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Abyssal Echoes
Mustafa A. Nejem’s Abyssal Echoes is a sci-fi horror epic set in the crushing blackness of Earth’s deepest ocean trenches. It follows the crew of the submarine Pacifica on a research expedition that quickly spirals into a confrontation with ancient ruins, alien technology, and horrors not of this world. What begins as a scientific survey becomes a descent into madness, mystery, and metaphysical dread, as the crew uncovers evidence of an extinct, hyper-advanced underwater civilization and awakens dormant forces that seem bent on rewriting evolution, and maybe even reality itself.
The writing is brisk and cinematic, and Nejem has a knack for making even the most impossible sci-fi ideas feel grounded. I was hooked from the first dive into the hadal trenches. There’s a real sense of awe and dread that reminded me of the first time I watched Alien or The Abyss. The science fiction is chewy enough to be thought-provoking but never gets bogged down in tech speak. And the horror is not cheap scares. It creeps up on you. The chapters unravel like found footage or a lost logbook, giving the whole thing an eerie realism I didn’t expect.
But what I really liked was the way the book handles its ideas. There’s something ancient and cosmic at play, something that brushes against theology and philosophy without being preachy. The alien race, the Aen’Bri, aren’t just another version of us, they’re genuinely other, and their technology is so advanced it borders on magic. There’s a grim warning running through the whole book: that curiosity has a cost, and that some doors, once opened, can’t be shut. That theme, of knowledge becoming its own curse, resonated with me. I didn’t always love the pacing; a few segments toward the middle got repetitive with rescue missions and creature encounters. But those were small bumps in a book that otherwise kept me fascinated and creeped out in the best way.
Abyssal Echoes is perfect for readers who enjoy sci-fi that leans into horror. Think Event Horizon, The Thing, or Annihilation. If you like stories about the unknown, especially the unknowable, this book is for you. I’d especially recommend it to fans of deep-sea horror, cosmic dread, or anyone who enjoys fiction that makes them feel both tiny and terrified in the face of the universe.
Pages: 159 | ASIN : B0CQFP6WB5
The Monster Hunter: Book One of the Hunter Archive
Monster Hunter follows sixteen-year-old Ollie Baxter, a sharp-tongued village kid with big dreams and a knack for landing himself in trouble. What begins as a seemingly ordinary fishing contest spirals into a fantastical journey full of monsters, mayhem, and mystery. When Ollie encounters a shape-shifting bear-man named Bjorn and learns of his late parents’ ties to a secretive monster-hunting school called Dragonspire, his world cracks open. With danger lurking in every dark tunnel and the secrets of his past bubbling to the surface, Ollie must choose whether to stick with the safety of the known or charge headfirst into a life full of wild creatures, ancient powers, and truths he isn’t ready for, but might just be meant for.
I had a blast reading this. The writing is bold, unafraid to get messy, and that worked in its favor. It felt like sitting around a campfire while someone with a big imagination spun a yarn that got more thrilling with each twist. The pacing was lively, the voice was invigorating, and the monsters were equal parts scary and cool. What stood out most to me was Ollie himself. He’s stubborn and impulsive, but not in that annoying YA protagonist way. He’s got bite, but he’s also got heart. I found myself rooting for him. The dialogue had real spark, especially between Ollie and the older, gruff Bjorn. Their back-and-forth gave the story a warm thread of humor that grounded the action.
But what really resonated with me was the heart behind the chaos. There’s a surprising amount of emotion tucked between the monster fights and school invitations. The story touches on grief, identity, and found family. It got to me, especially the parts about Ollie’s parents and the weight of not knowing the whole story. The worldbuilding was solid, too. Familiar enough not to confuse, fresh enough to feel exciting.
Monster Hunter is a total joyride. It’s for anyone who grew up loving monster encyclopedias or who imagined secret schools hiding behind waterfalls. It’s for teens craving adventure and grown-ups who miss the magic of being sixteen and sure they were meant for something more. It’s loud, fast, funny, and a little rough around the edges, in the best way. I’d happily follow Ollie into the dark again.
