books
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REVIEW — ‘Orange Island’ by Vanessa Frances
In the world we’re living in today, we can all relate to the feeling of doom we get from watching the news. We’re surrounded by endless reports of the devastation felt around the world, and then we turn to social media, drowning out the noise with our favorite influencer’s newest vacation vlog. We watch the…
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REVIEW — ‘Shield of Sparrows’ by Devney Perry
Over the course of this decade, the subgenre of “romantasy” has soared in popularity. Specifically on BookTok, novels that fall under the fantasy-romance hybrid category are pushed to the forefront of viewers’ feeds and social media doomscrolling. Despite the mainstream quality of romantasy, the style itself is uniquely beloved by indie writers and young artists. …
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In conversation with Sophie Riley: self-publishing and character-driven storytelling in ‘It’s Not the End of the World’
Writers get inspiration from a variety of sources: their personal lives, the news, movies, television shows, or even writing prompts. Sophie Riley got hers from a 2014 Tumblr post. “I had saved that [post] so long ago and just put it in my brain,” Riley said. “I just got this idea for a book about…
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In conversation with Mike Chick: turning mistakes into meaning
It all started with a gifted cake—and a misspelling. A small yet thoughtful gesture from family after Yawn Mower released their album To Each Their Own Coat. But instead of “congrats,” the icing read “congarts.” It was the kind of mistake most people would get mad over and soon try to forget, but Mike Chick…
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In conversation with Julia Esperanza: ‘There’s Always A Second Act’ and the healing nature of poetry
“I didn’t know that I wanted to be a writer,” Julia Esperanza admitted with a smile. “If anything, I tried my hardest to avoid it.” Born and raised in South Florida, Esperanza grew up writing stories to go along with the pages in her coloring books, letting her imagination run wild with ideas. As she…
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REVIEW — ‘Murder at the Hotel Orient’ by Alessandra Ranelli
Alessandra Ranelli’s debut novel, Murder at the Hotel Orient, delivers sex, humor, mystery, and intrigue all bottled up like top-shelf champagne about to pop. The flirty fever dream opens the night that two guests are murdered at the Hotel Orient, one of Vienna’s most mystifying attractions. Sterling Lockwood is the alluring and ever-loyal concierge at…
