BookShelfie Reviews

“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” is a gripping gothic horror novel that melds supernatural possession with psychological terror. Set in Victorian-era Muchmarsh, David Griffin’s entomological tale follows thirteen-year-old Alastair ....

“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” is a gripping gothic horror novel that melds supernatural possession with psychological terror. Set in Victorian-era Muchmarsh, David Griffin’s entomological tale follows thirteen-year-old Alastair Stubb as he becomes possessed by his grandfather Theodore’s vengeful spirit. Griffin excels at creating ....

“The Unusual Possession of Alastair Stubb” is a gripping gothic horror novel that melds supernatural possession with psychological terror. Set in Victorian-era Muchmarsh, David Griffin’s entomological tale follows thirteen-year-old Alastair Stubb as he becomes possessed by his grandfather Theodore’s vengeful spirit. Griffin excels at creating a brooding, Dickensian atmosphere without knocking the reader over the […]

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“Confessions of a Wayward Baby Boomer” by Kevin Conway offers a compelling glimpse into both the glitter and shadows of 1970s Hollywood through one man’s tumultuous journey. This memoir traces ....

“Confessions of a Wayward Baby Boomer” by Kevin Conway offers a compelling glimpse into both the glitter and shadows of 1970s Hollywood through one man’s tumultuous journey. This memoir traces Conway’s path from a child model in 1950s Long Island to his encounter with the ....

“Confessions of a Wayward Baby Boomer” by Kevin Conway offers a compelling glimpse into both the glitter and shadows of 1970s Hollywood through one man’s tumultuous journey. This memoir traces Conway’s path from a child model in 1950s Long Island to his encounter with the film industry that would alter the course of his life. […]

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“Radishes and Red Bandanas” by Trudy Knowles captures the heartbeat of the Vietnam War era through the story of Becky Jamison, a young woman navigating love, loss and activism at ....

“Radishes and Red Bandanas” by Trudy Knowles captures the heartbeat of the Vietnam War era through the story of Becky Jamison, a young woman navigating love, loss and activism at Lake Forest College from 1967-1971. Rather than focusing solely on major historical moments, author Trudy ....

“Radishes and Red Bandanas” by Trudy Knowles captures the heartbeat of the Vietnam War era through the story of Becky Jamison, a young woman navigating love, loss and activism at Lake Forest College from 1967-1971. Rather than focusing solely on major historical moments, author Trudy Knowles reveals how the era’s upheaval played out in the […]

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“Death Follows Me” offers a haunting glimpse into the world of a medical examiner’s corpse transporter through a series of interconnected tales that blur the line between memoir, creative non-fiction ....

“Death Follows Me” offers a haunting glimpse into the world of a medical examiner’s corpse transporter through a series of interconnected tales that blur the line between memoir, creative non-fiction and even a hint of poetry. Bogear’s (a pen-name) authorial voice is distinctly human – ....

“Death Follows Me” offers a haunting glimpse into the world of a medical examiner’s corpse transporter through a series of interconnected tales that blur the line between memoir, creative non-fiction and even a hint of poetry. Bogear’s (a pen-name) authorial voice is distinctly human – gruff yet compassionate, weighed down by the burden of his […]

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“Organism X” takes what could have been a standard body-swap horror story and transforms it into a haunting meditation on the fear of death. Through the story of Darius Throne, ....

“Organism X” takes what could have been a standard body-swap horror story and transforms it into a haunting meditation on the fear of death. Through the story of Darius Throne, a wealthy businessman facing terminal cancer, Raaman explores how desperation can erode even the strongest ....

“Organism X” takes what could have been a standard body-swap horror story and transforms it into a haunting meditation on the fear of death. Through the story of Darius Throne, a wealthy businessman facing terminal cancer, Raaman explores how desperation can erode even the strongest moral foundations. This short story from its eponymous collection tells […]

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“Death’s Kiss” draws readers into a realm where naval power and supernatural gifts intertwine beneath the watchful eyes of ancient gods. M.M. Reeves crafts a dark fantasy epic that eschews ....

“Death’s Kiss” draws readers into a realm where naval power and supernatural gifts intertwine beneath the watchful eyes of ancient gods. M.M. Reeves crafts a dark fantasy epic that eschews typical maritime tropes, instead presenting a world where every advantage comes with a price and ....

“Death’s Kiss” draws readers into a realm where naval power and supernatural gifts intertwine beneath the watchful eyes of ancient gods. M.M. Reeves crafts a dark fantasy epic that eschews typical maritime tropes, instead presenting a world where every advantage comes with a price and survival requires more than mere strength or skill. The result […]

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Amelia Martin’s historical novel “A Promise” subverts expectations from the start. Rather than focus on soldiers, resistance fighters, or political figures of WWII, she centers her narrative on three ordinary ....

