“No matter what happened in life, good or bad, whatever religion you believed in, at least you know that death was it. Death was the end. How wonderful the neighbors must have felt when they woke up to see that it was not so. That they were able to carry on forever.” The novel, Undertaking Life, by Emma Stanley, artfully leads us into a graveyard full of mystery, as the protagonist, Daniel, interacts with its numerous residents, who guide him beyond his initial grief. As he gets to know each of his neighbors amongst this resting place, Daniel discovers volumes of knowledge obtained over generations and the painful results of past indiscretions, discrimination, and abandonment. No matter what occurs in Daniel’s life, Undertaking Life keeps us captivated within the delightful company of the graveyard and its companions.

“…my mind drifted through all the years I’d spent thinking I was unencumbered, and that it was the lack of encumbrance that made me free. But that wasn’t true. I was neither free nor unencumbered. I was uncommitted. And it was that lack of commitment, that lack of a will to sacrifice, that kept me alone.” The novel, The Great Meadows, by Christopher Walsh, throws us into the mystery of a young man, Moussa Daib’s, novel search for purpose and unexpected death that wraps up the protagonist, Levi Motley, following his simple, though considerate, actions. As Levi seeks truth beyond false appearances and admissions, he is confronted with the hard-fought secrets of those that mean to keep them that way through the lens of a small-town Kentucky landscape. The Great Meadows forces those that seek truth into self-reflection as to what lies they may continue to tell themselves.

“Despite the day’s heat, the stillness brought a chill, yet the creeping dread they’d both felt with totality’s approach melted away. Nobody spoke, taking in the universe’s visual statement of supremacy.” The short story collection, Menagerie in the Dark, by Chris Kauzlarich, captivates readers through fourteen thought-provoking stories, involving a spectrum of shades between hope and despair. While a few stories occasionally falter in pacing, the overall impact remains strong, with each narrative contributing to a larger thematic arc. The author skillfully balances darkness and light with vivid depictions of characters wrestling through grief, guilt, then revelation around a symbolic progression—dusk, night, and dawn. Menagerie in the Dark is a collection with emotional resonance.

“He embodied and represented a true deity, stood up to and for all those unanswered questions, wishes, hopes, and ill-directed prayers. To the unbelieving, he was strange, but to the rest, those who needed a god, he was peculiar enough to be so much more than just a random occurrence. He had all the attributes required to be venerated, holy, and godly.” The short story collection, Until It Stops, by M.P. Newman, takes readers through twelve eclectic tales, delving into the lives and shifting motives of flawed characters as they face moral dilemmas and confront situations where altruistic intentions often fail to lead to meaningful outcomes. Stories, such as “Until It Stops” and “Aenna,” intermingle elements of science fiction with the collection’s underlying theme of consequence that imparts a lingering impression.

“The wind moved low and steady, brushing past my face like a breath too soft to belong to anything living. Seafoam rolled in lazy, lace-edged curls, collapsing with a hush that seemed meant for someone else. I kept walking, though I didn’t know where I’d come from—or if it even mattered.” The novel, Portraits in Time and Life: The Past is Never Forgiving, by Owen Wells, explores the sorrow of its elderly protagonist, Charlie, as he must relive and often forget a cascade of memories following his diagnosis and care in an assisted living facility. Owen juxtaposes the current with the past as Charlie comes to terms with many of his past faults and successes, often perceived with clarity only in these reflections, while observing his daughter’s experiences in her own toxic marriage issues. Portraits in Time and Life challenges us to expand our viewpoints of a purposeful life and whether we would want to re-experience the series of decisions that constitute our lives.

“I loved her. I knew it then, and I think she knew she loved me then, and we were very, very afraid of what that meant, so we said nothing, and she cried out of fear because two people who love each other can do nothing but draw pain towards themselves like magnets. To fall in love with another person is a sort of suicide.” The novel, Spirit Lake, by Ben Dolan, compels us to relive a torrent of memories through JP Stone as he confronts a past based on the entreaties of a young woman seeking revelations that Stone is hard-pressed and fearful in baring. Through the guidance of Dolan’s witty use of his protagonist’s perspective, Spirit Lake treads into the pains of memories that will never perish and heartache that can shatter even the most resilient.

“Your turn will come before you know it. It will be you who will make the world a better place. You will bring glory to our beloved Misr and lead America with compassion and understanding; you will be the bridge. . .” From its broad array of poignant characters, the novel, The Gales of Alexandria, by Ehab Elgammal, centers upon Omar El-Mohammedi, as he seeks to overcome his grief at the loss of his son. However, he is soon designated by the CIA to prevent another potential terrorist attack by the deciphering of a key memento left by his son: a cryptic journal. Set within the turbulent backdrop of post-9/11 global politics and the Arab Spring, The Gales of Alexandria engages within themes centered on psychological fragmentation wrought by war and displacement, forcing us to confront the moral complexities of faith, family, and identity.

“On the glossy surface of his black pupils, the police lights were mirrored as we glided by, and beyond that something else lurked, like a shadow, a flicker of weakness cowering in the depths of his soul.” The novel, The Border Between Us, by Rudy Ruiz, takes us into a coming-of-age tale of Ramón Lopez as he contends with the turmoil of his passions and dreams, codified in his artistic talent, in contrast to the hardworking struggle exhibited by his father and expected of Ramón. Though his father is determined to succeed in the American dream through a multitude of business endeavors, Ramón witnesses the painful reality that our struggles may never truly relinquish, despite relentless grit and determination. The Border Between Us reveals the limitations children have in appreciating the many sacrifices of our parents and the tireless support that we take for granted for far too long.

“He felt numb, emotionless, and detached. He had no capacity for empathy, and those around him suffered for it.” The novel, Land Shadows, by R.J. Striegel, leads us through the lives of the McNeil family, focusing on the childhood and rise of its leading protagonist, Murdoch McNeil, who survives an unfathomable family trauma when forced to leave his home in Scotland to only find himself as the solitary survivor on the docks of New York City. Through a family saga of betrayal and tragedy, Murdoch uses his intellect and determination to claim ‘new’ land in New Mexico in efforts to reclaim some of what his family had stolen from him in Scotland, seemingly unaware that his actions continue a similar misfortune that targeted his family. Striegel deftly portrays the struggle we have against our worst impulses in the guise of success with characters difficult to loathe, notably in the contrast of the adoption and encouragement that Murdoch shows Kewanee, a Potowatomi girl, tackling the many shades of honor.

“I’m telling you it isn’t worth anything to begin with. I’m telling you it’s an illusion. Money won’t buy you respect from the people who lived with it their whole lives. It won’t buy you a world you can’t already touch. It won’t give you anything that won’t exact something from you in return.” The novel, The Invisible Hand, by Douglas Cole, delves into the depths that actions, both benevolent and malevolent, resonate within society via an invisible hand. As is the tendency of human nature to act without regard for said hand, we mar its course through our emotions, needs, or desire for more. Cole exposes the weight of self-interested acts, even those necessary for a character’s mental or physical survival, and the detrimental results that may occur. Through a flowing narrative, The Invisible Hand explores a broad array of touching character-drive situations and the limited level of impact we may actually have in fighting against a system barely sustaining many of us.