ESP Pawn Chronicles by Mike Diaz who also did the cover! So, that's just really cool.

The cover is what drew me to the book and the title. I like a slightly spooky story that is just a little off the more you read and learn about it. Like the twilight zone or welcome to nightvale.

Right at the beginning the story is like someone is just siting across a table from you and talking. Short and sidebar details are just dropped for you to pick up along the way.

The stories inside are short and meaningful with fun characters. I'm impressed to know so much about them with so few words. This setting of the pawnshop and the stories inside is a really fun read that is perfect for fall or to read between going to antique shops yourself.

The items get their own voices in the story to argue their case or to take us back in time to where their story began or to when they gained their purpose or meaning,

no spoilers, my favorites are Forgotten Treasure and It's not Jaws.

Set in a pawnshop that hums with eerie energy, the book invites readers to browse shelves lined with cursed coins, haunted VHS tapes, and time-warped gadgets—each item a portal to a tale that defies logic and bends emotion. Diaz’s prose is taut and evocative, conjuring a mood that’s part Twilight Zone, part Black Mirror, and wholly original. The stories don’t just entertain—they whisper, they warn, they linger like the scent of old smoke in your clothes.

What makes this collection so atmospheric is its sense of quiet dread and wonder. The shop itself feels like a liminal space, suspended between dimensions, where forgotten objects pulse with memory and consequence. Diaz doesn’t just write stories—he excavates them, peeling back layers of the mundane to reveal the uncanny truths beneath. Whether it’s a gadget that rewinds time or a relic that reshapes identity, each tale is a reckoning, a mirror held up to the reader’s own fears and desires. It's a book best read at night, when the world is quiet and the strange feels just a little closer than usual.

Thank you to NetGalley and Primedia eLaunch LLC for this ARC!

It was ok for me! I'm not a big fan of multiple short stories person! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in an exchange for an honest review!

I know some readers may hesitate to pick up an indie collection of short stories, but I think this one is worth a look. I appreciated the variety of settings and the creative use of different objects. There’s a strong focus on meaningful themes like friendship, the value of a joyful childhood, the importance of loving relationships, and taking personal responsibility. My favorites were “Life and Time,” “One Summer to Remember,” and “The Skull.”
Some stories were a bit challenging to follow, especially when multiple layers of flashbacks were used. Not every story had a dramatic twist or a hard-hitting ending, which I tend to enjoy, though that may come down to personal preference.
Readers should note that many of the stories include adult language and themes.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a free copy.

Okay, so this was fun in a “paranormal spy thriller meets street-level grit” kind of way. Think: psychics, government conspiracies, and a main character who’s like if your cousin with trust issues suddenly started reading minds. The plot moves fast—almost too fast in spots—but it’s packed with action and enough twists to keep me flipping pages.

I didn’t get super deep emotional connection (which I tend to need), but the concept is strong and if this becomes a series, I’ll stick around. I liked the chaotic blend of science fiction, supernatural, and that underground rebellion energy. It’s giving graphic novel vibes in the best way.