Blog Archives
Richard: War Erupts
Michael Hickman’s War Erupts is the thrilling, fantasy-filled fourth installment in the Richard saga. Richard, the teenage king of the galaxy with otherworldly powers, alongside his family, seeks peace in the kingdom. However, tensions grow among the residents of the Milky Way, and whispers of war threaten the civility of this universe. As Richard attempts to control the growing tension between his subjects, he makes time to strengthen his relationship with his family and friends.
Hickman’s strength lies in the immersive world-building. He has crafted a universe that is vast, diverse, and full of life. From alien civilizations with unique customs to life-saving advanced technology, this galaxy is full of wonder and complexity. The central conflict is between the human population and the non-human species. As distrust and resentment grow on both sides, the kingdom begins to crack.
Despite the chaos, Hickman keeps the story grounded through Richard’s personal journey. While the thought of war looms above him, his family deals with their own struggles. I found the chapter where Little Raider struggles between his human morals and fox instincts to be particularly emotional. These more heartfelt moments provide a contrast to what is unfolding across the stars. Richard’s powers may grant him a greater strength, but his empathy and his desire for unity shape his leadership.
The audiobook narration elevated the reading experience through the immersive delivery. The narrator alternated accents and vocal pitches to distinguish each character, which made the dialogue vivid and easy to follow. Additionally, the inclusion of sound effects added a dynamic layer to the storytelling, making each scene feel more atmospheric.
If you are looking for a science-fiction fantasy story that blends intergalactic tension with heartfelt character development Richard: War Erupts is a must-read. The audiobookis especially engaging, with compelling narration and sound effects that bring the galaxy to life. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in the Richard series.
Listening Length: 15 hours and 53 minutes | ASIN: B0CRRYWBW3
The Summer Knows
The Summer Knows follows Adrienne Harris, a single mother and weary chef, as she’s pulled back to her Florida hometown after a kitchen fire forces her estranged grandmother, Elizabeth, into vulnerability. With her teenage daughter Kali in tow, Adrienne is forced to reckon with the past she left behind. The ghosts of trauma, a long-lost love, the mystery of her daughter’s paternity, and a town that remembers everything. Across one summer, memories rise like heat off the pavement as Adrienne navigates decaying family ties, grief, and the haunting call of the Merritt house next door, once home to the boy she loved and the brother she lost.
What gripped me most about this book was the prose. It’s rich and lush in all the right places, but never heavy-handed. Pearsall doesn’t just write scenes, she pulls you into them. The dialogue is sharp and honest, and the characters, especially Adrienne, feel heartbreakingly real. She’s tired, brittle, often angry, but there’s a flicker of hope always buried deep, refusing to die out. Watching her wrestle with her own shortcomings as a mother, while trying to care for the woman who never quite knew how to care for her, was gutting in the best way. And then there’s Christopher, the quiet backbone of the town, and her past. He’s a steadying presence in the storm, and I found myself rooting for their complicated connection.
The story hits heavy emotional beats that don’t always resolve cleanly. It’s not a light read. There’s trauma here like death, poverty, abandonment, and Pearsall doesn’t soften those edges. At times, I found the generational conflict between Adrienne and Elizabeth exhausting, but maybe that’s the point. It’s not supposed to be easy. Some scars don’t fade, and some relationships don’t get fixed. I appreciated that honesty. Also, the mystery surrounding the Merritt boys unfolds slowly and subtly, but for me, the tension and slow burn only added to the beauty of the thing.
The Summer Knows is a story about coming home, not to reclaim the past, but to finally face it. It’s raw, evocative, and filled with aching truths about family, memory, and the kind of love that leaves a mark even when everything else fades. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of emotionally layered fiction, especially readers who loved Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone or Ann Patchett’s Commonwealth. This book is for those of us who’ve ever been haunted by where we came from, and wondered if we could ever really leave it behind.
Pages: 339 | ASIN: B0F96DCBX1
Lost to Alice
Lost to Alice is a gripping coming-of-age novel set in the Rocky Mountains, following Aria as she’s thrown into a new life with her cousins after her parents’ tragic death. The story explores grief, love, identity, mental health, and the unforgiving pressure of growing up in a small town brimming with secrets. Through her new friendships and romantic entanglement with Chase, Aria finds herself entangled in drug deals, suicide, abuse, and deep-rooted trauma, all while navigating the treacherous terrain of high school. The plot crescendos with brutal emotional weight as one loss triggers others, and the fragile connections between the characters threaten to unravel.
