The Boy Lost In The Maze

 By: Joseph Coelho

Location: FIC COE

Genre: Verse Novel, Greek Mythology, Coming of Age

In his new verse novel, Joseph Coelho brilliantly blends Greek myth with a 21st century quest. In Ancient Greece Theseus makes a dangerous and courageous journey to find his father, finally meeting the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. While Theo, a modern-day teenage boy, finds himself on a maze-like quest to find his own father. Each story tells of a boy becoming a man and discovering what true manhood really means,


REVIEW ON GOODREADS
The path to self-discovery takes Theo through ‘those thin spaces where myth, magic and reality combine’. Doubts, difficulties and dangers must be faced as Theo discovers the man he will become.."The Boy Lost in the Maze" by Joseph Coelho is a thrilling journey that seamlessly intertwines ancient mythology with contemporary struggles. Through mesmerizing verse, Coelho crafts a tale of self-discovery and courage that spans centuries. The parallel narratives of Theo and Theseus captivate, drawing readers into a labyrinth of emotions and revelations. Coelho's writing is powerful and poignant, evoking deep empathy and introspection. However, while the modern-day storyline is accessible and relatable, the segments involving Theseus may pose a challenge for readers unfamiliar with Greek mythology. Nevertheless, the emotional depth and interconnectedness of the two timelines make this a compelling read for those willing to embark on a literary adventure filled with heart and resonance.

Listen For The Lie

 By: Amy Tintera

Location: FIC TIN

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Podcast Fiction, Murder

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?

After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

Nilufer0 my favorite reviewer- 

My hands and eyes were glued to the pages as this brilliant, twisty dark comedy-meets-murder mystery captured my entire nerdy gray cells from the very beginning. Lucy Chase, a blunt, smart, and straightforward anti-heroine, is a complex character that you can't help but root for, even though there's a chance she may be a cold-blooded friend murderer.

The plot revolves around Lucy Chase, a widow and presumed killer who got away with the murder of her best friend, Savannah, the town's sweetest girl. Starting over in LA to build a new life, Lucy finds herself stuck in a meaningless job and a boring relationship with Nathan, who lacks the courage to end things with her. Her only solace is publishing romances under a pen name, but it's not enough to escape the traumatic effects of a brutal incident that occurred five years ago. The same incident took Savannah's life and left Lucy with brain trauma, resulting in temporary amnesia and blackouts.

Enter Ben Owens, a smug and good-looking podcaster who starts delving into the murder mystery of Savannah, stirring up a storm that threatens to unravel the new life Lucy has painstakingly built. Her lovely grandmother, the only person who believes in her innocence, invites Lucy to her birthday party, further tempting her to return to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas, where the townies have already labeled her a killer, including her self-righteous, difficult parents. Ben Owens' arrival in town at the same time to interview anyone who thinks she's guilty adds fuel to the fire. But Lucy already has enough on her plate, with voices in her head screaming "Kill!" and the ghost she keeps seeing everywhere. Her increasing ability to visualize creative ways to kill those who anger her becomes another side effect that hinders her pursuit of a happy life.

Despite the risks, Lucy decides to face the truth and confront the smug podcaster by returning to her hometown, even if it means potentially ending up behind bars. Is Savannah truly the sweetest girl in town, as everyone claims, or does she also harbor dangerous secrets? What if the entire town is hiding skeletons in their closets, secrets that may be worse than Lucy's actions? And the most crucial question of all: Did Lucy really kill her friend, or is she another victim unjustly crucified by everyone?

The smart, sarcastic tone, perfect characterization of the heroine, and portrayal of flawed, biased townies, combined with the riveting pacing and a twisty, dark, yet fair conclusion, made me adore this book. It deserves a well-deserved five stars, and I would even add an additional star for Grandma Beverly, the wittiest, most colorful, and adorable character in the book. I wished to be adopted by her!

