Rating: 10/10 Synopsis A sweeping epic fantasy weaving both destiny and ancient magic in this masterful final novel in the beloved Five Warrior Angels trilogy from Brian Lee Durfee. In the age of belief, magic is a myth. But when an apocalyptic crusade comes to the remote border of Gul Kana, that belief is shattered as is the tenuous peace that held the Five Isles together. Now, the prophecies that were used to justify this war are unravelling revealing a hidden agenda while the world lies in the wake of the degradations of this war. But a slim skein of hope resides within the hidd ..read more

Rating: 9.5/10 Synopsis The second book of The Dark Chronicles. The dryads have risen up against humanity. Queen Cathryn’s realm is broken, her people have scattered, and the future is uncertain. She gives Tolucan, a newly knighted commoner, a seemingly impossible, secret quest; to seek out the sole weakness of Dark Oak, King of the Dryads, and to destroy him, whatever the cost. Even within the forest, strife threatens Dark Oak’s reign, but he will not be defeated so easily. While humanity is still on its knees, the dryad seeks dark secrets, in forgotten places, unaware that Sir To ..read more

Rating: 9.5/10 Synopsis Japan, 1625 A new Drum Master has risen, and soon the nation will fall to the curse of Izanagi. Answering the call of his kotsuzumi, dead warriors abandon their peace to once again roam the land of the living, swinging rusty blades and chattering rotten teeth at his behest. Japan’s last hope lies in the hands of the nine warriors gathered by the young daimyō of Owari. To reach Onijima, where the source of the curse’s power awaits, the Nine will not only have to face swarms of undead samurai and waves of shinobi mercenaries but even more dangerous to their mi ..read more

Rating: 8.75/10 Synopsis: How do you stop a killer who’s already dead? Some secrets never die. When the mutilated corpse of an ex-con is found in the bowels of an old church, haunting Biblical verses scrawled at the crime scene speak of divine retribution, and a killer hellbent on revenge. For Special Crimes detective Tom “Doc” Holliday doesn’t need his fickle clairvoyance to see that a murder like this is only the beginning. With few leads and fewer suspects, Holliday and his quirky team of paranormal specialists embark upon an investigation that will lead them down a dark and twi ..read more

Rating: 7.75/10 TL;DR Review: An original and fresh entry in the Urban Fantasy genre, with exciting potential to expand into a great big magical world. Synopsis: Corbin James has never been so lost. Able to dowse since a kid, he’s adept at finding missing things. But after weeks on the run from the FBI, the teen’s luck has finally run dry. Enter the enigmatic Mister with a tempting offer: find an enchanter who has disappeared inside the mysterious Harmon House. Recruited into a reluctant crew of motley magicians, Corbin only has days to navigate their shifting loyalties to earn his ..read more

Rating: 9.5/10 Synopsis A thousand years ago, humanity’s greatest heroes killed God. Across the land of Helesia, the iron grasp of the Godless Kings is failing. Demons stalk the deep forests, monsters break free of their prisons beneath the World Vein, and terrors of the old world rise again. Deep in the wintry village of Riverden, Renira Washer lives the dreary life of a laundry girl, dreaming of excitement and adventure. But in her blood, hides a secret: the angels are not all gone. When a stranger from her mother’s past appears with a dire warning, Renira’s peaceful life is shat ..read more

Rating: 8.5/10 Synopsis ‘Dragons once led our people across the wastelands, away from storms, and toward hunting grounds.’ That’s what the elders say, but eleven-year-old Akrist has squinted at empty skies his whole life. The dragons have abandoned them, and it’s Akrist’s fault. He’s cursed. Like every other firstborn son, he has inherited the sins of his ancestors. In his camp, he’s the only eldest boy left. Something happened to the others. Something terrible. When Akrist befriends Tanar, an eldest boy from another tribe, he discovers the awful truth: they’re being raised as sacr ..read more

Rating: 8/10 Synopsis A Recommended Reading List Pick for Locus and a Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Editors’ Pick for Amazon A Reactor Magazine Best of the Year Pick For fans who have always wanted their Twin Peaks to have some wizards, The Warden is a non-stop action adventure story from author Daniel M. Ford. There was a plan. She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she’s capable of g ..read more

An idea squeezed into my head in 2023, after seeing so many of the book community gathering at conventions across the US and UK. And once my FOMO subsided, I got to thinking about who might be gathered together if we had similar conventions closer to home.  Pending the master planning required to arrange a massive convention, I thought the next best thing might be to run an Australian & New Zealand author showcase. So, I sent out the call, with the only prerequisite for participating being the author had to have been born in either country or currently live there. As we romp through ..read more

Rating: 9/10 Synopsis: If you could see into the past, would you reveal the truths that would shake your to the core? When the grandson of two famous sword-wielding Greatcoats flees a duel to hide out in a theatre, he unwittingly becomes a conduit for the spirit of a legendary Archduke portrayed as a villain on the stage. But as Damelas begins to learn the truth of what happened in the past, his life in the present becomes more and more dangerous, and soon he’ll have to find a way to fight back against those who would kill to keep the country’s darkest secrets buried. Review: Hello ..read more