you can immediately sense the camaraderie and chemistry between the two. Her other key relationships are with her father and mother. Her mother, a former flight attendant, initially opposes her involvement in pro wrestling, fearing she will become hurt or injured. Becky often had to hide her bruises and injuries from her mother. Her father, it turns out, suffered from lung cancer. So, one of the most beautiful and powerful threads in this book is whether or not he will be able to live long enough and be healthy enough to attend Becky's crowning moment at WrestleMania 35. Well, we've talked about this book a lot because it really endeared itself to us. Becky really opened her heart and spilled her soul out in the process of making this. What's extra special about this book is that, despite it being credited to a celebrity, Becky actually wrote every word of this book herself, refusing to use a ghost writer. She actually attended writing classes several times a week just to be able to write this book! That's incredible! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 89/100 (8.9 out of 10)
All I See Are Dark Clouds is the exciting, emotionally-charged third installment in the The Dark series by M.C. Ryder. The book reintroduces us to Camille, one of the major characters in the first book (The Darkest Side of the Moon). In fact, an argument could be made that Camille was the tritagonist of the first novel until she unfortunately got overshadowed by Marc in the second half and relegated to—ironically—a pseudo-antagonistic role. Camille was the once-loyal and trusted friend of Nadine/Nadia, the main protagonist of book one and someone who is idolized and venerated by numerous characters in the series including by Camille herself. Camille was basically the Samwise Gamgee of the first half of The Darkest Side of the Moon until she came to fill the role of the traitor/backstabber through a complicated set of circumstances. This was especially tragic and unfortunate for those of us who fell in love with Camille. It almost felt like we were betrayed or backstabbed. It was like a character assassination. We are very thankful to rejoin this amazing character and to know that her arc didn't end in that dim and dreadful way. Camille lives with the sorrow and regret of what she did every day. She seems mournful and depressed throughout much of this book, perhaps more so than any other character in the series. There's a real sense of humanity and vulnerability to her, which is good. Furthermore, unlike with Melia in book two, there's also a strong sense of connection and familiarity with the character. Camille is the old friend that we moved apart from, the one who burned a bridge with us—the one we desperately hope to reconcile with one day. She thinks she can never find peace and that she doesn't deserve it. There's a deep sense of self-hatred and regret there. Ok, well, the literal passage in the book erroneously reads “I can't image ever finding peace” when it should really be “I can't imagine ever finding peace.” However, you get what we're saying. It's easy to blame Camille, but what this book makes clear is that she was a victim as much as anyone in the series. She was placed in a cell and essentially tortured and abused in various ways. Because of that, combined with her betrayal of Camille, has given her PTSD. While this book mostly focuses on Camille and her redemption arc, it also concerns the mysterious disappearances and deaths of several individuals including Caden, one of the werewolves from the previous books, and seemingly targeted attacks by large, ravenous dogs against the protagonist and her allies. This eventually circles back to another villain in this book named Troy, an evil vampire who also seems to have a creepy obsession with Cecily, the therapist from book two. As creepy and hateable as Troy is, he is certainly not on the level of villainy as Maximilian, Vladimir, or even Jomar were. At the same time, he is definitely unlikable, and we couldn't wait for him to get his comeuppance. Similar to the villains, the conflict in general doesn't seem nearly as big or as grand as the last two books. In fact, a lot of this book really does seem absent of conflict. Yes, Camille struggles with her regrets and stuff, and things are happening behind the scenes, but it certainly doesn't seem to be this big, awesome, world-ending, cosmic changing, epic struggle like in the previous books. No, this books plot seems surprisingly... mild, tame, and—dare we say—a bit less eventful. This is kinda like the Breaking Dawn Part I of the series. It even includes Melia's marriage, after which she seems to become sidelined along with Vinsent. So, there goes two more characters we cared about. First, we lost Nadine, Marc, and (for a while) Camille, then we lost Melia and Vince. That might be one of the most frustrating things