Blog Archives
Girl Bonding
Posted by Literary-Titan

Hearts on Paper follows a teenager on summer break learning to navigate life with a new stepmother and a picture-perfect stepbrother. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
One drop of truth spiraled into a writer’s hurricane. The first draft of Hearts on Paper poured out of me in just eleven days. When I was in seventh or eighth grade, my father remarried and didn’t tell me. I found out when I went to visit for two weeks over summer break. I let myself in with the spare key, hidden in a mustard jar, because my dad was at work. My new stepbrother, a total stranger, greeted me in the dining room. He showed me pictures of their wedding hanging on the newly painted pink walls.
Looking back as an adult, I thought two things: What a shifty thing to do, and what a great way to start a story.
What draws you to write YA fiction?
I’m drawn to the story; this one just so happened to be YA.
Do you have a favorite scene in this novel? One that was especially enjoyable to craft?
Chapter: “Clever Girls.” I loved writing the self-defense scene—girl bonding at its most savage.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Pretzel Fangs is a cozy horror short novel. Kat ages out of the foster system and becomes a human blood bag for vampires. It’s salty, twisted, and delicious. Available on Wattpad while I fine-tune a few scenes. It might be available in print as soon as this fall, just in time for spooky season.
Author Links: GoodReads | TikTok | Facebook | Amazon
Emery Carter’s two-week visit takes an unexpected turn when she learns her diplomat dad secretly remarried and forgot to tell her. His new wife? Whatever. Her new stepbrother? Way too handsome, way too distracting, and way too easy to fall in love with.
No strings? Yeah right. No drama? Think again.
She never planned on staying. He never wanted her to leave.
A young adult sweet romance.
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Posted in Interviews
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, E.G. Creel, ebook, fiction, goodreads, Hearts on Paper, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, story, Suburban Fiction, Suburban Literature & Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance, Teen and YA, writer, writing, YA
Out of the Darkness
Posted by Literary Titan

Lilly Gayle’s Out of the Darkness blends paranormal romance with medical intrigue, delivering a story that’s both heart-thumping and heart-wrenching. The novel follows Dr. Megan Harper, a biochemist who returns to her hometown to regroup after leaving a high-pressure research job. There, she meets Vincent Maxwell, a mysterious and charismatic stranger with a genetic condition eerily similar to her late sister’s rare disorder, xeroderma pigmentosum. But Vincent hides a deeper secret. He’s a centuries-old vampire seeking not just survival, but redemption. As their lives entwine, science, myth, love, and danger swirl together in a tale of redemption, betrayal, and desire.
To put it bluntly, I got hooked. The way Gayle wove together emotion, science, and sensuality felt fresh. There’s a pulse to her writing that makes even the quiet scenes feel alive. I liked Megan from the jump. She’s brilliant, damaged, and still trying her best. Vincent, on the other hand, is this perfect mix of stoic and smoldering, and watching his emotional thaw unfold gave me chills. I felt genuine tension in their encounters. Sometimes sexual, sometimes just raw and emotional. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it’s the emotional stakes that stuck with me.
There were moments when the dialogue leaned a little too melodramatic for my taste, and a few plot developments felt more convenient. But honestly, I didn’t care much. I was too wrapped up in the push-and-pull between science and the supernatural, the hope for healing, the hurt of loss, and the chance at love. Gayle’s writing isn’t flashy, but it’s emotionally tuned in, which kept me locked in even when the plot veered into familiar territory.
If you’re into moody, brooding vampires and smart heroines with big hearts and haunted pasts, Out of the Darkness is absolutely worth your time. It’s perfect for fans of paranormal romance who crave character depth along with the fangs and fantasy. This book had me feeling things I didn’t expect, grief, longing, excitement, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a vampire story that’s more soul than spectacle.
Pages: 268 | ASIN : B0FB48PMQP
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Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, ebook, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, lilly gayle, literature, nook, novel, Out of the Darkness, paranormal romance, Paranormal Vampire Romance, read, reader, reading, romance, story, vampire romances, writer, writing
The Roses of Port Townsend
Posted by Literary Titan

The Roses of Port Townsend is a genre-blending story set in the misty coastal town of Port Townsend, Washington, where mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and family drama intertwine. The novel follows Mandy Rose and her two sons, Max and Oscar, as they relocate to this Victorian seaport after the mysterious disappearance of Mandy’s husband, Rick. The family’s attempt at a fresh start quickly veers into strange territory, with ghostly figures, cryptic messages, unsettling townspeople, and supernatural occurrences. Many of them are tied to the town’s haunting history and a bizarre obsession with tomatoes. As secrets unravel, the Rose family must confront both literal and figurative monsters while clinging to love and hope.
