Category Archives: Five Stars
I Can Play Drums
I Can Play Drums is a friendly beginner’s guide that walks the reader through the basics of drumming in simple steps. It starts with listening and feeling the beat, then moves into coordination, timing, practice methods, stick control, tuning, kit setup, and all the little things a new drummer needs to know. It keeps the language light and direct, and it focuses on helping anyone learn rhythm by breaking ideas into small actions that can be practiced anywhere.
The book talks to you like a coach who actually wants you to enjoy the journey. I appreciated how the book treats drumming as something playful, something almost childlike at times. The little challenges, like patting your head while circling your tummy, made me smile. The tone feels encouraging in a way that pulls down the fear that beginners often carry. I liked how it keeps telling you to slow down, relax, and have fun. That landed with me because learning an instrument can feel stressful. This book leans the other way, and that gave me a sense of relief.
I also liked the ideas in the sections about gear and tuning, even though they are simple. The author keeps the advice practical and almost homespun, which made the book feel grounded. There were good reminders to loosen your grip on the sticks and to avoid chasing fancy drum parts before you can hold a steady beat. The honesty there felt refreshing. Some parts did feel long and a bit repetitive, although I get why the author wanted to reinforce certain habits. Even so, the informal tone kept me reading, and I never felt talked down to.
I think I Can Play Drums works best for new drummers, younger learners, or anyone who feels nervous about starting. The writing is easy to understand, and the hands-on exercises make rhythm feel reachable. If you want a book that takes you by the hand and makes drumming feel simple and fun, this one will suit you well.
Pages: 76 | ISBN : 9781105931598
Ten Little Axolotls
Ten Little Axolotls is a simple counting picture book that follows a group of tiny lake-dwelling creatures as they wiggle, hide, hunt, drift, and play through their moonlit world. Each page adds another axolotl with its own small trait. Some are bashful, and some are sneaky, and some are wild at heart. The book moves like a soft lullaby with repeating rhythms that guide young readers from one number to the next.
The writing has a gentle rhyme that reminds me of bedtime stories I loved as a kid. The lines feel cozy. The rhymes are enchanting and give the book a handmade charm. The images have this soft glow with what looked like hand-drawn art on each page. I kept smiling at the tiny quirks of each axolotl. Each one was so cute on the page and I’m sure children will love looking at them as parents read this story to them. I also liked how the rhyming story slips in facts about their colors and habits without sounding like a lesson. It feels playful and light.
The book drifts from one description to the next, which is pleasant. The sense of calm and the watery world kept pulling me in, and I felt oddly relaxed as I read. There is something soothing about watching these creatures wiggle through their day and night.
I would recommend Ten Little Axolotls to very young children and to adults who love reading gentle nature-themed children’s books aloud. It works well for bedtime. It works well for early counting practice. It will especially charm kids who enjoy animals that feel a little magical.
Pages: 31 | ASIN : B0FTV74XHH
The Song of War
The Song of War brings the Dybbuk Scrolls Trilogy to a breathless finale. The story opens with Asmodeus rallying his monstrous army and stepping out of the shadows to wage open war. Carrie, Mikhail, Lindsay, Rebecca, Emilia, and Ferne are pulled straight into danger as the conflict breaks across their worlds like a storm tide. Weddings, dreams of the Angel of Death, burning theatres, massed armies at the palace gates, and the chaos of a full-scale magical invasion all collide in a story that moves fast and hits hard. The book pushes every character to their breaking point, and it never stops reminding you that the cost of this war will be steep.
Reading this one felt different from the first two. I felt that there was a heaviness hanging over everything, and it’s hard not to feel that weight with Carrie. Her fear, her guilt, her frantic hope that she can keep the people she loves alive made me tense in a way I didn’t expect. The writing leans into emotion without getting flowery. Scenes swing from warm and funny to terrifying in a heartbeat. The wedding was especially emotional for me. It was sweet and soft and full of love. Then the dread crept in. Then the drums started. Then the world fell apart. I felt that shift in my gut.