about this series. It just seems like every time we form a connection with a character, they get abruptly ripped away from us and either sidelined or suppressed in their roles. It's one of the weaknesses of changing the lead-protagonist in every book. Think about it like this: remember when Ian (Jeff Goldblum's character) became the lead-protagonist of Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World, thus replacing Alan Grant in the lead role? Or what about when gamers were shocked, surprised, and angered to see the character they fell in love with in Metal Gear Solid be replaced by Raiden in Metal Gear Solid II? People love continuity and familiarity. It's challenging for readers to keep being introduced (or reintroduced) to characters all the time. Speaking of which, there are just too many characters in this book. Let's list a few: there's Camille, Melia, Vince, Cecilia, Troy, Niles, Terrence, Darius, Lamont, Jenson, Oliver, Zoe, Athena, Caden, Cameron, Milo, Ezekiel, Helene, Paul, Jerry, Ashley, Lily, Daisy, Leo, Richard and Phoebe. Yeah, that's a lot of people to keep track of, especially since some of them are humans, vampires, wolves, dogs, or cats! Then there are several characters that eat up a exorbitant amount of page/screen-time: Michael and Beckett, who are pretty much the love interests of the book. Now, these two just aren't as captivating or compelling as Vince and Marc were as love interests, not even close. In fact, it almost seems like Michael is relegated to the background for 2/3rds of the book. And all of a sudden we're supposed to cheer for Beckett? It almost felt like how in book one, Vince got sidelined and all of a sudden we were supposed to 100% buy into Marc, then vice-versa (bizarrely enough). Oh, and there's Iris too. Oh, Iris. Yes, her story on its own is sad and eventually uplifting, but we're not sure if it meshes well with the forty other things happening in this book. Maybe we'll revisit Iris later in this review because she gave us some decent moments. Another thing that continues to hold books in this series back is the editing. Now, the author continues to improve as a writer with each subsequent book, but the errors are still evident. We mentioned how, earlier, there's a passage that reads “I can't image ever finding peace.” Well, there are a few more like that: “...with fiery in her eyes” should be “with fire in her eyes” “He asked with sincere” should be “he asked, sincerely” or “he asked with sincerity” One more thing that annoyed us was that one character who we really wanted to see have a brutal, gory, and highly-detailed death essentially got killed-off off screen. Oh, come on! That character needed to go through a meat grinder feet-first or something. Now, there is a part of this book that was clearly written around the time of the pandemic as COVID-19 actually serves a plot device in part of it. It's actually quite a compelling section of the book, believe it or not, mostly because it kinda seems... real. Well, the character's vampirism allows them to smell the metal in patients' blood and stuff, but besides that... there's a real sense of tension there. This book also has some great quotes and themes. In terms of quotes, we have: “When you turn to the dark, you get swallowed by it. Even if you manage to reach the surface, where the light calls down to you, you will never be able to reach out and feel that warmth again. Will never be thawed. Forever encased in ice.” “Without the dark clouds, we wouldn’t be able to see it. If there was no darkness, something good wouldn’t be able to reveal itself... 'My mother told me to never stop looking for rainbows. To always relish in the sight of them while they last. That they have the power to fill your woes with hope.'” And, yes, this passage and quote is attributed to Iris, perhaps qualifying her presence in this book as she serves to uplift the other protagonists in the light of her own personal tragedy and loss. “Do not let the whispers of fear limit you from progression.” The quote above is attributed to Nadine. Gosh, we miss you, Nadine! None of these other protagonists hold a candle to you. Speaking of which, Nadine is amazingly venerated and idolized throughout this book by various characters, even random people who think they know the whole story or the truth about her. This is interesting for readers of the series because we ultimately know more about Nadine than some of these characters do. We know how vulnerable, mistake-prone, and human she was, especially in her early life. Anyway, this series has been quite an adventure and a journey! It hasn't always been smooth. There have been a lot of shaky moments, particularly with some of the characters and the grammar. However, we definitely felt that it was worthwhile. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 95(+)/100 (9.5(+) out of 10)