Amelia Martin’s historical novel “A Promise” subverts expectations from the start. Rather than focus on soldiers, resistance fighters, or political figures of WWII, she centers her narrative on three ordinary young people in Munich who have no special power or influence. Elisabeth Ehrler quietly endures ....

Amelia Martin’s historical novel “A Promise” subverts expectations from the start. Rather than focus on soldiers, resistance fighters, or political figures of WWII, she centers her narrative on three ordinary young people in Munich who have no special power or influence. Elisabeth Ehrler quietly endures life with her Nazi father while protecting her younger brother. […]

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In “What’s So Bad About Being Poor?”, Deborah M. Foster delivers a raw and powerful memoir that serves as both personal testimony and pointed rebuttal to conservative poverty “experts” like ....

In “What’s So Bad About Being Poor?”, Deborah M. Foster delivers a raw and powerful memoir that serves as both personal testimony and pointed rebuttal to conservative poverty “experts” like Charles Murray. The book opens with Foster’s encounter with Murray’s provocative essay of the same ....

In “What’s So Bad About Being Poor?”, Deborah M. Foster delivers a raw and powerful memoir that serves as both personal testimony and pointed rebuttal to conservative poverty “experts” like Charles Murray. The book opens with Foster’s encounter with Murray’s provocative essay of the same title while in college – a moment that redirected her […]

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“Tales of Weirderland” is a charming and thoughtfully put-together collection of six interconnected stories that follows the adventures of royal siblings Iris and Cael Wilding. While the first volume presents ....

“Tales of Weirderland” is a charming and thoughtfully put-together collection of six interconnected stories that follows the adventures of royal siblings Iris and Cael Wilding. While the first volume presents more traditional children’s fantasy quests, as the stories go on they approach deeper themes of ....

“Tales of Weirderland” is a charming and thoughtfully put-together collection of six interconnected stories that follows the adventures of royal siblings Iris and Cael Wilding. While the first volume presents more traditional children’s fantasy quests, as the stories go on they approach deeper themes of identity and growing up without coming across as patronising. Fans […]

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“SCHLOCK” is a deliciously odd collection of four interconnected stories that reads like a fever dream of post-Soviet absurdity. David R. Low crafts a world where Japanese music obsessives chase ....

“SCHLOCK” is a deliciously odd collection of four interconnected stories that reads like a fever dream of post-Soviet absurdity. David R. Low crafts a world where Japanese music obsessives chase the ghost of Russian singer Viktor Tsoi through the streets and a cybernetic “Russia Cop” ....

“SCHLOCK” is a deliciously odd collection of four interconnected stories that reads like a fever dream of post-Soviet absurdity. David R. Low crafts a world where Japanese music obsessives chase the ghost of Russian singer Viktor Tsoi through the streets and a cybernetic “Russia Cop” terrorizes the populace while leading an army of tracksuit-wearing orangutans. […]

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“The Archer’s Diary” blends medieval history with modern thriller in this ambitious novel by Liam Cadoc. When Logan Daggett’s parents die in a suspicious car crash in England, he finds ....

“The Archer’s Diary” blends medieval history with modern thriller in this ambitious novel by Liam Cadoc. When Logan Daggett’s parents die in a suspicious car crash in England, he finds himself inheriting mysterious ancient artefacts and discovering he has an unknown sister. The plot that ....

“The Archer’s Diary” blends medieval history with modern thriller in this ambitious novel by Liam Cadoc. When Logan Daggett’s parents die in a suspicious car crash in England, he finds himself inheriting mysterious ancient artefacts and discovering he has an unknown sister. The plot that follows unfolds as both a hunt for buried treasure and […]

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What truly elevates D.I. Edward’s “The Renegade Lightning Muffins” beyond typical American high school YA drama is its unflinching portrayal of the messiness of being sixteen – that volatile mix ....

What truly elevates D.I. Edward’s “The Renegade Lightning Muffins” beyond typical American high school YA drama is its unflinching portrayal of the messiness of being sixteen – that volatile mix of moral certainty, hormonal confusion, and the desperate need to belong. The story follows Jeff ....

What truly elevates D.I. Edward’s “The Renegade Lightning Muffins” beyond typical American high school YA drama is its unflinching portrayal of the messiness of being sixteen – that volatile mix of moral certainty, hormonal confusion, and the desperate need to belong. The story follows Jeff Brights, a wealthy Florida teen running a vigilante crew called […]

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