The battles are messy and personal and frightening. Characters panic, stumble, run, freeze, and sometimes find a burst of courage they didn’t know they had. The story doesn’t pretend everyone suddenly becomes a warrior. It shows fear for what it is. It also shows love and loyalty in a raw way. Emilia’s struggle to reconcile her lineage with her future, Mikhail’s desperation to save his father, Lindsay’s reckless bravery, and Carrie’s mix of fear, anger, and determination gave the whole book a steady emotional heartbeat.
By the time I reached the end, I felt wrung out but satisfied. This book doesn’t hold back. It gives the trilogy a strong, emotional finish that feels earned. If you like fantasy stories where magic mixes with real-world problems, or if you enjoy character-driven adventures filled with danger, heartbreak, and stubborn hope, this is a series worth picking up. The Song of War is especially fitting for readers who love finales that swing big and don’t shy away from loss or triumph.
Pages: 217 | ASIN : B0FR2RBDDS
Holly & Heartbeats
Holly & Heartbeats is a warm, wintry contemporary romance that follows Jess, an overworked small-town doctor who impulsively books a Christmas stay at the Holly House Inn, and Graham, the flannel-wrapped single dad who runs it with more grit than charm. The story unfolds with all the cozy beats you’d expect from a holiday romance: quiet mornings, glitter-filled crafts, a looming snowstorm, and a slow, steady pull between two people who aren’t looking for love but clearly need it. It’s sweet, comforting, and full of heart.
Reading it, I felt like I was slipping into a soft blanket after a long day. The writing is simple in the best way, not plain, just clean, and it gives the moments room to unfold. Jess’s loneliness is handled with such gentle honesty that I was rooting for her long before she even reached the inn. And Graham…well, he’s the kind of gruff that’s really just tenderness wrapped in fatigue. The author’s choice to show so much through small gestures, especially Graham’s quiet care for his daughters, made the romance feel grounded. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is forced. Even the big emotional shifts arrive softly, the way snowfall does when you’re not paying attention.
What I enjoyed most was how the story let joy sit right beside grief. The twins’ openness about their mom, the way Graham tries to hold the whole world on his shoulders, Jess learning how to let herself want something again, all felt natural and surprisingly moving. Some scenes are silly and glitter-covered. Others are introspective in a way that catches you off guard. I loved that the book didn’t punish its characters for their history. Instead, it gives them space to grow, to forgive themselves, and to choose something new. The inn itself almost becomes a character, glowing and warm in every chapter.
By the end, I felt that lovely romance-novel ache, the one that says these two people found each other at exactly the right time. The epilogue seals it with a sweetness that doesn’t feel cheap, just earned. I’d recommend Holly & Heartbeats to anyone who loves contemporary romance but wants something gentler, more atmospheric, more about healing than hijinks. If you enjoy found family, snowstorms that nudge hearts together, or stories where love grows in the quiet moments, this one will land beautifully for you.
Pages: 217 | ASIN : B0FW9Y1HZM
THE SECRET BUTTONS
The Secret Buttons by Ellen Shapiro presents a measured yet deeply affecting portrayal of wartime displacement, seen through the perspective of two young Jewish sisters. Anni and Rosie are forced to leave their home in Austria and travel alone to England as the threat of war rapidly closes in. Cut off from their parents and surrounded by instability, the girls must adapt to an unfamiliar world where fear and suspicion shape everyday existence. Shapiro captures the quiet anxiety of exile while sustaining a current of resilience and hope.
