Underground Book Reviews

Review of Star Winds at Dusk by Robert DeFrank

by Steve Wetherell

In this Lovecraftian love letter, fractured tales of impossible beasts, alien landscapes and dark madness collide in an overarching story that transcends time and space. Horrors both ethereal and visceral creep through every page, and deep mysteries abound. In short, lovers of good fantastical horror have plenty to fall in love with.

Review of “The Year of Uh” by Jud Widing

by Amanda McSweeney

The Year of Uh tells the story of sisters Nur and Diedre and their year spent learning English in Boston. Coming from Seychelles in East Africa, they are staying with relatives while attending English classes. The story primarily focuses on nineteen-year-old Nur, who falls for a South Korean boy in her beginners’ English course. Hyan-Woo is sweet and charming and the two try to get to know each other despite their language barrier. Meanwhile, Nur’s relationship with fifteen-year-old Diedre is fraught with tension and misunderstanding. Over the course of her time in America, Nur’s attempts to establish a romance with Hyan-Woo and rebuild the bond with her younger sister lead her to both adventures and trouble.

Review of THE EMPRESS OF VENTRA by Melissa E. Beckwith

by Katie Rose Guest Pryal

If you can read any high fantasy novel and enjoy it, give THE EMPRESS OF VENTRA a try. Otherwise, you might be disappointed.

Review of HIDDEN DAWN by Elke Silvarain

by Kate Ashley

For those of you looking for a YA novel that is a breath of fresh air and does not focus on the romance part, Hidden Dawn is a perfect choice.

How to Kick-start Your Next Novel

by Lauren Faulkenberry

We’ve all been there: you have this great idea for a book, and then you sit down to start it and your fingers freeze, and your brain is going in a dozen directions, and the next thing you know, you’ve blown a fuse and it’s been an hour, and you’ve deleted the first line forty times, and you’ve typed three words. Not even a whole sentence. But I’ve got two tips to start your story, stop your stalling, and get you the momentum you need.

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Blues Harp Green by Nicole Schubert

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