Codex Sohrakia by KM Taylor is one of the most unique, fascinating, and epic novels of the season! To put this book in the simplest and most digestible terms possible: this is a book that takes the Biblical story of creation and various other cosmological origin stories (particularly Egyptian, Central American, and Mesopotamian) and presents them in a very different—dare we sat, contrarian--light (no pun intended), one that's supposed to make sense to a modern audience. It marries the popular creationist concept with some science and quasi-science including an explanation for the existence of dark matter, which is a major plot device in this book This very epic and very complicated story ultimately centers around two twin Seraphon (comparable to Seraphim angels), Saham'a'iel (often shortened to “Saham”) and Sohrn’o’rak (often shortened to “Sohrn”), who came into being following the moment that the universe began with a thought, attempting to bring order and light to the inherent chaos of the primordial darkness. It should be briefly noted that this book does contain a form of a supreme/creator god in the character of Ela'mah'dai (often shortened to “Ela”), likely inspired by the popular title for Yahweh, Elohim. Saham is, fascinating enough, both the main character and the main villain of his own book, something only achieved by the likes of Felix the Fox in Tuula Pere's children's book series (as far as our contests goes). It is so rare (and so awesome) to have a main character be both a protagonist and an antagonist—a hero and a villain—as circumstances and motivations change. It's almost like performing a double-turn in pro wrestling where the heel becomes the face and vice-versa. Let's just be simple for simplicity's sake (because, again, this book is hella complicated and like 85% lore), Saham'a'iel is pretty much Samael, the destroying angel or the angel of death in some Judeo-Christian traditions. He's pretty much the devil, Satan. We caught onto that pretty quickly. So, early on in this book when Saham was being such a great guy, we kept thinking to ourselves: how the hell is this guy going to become the angel of death and destruction—the ultimate evil in the universe? Well, to our shock and surprise, this book actually pulled off a pretty satisfactory answer! It is ironic how the title “Dark Lord” can be viewed in both a positive and negative light when it comes to Saham—he is both the keeper of the darkness and he is the master of evil, in a sense. So, early on in this book, Saham—a god-like Seraphom with the profound gift of the Dark (think of it like the Darkside of the Force)—befriended a humanoid-canine name Anu'ver'os, bestowing on him some of the responsibility that was originally supposed to be his own, particularly the guarding of the gateway between the mortal and metaphysical planes. With Anu'ver'os becoming the guide of souls through the planes (a bit like Charon the ferryman in Greek mythology), this largely left Saham to his own devices, allowing him to freely explore the vastness of creation. So what did he do with his gift? Well, he started meeting people and other creatures, giving them a portion of his Dark gift, effectively transforming them into magical, enchanted beings known as Darklings. For a while, this was satisfying and made him happy. It made him feel fulfilled, powerful, and proud. He gave his Dark blessing to a spider, a mushroom, a snake, an insect, and much more. However, a life-changing/cosmic-altering event occurred when Saham fell in love for the first time with Thestra, the Unique One, who was divinely spared the fate of being sacrificed as a child. Saham and Thestra form a powerful romantic and intimate bond until it erupts in an overtly sexual episode. During this, for reasons that kinda left us baffled, Thestra revealed that she has some vampiric tendencies including drawing and drinking Saham's blood. So, like... is she a vampire or something? Cause we don't remember her sucking and drinking blood at any other time. Anyway... this got us thinking that Thestra might actually be partially based on Lilith, whom was mentioned in Jewish and Mesopotamian literature as being the vampiric first love of Adam. Oh, yeah, it turns out that Thestra's blood has healing properties similar to the vampires in The Darkest Side of the Moon by M.C. Ryder, so there's that too... Anyway, in arguably the climax (no pun intended) of the book, this sexual act leads to a great rift for both Saham and the universe as a whole, presumably as it's a moment in which mortal and Seraphon flesh mixed in an act of pleasure and passion. Critically, Saham also bestows his Dark blessing on Thestra. As far as we can tell (again, this book is really, really complicated and convoluted), this led to Saham having to be split into two separate but identical beings—Saham, the original guardian of the Dark, and Sohrn, who appears