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Pentagon Pirate Gang & The Poisoned Apple
Pentagon Pirate Gang & The Poisoned Apple, by J W Nelson, is a middle-grade/YA fantasy adventure that returns readers to the School of Fruit Teaching, where Aime, Oro, Semia, Gramon, and Violer find themselves caught in a dangerous mystery involving poisoned students, hidden notebooks, secret orchards, and adults who may not be as trustworthy as they seem. The story begins with alarm and urgency, as Aime and Oro’s parents sense that something terrible has happened to their children, and from there the book unfolds into a school-based adventure full of games, clues, rival houses, strange powers, and a deeper conspiracy tied to Mrs Blackfruit, Mr Thornby, and the mysterious red notebooks.
I enjoyed the way Nelson leans fully into the oddness of his world. SOFT isn’t just a school with a fantasy twist. It has its own rules, sports, rivalries, food-based language, and hidden dangers tucked behind everyday routines. That made the setting feel lively and a little eccentric, like a place where a normal breakfast can suddenly become part of a bigger mystery. The writing is busy, but there is charm in that energy. I could feel the author’s affection for the students, especially in the way the members of the Pentagon Pirate Gang look out for one another even when they are frightened, confused, or keeping secrets they do not fully understand.
I also found myself thinking about the author’s choice to make the adults so central to the danger and the protection in the story. Mrs Blackfruit and Mr Thornby bring real menace to the book, while Mrs Peaches, Mr Figgin, and Mr Tumbleweed give the children just enough support to keep going without taking the adventure away from them. That balance matters in a fantasy adventure for younger readers. The kids still have to be brave. They still have to make choices. They still have to face the emotional cost of secrets, especially near the end when the arrival of the governing body opens old wounds for Gramon and Semia. That final turn surprised me because it shifts the book from mystery and action into something more personal. Suddenly, the adventure is not only about maps and poison. It’s about family, trust, and what children are not told until the truth is standing right in front of them.
I would recommend Pentagon Pirate Gang & The Poisoned Apple to readers who enjoy middle-grade and young YA fantasy adventure with school rivalries, secret societies, hidden maps, strange magic, and a strong team of young heroes at the center. It will especially appeal to readers who like stories that mix playful worldbuilding with danger and who don’t mind a plot that leaves some threads open for the next stage of the journey. It’s imaginative, sincere, and full of movement, with a sense that the orchard still has plenty of secrets left to give.
Pages: 219 | ISBN : 978-1037120787
A Postcard From the Adirondacks
A Postcard from the Adirondacks begins with a mysterious postcard bearing one word, “Come,” and sends its narrator, Edward Storie, into a strange Adirondack adventure where journalism, folklore, philosophy, and canine loyalty collide. Ed, a cub reporter and aspiring fiction writer, is drawn into the orbit of Dr. Zorba Kildeere, a pseudo-scientific visionary whose plans for chemically pacifying humanity come with one monstrous condition: a future without dogs. When Melony Noon escapes Kildeere’s Rookery, Ed and his talking dog, Skipper, enter a wilderness populated by cryptids, phantoms, tricksters, and old mountain magic in a rescue mission that becomes far larger than one missing woman.
What I enjoyed most about this book is its refusal to behave. It’s part tall tale, part backwoods quest, part satire of scientific hubris, and part love letter to the Adirondacks. Pontacoloni writes the forest as if it has a pulse, a private vocabulary, and a sly sense of humor. The narrative wanders, but often in the way a wooded trail wanders: taking detours toward local lore, odd taxonomy, old literary ghosts, and the metaphysics of dogs. Skipper is the book’s great engine of charm. He’s funny, learned, prickly, brave, and exactly the kind of dog who could make a reader accept the impossible before breakfast.
Readers who want a clean and swift plot may find themselves occasionally caught in the underbrush of digression. Yet I came to appreciate that abundance as part of the book’s peculiar spell. Pontacoloni isn’t merely telling a rescue story; he’s building a private Adirondack cosmology where Sasquatch, tarot phantoms, oxytocin, Emily Dickinson, James Fenimore Cooper, and a French Brittany can all share narrative oxygen. The prose can be playful and philosophical, but beneath the whimsy is a sincere moral center: a world that loses its dogs has already misplaced its soul.
