Blog Archives
Talisman: Subterfuge
Aaron Ryan’s Talisman: Subterfuge kicks off with a hero who is anything but heroic. Liam “Foxy” Mayfield is a celebrated veteran from a past alien war, but he’s a total wreck. His wife, Janine, was killed by a stray alien, and he’s completely shattered. He’s estranged from his sons and his father-in-law, who just happens to be the President. Then, some mysterious cosmic power called the Aeterium Axis shows up. They give him a crazy deal. He has to save one thousand human lives. If he pulls it off, they’ll bring his wife back from the dead. So Liam accepts, and he becomes this secret vigilante known as “The Talisman,” using new superpowers like teleportation and foresight to save people. It’s not all straightforward, though. A dark, twisted version of himself called The Zorander is hunting him. Plus, a reporter who looks identical to his dead wife is getting dangerously close to the truth.
The writing is fast, it’s raw, and it’s full of emotion. I really felt Liam’s grief. It was heavy, and it made his decision to take this impossible deal feel completely real. I mean, who wouldn’t take that chance? The core idea of “balance” was fascinating. Liam is out there saving lives, which is great, but he’s also killing the bad guys without a second thought to do it. It really makes you wonder. Is he still a hero? Or is he just a desperate man who will do anything to get his wife back? I found myself rooting for him, even when his actions were pretty questionable.
The plot is just non-stop. One minute Liam is saving a wedding party from a landslide, and the next he’s in a brutal, supernatural fight. And then the government, the very people he helped save in the last war, turns on him. Talk about a rough week. I was genuinely angry for him. The author, Aaron Ryan, just keeps piling on the pressure, and it makes for a story you can’t put down. It felt like a dark, gritty comic book. I also liked getting the different viewpoints. We get inside the reporter’s head, and we even see the world through the villain’s eyes. The Zorander is a really spooky dude, and his chapters were intense.
I’d absolutely recommend this book. It’s an emotional rollercoaster. If you loved the author’s Dissonance series, this is a no-brainer. You’ll love seeing Foxy again. If you’re new to this world, that’s fine too. The book does a great job of giving you the backstory you need. This is the perfect read for anyone who likes their sci-fi fast, full of action, and packed with a whole lot of heart.
Pages: 320 | ASIN: B0FV8PL7ZG
Messenger of the Reaper: Part 2
Messenger of the Reaper: Book 2 jumps right into the chaos of Paul Greer’s strange and dangerous life. The story follows him as he takes on brutal jobs, uncovers dark secrets, and wrestles with the eerie presence of James Crum, the Reaper himself. The book blends revenge, the supernatural, and gritty crime drama. It moves fast, takes sharp turns, and never really lets up. There is a constant sense that something worse is coming, and Paul is the only one who can stand in its way, even if it costs him everything.
I felt pulled along by the sheer wildness of it. The writing is straightforward, sometimes blunt, and it gives the whole thing a raw, rough edge. I liked that feeling. It matched Paul’s world. Dangerous. Dirty. Lonely. The ideas about fate and the weight of violence hit harder than I expected. Every time Paul slipped into that cold other self, I found myself tensing up. The book made me uneasy in a way that felt intentional. It wanted me to sit in the dark with him. And I did.
Sometimes the story moved so fast that I had to catch my breath. But honestly, that frantic pacing also made it feel real. Life doesn’t wait, especially not in Paul’s line of work. The supernatural pieces were some of my favorites. Grim and strange, and presented in this matter-of-fact voice that made them weirdly believable. The mix of everyday grit and mystical danger gave the book a flavor that stuck with me after I put it down.
I walked away feeling like I had ridden shotgun through someone’s personal hell, watching him claw his way from one threat to another with nothing but stubborn will keeping him upright. If you like high-tension stories with revenge, supernatural twists, and a main character who is always one step from losing himself completely, this book is a solid pick. It’s gritty. It’s strange. And it’s definitely a book worth picking up.
Pages: 138
The Dreaming at the Drowned Town
The Dreaming at the Drowned Town is a wild ride of a story told through the diary of Enrique Castaño, a Filipino translator in 1924 who is haunted by some truly horrific nightmares. He gets hired to guide his American journalist boss, Mr. Thomas, and his new wife, Lita, to a mysterious island that just popped up from the bottom of the sea. They assemble a small, tense group to go with them, and things go wrong. People start dying, reality blurs, and Enrique’s awful dreams seem to be bleeding into the real world, leaving him and the reader trying to figure out what’s real and what’s just in his head.
The writing just floors you. The choice to use Enrique’s diary was a great decision. Readers are stuck right inside this guy’s head, and it is not a nice place to be. I felt his paranoia. The Brothers K absolutely nail the atmosphere. It’s sticky. It’s hot. You can smell the sulfur from the island and the rot from Enrique’s dreams. The way his nightmares just bleed into the story, you start to question everything. I found myself re-reading parts, thinking, “Wait, did that actually happen, or did he just dream it?” It’s a total head-trip. I loved feeling so completely unmoored.
