Blog Archives
Upon This Rock
David Eugene Perry’s Upon This Rock is a genre-blending mystery set in the hauntingly picturesque hill town of Orvieto, Italy. The novel follows Lee Maury, a gay American public relations expert, and his tech-savvy husband Adriano, as they embark on a sabbatical-turned-sleuthing adventure after a suspicious suicide shakes their temporary paradise. As their search for truth deepens, they are pulled into a centuries-spanning web of papal politics, religious secrets, and modern-day conspiracies—threads intricately woven through the ancient stones of the city itself. With alternating timelines, a chorus of colorful locals, and a fair amount of ecclesiastical intrigue, Perry’s debut is part historical thriller, part romance, and part love letter to Orvieto.
What struck me most was Perry’s ability to balance wit and weight. The writing is often deliciously sharp, especially in dialogue, with characters like the irrepressible Peg and the mysterious La Donna Volsini stealing every scene they’re in. The voice is personal and vivid. Perry writes as if he’s chatting with an old friend. But what’s impressive is how this breezy tone never undercuts the darker themes—grief, corruption, faith, and betrayal. Lee’s mourning over his friend Brian and the ghosts of his Southern heritage give the novel an emotional anchor that elevates it beyond your average thriller. And the twisty plot, full of Vatican secrets and ancient rivalries, had me flipping pages like mad. It’s a lot—sometimes almost too much—but the payoff is worth the sprawl.
Some scenes felt like extended travel logs or culinary postcards, lovely in themselves but occasionally distracting from the central mystery. There are moments when exposition takes the driver’s seat and slows the action. Still, Perry’s commitment to craft shows through. This isn’t a throwaway beach read. It’s thoughtful, layered, and clearly born of deep research and deeper love.
Upon This Rock is a satisfying, smart, and soulful read. It’s perfect for fans of Dan Brown who wish Robert Langdon had better fashion sense and a husband, or for anyone who loves Italy, history, and a dose of spiritual mystery with their aperitivo. It’s for readers who appreciate good writing, complex characters, and stories that unfold like cathedrals—beautiful, intricate, and full of hidden chambers.
Pages: 404 | ISBN: 0941936066
Sitting Bull Run
Sitting Bull Run is a gritty and heartfelt novel about a group of high school boys on a Long Island cross-country team during the turbulent 1970s. It follows Dennis Hurley and his teammates at St. Theresa High School as they chase a state title under the guidance of their eccentric and tough-as-nails coach Jack Hogan. Set against the backdrop of small-town politics, Catholic school life, and the lingering shadow of Vietnam, the story weaves coming-of-age struggles with the unforgiving discipline of long-distance running. But beneath the sweat and stopwatch splits lies something darker—a haunting incident in the parish woods, affecting their season and their lives.
What struck me first, and stuck with me long after, was the voice. The writing is punchy, fast, and unfiltered. Daly doesn’t dress things up. He lets the story breathe in its own rawness, its own weird charm. The characters aren’t perfect, and they don’t try to be. They screw up. They say the wrong things. They carry guilt like a second backpack. But they feel real. Dennis, especially, is a character I felt for deeply—a quiet resilience runs through him. And Coach Jack? A wild, profane, occasionally brilliant force of nature. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to hug him or slap him.
The ideas in the book are heavy. It’s not just about racing. It’s about fear. About the weight of secrets. About broken adults who hide behind collars and titles, and teenagers trying to make sense of it all. Daly pulls no punches when it comes to the Church. Some parts made my stomach churn—the anger is earned, and it bleeds through the pages. And yet, there’s joy too. A real love for running. For those impossible moments when pain turns into grace. The race scenes alone are worth the read—they’re electric. But what I loved most was how the book never let me settle. It pushed and pulled, quiet one moment, feral the next.
I’d recommend Sitting Bull Run to anyone who’s ever laced up a pair of shoes to outrun something—grief, shame, the past. It’s perfect for readers who love sports stories but want more than just wins and losses. If you grew up Catholic, it’ll hit like a freight train. If you didn’t, it’ll show you why some folks never go back to church. This book’s got guts. It’s tough, tender, angry, and honest. And it reminds us that sometimes, just making it to the starting line is a victory in itself.
