Blog Archives
Daughter of the Void
H.R. Cole’s Daughter of the Void, the first book in the Chains of Fate trilogy, follows Raelyn, a young woman caught between duty and destiny in a divided world haunted by magic, war, and forgotten secrets. The story begins with a forbidden excursion that sets the tone for an epic unraveling of personal identity, looming war, and hidden powers. As political alliances form and dangerous truths bubble to the surface, Raelyn must navigate complex relationships and a growing sense of her own magical abilities, all while being tethered to a prophecy and a mysterious past that could remake the world.
I was completely pulled into this world. The writing is smooth, but not overly polished. H.R. Cole has a talent for atmosphere. You feel the chill of ancient forests, the oppressive silence of stone castles, and the heat of tension between characters who know more than they let on. Raelyn as a protagonist isn’t perfect, and that’s what makes her work. She’s sharp but hesitant, brave but emotionally guarded. The relationships, especially between Raelyn and Ellisand, felt raw and real. And Laris—well, he’s complicated in all the best and worst ways. Their interactions were electric, uncomfortable, and often intense, and I honestly didn’t know how I wanted things to turn out. That kind of uncertainty kept me turning the pages, though.
But it’s not all sunshine and sword fights. A few scenes in the middle of the book lingered longer than needed I think. And while the world-building is strong, there are many moving parts—factions, magical laws, military structures—and some of it felt like it was waiting for the next book to really pay off. That said, there’s no shortage of intrigue. Secrets hang over every chapter like storm clouds. I found myself rereading certain passages just to catch all the foreshadowing. And the way Cole threads emotional stakes through the political drama? Honestly, it got me more than once.
In the end, Daughter of the Void is a slow-burn fantasy adventure with a lot of heart and a sharp edge. It’s for readers who like complex women, moral gray zones, and stories that aren’t afraid to bruise their characters a little. If you enjoy the emotional tension of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling or the slow, layered world-building of The Queen’s Thief, this book will be perfect for you. I’m already hungry for book two.
Pages: 374 | ASIN : B0F8ZZ7JPB
Chaos and Misfortune
Hummingbird Moonrise follows the descendants of a man who made violent choices, leading to a family curse forged in dark magick that lasts for five generations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As a trilogy, I wanted to make the storyline unique from the other books. With my first two books – Murder Under Redwood Moon and Moonset on Desert Sands – Arista and Auntie are unsuspectingly dealing with ‘symptoms’ of their ascendant’s deeds. They had the unknown serial killer in book one. In book two, they had Arista’s psychotic uncle out for blood. For the final installment, I wanted Auntie and Arista to stumble upon the cause of the continued chaos and misfortune, root it out, and work toward their HEA! The inspiration came from my own maternal grandfather who was not so different than Bethie’s – dog trader, retired Navy, and full-blown cuss – so the character was quite familiar and easy to create.
What is one pivotal moment in the story that you think best defines Arista?
While Arista started this trilogy as an ideological day dreamer in book one, I wanted her to exponentially grow throughout the Murder, Tea, and Crystals trilogy. (The secret revealed – a discreet Coming of Age trope!) In book two, she found her anger as well as grief. But she also learned to better trust her instincts. For Hummingbird Moonrise, Arista finds her truest self at her toughest trial. Without giving it away, the moment when she taps the warrior within her is her defining moment. Also, we cannot overlook that Auntie, a close second of a Main Character, manifests a long-time endeavor in this final installment as well! To have a defining moment in your mid-70s shows that you are never too aged to realize your own greatness!
The Kelly family curse began with one man, generations ago, who left his descendants to continue paying the price for his choices. Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, perhaps not as traumatic, that’s life-changing?
Each of us has our own experience that contributes to our personality. I’ve read a few books that believe some of it comes from the soul wound that we carry from generations past. If we are lucky, we know what the damage is, as knowing is half the battle! Why do ‘these’ matters trigger us into rage, ‘those’ scenarios bring us to tears, and ‘that’ action cause us to melt into a soft, cuddly lamb. If we take a good look at ourselves yet still cannot ascertain why we react the way we do, a next step may be to inquire with our family members and discover more about our past.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
While I left an interesting development late in Hummingbird Moonrise, and my ideas are vast as to what comes next, it is up to the readers if my characters get to express their next phase of magick and mayhem!
Author Links: Website | Amazon
Still, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman’s home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s—the time when their family patriarch first built Arista’s cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.
This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista’s entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?