From the first chapter, I was hooked. The writing has a raw, unpolished quality that works. It mirrors the chaos and roughness of the lives it’s portraying. Aria’s voice is incredibly real. Her inner monologues felt like the thoughts I might have scribbled in my journal as a teen, full of rage, heartache, and sarcasm. I appreciated how the story didn’t sanitize grief or teenage pain. The characters aren’t clean-cut heroes. They’re messy, flawed, sometimes deeply unlikeable, but that’s what makes them compelling. The pacing occasionally jumped, and a few transitions felt abrupt, but I never wanted to stop reading.
Emotionally, this book gutted me. I felt every loss like a punch to the chest. Miguel’s suicide hit me the hardest because of how complicated it was. Nobody is innocent, and the book doesn’t try to pretend otherwise. It forces the reader to sit with the weight of words and the consequences of silence. I loved Chase and Aria’s chemistry, their softness blooming in the middle of such dark, violent lives. But I also wanted to scream at them sometimes, which is what made them feel real. And Jonah? God, Jonah just felt like a walking wound. The ending wasn’t tied up in a neat bow, and I’m glad for that. It honored the pain the characters went through without pretending everything would be okay tomorrow.
Lost to Alice is a story for anyone who remembers how hard it is to be young, or who is living through that hell right now. It’s for people who have lost someone and were never the same afterward. It’s for kids who are angry, tired, and trying not to drown. I’d recommend it to readers of Thirteen Reasons Why, Looking for Alaska, or Girl in Pieces.
Pages: 288 | ISBN: 1948807793
A Pure Fantasy
Orphan’s Quest is a coming-of-age fantasy where a red-eyed orphan named Chip rises from obscurity to heroism, guided by pain, power, and the timeless lessons of inner strength. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I originally wrote the first book for my children as a pure fantasy embedded with life lessons. Maxims or truths are best explained in the form of a story or parable. It became an Amazon fantasy bestseller in four countries (the U.S., the UK, Canada, and now India). I wrote it using simple names so you don’t have to learn High Elvish to understand. I wanted the emotional struggle to shine through. I have wanted to write a fantasy story ever since I read The Lord of the Rings at the age of eight. Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannara was another great inspiration from my childhood. My opening scene, where the orphan, Chip, is standing on the edge of the valley gazing at the kingdom below, is reminiscent of the opening of The Sword of Shannara. I have been influenced by Tolkien, Feist, Rowling, Jordan, Eddings, and Goodkind, among others. I desired a classic, pure fantasy from the old days, using all the tropes (themes). Some authors want to change the tropes, but for me, the idea of a spurned orphan rising to face an ancient evil is a classic tale that I love.
Chip is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Chip is the consummate underdog. Born with red eyes and abandoned at the gates of the small kingdom, he is immediately shunned for being different. This speaks to everyone who feels different, and we’ve all experienced it in some form or another. He starts with nothing, made worse by ostracization. His suffering is brutal, yet all problems can be overcome with the right mindset. Suffering can become a catalyst to personal growth if the “problems” are rephrased as “challenges.” There is even a point where his mentor, the weapons master, says people should thank everyone who wronged them, for that forces us to grow stronger. The story shows us that even the lowest among us can rise to the challenge and become our greatest heroes. The book can be inspirational, and I receive no greater joy than seeing someone else’s life improved. We are all in this together. Having said that, it is also an epic, action-packed fantasy full of magic and wonder. Many who read it say they cannot put it down. Each successive book becomes more immersive, and by the end, it will be longer than The Lord of the Rings.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I’ve included most of the classic fantasy tropes: a young protagonist who rises from nothing to try and save the world, a wise wizard, a mentor who teaches timeless lessons to the young boy searching for his place in the world, the budding romance between the orphan and the princess, the cruel king and prince, the medieval setting, the hidden magic, and the inevitable quest. Throughout it all, additional themes of personal growth emerge, including viewing life as a challenge, recognizing that freedom is a result of self-discipline, and, above all, never giving up.
What can readers expect in book two of The Great Forget Fantasy Series?
The first book is short and only 99 cents, allowing readers to see if it’s the right fit for them. It’s an introduction to the series, which gets progressively longer. Book two is a race by the main characters to warn the inept king of impending doom. An ancient evil has broken through its prison and is coming for the small kingdom that stands nearly defenceless against the evil hordes. Yet, nothing can prepare them for what is about to happen. Hang on for the ride!
Visit my website below for a free prequel short story (I recommend reading Orphan’s Quest first) and other gifts.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
For readers aged 13 to 100+.
For those who crave a powerful fantasy story woven with life’s deepest truths.
As the weapons master once said,
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”
The journey begins…
Long ago, a mysterious event known as The Great Forget ravaged the Earth. Magic was born.
