Blog Archives
The Doc’s Christmas Miracle
S.A. Stolin’s The Doc’s Christmas Miracle is a heartfelt romance set in a snowy mountain town, centering on Dr. Mark Moore, a disgraced Alzheimer’s researcher seeking redemption, and Dr. Susan Pace, a guarded psychiatrist fiercely devoted to her holistic treatment methods. Mark brings with him a controversial memory-repair machine, hoping to prove its worth at the Sam Heard Clinic. What follows is a tender, often tense story of healing, trust, second chances, and the unspoken grief both doctors carry, all under the soft glow of Christmas lights.
What I liked most about the writing was its emotional depth. The author doesn’t rush the romance, which I appreciated. Mark and Susan’s push-pull dynamic felt believable. Their baggage isn’t treated like plot filler; it actually shapes who they are and how they relate to each other. The story touches on serious themes like Alzheimer’s, professional betrayal, and grief, yet never lets the weight of those topics overshadow the spark of hope running through it. The dialogue, while occasionally dramatic, felt natural and kept me emotionally invested. The snowy setting, the warmth of the townsfolk, and the spark between the leads all came together beautifully. I could practically hear the fire crackling in Mark’s cabin and smell the spaghetti sauce in Susan’s kitchen.
I do feel that some of the early exposition took a bit of time to settle into, especially the technical descriptions of Mark’s memory machine. While clearly important to the story, those sections felt slightly more clinical than the emotional tone elsewhere. Susan’s initial aloofness also came across a touch stronger than expected, though it made her gradual softening all the more satisfying. And Dr. King, while serving his role well, occasionally edged close to a familiar “corporate antagonist” mold. These were small moments in an otherwise well-paced, heartfelt narrative that gave its characters room to breathe and grow.
The Doc’s Christmas Miracle is a lovely and warm story with a genuine heart. If you enjoy clean, character-driven romances with medical backdrops and small-town charm, you’ll want to curl up with this one on a snowy night. It’s for readers who believe in second chances, both in love and in life.
Pages: 194
The UFO Gambit
The UFO Gambit, by T.E. MacArthur, opens with a chilling prologue set in 1977, when a determined twelve-year-old, Rita, sets out to document mysterious lights near a rural airstrip only to encounter something far stranger and more dangerous than she imagined. Decades later, the story shifts to Tessa Wells-Lancing and Jack de Sombras, partners in a private security and investigative agency that specializes in unusual cases. When a neighbor shows up with a bizarre complaint followed by news of two bodies on her land, one of them possibly extraterrestrial, the pair is drawn into a case that blends small-town drama, murder mystery, paranormal investigation, and flashes of government conspiracy. What follows is a lively mix of eerie encounters, sharp banter, suspicious reporters, reluctant law enforcement, and a deepening tangle of secrets that may be stranger than either of them is ready to admit.
I had a blast reading this story. The dialogue pops. Sometimes it’s sarcastic, sometimes warm, and the chemistry between Tessa and Jack makes the book feel alive. The humor comes in quick, dry bursts, cutting through the tension in a way that feels authentic. The pacing moves at a comfortable clip, mixing moments of investigation with vivid character beats. The small-town setting, with its mix of quirky locals and tense undercurrents, adds a rich backdrop. What I especially enjoyed was how the author balances the mystery of the aliens with grounded details, whether it’s the cold damp of a Northern California morning or the awkward silence of a too-long stare from a deadpan coroner.
On the ideas side, the book toys with belief and skepticism in an interesting way. Tessa is open to the supernatural but keeps her feet on the ground, while Jack wears his disbelief like armor, though cracks appear when the evidence pushes too far. The paranormal isn’t just a gimmick here. It’s part of how characters test each other’s trust and boundaries. There’s also a sly thread about privacy, paranoia, and how information gets twisted in the hands of the wrong people, something that feels pointed without being preachy. A few scenes lean into banter when I was itching for more direct answers, but that’s also part of the book’s charm: you get pulled into the rhythm of these characters’ lives rather than just chasing the plot.
The UFO Gambit is a smart, funny, and surprisingly layered mix of mystery, paranormal thriller, and relationship drama. It’s perfect for readers who like their strange tales grounded in believable characters, with a side of dry humor and a touch of danger. If you enjoy shows like The X-Files but wish Mulder and Scully argued more like an old married couple, this is your jam. It’s not just about whether aliens are real; it’s about what you believe, who you trust, and how far you’ll go when the truth lands right in your lap.