This is undeniably one of the best novels I have wholeheartedly enjoyed, and I highly recommend it to anyone addicted to great dark comedy and riveting thrillers. I eagerly look forward to reading more works by Amy Tintera!

By Any Other Name

 By: Jodi Picoult

Location: FIC PIC

Genre: Historical Fiction

"There once was a girl who became invisible so that her words might not be".

"There once was a girl: both a beginning, and an end. There was poetry that, once spoken, could not be unheard. There was a story, whether or not others ever chose to listen."

"By Any Other Name" weaves together the lives of Emilia Bassano, a historical figure some believe to be the true author of many of Shakespeare's plays, and the fictional Melina Green, a contemporary playwright facing marginalization due to her gender. Jodi Picoult bravely explores the controversial idea that the real Shakespeare might have been a woman, fully aware of the backlash she may receive.- Keerin!

In 1581, Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain's mistress she has access to the theatre and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. But creating some of the world's greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at a cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name? William Shakespeare.

In present day Manhattan, playwright Melina Green has written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theatre. Is Melina—like Emilia—willing to forfeit her credit as author, to see her work performed?

Review by Nilufer

Overall, this is a fresh, thought-provoking, well-researched, and heartfelt novel creating bridges between different timelines to honor each woman who wouldn’t get the praise they earn and whose voices, creative works, and aspiring efforts should be known by the world. Especially Melanie’s storyline piqued my interest and made me connect with both characters easily. Definitely a must-read for the author’s devoted fans like me and any reader who is looking for inspirational women’s fiction!

Jodi Picoult did it again! She created an inspiring, sentimental women’s fiction blended with historical fiction, powerful feminism, and diverse vibes, intercepting the stories of two women who are not connected by DNA but share the same fate. As two storytellers/aspiring writers try to make their voices heard in a man’s competitive universe, they are forced to write under male pseudonyms to have their works produced. Even though there are five centuries between the timelines, it seems nothing has changed with the power of white male privilege. Not only women but also entire diverse LGBTQ+ writers need to be equally represented, struggling to find their places in the arts just like in any other business industry.

In the present time, we are introduced to Melina Green, who has an estranged relationship with her still-grieving father after the death of her mother. She is trying to make her voice heard and to be seen with the creative words she puts on paper. Her experiences with men who wanted to take advantage of her, including her mentor at a writing program, start to break her optimism to be part of the theater industry in the Big Apple.

When a chance appears to submit her play, her roommate Andre encourages her to do so after they both get drunk and apply under a male name, Mel. Her play turns into the winner of the contest, and her path recrosses with the harsh critic Jasper, who unfairly broke her enthusiasm for her previous play with his biased opinions. There is also another judgmental producer on the board who prevents her from telling the truth about her work, and she needs the help of Andre as the writer of her own play, which attracts the producer’s attention. Andre, a gay black man, created a perfect play about a white woman’s story. This means Melanie hardly finds the convenient moment to come clean about the truth, witnessing her own work slipping away from her fingers as lies turn into torrents and get out of control.

The other storyline is about the mysterious Emilia Bassano, coming from an Italian, musically talented family, forced to become the mistress of Lord Chamberlain who oversees theater production in England. He shares the texts with Emilia to get her opinions, which leads Emilia to write her own play to be performed in theaters. But to achieve this plan, she has to compromise and make an agreement with the young actor William Shakespeare to act as the playwright of her work. This is a small price she has to pay to see her play reach the audiences, but what if she seeks the appraisal of her hard work she poured her heart into?

Blood Debts

 By: Terry J. Benton-Walker  

Location: FIC BEN

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Queer

"For every child of color who was denied the justice they deserved. You always matter."

Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.

On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau―the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family―are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick―she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.

Cristina, once a talented and dedicated practitioner of Generational magic, has given up magic for good. An ancient spell is what killed their father and she was the one who cast it. For Clement, magic is his lifeline. A distraction from his anger and pain. Even better than the random guys he hooks up with.

