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A Life in Too Many Margins
S. E. Thomson’s A Life in Too Many Margins: Laughing Through the Labels is a whip-smart and emotionally stirring memoir that opens in a hospital room, David, chronically ill and exhausted, finally believed after months of dismissal, staring at the “beige hospital blanket” and coping with gallows humor as doctors confirm an omental infarction tied to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. From there, the book moves through a childhood and adulthood spent ricocheting between forced gender roles, neurodivergent masking, disability and medical trauma, and the slow, hard-earned assembly of a self, one chapter at a time, like a life rebuilt from receipts and radiology reports.
I liked the voice in this book. It’s not “funny” as decoration; it’s funny as a crowbar. In the prologue alone, the humor keeps snapping the seal on the airless jar of medical neglect: the hospital gown “afraid of commitment,” the Jell-O christened Gary, the pain described as a “damp grocery bag full of bees.” That comedic metabolism doesn’t dilute the suffering; it metabolizes it, turning indignity into something you can hold up to the light without going blind. I found myself laughing, then immediately feeling implicated, because the joke keeps pointing back to the systems and people who require disabled folks to audition for basic credibility.
I also didn’t expect the book to be so precise about the small origin-moments that become a lifelong weather pattern. The early sections about gender feel like being trapped in a brightly colored room where everything is a script you didn’t agree to learn; the “pink” isn’t just décor, it’s enforcement. And when the narrative arrives at pronouns later, quietly, almost offhand, in a classroom roll call, it lands with the force of a key finally fitting a lock: “Uh, I don’t care?” becomes the hinge that swings the door open. The moment David names it, I am transgender… I am a man, it’s rendered not as a glossy reveal, but as an “ohhhhhhh” that rearranges decades of memory in one night. That ordinariness is the point. Self-recognition isn’t always fireworks; sometimes it’s just the first time someone asks the right question in a room that doesn’t punish honesty.
This is for readers who gravitate toward memoir, humor, disability, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, and trauma recovery narratives, especially anyone who’s ever been treated like a “case” instead of a person, or who wants a story that makes space rather than demanding palatability. If you like the sharp, self-protective candor of Jenny Lawson (or the laughter-through-the-bruises essay energy of Samantha Irby), Thomson’s voice will feel familiar. And when the book closes by insisting, without sentimentality, that if your body is falling apart and no one believes you, you should write it down because it might save someone else’s life, it doesn’t read like a slogan; it reads like a field note from a survivor.
Pages: 229 | ASIN : B0FL6XG768
Dominion: Ascension
Dominion: Ascension drops readers into a future where a woman-led government controls every part of life and men are sorted into rigid castes by a brutal testing system. We follow Dani Matthews, an investigative reporter who cannot let go of the lies around her father’s death or her mother’s role in building Dominion’s power. As she digs, she crosses paths with rebels, hidden sanctuaries, and the underground world of men who are bred, bought, and discarded. Her journey pulls her away from the glitter of elite parties and into tunnels, camps, and secret havens, then sends her back again with new eyes. By the end, Dani has to decide what kind of truth-teller she wants to be, what price she will pay for that choice, and how far she will go to expose the system that raised her and used her.
I felt the world of Dominion in my gut. The Singletary bands around the men’s necks, the polished parties full of “Seducers,” the Dissident buses packed with bodies, the cold efficiency of Illegis testing, all of it hit me with a mix of fascination and dread. The alternating focus on Dani and her mother, Linda, kept pulling me in two emotional directions at once. I kept judging Linda, then catching myself, then feeling a twist of pity when the book showed the ruins she lived through after the war. At the same time, Dani’s voice felt raw and human, not a perfect hero, just a stubborn, sometimes messy young woman who loves her father’s memory and hates what her mother built. I liked that the book let her be angry and scared and selfish and brave in turn. By the time she reached Haven and started to see what resistance actually costs, I felt that familiar tightness in my chest, the one I get when a story stops being “cool dystopia” and starts feeling a little too close to home.
On the craft side, the book was well written. The prose can be lush, even theatrical, and at times it lingers on description a bit longer than I liked, especially early on in the gala scenes and some of the world exposition. Still, those same details created a strong sense of place, and the visual images stuck in my mind. The emotional beats between mother and daughter worked very well for me. Their arguments about safety, control, and sacrifice gave the book its heart. The romantic thread has real chemistry and some scenes that feel both tender and intense, though now and then it nudged the story toward drama when I wanted to stay in the political tension. The ending, with Dani sitting in front of her article and deciding whether to send it, gave me a sharp jolt of excitement and frustration at once, because it clearly sets up more to come rather than tying everything off in a neat bow.