Hidden Capacities of Human Consciousness
The Quantum Gate follows a disgraced physicist, whose theories about consciousness and quantum mechanics have cast him out of academia, who receives a mysterious letter from a presumed-dead mentor and sets out to uncover the truth behind the fabled Hall of Records. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from the combination of two personal fascinations: the mysteries of ancient civilizations and the hidden capacities of human consciousness. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea that ancient knowledge—lost or deliberately hidden—holds keys not just to our past, but to who we are and what we are becoming. The character of Ethan, emerged naturally as someone wrestling with both internal and external exile, much like many of us do, myself included. His fall from academia mirrors our collective resistance to change that challenges conventional thinking. The loss of his wife, the tragedy that many of us have faced. He was at his lowest when the Universe provided an opportunity for him, a new possibility. As a young child I spent many hours contemplating the Hall of Records since I first read about it. As a result, it seemed the perfect crucible of change that I wanted for all three main characters. I imagined the Hall of Records, not just as a mythical library but as a symbol for collective memory, it became the perfect quest setting for a man seeking redemption and revelation.
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?
I am a lifelong student, and I set a goal to try and learn something new each day. This coupled with a deep interest in metaphysics, esoteric traditions, consciousness, and Quantum Physics prepared me well for writing this book. I have spent decades in study, and shared what I have learned in a variety of ways, but never in a novel. I wanted the metaphysical concepts in this book—especially those I focus on in my own philosophical model of Quanticism—to feel grounded, yet expansive. I studied the writings of physicists like David Bohm and explored Hermetic and Atlantean lore, weaving in elements of real-world mysticism and suppressed historical theories. Scientific principles were paired with a symbolic or mystical counterpart—so readers feel the intuitive truth as much as the logical foundation. The goal wasn’t to preach, but to invite deeper questions, to entertain, and inspire.
Ethan uncovers more than he bargained for on his search through the Hall. Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic, that is life-changing?
Absolutely, I am living proof of that. While not everyone finds themselves deep in the sands of Egypt, most people, I feel, do encounter a moment when the veil lifts—where reality suddenly feels different, more layered, more alive. It can come from loss, awe, synchronicity, or a sudden realization that who you thought you were… is only a fragment. For Ethan, that moment is physically dramatic. But for many, it can and does arrive in stillness—a conversation, a dream, a look in someone’s eyes. The power of these moments is that they don’t just reveal something; they reveal something ancient that we already knew, but forgot. In my case, it took an accident and injury to help me remember. This book, and all the books I still plan on writing would not have been had I not had that very wonderful accident.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Absolutely. The Quantum Gate is the first book in this special universe I have created. There will be more both with those characters from the Quantum Gate, and others whose lives might intertwine with Ethan’s. As a hint, the next book in the series is tentatively titled, “Echoes of Atlantis”, and in that we will see more from all the characters from the Quantum Gate, meet some new ones, and get a peek into what Atlantis was like and what really happened all those aeons ago.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Renowned physicist Ethan Cross was once celebrated for his brilliance—until his research on consciousness and the nature of reality made him a pariah in the scientific community. When a cryptic message from a long-lost mentor draws him to Egypt, he discovers that the Hall of Records, an ancient repository of lost knowledge, is more than just legend. It is real. And it is waiting.
But Ethan is not the only one seeking the Hall. The Guardians, an ancient order, have sworn to protect its secrets. The Collective, a powerful shadow organization, will stop at nothing to control it. And Ethan’s own estranged daughter, Sofi, an astrophysicist grounded in logic, is caught up in a world she refuses to believe in.
As Ethan and Sofi uncover the Hall’s trials, they realize the truth is far more dangerous than they imagined. The Hall does not merely hold knowledge—it demands something in return. A choice. A sacrifice. A reckoning with the past and the future.
When the final door opens, only one question will remain:
What choice would you make?
Blending history, science, and the metaphysical, The Quantum Gate is a gripping thriller in the spirit of The Da Vinci Code and The Celestine Prophecy. Packed with esoteric secrets, quantum mysteries, and high-stakes adventure, this novel will leave you questioning the very nature of reality itself.
Anna, the Princess and the Pendant
Anna Owens is a bright, imaginative seventeen-year-old living in the quiet town of Morrisville, North Carolina. Yet beneath her composed surface brews a yearning for something more, something strange, something thrilling. That desire becomes reality when Anna is summoned to her dying grandmother’s side and receives a curious parting gift: a green gemstone said to possess unusual powers. As it turns out, the stories are true. The gem is a portal, a key to a dreamscape filled with romance, peril, and discovery.
Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant, the debut novel by J.E. London, offers a spellbinding coming-of-age fantasy that blends elements of classic portal fiction with a touch of gothic mystery. Echoes of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell surface throughout, though London’s voice remains distinct.
