Reviewed by Erin Britton

A charmingly festive tale of creativity and friendship in the Far North

Accompanied by Erin O’Leary Brown’s delightful illustrations, JR Buchta’s North conveys the joy and possibility of spending special times with true friends.

According to this tale, “The North Wind, the North Star, and the Northern Lights have always been friends.” All three enjoy hanging out at the North Pole and having fun with the creatures that inhabit the frozen landscape, including reindeer, snowy owls, narwals, and polar bears. From light shows to carving shapes in the snow, there is plenty to entertain them.

However, “the Northern Lights wished aloud for some new friends,” and her companions agreed that it is always a good idea to make new friends. But how can they accomplish it? They think about the variety of creatures they would like to befriend—frogs, cats, cows, giraffes, and more—but none of them could cope with living at the North Pole.

“The North Star and the North Wind thought for a long time about how to make new friends as a surprise for the lonely Northern Lights.” While their plan initially has a few hiccups, they remain committed to finding some new pals for the beloved Northern Lights. After brainstorming what good friends are made of, do they finally know what it takes to succeed in their quest?

JR Buchta’s North is a funny and fun-filled picture book that brilliantly portrays the chaos and whimsy of the mythical chums’ attempts to make new friends. The message it conveys to young readers is important and heartwarming: keep old friends close but always be willing to welcome new pals into your circle.

The Far North setting and the emphasis on all the chilly, starry, and dazzling aspects of the environment—which are enchantingly captured by Erin O’Leary Brown in the illustrations that accompany each segment of text—really enhance the atmosphere of the story, highlighting its magical and cozy nature.

O’Leary Brown’s art is full of movement and color, serving to capture the attention of both older and younger readers. The use of watercolors adds a timeless quality to the images, which is very much in keeping with the tone and style of Buchta’s narrative.

The decision to feature the fabled North Wind, North Star, and Northern Lights as the central characters is innovative and intriguing, allowing for discussions about their traditional representations. O’Leary Brown’s images well capture their customary characteristics and Buchta’s dialogue brings their personalities to life.

The story should spark chats about what makes a good friend and what sorts of creatures it would be fun to befriend. Given its wintery feel and holiday-appropriate messaging—to say nothing of a particularly seasonal cameo—reading North would make a great addition to a family’s festive traditions.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of North: A Magical Friendship Story by J.R. Buchta! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

A friendly, uplifting children’s book about working together and looking out for each other

Peter the Pelican is having a great day. The weather is nice. The flying is good. The friends are… Wait.

Has anybody seen Kevin the Crab? Sammy the Sea Bass is wondering. So is Willie the Whale. So is Magnolia the Mermaid, Sherri the Shrimp, Octavius the Octopus, and a whole lot of other alliterative sea creatures.

In the last book, Sherri the Shrimp was the hero. A tiny friend on a brave adventure to start believing in herself. This time, it takes the whole gang to travel the ocean and save Kevin from the (kinda) scary situation. Kevin is stuck in a net, far off at the shipwreck in Pirate’s Cove. Sherri’s muscles aren’t enough this time, but lucky for all of them, they come together.

This series, just two books long, is already looking like a great addition to bedtime storytelling. The characters are fleshed out and funny to say and remember, and they carry this uplifting tone that guide the narrative. The alliterative characters all look out for each other, creating a real sense of community and friendship. Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is a meaningful story that teaches you to work together with your friends to accomplish huge feats. It’s not Magnolia’s story exactly—it’s everyone’s.

Octavius the Octopus steals the show more than anyone in this story. He’s long and strong and wiggly and able to squeeze into tight spaces. If your kid doesn’t already love octopuses, they’re about to start. Willie the Whale is another standout. The ocean is a big place, but large creatures like whales can move across it quick enough to save the day. He’s a pretty sturdy anchor for their rescue operation too.

The illustrations of Magnolia the Mermaid… are light and buoyant and, despite the apparent danger Kevin is in, never set too scary a tone. Where book one used a purposefully scratchy, messy look, this one fits more uniformly into the illustrations on your Disney+ home screen. Nemo lovers will have a lot more friends after finding this series.

The language is smooth and playful, always easy to read. It sounds fun and playful without rhyming, acting as a good in-between pick for your kid who’s just getting out of board books. It’s a story you’ve probably heard before in multiple variations, so it’s helpful that the language is fun and the characters are easy to remember for your own storytelling.

