Blog Archives
A Curious Host – Book Trailer
A Curious Host follows a scavenging yellow dog, our improbable protagonist, as he wanders his way in and out of the lives of residents living in a place identified only as “the plain town.”
Skillfully presented, each chapter is a vignette where past and present are intertwined and the true nature of time is artfully captured. The characters include a young waitress living out of her car, a cigar-smoking poker-playing widow, a white-haired biologist, and the dog’s owner who persistently pursues his lost animal.
As readers journey through each separate, but related scene, a startling truth unfolds: something is killing the not-so-ordinary citizens of the small and outwardly simple community. Unwilling to accept this as coincidence, the town’s doctor searches for a pattern—some connection that links the deaths together—before it’s too late.
Avery masterfully weaves humor, nostalgia, clear-eyed observation, and dispassionate reflection to create an exploration of themes as old as time itself, including companionship, salvation, immortality, the tension between choice and chance, and the struggle to find meaning in an existence seemingly defined by fate and the natural cycles of life, death, and renewal.
The Quantum Effect
![The Quantum Effect: "Mission COVID-19" (The Quantum Effect - Vol. 1) by [Nicklois Leonard]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/518atd017oL.jpg)
Clint Maxwell and Paul Mitchell, the Commanding Officer and the Command Chief of the Navy SEAL team, learn of intelligence that leaves them speechless. Upon reviewing the potential mission files, they come across information that indicates three of their team members have died during an extraction that has already succeeded without any casualties. An exploration of the spread of COVID-19 through a fictional scenario, The Quantum Effect “Mission COVID-19” begins with humanity’s greatest discovery, The Quantum Transporter, and ends where the journey of QSTCC: Quantum Space-Time Continuum Command begins.
This riveting science fiction book, written by debut author Nicklois Leonard, has a narrative that is told in reverse-chronological order. As a consequence, the first chapter may seem confusing at first, but gradually it becomes clearer. Besides the COVID 19 mission to confirm to the world the route of origin of the deadly virus, the novel also incorporates the groundbreaking discovery by two U.S. scientists of a technology capable of altering the past as well as the future.
The plots in this science fiction thriller is concise and and gets right into the action. Aside from the CIA, Navy, health, and defense ministries involved in the plot, the story feels like an adventure film due to its fast-pace and rapid plot twists.
As the book has no long scenes, the reader is able to easily follow the plot even when things move fast and scenes come and go quickly. Readers who enjoy military action stories that don’t bog you down in the details will enjoy this suspenseful novel. This is a plot focused story that doesn’t spend a lot of time developing characters, aside from their physical attributes, so if you’re a reader that wants to be dropped into the middle of the action then this story is for you.
COVID-19 has been the subject of several conspiracy theories throughout the world. The author elaborates on his understanding of how it originated. Moreover, with the brief description of New York in 2035 covered in debris, there is the implication that if not properly attended to, the outcome of massive technology beyond human control could be catastrophic. Is this an indication of the subject of the author’s next book as well?
The Quantum Effect: “Mission COVID-19” is a thrilling science fiction story that I recommend to readers who enjoy action-packed adventure novels that never forgets to entertain the reader.
Pages: 141 | ASIN: B09JFHT2HR
More Realistic
Unwitting follows Dr. Rosen who discovers an autistic man with information on a terrorist who is bombing public places. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I wanted to write a story about an autistic individual—not the high-functioning type usually portrayed in movies and TV. I wanted my character to be more realistic, representative of those who are severely impaired in terms of communication and social interactions.
Dr. Rosen is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Being a physician myself, I think she represents the ideals most physicians hold to be important. The large majority of those who go into the field have a strong moral compass and want to help others, so her behaviour wasn’t a stretch.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to show a realistic view of the difficulties faced by autistic individuals, and those who care for them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on the third book in the Erica Rosen MD Trilogy. This book will be called Unforeseen and deals with the pharmaceutical industry. I’m hoping it will be available mid-2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Erica becomes involved after a teacher of young autistic men calls her. The teacher believes her students are involved in the bombing but is afraid to contact law enforcement. She reaches out to Erica, who has experience with special needs children.
Erica arrives at the school but finds the police already there and a young autistic man doing a jigsaw puzzle, oblivious to his murdered teacher on the floor. The young man has information about the mastermind behind the bombing but has limited ability to speak. Erica is determined to protect him, prevent further bombings, and find his missing classmates.
The Saga Of The Janus Key
Chasing Time follows a retired professor who races against the clock to find a lost magical key that has the power to save his terminally ill wife. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I’ve heard so many real-life stories of patients, including friends and acquaintances, diagnosed with debilitating or terminal diseases that I wanted to create an uplifting story, albeit fictional in nature, that could provide some hope and optimism even in the most difficult times in dealing with such diseases. I added a fantasy element, i.e., the Janus key, to provide an additional level of suspense and adventure. My experience as a biomedical scientist provided much of the basis for the scientific elements throughout the book.
