Blog Archives
BLOOD OF YARUMAYA
Blood of Yarumaya by Kevin D. Miller follows Isabella Delgado. She’s a wealthy botany student from Malibu who travels to the Amazon rainforest for an internship. Her mentor is Dr. Dominic Quinn. He’s a brilliant but secretive scientist who appears much younger than he is. They discover a complex biological secret to anti-aging that involves rare tree resin and special bees. A corrupt politician named Julio Ortega wants this secret for his own gain. He hires mercenaries to attack the indigenous Kawirén tribe to get it. Izzy must use her newfound survival skills to save Quinn and protect the forest from destruction.
I found the character arc of Isabella surprisingly engaging. She starts the story as a somewhat entitled gymnast. She quickly transforms into a capable survivor. Her growth felt earned rather than just given to her. The romance between her and Quinn is sweet. It also carries a unique tension due to his actual age versus his appearance. I felt genuine anxiety during the raid on the village. Miller does a wonderful job of making you care about the Kawirén people. You desperately want them to survive the encroaching threats of the modern world.
The book tackles heavy themes like deforestation and corporate greed head-on. I appreciated this direct approach because it did not feel overly preachy. The science behind the longevity serum was fascinating to me. I loved the twist with the “rapid aging” weapon used against Ortega near the end. It was a satisfying bit of poetic justice.
I enjoyed this thrilling adventure. It carries a real emotional punch that stuck with me. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fast-paced eco-thrillers. Fans of adventure stories with a strong romantic subplot will also like it. It is a perfect read for anyone who has ever dreamed of escaping civilization to find something deeper in the wild.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0FTMC4WGN
JAQUEJAW: A Horror Story
JaqueJaw is a chilling tale that blends genetic science, backwoods folklore, and psychological unraveling into a brutal and oddly poetic horror story. The novel follows the gruesome rise of a monstrous creature, the Jaquejaw, engineered deep in the woods of New Jersey by a broken, brilliant man named David L. Bardd. With childhood trauma, a twisted fascination with chaos, and unchecked scientific ambition fueling him, Bardd becomes obsessed with creating the ultimate predator. The story unfolds in a fragmented, fever-dream structure, alternating between past and present, visions and reality, offering a tapestry of madness, myth, and gore as Bardd’s beast is unleashed on hikers, townsfolk, and, ultimately, himself.
I liked the writing style. It’s raw, jagged, and often poetic. Hanson’s prose doesn’t play it safe. Sentences dart, stutter, and roar just like the monster they describe. One page feels like a nightmare; the next, a tragic journal entry. There’s a strange beauty in the horror, especially in Bardd’s hallucinations and his descent into isolation and obsession. The Jaquejaw is more than a monster. It’s a metaphor for guilt, trauma, and the madness of unchecked genius. Hanson doesn’t just want to scare you; he wants you to squirm, reflect, and maybe even feel a little sorry for the monster and its maker.
This book is not an easy ride. It’s dense. It veers off into tangents. Characters sometimes feel like sketches pulled from a dream, not fully real, just symbols or shadows in Bardd’s spiraling mind. But somehow, that works. It makes you feel like you’re in a warped fairytale told through the mind of someone unraveling. Still, I found myself wishing for more grounding at times. The horror is vivid and unrelenting, viciously imaginative, but the emotional weight is what lingers. Bardd’s loneliness and the strange tenderness he sometimes shows is the reason why Jaquejaw stuck with me.
JaqueJaw is brutal, weird, and doesn’t hold your hand. But for fans of horror who appreciate raw, unfiltered storytelling and want something with psychological bite beneath the blood and teeth, this book delivers. It’s like Frankenstein meets The Thing with a heavy splash of hallucinogenic dread. If you like your horror loud, sad, and just a little too close to home, then JaqueJaw might just burrow into your brain and stay there.
Pages: 157 | ASIN : B0DW3MSMVW
The Greater Good
In The Greater Good by Dr. Frank J. Sapienza, readers are plunged into a riveting contemporary medical thriller that keeps them glued to the pages. The story introduces us to Jonathan Morrison, a dedicated ER doctor navigating the complexities of a recent divorce and caring for a child with cystic fibrosis. His life takes a sharp turn when he encounters cluster headaches and meets Darla, who brings a refreshing energy to his life. Amidst these personal challenges, Jonathan is presented with a dubious yet tempting offer from Emory Stone, a pharmaceutical representative. This proposition involves covertly collecting DNA for a project aimed at curing cystic fibrosis, the very condition afflicting his son, but it teeters on the edge of legality.
The narrative thrives on its well-paced plot, full of unexpected twists that keep readers engaged and guessing. The characters are convincingly portrayed, lending authenticity to the story. The blend of description, action, and dialogue creates a seamless reading experience complemented by a subtle romantic subplot. The novel also delves into significant ethical questions surrounding genetic data collection, consent, and privacy, adding a layer of thought-provoking complexity.