Magnolia the Mermaid and the Gang Save the Day give you more of what you loved in the first book in the series while teaching a new lesson: work together with your friends to make the dream work. This is a great, ocean-exploring read-aloud pick for both librarians and parents.

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day by George J. Linsenmeyer, III! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro

An arresting mystery about a murder in small-town Greece and the detective whose life is at stake

Chief Inspector Yiannis Patronas has received a call about the discovery of a dead girl in Souda. The victim was found with her throat slit. Unfortunately, Souda is not unfamiliar with violence, as it has become a focal point for aggression against migrants.

Yiannis notices the stark beauty of the victim, along with the ghastly violence committed against her. Yiannis is a veteran police investigator, but the assaults against the refugees are starting to wear on him, especially as elements of the radical right (i.e., The Golden Dawn) begin to attract more followers.

Patronas is a man who can command a crime scene, yet initially has doubts about his abilities. His team is a motley crew of police officers composed of the washed-up, tactless, and over-the-hill. The young girl was Syrian, and her name is Raina.

While her murder was in Greece, the motive for her murder might reside in her home country of Syria. The intricacies of the investigation begin to collide with Patronas’s personal life as his wife Lydia believes the job is putting a strain on their marriage. In addition, Patronas has decided to take in a young migrant boy into his house and is considering adoption. If this weren’t enough, his ex-wife is sick and is making demands on his time.

Patronas has spent nearly his entire life in Greece, but the Greece of his youth has faded into a quaint memory. The intolerance shown toward the migrants is disquieting; the rise of hate groups is alarming. The violent murder of Raina is soon followed by another vicious murder, and Patronas is hard-pressed to find a definitive suspect. The search for the killer(s) will prove to be the test of Patronas’s life.

Yiannis Patronas is a fascinating main character, and he is the heart of this story. A sagacious but weary veteran, he is full of compassion for the victim and the plight of the migrants. The author infuses his character with an unflappable resolve that is able to withstand the criticism and doubts of superiors, along with the occasional assault from a killer or two.

Patronas’s job matters to him, but he also doesn’t want to lose those closest to him because of it. Despite pondering retirement, he counsels a fellow officer on why they should remain on the job and keep fighting the good fight. Patronas’s indomitable will makes for one of the salient and positive impacts of the narrative.

The Nameless Dead is a riveting whodunit rich in compelling characters. A great detective novel hinges on a case with resonance, along with a lead character with gravitas—and author Leta Serafim has done just that. This modern detective novel comes with great emotional depth and humanity.

Thank you for reading Philip Zozzaro’s book review of The Nameless Dead by Leta Serafim! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Erin Britton

An innovative and informative approach to overall health and well-being

Dr. Sherry McAllister’s Adjusted Reality promotes a holistic perspective that views each person as a whole being. It encourages them to move beyond the medicalized model of healthcare, recognizing the broader causes of malaise rather than just the symptoms. This represents a marked change from established practice, especially in the United States, “a departure from the pill-for-every-ill doctrine toward a nurturing philosophy change.”

To set the scene for why change is needed, McAllister offers a balanced, eye-opening critique of the current state of healthcare, focusing on the situation in the United States but applicable elsewhere too. Among the insightful and sometimes startling facts and figures she presents, perhaps the most surprising pertain to the pervasive presence of the pharmaceutical industry in both healthcare and media settings: “To wit, in 2024, the pharmaceutical industry in the United States spent over $19 billion on digital drug advertising, with the US and New Zealand standing alone as the only countries worldwide allowing advertising of pharmaceutical drugs on mainstream media.”

Yet despite the unprecedented availability of information on medication choices—to say nothing of the relative ease of access to the drugs themselves—the population only seems to be becoming sicker, physically and mentally. Whether due to the focus on expertise creating knowledge silos or the limited time allocated for each patient being insufficient for the physician to determine the root cause(s) of their issue, something has gone very wrong.

Building on this observation, McAllister emphasizes the importance of the “whole-being” system, which relies on balance and harmony. In essence, every individual functions through the complex interplay of direct and indirect physiological processes, all tailored to the relevant context and environment. Rather than resorting to a pill, ensuring the alignment of these processes will promote good health.

