Blog Archives
BeBe the Not-So- Brave Butterfly
Bravery rarely comes easily to anyone, yet for a butterfly, it can feel almost impossible. BeBe learns this the moment her life as a caterpillar ends and she awakens as something startlingly new. Her brilliant wings captivate her, but they also unsettle her. She now stands apart from everything familiar, and the world, once predictable, feels suddenly immense. Should she embrace this transformed identity and step forward, or retreat and hide? The story lingers on that tension and follows BeBe as she wrestles with the uncertainty of being seen in a shape she barely understands. With the help of friends to cheer her on, she discovers that being a butterfly isn’t nearly as frightening as she imagined and that an even larger world waits for her to explore.
Kimberly Robinson’s BeBe the Not-So-Brave Butterfly offers a gently crafted, warmly illustrated story that celebrates the courage we find when life presents its challenges. Through BeBe’s hesitant journey, young readers witness the emotional terrain of change that is confusing, intimidating, yet rich with the possibility of discovery.
Robinson’s connection to the narrative is unmistakable. After undergoing the discovery and removal of a brain tumor, she endured a long, difficult recovery, an experience that reshaped her life as profoundly as BeBe’s metamorphosis. That personal transformation becomes the book’s emotional engine, and children are the fortunate beneficiaries of the lessons she extracted from her experience.
The result is a genuinely lovely story. Soft, muted illustrations, evocative of gentle watercolor exercises in a youth studio, provide a serene canvas for the tender, economical prose. BeBe, clearly a reflection of Robinson herself, voices her confusion with striking honesty. She no longer recognizes her own form, a sentiment often echoed by those recovering from serious medical trauma.
Books exploring such territory can easily slip into somberness or didacticism, yet Robinson skillfully avoids both. Instead, she offers an uplifting message: change will find us, sometimes abruptly, sometimes painfully, but it need not be feared. In fact, opening our wings to unfamiliar possibilities may lead to joy and meaning far beyond anything we once imagined.
Motion Dazzle: A Memoir of Motherhood, Loss, and Skating on Thin Ice
Motion Dazzle is a memoir about a daughter trying to keep her life steady while everything around her seems to slide in unpredictable directions. The book shifts between her years as a competitive figure skater and the present day as she juggles early motherhood, a marriage, and the slow, heartbreaking decline of her own mother. The chapters move in short, vivid pieces that echo the idea of dazzle camouflage and the incomplete way memory works. What unfolds is a layered story of love, loss, identity, and grit. The author’s voice is warm and sharp at the same time, and the result feels honest in a way that hits straight in the chest.
I was pulled into her world. The skating scenes are full of pressure and sparkle and fear, and Jocelyn Jane Cox writes them with such clarity that I felt like I was watching from the rink boards. The early chapters show her constant push to perform, to smile when she is hurting, to carry herself with poise even when she feels anything but composed. Later, watching her try to shape a first birthday party while her mother is in the hospital had me tensing up in real time. The tiny details of the zebra books, the blue painter’s tape, the quiches cooling on the counter caught me off guard because they were so tender and so fraught at once. I could feel her heart splitting open as she tried to make something lovely for her son while her grief pressed in from the edges.
The portraits of her mother are what stayed with me the most. The way she describes their twenty-year daily phone call, the quiet jokes, the listening, the stories from childhood that finally spill out in fragments. Grief shows up in the book like a tide that rises slowly, then all at once, and I found myself rooting for her to catch her breath. The writing feels bright, then raw, then bright again, and I loved that. It felt real. Not polished grief, but grief that stumbles and snaps and softens. I could feel her longing for more time and her guilt and her fierce love drowning each other out in waves. It made me think about my own family more than I expected.
Motion Dazzle would be a powerful read for anyone who has cared for an aging parent or anyone who has tried to grow a new life at the same time another one is fading. It would also resonate with former athletes or anyone who knows what it means to chase perfection even when it costs more than it gives.