Pages: 371 | ISBN: 0996045392
Kalani: Mists of Despair
Kalani: Mists of Despair is the second book in Jolene Fine’s Fostering Worlds series, and it picks up right where Shadows of Destiny left off. This time, the stakes are higher. The setting? The terrifying and eerie Mists of Despair—a bleak, supernatural realm that challenges every ounce of faith, hope, and courage in its characters. The story follows Desiree and Zach as they plunge headfirst into this cursed land, guided by a mission to rescue their loved ones and, in Zach’s case, to redeem himself. Alongside them are companions—new and old—who are tested by darkness, literal and spiritual, at every turn. It’s an emotional gauntlet through grief, loyalty, and destiny, steeped in poetic writing and mythic world-building.
This book grabbed me harder than the first. It’s darker, sadder, messier—and that’s a good thing. Jolene Fine doesn’t just raise the stakes; she drowns you in them. Desiree’s transformation is so raw, so tangled in grief and courage, that I felt every emotional throb right alongside her. And Zach? He’s still chasing Gretchen, but it’s not just about love anymore, it’s about proving he’s more than a reckless teen with a cause. His struggle with faith in the middle of soul-swallowing despair resonated with me. I’ve read a lot of “chosen one” stories, but there’s something unique about the way Fine lets her characters flail, fail, and still push forward, bruised but not broken. It made me root for them even more.
The language is lush. There were moments I had to slow down and reread to make sure I caught what was actually happening beneath all the ornate phrasing. And the philosophical and theological undercurrents are deep. If you’re looking for light, fast fantasy, this isn’t that. But honestly, I didn’t mind. The weight of the words matches the weight of the story. It’s thoughtful, patient, and unafraid to linger in its own sorrow.
Mists of Despair is a hard-hitting sequel. It’s for readers who like their fantasy with a spiritual backbone and their characters with real, jagged edges. If you love stories about chosen families, quiet acts of bravery, and finding light when everything screams darkness, this one’s for you.
Pages: 332 | ASIN : B0CVH1CC8S
Chasing Moonflowers
Pauline Chow’s Chasing Moonflowers is a vivid and haunting novel that weaves together historical fiction, supernatural horror, and coming-of-age themes. Set in 1920s colonial Hong Kong, the story follows Ling, a young woman caught between her family’s traditions and the turbulent sociopolitical currents of the time. As Ling uncovers strange disappearances tied to mythic horrors and colonial oppression, her journey through the Kowloon Walled City and the surrounding marshlands becomes a fight for truth, identity, and survival. The story is steeped in Chinese folklore, political tension, and eerie mystery, creating a rich and unsettling atmosphere.
From the first few pages, I was hooked. The prose is crisp, full of sensory detail, and never afraid to get gritty. Chow doesn’t just describe Hong Kong, she drags you into its alleys, lets you feel the damp walls of Kowloon, and hear the eerie lullabies whispered to children. I felt a real emotional attachment to Ling, a clever and fiercely curious young woman who manages to be brave even while terrified. Her relationship with her family, especially her younger brothers, grounded the novel in a warmth that balanced the story’s darker turns. And make no mistake, the horror elements here are chilling. The supernatural is strange, grotesque, and soaked in myth. Think Lovecraft meets The Monkey King.
Some chapters fly by in a haze of thrilling discoveries and shocking twists, while others linger long on introspection or minor characters’ subplots. That said, I appreciated how Chow dared to explore trauma without giving neat resolutions. Her portrayal of colonialism’s reach, how it deforms not just cities, but psyches, is brutal and honest. There’s a weight to this story that sticks with you.
Chasing Moonflowers is a powerful story that blends historical fiction and horror in a way that feels timeless. If you’re someone who enjoys complex female leads, folklore-laced thrillers, or tales of rebellion against monstrous systems—literal and figurative—this book’s for you. It shook me, entertained me, and made me think.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B0F1G51FWX
The Antidote Conspiracy
The Antidote Conspiracy is a genre-blending thriller that plunges readers into a web of biological warfare, government secrets, personal vendettas, and moral complexity. It follows a cast of richly layered characters—including rogue vaccine researcher Dr. Meria Brienviance, CDC scientist Zohana Goyal, and the morally gray Jafa Jernoim—as their paths twist around a conspiracy involving weaponized disease and the race to stop a biological attack. Glitter and Leroy, two agents from the covert Division of National Protection (DNP), anchor the narrative with their high-stakes missions and flawed humanity, revealing how science and espionage intertwine when the fate of thousands hangs in the balance.