Millennia later, a baby with red eyes is abandoned at the gates of a small kingdom tasked with guarding the Pass of Death. The orphan, Chip, is condemned by a spiteful king to a life of misery in the castle kitchens—scorned, unwanted, and cast aside.
In a twist of fate, Chip befriends the princess and catches the eye of the wise wizard Xander, who sees something special in the boy. The wizard sends him to train under the realm’s most formidable mentor, the weapons master, where Chip learns hard-won truths, hones his skills, and prepares for the ultimate test: his coming-of-age quest to the Pass of Death.
There, an ancient evil awaits, and a stunning revelation…
Amid the howling winds of the fabled pass, Chip is about to discover a world far more deadly than anything he ever imagined.
Join him as he learns what lies on the other side of fear…
for he may be humanity’s last hope.
A tale of courage, sacrifice, and unbreakable will, Orphan’s Quest explores what happens when the one they cast aside becomes their only chance to survive.
Combining echoes of Tolkien, the emotional resonance of Eddings, and the relentless pacing of Feist, this is a story for anyone who has ever faced the impossible and stood tall.
May you never be the same again.
The audiobook version is narrated with music and special effects by the acclaimed actor Nigel Peever, showcasing over thirty years of voice mastery.
Reviews from Amazon:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It has been one of the most incredible series of books I’ve read.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The writer develops so many great truths about life.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is a superior fantasy novel.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Coming of age story masterfully told.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Have to say this is probably my all-time favourite author and story.”
Uncover the ancient mystery behind The Great Forget Fantasy Series—a saga readers are calling “addictive,” “powerful,” and “impossible to put down.”
Begin the journey…
Volume 1: Orphan’s Quest
Volume 2: Defenders of Hope
Volume 3:A Dim World
Volume 4: Guardian
Volume 5:Wizard’s Guild
Volume 6: Stone Kingdom
Volume 7: Light Seeker
Until I Come Back for You
P.A. White’s Until I Come Back for You is a gritty and heartfelt coming-of-age novel wrapped in the warmth of humor, nostalgia, and quiet devastation. Set in 1970s rural Michigan, the story follows Trisha, the youngest of five siblings, as her family escapes the dangers of Detroit and tries to build a new life in the countryside. At first, their farm life seems charming, if a little chaotic, but the idyllic picture quickly unravels when their new neighbor, Ronnie Clark, emerges as a menacing, violent figure. The story balances childhood mischief and tender family dynamics with the dark undercurrents of trauma, violence, and survival.
What struck me most was the writing. White’s voice is funny, raw, and full of personality. The tone swings wildly. One minute you’re laughing at a family spat or a calf in the backseat, and the next you’re reeling from a jarring act of cruelty. I loved that unpredictability. Her sentences are tight, punchy, sometimes jarring, and always vivid. She captures the voice of a precocious kid better than most authors I’ve read. There’s no gloss, no pretension, just a sharp memory and a fearless pen. Her storytelling is laced with trauma, but it never begs for pity. It invites you to look, to sit with it, and to feel every uncomfortable inch of what she lived through.
But it’s the ideas underneath that left the biggest mark on me. This book isn’t just about growing up. It’s about what’s stolen from you when adults fail to protect you. The tension between innocence and danger is relentless. I found myself deeply moved by how the story exposes cycles of abuse, the silences of good people, and the resilience of children who learn to carry too much. The Clark family, and Ronnie in particular, are portrayed with brutal honesty, and I often had to put the book down just to breathe.
I’d recommend it to anyone who appreciates sharp memoirs, especially those by women who aren’t afraid to tell the ugly parts of their story. If you loved Educated by Tara Westover or The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, this belongs on your shelf. It’s also a must-read for anyone who grew up in the Midwest, anyone who knows what it means to live in a town where “nothing bad happens,” until it does.
Pages: 382 | ASIN : B0F224D1BJ
Coven of Andromeda
After reading Coven of Andromeda, I found myself swept into a world where magic, family, and destiny dance together in both surprising and deeply emotional ways. The book follows two main narrative threads. One centered on Sameril, a gifted apprentice drawn into the dark elegance of necromancy, and the other on Bree Tanner, a young woman returning home to uncover her family’s magical legacy. Their stories, though miles apart in tone and setting, intersect in meaningful ways as both characters grapple with the burdens and beauty of inheritance, self-discovery, and the cost of power.
Personally, I was drawn to the writing’s warmth and richness. The prose flows with a quiet confidence, painting vivid images without getting bogged down in heavy description. The emotional beats, especially those between Bree, her sister Molly, and their mother, resonated with me. The magic system felt thoughtful and layered, and the way it tied into character growth was really satisfying. There were times when the pacing felt a bit uneven, particularly in the middle sections where side characters and subplots began to pile up. Still, the heart of the story never got lost, and that kept me engaged.