It’s not just a simple ghost story. It’s a deep dive into the messy, complicated world of the American-occupied Philippines. You have the old revolutionary boatman. You have the American boss who thinks he’s bringing enlightenment. You have the corrupt local constable. All these people are just trapped on this island, and their real-world drama gets swallowed by this huge, ancient, creepy-crawly horror. The betrayals just keep stacking up. I thought I knew what was happening, then the story just pulls the rug out. Then it pulls another rug out. Lita’s character, in particular, is just a masterpiece of twists. I honestly didn’t know who to root for by the end. It really makes you think.
I was completely hooked. My heart was pounding. I felt genuinely unsettled when I put it down. This is not some light, breezy read. This is a book that demands your full attention, and it will haunt you for a while after you finish. It’s a puzzle. It’s a nightmare. It’s brilliant. If you like your horror smart, historical, and deeply weird, you have to pick this up.
Pages: 167 | ASIN: B0FP1RDK46
The Stanton Falls Mysteries – Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning follows a tight-knit group of Stanton Falls detectives and their families as they head out on what should have been a relaxing Mediterranean cruise. Instead, the trip unravels into a tangled mess of missing passengers, eerie shipboard mysteries, emotional tension, and danger that creeps up on them when they least expect it. The story shifts between calm family moments, unsettling turns, and sharp revelations. It keeps the focus on relationships and teamwork while pushing the characters into situations that test them in new ways.
While reading, I kept feeling this warm mix of comfort and suspense. The writing leans heavily into character bonds, and I liked that a lot. There is a genuine sense of history between them, and the quieter scenes made the high-stress moments hit harder. At times, the dialogue felt a little straightforward, but the emotional weight underneath kept me hooked. I appreciated how the author balanced cozy slice-of-life beats with creeping dread. It created this enjoyable tension that made me want to keep turning pages.
Some ideas in the book surprised me in a good way. The ship’s strange happenings, the shifting cabin numbers, the subtle horror beneath the surface, all of it gave the mystery a fresh vibe. I loved that the story didn’t try to outsmart the reader with cheap tricks. It felt honest. There were moments when the pacing slowed, and I caught myself wishing for quicker movement, but the payoff eventually landed with enough emotional punch to make up for it. By the end, I felt oddly proud of the characters for what they’d pushed through.
I’d recommend Dead Reckoning to readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries with a touch of creepiness and a whole lot of heart. It’s great for anyone who wants a story that mixes friendships, family, and danger in a setting that feels fun at first and unsettling once things start going wrong. If you like mysteries that make you care about the people as much as the puzzle, this book will be right up your alley.
Pages: 187
The Howl of the Whisper
The Howl of the Whisper traces MaryAnn Gramig’s long struggle with her inner critic, beginning with childhood wounds and stretching through decades of self-doubt, crisis, and eventual healing. She weaves stories about anorexia, motherhood, trauma, Shakespeare, and the slow climb toward self-understanding. The book blends personal narrative with practical exercises built around CliftonStrengths, all aimed at helping readers quiet the harsh voice in their heads and uncover a truer sense of self.
I found myself pulled in by the honesty. Some pages made my chest tighten, especially the moments about her daughter’s stroke. Other parts felt soft and warm like someone handing you a blanket when you did not ask for one but really needed it. Her writing is simple and direct, and she tells her story without putting on airs. I liked that. It made me trust her. It also made the heavier moments easier to take in.
The ideas here are familiar at first glance. Still, the way she shapes them around her own life gives them a new kind of punch. The inner critic is not an abstract thing in her world. It is a presence that taunts her, trips her up, and clings for years. When she talks about learning to see her strengths clearly, I could feel the tug of both fear and relief. I found myself nodding along. I also caught myself thinking about my own patterns and how often I let them run the show. The casual tone made those reflections hit harder, not softer.
By the end, I felt grateful for the time spent with this book. It is heartfelt and plainspoken and surprisingly comforting. I would recommend it to anyone who feels pushed around by their own thoughts, anyone who keeps shrinking themselves to stay safe, and anyone who wants a gentle guide toward a more grounded and honest version of themselves. It is especially good for readers who enjoy memoir mixed with hands-on exercises and who appreciate a voice that speaks like a friend sitting beside them instead of a teacher standing in front of them.
Pages: 144 | ASIN: B0FTZL4S19
The Art of Quilting
My Sister’s Quilt is a collection of interwoven stories where generations of women, connected through quilts and memory, discover how love, loss, and legacy are sewn into every stitch of their lives. What first inspired you to connect quilting with storytelling and memory?
Quilts have been in my life since I was a child, from my grandmother to my sister, who is a quilter. I spent time in the Amish community, where women still gather together to finish quilts by hand.
Each story feels both distinct and interconnected. How did you approach structuring the collection to maintain that balance?
The book had to be connected story to story and quilt to quilt to make the book work. I have to admit it was not an easy thing to accomplish, and I spent a lot of time with rewrites to make the book and stories flow for the reader.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I want to show the readers how far back the art of quilting could be found, how quilts were used in the Underground Railroad. Quilting tells a story; it is art, and its beauty is unbelievable. If you own a quilt, you hold history.
The book spans different time periods. Was there one era that was particularly meaningful or challenging to write?