While I found the story captivating, a bit more character development and interaction could have enriched the narrative, offering deeper insights into their motivations. Expanding on the characters’ dialogues and relationships would have added further dimensions to the story.
The Greater Good by Dr. Frank J. Sapienza is a suspense-filled medical thriller that will entertain those looking for a gripping and straightforward read. This is the perfect book for vacations or long travels, and readers will find much to appreciate in this novel.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B0CP2Y7NQQ
GENEFIRE
Genefire by James Flanagan is a captivating science fiction novel that delves into the complexities of genetic science and its potential future implications. The story follows Milton, a dedicated Ph.D. student, who uncovers a startling genetic message in the DNA of a young girl. This message foretells a future where genetic patents have spiraled out of control, leading to catastrophic consequences. Milton’s discovery sets him on a path filled with challenges, threatening his academic career as he races against time to reveal the truth of his findings.
The narrative skillfully blends authentic scientific concepts with imaginative sci-fi elements, appealing to readers who appreciate hard science fiction. The plot is enriched by intelligent, resourceful characters who unravel genetic mysteries and envision life in International Space Stations as genetically modified humans. The book excels in depicting time travel, genetic modifications, and space exploration, making it a delight for science fiction enthusiasts.
Flanagan employs a mix of first-person and third-person perspectives, weaving together two significant storylines. This technique allows readers to deeply engage with the distinct worlds and experiences of the characters. The novel is suspenseful and urgent, exploring themes such as earth preservation, scientific innovation, sacrifice, integrity, and empathy.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I felt the character relationships, particularly Milton’s friendships and romantic connections, could have been more deeply explored to add depth to the narrative. However, fans of character-driven science fiction will likely find much to appreciate in these dynamics.
Genefire is a gripping read for those who revel in science fiction, particularly stories rich in suspense and thought-provoking themes. The book entertains and offers insightful reflections on our responsibility to protect our planet. It’s a journey that promises to transport readers into a mesmerizing and reflective state, making it a compelling choice for any sci-fi reader’s bookshelf.
Pages: 314 | ASIN : B0CD7YLDXR
ReInception
In Sarena Straus’s novel ReInception, an amazing medical procedure (the titular “reinception”) modifies a client’s brain to modify their behavior and unwanted desires, whether that be a change in personality, the removal of a bad habit or anything else the client may want. After a terror attack at a protest against the lower classes’ treatment, protagonist Leandrea finds herself sucked into an underground movement against both the procedure and those pushing it and is forced to confront the full implications of both the modifications and the purposes of the people behind it.
ReInception’s greatest strength comes from the thought Straus clearly put into her premise. We see in dialogue, action, and elements of the setting how making a procedure like reinception accepted and even commonplace would change society and social attitudes and the social and philosophical divisions likely to arise from it. Some characters are wholly invested in it and whose lives have been drastically improved, some even going so far as to wish it to become mandatory. In contrast, others question the wisdom and morality of essentially eliminating part of a person’s free will. Though the narrative favors the “free will” side of things, this isn’t just a morality play; every character is well fleshed-out and believably acting how they deem best.
The narrative unfolds at a good pace; Straus successfully establishes a potentially difficult premise and setting in the first few chapters without resorting to infodumps, and quickly introduces our protagonist and gets the story moving. The dialogue is also natural and believable throughout, even when the discussions get philosophical. The conspiracy central to the main plot is unveiled gradually throughout the novel; Straus shares enough to hold the reader’s interest, but one always has the sense that there’s more to this world than what’s on the surface.
ReInception is an excellent science fiction novel with a focus on genetic engineering. The adventure readers go on as they follow the characters in the battle for humanity’s free will is engaging and thrilling. With the moral question of what is right or wrong and what is the benefit for society as a whole at the forefront of this novel, it will be hard to put down once you start.
Pages: 289 | ASIN : B0B9RG47LN
Restart
Restart by Drew Samuelsen is a dystopian tale of thirteen-year-old Ulysses, who finds himself alone after a strange event has killed most of the world’s population. Fearing for his Mother, who never came home from work, he sets out to find her. Along the way, he acquires a group of friends and learns the world’s own technology was used to decimate the population. They also soon know not all humans hit by this technological-based attack were killed; some were changed into deadly, almost animal-like killing machines. Can Ulysses and his friends avoid technology and murderous humans while looking for their loved ones?