What really stood out to me were the ideas at play. This isn’t just a fantasy about spells and grimoires. It’s about the strength of matriarchal bonds, the tension between tradition and innovation, and the bravery it takes to choose your own path when expectations press hard against you. The story asks big questions about death, memory, and transformation, and doesn’t pretend to have simple answers. I appreciated that. Some parts made me misty-eyed. Others made me smile, especially the interactions between the coven women, who feel like real, complicated people with equal parts wisdom, mess, and sass.
I’d recommend Coven of Andromeda to anyone who loves generational stories with strong female leads, lush worldbuilding, and a touch of the mystical. It would especially resonate with readers who appreciate fantasy that feels grounded in emotion and family, rather than epic battles or political scheming.
Pages: 518 | ASIN : B0F88X1Z2Z
Not What I Expected
Molikaa Rasiah’s Not What I Expected is a tender and honest coming-of-age story told through the eyes of Jiyah, a fourth-grade girl navigating the rocky terrain of friendships, identity, and self-worth. The story follows her as she prepares for and attends a classmate’s birthday party, an event that unravels into a full-blown personal reckoning. Over the course of the day, Jiyah wrestles with rejection, confusion, and loneliness, ultimately finding her inner strength through a set of self-soothing techniques she calls “superpowers.” What seems like a simple slice-of-life tale becomes a powerful look at how children manage social complexity and personal anxiety.
This book resonated with me personally. The writing is simple but purposeful. It’s intended for younger readers, yes, but it still managed to pull me in and hold me there. Rasiah never talks down to her audience, which I appreciated. Instead, she gives kids a clear and compassionate voice that feels real. Jiyah’s thoughts aren’t always pretty, and sometimes she stumbles in her efforts to do the right thing. But that’s what makes her lovable. I especially admired how Rasiah handled emotional tools like grounding exercises and breathing techniques. These aren’t just plot devices, they’re powerful lessons, folded naturally into the story without being preachy.
A few characters came off more like villains than believable fourth-graders. I would’ve liked a bit more subtlety there. But then again, maybe that’s the point. Kids can be harsh. They can also be brave, loyal, and thoughtful. Rasiah’s real strength is showing us all those sides in one go. It’s rare to find a book that’s both emotionally validating and practical. Jiyah’s “ring of power” isn’t just a bracelet, it’s a metaphor every anxious kid (and even some adults) could use.
I would recommend Not What I Expected to kids around ages 8–12, especially those who feel a little left out or overwhelmed by their social world. Parents and teachers could gain a lot from reading it with them, too. It’s an emotionally smart, gently empowering book that encourages empathy without sugarcoating real feelings.
Pages: 63 | ASIN : B0DVV9ZV2N
Open Your Heart
Color Me Skye follows a 12-year-old girl battling fear, grief, and a distant stepfather following the car accident that leaves her mother in a coma. Where did the idea for this story come from?
This story came partly from my own experience of losing my father, who served in the military when I was very young, and then dealing with the addition of a stepfather to our family. I would have loved to have had a book like this when I was growing up, to know that there were other kids like me experiencing the feelings I did. That’s my hope for this book, that it will reach kids who’ve lost a parent, or are dealing with a new step-parent, that they’ll see themselves in the story and learn that healing is possible and there are resources available to help them.
When creating Skye, did you have a plan for development and character traits, or did they grow organically as you were writing the story?
I wanted Skye to grow and change into someone who was more other-centered at the end than she was at the beginning. But some of the specifics, like her being unable to sit in the front seat after the accident, weren’t planned.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
People are seldom who you think they are, healing doesn’t always look like what you think it will, and it comes when you open your heart to new possibilities.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m working on a middle-grade fantasy in which the main characters are fairies who must go on a quest to save their forest and insect friends from destruction by humans. I have no idea when it might get published, but I’m enjoying the journey of writing it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Then last year her mom married a quiet, distant guy who Skye calls Dim Tim. He doesn’t seem to be interested in having a stepdaughter. And that’s okay with Skye; she doesn’t want a stepfather, either.
But now, a car accident has left her mom in a coma. Which means she and Dim Tim are going to have to figure out how to do all the stuff her mom did. To actually talk to each other. Worst of all, one question is tearing Skye up inside: What if her mom never wakes up?
Told in free verse, with color filled words and sketches, Color Me Skye follows the emotionally charged journey of Dim Tim and Skye as they navigate their new normal. Along the way, Skye discovers a best friend who is funny, feisty, fabulous, and the perfect antidote to Skye’s troubles. For ages 9-12.
LITERARY TITAN 