Ethel Steinmetz Marmont writes with obvious affection for the Pacific Northwest, and her descriptive passages made me want to visit Port Townsend. The real heart of the story, though, is the relationship between the characters. I found Mandy’s weariness and perseverance achingly real. The banter between Max and Oscar made me laugh more than once, especially Oscar, who’s half spooky child, half comedy relief. That said, the book zigzags tonally. Sometimes it’s a whimsical ghost story, other times it’s a tech thriller or a family sitcom. It’s not a clean cut, and I loved the creativity.
The writing is imaginative and often charming. Marmont occasionally indulges in monologues or eccentric character introductions that make you pause and think. That unpredictability also gives the book its charm. I didn’t always know where the plot was headed, and I liked that. The character of Benny P., for example, feels like he walked out of a Halloween parade and straight into a ghost tour. Is he a ghost? A pirate? A time traveler? I’m still not totally sure, but I enjoyed every second he was on the page. And the tomatoes became such a strangely meaningful element of the story that I might actually never look at them the same again.
The Roses of Port Townsend was a delightful read. It’s best suited for readers who enjoy quirky tales that mix magical realism with heartfelt family drama. If you liked A Series of Unfortunate Events, Coraline, or Practical Magic, this might hit the sweet spot. It’s especially good for parents reading alongside tweens or teens. It has just enough spooky spice to intrigue younger readers while still offering emotional weight for adults. It’s a little weird, a little heartfelt, and very much its own thing. For me, that’s enough to recommend it.
Pages : 390 | ASIN : B0F277WYCR
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Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, ebook, Ethel Steinmetz Marmont, family drama, fantasy, fiction, gaslamp fantasy, ghost mysteries, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, mystery, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, sci fi, science fiction, story, The Roses of Port Townsend, thriller, writer, writing
Grow and Learn to Let Go
Posted by Literary-Titan

Monster Hunter is a thrilling coming-of-age adventure where sixteen-year-old Ollie Baxter discovers a hidden world of monsters, magic, and the buried truth of who he really is. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There are many inspirations in my life, but I think finding oneself is crucial to our identities. I think of our youth as an adventure, too. We have school for twelve years, then some of us go off to the military, others go off to work, and many of our friends go off to college. That final summer before everything changes really is an adventure and a memorable experience. I wanted to capture that essence in a story—this adventure where Ollie is on his last leg of summer before getting accepted into The University of Dragonspire, a school where he can learn to use his aura in special ways, making friends and rivals along the way, all before the emotional truth of what the end of that summer brings: loss.
I think I captured that goal. Two of my best friends committed suicide, and I felt so hurt. I’ve lost my sister to COVID, and I was helpless watching my friends drift away, but the final straw was when Bones, my dog, died. I fell into this deep sense of loss regarding my identity. Ollie loses Gwen to someone they trusted—his professor and Gwen’s father—all for selfish reasons. But it was the way he lost her that mattered. She was turned into a smaller chimera creature in order to capture the big one. When Ollie, Samantha, and Hudson find her, there is nothing they can do but face the danger they are in head-on.
I think loss can resonate with everyone, but the beauty in acceptance is gaining the strength to let go. That was my inspiration.
The emotional undercurrent about Ollie’s parents and identity hit hard. How did you balance grief with the high-octane adventure?
Well, Ollie’s parents are long gone. I like the trope of an orphaned hero, but the goal here was to offer a fresh coat of paint on an old trope. We just barely scratched the surface about Ollie’s parents. The world loved Evie, his mother—she was very famous for pushing the boundaries of the Hunter World. Oliver, Ollie’s father, ran away the night she was killed and has been on the run ever since. Ollie, being new to the Hunter World, is learning about them while the reader does, but he lives as a constant reminder in their shadows.
Lots of people do say that they love the action and adventure, and that it feels non-stop engaging, and I think that comes from the word count. I think each book in the series will have about 80,000 words. I came from a background of writing short stories. My first two books were just published stories that I wrote while I was in grad school or the military. The third was just a continuation of one of them. Now that I am in law school, I find myself reading books every day, and the ones I find the best are around the 75,000-85,000 word mark. They engage me the best and can be read in one day.