Pages: 273 | ASIN : B0FHF95RKB
The Goldilocks Effect in Prescription Drugs
The Goldilocks Genome follows an epidemiologist investigating the death of her best friend, who uncovers more suspicious deaths that can be linked to the Goldilocks effect in prescription drugs. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I heard an NPR interview with Irv Weissman, a leader in stem cell biology, was asked, “How does the lay public learn about science?” His answer: “Fiction.” Weissman’s insight inspired me to use my knowledge and background in pharmaceuticals, genetics, and epidemiology to craft a medical thriller to introduce the lay public to the importance of personalized medicine.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
One of the most important themes I wanted to explore in The Goldilocks Genome was the concept of the Goldilocks effect in prescription drugs. Meaning the prescribed dose of a medication can be “too little”, “too much”, or “just right” depending on a person’s individual genetics. Today we have the tools to discover how our genes process prescription drugs and initiate a discussion with their healthcare provider or physician to get a prescription or dose that is right for them.
What is your background and experience, and how did it help you write the medical thriller, The Goldilocks Genome?
My doctoral research was in biomedical anthropology where I used epidemiology to study the natural history of infection with hepatitis B virus. My post-doctoral studies focused on human genetics. I then went on to build a career in pharmaceuticals where I was learned the basics of pharmacology. The Goldilocks Genome combines all of these skills and passions while using antidepressants as the drug of choice to showcase why personalized medicine is important and necessary.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
My next book is a memoir, Mud, Microbes, and Medicine that goes into depths of solving the problem of how infants in a remote Melanesian culture become chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus. Beyond the science it is also my coming of age story set in the 1970s across Melanesia, Philadelphia, the Silicon Valley, and Basel, Switzerland. Mud, Microbes, and Medicine will be published April 21, 2026 and is available for pre-order on Amazon and other booksellers.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok
To unravel the puzzle, Carrie assembles a team: some talented post-doctoral fellows, a quirky pharmacologist, an unctuous chemist, and a skeptical FBI agent that she can’t help her attraction for. Together, they follow the data through the twists and turns, eventually uncovering that the Goldilocks effect in prescription drugs—the premise that people are inclined to seek “just the right amount” of something—is central to understanding these mysterious deaths. Through the twists and turns, Carrie and her team enter a race to uncover the truth . . . and catch a killer.
Grounded in real data analysis techniques, real science and pharmacology, and actual current psychiatric practices, The Goldilocks Genome is simultaneously a taut, race-against-time thriller and a condemnation of the psychiatric industry’s failure to implement genetic-based “personalized medicine”—a problem that persists to this day.
Amongst Embers and Ashes
Amongst Embers and Ashes tells the story of Scarlet, a girl raised on an isolated farm who learns she is a pyro elemental. Her quiet life collapses as secrets spill open. She is taken from the only home she has known and thrown into a kingdom where politics, power, and fear swirl around her. The book follows her as she meets the other elementals, discovers the truth behind her past, and feels the weight of a world that both wants and fears her. The tale blends magic, trauma, and coming-of-age moments into a journey that keeps tilting between warm hope and sharp dread.
I felt swept up right away. The writing has this fast pulse to it, almost like Scarlet’s own nerves buzzing under the surface. Scenes crackle with emotion. Little moments hit hard, such as Scarlet lighting her fingertips so she can see in the dark, or the tight, bitter silence that fills the farmhouse during dinner. The dialogue feels natural and messy. People talk over each other. They misunderstand each other. I found that refreshing. The story leans into the confusion of being young and scared, and the author does not tidy it up. Sometimes Scarlet’s thoughts spiral in a way that feels raw and very emotional.
I liked the theme of being labeled dangerous before you even understand who you are. Scarlet’s guilt sits like a stone in her chest, and I could feel its weight while reading. The contrast between her rough farm life and the polished castle made me think about how power works and who gets to feel safe. I also enjoyed the mix of elemental magic with political tension. It gave the world a lot of texture, even in quiet scenes. The pacing is fast, and the energy of the story pulled me along, and I found myself caring more about the characters than the neatness of the plot. That says a lot about how well the emotional core is written.
