When Melody's mother dies, she is alone in the world - more so than others because she is also deaf. While driving home in a blinding snowstorm, she encounters a Sasquatch, and wrecks her car trying to avoid hitting him. He rescues her and shelters her among his people.

Basically a love story, I was fascinated with the culture created by Ms. Jeppsen for the mythological creatures. Her world-building skills are amazing and characters are well-defined and believable. You come to love these gentle giants and fear for their continued existence as the outside world tries to exterminate them.

Beautiful prose along with a fast-paced story make it one of my favorites of the year. I highly recommend this book to fantasy/sci-fi lovers. Well done, Ms. Jeppsen!

Rowan is an abused child; the only joy in her life is provided by her dog, Peyton. Yearning for love and solace, she and Peyton set out on a journey towards hope.

Poignant and heartbreaking, this short story is a very emotional read. Beautifully written and well edited, Ms Page has a talent for evoking feelings through her words. Outstanding.

I had this book on my wish list and was delighted to be gifted a copy by the author.

After waking from a drugged sleep, Nora finds her husband dangling from a rope. Not understanding how she could have missed signs that he was suicidal, she tries to retrace his last days. What she discovers is that the little picturesque upstate NY town has a lot of secrets, and they definitely don’t want her to uncover them.

Twists and turns abound in this well-written and edited debut by Ms. Milchman. Her descriptions, especially of the unrelenting frigid cold of the area, are amazing – making you want to huddle under your blankets while reading. A fabulous first effort – I hope to see more by this author.

A wild ride of angst, guilt, and revenge told in a very graphic and twisted style– definitely not for the faint of heart. It is often difficult to follow, but fascinating at the same time. The author has written in an almost stream-of-consciousness manner – as if the story HAD to be told, and damn the usual conventions of writing.

With that being said, I believe the author would still benefit from an editor. I think a better flow would make it even more horrifying and compelling, but the raw talent of this author is very evident. I’d give the story five stars, but am taking one star off for the editing issues.

Annie is a baker who sees ghosts. When her pals take her shopping to ‘sex up’ her wardrobe at the exclusive Snotsky’s Department Store, she discovers the snooty condescending saleslady murdered in the lounge. Her madcap attempts to help the newly-minted ghost find her killer provide some chuckles along the way as she manages to solve the mystery, find the perfect dress, and even gets her parking ticket validated.

A quick easy read full of humor, Ms. DuMond has penned a fast-paced witty little novella. Pure fluff, but entertaining, and very well-edited to boot. A great escape.

Martin is a Relic, a near-immortal being who was born before humans invaded space. Traveling on a star liner, he enjoys star-gazing in alien galaxies. Joined by an extraterrestrial group as he watches, he is soon confronted by an old friend who forces him to remember the past.

Extremely well-written and edited, Mr. Watson has a fabulous talent for putting the reader in the middle of the story with his believable dialog, expressive descriptions, and his ability to convey profound feelings through his words. A beautiful short story.

A collection of five short stories, Midnight and Holding presents vignettes of everyday life. Nothing gory, heart-stopping, or extreme in any way, but quiet poignant observations.

Easy to read and very enjoyable, Ms DeBacco has a calming style of writing. She manages to draw you into a world that seems to move a little slower and allows the reader to connect with the characters, as well as their feelings and situations. As a bonus, her work is extremely well-edited – a pure joy to read.

Wow! This story has more twists and turns than a West Virginia mountain road. Bailey’s mother died and when she goes to clean out her house, strange people start showing up – and they’re all trying to kill her! And the real irony is that she has no idea why. She reluctantly teams up with Guy, but can’t quite bring herself to totally trust him, and subsequently continues to put herself in the crosshairs of all the whackos who are trying to silence her.

A real page-turner which initially confuses the reader with the introduction of several characters who are not identified, but this actually lends to the mystery. All eventually becomes clear, and then it turns into a race against time to save Bailey.

Ms. Thom is a great storyteller with a real talent for weaving an intricate plot. My only complaint is there are a few editing issues – extra commas, a few typos, a couple grammatical mistakes, but not enough to take away from the tale. A blockbuster for sure!

Although I’m not a fan of romance, I have enjoyed other books by this author, so decided to give it a go. It reminded me of bodice rippers I read years ago – man and woman meet and instantly hate each other. They scratch and fight for years, some tragedy makes them finally realize they’ve been in love all along, and they end up happily ever after. The difference is that this story is set in the pioneer days of Australia, and the country and period become a major part of the tale. The hardships and social mores of the times make the characters’ struggles more believable and understandable. I often wonder how modern women would survive such conditions.

Ms. Tanner is a skilled wordsmith who tells a great story. Her writing is well-edited, and the erotica is definitely on the fiery side! Passionate and mesmerizing emotions – not for the weak of heart.

John lost most of his family before he reached adulthood – a sister and brother during the war, and his father shortly after. He and his mother move to a small village to live with his aunt, and it’s quickly apparent there is something not quite right. He begins to have realistic ‘dreams’ where he meets his dead brother and a bully from their former life. He also discovers his first love, and fights to save her from a past seeking vengeance on the village.

Mr Kates does a fabulous job of portraying the sinister undertones of evil lurking in the idyllic setting. His writing style is beautifully and poetically descriptive, and builds tension as the horror creeps into the lives of the characters. Well done, sir!