Cristina and Clement used to be each other’s most trusted confidant and friend, now they barely speak. But if they have any hope of discovering who is coming after their family, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other and their family's magic, all while solving the decades-old murder that sparked the still-rising tensions between the city’s magical and non-magical communities. And if they don't succeed, New Orleans may see another massacre. Or worse.

This book was amazing and you need to read it RIGHT. NOW.
Magical witch drama set in New Orleans. This was so fast paced and mostly a mystery from a crime 30 years prior and the way everything comes together and the journey of the two main characters and the ending WOWWWWW. Absolutely love and can’t wait for book two.
This author is OFFICIALLY an auto buy author for me forever I love his writing style and story telling- Aaron

Death On The Lusitania

 By: R. L. Graham

Location: FIC GRA

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction

New York, 1915. RMS Lusitania, one of the world’s most luxurious trans-Atlantic liners, departs for Liverpool and war-torn Europe. Among those on board is Patrick Gallagher, a civil servant in Her Majesty’s government tasked with discreetly escorting a British diplomat back to England in relation to charges of suspected treason.

When a fellow passenger, Jimmy Dowrich, is found shot to death in his cabin, the captain asks Gallagher to investigate. Knowing something of the man’s past, Gallagher realizes that the problem will not be simple; and also, the body was discovered in a locked cabin with the key inside and no gun to be found.

Gallagher believes that one of his fellow passengers is a deadly killer. But many of those on board are harbouring secrets of their own, and his questioning reveals that several had a motive for ending Dowrich’s life. He fears that the killer could strike again to protect their true reasons for being on board and all the while, the ship sails on towards Europe, where deadly submarines patrol the war zone . . .

Easiest five stars this year. A fast paced tale of subterfuge, murder, sabotage and revenge. The central characters are vividly portrayed, with interwoven back stories which keep you absorbed and turning the pages. Foreknowledge of the fate of the vessel does not lessen the impact of the event. A gripping and plausible book highly recommended.

 Review by: Peter David Mitchell

The Witches Daughter

 By: Imogen Edwards-Jones

Location: FIC EDW

Genre: Historical Fiction- Russia

An epic story of love, tragedy and the loss of innocence, set against the background of the Russian Revolution after the murder of Rasputin.

It is 1916 and Rasputin has finally been killed by those who have long feared his influence over Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra. But for Princess Militza, famed as one of the 'Witches of St Petersburg', and her daughter Nadezhda, life is about to become extremely dangerous. Revolution is bubbling and with it will come the murder of the Romanov imperial family. Now the rest of the court is also on the run, fleeing from the mob.

Against this violent and turbulent backdrop, Nadezhda, the witch's daughter, finds in exile and captivity, an extraordinary and unlikely love. They say nothing heals like the heart, but as the Red Army marches south and the remnants of the Russian court finds itself trapped in the Crimea, with their backs to the sea, Nadezhda and her beloved Prince Orlov must take the gamble of their lives.

Imogen Edward-Jones' "The Witch's Daughter" is a captivating mix of history and magic set in the intriguing world of Russian witchcraft. Picture Russia during Rasputin's time and the Romanovs' era – it's a fresh and unique spin on fantasy.

What's cool about this book is the way it brings Russia to life with vivid descriptions. You can practically feel the opulence of the Romanov court and sense the chaos of the revolution. The story moves at a good clip, keeping you turning pages, and Nadezhda's journey of self-discovery adds depth to the plot.

The characters, especially strong females like Princess Militza and Nadezhda, steal the show. They're resourceful and resilient in a world gone crazy, making the story engaging.

Imogen Edward-Jones doesn't bog you down with too many historical facts, which is nice. She smoothly weaves in Russian history and culture, giving you the right dose to enjoy the story without feeling overwhelmed.

In a nutshell, "The Witch's Daughter" is a spellbinding mix of history and magic that's a must-read for anyone into Russian witchcraft and history. It's a journey that's both alluring and perilous, and it's bound to leave you eager for more. REVIEW BY AZTHIA