to represent Saham's lost light and innocence. As a result of his mixing with Thestra and his spree of blessing unholy creatures with a sacred gift (the Dark), Saham is banished to the mortal plane on a world called Terrasan (which is pretty much Terra/Gaia or Earth). He quickly realizes that he has lost most of his powers and abilities. His wings stiffen. His physical movement is substantially slowed. He also realizes that he's now vulnerable and a target for the superstitious people who inhabit the land. The only power he seems to retain is the ability to understand and talk in different languages. Ultimately, he is given an ultimatum by Ela'mah'dai: to rid the universe of the Darklings he blessed/cursed or never regain his Seraphon powers and status again. It is in the wake of this decision that Saham sacrifices his old virtues like love and charity for selfish ends, effectively becoming the devil, the destroyer, and death. He leads a bloody, vicious, and violent crusade to hunt down, persecute, and kill the many Darklings he previously blessed, all with the goal of regaining his angelhood, powers, and status. He even must decide whether or not to kill his past love, Thestra, or how to deal with his twin brother in pursuit of his goals. This part of the book really reminded us of the Order 66 sequence in Revenge of the Sith. It's tragic, powerful, and painful. There's a scene, for example, in which a snake-man named Thetrasat is hunted down and killed by Saham and his men for really no fault of his own, having committed no crime other than the crime of existing as a Darkling. This part of the book really seemed to take an anti-religious vibe, taking on some of the common complaints about organized religion like them being persecutory, discriminatory, xenophobic, and intolerant. This theme seems to play out for the remainder of the story as Saham gradually realizes that his aims are selfish and that he has really been trying to play god this whole time—blessing people with a gift they never asked for (i.e. life or a Dark blessing) without gaining their permission or consent, then punishing them for it later (a popular argument against the existence of a benevolent God). The middle-portion of this book centers heavily on Thestra as she rallies together some of the other Darklings who are in need of protection from Saham's rampage. They get rallied together and trained how to fight like they're the cast of Mulan. There's: Schlix, a cute dog-like creature Moogie, a cute, shy mushroom-like creature Saulkuset, a cute preying mantis creature Sirak, a cute giant spider And, yes, they're all presented as very cute, very scared, and very sympathetic, almost overly so. They might as well be the Care Bears or the cast of Sesame Street. They might as well be Santa Claus and his reindeer. This part of the book becomes very heavy-handed with how cute and innocent the victims of organized religion and religious persecution are. While the victims are presented as extremely cute and innocent, the bad guys are described as “frightening looking” and “cruel looking.” Furthermore, you get lines like: “Tales would spread throughout the lands of the living, creating countless philosophies based on fear and ill-conceived understandings.” The way we interpreted this was: screw organized religion and religious dogma. And, well, that's justified to an extent considering things like the Inquisition and Crusades. Ironically, this book almost reads like an anti-religious text with a religious undertone. Ok, well, it's more like New Age Creationist Cosmology. If that floats your boat, that floats your boat. If it doesn't, it doesn't. It literally features more lore and mythos than any other book in this contest! About 85% of this book is lore and exposition, which is both to its benefit and detriment. There were so many times when we just hoped we could move on with the plot and not have to have things explained to us for three hours at a time. It really does feel like reading one of those ancient myths, especially the unabridged versions. This book is only about 300 pages long, yet it feels like it's over 700 pages long! It's like reading the entire literal Bible, Iliad, or Bhagavad Gita! It really does have that epic, overly-involved vibe that these texts often have. The last third of the book focuses more on Sohrn, Saham's twin, as he tries to right the wrongs that Saham has done en route to confronting the fallen Seraphon himself. This is a very ambitious book and a very interesting read! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