Each time period was meaningful, and it was so much fun to tell a story, including a piece of history often ignored or forgotten.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Website | Amazon
My Sister’s Quilt: A Collection of Short Stories presents quilts as silent witnesses to history, identity, and resilience. Each story is stitched with meaning-threading together lives across generations and continents.
From a quilt that crosses oceans to return to a woman who had forgotten it existed, to coded patterns aiding the Underground Railroad, these stories span eras of struggle and strength. Some pieces honor those who never returned from war. Others raise awareness through the artistry of AIDS memorial quilts or share quiet lessons passed down by grandmothers. A young entrepreneur reimagines quilting with a gothic twist, while a devoted sister supports her famous author sibling from the background.
My Sister’s Quilt is a moving tribute to love, loss, and the unbreakable threads that bind us-where the past and present live in every stitch, and history still speaks. In every square, a story unfolds. In every quilt, a legacy lives on.
Third Quarter Moon: Matters of the Heart
Third Quarter Moon: Matters of the Heart is a warm, raw, and intimate walk through memories, grief, healing, love, and self-rediscovery. Simone moves through vignettes of childhood, family bonds, romantic entanglements, heartbreak, and renewal. The book weaves poetry, reflection, and storytelling into a journey about shedding what hurts, holding on to what heals, and learning to see oneself with new eyes.
As I read, I felt myself sinking into her honesty. The writing hit me in a tender way, almost like sitting with a friend who tells the truth even when it stings. Her memories of growing up in PG County swing from funny to painful in a blink. It caught me off guard every time. The flow of her poems made me pause often. Some lines felt like they were tugging at old wounds I didn’t know I still carried. I loved how she talked about love without sugarcoating it. She let it be messy, beautiful, and heavy all at once. That kind of vulnerability pulled me in and kept me there.
What really stuck with me was the rhythm of her voice. It’s soft and fierce at the same time. She opens doors to her inner world and lets the reader wander around, touch things, break things, feel things. Some pieces felt calm and earthy. Others felt jagged and hot. I found myself nodding, laughing, then swallowing a lump in my throat. Her metaphors about gardening, shedding, and becoming gave me this strange mix of peace and restlessness. I admired how she trusted the reader enough to leave some pages quiet and unexplained. It made the experience feel real.
I walked away feeling like this book is perfect for readers who crave emotional truth and aren’t afraid to sit with their own reflections for a while. If someone loves poetry that feels personal and unfiltered, or stories that sound like they were pulled straight from a heart learning to beat again, this book will land beautifully for them. It’s a gentle companion for anyone growing, grieving, or grounding themselves again.
Pages: 62 | ASINL: B0FLB1PVKL
Subject to Interpretation
Girl Glow: Titan of Transformation is a fierce, no-filter manifesto for women ready to reclaim their power, shed their masks, and step into unapologetic self-worth. What inspired you to abandon the traditional tone of self-help books and write something this fiery?
There is no rule book for writing or self-help. My motto as an author has always been “I just want to write something f*cking real.” People need real. They need honest. They need the truth, and I am not afraid to deliver it to them.
If Girl Glow were a conversation with your younger self, what’s the one truth you’d want her to believe?
- Do not accept every suggestion as truth. All stories are subject to interpretation.
- Being a hard-core BITCH is much better than being a “nice girl.” I was told to be nice, polite, and kind, and all it did was get me “walked all over.”
- No one is coming to save you – your savior exists inside of you right now.
What were some ideas that were important for you to explore in this book?
I am into spirituality and power, so I wrote a book combining both concepts.
The book feels like both a challenge and a celebration. How do you want women to feel when they finish the last page?
I do not want to impose my wishes on women. The content will impact them the way it will impact them without my direct influence.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
GIRL GLOW is a non-fiction self-help book on POWER and SPIRITUALITY. Ready to unleash your woo-woo side becoming massively healed, happy, empowered, inspired, wealthy, healthy, and abundant? Want to be the universe’s GOLDEN CHILD? Then you’ll love GIRL GLOW: TITAN OF TRANSFORMATION. This book explores the topics of transcending pain and suffering, miracles, manifestation, wealth mindsets, executive presence, confidence, experiences, fame / celebrity coaching, worthiness, power, and spirituality.
Inspired by various religious texts and over 100 years of research, GIRL GLOW: TITAN OF TRANSFORMATION will 10X your power so that when you walk in the room, there is a powerfully confident, yet silent presence, “all heads turn and a pin drops to the floor.”
Girl—you are HOT SHIT both on the inside and outside. Tap into that God-given CREATOR POWER and watch how everything you touch turns to gold. You won’t ever be the same girl again. You’ll kick depression, anxiety, unworthiness, rejection, failure, abuse, mistreatment, low self-esteem, and anger in the balls. Do you want the universe to cascade glory on you? Then, GIRL GLOW: TITAN OF TRANSFORMATION is a MUST READ. What if your every want, wish, and desire could actually come true without money or resources? Dr. Elinsky spills all her top success secrets in this spellbinding book about ULTIMATE ASCENSION.
You are not a victim of circumstance, you are a TITAN OF TRANSFORMATION!
LITERARY TITAN 