Blog Archives
Broken Alliance
Broken Alliance is a character-driven science fiction adventure that picks up right where Tracer leaves off. We follow Bex, Andre, Kat, and the rest of the Venture’s crew as they uncover a conspiracy tied to black-market thetic technology, corporate power grabs, and the lingering ghost of Sovereign. The stakes scale from street-level desperation to full political upheaval, with personal loyalty binding the whole thing together. By the time the dust settles, alliances shift, institutions crack, and the characters have to decide who they want to be in the systems they’ve helped reshape.
Author David Graham writes with a steady rhythm: some moments hit hard and fast, like the firefight in the Paramor or Bex racing across rooftops; others stretch out with quieter emotional beats, especially in the aftermath scenes near the end of the story. What I appreciated most is how the book doesn’t rush the characters’ inner shifts. Bex’s relationship with identity and agency, Andre’s weariness and stubborn hope, Kat’s complicated sense of duty, these all felt grounded. Even when the plot leaned into big sci-fi spectacle, the emotional center stayed human.
The author also makes some interesting choices about power structures and responsibility. The political hearings, the scramble over the Trelin Base project, and the moral ambiguity of the Alliance add a sharper edge to the adventure (the council scenes show this well). Sometimes the villains are overt, like Davenport, but more often the danger feels systemic, which makes the world feel authentic and messy. I liked that the story refuses a clean resolution. Even the epilogue acknowledges the work still ahead while nudging us toward future threads in the Settled Systems.
By the time I turned the last page, I felt satisfied but also curious. The ending gives the characters a breather, a moment of found-family warmth, and a hint that their fight isn’t done. It’s a good tone to leave on: hopeful but honest. If you enjoy sci-fi that balances action with character, especially stories about crews who choose each other again and again even when the galaxy keeps breaking around them, this one will land well. Fans of The Expanse, Mass Effect, or any tight-knit-crew narrative will feel right at home.
Pages: 418 | ASIN : B0DYVSVTML
Dollartorium
Ralph earns his living in a modest Kansas shop, frying corndogs that are undeniably good and reliably popular. The work keeps him afloat for a while. It offers routine, modest comfort, and a sense of pride. Eventually, though, the numbers stop working. Sales stall. Bills pile up. Stability slips away.
At that moment of strain, Ralph’s wife introduces him to “Dollartorium,” a tantalizing promise discovered through an infomercial. The course offers bold ideas and glossy solutions. At first, it feels like salvation. New business concepts suggest a way out, maybe even a breakthrough. Then the foundation collapses. What seemed like an opportunity quickly unravels, leaving Ralph to reckon with the fallout. With the help of his daughter, Stella, he is forced to retrace his steps and search for a more realistic way forward for his family.
Dollartorium, by Ron Pullins, is a work of fiction that probes capitalism, hustle culture, and the pressures these forces place on families. Humor runs throughout the novel, but it never fully softens the sharper insights beneath the surface. The comedy entertains; the implications linger.
Pullins shows a clear awareness of how precarious financial life has become for many people. Ralph’s anxiety feels earned. His frustration resonates. The sense that the system is tilted against ordinary workers gives the story its urgency. The Dollartorium scheme itself feels uncomfortably familiar, echoing countless real-world programs marketed to those already struggling. These promises prey on desperation, and Pullins does not shy away from exposing their ethical rot.
Stella emerges as the novel’s moral and intellectual anchor. She tempers Ralph’s desperation with reason and clarity. Her perspective restores balance and nudges the story toward resolution. Yet even as the family regains its footing, the larger problem remains unresolved. The system that cornered them still stands. Pullins underscores this truth with restraint, allowing the message to land without sermonizing.
The novel closes on a note that is satisfying, though far from idyllic. That choice feels intentional. Pullins has more to say than a neat ending would allow. Through his characters, he gives voice to frustrations that have become commonplace, about inequality, exploitation, and the illusion of easy fixes. The odds remain stacked against the little guy, and the allure of grand, risky schemes proves hard to resist. Dollartorium captures that tension with clarity, humor, and an undercurrent of quiet anger that makes it linger after the final page.
Bloody Fates, Damned Choices
In the Wake of Golgotha follows the reincarnations of Judas and Pilate through present-day New York as a crucifixion-obsessed killer forces them to confront guilt, justice, and whether any betrayal ever truly ends. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
‘The greatest story ever told’ is one full of hope, promise and redemption; however, it is also one of violence, betrayal, pain and punishment. It is this darker side of religion and history, one that too often gets glossed over and painted as mythology and ceremony that I felt was worth a second look. In the Wake of Golgotha is not a story about religion or the Bible, it is a story about bloody fates, damned choices and selfless second chances. It is a story about the death of legend – physically, practically, culturally & ideologically – in both ancient times and in the modern era. If indeed there are two sides to every story, I thought it worthwhile to take a closer look at who was actually responsible for enabling the ‘greatest’ story, why they were chosen, and what price did they pay for their roles in man’s most significant ‘betrayal.’