The premise may sound familiar: an adolescent longing for adventure, drawn into an alternate realm, but it endures for a reason. Such narratives tap into our collective craving for escape and transformation. Here, that escapism is filtered through Anna’s emotional lens, adding depth to what might otherwise feel conventional.
Anna is painted with nuance. She is impulsive, deeply emotional, and teetering on the edge of adulthood. Romantic entanglements tempt her, pulling her between logic and longing, between the budding maturity of a young woman and the whimsy of the girl she still partly is. This tension feels authentic and is one of the novel’s quiet strengths.
London’s real distinction lies in the richness of historical context and vivid sensory detail. The dream world Anna explores never loses its grounding. A delicate balance is maintained, ethereal settings balanced with tactile realism. Even as Anna faces life-altering decisions, the prose remains buoyant, never descending into overwrought drama. The stakes are real, though largely emotional, centering on the tumult and vulnerability of first love.
Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant marks a compelling entry into young adult fantasy. It’s a heartfelt, imaginative journey, and J.E. London proves to be as captivating a storyteller as Anna is a heroine.
Pages: 200 | ASIN: B079KHD1PC
Bloodbound: Reverberations
Bloodbound: Reverberations is an emotionally charged blend of supernatural intrigue and found-family drama. Set across both our world and a richly imagined “Other Realm,” the story follows Hunter Reeves, a vampire-investigator entangled in a deadly bureaucratic countdown to prove the innocence of Kai with Safe Harbor. With the help of his lovers Kai and Gibson, each complex in their own right, Hunter faces internal demons, literal monsters, and the tangled politics of a secretive organization known as The Order. At the heart of it all lies a powerful question: What makes us lose ourselves, and how far will we go to hold on?
I was genuinely pulled into this book’s rhythm. Chase McPherson’s writing is lush without being bloated, cinematic yet deeply personal. The dialogue sings. It’s sharp, fast, and carries real emotional weight. The characters feel lived-in, like old friends with bad habits. Hunter’s struggle with his siphonic nature, the way he feeds on energy, not just blood, mirrors so much of what it means to crave validation, success, and love. The relationship between Hunter, Kai, and Gibson is tender, prickly, and sometimes painfully raw. I bought into them completely. McPherson doesn’t shy away from messiness, and thank god for that.
The plot barrels ahead with twists and turns, alternate selves, ancient crimes, venom-fueled conspiracies, but I sometimes found myself missing the quiet. That said, when the book does pause, it delivers real gut punches: a whispered plea for comfort, a shared meal soaked in sunlight, a song born from longing. It’s those little beats that made me care deeply about these people and their strange, dangerous lives. And I have to say the flashbacks to 1901 were chilling. That sequence alone could’ve been a novella.
Bloodbound: Reverberations is a weird, wild, and heartfelt ride. It’s part supernatural thriller, part slow-burn romance, part rock-band fever dream, and somehow, it all works. If you like stories with found families, alternate realities, and just enough bite (pun intended), this one’s for you. Fans of The Umbrella Academy, Buffy, or queer speculative fiction will feel right at home.
Pages: 162 | ASIN: B0F4SNS9TK
Aerie: Dragon Guild Book 2
After reading Aerie by P.T.L. Perrin, I can confidently say it’s a thrilling and emotionally charged continuation of the Dragon Guild saga. The story follows Gabri and her dragon Makani as they settle into Aerie, a refuge in the sky, after surviving intense battles. But peace is short-lived. The looming threat of Ozul, a power-hungry villain, continues to grow, and Gabri’s past still haunts her, particularly the people she left behind on Terra. Meanwhile, her friends, including Donny, engineer a rescue mission, navigating bizarre time shifts and dangerous new worlds to bring her home. Across realms, dragons, telepathic links, and sinister plots collide as allies and enemies take flight.
What stood out to me most was the sheer heart behind the writing. Perrin writes with deep affection for her characters, and it shows. The dragons feel real, not just as majestic creatures, but as personalities with quirks, wisdom, and loyalty. Gabri’s bond with Makani is beautifully rendered, and her struggles with love, identity, and loyalty tugged at my emotions more than once. The writing shines brightest in quieter moments, like a dragon’s gaze or a simple sunrise over Sanctum. It’s those little details that made me slow down, take a breath, and feel like I was there. That said, some scenes leaned heavily on exposition or explanation, which pulled me out a bit. Still, the world-building is immersive, and the stakes always feel personal.