Movement is vital and the key is “keeping a balance of what the body needs and what the brain desires.” McAllister provides a distilled version of the theory behind her approach and complements it with practical exercises that can be applied by individuals of all health levels, although Adjusted Reality will particularly appeal to those seeking to improve their well-being after being failed by their regular doctors.

As McAllister is a chiropractor by trade, much of her conception of a more rounded approach to health is based on chiropractic aspects, such as the Visionary Six, principles said to differentiate chiropractic from other medical disciplines. Noting that chiropractors have historically been unfairly maligned as “quackypractors,” including by the American Medical Association, she offers a firm defense of her profession: “Why did chiropractic discrimination matter? In short, it fragmented the healthcare system, leaving patients with a conflict of choice and cohesion of whole-being. Confused and disenchanted by not knowing if there was a possibility to heal without a pill, they saw only one option.”

While scare stories still abound regarding chiropractic treatments gone wrong, meaning that the work of chiropractors is not viewed as entirely uncontroversial, McAllister explains both the theory and practice clearly and straightforwardly, dispelling many of the rumors and false assumptions. It’s unlikely that every reader will be inspired to try chiropractic treatment, but many certainly will, hopefully leading to improved health.

In addition to the practicalities of chiropractic, through real-world examples of friends and patients, McAllister illustrates what else is needed to nurture the “whole-being,” including sleep, nourishment, and exercise. In so doing, she provides plenty of actionable insights (sometimes accompanied by QR codes linking to relevant episodes of the Adjusted Reality podcast) to assist and motivate readers on their journey to improved wellness.

From achieving contentment to recognizing the need for regular revitalization, the tips and recommendations in Adjusted Reality serve to augment—if not necessarily replace—the health benefits derived from conventional medicine, including pharmaceuticals. McAllister’s focus on the often-overlooked balance between body and mind is sound, and the reasoning behind her holistic approach to health is logical and convincing.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of Adjusted Reality by Sherry McAllister! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Nikolas Mavreas

An earnest memoir of self-discovery brightly exploring mental health and the Big Apple

After moving from California to New York City for college, Nathan Kastle discovered that he had been suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. Path Illogical recounts his journey of realization and treatment, along with his early experiences as a freshman in the metropolis. It is a relatable story, able to entertain and move, and it will manage to activate even the most indifferent reader’s empathy for people suffering from OCD.

Kastle arrives in Manhattan, whose overwhelming, claustrophobic busyness he beautifully contrasts with the open spaces of his native Bay Area. He is there to study drama at New York University, his dream being to become a respected actor. The other students turn out to be quite different from himself: they prefer to talk, while he prefers to listen, and they express themselves passionately and freely, something which to him seems precarious. His discomfort in this new environment brings out a curious coping mechanism characterized by repetitiveness, which leads him to face the reality of a plausible diagnosis.

Having previously only caught glimpses of OCD, for example in the title character of the TV series Monk, and after googling its symptoms, he starts going to a therapist. He is skeptical and reluctant to accept her advice, which can be summed up as embracing uncertainty and becoming more mentally flexible, and he is especially averse to receiving medication.

At length, with the help of his parents, he finds himself at the McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Massachusetts, famous in literature from its cruel portrayal in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. This institution is an altogether different place than Plath’s, as Kastle describes his weeks-long stay there with great appreciation.

Kastle writes in short chapters and simple yet playful language, which helps to hold the attention of even most easily distracted readers. His descriptions of his newly-found densely populated concrete jungle are marvelous. Under his pen, the passengers on the subway sway and jerk uniformly, as if they are “a bucket of bait.” Uniformity is the word for the population of the vast city, in the hordes of which “whatever good and evil lived here was churning untraceably.” The reader might feel like it is their own first time in the Big Apple.

The book also accurately evokes the experience of starting college, especially but not exclusively in an arts field. Kastle describes the successive infatuations with exciting new friends as well as the shock and excitement of being dropped into a completely new group with similar goals to one’s own. And acting receives its due youthful insights: that it can be viewed, for instance, not as an act of self-expression, but as “an act of service, of inhabiting another person and representing them with truthful life.”