Shapiro is particularly effective in depicting the sisters’ daily efforts to adjust. A new language. Wartime shortages. Teasing and mistrust from others. These challenges unfold alongside the children’s attempts to maintain a sense of normalcy. The burden placed on Anni becomes increasingly clear. Her maturity is tested in moments of real danger, including a tense scene in which she must question a Nazi soldier and depend entirely on her instincts. As Anni and Rosie help support their household and reconnect with Jewish traditions such as Passover and Shabbat, those rituals gain heightened meaning in exile. Memories of life before the war appear throughout the narrative, offering contrast and emotional depth. Their gradual fading reflects adaptation rather than loss, suggesting survival without forgetting.
Caterina Baldi’s illustrations further enrich the novel. Opening each chapter and woven throughout the text, the artwork adds warmth and visual texture. Period details emerge through subtle choices in clothing, food, and setting. These images reinforce the emotional atmosphere while underscoring the care and research behind the story.
Inspired by a memory from the author’s mother, The Secret Buttons succeeds as both historical fiction and a broader reflection on courage, identity, and displacement. By placing young girls at the center of the story and allowing them to confront fear with intelligence and creativity, Shapiro delivers a moving and empowering narrative. The result is a meaningful, hopeful read that affirms young readers’ capacity to face even the most daunting circumstances.
Pages: 210 | ASIN : B0F5ZCPHXH
The Song of Vengeance
The Song of Vengeance picks up right where the first Dybbuk Scrolls adventure left off and wastes no time throwing Carrie back into danger. The book follows her struggle with loneliness at university, the eerie disappearance of her two closest friends, and the creeping feeling that something magical and malicious is once again closing in. When the dybbuks return with a new plan for revenge, Carrie is pushed back into Hadariah and into another fight she never asked for. The story blends modern life and fantasy in a way that feels quick and tense, and the mystery of what happened to her friends drives the plot with a steady pull.
I was rooting for Carrie in a very personal way. Her stress, her self-doubt, her frustration when no one believes her, all of it hit with surprising force. The writing is clean, direct, and often emotional in a quiet way. There were moments when I felt that knot of worry she carries, especially when the people around her begin forgetting Lindsay and Rebecca as if they never existed. That idea is simple, but it’s creepy, and the book leans into it with confidence. The dialogue feels natural, and the scenes that shift from the normal world into the magical one have a dreamy snap to them that I really enjoyed.
I also liked how the book digs into friendship. The bond between Carrie and her friends is the heart of the story, and even when the plot slows down, that emotional thread pulls everything forward. I do think some moments move a little quickly, especially when new characters show up or when the story jumps between worlds, but the emotional beats are strong enough that I didn’t mind much. The fantasy elements feel familiar, yet the author gives them a warm, human frame. Carrie is not a hero because she’s chosen, she’s a hero because she’s stubborn and loyal and scared, but moving anyway. That made the story feel real to me, even when magic was swirling everywhere.
If you’re a fan of series like Percy Jackson, The Mortal Instruments, or The School for Good and Evil, The Song of Vengeance will feel like a fresh but familiar ride. It blends ordinary life with creeping magic in a way that scratches the same itch as those stories, and it leans hard into friendship and courage just like they do. The world of Hadariah has its own rhythm, its own rules, and its own emotional pull, and readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with real heart will settle into it easily. If you like your adventures tense but personal and your heroes a little messy and human, this is a great next read.
Pages: 271 | ASIN : B0FR2QTN4C
The Legends of Astorynia: War of Wars Ending & The Legends of Astorynia: Prequel Collection
The Legends of Astorynia: War of Wars Ending is a classic-feeling epic fantasy about a young elf hunter named Keagle who gets pulled out of his quiet life in Edengrove and dropped into the middle of a world-ending war. One minute he is worrying about making it home through the Weary Wood, the next there are Vurkyn, reptile brutes from Shadowrock, blowing holes in palace walls during Glauriana’s Ball while dragons, wizards, and elite elven archers scramble to hold the line. Along the way we meet Princess Teyallia, gruff knight Brombol Steinerman, the half-gruflyn Puglifago, the chaotic gnome Bink, Keagle’s falcon companion Syra, and the thousand–year old wizard Mannus, who all end up woven into one huge last stand to end all wars and lock the lingering darkness away for good.
