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Faythe of North Hinkapee: The Saga of a Young Woman’s Quest for Justice and Love in Colonial America
Women have faced countless challenges and obstacles throughout history, with their rights and freedoms being significantly limited. In colonial America, societal norms dictated that women were to be viewed as property and that their future was limited to marriage and children. In his book Faythe of North Hinkapee: The Saga of a Young Woman’s Quest for Justice and Love in Colonial America, James T. Hogg introduces us to a diverse cast of characters living in the town of North Hinkapee. Among the characters are Faythe and her younger sister Chloe, whose lives are forever changed after Chloe falls victim to a brutal assault by two influential town members. The book sheds light on how the incident impacts not only Chloe but also her family and those around her, providing a stark reminder of how class and gender played a significant role in colonial America.
Told from various points of view, the author has written a comprehensive and compelling narrative of the tragedy at play. Hogg’s masterful handling of multiple perspectives allows the reader to gain insight into the perspectives of Faythe, the men who hurt her sister and their family, the pastor in town, and the natives who inhabited the area originally. The different viewpoints all work together cohesively, with Hogg delivering this almost effortlessly. Although Hogg’s writing is generally engaging, one area that could improve is the dialogue, which sometimes can distract the reader from the story. At times I felt the language sounded too modern and did not fit with the colonial period. Nonetheless, despite this drawback, this story remains a captivating and thought-provoking read.
Faythe of North Hinkapee: The Saga of a Young Woman’s Quest for Justice and Love in Colonial is a gripping woman’s historical fiction novel. Hogg does a remarkable job of handling multiple POVs and tackling complex topics gracefully. Anyone interested in colonial America, gender roles, or compelling historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this novel.
Pages: 1,409 | ASIN : B0CWDRLS6C
Literary Titan Gold Book Award May 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
The Voice of God by Bill V. Lightsey
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award May 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Silver Book Award May 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
The Younglings: Mayhem & Magic
Helena M. Craggs’ third installment in The Younglings series welcomes back the gang of supernaturals who continue to fight for a safer world for both humans and magical creatures. In The Younglings: Mayhem & Magic, the same team of supernaturals find themselves in college and embroiled in action from the beginning. Rhys, the vampire-tracker and personal favorite of many readers, has caused mayhem by alerting the world to the existence of vampires, resulting in the death of two hundred people and videos of the Younglings using their powers flooding the internet. Meanwhile, the group travels through time to 1612 to ensure that the Veil of Souls grimoire remains intact.
This installment is narrated from various characters’ perspectives, which satisfies the readers’ desire to dive deeper into their minds. Rhys, in particular, is a complex anti-hero who adds drama and tension to the plot. He is fiercely jealous, bitter, and determined to have Eve as his Queen, and he is willing to eliminate the Younglings to achieve his goal. Craggs’ writing is quick-witted, adding an excellent flow to the novel. The alternating time periods are extrinsically described, allowing the reader to travel alongside the Younglings as they master their powers and navigate relationships, family, and schooling. It was heartwarming to see original protagonists like Quinn maintain their personalities throughout the series. One of the highlights of this novel is Quinn’s relationship progression with Eve, as well as the evolution of his relationship with his father. While these themes may be overlooked, readers who have followed Quinn’s background since Book 1 will appreciate the underlying message of the importance of family bonds and trust.
The book is well-written, the plot is captivating, and the characters are well-rounded and memorable. This installment of the series is a testament to Craggs’ skill as a writer and her ability to keep the story fresh and exciting. If you are looking for a great read combining action, romance, and magic, then The Younglings: Mayhem & Magic is worth your time.
Pages: 312 | ASIN : B0BTMB8FXB
Engelstatt
Engelstatt by Samuel Church follows a group of university students on a trip to Austria, which turns into a harrowing struggle for survival in a neo-Nazi camp. The story’s protagonist, Jacob Liro, is an aspiring artist from New York who feels suffocated by the city’s busy atmosphere. Despite his mother’s disapproval, Jacob joins his friends on the trip to Austria to explore the country’s beautiful landscapes and monuments.
Engelstatt offers readers an immersive and imaginative experience with its stunning descriptions of Austria’s aesthetic regions and accurate representation of New York’s frenzied environment. The characters in the novel are depicted authentically and face issues that are relatable to young Americans today. For instance, Jacob seeks therapy to cope with the traumatic memories of a school shooting. The book also includes reflective moments that delve into its major themes. The novel exposes the depravity of humanity when people blindly follow the crowd and ignore their self-awareness.
I felt that the interactions between characters appear to overshadow their internal monologues. It can be overwhelming to see the characters express their thoughts in groups rather than individually, making it challenging to connect with them. Nevertheless, Engelstatt delivers an exhilarating, heart-pounding historical thriller filled with explosive action, shootings, deadly games, and risky escape schemes. I was on the edge of my seat, never knowing what to expect but trusting in Samuel’s ability to keep adding captivating twists to keep me engrossed in the story.