Above all, Kastle’s writing does justice to the realities of living with OCD and with mental health problems generally. The emotional exhaustion over completing even life’s most menial tasks, the refusal to ask for help and the urge to avoid it once offered, the antagonistic nature of uncertainty and the adoption of “rituals” to avoid it: they are all here, in Kastle’s powerfully introspective memoir. In the end, Path Illogical brims with a hard-earned self-acceptance. It reassures us that flexibility, that holy grail of mental health, can be achieved one brief stretch at a time.

Thank you for reading Nikolas Mavreas’s book review of Path Illogical by Nathan Kastle! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro

A gripping and horrifying story of a man’s descent into inhumanity

As a child, Hans inhabited a world driven by fear and harshness. He was often the target of bullying from local youths, and the constant torment he was subjected to left him with little hope. But the need to survive forced Hans into fighting back with a viciousness that left little regard for the damage inflicted upon his opponents. Hans’s heart was increasingly filled with bitterness amid the poverty and threat of violence; even random acts of kindness he received from strangers did little to quell the storm brewing inside him.

Through these vivid depictions, Clifton Wilcox deftly sets the stage for what’s to come in Hans’ future.

He was looking for a purpose to serve, and he found it as a soldier in the new authoritarian regime. He is proficient at following orders, and his efficiency is noted by superior officers in the government. Despite bearing witness to the violence being carried out by fellow soldiers, Hans views himself as removed from the actions. He may order a beating or an execution, but he absolves himself from guilt as he is never the executioner. His amoral apathy amidst the carnage becomes one of the more chilling aspects of his character’s development.

Hans grew up feeling weak and powerless, and his vulnerability was obvious to any potential intimidator. Now, Hans wields the power over many and controls their fates. He runs his concentration camp with an iron fist; any infraction is immediately addressed with swift and severe punishment. He keeps meticulous records of the executions carried out under his watch. His need for control extends even to fellow soldiers and playing mind games to ensure an underling’s loyalty is not beneath him.

His undoing begins with dreams of his victims, which leads to a slight change in demeanor. He must maintain a stolid demeanor as a leader, or he risks falling out of favor with his superiors and being replaced. Soon, the regime is collapsing, and Hans must face the consequences of his actions, his fate to be determined by a jury of 12 people.

I, Monster brilliantly chronicles the evolution and downfall of a villainous figure. Hans is representative of far too many automatons who served totalitarian regimes with aplomb. A pitiful human being who held little regard for others as he climbed the ranks of a despotic regime, he rationalizes unconscionable actions with nary a second thought.

While Hans’s narrative serves as the primary dramatic focus of the story, the aftermath of his verdict proves equally engaging, as society grapples with accountability and whether events like this will recur again. The justice meted out at the various trials is hoped to serve as a deterrent.

Author Clifton Wilcox’s finely written I, Monster will raise questions about how environment can shape one’s mind and whether lessons can be learned in the wake of unspeakable evil. This is an excellent historical novel steeped in a terrifying reality—as thought-provoking as it is dark.

Thank you for reading Philip Zozzaro’s book review of I, Monster by Clifton Wilcox! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Erin Britton

A globe-trotting quest to find purpose and heal spiritual wounds

Part memoir, part travelogue, and part spiritual self-help guide, Whitney Joy’s Seven Blank Pages chronicles the author’s journey—both literal and metaphorical—from the depths of despair and disaster to the highs of self-acceptance and understanding. Through her story, Joy offers inspiration to others seeking to rescue themselves via exploration and discovery.

Joy’s unexpected adventure begins with a fractured and sprained ankle, which is acquired while descending La Plata Peak in Colorado’s Sawatch Range. Despite a lifetime of adventure sports and athletic endeavors having left her no stranger to physical injuries, this particular mishap has deeply unexpected consequences.

First, there is new tension in an otherwise happy marriage. “Though my husband was always ready with nourishing food and fresh icepacks, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about trading his usual role of patient for that of caregiver.” Joy’s husband, unnamed but still a strong presence in her narrative, is a professional snowboarder while she works in luxury jewelry. “My job financially provided for our life, and his kept us pushing our limits.”

Then there’s the increasingly clear incompatibility between their work schedules and their attitudes to risk. “Despite his quiet protests, my job continued to pull me east to host events, and even after tragic avalanches killed a number of our friends, he still ventured into the backcountry, chasing fresh snow.” As these differences continue to manifest, Joy realizes that she doesn’t want to continue living the same life in the same place forever.