The villains, especially Ozul and Kierra, bring a classic, almost mythic energy to the story. Their presence is dark, chilling, and undeniably larger-than-life, which adds a strong contrast to the warmth and heart of the heroes. While their mysterious nature leaves some questions unanswered, it actually enhances the sense of dread that surrounds them. They feel like shadows lurking just beyond the light, and that uncertainty keeps the tension high. The pacing during the interdimensional travel scenes allows time to breathe and reflect, offering space between high-stakes encounters. And just when things seem quiet, Perrin delivers a gut punch, a dragonet in chains, a telepathic cry for help, and suddenly the heart is racing again. There’s a rhythm to the book, a kind of dance between fear and hope, and when it clicks, it really sings.
Aerie is a warm, fierce, and imaginative tale that blends fantasy, science fiction, and deep emotion with a confident hand. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves dragon stories with heart, or readers who enjoy found-family themes and interplanetary adventures. It’s especially good for teens and adults who crave character-driven fantasy.
Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ
Mikael Carlson’s Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ is a high-octane political-military thriller that blends the grit of combat realism with the chaos of civic unrest. Set in the aftermath of a brutal ambush in Syria, the story follows Staff Sergeant Emmit “Chicago” Haskins as he reintegrates into civilian life, only to find himself caught in the spiraling tensions of post-Floyd Minneapolis. The novel weaves together threads of political intrigue, media manipulation, grassroots activism, and the enduring loyalty of a brotherhood forged in war. It’s fast-paced, cinematic, and unapologetically opinionated.
What struck me first was how Carlson plunges you into battle from page one. The prologue doesn’t ease you in; it throws you into a searing ambush near Al-Tanf, Syria. The action is visceral. The description of RPGs ripping through MRAPs and Emmit refusing to abandon his wounded Rangers was raw, heroic, and honestly had me holding my breath. Carlson writes combat like he’s lived it. The whole opening sequence could easily rival any war movie for sheer intensity. I loved that it wasn’t just about firepower. It was about values. Loyalty. Brotherhood. Carlson knows what makes soldiers tick.
The narrative then shifts sharply to Minneapolis, where the tone grows considerably more serious. The city’s social fabric is fraying, and Carlson addresses these tensions with striking candor. The character of Police Chief Vanessa Campbell is placed in a particularly precarious position, as she navigates the volatile intersections of political pressure, internal departmental conflict, and a mayor whose priorities appear driven more by public image than justice. In a particularly jarring scene, the mayor demands the immediate termination of an officer who deployed a taser on a knife-wielding suspect, well before any investigation is completed. His curt command, “Fire him. Today,” delivered while he examines his fingernails, underscores the indifference to due process. The moment is deeply unsettling. It illustrates a system more concerned with optics than with truth, and it’s difficult not to sympathize with Vanessa, who is forced to balance integrity with job security. The tension feels uncomfortably authentic.
The narrative also delves deeply into the interplay between media and activism, presenting a nuanced examination of their power and volatility. Kai, an independent journalist, emerges as one of the novel’s most compelling figures. Intelligent, jaded, and visibly fatigued by the ongoing culture wars, he nevertheless remains committed to uncovering the truth. His analysis of the gathering at Gold Medal Park deliberating whether it constitutes a peaceful protest or the beginning of something more volatile is astute. His observation, “This somehow feels…organized,” resonates strongly, and Carlson’s willingness to confront the ways in which grassroots movements can be manipulated is both bold and unsettling. Landon, the charismatic agitator, delivers speeches that are disturbingly persuasive. When he declares, “Let’s take this protest to the steps of City Hall…or burn it down,” the moment lands with alarming intensity. It captures the razor’s edge between civic expression and orchestrated unrest, and Carlson handles it with disturbing authenticity.
What kept me reading, though, was the emotional heart of the story. Emmit, trying to find a purpose post-military, is such a solid anchor. His conversations with his sister Kenyala were unexpectedly touching and even funny. She’s tough, witty, and won’t let him wallow. Their back-and-forth gave the book some much-needed softness. It’s easy for stories like this to get lost in the adrenaline and outrage, but Carlson brings it back to the human level just enough to keep you invested in more than the politics.
Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ is well-suited for readers who appreciate political thrillers that are unapologetically direct and thematically provocative. The novel confronts its subject matter without hesitation, offering a narrative that some may view as politically charged, while others may interpret it as daring and uncompromising. The story delivers a gripping and unflinching exploration of the challenges veterans face both abroad and upon returning home. For those drawn to narratives where the battlefield extends into civilian life, this book is a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Pages: 444 | ASIN : B0F6RMBYG7
LITERARY TITAN 