What struck me most was Downing’s ability to craft backstories that felt deep and relatable. These aren’t cookie-cutter heroes and villains; they’re bruised and brilliant people haunted by their pasts. I found myself caring about Meria’s fight against bureaucracy and her unresolved grief. The flashbacks were poignant, painful, and sometimes shockingly real. The author doesn’t shy away from hard truths, and that makes the plot all the more immersive. The writing has a rhythm, a kind of cadence that, while occasionally a bit expository, still pulses with energy.
Then there’s the science. It’s everywhere. And I’ll admit, at times it slowed me down—lab protocols, petri dishes, titration details—but I respected it. Downing clearly knows his stuff and trusts the reader to keep up. What really hooked me, though, was how all that science folded into the drama. Auto-brewery syndrome as a real villain? Wild. Effective. Weirdly fascinating. And then pairing that with espionage and government secrets? That was great. The slow reveal of the conspiracy layered suspense in a way that paid off with satisfying twists. Were some moments a little too tidy or improbable? Sure. But when you’re racing across continents and dodging bullets on cruise ships, a little flair is forgiven.
If you’re into biomedical thrillers with ethical dilemmas and don’t mind a bit of technical jargon along the way, The Antidote Conspiracy delivers a smart and emotional ride. Fans of Michael Crichton or Robin Cook will probably love it. It’s for readers who like their action with brains and aren’t afraid to dive into the messiness of science and morality.
Pages: 221 | ASIN: B0F2FD5GS6
Finding Manhood In Scotland
In Finding Manhood in Scotland, Victor Atyas chronicles a man’s raw, restless search for masculinity and meaning through a solo road trip across the Scottish Highlands. Tired of the grind of library work and emotionally bruised by confrontations with disrespectful patrons, Mark decides to ditch comfort and routine for a rugged adventure inspired by historical ghosts, wild landscapes, and spiritual transformation. Mixing memoir, travelogue, and inner dialogue, the book follows him through ancient ruins, ghostly encounters, and soul-baring introspection.
What I liked most is how unfiltered Atyas is. The writing doesn’t try to be neat or tidy. It rambles, loops back, digresses and that’s part of its charm. In the opening chapters, we meet a man teetering on the edge of a midlife crisis, eating a stolen orange from a raven’s talons in Chaco Canyon, getting yelled at by ponytailed New Agers, and quitting his job in a rage after a library patron throws a book at his feet. The narrative is like overhearing someone muttering to themselves in a tent on a rainy night, honest, vivid, sometimes hilarious, and often surprisingly moving. His dream of being scolded by a Renaissance noble, “You are as daring as a rabbit,” perfectly captures the absurdity of self-doubt dressed up in grand metaphors.
At times, the book dives into emotionally raw territory, exploring moments of vulnerability and intense personal reaction. When Mark suspects a group of gypsies of stealing his laundry, his response is intense, shaped by years of suppressed anger and buried feelings of inadequacy. What stands out, though, is how he doesn’t shy away from examining these emotions. He confronts his own inner turmoil head-on, turning the episode into a moment of self-awareness. Rather than gloss over his flaws, Mark lays them bare, giving the story an honest, confessional quality that adds to its emotional depth.
One of the best sections is his eerie, almost mystical encounter with what he believes are Pictish ghosts at a fog-shrouded lake. He drives through mist, argues with a hallucinated version of a woman who robbed him, and is finally told by an inner voice to press forward. That moment, “Not even God Himself could have stopped me,” lands hard. He’s ridiculous, brave, and tragic all at once, and in that messy storm of feelings, something like transformation happens. I found myself rooting for him, even while shaking my head.
Finding Manhood in Scotland is for readers who appreciate messy, human stories about doubt, rage, beauty, and stumbling toward personal truth. It’s not a clean hero’s journey; it’s more like a muddy crawl across rainy pastures, fueled by oat bars, spite, and late-blooming courage. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s too late to change, or who’s needed a personal quest just to feel alive again.