Pages: 332 | ASIN: B0F7Q2BH3N
In the Mountain’s Shadow
Isabella Falconeri’s In the Mountain’s Shadow is a raw and unrelenting tale of a grandmother’s survival in a post-collapse world stripped of kindness, certainty, and comfort. The story follows Park, an old woman who sacrifices everything to give her remaining family a chance at life. She ventures into the unforgiving wilderness, slowly transforming from a desperate exile into a formidable, self-sufficient survivor. Over the years, Park navigates starvation, isolation, trauma, and violence, encountering both animalistic kindness in a wolf and horrifying brutality in other humans. The novel is told in stark, evocative prose that drags you through the mud, snow, and blood with its protagonist.
I didn’t expect to feel so personally connected to Park, but her voice stayed with me after the story ended. Falconeri’s writing is brutal, but there’s also a surprising grace to it. Sentences don’t linger on the poetic, but every word carries weight. The pacing is unflinching. You’re never coddled as a reader. Themes like dignity in ruin, the desperation of hunger, and the hollow shape of grief are explored with honesty that sometimes borders on painful. It’s not just Park’s physical suffering that hit me. It’s the quiet moments: her silent talks with a wolf named Ripple, the way she touches the bullet in her shoulder like a worry stone, the reverence she shows a stranger’s grave.
That said, there were moments I had to put the book down and walk away. Not because it was badly written, but because it was emotionally relentless. There are scenes of violence, especially involving the intruder known only as the Deserter, that made me feel dread. Yet, Falconeri never writes for shock. Even the darkest scenes serve a purpose in shaping Park’s evolution. She doesn’t ask for pity. She claws forward. She adapts. I admired the way the book doesn’t try to force redemption or healing. Not everything can be fixed. Some things can only be endured. Still, I found myself holding my breath, waiting for just one moment of softness. And when it came, in the form of a small act, a brief connection, it meant everything.
This book is heavy. There’s grief, cannibalism, cruelty, and survival stripped to its bones. But if you want a story that grabs you by the gut and drags you somewhere real, if you want to feel deeply and question what you’d do when everything else is gone, In the Mountain’s Shadow delivers. I’d recommend this to readers who appreciate stories like The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Room by Emma Donoghue.
Pages: 63 | ASIN : B0F6W4NMDL
Light and Dark Shades
After the Before follows a pair of scavengers navigating the ruins of a collapsed world who uncover a mysterious box, only to wind up on an adventure filled with religious fanatics, deadly mechanical beings called A-Eye, and a stark landscape marked by craters and threats. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The original title of AFTER THE BEFORE was “Plassik,” the material from which the sealed, found box is made. The scenario of finding the box created the landscape, the characters that people it, and the story’s chain of events. I liked having a mystery from the get-go, a mystery that’s not solved until the very end of the book. Imagining what a world would be like 300 years after an apocalyptic event was challenging. Even the language was changed. All the imagining was fun!
Your story has some very interesting characters that have their character flaws but are still likable. How do you go about creating characters for your story?
Character flaws are what create interesting characters. A character would need to be a complete psychopath not to have some likeable trait. Backstories or lack thereof provide enough information for a reader to like even a creep like the religious fanatic.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
At heart, AFTER THE BEFORE is about four women, from young to old, who live their lives in this forlorn landscape. They each want something different: one wants closure, one wants purpose, another needs freedom, and another wants love. Love is really at the core of everything in the story. Together, these women explore loss, longing, loyalty, desire, and grief. It’s a broad palette with light and dark shades that offer great avenues for emotional exploration.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes, this is the first book in the AFTER series. AFTER THE BEFORE took three years to finish. I hope to have book two, IN THE AFTER, out much sooner! Some of the characters from AFTER THE BEFORE will be returning.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Amazon
Three hundred years after the fall of civilization, scavengers Sophie and Markus uncover a sealed, translucent box buried deep in the ruins of The Before. What’s inside might hold answers to the apocalyptic origins of The After and a path to a safer future—if it can be opened.
Hoping for help, they set out for the faraway City where a reclusive historian may have the knowledge they need. The trek takes them across the cratered plain, bombed almost into oblivion, and infested with unstoppable humanoid machines hungry for human flesh.
When a religious fanatic derails their mission, Sophie and the box disappear. Markus enlists unexpected allies to help find her, pushing into the heart of his worst fears and opening bitter wounds and testing loyalties.