“They say everything you want is on the other side of fear.” In Joy’s case, the first thing on the other side of fear is the dissolution of her marriage. The conflict she feels about this is palpable, and the passages in which she describes how they go about separating their lives are quite moving. Both parties certainly have faults, and Joy adopts a clear-sighted perspective on these aspects.

The split means having to leave her home. And even worse, the day after Joy moves out, her employer decides to restructure and eliminate her role. “The world went into slow motion like one of those action movies in which a bomb detonates or a car plunges underwater.” With no husband, no home, and no job, Joy ponders on what to do next, manically laughing about embarking on a “potential odyssey of self-discovery.”

Experiencing so many major changes in such a short space of time initially leave her bereft: “All my belief systems had been shattered—work hard, trust you are valued, love will prevail. I was confused.” The anger, confusion, and lethargy Joy feels are very relatable emotions, and it’s impossible not to be shocked by what she faces. Fortunately, even in her darkness moments, she retains her “anything is possible” mentality.

Ultimately, Joy decides that the only way to move forward is to travel, as far and wide as possible, aiming to do so until the seven blank pages remaining in her passport are full, and then she will settle in New York and restart her career. It’s a bold decision, and fittingly; the part of Seven Blank Pages that details her travels is more action-packed and compelling than the part establishing what led up to her departure.

Joy’s first port of call is Nice, France, where she notes that “brimming with optimism. I could do anything I wanted.” And what she wants is to thoroughly explore the city and its surroundings, immersing herself in the atmosphere and environment. Joy’s evocative descriptions and enthusiastic recollections really bring her experiences to life, prompting a sense of wanderlust.

From Nice, she continues her delightfully unplanned and unscheduled trip with visits to Cannes (including a high-end sex club), Verbier, Paris, Sicily, Cefalù, and many more places besides. As she travels the world in search of peace, enlightenment, and a spot of romance, Joy vividly describes the people she meets and the sights she sees. Her enthusiasm for the endeavor continues to shine through.

These travelogue aspects of Seven Blank Pages work really well, being simultaneously engaging, surprising, and sometimes, a little troubling. Joy has a good eye for detail and local color, and her bravery and willingness to go with the flow are certainly inspiring. The reproduced dialogue doesn’t always live up to the descriptions and inner monologue, but it does provide interesting perspectives on her encounters and thought processes.

As she travels the world, Joy also pursues a journey of self-actualization. This allows her to expand on her understanding of manifestation, spirit guides, transcendental meditation, the fundamental truths of existence, and other spiritual aspects. This non-material, other-worldly dimension elevates the book beyond being a memoir–travelogue, introducing a self-help aspect that widens its appeal.

Similar to the geographical and historical information provided in Seven Blank Pages, Joy’s discourse on matters of religion and spirituality is not in-depth but it is thought-provoking. The way that she turns the various hardships she experiences into avenues for growth and development is motivating, and her honest account of what she goes through illustrates the power of recovery and reconciliation.

Seven Blank Pages is an energizing account and an inspiring journey in search of the self. The experiences Joy relates are likely to prompt both wanderlust and reflection, and her worldwide bounce-back shows that, with the right mindset, it is possible to accomplish pretty much anything.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of Seven Blank Pages by Whitney Joy! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Nikolas Mavreas

An environmentally conscious, hopeful tale wrapped in a thrilling heist novel

Both despite and because of its technological advances, ours is a severely pessimistic age. In a literary landscape that is overwhelmingly cluttered with anxiety about the future, Todd Medema’s debut novel, How to Surf a Hurricane, offers an adventure set in a more hopeful version of the near future, where people have the power to change things, as well as themselves, for the better.

It is 2040, and a young engineer named Moro Petroff has come up with a new kind of lithium-sulfur battery which has the potential to help resolve the global energy crisis. It was to be produced by Petroff Power, but his family company has decided to shut down the project, as it comes into conflict with their investment in natural gas.

Motivated by pride and self-interest, Moro decides to steal the prototypes of his battery and sell them himself. His best chance at doing so is during their transfer by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. To pull off the heist he puts together a crew made up of individuals affected by Petroff Power’s shady tactics.