Another World is a hard-hitting, spirited dystopian novel by I.M. Stoicus! It is notably and uniquely heavy in Christian subtext and messaging, though it also showcases wisdom from philosophy and other belief systems outside of the Abrahamic faith. Interestingly, despite its Christian-dystopian subtext, this book is uniquely different from most Christian apocalyptic novels. One way we like to describe it is in having a fresh approach to the genre. Rather than following the exact chronology of Revelations to a T—a rather jaded approach at this point—this book instead chooses to continue the deeply disturbing yet intriguing tale that premably began with Humans' Enhancements (the author's previous book). This book, like Humans' Enhancements, focuses on how emerging technologies like cybernetics, artificial-intelligence, medical science, and robotics could both help to advance humanity while also catapulting it into a point-of-no-return—a point at which this technology becomes a detriment and a danger to our very existence, especially when it falls into unscrupulous (or devilish) hands. Another World follows Solon, an “AE human” (artificially-enhanced human), who possesses a combination of cybernetic parts, superhuman physical traits, the ability to speak multiple languages, and—perhaps most unique to him—the ability to rapidly regenerate when wounded. Solon lost much of his physical body whilst shielding a little girl from a blast, an act which demonstrates the heart of gold that Solon carries throughout this book. AE technology has allowed Solon a second chance at life, and he quickly falls in love with his nurse, Mei, who becomes both the love interest and deuteragonist of the novel. What's quite fascinating is that, though Solon clearly had a Christian upbringing (often quoting scripture and recalling his indoctrination), Mei begins this book as more of an agnostic with a Confucian upbringing more commonly seen in East Asians. This really helps to balance out this book, which is rather heavy-handed, giving us varied perspectives from people who resonate with Solon and Mei like Confucius, Sun Tzu, Musashi Miyamoto, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, and even Bruce Lee. Ultimately, this is a highly philosophical novel from an author who seems to be a very philosophical person, even adopting the name of a Stoic. The relationship between Solon and Mei, though sometimes cheesy (as romances typically are), effectively forms the heart of this novel. They're a beautiful coupling! Their dedication and commitment to each other is iron-clad. The chemistry is definitely there. It's also nice to see a couple that supports and listens to one another rather than arguing and being at odds constantly (like in other books). Solon and Mei are joined by a few other protagonists including Hero, a German Shepherd, and Lioness, a cat. There's also Brigadier General Apollo, Solon's boss and best friend/best man, and the eventual president aptly named Major General “Hardcore.” No, we're not kidding, there's actually a “President Hardcore” in this book! That almost reminds us of the name of Will Smith's character from After Earth: Cypher Raige So, yes, there's a lot of cheesiness and hokiness to this otherwise-serious book. And we haven't even gotten to the villains and actual conflict yet... Brace yourselves... So, basically, our heroes are citizens and soldiers of the Federal Republic, which is basically what remains of Judeo-Christian/western civilization, particularly the United States of America. They are in a technologically advanced/cyber/robotic/drone/droid war with literal Satanists (yes, really) who've taken over much of the world and aligned themselves with the Czars, who are basically communists/socialists that are pretty much China and Russia. And all of this, of course, started because 2020 occurred less than a century earlier resulting in a certain former president (who is unnamed) losing an election and being charged with nearly a hundred crimes after a pandemic and race riots. So, yeah, like we were saying... brace yourselves for the heavy-handed religious and political subtext. If you tend to lean left, this might not be the book for you. However, if you're open-minded or just don't care about this stuff, then you might really enjoy this book. Moving on with the plot... so, the Satanists aren't just devil-worshiping nut jobs who hate humanity and God (like you might expect), but they are downright, outright CANNIBALS! We're not kidding. These Satanists literally kill and eat people including their own members. They have a particular appetite for babies and children, which may be an thinly-veiled allegory for abortion, but... ehh... who knows? Oh, and by the way, the two sides can't nuke each other because of mutually-assured destruction, so they compete to build better and more advanced cyborgs and other weapons. It's like the Cold War all over again, only it's a bit more hot. So, get this... as part of this arms race, the Satanists have been harvesting a previously-undiscovered unobtanium literally called “Satanium” to create “SATANIC androids.” No, we're not making this up. Play along because we're