Book Title: ONE OF US KNOWS Character Name: Bad Day System (Members: Ken, Solomon, Della, Empress, Keke, Mesmer, Lurk)   How would you describe your family or your childhood? Ken: ADHD means I have a Swiss cheese memory and the amnesia from dissociative identity disorder makes it a thousand times worse. I don’t remember much of my childhood beyond getting in fights with classmates and disappointing my parents. Solomon: They weren’t disappointed, just worried. Keke: Don’t be sad, Ken. Mommy and daddy loved us very much. Ken: I’m not sad.   What’s your greatest talent? Solomon: Drawing and design for me, painting and conceptualizing for Ken. Ken: I used to think it was art, but we all know that isn’t true, so I guess the ability to spectacularly f*ck everything up. Empress: My greatest talent is drawing spectacular eff-ing in my NSFW furry art commissions; kinda the same thing, right?   Significant other? Solomon: Yes? Ken: NO. Mesmer: It’s complicated.   Biggest challenge in relationships? Empress: The fact that I’m a teenager, but my body is a 37-year-old woman. Ken: Having a bunch of squatters in my brain judging me for trying to have some fun. Solomon:  communication. Della: Ken…

Missing persons stories appear in the news all too frequently, capturing the attention of the nation with a multitude of questions. Where did the person go? Is the person safe? What happened and why? Whether it’s the manhunt for Brian Laundrie amid the swirling questions of his fiancée’s death or the past well-publicized kidnappings of Patty Hearst and Elizabeth Smart, or the still-unsolved disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, cases involving missing persons have seemingly always captured the attention of the nation as we anxiously await and hope for positive news. Lately, my local news has dealt with the tragic endings for Gabby Petito and Mia Marcano, both young women who lost their lives all too soon. Readers are often drawn to the theme of missing persons, as evidenced by the abundance of books with a missing person as the core theme. GONE GIRL was recently one of the bestselling books of the decade, featuring the missing person theme. Let’s delve into a few other books featuring this same theme. LAST SEEN ALONE by Laura Griffin starts out with an abandoned car and a pool of blood. The car, registered to Vanessa Adams, offers little clues and Vanessa isn’t anywhere to be…

This has been a roller coaster of a year when it comes to books and reading. I don’t think a read a full book in the month of March, but I read over 10 books in July! With Fall quickly approaching, here are a bunch of wonderful and intriguing titles coming out this month through the end of the year, and I cannot wait for everyone to read them. AUGUST Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera – Two New Yorkers get together while they’re both working in Texas. There’s some workplace drama, instant attraction, and much more. Sexy, fun, and low angst. You Had Me at Holaby Alexis Daria – This felt like reading an entire season of Jane the Virgin. Clever, funny, and ultimately, uplifting. Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer – So we can’t go to hockey games, but we CAN read about them. badass ladies to boot? Sign me up. Also look for: Marriage by Arrangement by Sophia Singh Sisson, Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles *** SEPTEMBER When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole – I am not a thriller reader. I repeat – I am NOT a thriller reader. but I stayed up…

I don’t have to convince anyone that these are strange times. On the one hand, book review websites like Fresh Fiction can function as normal–I already work from home! I can access review copies digitally! The internet never sleeps!–but on the other, I’m barraged with news notifications, mortified at the misinformation being shared as fact, and I’m just all around distracted and worried.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve found comfort in books. Everywhere I went, I had at least one book, often more, with me. Now I can carry many books around, be it a small paperback, on my eReader, or on my phone. I find when I’m anxious or worked up over something – and let’s face it, there’s a lot to be worried about right – I turn to books for solace and peace of mind. My favorite way to do this is through re-reading. Sometimes full books, sometimes just a scene or two, but going back to the books and authors that make me happy has been a surefire way to calm me down, cheer me up, and let my mind escape. Here are some of my favorite re-reads and why: Born in Fire…

Some of our reviewers will be sharing their top reads of 2019 from now through the end of the year! Today’s list is from Fresh Fiction Editorial Manager Danielle Dresser. 2019 was an awesome year for books. I’m grateful I have the opportunity to work with books every single day. In additional to being the editorial manager of Fresh Fiction, I’ve also started working closely with Love’s Sweet Arrow, the romance independent bookstore outside of Chicago. I’ve taken my love of books and cultivated a fulfilling career within the world of literature, and I’m so pleased to be able to share with you some of my favorite reads of the year.  I did my best to read widely and outside of my comfort zone – for me, that meant reading nonfiction and graphic novels (which I did do! Check out my Good Reads page here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/35789908-danielle-dresser). But I couldn’t stray too far away from my love of romance and literary fiction, which is what makes up the majority of my Top Reads of 2019.  Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – This has to be, hands-down, the book I’ve recommended the most this year. Featuring a uniquely grumpy…

At the KissCon Weekend Affaire last month, there was an entire panel devoted to romantic comedies, or rom-coms, delightfully called “To All the Books I’ve Loved Before,” a nod to the very successful Netflix movie based on the YA novel To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Tessa Bailey, Alyssa Cole, Tracey Livesay, Mia Sosa, and Sally Thorne all sat and chatted about their favorite romantic comedies – both books and movies – and what made them so special. From When Harry Met Sally to Boomerang to Bridget Jones’ Diary, these contemporary romance authors told us what makes rom-coms so enjoyable, as well as what they are looking for in new rom-coms. Rom-coms have the perfect balance of comedy, drama, and of course, a loveable love story. If the lead characters start out hating each other or know from the time they’re in preschool it’s meant to be, rom-coms have a way of making us all smile. Some of my all-time favorite books are romantic comedies, and this spring and summer we are lucky to have a bounty of rom-coms hitting bookshelves, all that I think feel like the blueprints for movies or TV adaptations! Rebekah Weatherspoon – Rafe (October…