This book would be great for readers who love character-driven fantasy, especially those who enjoy stories about teens pushed into roles they never asked for. If you like magic mixed with messy feelings, or if you want a tale that hits close to the heart, then Amongst Embers and Ashes is an easy recommendation.
Pages: 362 | ASIN : B0F2ZFDN9W
The Alchemical Grail: Unraveling the Hermetic Mysteries of the Templars & Cosmic Unity
The book dives into a sweeping mix of mysticism, history, and personal exploration, stitching together the Templars, the Holy Grail, ancient myth, and futuristic tech into one long thread. The prologue sets the tone at once. A Templar kneels in the shadow of Chartres Cathedral, guarding a secret of cosmic fire, and this becomes the spark for a journey through symbols, consciousness, and something the author calls the AetherForge, a device meant to unite energy and mind in a single pulse at 432 Hz. The book spreads out from there, touching Rosicrucians, Freemasonry, brain-computer interfaces, and the search for a universal pattern that ties everything together. It is part memoir and part esoteric treatise. All of it sits on the author’s belief that the Grail was never a cup. The Grail is a transformation of the self.
The author writes with a great deal of conviction. I liked the raw personal fire behind the ideas. The passages on destiny and fate, for example, use the image of a spider web to describe how our choices narrow as we move through life until we meet the center where the spider waits. It is simple and poetic. It worked for me. The shifts between medieval geometry, cosmic consciousness, and Neuralink-powered star gates left me thinking. Yet I kept reading. I felt the author’s passion and stubborn curiosity. I could tell he wanted me to feel it too.
I also found myself reacting to the emotional center of the book. The small autobiographical moments, the tough humor, the lived pain, and the sense that the quest is not just intellectual but personal gave the wilder ideas some grounding. The language can get grand at times, but the message came through clearly. Find the truth inside yourself. Accept your scars. Step toward the unknown anyway. It is an intimate kind of instruction wrapped inside a huge tapestry of history and speculation.
By the time I reached the sections on the AetherForge and the call to evolve through consciousness and technology, I could feel the author closing the circle. He writes that this device is not just tech. It is a bridge to tomorrow, a way for humanity to grow into something new if we can meet the challenge with unity and wisdom. Whether or not I believe in the device is beside the point. I understood the spirit behind it. The book is really about seeking a better version of ourselves and daring to imagine beyond the boundaries we accept without question.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy bold ideas, sprawling esoteric systems, and a voice that never tones itself down. If you like mixing mysticism with science, or if you enjoy authors who write with raw intensity and personal grit, you will get something out of this. If you are willing to follow a wild path and see where it leads, this book will open a door.
How to Host a Unicorn: A Tale of Hospitality & Manners
Dag, the unicorn, is devoted to order. It shows in his neat attire. It shows in his measured speech. It defines his careful, structured view of the world. Nick, by contrast, is a bear powered by noise, disruption, and cheerful mayhem. Their friendship is unexpected from the start. When Nick invites Dag to visit, good intentions collide with very different ideas of fun. Nick tries hard to entertain and include his guest. The results are disastrous. Dag is stunned by Nick’s lifestyle and unsettled by the chaos surrounding him. The question at the heart of the story is simple and resonant: can two opposites find common ground and truly understand one another?
How to Host a Unicorn: A Tale of Hospitality and Manners, by Sara Causey, belongs to a thoughtful corner of illustrated children’s literature. It tells a charming story while also offering clear moral guidance. The book is especially well-suited to readers aged ten and up, inviting them to engage with its richer social moments and emotional depth in ways that older children are well-equipped to appreciate.
The illustrations carry much of the emotional weight. Dag’s expressions are especially effective, capturing his anxiety and confusion with precision and humor. The artwork also delivers several memorable set pieces, each escalating Nick’s attempts at hospitality. Every effort to improve the situation only compounds the disorder, pushing the narrative forward with visual energy and comedic tension.