This book will best suit readers who enjoy fantasy adventure, cryptid fiction, magical realism, satirical science fiction, talking-animal stories, and folklore-infused literary quests. It reminded me at times of Douglas Adams filtered through James Fenimore Cooper, with a dash of Christopher Moore’s comic irreverence and a muddy pawprint all its own. A Postcard from the Adirondacks is a strange and spirited romp through myth and mountain shadow, carried by the kind of loyalty only a good dog can teach.
Pages: 229
The Founding Scroll
Seren starts as a ledger-trained merchant’s daughter in Ember City, practical, tired of being small, and then stumbles into a document that refuses to stay “just paper”: a cold, rune-shifting guild scroll labeled Vow of Accord / Twelfth Hand with the cheerful warning that “the price burns all.” When she touches it, she becomes Oathbound and accidentally-foundational, forging the beginnings of the Vowforged and learning that in this world, contracts aren’t metaphors, they’re leverage you can feel in your bones. The story escalates from street-level trade grit to guild warfare and road-ambush politics, culminating in a convoy betrayal where Ashmark turns the “collaboration” into bait for Dominion’s masked raiders and their glass-coin smoke. Seren answers by writing survival into the air itself, an enforced cohesion oath that frightens even her allies, while, elsewhere, Corvus watches the board with the calm appetite of someone who enjoys the word due.
What surprised me most was how physical the “bureaucratic magic” feels. The book makes ink behave like weather: pressure, heat, the metallic taste of consequences. When Seren throws authority around, it isn’t a triumphant sparkle-burst; it’s more like biting down on a live wire and deciding you’ll smile through it anyway. I loved that tonal choice. It keeps the power fantasy from floating away on easy hero fumes, every oath reads as a bruise you chose on purpose. And the guild dynamics scratch that MMO itch in a way that’s less “stats screen” and more “social aggro”: alliances form because they’re useful, then turn because usefulness rots. Even the quiet moments after violence land, smoke ribbons, stunned survivors, someone counting heads twice because grief can’t do arithmetic yet.
The lore is deep and detailed, with systems, factions, titles, and mechanics. I kept coming back because Seren’s arc is thorny in a satisfying way: she doesn’t merely “become strong,” she becomes responsible in public, which is a rarer, harder transformation. Her relationships sharpen that conflict: Ronan’s steadiness, Lyra’s prickly competence, Mira’s strange gentleness, Kael’s smile that always seems to be hiding a second smile. And when Seren etches that “Unity Oath” into the night, half rescue, half brand, I felt the moral temperature spike: leadership as shelter, leadership as subtle captivity, the same blade held two ways.
If your shelves are filled with epic fantasy, progression fantasy, LitRPG-adjacent guild politics, hard-magic oaths, found-family under siege, and grim road adventure, you’re the target audience for this book, especially if you like your victories paid in soreness rather than confetti. In spirit, it reminded me of Mistborn-era Brandon Sanderson: the same pleasure of rules-driven power, but with more mud under the fingernails and more menace in the fine print. If you want a fantasy where promises are not spoken but forged, and where the bill is always on its way, this one delivers. The Founding Scroll is a story where every vow is a weapon, and every victory leaves a mark.
Pages: 484 | ASIN : B0GFQBWZQQ
Do You Believe in Magic?
In Do You Believe in Magic?, the first book of Jim Melvin’s The Dark Circles Trilogy, young readers are introduced to Charlie Magus, a 13-year-old boy who stumbles upon a mystical waterfall in South Carolina that serves as a portal to the enchanting realm of Pacchann. This discovery launches Charlie and his friends into a world where magic and danger are intricately intertwined, and a prophecy highlights Charlie’s significance in this new world.
Melvin’s narrative style is a standout feature of the novel. His rich, descriptive language paints vivid scenes, making it easy for readers, especially tweens, to immerse themselves in the story. This clarity is crucial for younger audiences to navigate the plot’s complexities. Some might initially find the pace slow, but this deliberateness is a testament to Melvin’s thorough world-building, ensuring every detail contributes to the story’s overall progression. As the plot unfolds, it transforms into an absorbing journey that maintains reader engagement through to the end. Though aimed at a younger demographic, Do You Believe in Magic? Has a universal appeal. As an adult reader, I found the narrative’s depth engaging. The characters, including Charlie, Virgil, Zola, and Garrick, are crafted with relatable and likable qualities, anchoring the fantastical elements in a relatable human experience. The novel’s use of pop culture references and occasional authorial asides may divide opinion, but they add to the authenticity of a genuine young adult reading experience.