I like that the vessel to bring about the apocalypse is technology. This also turns the book into a fear-inducing one; I kept thinking about all the tech around me that could be used against me. It leads to a bit of a chilling reading experience. The action was well-paced, and the story kept me intrigued. I also liked this book because it provided light moments in this dark situation. The tone was really a fun one. The fault I’ve found with other dystopian novels is that they are too heavy, with no moments to break up the bleakness; thankfully, this one suffered from no such problems.https://amzn.to/3UxUsvX
I found the book’s frequent foreshadowing took away from many surprise twists in the story that I’d liked to have been able to have gone in unwarned for. I also felt too many things just got handed to the characters. It was like everything they needed fell right into their laps. I am glad they managed to have what they needed to survive, but I would have liked them to work a little harder for it in some cases.
Restart: Book 1 (The Restart Series) is a captivating young adult dystopian story. It had the right amount of chilling and humor that balanced it well. In addition, it gave some unique ideas about how an apocalypse might go. I highly recommend this to any dystopian and science fiction fans.
Pages: 160 | ASIN : B0BJYD1KWW
Midgard
Sam Richmond is brilliant. It’s no wonder, with a famous scientist for a mother. In a time when the Doomsday Clock predicts the downfall of humanity, Sam finds himself in a position working for a renowned scientist, working on the Capsule program, building habitable domes for human life. But everything is not as it seems. Sam’s mother becomes one of the Disappeared; despite months spent searching, Sam cannot locate her. Later, disaster strikes, nearly killing Sam’s two closest friends. He learns then that the higher authorities are keeping secrets from him, which could spell disaster for humanity should they ever be released to the public. Sam knows he can trust no one and renews his efforts to find his mother.
Midgard by Jeanne Hull Godfroy is the first book of a science fiction series about the potential downfall of humanity and the efforts to keep themselves alive. Humans are racing against time when the Earth will no longer sustain them. Using technology and his immense brain power, Sam tries to stay ahead, using models to understand the past and predict the future.
As Godfroy’s debut novel, Midgard is a look at the future of humanity if we continue to disregard Earth’s ability to sustain human life. In Sam Richmond’s world, humans can’t even walk outside without special suits to protect them from the elements. Godfroy does an excellent job showing the reader this future, which is unsettling and scary.
I felt that in some places of the story, it tends to move fast, to the point where the reader doesn’t quite have a handle on what is happening in the story. Part of this is the author’s decision to withhold much information from the reader, which we discover after Sam has already figured it out. However, I was impressed by Godfroy’s style and execution for a first novel. It is evident through Sam’s scientific predictions and the worldbuilding that Godfroy spent time researching and crafting a believable story.
Midgard is a captivating, exciting science fiction dystopia novel with suspense and mystery. Readers will be drawn into this frightening reality of the future and will be on edge, waiting to see if humanity can survive.
Pages: 218 | ASIN : B0BCPJFWJ4
TREEZZ
Raymond Graf’s Treezz is a novel that touches on some of the prominent issues of our time, and sees sentient trees, or Treezz, making the decision to work alongside humans in order to combat humanity’s greed and propensity for environmental destruction which threatens their existence. Jeremiah Simpson and Becca Carlsbad, the duo chosen as representatives by the Treezz, join with wealthy entrepreneur siblings Robert and Elaina McAlister, who have put together a team of scientists to devise free herbal medications and establish environmental conservation areas to protect the Treezz. Along the way, they build relationships and antagonize corporations.
Treezz is a poignant sci-fi story with an important message concerning the sustainability of humanity’s treatment of our planet. It gives a telepathic voices to the Treezz and asks what they might say if they could communicate with the species which is cutting them down for profit. Interestingly, given their willingness to take physical action when the need arises, the Treezz choose to work collaboratively and peacefully with humans through their champions.
Characterization in Treezz is good overall, with the main characters having distinct voices. Becca is one of the more believable characters as a quirky young woman who speaks her mind, often to the surprise of other characters. I felt that the emphasis on how young she looks coupled with how attractive she is (only after a makeover) to be a belabored point that is reflective of narrow societal views on femininity, and the author does a great job of showing the objectification of females frequently throughout the story, which causes readers to reflect on how points of view change our perspectives of individuals.
Dialogue from one of the most important parties, the Treezz, is rare as they are reduced to the role of an overseer, sharing whatever secrets Jeremiah needs to drive the work of the scientists forward in moments that are told to readers. I would have loved to have seen the important message of environmental awareness and conservation expanded on because what the author does give us is very interesting and the idea of interspecies communication is throughout-provoking and begs to be explored further. However, I did enjoy the herbal remedies focus, as I did find it intriguing and felt that it did provide some structure to the storyline.
Treezz is a unique science fiction adventure novel that looks at some of the current-day environmental issues we are facing. The relevant topics combined with genetic engineering and science fiction make this a fascinating read for those that love environmental thrillers and want to see a glimmer of hope for restoring the environment to its healthy state.
Pages: 352 | ASIN : B09N4QX8K1
LITERARY TITAN 