Pages: 220
Putting a Human Face on the Opioid Crisis
The Weird Girl explores the collision of opioid addiction, privilege, and teen vulnerability through the intersecting lives of a foster teen, a sheltered girl, and a weary social worker in a small town. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I completed The Orchid Tattoo, the first Georgia Thayer novel, the characters lingered. I wanted to explore what happened to them after the trauma of exposing the human trafficking ring. Tessa and Georgia had more to tell me. Their relationship evolved, each dealing with their own struggles, and I enjoyed diving into that.
The fentanyl issue in our country has haunted me for years, and I don’t think we pay it enough attention. As a social worker/author, I use my novels to examine social issues. In The Weird Girl, I wanted to put a human face on the opioid crisis. What drives people to seek out this drug? What role does basic greed play in its manufacture and distribution? I may not have the answer, but I do believe that having a deeper understanding will help us find one.
Tessa’s voice is incredibly raw and compelling. Was she based on someone you’ve known or entirely fictional?
I worked as a therapist for years. No, Tessa isn’t based on a particular client, because that would unethical, but her experiences as a trafficking/trauma survivor are similar to a hundred stories I’ve heard in my office and in my advocacy. Once I began writing her in The Orchid Tattoo, she came to life for me. (Being a writer is an odd process, to say the least.) The same is true of Georgia Thayer. So while they are both fictional, I feel like they’re real, and I enjoy knowing them and watching their growth.
How did you approach portraying addiction and trauma so authentically?
I’ve had a great deal of training in addiction and trauma treatment, but honestly, I learned the most from my clients. I’ve watched so many undertake the hard journey of recovery. They struggle, they succeed, they falter, and they start again. Watching that process and doing all I can to support it is what resonates for me about being a social worker. And as an author, if I could impart some of what my clients have taught me through my novels, then I’m satisfied.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m revisiting an old project tentatively titled Bird on Limb. It’s crime fiction told through braided stories of struggling artist, her famous author mother (who battles dementia and other health issues), and the biracial half-sister she never knew existed. Throw in art forgery, an unsolved hate crime from the 1960s, and a mysterious artist who may be the center of it all and you get an idea of this wild project. I hope to complete it early next year.
And then there’s the third Georgia Thayer novel that keeps dancing around in my brain. Apparently, Georgia and Tessa have even more to tell me.
Author Links: Website | GoodReads | X | Facebook | YouTube
Social worker Georgia Thayer (The Orchid Tattoo) has spent her career fighting for the vulnerable, but nothing could prepare her for being a foster mom to Tessa—a teenager haunted by her traumatic past. Determined to give her a normal life, Georgia’s efforts to give her a normal life crumble when a neighborhood party spirals into disaster, leaving one girl fighting for her life while another disappears from the front yard of her family’s home.
As Georgia undertakes a frantic search for the missing girl, she uncovers a dangerous fentanyl trade that snakes from hospital emergency rooms to high school hallways to the darkest corners of her city. She is up against a charismatic candidate for attorney general and a ruthless drug kingpin, two powerful men willing to use lethal means to bury their secrets.
With her chosen family threatened, her faith in herself shaken, and an unexpected ally emerging from the shadows, Georgia’s efforts to save one girl puts her own in danger.
The clock is ticking. The truth is deadly. And every second lost could mean another life destroyed.
Finders
Robert J. Collins’ Finders kicks off a sprawling story rooted in ancient mystery and young discovery. The novel follows a group of university students on an archaeological dig in Cornwall, where what starts as a search for pottery shards and Roman tiles quickly transforms into something much more extraordinary. At the center is Ozzie, a dry-witted archaeology student who stumbles into a buried enigma, an ornate stone with gem-encrusted carvings and hints of long-lost rituals. As the dig deepens, tensions rise among the team, strange local figures emerge, and what lies beneath the surface, both literal and emotional, begins to shift their reality.
Reading Finders felt like being caught between a campus comedy and a mythic awakening. I absolutely loved the banter between the students. It’s quick, playful, and often funny. Ozzie is a wonderfully grounded narrator, the kind who doesn’t take himself too seriously but still brings a lot of heart to his observations. Collins has a real ear for dialogue. It’s chaotic, clever, and completely believable. But what surprised me most was how seamlessly that humor folded into something deeper. The archaeological details are rich but not overwhelming, and the slow burn of supernatural or symbolic significance unfolding in the knotwork stone was addictive. I didn’t expect a book about digging to keep me turning pages this fast.