As far as grief goes, it’s a natural feeling we all experience at some point in our lives. It’s what we do with it that determines our value. I’m really glad you asked about grief, I really am. I balanced the action with grief by creating a villain who dealt with grief in every wrong way possible. We can fall into despair, or we can grow and learn to let go. I think once we get to the main villain of this first story arc, we encounter a character who has suffered a tremendous amount of grief, much like Ollie. But he never learned to let go and, as a consequence, has refused to let go of anything or anyone in his life. You’ll see his own twisted morals on full display when he justifies his corrupted actions. I don’t want to spoil it, but this isn’t just a mustache-twirling bad guy—this is Erebus Bahne.
If Dragonspire were real, what class would you most want to teach or take?
I think I would want to be a Professor of Specialty. The students there learn all about themselves and what makes them unique. This is why I created the Affinity System. In this world, all living beings have a life force called an aura. Think of it as your ki, your chakra, your essence. The students learn to harness their own aura into unique abilities. Ollie has his Aura Sphere. Hudson is learning to turn invisible, and Sam can summon a strong creature that defends her. Each of these abilities falls into categories that help determine your Affinity Type. Ollie, since he can throw his Aura Sphere, is Projection. Hudson’s ability is Alteration because it alters his aura around him, turning him invisible. Sam is a Summoner. There are also Augmentation, Manipulation, and for the gifted, some students even develop a rare Specialty that doesn’t fall into any other category.
When Ollie and Hudson duel Cassius, Ollie is on the verge of using this rare Specialty, so I would most likely want to help students discover how to use this secret ability that hides even from themselves. That, or have Bjorn’s job working with all the mythical dragons and legendary creatures.
Is Ollie’s story just beginning? Any hints about what’s next for him or the world you’ve built?
This is just the beginning. I think the epilogue sets up the next book nicely from a unique perspective. The Rogue Hunter: Book Two of the Hunter Archive will be out in the fall. I’m in the editing phase now.
As for hints, I’ll say that I’m a huge fan of well-done twists that successfully subvert the audience’s expectations—and not just for the sake of having a twist in your story. You may think you know about Ollie’s origin, but I promise you that I’m putting a fresh take on it. I don’t think anyone will properly guess what happens. Be sure to tag me in all your theories; I love to see what readers think is going to happen.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Website | Amazon
I am delighted to inform you that the Committee on Admissions has approved you to attend the freshman class of 2025. Please accept my personal congratulations on your outstanding achievements that brought you to our door. Your application has demonstrated exceptional potential, and we are thrilled to welcome you to join the legendary hunters who have walked these historic halls of Dragonspire.
As you prepare to embark on this epic journey we must warn you: life at the University of Dragonspire is not for the faint of heart. Here, you’ll delve deep into training and harnessing your own Aura, discovering your unique Affinity—be it Augmentation, Manipulation, Projection, Alteration, Summon, or perhaps even a rare Specialty. You’ll learn to wield these abilities as you track mystical beasts, outsmart mischievous spirits, face creatures that haunt the darkest corners of your imagination, or even face down rebellious rogue hunters.
Your acceptance grants you access to:State-of-the-art training facilities, where you will forge your skills and represent Dragonspire in the infamous “Hunter Games”
A vast library of ancient tomes on fantastical monster lore and hunting techniques that will fulfill your desire to learn about the world of Aerith
A diverse faculty of experienced hunters, each with their own hair-raising tales to tell will guide you through this once in a lifetime quest
The opportunity to forge lifelong friendships (or rivalries) with fellow monster-hunting prodigies
World class meals and competition to fuel your appetite for adventure, ever tried Dragon’s Tongue?
Be warned: the challenges that await you are as thrilling as they are perilous. You’ll face spine-chilling challenges, heart-pounding field missions, and the constant threat of death or worse expulsion, should you fail to meet our standards.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, you are a first-year student and although we take safety seriously at Dragonspire, accidents happen. We want you to complete all six years, whole. No hunter is invincible, and it will be best if you remember that during your time here.
Pack your courage, sharpen your wits, and prepare for a year like no other. The monsters are waiting, and the University of Dragonspire is ready to transform you into the hunter you were born to be.
We await your arrival with bated breath. That is, if you dare to accept…
Yours truly,
Magnus G.D. Holloway
Headmaster, University of Dragonspire
Warden of the Realm
The Monster Hunter begins the thrilling Hunter Archive series, where dangerous abilities, ancient secrets, and a mystery years in the making collide at the world’s most prestigious Hunter academy. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter, Hunter x Hunter, Percy Jackson, Game of Thrones, and The Magicians.