How did you balance the procedural realism of crime and death-row law with the novel’s spiritual and mythic elements?
When we intellectually and culturally consider capital punishment, we inevitably think in terms of modern era morality and relative to the humanity (adjective, not noun) of crime and punishment. Historical capital punishment is deemed barbaric and neatly banished to museums and mythology. However, despite the cross dangling on billions of necklaces worldwide over the ages, we rarely truly consider the most (in)famous capital punishment: the tortuous and bloody crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Ironically, and fortunately, the cross has become a symbol of peace and harmony; yet as a vessel of crucifixion it was anything but. I wanted to place the act of this particularly painful path of execution in the context of crime and punishment, so believers and non-believers alike would consider the act, the sacrifice, and the men responsible for the ultimate death-row tale. Additionally, I wanted the little we know about the historical elements of the actual trial to be juxtaposed with contemporary criminal trial and death row procedure. While the processes vastly differ, the end result is unequivocally, and frankly unimaginably, the same. Blind faith is a pivotal concept (and trap door) in In the Wake of Golgotha – legally, spiritually and otherwise.
Balthazar’s violence is graphic and ritualized. What role did discomfort play in how you wanted readers to engage with questions of punishment and mercy?
Discomfort is paramount in In the Wake of Golgotha. It is a story about reassessing uncomfortable histories and uncomfortable choices, as well as questioning comfortable mythologies and comfortable beliefs. Religion, and Christianity in particular, essentially is a history of graphic ritualized violence. A bloody history that all too often gets glossed over because of its inherent ‘happy ending’, yet Christianity’s most pivotal chapter and moment is a graphic ritualized act of violence that occured on Calvary Hill, aka Golgotha. My suggestion is that if we are to embrace what happened on that hill, and the divine aftermath, then we must acknowledge the violence that had to occur to fulfill the prophecies and scripture, and acknowledge the men and souls that enabled His bloody fall and ultimate rise. In the Wake of Golgotha casts a shadow about the uncomfortable struggle between God and the Devil, and the impact this eternal confrontation has had on everybody stuck in the middle between them.
When writing scenes of quiet restraint versus lush excess, how conscious were you of pacing language itself to mirror the characters’ inner states?
In the Wake of Golgotha is intentionally paced like a fever dream. Religion (not faith) is a balance of quiet restraint and lush excess – it is a tale of extremes from the lush Garden to the barren Desert. History’s, and literature’s for that matter, greatest and most tragic characters are journey’s into and about the extremes of a soul’s inner states. Ego & Id. Alpha & Omega. Darkness & Light. We all struggle with the shadow we cast in the pursuit of hope and joy while fleeing from regret and despair. Whether in ancient Jerusalem slipping from the pre-dawn stillness of Gethsemane into the gluttonous chaos of Herod’s Court and Temple and up the ragingly sorrowful Calvary Hill, or in modern-day New York stepping from the unnatural hush of an execution chamber into the timeless vacuum of a confessional booth and into the quietly colorful halls of an art gallery – the wildly diverse pacing of time and language relative to calm and chaos is meant to capture the wildly erratic climate of the characters inner states that are caught in a damned timeless maze of moral limbo.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website
Judas, now Jude Issachar, an enigmatic social worker and part-time professor, and Pontius, now Peter Pheiffer, an unsettled defense attorney at a ravenous global law firm, have lived many lifetimes since their original encounter. However, Jude is aware of his past and is cursed by the fateful lure of the noose and the tree. Peter is damned by a recurring ignorance, a cruel cyclical awakening that creeps up on him as he is compelled to defend a sociopath who crucified three men.
Condemned for their role in humankind’s darkest betrayal, they must reckon with their pasts-and their futures-after a fateful, bloody collision of violence and addiction two millennia after their sentence began brings these lost souls together once more.
Free and First: Unlocking Your Ultimate Life
Free and First is a deeply personal guide to self-discovery. Elizabeth Jane traces her journey from people pleasing and self-doubt to a fuller, freer life shaped by awareness, boundaries, and self-love. She weaves her childhood memories, her marriage, the collapse of that marriage, her travels, her art, and the spiritual teachings that lifted her along the way. The book unfolds through stories, poems, and reflections that show how putting yourself first can feel terrifying at first, yet life-saving in the end. The message is simple and strong. You can only live your ultimate life when you stop abandoning yourself and finally choose you.