The writing isn’t afraid to take its time. Collins lingers in conversations and small moments, and sometimes that gives it a slower pace than I wanted. But by the end, I appreciated the buildup. The characters felt real, not in a polished, archetypal way, but in the clumsy, lovable, kind-of-annoying way real people do. I was drawn to Mercie and her mystical side, to Carl’s playful chaos, and even to the mysterious Petroc, who might be charming or dangerous or both. The book flirts with fantasy, but it keeps one muddy boot firmly planted in the real world. That mix makes it special. It reminded me of Susan Cooper or early Neil Gaiman, only with more beer and sunburns.
Finders is for readers who like their magic grounded and their characters messy. If you enjoy smart young adult fiction with ancient puzzles, witty dialogue, and the tension of something just-about-to-happen, this book is worth your time. It’s not flashy. It’s not fast. But it leaves you curious, unsettled, and thrilled. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.
Pages: 260 | ASIN : B0FBXCM5BW
Go Back
Emily Wagner’s Go Back is a harrowing and emotionally raw dystopian novel that unfolds in a near-future America where the government, in partnership with an anti-tech movement known as Go Back (GB), launches a sweeping crackdown on technology under the guise of public safety and mental health. The story follows Sarah Grimes, a reluctant tech journalist turned whistleblower, whose life is upended when she becomes entangled in a web of corruption, coercion, and underground resistance. With alternating perspectives and gripping prose, Wagner exposes the consequences of blindly trading freedom for a false sense of order.
The writing is intimate and electric. Wagner has a way of pulling you in and making you feel every drop of fear, anger, and hope. Her characters, especially Sarah and Olivia, are vivid and fully human, both strong and vulnerable in a world that punishes both. The world-building was solid. It’s familiar enough to be plausible, but jarring in how quickly things spiral. I especially loved the way Wagner slowly peels back the layers of the GB movement. It doesn’t hit you all at once. It sneaks up, just like the movement does in the story. The slow burn is terrifying because it feels real.
Some of the plot developments were so twisted and bleak that I had to put the book down and catch my breath. There’s a sense of hopelessness that creeps in by design, but I wish there were a few more glimmers of resistance that actually gained ground. Even when characters fight back, they seem to get swallowed by the system. Maybe that’s the point, though. Wagner doesn’t sugarcoat the fight for truth or justice. It’s ugly, it’s thankless, and sometimes, it’s fatal. But there’s beauty in the way her characters cling to humanity, even when it’s stripped from them.
Go Back is not just a story about tech or politics; it’s about control, freedom, and the price of silence. This book is for readers who love thought-provoking and emotionally intense dystopias like The Handmaid’s Tale or 1984. If you’ve ever wondered how much you’d be willing to sacrifice for the illusion of safety or how quickly a society can be undone, this one will resonate with you.
Pages: 284 | ISBN : 978-1967547166
The Boy Who Cried Wolf! And Other Great Stories With Lessons
The Boy Who Cried Wolf!, by Dr. Uzma Farooq, Samir Ahmad, and Amani Ahmad, is a charming collection of thirteen timeless fables originally told by Aesop, retold here with fresh language and vibrant illustrations. Each story comes with a clear moral, from “The Tortoise and the Hare” to “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.” The retellings stay true to the heart of the originals while making them more engaging for a modern audience. The lessons are simple and bold, making this book a go-to resource for both children and adults looking to reflect on honesty, patience, effort, and the consequences of one’s actions.
I found myself smiling often while reading. The writing is clean and energetic. It doesn’t try to be clever for the sake of it, and that’s what makes it feel real. There’s no fluff here, no over-explaining. Each fable gets right to the point, but it’s done with flair and warmth. I especially appreciated the playful rhythm and the subtle humor. The story of “The Fox and the Crow” made me laugh, while “The Ants and the Grasshopper” hit with a little sting of truth.
The heart behind the work is a standout feature of this collection. This wasn’t just a lazy rehash of old stories. You can feel that Dr. Farooq and her sons cared deeply about the messages in each tale. The dedication and acknowledgments give a window into that love for family, for storytelling, for teaching life’s harder truths without being preachy. And Kam Wing Lo and Lai Sun Ip’s illustrations are a delight. They give the book an extra layer of warmth and make it easy to imagine a parent and child reading together before bed.
I heartily enjoyed The Boy Who Cried Wolf! It’s funny, sharp, and full of heart. I’d recommend it to parents, teachers, or anyone who wants a sweet dose of old-school wisdom with a fresh coat of paint. Perfect for reading aloud, discussing over dinner, or just flipping through when you need a reminder of what really matters.