What’s in the box may lead to a better future—but it just might cost them each other.
Knights of Orion Citadel – Illusion of Safety
I found Illusion of Safety to be a whirlwind of a story. We follow Emma, a young woman whose world is turned upside down when she witnesses the murder of her stepfather. This event sets off a chain reaction, leading her to cross paths with Chase and Ben Kincaid, modern-day Templar Knights. They save her from a vampire ambush, and from there, the story accelerates. We learn that Emma is a magnet for all things monstrous due to a curse, and to complicate matters, she and Chase are soulmates, a rare and powerful connection. The story is a frantic race for survival, a quest to break the curse, and a battle against the forces of evil. It’s a story packed with action, supernatural beings, and a hint of romance.
I was completely hooked by the writing. Avalon O’Clair has a knack for creating a sense of urgency. The short, punchy sentences in the action sequences had my heart racing. The dialogue is snappy and modern, which makes the characters feel real and relatable. It’s clear that a lot of heart and soul went into crafting this novel.
The ideas in the book are a fun mix of old and new. The concept of Templar Knights in the 21st century, fighting ancient secret societies and supernatural creatures, is a popular one, but O’Clair manages to make it feel fresh. I was particularly drawn to the idea of soulmates, which added a layer of depth and emotion to the story. The connection between Emma and Chase felt palpable, and I found myself rooting for them from the start. The curse that plagues Emma is a fascinating plot device, creating a constant sense of danger and forcing her to be strong and resilient. I was impressed by how the author wove together these different elements to create a story that is both exciting and emotionally engaging.
Illusion of Safety is a thrilling ride from start to finish. It’s a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, with its fast-paced action, intriguing mythology, and a touch of romance. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, paranormal romance, or action-packed adventures. If you’re a fan of stories with strong heroines, ancient conspiracies, and a healthy dose of the supernatural, then this is the book for you.
Pages: 672 | ASIN : B0CH5T9YKK
The Keeper’s Code
Barb DeLong’s The Keeper’s Code, the second book in her Keepers of Magic series, is a romantic urban fantasy that mixes danger, desire, and a secret magical world just beneath the surface of Manhattan. It follows Skye Parker, a determined journalist with a haunted past, and Ash Hunter, a reluctant magical enforcer tasked with protecting the secrecy of the mage society. When their paths collide after a strange street incident and Skye begins investigating her mother’s suspicious death, they become entangled in a web of secrets, surveillance, magical politics, and unexpected feelings. The story builds on DeLong’s rich world of modern magic, complete with familiars, portals, memory wipes, and a hidden society trying to stay off the grid in a world of nosy journalists and viral videos.
I really enjoyed the character work here. Skye is fierce, smart, and emotionally raw. Her skepticism, fire, and relentless need for truth make her so easy to root for. I liked how DeLong let her flaws stand alongside her strengths. Ash, on the other hand, is this brooding, conflicted mix of noble and guarded. The dynamic between them felt fun, a little sexy, and believable. They get under each other’s skin in all the best ways. The writing is snappy with flashes of humor, especially in the dialogue, and I found myself smiling often. Soot the cat was a quiet standout for me, witty, magical, and the emotional glue in a lot of scenes. The pacing moved fast, sometimes almost too fast, but never dull. The romance had that slow-burn, “we definitely shouldn’t but we definitely will” vibe that I love.
The magical world-building can get a little heavy with exposition. There were a lot of terms, secret bureaus, memory wipes, shadow organizations, and portal jargon that could overwhelm readers not familiar with the first book. The story doesn’t shy away from pain and moral gray zones, either. Ash’s internal battle over saving lives versus staying hidden hit hard, and Skye’s grief is raw and real. DeLong didn’t just write a love story; she wrote a story about choosing what matters most when the stakes are personal and magical.
The Keeper’s Code is a great read for anyone who enjoys magical realism, romantic tension, and stories with hidden societies and ethical dilemmas. I’d recommend it especially to fans of Leigh Bardugo, Deborah Harkness, or early Buffy vibes with more grown-up edge. If you love snarky banter, a healthy dose of longing, a bit of mystery, and magic that crackles just beneath the surface of reality, then this book is for you. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for book three.