This first installment sets a high bar for the trilogy with its captivating storytelling and promise of adventure and enchantment. Melvin captures the quintessential experiences of tween life, from self-discovery to social challenges, making it relevant and enjoyable for its target audience. Do You Believe in Magic? is an engaging entry into fantasy for middle-grade readers and those who appreciate immersive, magical worlds.
Pages: 272 | ASIN : B0C5LBJV6F
Roles of Greater Responsibility
Dane Thorburn and the Stanthorpe Rebellion follows Dane and Princess Vanessa as they investigate who the unknown raiders are that are striking out across their land. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As this is the fourth installment in the series, I wanted to progress the evolution of Dane, Vanessa, and others. Having dealt with mystical creatures in the previous book, I wanted this one to focus more on dealing with people, and to show how Dane and Vanessa would deal with a major tragedy that thrusts them into roles of greater responsibility, at a time when they’re not expecting it. In terms of the story arc of the entire series, it was also important to show Raegan recovering from his injuries and how Dane deals with the realisation that Raegan is still alive.
Is there anything about Dane that came from yourself or your life experiences?
Like everyone, I have had times when things haven’t turned out as I wanted and have had to adjust and adapt to that, and sometimes my initial reaction isn’t the right one. I’m also a determined person, like Dane. One thing I did put in directly from my own life was the scar on his chin, which happens in the first and third books – I split my chin open twice when I was a young boy.
How did you come up with the idea for the antagonist in this story, and how did it change as you wrote?
Right from the beginning I wanted a powerful and evil wizard as the main villain. The real change that occurred as I’ve written the books is when Dane unwittingly almost kills him in Dane Thorburn and the City of Lost Souls (Book 2) when Raegan is disguised as a wolf. This created a whole new development for both Dane, dealing with the uncertainty and guilt that he nearly killed him (and would have killed him had he known Raegan was the wolf), and Raegan’s disappearance and loss of almost all of his power and how the journey he takes while he recovers.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
There will be more books. With Raegan’s recovery, he is now ready to return and unleash himself on the land once more, and knowing it was Dane who almost killed him, he has a special hatred for Dane that will be explored in future books.
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But when it appears everything is returning to normal once more, a series of attacks by a group of unknown raiders strikes fear across the Stanthorpe region and beyond.
Who are they – and where did they come from?
Are they connected to Candahorn and the rebel forces – or is exiled wizard Raegan, despite his mysterious disappearance, somehow behind it?
Dane is trying to piece everything together alongside Vanessa, Will, and Lord Frederick, when a tragedy of epic proportions changes the land forever, thrusting Vanessa into a role she’s not ready for, where she has to make a fateful decision.
Can they find out who is behind the attacks and save the lives of many, or will they be too late?
It’s The End, But Not Goodbye
Boone and Jacque: Sahon follows two friends who are separated from everyone they love and are trying to return to Earth. Where did the idea for this novel come from, and how did it develop over time?
For starters, thank you for a wonderful review that reduced me to tears of pride and joy. Secondly, this was a hard book to write, not just because it was the last one of the series, but because I wasn’t in good health. For most of the writing, which was around six months, I had chronic tension headaches and dizzy spells due to pinched and strained muscles in my back, neck, and shoulder that was putting immense pressure on my nerves. Also, I was in a car accident with a commercial freight truck and had some inner demons that festered in my head. All of which I implemented into the story. Please know no one was hurt in the accident.
To properly close Boone and Jacque’s arcs, I had to isolate them as much as possible before bringing them back together and then return to their loved ones. Furthermore, they had to be exposed to emotions they have repressed for quite sometime.
As for how the idea for the novel developed over time, it started from when I first worked on book four, Boone and Jacque: Cytrus Moonlight. I knew that book five would be the final one because any further extension of the series would tarnish the richness of the conclusive nature of their arc. To which I had much to cover in the final leg of their journey.
I thought about how we as human beings are decision makers. Some more active than others. As in we don’t all act on our emotions all the time. We have responsibilities to uphold, people to care for, a job to go to, hurdles to overcome, endure nightmares, goals to achieve, secrets to keep for the sake of loyalty or self preservation, and many other things that occupy and complicate our minds. Therefore, getting in the way of understanding who we are. What our purpose is and what we do to get the most out of it.
Sometimes, the love we have for others is so strong, we forget to love and understand ourselves. Sometimes the ones we love see how broken and depleted we are. They try to help us but it’s not always enough.