I would recommend Dominion: Ascension to readers who enjoy character-driven dystopian fiction with a strong emotional core and who do not mind some darkness in both theme and imagery. If you like books that flip power structures and ask what happens when the oppressed become the rulers, this will hook you. It is a good fit for fans of speculative stories that blend politics, family tension, romance, and questions about justice into one fast-moving arc. Book clubs that want something to argue about, especially around gender roles and state control, will have a field day with this one.
Pages: 354 | ASIN : B0FGZMLYCM
Shadows and Black in the Light
Amy van Rijthoven’s Shadows and Black in the Light is a haunting and poetic journey through the lives of two deeply scarred individuals—Millie and Andy—whose stories intertwine across themes of grief, betrayal, longing, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of rural Australia, the novel moves between the perspectives of Millie, a teenager on the brink of adulthood grappling with the mysterious death of her father and the emotional absence of her mother, and Andy, a former associate of her father caught between his criminal past and an aching desire to start over. As their lives begin to overlap, the novel paints an intricate portrait of broken families, buried secrets, and the fragile, persistent hope for healing.
What I liked most was the visceral, emotional quality of the writing. Van Rijthoven doesn’t shy away from the messiness of human relationships. Her prose is vivid, lyrical, sometimes raw, evoking smells, textures, and fleeting moments with clarity. Millie’s voice is especially poignant. She’s young but not naive, strong yet vulnerable. I often found myself pausing to absorb the depth of her thoughts, quiet reflections that feel both personal and relatable. Andy’s chapters, on the other hand, are grittier and rough-edged, but they balance Millie’s internal monologue with action and a grim look at life on the other side of the law. The dual narrative worked beautifully for me—it was like watching two storms edge closer together until they finally collide.
While the emotional weight carried the story far, there were moments when the pacing felt uneven—certain scenes lingered, while others that seemed pivotal moved quickly. But even when the plot wandered, the emotional heartbeat never faltered. The mystery, the slow-burn relationships, the tension—it kept me hooked. And by the final chapters, I felt I had truly gone on a journey with these characters. Their growth felt earned.
Shadows and Black in the Light is a heartfelt and emotionally rich novel that is perfect for readers who enjoy stories of self-discovery, slow-burning suspense, and complex family drama. If you’re the kind of person who likes to sit with a story long after it ends, who appreciates prose that breathes, and who isn’t afraid of confronting the shadows we all carry, this book is for you.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0FB3L88ZY
Starfall
Starfall by B.C. Charles is a gripping tale that opens with mysterious occurrences in the quiet town of Anne Falls, centering on Nathan Hawkins, a teenager juggling everyday struggles with the weight of supernatural secrets. The story weaves together local legends, paranormal investigations, and personal conflicts, exploring the fallout from a supposed extraterrestrial crash decades prior. Through Nathan’s encounters with cults, cryptic journals, and his latent pyrokinesis, the book delves into themes of identity, truth, and resilience.
I was immediately hooked by the atmospheric opening. The vivid description of a fireball crashing into Kingland Forest sets an eerie tone that persists throughout the book. Nathan’s first foray into the woods to investigate a cult gave me chills—Charles nailed the sense of danger and suspense. Yet, what I loved most was how grounded the story felt despite its supernatural elements. Nathan’s frustrations with school bullies and his strained relationship with his aunt added layers of relatability.
The writing style is straightforward yet evocative. Charles’s knack for painting tension-filled scenes shone brightest during Nathan’s confrontation with the cultists near Queen’s Lake. I found myself rooting for Nathan as he outwitted them while battling his own fears. However, I feel the dialogue among the secondary characters, like Mike and Angela, occasionally veered toward being more formal and in some instances slightly repetitive.
The ideas within the book, particularly the intersection of science, faith, and the paranormal were fascinating. I enjoyed how the AFUN archive files complemented the narrative, offering glimpses into a conspiracy bigger than Nathan. The concept of the “Daughters of Men” and their ties to Anne Falls’ history was compelling, though I wish the book had spent more time unraveling their motives. The inclusion of Nathan’s fire powers added a unique layer to the story, but it sometimes felt underutilized. I kept hoping for a deeper exploration of how his abilities connected to Starfall and his family’s mysterious past, however, this leaves an opportunity for future installations.