Pages: 238
Family and the Bonds of Friendship
The Forsaken Planet follows an ordinary young man from suburban New England whose world is shattered when alien ships invade Earth, leading him to enlist in a different alien army to learn how to protect those he loves. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I had many inspirations. It really evolved from my love of epic fantasy and anything space-related, and wanting more books that blend the two. I started this story over twenty years ago while in my teens. I had read Ender’s Game only a couple of years before, and that was a major inspiration, especially towards the combat simulations in this book. Wheel of Time was another one. Its themes of the ordinary, innocent farm boys and girls becoming heroes, as well as its lore and the connection to the ancient past that the struggle during that series is linked to, that all rubbed off onto my own work. Lastly, the mini-series Band of Brothers is a big one. That is my favorite show of all time and it directly influenced many of my war-training scenes.
A lot of time was spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
The most important thing was to make them all diverse and different enough from one another. It is a grand story I have in store, one that only grows as the series expands. I needed to ensure that I laid a solid foundation for each character, as many of them have their own POVs and larger parts to play in this conflict as the series progresses. I think the roots I laid here will help them better stand on their own down the road, when it’s their time to shine.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It was critical for me to express the importance of family and the bonds of friendship. My story centers around these ideas and eventually asks some hard-hitting questions regarding them. We all want to protect those we love. But what if by doing that, we are putting others in harm’s way? That is a central theme as the series progresses, and it was the main focus of this installment to fully mold that bond, loyalty, and love between not just the core group of characters but those they meet along the way.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
This is the first book in the series, and book two (The Son of the Prophets) is already out. There is also a novella linked to the series (A Princess of Oldir), which can be read for free by anyone who signs up for my Readers List (newsletter) on my website. And book three (The Dark Element) actually comes out this month on May 20th, 2025.
Readers can expect a lot of the same. A story centered around Colt and Company and their loyalty towards one another, one with the intense combat sequences you grew to know in TFP, along with the mysteries of the past and prophets ever-growing. However, it all expands tenfold more than it did in book one, with the addition of many new POVs in books two and three, as well as events taking these characters away from one another, across the stars to multiple other planets, and to war.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
-The Power of the Stars-
“With it, we are capable of greatness or are a weapon that will only bring suffering to the universe.”
When mysterious aircraft wreak havoc across Earth’s skies, it is revealed that there are clusters of other planets where humankind resides, distant worlds where the people wield the power of the stars themselves. It is an energy force that can bring about miracles or, as the alien fleet’s ruthless leader displays, unleash horrors beyond imagination.
After experiencing a loss during the onslaught, Colton Samson, an ordinary college student, vows to protect his loved ones at any cost. But to learn the power to do so, he must enlist into the Army of the Universal Throne—a second alien force with its own agenda.
With the revelation of a secret prophecy foretelling humanity’s demise and Colton’s improbable role in preventing it, he embarks alongside a diverse group of friends to the Throne’s capital, the planet of Vintara. There he faces prejudice from supposed allies, lifelike combat simulations that test him to his core, and the looming threat of a universal war. Only by embracing his true potential can Colton hope to secure the safety he seeks, in a universe that views him as nothing more than Forsaken.
Resilience (sometimes) of the human spirit.
Evacuation Route follows a 57-year-old man looking to start life over after two divorces, two stints in jail, four tours in rehab, alienated children, and a stream of short-term menial jobs who comes into a large inheritance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
First, I wanted to write a literary novel in the style variously known as dirty realism, trailer park realism, or WalMart realism, but more literary than not. I’ve had some experience, long ago, with addiction, and I’ve met some characters where my family has a Florida winter retreat. Yes, a seedy trailer park. I won’t go there anymore for political reasons. I have also been in Florida during hurricane season, though never actually in one.
Your characters go through many deep and conflicting emotions that they are trying to work through. What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
Weaknesses and flaws that are sometimes overcome. Walt is making an effort, at least. Also, the changing sexual mores of persons of a certain age.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Redemption. Forgiveness. Resilience (sometimes) of the human spirit.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I’ve begun a dystopian novel about a character similar to Walt who is trying to survive and wring some happiness out of life as America descends into an unrecognisable state of fascism and economic collapse. Hope it will be literary, and a door-stop again.
I will be 78 if I can finish in three years. I thought that one would be enough but I missed the certainty of daily work on something that is already an idea. I’m also contemplating a third collection of short fiction. Ideas for stories are less reliable to come by.
What could go wrong in the fresh environment of Florida’s Nature Coast? The temptations of social life in a seedy trailer park community? The predations of the Great Recession? A girlfriend’s biker son? Increasingly volatile weather? How about all of the above?
LITERARY TITAN 