Other Books by Benji Wyvern
True Tales SeriesDiaries of a Time Traveler
Noir City: Machines and Monsters
True Tales of the Multiverse
The long-awaited epic fantasy debut of The Monster Hunter: Book One of The Hunter Archive—a thrilling masterpiece willed to life by fans of the genre and author, available now from Amazon bestselling author Benji Wyvern.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Posted in Interviews
Tags: action, adventure, author, Benji Wyvern, book, book 1, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy, ebook, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, Monster Hunter, mythical, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, series, story, Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, writer, writing
Targets of Public Scrutiny
Posted by Literary-Titan

In Out of the Crash, tragedy brings together two families when an author’s son strikes and kills a cyclist with his car. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Out of the Crash was inspired by two separate but similar tragedies that occurred in my hometown. I watched the aftermath of each incident unfold and read comments on social media in awe of how bold (and cruel) people could be. As quickly as the local media reported on the stories, people formed conclusions about the alleged offenders. What they were doing at the time of the accident. What kind of people they were. And what type of punishment they should endure. Despite a legal system built on the principle of innocent until proven guilty, the drivers of each car became targets of public scrutiny. Ultimately, some of those conclusions had merit; others did not. But it made me sad how easily people jumped to the worst-case scenario. I felt compelled to speak out but didn’t know how.
I also couldn’t help peppering myself with questions about how I would feel if wrapped up in similar circumstances. What if someone I love had sustained injuries in one of those crashes? Or someone close to me had been behind the wheel of one of those cars?
As a mom, I pictured myself trying to defend one of my kids if they’d been responsible for someone else’s grave injuries or even their death. Would I wholeheartedly support my child’s actions under any circumstance? Would I accept the truth even if it destroyed the future I’d foreseen for my family? And how much consideration would I give to the pain suffered by the victim and the victim’s loved ones?
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think makes for great fiction?
There are countless contexts where I see people taking unyielding sides. It’s black or white. Right or wrong. Us versus them. Life doesn’t seem that clear-cut to me, and storytelling provides the opportunity to give voice to those who might be misrepresented or misunderstood.
In writing Out of the Crash, I set out to convey how multi-faceted the human experience can be—to debunk any suggestion that there’s ever only one side to a story. In a time when the media bombards us with compelling headlines and summary talking points—typically just scratching the surface of a news event—it’s more important than ever to at least avoid passing judgment until the whole story becomes clear.
What are the pivotal moments in the story that you think best define Caroline and Ethan?
Caroline’s character arc is pretty gradual throughout the story. Still, one of the most pivotal moments occurs when she talks with Kyle’s attorney, Valerie, about their different cancer journeys. At this point, Caroline starts to see what everyone around her has seen for years—that she closed herself off from the ones who love her most as she underwent treatment. She put up a wall instead of accepting help from the people around her, like Valerie had done, and channeled her energy toward a career revolving around advocacy for others. The distance she created backfired when she tried to be there for her family after the crash as they’d learned to live without needing her attention.
A pivotal moment for Ethan occurred much earlier in the story when he learned about his mom’s past struggles with alcohol. This realization shocked him to his core and made him question whether he ever really knew his mother at all. Before that moment, he believed they were so close, making her sudden death even more devastating, as now he’ll never have a chance to talk with her about why she never confided in him about something so significant.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on a book titled Iris Inked. The story revolves around an older woman who is forced to leave her cherished home due to a degenerative disease. She forms an unexpected friendship with a young aspiring social media influencer, who encourages her to share the stories behind her tattoos in a YouTube series. As their bond deepens, both women are compelled to confront their regrets and the challenges that come with embracing change. The book can be compared to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and the classic Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. My first draft is almost complete, and I hope to start pitching/querying it in early 2026.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
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Posted in Interviews
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, contemporary women fiction, ebook, family, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, nook, novel, Out of the Crash, read, reader, reading, story, Susan Poole, suspense, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, writer, writing
Organic Plot Twists
Posted by Literary-Titan

Oceano Beach Bedlam follows a former forensic accountant turned private eye, and his fierce partner, as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a teenage surfing prodigy. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I have an “idea catcher.” I bet you have one, too. Mine is a little notebook on the nightstand where I jot down all the little inspirations I get while I sleep, dream, or ponder. It’s chock-full of ideas for the next murder mystery. The howdunnits. The whodunnits. The whydunnits.