Starfall is a satisfying mix of coming-of-age drama and supernatural mystery. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves stories that blend small-town secrets with larger-than-life phenomena. Fans of shows like Stranger Things or books like The Outsiders with a paranormal twist will feel right at home here. The book’s heart and intrigue kept me turning pages late into the night.
Pages: 246 | ASIN : B0DLBQ1DMP
Point Guard
Stefan Mattessich’s Point Guard takes readers on a journey through the rugged beauty of Mendocino, California, while unpacking the complexities of adolescence, community, and self-discovery. The protagonist, Woody, navigates friendships, basketball, and the undercurrents of small-town life, all against the backdrop of a windswept coast. The story is rich with vivid descriptions and emotional depth, tying personal growth to the relentless rhythms of nature and the pressures of a fading community.
What struck me most about the book was the emotional honesty of its characters, especially Woody. Through his eyes, we see the raw beauty and the quiet despair of Mendocino. The basketball court becomes a metaphor for life, a place where camaraderie, competition, and personal demons collide. The intense scene where Woody and his friend Jordi struggle under the critical gaze of Coach is a standout. These moments make the book deeply relatable and occasionally heart-wrenching.
Mattessich’s prose blends the poetic with the straightforward, creating a rhythm that mirrors the ebb and flow of the tides. One memorable passage reflects Woody’s feelings about the sea: “To those who live by it, the sea is less a comfort than a disquiet, a dread.” This sentence encapsulates both the physical landscape and the emotional terrain of the story. At times, though, the pacing slows as the prose becomes contemplative. While this adds texture, it occasionally slows the momentum, especially during pivotal plot developments.
Another highlight is the nuanced exploration of relationships. Woody’s longing for Suzanne, his complicated friendship with Jordi, and his grudging admiration for Chase are beautifully layered. When Chase arrives and upends the group dynamic, Woody’s envy and admiration create a believable emotional tug-of-war. The scene at the school dance, where Woody’s heart sinks watching Suzanne and Chase together, felt painfully real. Mattessich captures the bittersweet nature of unspoken feelings and the resilience it takes to move forward.
Point Guard is a contemplative, atmospheric new adult novel that will resonate with anyone who has felt the weight of growing up, the sting of unrequited love, or the push-and-pull of community. It’s an excellent read for those who appreciate coming-of-age stories laced with a strong sense of place and poetic introspection.
Pages: 204 | ASIN : B072WM1KNX
Funny Contradictions: Medusa as a Hairdresser
Cryptid Bits follows the residents living in the Fairy District, a unique place where creatures of myth and legend live side by side, and humans want to be a part of it all. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The whole collection was actually spawned by a single flash story I wrote from a prompt. The prompt was to write a story where an unexpected character is in a mundane or well-known setting. I wrote a little piece about bigfoot going to the movies and it was such a fun exercise I wrote a couple more. Once I had a half dozen or so little micros I started to see some potential threads and arcs that could connect them and realized I was writing a collection. I’ve always enjoyed books that take a collage approach to storytelling or use a “found document” conceit, so once I knew I was working on a chapbook I made a point of trying out some different storytelling formats. That’s how things like the listicles and Yowl! reviews ended up coming to be. What’s kind of funny is that the original bigfoot at the movies story didn’t end up making it into the finished book, although the spirit of it is still there in the piece “Pros and Cons of Going to the Movies with a Bigfoot”.
The creatures in this book were very intriguing. How did you go about creating them for this book?
All of the creatures in the book come from some kind of folklore or mythology, so it was less about creating them than it was choosing which ones to feature, and which version of the creature archetype to use. I went about that in different ways depending on the piece. A few of them started from the “punchline”—Banshee and the Siouxies was one of those, and so was the vampire at the blood drive. For a lot of the others, I started with the creature I wanted to play with and brainstormed either real-world situations they’d be suited for (brownies working in hospitality) or things I felt would be a funny contradiction (Medusa as a hairdresser).
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
To be honest, I rarely intentionally explore themes in my work. When I was writing Cryptid Bits I was more focused on exploring the world and following the characters who lived there. I do think that some themes naturally emerged when I was writing just because this setting is so close to the modern real world, but I can’t really take credit for putting those in there, and honestly didn’t even really think about themes until after the collection was done.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
I definitely plan to come back to this universe, because it’s a very fun sandbox to play in! I’ve been working on other projects recently and haven’t decided yet which creatures the next book will feature or what the overarching plot will be. I do think the next one will probably be at least novella-length and will likely include some longer short stories rather than just micros. I’m also brainstorming some different types of “found document” forms to include, because I think the collage aspect is something I want to continue in some way.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Website | Book Review
This is the story of cryptids and humans living in the same world, one where it’s not as obvious as you might think to figure out who around you is a monster.
