Quantum Queen: Master Identity Shifting & Exit Healing Loops
Quantum Queen takes a bold stand against the culture of endless self-improvement. The book argues that healing has turned into a holding pattern and that real change comes from identity, not effort. It walks through the shift from over-functioning and overthinking to embodied certainty, showing how posture, breath, daily choices, and small but consistent decisions create a new baseline for reality. It blends thought work, somatic practices, and manifestation principles into a message that urges readers to stop waiting for permission and start leading their lives from an inner sense of authority.
The book names a truth that often feels taboo. Many of us sit in self-work for years because it feels productive, when deep down it is a form of avoidance. The tone pushes hard in certain moments, almost calling the reader out. Chapters on the “overfunctioning woman” resonated with me as they felt honest. The writing is fiery, almost theatrical, and it invites you to feel activated instead of consoled.
What surprised me most was how much the book leans into the body. The author uses simple language, yet the ideas cut deep. Identity as a physical signal, not a thought. Certainty as a baseline state instead of a mood. These pieces resonated with me as well. I appreciated the practicality hidden between the dramatic language. The small shifts. The breath. The posture. The everyday choices that quietly shape a life. While some sections felt repetitive or overly intense, the heart of the message is strong. You already know who you want to be. Stop circling and start living from that place.
I walked away feeling energized. A little called out. A little hopeful. I would recommend Quantum Queen to readers who enjoy manifestation, identity shifting, or personal development but feel stuck in the loop of “almost.” It works best for women who resonate with spiritual language but want something more grounded than constant positivity. If you like a book that speaks plainly, stirs emotion, and pushes you to act instead of analyze, this one will hit the spot.
Pages: 91 | ASIN: B0GFXPRXD9
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
A Second Chance
A Second Chance follows Mikaila, a teen in 2003 who juggles school, a fragile home, and a growing Christian faith, along with her best friend Chara and an older boy named Asa. Mikaila lives with her grandparents while her mother cycles through untreated mental illness, and Chara recovers from a horrific SUV crash that injures her and leaves her dad in the hospital. As Chara heals, Mikaila begins to have vivid dreams that seem to show the future and even Chara’s funeral, so she believes God has given her a limited window to help her friend turn toward Him. Asa first appears as a nerdy chess champ online, then starts a secret, sexualized chat relationship with Chara and later betrays her by leaking doctored conversations to the whole school, triggering brutal shame and gossip. Through all of this, Mikaila deals with a violent crisis at home when her mother holds a knife to her sister, a deepening faith, and a controlling boyfriend who does not share that direction.
I connected most with the writing when it stayed close to concrete, everyday detail. The short, dated chapters feel like diary entries and move between points of view, so the story hops from bus rides and Golden Girls reruns to hospital rooms and church services without losing the thread. I liked the way early 2000s touches sit in the background. Moments like the knife scene in Kait’s room feel incredibly sharp and cinematic. The prose leaned on repeating certain emotions and openly providing the moral takeaways in dialogue, especially in some of the more spiritual conversations and the sermon at Mikaila’s funeral. It works for the intended readership, and it still registered for me as an honest teen voice.
Asa’s arc stood out to me because it starts with such believable, flirty banter on IM and webcam, then slides into sexual comments, secrecy, and “our little secret” language that made my skin crawl. When the mass email of doctored chats goes out, and Chara gets humiliated and catcalled at school, I felt sick for her, and I appreciated how the book shows not only the initial thrill of attention but also the long fallout and the gaslighting that follows when Asa denies his role. Pairing that plot with the resource list on grooming at the back makes the story feel like both a narrative and a warning label. On the spiritual side, the book leans fully into God speaking through dreams, salvation language, and an explicit view of heaven, yet it is grounded in messy reality, including mental illness, divorce, and flawed Christians. I found that mix surprisingly tender. The focus on a God who sees, and on a faith that has to survive trauma, felt sincere. By the time I reached the last stretch, I was more emotional than I expected. The way things are handled keeps the focus on grief and on the ongoing story of the living, which I liked, and the funeral scene where Chara raises her hand to recommit her faith felt earned after everything she had endured.
I would recommend A Second Chance to older teens and adults who are open to Christian themes and who can handle heavy content around grooming, mental illness, and domestic violence. It feels especially suited to readers in youth groups, Christian schools, or families who want a story that can open up hard conversations about online boundaries, consent, and what healthy love looks like, with a strong emphasis on faith and hope. For the right reader, this book offers a heartfelt, sometimes painful, but ultimately hopeful look at how one girl’s love and faith echo far beyond her short life.
Pages: 345 | ASIN: B0GDG6WZF9
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
A Search for Self-Understanding
Chika’s Mysterious Phone follows an 11-year-old girl whose curiosity about her new cell phone turns into a dreamlike journey. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
We humans (but especially adolescents) are naturally involved in a perpetual search for self-understanding. But, these days, young people must search for themselves within a technological-centric world that compels them to question what is possible. Chika’s Mysterious Phone was written to help adolescent readers explore the boundaries of that world.
The illustrations in your book are wonderful. Can you share with us a little about your collaboration with illustrator Alexey Kudravtsev?
I found Alexy on an online freelancer website. He is an engineering graduate in Belarus, with an interest in digital art. Our collaboration was fairly straightforward. I provided Alexey with notes and graphic stimulus materials for each illustration. That was key to the successful collaboration. It enabled Alexy to readily craft the images – with only a few minor revisions required.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some readers of Chika‘s story might think that its theme is the same as the theme in Alice in Wonderland. The theme of Alice in Wonderland is ‘the inevitability of maturation‘. That is, it is about the inevitability of accepting who we grow to be as adults in the physical world. The possibility that both stories share the same theme is reinforced when Chika’s dad explicitly tells her that ‘… telling tall tales was merely an unworthy and a childish fad‘.
However, the theme of Chika‘s story is more profound and complex than ‘maturation from childhood to adulthood’. It also involves dimensions greater than our normal psychologies: It involves the notions of astral travel and miracles, and therefore its broader theme is ‘metaphysics’.
Such a metaphysical theme might be uncomfortable for some people with restrictive views about the upbringing of adolescents.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next publication will be the fifth edition of a non-fiction book: Build your own Computer: An Illustrated Guide. It should be published early in 2026.
However, my seminal book, the one that I have been working on for a quarter century, is about the English language. I hope Modern International English: a comprehensive guide for home, school or office will be finished near the end of 2026.