only at the surface. So this Satanium seems to give these Satanic androids higher cognitive function and processing abilities. It was actually mentioned to be a cure for dementia at one point. However, what the Satanists didn't account for is that by giving their androids more intelligence and the ability to think for themselves, this also opened them up to things like conscientiousness and even compassion. Oh, and by the way, the good guys call this metal SAVIORIUM because of Jesus and stuff. Anyway, the villains are a colorful bunch. There's Czar Dolos, the priest of the Satanists, who kinda serves as the most direct threat to the character for much of the book. Then there's Emperor Nergal who is more like a General Grievous-type villain who only strikes when you're weak and runs away like a coward half the time. Next, there's Czar Mephistopheles. Yes, the guy's name is literally the name of the demon from Doctor Faustus. Yeah, this book is both cheesy and has almost no subtly whatsoever. Anyway, Mephistopheles could be argued to be the main antagonist or villain of the book. He at least seems to be the iron man of the villains. We haven't even gotten to the spaceship that the Satanists launch themselves into space with... it's literally called the “Satantanic.” Gosh, so this book is cheesy, lacks all subtly, and yet it's so immensely entertaining. Seriously! Yes, you'll have some laughs about the names and stuff, but the action is good, the romance is good, and the plot isn't too hard to follow. Like, the bad guys are clearly the ones in all-black worshiping Satan and eating children, right? And Solon and Mei are just the two sweetest, most awesome people imaginable. No kidding. It's really hard to dislike either of them, especially with the way they treat each other, their friends, and their pets. This book firmly had us on their side. The writing in this book is a bit rough. We're not sure if it's because the author was trying to imitate the way that a computer/robot/cyborg would actually write or if they were just working out the process of writing in general. There are some strange things about the writing. For example, words like SATANIC are capitalized all the time for some reason. We have to keep being reminded that the SATANIC androids who work for the Satanists are SATANIC androids. Words are bolded rather frequently. Now, perhaps the author wanted to emphasize concepts that were important to them, but it kinda made it seem more contrived or even forced. The message was already clear without everything having to be bolded and capitalized. The last thing we wanted to mention is the message that the good guys send to the Satanic space colony. There had to be a few inside jokes layered in there. It was both badass and hilarious. We couldn't yet but jeer and laugh intermittently. There's something about the good guys saying they're pretty much going to hide lizards and scorpions in your lunchbox so you never want to open your lunchbox... dang, that's gold. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 93/100 (9.3 out of 10)
Red Deuce is a captivating crime-thriller by Thomas Roehlk, exploring issues like the corporate law, corruption, greed, espionage, intelligence, national security, and the lasting power and influence of the military-industrial complex! Red Deuce is, at its core, akin to a private investigator/detective mystery following two twin sisters—the titular “red deuce” (duo)—as they race to get to the bottom of several suspicious events including the discovery of two bodies in a shallow graves, believed to be that of whistleblowers. One of these sisters, Mandy Doucette, is a lawyer for LaSalle Enterprises, which is now mired in controversy upon the discovery that its own chief of security was tied to criminal activity. The other sister, Dr. Regina Doucette (often just called “Reggie”) is a forensics nerd obsessed with bugs akin to someone like Gil Grissom from CSI. They make a very keen and capable dynamic duo! They are helped by Rick Crawford, Mandy's trusted accomplice at the firm. Rick has about as much screen-time as Reggie, if not more, making him effectively the tritagonist of the novel. The three make a great team and are going to need to pull all their resources to get to the bottom of this nation-shaking mystery involving possible espionage (spies), corporate corruption, and the unscrupulous dealings of defense contractors, Allzient—a company linked to mass-bribery schemes—and the suspicious Spruance Corporation which seems interested in buying out Allzient along with its deep, dark secrets, the least of which are AI and nuclear fusion technologies. Mandy is someone who won't take no for an answer and who would rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. If you've ever been frustrated with complacent detectives, law officers, and DAs who dismiss victims of crime (or