Cryptid Bits
In Crypted Bits, readers are invited into a neighborhood unlike any other. It’s a fantastical realm where creatures of myth and legend live side by side. Here, beings of different species coexist in a fragile harmony, often clashing but mostly managing to get along. That balance, however, begins to shift when humans start moving in. The gentrification of the Fairy District is underway, and with it comes an inevitable upheaval. What was once a peculiar but peaceful community is now facing change that will ripple through its very core. Opening the pages of this novel is like stepping into an enchanted world populated by unforgettable characters, each with their own unique story. The narrative feels like a rich mosaic where reality and fantasy intertwine, creating something fresh, strange, and delightful. Jess Simms draws the reader into a world that is both familiar and otherworldly, reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s urban fantasy or the whimsical mischief of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series.
Rather than following a linear plot, Crypted Bits unfolds as a series of vignettes or episodic misadventures, each offering glimpses into the lives of the district’s residents. The narrative has a tendency to fragment and drift off in unexpected directions, which can be disorienting, but I found it captivating overall.
Simms deftly employs an array of literary techniques to build the Fairy District into a fully realized setting. Advertisements, listicles, social media posts, and news articles all serve as windows into this world, giving the reader a multifaceted view of a community where cryptids (mythical creatures from every corner of folklore) struggle to coexist both with each other and with the encroaching human population. Conflict arises, of course, but it’s handled with wit and charm rather than violence. The struggles of the district’s inhabitants, while real, never feel too heavy. Instead, they are infused with a whimsical energy that makes even the challenges feel endearing. There’s a certain magic to the way life in the Fairy District unfolds, and Simms invites the reader to experience it in all its quirky glory.
I think Crypted Bits isn’t meant to be a straightforward story. Instead, it’s an immersive experience, one that allows readers to wander through its dreamlike landscape, discovering new surprises at every turn. Jess Simms has crafted a world that is a joy to explore, and while the novel may be brief, the spell it casts lingers long after the final page is turned.
Pages: 76 | ASIN : B0CRGK4NJR
The Secret
The Secret by Eve M. Riley is a compelling exploration of love, loss, and the quest for truth, set against the vivid and raw backdrop of Africa and New York. At the heart of this novel is Liss, a fiercely independent woman who has navigated a life filled with heartbreak and betrayal. Her instinct to protect herself is strong, yet when she meets Dan during a volunteer mission in the Congo, something shifts. Unlike the deceitful charmers of her past, Dan meets her sharp wit with a disarming charm that draws her in, sparking an undeniable connection.
Liss’s journey is defined by her resilience and determination to chart her own course, even as her trust in Dan begins to waver. Initially, she chooses not to pry into Dan’s evasive responses, confident that his secrets will eventually surface on their own. However, as the truth starts to reveal itself, Liss’s confidence gives way to a relentless need to uncover the real Dan. This search for truth drives the narrative, pulling readers into Liss’s internal struggle as she faces the possibility that the answers she seeks might not be the ones she desires. Riley masterfully paces the novel, blending emotional highs and lows with suspenseful twists. The push and pull of Liss and Dan’s relationship is marked by moments of heartache, hope, and intense passion, creating a dynamic that keeps readers fully engaged. The narrative tension is skillfully maintained, particularly through Dan’s mysterious disappearance, which adds an edge of unpredictability to the story. The richly depicted settings, from the Congo’s rugged landscapes to the urban hustle of New York, serve as more than just backdrops—they mirror the characters’ internal struggles and add layers of depth to the narrative. The strategic use of time gaps allows for significant character development, making the eventual reunion between Liss and Dan even more poignant and impactful. Riley’s portrayal of their intense romance, with its blend of tender and dramatic moments, showcases her talent for crafting a multifaceted and emotionally resonant story.
The Secret is a standout romance that delivers both emotional depth and narrative complexity. Riley’s ability to create relatable characters with genuine struggles and desires makes this novel a must-read for anyone looking for a romance that goes beyond the surface. With its intricate blend of mystery, heartache, and ultimate redemption, The Secret is a powerful testament to the resilience of love and the courage it takes to face the unknown.
Pages: 288 | ASIN : B0CLN8RCZX