Pages: 318 | ASIN : B0DZ6X6FJ1
Scam at Higgins Canyon Road
Scam at Higgins Canyon is a fast-paced thriller set in modern-day San Francisco, where Jack Rhodes, a forensic data analyst with a past riddled with personal tragedy, is drawn into an investigation that blurs the lines between conspiracy theory and criminal fact. After being approached by Tommy Griggs, a former military man grieving the suspicious death of a close friend, Jack finds himself navigating murky dealings involving construction companies, veterans, shady bar staff, and a patchwork of old friendships and new threats. The story unfolds with scenes ranging from dive bar brawls and emotional reckonings to intricate digital sleuthing and philosophical musings about loyalty, justice, and memory.
Mackay’s voice is dry, often funny, sometimes poetic, and surprisingly introspective. He doesn’t just tell a story, he sits with it. The dialogue is snappy and real. The prose veers between gritty and lyrical, painting San Francisco with a worn, lived-in brush that feels nostalgic and alive at once. The characters are layered, flawed, often a bit lost, and it works. Jack isn’t your typical hard-boiled hero. He’s sharp and measured, but there’s a sadness beneath all that quiet competence. And the side characters from the chaotic Madam Li to the old army guys drowning their grief in tequila feel like people you’ve met in a bar at 1 a.m.
The plot feels realistic. There’s no grand twist, no explosive climax, just the slow, methodical piecing together of something quietly wrong. And that’s where Mackay leans into an idea I appreciated: that real scams, real deaths, real betrayals, don’t need Hollywood endings. They just need someone to pay attention. It made me think more than it thrilled me, which, to be honest, I didn’t expect, and ended up liking.
Mackay’s writing style reminded me of early Michael Connelly mixed with the gritty introspection of Raymond Chandler and the modern, character-driven pacing of Tana French. If you like character-driven mysteries with heart and grit, stories that hang out in the gray areas and don’t rush the truth, then Scam at Higgins Canyon is a gem. It’s a book for people who don’t mind sitting with uncertainty, who appreciate when a mystery’s biggest revelation isn’t about a killer but about the world we live in.
Pages: 341 | ASIN : B0DTFLZMNC
AFTER THE BEFORE: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel
After the Before is a gritty, post-apocalyptic journey that follows Sophie and Markus, a pair of scavengers navigating the ruins of a collapsed world known only by the mythic shadow of “The Before.” When they uncover a mysterious box during a routine dig, their discovery sets them on a harrowing trip to the City, accompanied by the enigmatic Jen and the quiet, foreboding Barth. Along the way, they encounter religious fanatics, deadly mechanical beings called A-Eye, and a stark landscape filled with craters and threats. The book weaves together themes of survival, memory, trust, and the search for truth in a fractured future.
I found myself pulled in by the writing right from the first chapter. Gammage has a way of crafting scenes that feel raw and alive. The world is bleak, but there’s something beautiful in how it’s described, grimy yet human, desperate but never hopeless. The dialogue is clean and believable, with just enough punch to feel natural. The pacing struck a good rhythm, alternating between tense action and slower, character-driven moments. I especially liked how Gammage peeled back layers of history and emotion without ever dumping too much at once. The whole story feels personal, even as it tackles big, almost mythic ideas about civilization, memory, and identity.
But what really got to me were the relationships. Sophie and Markus have this bond that’s never overly defined, and that ambiguity felt real. I also appreciated Jen’s quiet strength and Barth’s silent loyalty, which made his eventual speech hit even harder. Luther felt a little too on-the-nose as a symbol of corrupted faith, and sometimes the A-Eye threat drifted into the background when I wished it had more weight. I kept waiting for the machines to play a bigger role. Still, the story never lost my interest, and even the quieter stretches had a kind of anxious tension that kept me turning pages.
After the Before left me thinking about where we’re headed and what we choose to remember. It’s not a flashy book, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s thoughtful and full of grit. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes post-collapse fiction that isn’t just about survival but about what it means to live with a past you barely understand. Fans of Station Eleven or The Road will feel right at home here.
Pages: 236 | ASIN : B0F8F25BN3
LITERARY TITAN 