alleged crime) and fail to follow up on leads, then you have to stand up and cheer for Mandy. Mandy goes above and beyond to seek truth, to do what is right, and to find justice for victims. While it seems like everyone else is quick to write off the murder victims as being the targets of a violent gang or of a hit sent to silence them, Mandy is keen enough to ask the question: Why would you need to silence whistleblowers after they've already blown the whistle? What more could they have been capable of sharing? How much deeper does this conspiracy go? Because of this, Mandy and Reggie become the targets of spies sent and recruited by a foreign government, indoctrinated from a young age to hate the United States. Mandy is attacked numerous times in different ways, and when the fingerprints from the attacks are traced back, a shocking realization is made! Who is Emily Jenkins? Who is Sherman Haskins? What about Phillip Ray and Harold Menzies? What about Patrick Carney, who it turns out is the descendant of the founder of LeSalle? This book's mystery winds and weaves, leaving the reader on an exciting wild goose chase with a lot of red-herrings, hints, and clues. The final act of the book was also very exciting! It kinda reminded us of a game of Battleship in which the two sides are trying to guess what the other will do. The one complaint we have with that is how bullet-proof kevlar was used as a plot device. How in the blue heck are you supposed to assume that an assassin will 100% shoot you in a very specific part of your upper torso? What if they shoot you in the head, the large part of the leg, the gut, the side of the rib, or the crotch? What happens if the wind blows and the bullet gets you right up and under your vest? What happens to your genius plan then? That's one of the things that bothered us. Also, to be perfectly honest, the whole plot of this book was extremely complicated and convoluted, perhaps more than it needed to be. At the same time, the main plot is relatively easy to follow, and the bad guys are ultimately pretty obvious. The other thing we appreciated was how the author, a real-life marathon runner and Iron Man triathlete, incorporated his experiences into the book in a way that made sense for both the characters and the plot. Along with the marathon-talk, we also appreciated the small-talk about the sports teams and rivalries. It really gives you a sense that the characters are really people of Chicago, living life there, rather than generic characters in the middle of nowhere-ville. This book reminded us a lot of Pedaling West by E.A. Coe, Deadly Game by Michael Caine, and The Lethal Elixir by Dennis Ross. That's a pretty strange yet interesting set of comparisons! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
2030 is an inspired and thought-provoking action-romance/speculative-fiction novel by J.P. Ozuna, a previous category winner from our 2023 Spring Contest! This book centers around Onyx Pion, a phenomenally gifted recruit, prodigy, agent, and eventual whistleblower of Orion, the top security contractor in the world. Orion enforces and serves as the iron-fist of the powers that be including Pharma Corp and what we'd term the “New World Order”--powers that came into prominence and power (according to the story of this book) in the wake of 2020. Orion is basically a special black ops group combining elements of the CIA, MI6, and Blackwater—a privatized version of the CIA that doesn't work for a specific government or nation, functioning more like a powerful private military company or PMC. Orion is led by a surprisingly level-headed individual named Simon, who isn't the evil, maniacal schemer you might picture someone in his position being. However, Simon answers to some despicable individuals who pay his organization to perform all sorts of dark duties including espionage and cover ups of white collar crimes. Simon also has some truly evil and despicable people working in his organization including Kyle, a power-hungry, kill-crazy sociopath who hates Onyx out of spite and jealousy and schemes to supplant Simon as leader. Kyle is one of the most interesting characters in the book, if not the most interesting. He kinda reminded us of Starscream from Transformers or Sharlto Copley's character in Elysium. At the same time, it is pretty obvious early on that he's an evil, scheming scumbag, so much so that it kinda seems a bit contrived. There's not really much build to him being the villain at all, he just is. We learn later that a lot of his bad feelings stem from being both rejected and persistently topped by Onyx in training. He has either some kind of superiority or inferiority complex that may be causing him to act out. Onyx is a pretty interesting protagonist in her own right. She's talented, confident, self-assured, and maybe a bit of a nymphomaniac (sex-fiend). However, the