As I read, I felt drawn into the honesty of her voice. She talks about fear, shame, exhaustion, and hope in ways that feel raw and real. Her descriptions of becoming invisible in her own marriage hit me hard. I could feel the weight of that silence building inside her. I admired the courage it took for her to pull apart the patterns she had carried since childhood and to name them without flinching. The poems sprinkled throughout the book gave me a quiet pause every time. They felt like little rest stops that softened the heavier moments and reminded me why the journey matters.
Her ideas about boundaries and self-worth resonated with me. Then it surprised me with a sharply clear insight that made me sit back for a moment. I liked that mix. I also appreciated how she used her art and travel as ways to reconnect with herself. There is something tender about someone discovering creativity for the first time in adulthood and letting it shake their life awake. I found myself smiling through those parts. It made the transformation feel less theoretical and more lived in.
This book is heartfelt and encouraging. It is especially good for women who feel stretched thin or unseen, and for anyone who keeps putting others first until there is nothing left for themselves. If you want a book that feels like a warm conversation mixed with personal stories and simple tools, this will speak to you. It reminded me that choosing yourself is not selfish at all. It is the start of everything that follows.
Pages: 156 | ISBN : 1923250043
A Princess on Her Own Terms
A Princess on Her Own Terms follows Princess Sapphire of Xionia, a sharp and stubborn young woman born into a world that worships perfection and tiny waists yet has no idea what to do with a girl who prefers books, good food, and swordplay. The story tracks her journey through tense family expectations, a disastrous ball, an unexpected connection with a prince, and a growing sense that she has every right to build a life on her own terms. It blends fairy tale settings with modern themes about self-worth and independence.
Reading this book made me root for Saphie from page one. Her voice feels real. It hits with honesty and humor, and it cuts through the sugary world around her. I found myself laughing at the chaos of her family and wincing at the cruel comments tossed her way. What surprised me most was how gently the author handles her emotions. The writing is simple in the best way, with scenes that move fast and feel warm. I never felt bogged down. I felt like I was being told a story over tea. I loved that. I also liked the way the author pokes fun at royal traditions that make no sense. It gave the book a playful charm.
Some ideas in the story hit me harder than I expected. Saphie’s refusal to shrink herself for anyone feels powerful. I could feel her frustration, her quiet bravery, and her strange mix of stubborn pride and vulnerable hope. Her relationship with her father made me smile. Her bond with her sister Emmie warmed me right through. Her scenes with Edward gave me that silly flutter in my chest. Not because they were overly romantic, but because they felt honest. The book never tries to make her perfect. It lets her be loud, messy, clever, hungry, bold, and soft all at once. I liked that a lot.
A Princess on Her Own Terms is sweet, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy fairy tales, especially those who want a heroine who does not fit the usual mold. It is great for younger readers who need a reminder that they do not have to shrink to shine, and for adults who still believe stories can be gentle and brave at the same time. I think anyone who loves a good comfort read will enjoy this book.
Pages: 227 | ASIN : B0GCVNK65J
The Guidance
The Guidance tells the story of three isolated tribes living on the lone world of Domhan. Each tribe grows in its own strange corner of the land, shaped by a mysterious universal force called the Guidance. The Harvest Tribe lives by farming rules set in the Book of the Blest. The Hunter Tribe learns to survive with spears and livestock. The Pharmacist Tribe crawls forward through intuition, experiments, and whatever scraps of nature it can gather. Their traditions shift. Their beliefs twist. Their lives unfold as the Guidance quietly watches. The book paints these three evolving cultures in slow, steady strokes, showing how tiny changes ripple across generations.
As I read, I felt myself pulled into the rhythm of the writing. It is calm, almost meditative. Sometimes the prose slows down, but I didn’t mind because the world had a kind of warm strangeness that kept me curious. I liked how the author reveals each tribe’s beliefs through their daily routines instead of long lectures. The scenes around harvest rituals, hunting decisions, and plant experiments had a subtle charm. I found myself smiling when small discoveries became big turning points for them. It made the world feel alive. I also liked how the book lets misunderstandings shape entire cultures. A single phrase or symbol grows into sacred truth.
There were moments when the writing made me pause in a good way. The shift from gratitude toward spirits to gratitude toward one God. The Hunter Tribe guessing that animals hold the divine. The Pharmacist Tribe stumbling into medicine and chemistry without knowing what those things are. These moments hit me with a sense of wonder. I also felt a kind of sadness. The tribes keep changing but never know why. They try their best with limited clues and plenty of hope. That hit close to home. The writing is simple, but it carries a quiet emotional punch.