Foremost in the crew is Victoria, a hurricane surfer, and her daughter, Azure. Hurricane surfing is a newfangled sport, owing its existence to the decrease of ski-able snow and also, perhaps, to the increasing occurrence of hurricanes due to climate change. It is instrumental to Moro’s plot as he plans to set off a hurricane in order to carry off the heist for his batteries.

Medema writes in short point-of-view chapters, which include limited internal monologue. The technique works particularly well in the first part of the story, the fitting and effective set-up where the author introduces us to this future world and the assembling crew. It is a surprising timeline, one where one Ethereum coin is worth over a hundred thousand dollars and where David Guetta songs are considered “thumping oldies.”

The world becomes vivid and believable through Medema’s sharp attention to detail and his formidable panoply of technical descriptions. It is not only the minutiae of futuristic yet grounded technologies that are carefully described but also the subtle balancing required to execute a judo o-goshi, or hip throw.

For as patient and methodical the book is in setting up its heist set-piece, it is rewardingly exciting when that set-piece is set off. Naturally, not everything goes according to plan and the potential failure of the mission is accompanied by the crew’s inner conflicts and even a death. A turning point of the heist is the arrival of a life-changing injury, but it is handled lightly and produces some tonal disorientation.

Throughout the story, a lot of attention is put on the relationship between hurricane surfer Victoria and her adventurous daughter, Azure. It feels like a classic young single mother and teenage daughter dynamic, with the struggle to define boundaries without limiting potential and creating resentment. Medema does justice to this great duo of characters, which also tends to bring out the best rhythms in his prose:

“Victoria encouraged a scared Azure to enter, and they found themselves teleported into a surreal scene, surrounded by a cavern of ice glowing blue from the water-filtered sunlight, droplets of water falling from everywhere, and a gurgling stream of runoff at their feet. Azure’s eyes, normally jaded slits of adolescent angst, were wide open in awe. Victoria’s heart melted.”

By the end of the story, noble goals are rewarded and not-so-noble goals are reconsidered. The environment, the common good is what should come first, and it’s in the hands of everyone, the novel artfully tells us, to help: “There are lots of dominoes, sure, but yours is still important—all of ours are. That’s the point. Everything makes ripples.”

As well as being a fun heist adventure, How to Surf a Hurricane expresses some of the most admirable impulses of our time.

Thank you for reading Nikolas Mavreas’s book review of How to Surf a Hurricane by Todd Medema! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Victoria Lilly

A compelling family saga exploring the many ways in which we find belonging on the restless seas of everyday life

Twenty-year-old Sidney surfer Julia Corning’s life is turned upside down when she receives an email from across the world from an unknown woman.

Miriam Worthington, a successful TV actress in the UK, tells Julia—along with a Californian businesswoman Catrina—a shocking revelation: they are sisters. Feeling trapped in a television role she’s outgrown, her mother’s sudden death shattering her foundation and pulling her toward self-sabotage, Miriam reaches out to Julia and Catrina seeking connection.

For Julia, long dissatisfied with her father’s disapproval and unconcealed disappointment, the revelation is the push she needs to start building a life of her own. Julia leans into the newfound sisterhood with Miriam, which becomes a source of strength and endurance.

For Catrina, it’s an unwelcome distraction from her focus on making a break in California’s tech sector, to say nothing of her tumultuous romantic and platonic relationships. As the sisters’ lives begin to increasingly intersect and their dreams of success encounter the complexities of everyday life, they must confront how their father’s presence or absence has shaped them, and to overcome it.

Fresh, honest, and vulnerable, Ocean Child poignantly explores the tensions between charting new courses and confronting past grievances. Deploying an ensemble cast of primary and supporting characters, moving across time and around the world, it seeks an answer to finding one’s identity and purpose between ever-shifting relationships and life-goals. It is a story about constant change and lasting questions, symbolized by the imagery of waves and unpredictable winds on one hand and the eternal summers of Australia and California on the other. A prominent theme is the meaning of success, both in terms of interpersonal relationships and career achievements, with each of the three sisters’ individual stories adding realistic yet engaging angles to the interrogation.

My only real quibble with this story is the occasionally uneven pacing, either due to an over-dependence on dialogue or events that needed more scene-setting.Thankfully, the complexities and colorfulness of each character more than compensate. Side characters—such as Gus the Greek innkeeper or Sam the charming Californian barista and Catrina’s lifelong friend—are a major highlight of the novel and ground some of its most enjoyable scenes.

