THE GIRL IN THE WATER
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Joseph Howse evokes the literary styles of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky in THE GIRL IN THE WATER, a sprawling, complex and compelling tale of a young Ukrainian girl in the late 1980s at a personal and cultural crossroads.
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BEYOND THE FATHER
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: Author Opëshum Patroz ably navigates a complex, multilayered narrative in BEYOND THE FATHER, with an engaging voice and themes that elevate a familiar premise with inspired, often surprising ideas. A thoughtful and intriguing beginning to a promising new fantasy/science fiction saga.
LIGHT OF HONOR
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: B.A. Vonsik’s propulsive storytelling brings thrilling, kinetic action to LIGHT OF HONOR, a time-hopping saga of myths, legends, and epic heroes and the second volume in the Primeval Origins saga.
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THE MAGICAL LANDS OF MIDENDHIL
Genres: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Davide Simon Mazzoli’s THE MAGICAL LANDS OF MIDENDHIL is an exhilarating coming-of-age fantasy tale which shares heartwarming messages of finding belonging, trusting your gut, and standing up for yourself as much as you stand up for others.
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KILLER CLONES
Genres: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: WLVE’s KILLER CLONES is a witty, incisive and well written debut that uses many of the familiar tropes of the spy thriller but elevates them with some swashbuckling old school sci-fi and pitch black satire.
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EVEN CLIMATE CHANGE CAN’T STOP LOVE AND MURDER
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A.E.S. O’Neill’s EVEN CLIMATE CHANGE CAN’T STOP LOVE AND MURDER (the second in a series) is a literary thrill ride full of sharp social commentary wrapped in a mystery with a touch of romance.
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A SONG FOR LEONARD
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: A.I. Fabler’s A SONG FOR LEONARD is a well-written, intriguing mystery with a unique plot, deep characterization and descriptive settings that contribute to its appeal.
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THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: While its subject matter–dealing with 9/11 terrorist attacks may seem sensationalistic–Harvey Havel’s dense, sprawling political thriller THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE presents a nuanced and complex take on the chain of events leading to the attack.
LOVE STORIES
Genre: Short Stories
IR Verdict: With LOVE STORIES, author Katherine Villyard marries her vast intellect and riveting imagination in a short-story collection of speculative fiction that shines with straightforward yet elegant prose.
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ESCAPING BERLIN
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: Brent Monahan’s ESCAPING BERLIN is a gripping, painful story about survival, courage, shame, and hope in 1945 Berlin, a city whose darkest secrets are coming to light as it collapses.
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MORLOCKS IN THE BASEMENT
Genre: Memoir
IR Verdict: Carolyn Colburn combines humor and poignancy to tell a series of laugh-out-loud stories about her life in MORLOCKS IN THE BASEMENT.
WHEN WE LOST TOUCH
Genre: Popular Fiction
IR Verdict: WHEN WE LOST TOUCH by Susan Kraus is arguably her most ambitious novel as the author depicts the devastating effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic by telling deeply humane stories about ordinary people.
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SPIRIT SIGHT
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: SPIRIT SIGHT is a treat for fantasy lovers, a heartfelt and richly imagined adventure that marks a promising beginning to Ross Hightower’s trilogy.
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THE PARADISE PLANETS
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: Despite some similarities to other popular young adult dystopian fiction, Shaun Barrowes keeps THE PARADISE PLANETS original and exciting with fast-moving sports sequences, clever world-building, and siren mythology.
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RIVER AND THE AMAZING YELLOW WELLIE ADVENTURE
Genre: Children’s (Early to intermediate readers)
IR Verdict: Emily Dreeling’s RIVER AND THE AMAZING YELLOW WELLIE ADVENTURE is a cheerful, brightly-colored adventure that gives personality and charm to kids’ rain gear.
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EARWORMS
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Combining science fiction with a small-town kidnapping, Zack Duncan’s EARWORMS is a wholly engrossing and fast-paced read.