I highly recommend the gripping novel, Engelstatt to readers of horror and historical fiction. Readers will be inspired by its protagonists’ unwavering energy and determination to fight for their lives even when the odds are against them.
Pages: 248 | ASIN : B0BZXYNSJ9
Make My Readers Question That Norm
The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution follows a young hero in a land of darkness who is destined to restore light to his world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The concept of Light vs Dark typically revolves around Good vs. Evil. The Young Revolution sets this up to be the usual case, but there are aspects involved in the first chapters involving Seth’s mother and later on in the series that will make my readers question that norm. Maybe there is a place, a reason, for Darkness in the world? Maybe the Light is too good to be true? Lady Eve, Seth’s mother, representing the “Moon with a Dark side” has a lot of meaning readers will catch on to as the series progresses. This part in the setup was what I had planned for a while. The vagueness behind the essences of Light and Darkness match with the fact that Seth is still a growing hero who has much to learn. The readers will learn more about Eden at the same pace Seth and his companions do which leads to many twists and turns in the plot.
Seth is filled with doubts about his abilities to carry on his mother’s legacy and save Eden from the darkness. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Throughout the series, I never wanted to portray Seth as the typical hero that simply saves the day because “that is his destiny/purpose.” Seth very much has to rely on others, even from the very beginning of the book. He may be the “main” protagonist, but that doesn’t mean he is better or more important than any of the other brave and talented souls he meets along his journey. He never could do this alone, and that is the point I make with his character. There is nothing wrong with getting help, because together, we as people can achieve anything no matter who we are.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There are many positive messages that relate to our own world that I hope my readers take away from The Cycle of Eden. In many ways, Eden is obviously a representation of our own Earth and the moral dilemmas we as humans put it through. A major lesson in The Young Revolution is “…the best way to find kindness is by sharing your own.” No matter how dark and lonely the world feels, kindness will always be the unifier, for we all seek it and deserve it. In general, the major message I discuss as the series goes on is the importance of history. As long as we learn from our past mistakes, the hope for changing for the betterment of the world will always exist. There are also some dark moments, but another relevant theme in The Young Revolution is finding the strength to survive. Any reason to keep getting up after we are hit down, big or small, is worth it. Self-Discovery and character growth are big components that were important to me as well, the ability to have relatability with the characters. Understanding why certain characters are the way they are and why they find a reason to change gives us perspective for people in our own world.
Where does the story go in the next book and where do you see it going in the future?
A fun fact is that the entire Cycle of Eden series is already written and completed, so its future is quite clear to me. The fast-paced action will always be a huge staple in the Cycle of Eden series; however, book #2 gives us a special focus on Internal Conflict whereas The Young Revolution was heavy on External Conflict. There will be a lot more emotional turmoil and desperation in Seth’s destiny. In The Young Revolution, we saw that the Neo God is physically and spiritually powerful in the ways of using Darkness. In Book #2, we will see a whole other side to his deviousness, the mental torture he can inflict on the heroes. I can assure that those who enjoyed The Young Revolution will love this next book, because we will be entering a sequel where trust is put on a wobbly pedestal ready to fall at any moment, and I am very excited for it to be published.
There are a lot of vague hints I drop at the start of the series, especially in Book #1 and #2, that readers aren’t supposed to understand until they finish the series or read through it again. I love the moment in storytelling where I go back and notice/recognize an aspect I didn’t or couldn’t realize before. Those moments of “Ohhhh, that’s why this was written.” or “Ohhhh, the author was referencing this the entire time!” are both rewarding for the readers and the author. That’s what I’m hoping to give my readers in the future as this series goes on.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The Darkness cursing Eden’s history has festered long enough. The time for change, a Young Revolution, has come.
Eden is a world of unrecognized history and potential, potential that is found in the heart of this cycle’s prophesied hero, Seth. His mother was historically important to Eden’s previous rebirth. So, when this monarch of good is murdered before Seth’s eyes by his older brother, the young hero is left alone in an Eden spiraling into darkness. Yet, unknown to Seth, there is a gift his mother passed on to him, one that allows the candle of hope to burn ever so dimly. Can this charismatic goofball reclaim Eden like his mother did in the past? However, the Age of Light she created failed. Maybe Darkness is the true path for Eden after all?
In The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution we experience the beginning of a fantasy series with many growing characters and intense action sequences that interchange between sighs of relief to heartbreaking tragedies. Daniel Varona’s fast paced style keeps your fingertips eager to turn the next page as you dive into Eden’s intricate storylines that affect the series till the end.
LITERARY TITAN 