author and the narrative slowly pull back the curtains and reveal to us why Onyx is the way that she is. We get to know of her relationships with boys like Blake, Sam, and Maurice. We get to know about her therapy under Dr. Seeland, therapy sessions which reveal some of Onyx's vulnerabilities, fears, and insecurities—things you normally wouldn't associate with her on the surface. Onyx has made herself “hard.” She has become someone who comes across as fearless, authentic, and “unapologetically” herself, at least as she appears to others like Mateo, who thinks the world of her. Speaking of Mateo... Mateo serves as the book's deuteragonist and Onyx's best friend and primary love interest despite them being separated and even at odds for much of this book. Mateo seems like a great (or at least good) guy who cares about Onyx and looks after her. However, he gets friend-zoned almost immediately. Ok, well, it's more like friends-with-benefits-zoned, but you get the point. Onyx might be intensely physically intimate, but she is emotionally detached. You can tell that, though she likes Mateo, she sees him as a bit of a side-piece, not quite expendable but not quite someone she wants around for the rest of her life. The two have several misunderstandings and put each other—either intentionally or unintentionally—in harm's way. Now, before we go on with all this personal/character stuff, we have to bring your attention back to the plot. 2030 exists in an alternate history, a history in which the 2020 pandemic, lock downs, race riots, and culture wars had unscrupulous or even nefarious origins, spearheaded by powerful people like those at Pharma Corp and the clients of Orion. Conservative states like Florida & Texas have even become independent or sovereign. It's a bit chilling how close to reality and even plausible this fictitious retelling of history can be. And that's the breaking off point of Onyx, when she goes from being the hunted to the hunter—a whistleblower who attempts to reveal to the public that they've all been fooled for the last ten years, fooled by a captive media spinning a convenient narrative. This is also a version of history in which gas costs $100 a gallon, electric vehicles are still unreliable, fact-checkers manipulate the narrative and control information, and shots contain nanomachines that interact with condensation streams from planes. So, if you're far-left, liberal, or a Democrat, this book might bother or upset you. It comes just short of claiming that any elections were rigged or stolen, or at least we missed that part. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the book then becomes far more about Onyx and Mateo—both separate and together—as they explore their romantic options. Onyx begins an intense sexual relationship with General Jones, an older individual who has the authority, military might, and influence to further her vendetta against Orion and their clients. Meanwhile, Mateo pursues romantic relationships with Cynthia and Karina. All the while, we're supposed to be comparing these relationships to each other and seeing why either Onyx & Mateo are meant to be together or if they're bad for each other. We were a little perturbed by the fact that this book kinda lost focus on the broader conflict and decided to follow the sexual exploits of these characters. For example, we don't rejoin Kyle and his scheming until far later in the book because the author decided to keep talking about Onyx's and Mateo's relationships and Onyx's psychological issues. Those parts of the book really seemed fluffy, slow, and even unnecessary, really dampening the pacing. It is also kinda weird that there are red-flags all over Kyle. Meanwhile, Simon and Steve (another agent) just seem either oblivious to it or know he's a problem and just don't do anything about it. Anyway, the writing in this book is generally quite good with a few mistakes here or there. For example, there's a line that reads “I can't believe it was ten ago.” It should probably be “I can't believe it was ten years ago.” There's also a passage that humorously refers to the “tablecloth on the table.” However, this book is saved by some beautiful or powerful passages: “Hatred is like poison, and the person who feels it expects the person they hate to be the one who dies.” “So often, it is the expectations that break a heart and not the individual.” “...the prescribed narrative.” “...opening people’s eyes was futile, for no one can force another to see what they are not prepared to perceive. We can only open our eyes, observe what resonates true in our souls, change our reality, and leave everyone to figure it out for themselves.” “Don't take life too seriously. No one gets out alive.” This book is intense, edgy, action-packed, and--at times--even a bit sexy! Check it out on Amazon! |
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