But getting from a brilliant idea to a fully developed manuscript sometimes takes more than a notebook. Sometimes it requires a mentor. A force majeure.
This is the story of the man who inspired me to write Oceano Beach Bedlam.
The year is 2019, Spring. I’m taking a class entitled “So You Want to Write a Novel” through the Institute for Continued Learning at Utah Tech University (then Dixie State). Dr. Warren Stucki, local novelist and author of the Dr. Cooper Mystery Series and six standalone books, is teaching the class. He challenges us to write a novel and gives us an assignment:
Write a one-page summary of your novel’s setting. Then write a one- or two-page setting scene. And, in just one sentence, write your theme.
At that point in my writing journey, I had just finished the complete rewrite of my first murder mystery, All That Glisters. In the final chapter, amateur sleuth Thad Hanlon is exploring options for rebuilding his life after suffering major personal loss. He tells his sleuthing partner, Bri de la Guerra, “This is going to sound totally wackadoodle, but I was considering getting a PI license. I thought, maybe, I’d hang out a shingle as a Private Investigator.” Given how the first book ends, I asked myself if a sequel made sense.
So for Dr. Stucki’s assignment, I outline Oceano Beach Bedlam and sketch out the scene where Thad Hanlon lands his first client. Months later, on the way to the final draft of the sequel, the original plot takes a few detours. But that first scene from Dr. Stucki’s writing assignment? The scene where Thad brings in his first case as a newly licensed PI? That survived almost completely intact as Chapter 3. Also intact? A brand new character—Mrs. Dudamel—the client in search of her missing son.
What was my takeaway from Warren Stucki’s class?
Take the dare. It might lead to a series—in this case, the Thad Hanlon & Bri de la Guerra Mysteries.
Thad Hanlon is an engaging and complex character. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?
My favorite scene in Oceano Beach Bedlam, and the most interesting to write, was Chapter 7, where private investigator Thad Hanlon goes on his first date since losing his wife. The scene captures all the awkwardness of first dates after being out of the singles circuit for several years. And all the vulnerability. What makes it even more intriguing is that during the date, Thad tries to reveal to the woman he’s courting (the town’s detective), that he was not entirely forthcoming when, earlier in the week, down at the Sheriff’s Station, she took his statement about a recent incident that may have led to a murder. Secrets, grief, clumsiness, and even a little humor. A perfect blend.
At the time I wrote the chapter, I, too, was re-entering the dating scene, having just lost my wife of 47 years. Talk about awkwardness! I was living it.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
I’m a big fan of the late Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat!® approach to story development, so I tend to “beat out” the major plot points in my novels, complete with scene cards. Each card has a short scene description identifying the Hero/Heroine, Goal, Obstacles, and Stakes, along with notes on the emotional change from scene opening to scene close. And each scene is designed to either advance the plot or develop my characters. My most effective scenes often manage to do both.
As I write the scene, sometimes magic happens and the “players” don’t behave as I expect. So, I end up channeling the characters, leading to surprises (“shocking plot twists”) I never would have imagined during the outline phase of the project. In that respect, I’m neither a plotter nor a pantser, but more a plantser, allowing for organic plot twists. For me, you could make the case that story development and character-generated plot twists can be the same thing, taking the tale in a new but logical direction.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Hanlon & de la Guerra and the direction of the next book?
Book Three in the mystery series is nearing completion. The story takes place eight years later. Zael is eleven and quite the surfer himself. He’s a member of the Five Cities Surf Team, Grommet category—junior surfers ages eleven to twelve, or “groms” in surf jargon. Zael and two other members of his surf team are in the water north of Pismo Pier, competing in the California Central Coast Surf Trials, when a crazed marksman starts taking potshots at them. The sniper vanishes. Panic ripples through the Five Cities beach community.
Thad and Bri are hired by a group of terrified parents to protect these local youth as they train for the West Coast Surf Championships. The duo soon discovers that the surf team members aren’t the only ones in the perp’s crosshairs. In a mad scramble, Hanlon and de la Guerra must keep the Five Cities Surf Team safe while unmasking the sniper before he strikes again.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
All they need is a client.
That’s when a former exotic dancer from Bakersfield CA shows up looking for her surf prodigy son who’s gone missing in the wake of cult violence terrorizing the California Central Coast.