So though Boone and Jacque have been on many adventures, it was always together. In addition, because they were so focused on surviving and keeping each other alive, while also dealing with interpersonal issues and enduring the complexities of life without parental or peer guidance, they never had a true opportunity to find themselves in a more holistic way that solidified their fate as human beings. Where they go in life as adults is up to them.
That’s why the series is complete. Because even though they have much longer to live and endure other chapters in their lives, I can’t spend my entire career obsessing over them. When I will include them in other novels, their may be a few things for them to grow from, but it wouldn’t be enough for another segment of the series. Enough as secondary characters or passersby, but not primary characters.
One thing that stands out in this series is the bond the characters form with each other, not just Boone and Jacque. What was your process in writing the characters’ interactions to develop the bond they have?
One thing I always ask of myself as a writer, is to create strong bonds or chemistry between enemies, lovers, and friends. Because how others act around us or in our world, can have a strong effect on us. Especially when we meddle or have any part in their lives. Take for example Mayor Gander and Myamirah. Those two were meant to be secondary characters and antagonist that kept the interludes in the story active and engaging. So what I did was see how the ripping and tearing of their marriage, caused by a need for more power than the other, could create a continuing need for Boone and Jacque to grow. To forget about themselves once they’ve had a sense of who they are and therefore protect others before it’s too late.
I did all this by intriguing myself in dynamics outside of my own. In the real world, people in power don’t bother getting personal or violent with the public. But what if they had the gall to do so with those that could tarnish their position and ambitions? That’s the question I asked when creating that type of relationship.
As for Xantia and Shammy, I followed the natural progression of their relationship and the weight Xantia carried with her as she did her best to accomplish many things. Help take care of children even though she had no practice in being a caretaker. Unraveling the truth Myamirah kept secret then teased Xantia when she saw how close she was getting. I saw the relationship between Xantia and Shammy as a good counterbalance to Boone and Jacque’s need to find purpose and protect the ones they love as heroes, fathers, husbands, and humans desperate for sense of stability and undying love. Their wives are striving for the similar goals but because they had no idea of the when or if they’d see their husbands again, they became territorial and valiant warriors protecting their home base and children.
In a nutshell, I love characters and intersecting relationships to make a cohesive story. Because if I had Boone and Jacque come home to no conflict, I’m saying that the world stops living until they come back. Which is not realistic and would make the story fall flat. That’s why the interludes were implemented. To show the readers that while we are fighting for the life we want, the world is doing the same in different ways. We may not see it because it doesn’t affect us directly, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening all around us. More importantly, when it involves the ones we love, the ones we are interconnected with, it’s even more important to put our need to pick up our pieces by ourselves down and help them. Lastly, when we fight for freedom, peace, and love on our own, we forget that others can help us as well. More importantly, that they may be struggling as well. We must learn to drop our baggage and help someone let go of theirs.
What was one of the hardest parts in Boone and Jacque: Sahon for you to write?
The final chapter because I drew from my experience with my mother’s passing. We never had a wake, so I imagined what it would’ve been like. I knew I had to have something raw and powerful to finish the series. And I knew it was going to be hard for me. So, despite being exhausted, scared of the series ending, being overwhelmed, I wrote the last chapter in two days. Total four hours. Because if I took any longer, I would’ve watered down the emotion and dragged it out. I couldn’t do that to Boone and Jacque. Certainly not to myself as an emotional person.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
Boone will be a secondary character in a stand-alone novel called Red Widow Waltz. As for the premise, that is still up in the air. All I can tell you is there are three things. A seedy government agency, widowers, and a boogeyman. Jacque and Xantia will have an important role in a book called Tar. In which a dark entity from the depths of a desert spawn from earth’s core seeps into a grungy town called Barlocke.
As a bonus for the readers here, once Tar is complete, I will be working on another fantasy series I’ve been meaning to write. In which for now it will be called Zephutra. Which is inspired by my sister and I’s relationship as brother and sister.
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Enduring pain on an endless, chaotic, gut-wrenching, and mind-altering voyage
that will bring them back home. But the certainty of a blissful reunion and peace on earth
is as much of an enigma as their purpose.