THE HAWK’S FLIGHT
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: Elizabeth R. Jensen’s THE HAWK’S FLIGHT (Book Two of the Three Brothers Trilogy) is a beautifully designed and thoroughly entertaining sword and sorcery fantasy that builds on the groundwork of the first book and showcases a fully rounded cast of characters with enough intrigue and jeopardy to hook young readers into needing to find out how this saga will conclude in the final volume.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW
Genre: LGBTQ+
IR Verdict: Bill VanPatten’s SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW is a diverting, uplifting, and satisfying tale of romance and personal redemption.
PLOT TWIST
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Donna J. Thompson’s is a master at dispensing revelations little by little in PLOT TWIST, a well-executed and suspenseful novel for fans of mystery, crime and detective story genres that will keeps readers guessing until the very end.
OPERATION MOM
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Hilarious and heartwarming, Reenita M. Hora’s OPERATION MOM (My Plan to Get my Mother a Life and a Man) bypasses typical YA romance to focus on the deeper relationships of parent-child, sister-sister, and, strongest of all, best friends.
PRIMAL STORYTELLING
Genre: Business
IR Verdict: With thousands of marketing books out there, it’s unusual to find anyone with anything original to say on the topic, but Anthony L. Butler’s PRIMAL STORYTELLING (Marketing for Humans) convincingly pushes back against conventional wisdom and the latest trends to present a thesis that is solidly based on human psychology: the most effective marketing strategies must use stories.
ARTIMA’S TRAVELS (Part II)
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Combining Star Trek-level technology with Harry Turtledove-esque alternate history, E. A. Dustin’s ARTIMA’S TRAVELS (Part II) offers fast-paced action, relatable characters, and a unique coming-of-age twist.
EVER THE NIGHT ROAD
Genre: Fantasy
IR Verdict: EVER THE NIGHT ROAD by Michael Breen is a fantastic adventure tale filled with believable characters, striking imagery, and enlightening allegory. An excellent read for fans of character-driven, coming-of-age fantasy.
TEMBERLAIN’S ASHES
Genre: Science Fiction
IR Verdict: D.M. Wozniak brings his sprawling, complex “Age of Axion” fantasy saga to a satisfying conclusion with TEMBERLAIN’S ASHES, a dense but fast-paced work of epic scale and imagination.
INCA WRAITH
Genre: Middle Grade
IR Verdict: Simple to follow, with frequent scenes of action and tension, ST Cameron’s INCA WRAITH is a perfect quick read for middle-graders enthralled by the past.
THE ENGLANDER
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Breathlessly paced, John Righten’s THE ENGLANDER offers a broad cast of likable characters, dark wit, and high-stakes action with an unexpected emotional punch.
THE DARK WAVES OF WINTER
Genre: Action/Adventure
IR Verdict: As each tale contains a compelling feature that makes it shine on its own, THE DARK WAVES OF WINTER is a first-rate anthology for literary short story fans with consistently excellent writing throughout.
COPPER WATERS
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: Marlene M. Bell’s COPPER WATERS is a well-written murder mystery with descriptive scenes, an intriguing setting, and enough push and pull between the characters and within the plot to keep readers engaged.
THE QUEERING
Genre: Young Adult
IR Verdict: Brooke Skipstone’s THE QUEERING skillfully blends together a wide range of elements—family dynamics, sexual orientation, homophobia, murder, and love—into a compelling story about one woman’s journey to unveiling her true self and rediscovering her values.
THE FREELANCER
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IR Verdict: In THE FREELANCER, C.J. Fournier’s debut, a well-told crime plot is used to humanize the male perspective in the stories we tell about fatherhood, relationships, and loss.
GOING, GOING, GONE!
Genre: Literary Fiction
IR Verdict: Author Steve Hermanos blends “Back to the Future” with “Field of Dreams” in GOING, GOING, GONE!, a fast-paced, light-hearted tale about time-traveling baseball players that also touches on issues of race and politics.