Pages: 38 | ASIN : B0F7S5YK3X
Betrayal of a Sudden Death
Last of the Autumn Rain follows a woman who witnesses the death of her best friend in a tragic nightclub accident, causing her to spiral into a psychological journey that touches on abuse, betrayal, obsession, and revenge. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My best friend committed suicide, and my ex-boyfriend tried to murder me. I wanted to take those external events to explore the raw aftermath of sudden trauma.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great psychological fiction?
The fact that humans are often their own worst enemies and have a skewed perception of reality is a goldmine for psychological fiction. A character’s memories can be distorted by trauma, guilt, or self-deception, which creates suspense and forces the reader to question everything they’re being told.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
(1) Betrayal: It’s not just the betrayal of a sudden death, but the suspicion of deeper betrayals that drive the plot. (2) The Unreliable Self: The protagonist isn’t just an unreliable narrator for the audience; she’s unreliable to herself. Her memories are suspect, her perceptions are skewed by trauma, and she struggles to differentiate between paranoia and genuine threats, and a search for justice. (3) Search for Justice: Can earthly justice truly be served when the motive is fueled by obsession and a distorted sense of reality?
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Last of the Autumn Rain: The Storm Within is Book 1 of a trilogy called the Broken Reflections Series. Book 2 of the series is titled A Twisted Crucible: The Riddle of the Ruined Soul, and Book 3 is titled Game of Souls: The Reckoning. A Twisted Crucible is a chilling tale of what turns out to be a serial killer’s descent into darkness and a father’s agonizing choice. Game of Souls is a poignant exploration of grief, guilt, and the human capacity for redemption through the eyes of a father. It probes the depths of the human psyche, examining the power of ancient rituals and the transformative potential of psychedelic experiences to seek healing and enlightenment.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Diane Webb | Diane Louise Webb | Amazon
Her life ignobly snuffed out at the young age of 32, Candice exemplified a fun-loving lifestyle and a warm kindred spirit—possessing all the requisite traits for a promising future. She never entertained a trace of ill will toward anyone. How could something so grisly happen to such a compassionate, enchanting human being?
Julie struggles to make sense of it all, reminiscing as she travels back to her hometown of Trenton, New Jersey. The two had met in Milwaukee and worked as underwriters for The Walden Company. But something went horribly wrong. Julie’s journey is one filled with elation and fear, jealousy and regret, happiness and indignation, and a horrifying act of disloyalty.
An unforgettable, tumultuous ride, Last of the Autumn Rain delivers an introspective and jaw-clenching tale, which not only rocks one’s moral compass, but invites a chilling question: in a world where the ground can literally fall out from under you, what else might be lurking beneath the surface?
Second Chances
Just Not My Type follows a high-powered fashion editor and single mom, who moves back to her hometown and finds life takes an unexpected twist when her childhood nemesis reenters her life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of going back to where you came from—not just physically, but emotionally. What happens when someone who has built this glossy, “big city” life suddenly finds themselves back in the small town where everyone knows their teenage nickname? That tension between who you were and who you’ve become is such a rich space to explore. Add in a certain childhood nemesis who refuses to stay in the past, and it became the perfect storm for drama, humor, and a little swoony chaos.
I found all your characters entertaining and engaging. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I really enjoyed writing about Keith. He’s one of those characters who seems simple on the surface—a little smug, always quick with a smirk, but underneath that is a deep well of kindness and loyalty. Capturing that balance, his “smirkiness” alongside his quiet softness, was surprisingly challenging. Finding the right words to show both sides of him without making him feel contradictory took some work, but that complexity made him one of my favourites to bring to life.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Second chances—whether in love, career, or self-discovery—were a big one for me. I wanted to explore what it truly means to start over, not as a wide-eyed twenty-something but as someone who has already weathered life’s messes and learned from them. There’s also a strong thread of identity: Who are you when you strip away the titles, the job, and the carefully curated image? And, of course, family. No matter where life takes you or what stage you’re in, there’s something grounding and often healing about returning to your roots.
I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to continue the story. Is there a second book planned?
Not with this story. When I finished writing Just Not My Type, I felt a sense of closure—like Amber’s journey had come full circle. By the end, she was exactly where she needed to be, ready to live her life on her own terms. For me, that felt like the right place to leave her—happy, grounded, and complete.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Instagram | Amazon
LITERARY TITAN 