I had a lot of fun with the tone of this book. The narrator talks to the reader, tosses in little asides and repeats phrases such as “quite a moment and a half” in a way that gives the whole thing a cozy, bedtime-story vibe even when monsters are ripping through a ballroom. I liked the earnestness of it. The worldbuilding is described in simple, vivid strokes that stuck in my head. Keldorian elves in shining cities. Half-dog half-elf gruflyn folk. Scaled Vurkyn with spines and shells. Big named places like Shadowrock, Middle Woods, Lake Keldora, Uglorn Caverns. It all has this cheerful, almost childlike imagination to it that made me smile.
The writing is charming and very readable. It leans a bit on repetition and longer, winding sentences, and sometimes spells things out. The dialogue feels theatrical. Mannus’s big speeches are full of rhyme and rhythm, which is cool and has a classic fantasy vibe. I cared about the moments, especially the huge battle build-up and Mannus’ final act with the spellbook.
The ideas under all the adventure hit me in a different way. This is a story about loyalty and chosen family, about people who come from very different races and corners of the world deciding that Astorynia is worth fighting for. Keagle stepping up after Dellik falls, Teyallia promising to stay by his side until the end of forever, Pug and Bink swearing to watch each other’s backs, Mannus honoring old vows and then literally pulling evil out of the world at the cost of his own presence, that stuff landed with me. I liked that the book is not trying to be grim or edgy. It is very sincere about hope, bravery, and duty. Sometimes that sincerity veers into cheesiness, but in a way that feels wholesome.
I would recommend War of Wars Ending to readers who enjoy old school epic fantasy with a straightforward good vs evil vibe, and to younger teens or families who want a big, imaginative world full of elves, dragons, wizards, and big speeches about courage. If you like conversational narration, clear morals, and a story that feels like a long campfire tale with plenty of action and heart, this will hit the spot. For me, it felt like stepping into a warm, earnest fantasy daydream, and I think that has its own kind of magic.
Pages: 200 | ASIN : B0G52BS1WR
Bad Americans: Part I
Bad Americans: Part I is a big collage of stories wrapped inside a wild and strange summer retreat. Twelve Americans head to the Hamptons during the first Covid summer, brought together by a billionaire who wants them to share meals, go on dates, compete in games, and tell stories every night. Their tales reveal pieces of pandemic life, cultural friction, loneliness, and hope. The frame narrative follows the guests as they argue, flirt, bond, and judge one another. Inside that frame sit the stories they tell, each one capturing a different slice of American life during a time when everything felt fragile. The book moves from hospitals overflowing with fear to city streets full of noise and protest.
I was pulled in by the bold mix of voices. The writing jumped between tones and moods, and sometimes it caught me off guard in the best way. One minute I was laughing at a character’s dry remark, and the next I felt a lump in my throat as someone described a loss. The author writes with an energy that propels you forward, and I liked that. The moments with Andrea, the nurse, especially resonated with me. Her story about the ICU felt authentic and honest, and I could almost hear the alarms and taste the fatigue that soaked every shift. The book’s choice to set these heavy stories inside a glitzy mansion made everything feel even stranger, and somehow more real.
The author leans into the messiness of America. People squabble over politics, race, class, and identity. They misread one another. They cling to their own truths. I wished the dialogue would slow down sometimes, but I think that constant rush was the point. The country has not been quiet for a long time. The book mirrors that noise, and it does it with heart. I respected the risks it took.
I would recommend Bad Americans: Part I to readers who like big casts, sharp contrasts, and stories that jump from tender to chaotic without apology. Anyone interested in how fiction can capture a national mood would get a lot out of this book. It is not a simple read. But it is full of life, and it stirs emotions that stay with you for a while afterwards.
Pages: 390 | ASIN : B0FF5DZ7GV
LITERARY TITAN 