The book is thought-provoking and rewards patient reading. I’d recommend The Guidance to anyone who enjoys calm, idea-driven fiction. It would be great for readers who like stories about worldbuilding, mythmaking, and how cultures grow from tiny seeds. It’s not a fast ride, but it is a meaningful one, and it leaves you thinking about how people learn, how they survive, and how they make sense of forces far bigger than themselves.
Pages: 187 | ASIN: B0DZGRM23J
My Socks are Dirty Too
My Socks are Dirty, Too is a loose, goofy collection of short bits, gags, and cheeky observations about aging, marriage, senior-center hijinks, bodily mishaps, and everyday life. The book moves fast and hops from one joke to another, almost like listening to a friend who can’t stop cracking wise as he recounts stories about his wife, his buddies, his church antics, and all the strange things that happen as the years pile up. It feels like flipping through a scrapbook of one-liners and mini-stories built to get a grin, a smirk, or a full laugh, with topics ranging from HOA mischief to senior-center pranks to marital back-and-forths and the general chaos of getting older.
While reading, I kept finding myself smiling at how unfiltered the writing is. The author leans into a kind of playful orneriness that feels honest, like he’s laughing at life before life gets the chance to laugh at him. Some jokes are silly, some are sharp, and some hit with that little sting of truth that comes with age. I liked the rhythm of it. The quick hits kept me turning pages because I never knew if the next line would be a groaner or something that would make me snort-laugh. I also enjoyed how he describes the senior center like it’s a sitcom set. The quirky characters and wild signage made the place feel alive and weird in the best way. It all felt familiar, as if he were letting me in on a private hangout with the neighborhood troublemaker.
I also felt a kind of warmth beneath the joking. Even when he teases his wife or pokes at aging bodies and fading memory, there’s affection tucked into the cracks. The stories are crude at times and sometimes outrageous, but the heart shows through. It reminded me of listening to an older relative tell stories that drift between the ridiculous and the meaningful. Some bits made me roll my eyes in the best possible way, and others caught me off guard with how relatable they were. Aging can be hard, but the author treats it like a long, rowdy adventure where you either laugh or you stew, and he refuses to stew.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy quick humor, playful irreverence, and a lighthearted look at senior life. It’s great for anyone who wants to laugh about the oddness of growing older or who appreciates a storyteller who doesn’t take himself seriously. If you like joke-heavy books you can dip in and out of, or if you just need a pick-me-up, this one fits the bill.
Pages: 122 | ASIN : B0F7VPXGZ9
The Return
The Return drops the reader straight into South Park, Colorado, where Ike McAlister and his family wrestle with a brutal winter, old wounds, and the steady creep of danger from men tied to the coming railroad. The story follows Ike’s fight to protect his land, his people, and the fragile peace he has managed to build. The novel blends frontier grit with family devotion and a sense of unfinished business that never quite loosens its grip. I felt the stakes rise page by page as storms, enemies, and secrets closed in around Ike and those he loves.
I found myself pulled in by the writing right away. Torreano paints the land with steady hands, and the cold feels like it bites through the page. The early scenes in the blizzard hit me hard. The tension builds quietly, then all at once, and I caught myself almost holding my breath. The dialogue has a simple rhythm that feels true to the setting. I liked that it never tries too hard. Some passages felt a little drawn out, yet the heart of the story beats strong enough that I didn’t mind lingering. I cared about Ike more than I expected. He is stubborn, loyal, and rough around the edges, and I felt that mix settle in me as something real.
What surprised me most was how emotional the book became as it unfolded. I kept feeling this tug in my chest when the family struggled through the small, private moments that hit harder than the gunfire. Lorraine’s strength stayed with me and made me think about the cost of keeping a home running when the world feels cold and hungry. I got frustrated with Ike at times because he pushes himself past reason, but that is also why he stays on my mind. The themes of honor and self-responsibility land with a quiet weight, and I found myself nodding more than once, thinking about how little those values change across time. There were moments that felt gentle, then sharp, then gentle again, and I liked that uneven beat.
The book mixes history, hardship, and hope in a way that should sit well with readers who like westerns with real heart. I would recommend The Return to anyone who enjoys frontier stories with strong family bonds, vivid landscapes, and characters who feel lived in. It would also suit readers who want action tempered with emotion and a sense of place that settles around you like campfire smoke.
Pages: 327 | ASIN: B0FR1XC4QT
LITERARY TITAN 