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Posted in Interviews
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, crime fiction, ebook, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, mysteries, nook, novel, Oceano Beach Bedlam, read, reader, reading, story, suspense, Topper Jones, writer, writing
Magi’s Curse
Posted by Literary Titan

Magi’s Curse is a sprawling epic fantasy set in a war-torn world on the brink of collapse, where the divine pantheon meddles with mortals and fate itself unravels. The novel centers around Captain Bronwyn Amyna, a resilient and battle-worn soldier tasked with leading a ragtag group into the icy wilderness in search of a mythical artifact said to turn the tide of war. Alongside her is Clara, a broken yet defiant prisoner with a secret past and vital knowledge. As gods debate the role of death and freedom, mortals struggle with politics, survival, and destiny. The book intertwines divine conflict with gritty human drama, laying the foundation for a larger saga of legendary proportions.
I found the writing to be immersive and bold. Christopher Harris doesn’t shy away from violence, pain, or emotion, and his prose reflects that. Some parts feel cinematic, especially the opening clash between gods and the snowy military camps where tension simmers. His world-building is dense and thoughtful without being overbearing. The pacing, though deliberate, allows the emotional weight to settle in. What hit me hardest was Clara’s trauma. Her pain felt real, and her voice carried history. At times, I wished the secondary characters had more dimension to counterbalance the intensity of the leads.
What stayed with me, more than the plot, were the ideas. The gods’ detachment from human suffering felt both timely and deeply symbolic. The exploration of power, divine, political, or personal, felt honest and raw. Harris doesn’t paint in black and white. Clara isn’t a hero. Captain Amyna isn’t perfect. They’re both flawed, battered by systems larger than themselves, and trying to do the right thing in a world that punishes it. There’s something painful and beautiful in that. I didn’t agree with every choice made in the story, but I respected its guts. It’s a rare kind of fantasy that dares to be this emotionally intimate while still being packed with magic, snowstorms, and sword fights.
Magi’s Curse is a rough ride through frost and fire, grief and grit. It’s for readers who like their stories morally murky and their characters relatable. If you enjoy books like The Broken Empire series or The Poppy War, and you don’t mind a slow burn, this one’s for you. I’m still chewing on some scenes. And that’s a good sign. This book haunted me a little. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series.
Pages: 319 | ASIN : B0DWTXGYVF
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Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: adventure, author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, Christopher J. Harris, Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy, ebook, epic fantasy, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, Magi's Curse, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, series, story, Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, writer, writing
To Know Good and Evil
Posted by Literary Titan

Daniel V. Meier, Jr.’s To Know Good and Evil is a gripping blend of investigative thriller, Southern noir, and philosophical reflection. The novel follows Frank Adams, a former NTSB investigator, who is pulled back to his hometown in North Carolina to look into the suspicious plane crash of his old college professor, Dr. Lanmore. What begins as a routine probe quickly unravels into a tangled web of scientific secrets, buried trauma, and small-town corruption. As Frank digs deeper, he faces threats, red tape, and a haunting past, all while uncovering the unsettling truth about the nature of good and evil.
I found Meier’s writing absorbing. The prose isn’t flashy, but it’s steady and textured, with just the right amount of grit and polish. His sense of place is one of the strongest elements in the book. Characters like Ted Grant, the eccentric philosopher, add layers of charm and introspection that counterbalance the tension. There are moments of dry humor and gentle melancholy that feel earned. I liked how the narrative takes its time; it trusts the reader to follow without rushing, which made the plot developments all the more satisfying when they landed.
That said, the story has a certain old-school feel that might not click with every reader. Some dialogue leaned theatrical, and the pacing in the first third felt a bit slow. But once the investigation gains steam, the book becomes hard to put down. The ideas it wrestles with, scientific responsibility, moral relativism, and institutional failure, are baked into the story, which makes it feel smarter than your average mystery. I appreciated how it didn’t shy away from asking big questions, even if it didn’t tie them up with a neat bow.
I’d say To Know Good and Evil is best for readers who like a thoughtful mystery, especially those who enjoy slow-burn thrillers with a strong sense of place and character. If you’re into literary suspense or stories that blend intellectual grit with good old-fashioned intrigue, this one’s worth a read.
Pages: 220 | ASIN : B0DV97DBKY
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Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, Book Reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, Daniel V. Meier, ebook, fiction, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, mystery, noir, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, series, slow-burn, story, thriller, TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL, writer, writing