Tony Lucas is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
The schoolboy Tony is modeled after many of my own experiences growing up in Brooklyn in the 1960s. I reasoned that a history professor was a perfect role for the adult Tony since Chasing Time deals with integrating past, present, and even future events, and what else is history but studying the past and applying such lessons to avoid future mistakes and mishaps. Ann, the wife, is portrayed as a strong and impactful woman, whose unique insights perfectly complement Tony’s grit and determination.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
An important ideal throughout the entire book is the importance of family in providing support and love. Another critical theme is the value of persistence and resilience in achieving goals. Finally, olive oil plays a central role throughout the entire story because it has long been held as a symbol for many of the characteristics I tried to express in Chasing Time including: victory, perseverance, wisdom, and health.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The saga of the Janus key continued with a new cast of characters. Brian, a disgraced and downtrodden scientist, seeks redemption through his interactions with Julie, a young college student touched by tragedy but determined to achieve her goal of becoming a veterinarian. To achieve their goals, and to prevent a medical tragedy, they must unravel clues to future events provided by a strange Janus key, handed down to Julie from her father. This next chapter in the Janus key series is expected out in early 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![Chasing Time by [Thomas Reilly]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BEXV0dkuL.jpg)
Devastated by his wife’s terminal illness, retired teacher Tony Lucas seeks to recapture a lost magical key from his youth that has the power to predict the future and use it to unravel additional mysteries that could save her. Racing against time as the disease extracts its unforgiving toll, Tony embarks on an amazing quest involving a series of unexpected plot twists, cryptic clues, and memorable characters.
Driven by a strong male lead, this heartwarming book combines realistic medical elements with a hint of fantasy to create a gripping, suspenseful narrative. Reilly spins a compelling tale of a devoted husband’s resilience and perseverance as he pursues a life-saving mission that extends from Ancient Rome to modern-day America to the olive orchards of Spain.
Unwitting
![Unwitting (Erica Rosen MD Trilogy Book 2) by [Deven Greene]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41cpgmWzmuL._SY346_.jpg)
Unwitting is a Medical Thriller and just like Book 1 Unnatural, it is full of suspense and intriguing murders.
Our main character, Dr. Erica Rosen, is just settling into her new life with Lim, when a suicide bombing occurs in the Oracle Park near Dr. Rosen’s home. Such an incident alone would make people feel queasy and anxious, and Erica is in the same boat. Picking herself up, she goes to work where she finds out from a strange call that someone had trained autistic teenagers to be bombers. I loved this take on the story. Unnatural was all about DNA and gene editing, but with Unwitting the author had taken a psychological approach. The harrowing idea that the innocents, that too autistic would make such good suicide bombers really makes the readers think how dangerous a weapon they can become. But at the same time, Zaron, an autistic student went out of his way to help Dr. Rosen solve the case.
This book explores the difficulties and complications that occurs when a person is autistic, yet at the same time they are very intelligent as well. Reading through the book, it kept reminding me of the TV series The Good Doctor in its ability to portray humanity and deep intrigue in genuine human interaction.
While I enjoyed the story I felt that it had a slow start. There was a lot of information from book one to absorb, which helps readers familiarize themselves with the first book, but it felt like a lot up front. After this section though, the book begins to build up that thrilling level of intrigue fans have come to expect.
Unwitting is an action packed medical thriller that effortlessly combines drama with science to create a suspenseful story that will appeal to readers looking for a unique setup to a crime thriller.
Pages: 314 | ASIN: B09CFHJDBR
Holland Park – Book Trailer
‘No…no she was improving when the ambulance arrived. She can’t be dead. She just can’t!’ he sobs while Max looks on with tears in his eyes.
An American girl Morgan has a cardiac arrest while on a family holiday in London with her brother Max and their parents Kelly and John. She is rushed to the nearest hospital but dies suspiciously during the operation. The family demands a full investigation, but nothing takes place.
Ten years later Max completes his final year as a medical student in the U.S.A. and accepts an offer to participate on a residency program in London, where he becomes deeply suspicious of the medical practices of a particular surgeon. The person who may have operated on his sister.
Health Reformation: Murder, Medicine and Rehab in the Age of Pandemics
![Health Reformation: Murder, Medicine and Rehab in the Age of Pandemics by [J. N. de Bedout]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51sfzpzwKaL.jpg)
Jason needs immediate medical attention, and he wants it without any strings attached or any obstacles. Is that really too much to ask? His wife’s career in health services should be enough to get him in and seen quickly, but things aren’t going quite as smoothly as he had hoped. At literally every turn on his way to the hospital, Jason encounters one hindrance after another. In addition to the delays, Jason hears nothing but negativity regarding his impending hospital visit–the odds, he is told, aren’t good that he will come out alive. Should Jason believe them, or should he forge ahead?
Health Reformation: Murder, Medicine and Rehab in the Age of Pandemics, by J.N. de Bedout, sounds like a true crime novel but ends up be a very enlightening read. The author has created a startling representation of a future in which pandemics have ravaged the world and devastated the healthcare system in more ways than one. For every advancement in technology and communication, there are at least a dozen pitfalls.
Throughout J.N. de Bedout’s work, readers will find frighteningly accurate portrayals of telemedicine visits gone wrong, technical glitches that make it virtually impossible to receive an accurate diagnosis, and a society where machines rule. Jason, one of the book’s main characters, is all of us. His frustration is real, and it is very relatable. The fear of not being able to make oneself understood to health care providers can be all-consuming. As Jason battles to simply share his symptoms and explain himself, readers will feel his agony.
Time and time again, J.N. de Bedout hits home with substantive references to healthcare. Health insurance, the availability of quality care, and timely treatments are on the minds of most readers. The topic of pandemics and the ways in which they impact society makes this a poignant read even though it falls into the thriller category.
Health Reformation: Murder, Medicine and Rehab in the Age of Pandemics will have readers feel every ounce of the mental exhaustion experienced by Jason. The author has done a fantastic job of taking readers on a journey into the future while at the same time pulling them into a thrilling plot. I recommend J.N. de Bedout’s work to anyone looking for a especially timely medical thrill ride.
Pages: 172 | ASIN: B08NH13RXB
LITERARY TITAN 