Causey’s message is clear and handled with care. Not everyone experiences the same activities as enjoyable. That difference deserves respect. Dag and Nick represent contrasting personalities, neither wrong nor superior. Friendship, the book suggests, requires compromise and empathy. Shared experiences must feel safe and pleasant for everyone involved.
At its core, How to Host a Unicorn is a story about inclusion. It presents that idea in a way that feels accessible and sincere. It is also a lesson worth learning early. Taken to heart, it has the potential to shape kinder interactions well beyond the page.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B0FXYGMZHX
You May Conquer: Facing What Others Have Met
You May Conquer tells story after story about people who faced hardship that could have crushed them, yet they rose anyway. The book moves from biblical figures to modern leaders and shows how adversity becomes a teacher rather than a punishment. It blends faith, history, and personal reflection in a way that feels steady and grounded. The whole message circles one big idea. We gain real authority only when we walk through fire and come out changed.
As I read, I felt myself pulled into the rhythm of the writing. It is direct. It is serious. It carries a calm confidence. Sometimes I wanted more softness. Other times, the sharp edges felt right because the stories themselves carry weight. I liked how the authors didn’t try to polish hardship into something pretty. They just showed it for what it is and let the lessons rise from the ashes. The mix of scripture and history worked for me. It gave the book a wide lens and made the message feel universal.
I also found myself reacting to the ideas more than the prose. The writing is clear and steady, but the ideas hit like steady waves. The book pushes you to look inward, sometimes more deeply than you expected. It doesn’t yell its point. It just keeps nudging you to ask better questions about pain, about response, about what shapes character. I appreciated that. It made me feel both challenged and comforted. And honestly, it reminded me that authority is something we grow into. It is not a badge. It is a scar that healed well.
I’d recommend it to readers who want strength more than inspiration, readers who enjoy reflection, readers who welcome faith-based themes, and readers who appreciate stories that stretch across centuries to show a single truth. If you’re carrying something heavy and want a book that doesn’t pretend life is easy but still believes you can rise, this one is for you.
Pages: 207 | ASIN : B0FXJ9941M
The Perfect One
The Perfect One pulled me in right away. The opening sets the tone for a dark and twisting story built on secrets, obsession, and the fragile edges of relationships. The book follows several characters whose lives intersect around a brutal murder in a secluded cabin, and the story unfolds through shifting perspectives that slowly reveal old wounds, hidden affairs, and long–buried resentment. It reads like a slow burn that keeps tightening, chapter after chapter, until every character feels like both a suspect and a victim.
Some chapters felt intimate and tightly drawn, the kind that keep you leaning closer because the emotions feel raw and too real. Other moments felt almost playful, like the author knew exactly when to pull back before things got too heavy. I liked that mix. It made the pacing unpredictable in a good way. I also enjoyed how the book handled tension. It did not rush, and it did not give easy answers. Instead, it let scenes breathe with quiet detail that sometimes made me uneasy. I appreciated that slow drip of dread. It made the world feel lived in and messy, which fit the characters perfectly.
What surprised me most was the emotional twists. I kept catching myself feeling sympathy for characters I had sworn I disliked ten pages earlier. Then the story tossed in another reveal, and my feelings flipped again. I love when a book does that. It makes me feel like I am part of the mess rather than just watching it. The ideas beneath the plot lingered with me, too. The story pokes at pride, loyalty, and the ways people hide things even from themselves.
Everything came together in a way that made sense for the world the author built, even when the truth was painful. I would recommend The Perfect One to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, character–driven mysteries, or stories where the emotional stakes matter just as much as the plot. If you like books that take their time and let you sit in the characters’ minds while feeding you tension bit by bit, this one will be a great fit.
Pages: 360 | ASIN : B0FM1F3QKW
LITERARY TITAN 