Boone and Jacque: Sahon
A.G. Flitcher masterfully guides us on an enthralling odyssey with Boone and Jacque in Boone and Jacque: Sahon, an exhilarating conclusion to their captivating saga. Unforeseen circumstances have mercilessly torn them apart from their loved ones, compelling them to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery. Jacque, renowned for his methodical and rational nature, undergoes a profound realization, recognizing the inherent value of embracing emotions when logic falls short. Meanwhile, Boone learns the delicate art of relinquishing attachments over time, understanding that powerful emotions require a graceful release. Yet, the revelation of their true selves merely marks their extraordinary expedition’s inception. To reunite with their cherished families and secure a life of tranquility, they must valiantly confront haunting memories and malevolent entities.
The personal growth of Boone and Jacque, depicted with utmost finesse by A.G. Flitcher, evoked a profound admiration within me. Their arduous voyage was an unsettling ordeal, yet it served as an enlightening experience for both protagonists. Empathy surged through me as I empathized with their plight, for the anguish of being separated from their families endured for an agonizing five years. Regrettably, their homecoming in Cytrus proved to be anything but straightforward, thrusting them into an additional expedition—this time, a quest to locate Boone’s long-lost kin. During Boone and Jacque’s absence, Xantia courageously assumed a more significant role in supporting Shammy as she grappled with a medical predicament. Witnessing Xantia’s character blossoming further since the previous installment was a delight. She admirably persisted in her inquiry into the mayor’s wife, exhibiting an unwavering dedication to unraveling the truth. Personally, I found her character to be captivating and multifaceted.
Meanwhile, Shammy exhibited unwavering strength, steadfastly protecting her children amidst their trials. Introducing Sahon as a new character injected an intriguing element into the narrative, captivating my imagination as I delved into their intricate backstory. A.G. Flitcher’s imaginative prowess shines brightly, solidifying his status as a visionary author. With each turn of the page, the author propels readers into a world teeming with enchantment and peril—Therenosita, the planet that forcibly ensnares Boone and Jacque. Within its mystical realms lie an abundance of captivating wonders and untold dangers. Amongst the remarkable creatures inhabiting this extraordinary realm, the silver trees are my favorite. Their very existence conjures images of resplendent beauty, painting an indelible portrait in my mind.
The final chapter of Boone and Jacque: Sahon left me awash in a torrent of emotions. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I journeyed through its poignant pages. Yet, while the ending carried a tinge of sorrow, it also emanated a profound sense of fulfillment. For those searching for a series that will ignite the fires of imagination, this extraordinary opus by A.G. Flitcher is an absolute must-read. Prepare to be swept away on a magnificent escapade where the boundaries of your mind are shattered, and your imagination roams free.
Pages: 478 | ASIN : B0C1DQW5DL
Boone and Jacque: Cytrus Moonlight
Boone and Jacque are back again in Boone and Jacque: Cytrus Moonlight! It has been 15 years, and they are living their best lives. Boone got married to Shammy, and they have two amazing children together. Boone and Shammy just want to live a life of peace and quiet. Jacque, on the other hand has become a detective and loves his job and his woman named Xantia, who happens to be a detective as well. Boone and Jacque still have a very strong friendship, but their lives turn upside down when a new mysterious murder happens. This throws Jacque and Boone into a new quest that they never wanted. They just want to live their simple lives.
The new book in the Boone and Jacque series is stupendous! Readers that have enjoyed prior books in this series will be blown away by the new characters and adventures. AG Flitcher takes readers on a magical and fantastical adventure that surpasses prior novels, going in a completely different direction and showcasing the growth of Boone and Jacque. In addition, this an inclusive novel. Jacque, Xantia, and Coralie are all part of the LGBTQI+ community.
Jacque and Xantia are a wonderful couple. Xantia was a great addition to the group and is a strong woman. Her character is well developed and fits perfectly into the story. Coralie is new as well, and I learned a bit about her, but I do hope to learn more about her in the next book. Reading about Boone and Shammy’s children is delightful; they add a new demension to the storyline. Boone’s character is still growing and figuring himself out, but I can say he is a loving father. It made me happy to see his character get some happiness after the childhood readers learned about in past books. Having Shammy to share his life with gives his story the joyful component he had been missing.
I still have some questions, but I imagine the next book will answer them. AG Flitcher seems to be very good at wrapping up loose ends. The story overall was well written. While I have my questions about Dr. Button and Jacque’s aunt and uncle, I am sure I will get my answers over time.
I give Boone and Jacque: Cytrus Moonlight 5 out of 5 stars. This novel felt very different from the others, but I can tell it is leading up to similar adventures with an extra twist. I look forward to the next book in this amazing series!
Pages: 350 | ASIN : B0B5SBNQ27