Another noteworthy element is the side character Linda, the manager of the actress Miriam. Her own conflicted quest for community and success—the elusive American Dream—is an intriguing parallel to the stories of its three principal characters. Linda’s love for literature provides an intertextual conversation and comparison to the novel’s intellectual inspirations, such as the work of Horatio Alger and Hunter S. Thompson.

The story wears its heart on its sleeve and tackles questions of belonging and success with a raw honesty. The exploration of themes is realized with skill and spirit through the development of a stellar ensemble of characters and a compelling dramatic plot. The book does not shy away from confronting serious issues such as alienation, abandonment, and the challenges of everyday life at work and at home.

Ocean Child is fresh and bright without unearned sweetness, thanks to its earnest heart.

Thank you for reading Victoria Lilly’s book review of Ocean Child by M.E. Flatow! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Gabriella Harrison

Mortal and divine ambitions collide, reshaping loyalties, battlefields, and the fate of kingdoms in this multilayered, battle-tested epic.

Moving between brutal battlefield clashes and tense political maneuvering, The Breakers is an epic fantasy where armies gather, old grudges flare, and an unseen hand pushes the pieces toward collision.

That hand belongs to Corsis, whose presence has shaped the events of the series from the beginning. Here, he frames the coming conflict with calculated satisfaction: “They will try to stop what I set into motion. And I will be entertained.” It’s a clear reminder that the struggle on the ground is only part of the Game.

The opening chapter drops into an assault across the “white water… under a wan light.” Harry directs the operation while Ed drives forward in close combat, cutting through enemy defenses, and Xax strikes with the kind of force that turns the tide of skirmishes. Fernallus and Tamona add their own precision and power, while Candice moves in the shadows. The scene is tight and tactical, shifting between vantage points without losing clarity.

Far from the river, Inparadis becomes the stage for another kind of battle. Balpors, a warlord with ambitions tied to the fallen goddess Muné, works to bring her back from death. His meetings with a three-armed demon carry a bite of mutual distrust. “You’ve got a fifty-fifty shot at winning… That’s not playing to win. That’s playing to keep the Game going.” It’s both a warning and an accusation. Balpors’s authority is complicated by the fact that Corsis’s will runs through him, limiting how much of the plan is truly his own.

McGowan’s prose cuts like a knife, perfectly matching the desperate urgency driving the characters. The opening clash at the Great Caldron instantly sets the stakes sky-high. It’s a brutal fight against impossible odds where Ed’s lightning-fast moves and Harry’s cold tactics leave no doubt how dire things are. Then there’s Tamona; blind, yet seeing through perceptia (a medium that allows her to communicate discreetly), and bearing an uncanny resemblance to the goddess Muné. That’s clearly no accident, and the dread it sparks about future clashes is palpable. Meanwhile, the quieter thread of Celsis Kri imprisoned under ice offers a tantalizing mystery, a brief calm within the storm.

Harry and Avril’s reunion is packed with unresolved history that collides head-on with the surrounding battlefield chaos. Admittedly, the sheer number of factions and lore terms like “Murdrakes” or “Horrinshal specialists” introduced so quickly can feel like a lot to take in.

The battle for Findenton is immersive, masterfully balancing huge, destructive scenes—think dragons tangling with Grellish forces and demons flooding streets, against tight, focused duels, like Ed’s hypersonic face-off with a serpentine dragon. Avril and Harry provide a grounded perspective, refreshingly free from divine meddling, while Fernallus, Vick, and Candice work the political shadows, pulling the less visible strings of war. These political exchanges, sometimes heavy with backstory, can slow the breakneck pace a touch, but they’re crucial for showing the intricate machinery driving the conflict forward.

The conclusion is satisfying and stokes tension for the next book in the series, as factions that have moved separately for much of the book meet in direct conflict, and the results shift more than just the balance of power. The action remains clear even as strategies overlap. Yet the sheer number of active characters, many carrying histories from earlier volumes, can be a lot to keep track of, particularly for new readers.

Wielding sharp, varied battle scenes, political plots that fit together with intent, and characters whose choices resist simple labels of right and wrong, James McGowan has created a layered war where every alliance comes with a cost and every victory changes the game board.

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