Book Review: Retro

When Ash spots an ad for Retro during a depressing Instagram scroll, she’s surprised the algorithm sent it her way. She’s heard of recreational time travel, but it’s way out of her budget. Then she sees the caption: "Come away with us! We’re hiring." So begins Ash’s life as a Time Travel Agent, leading wealthy tourists on vacations to historical hotspots.

She takes bachelorette parties to live out their cowboy-romance fantasies in the Old West; she chaperones “’20s for your twenties” birthday excursions to speakeasies; she smiles politely as rich Wall Street guys give prospecting a shot during the Gold Rush. It’s all thrilling, outrageous, and totally surreal. Bygone America is just a Retro Metro ride away.

Despite Ash’s tendency toward cynicism, she finds herself swept up in her dazzling new job. Sure, Ash isn’t the actress she’d always dreamed she’d be. But isn’t this so much better? It’s like Ash’s life is a movie, complete with an impossible love triangle. But as her trips threaten to unravel her real life, she confronts an unsettling truth: Escaping into the past was never really an escape at all.

Book Review: The Disco at the End of the World

In 1977 - a world in which America launched its space program shortly after WWII - Mitch Ward followed Flynn, the lost love of his youth, into the US Spaceguard. Now, he’s stuck on a backwater moon base with his only friend, Gloria, watching every shuttle in the hope Flynn will be on it.

After an inexplicable encounter with a strange, euphoric being, Mitch and Gloria find themselves dishonourably discharged, and stuck in a USA rapidly sliding into fascism with no plans and no future. There’s nothing for it but to move to Los Angeles to chase their dreams, and find their people in the discos of the city.

But when Flynn crashes back into their lives, claiming to be the host for an emissary of a utopian civilization approaching Earth, he offers Mitch the power to protect himself and friends across the queer community, so they never have to live in the shadows or face oppression again. With the world on the brink of cataclysm, and Mitch and his friends being squeezed out of every space, it’s down to this community of disco-loving outcasts to stand up for what is beautiful and right.

Book Review: Kill All Wizards

Gotchimus the barbarian traveled far to consult the wizards of the empire. Instead of lending their aid, they ensorcelled him, exploited his strength, and stole his sword. They should not have done that.

Now the barbarian plans to kill every wizard who wronged him, even if that means blending in with their vile society: dressing in finery, taking tea in exclusive clubs, and reserving the best box at the theater.

Oh, he hates it all with the fiery passion of his savage heart, but not as much as he hates these wizards.

Book Review: The Franchise

A land filled with magic and dragons and wizards and warriors. Thousands of people live and work within its borders, fearful of their enemies and loyal to their king.

The classic fantasy world of The Malicarn has been brought to life on the big screen in a series of phenomenally successful blockbuster movies, almost entirely populated by characters in total belief that their sham fantasy lives are real. A fan-favorite actor finds himself doubting the studio's work, but this franchise has an almost unstoppable momentum, and bringing freedom to a population that already believes itself to be free won’t be as easy as he thinks.

Book Review: The Midnight Train

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there. The chance to re-live the moments that meant most. To see what kind of person you really were.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice. Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently.

But to do so risks everything...

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig will be published May 26, 2026. Viking Penguin provided an early galley for review.

Book Review: The Emotion Thesaurus (2nd edition)

One of the biggest struggles for writers is how to convey emotion to readers in a unique and compelling way. When showing our characters’ feelings, we often use the first idea that comes to mind, and they end up smiling, nodding, and frowning too much.

If you need inspiration for creating characters’ emotional responses that are personalized and evocative, this ultimate show-don’t-tell guide for emotion can help. It includes:

• body language cues, thoughts, and visceral responses for 130 emotions that cover a range of intensity from mild to severe, providing innumerable options for individualizing a character’s reactions
• a breakdown of the biggest emotion-related writing problems and how to overcome them
• advice on what should be done before drafting to make sure your characters’ emotions will be realistic and consistent
• instruction for how to show hidden feelings and emotional subtext through dialogue and nonverbal cues

Book Review: DC Super Hero Girls - High School Reunion

It’s the 10th anniversary of DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis, and modern-day, grown-up Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Harley, Ivy, and Beast Boy have received invitations to the most exclusive party in town—their high school reunion. Distracted by all their grown-up responsibilities, the group hasn’t been able to get together for a while, and they are more excited than ever to see their friends again!

But this “reunion” isn’t what it seems. No one else is present when they arrive for the party! Who could have summoned everyone to Super Hero High? What is really going on? To find the answers to their questions and the way out of this trap, the heroes will have to take a walk down memory lane. But will this deep dive into their past bring the heroes back to their B.F.F. ways or reopen old wounds?