Blog Archives
The Meeting Place
Ruth Rosenhek’s The Meeting Place is a gripping dystopian novel that blends climate catastrophe, government overreach, and human resilience into a tense and emotional narrative. Set in a near-future Australia ravaged by environmental disasters and public health crises, the story follows Gale, Lis, and Sara—three women navigating a world where civil liberties have been stripped away under the guise of public safety. As the government enforces mass detainments in high-tech quarantine facilities, the characters are thrust into a desperate struggle for survival, autonomy, and truth. With a haunting sense of realism, the novel explores themes of resistance, friendship, and the terrifying ease with which democratic societies can descend into authoritarian control.
One of the strongest aspects of the novel is its unrelenting tension. From the very first pages, when Sara barely escapes a collapsing bridge during a flash flood, the story grips you and doesn’t let go. The novel’s pacing is relentless, mirroring the anxiety and helplessness of its characters. The most striking scene for me was Gale’s forced detainment, the sheer horror of being rounded up, stripped of agency, and subjected to involuntary medical procedures is chilling. Rosenhek’s writing style is vivid and immersive, making it easy to feel Gale’s panic as she is injected with a paralytic serum and implanted with a tracking chip. It’s disturbing in the best way, leaving me unsettled long after I put the book down.
The character development is another standout feature. Lis, the artist who initially shrugs off government control in favor of focusing on her creative work, undergoes one of the most compelling transformations. Her slow realization that she has been willfully ignorant adds a layer of depth to the story. The moment she chooses to save a lost toddler instead of escaping unscathed is incredibly moving, and it highlights her innate compassion and recklessness. Rosenhek does a fantastic job of making these characters feel like real people, flawed and messy but ultimately relatable. David, Lis’s son, also deserves mention, his survival instincts, shaped by generational trauma, make for some of the most harrowing and heart-wrenching moments in the book.
The novel’s social commentary is sharp and unsettlingly prescient. The depiction of a society where crises are used to justify increasing surveillance and authoritarian measures feels terrifyingly plausible. The “Public Order Department” and its blacked-out transport buses are reminiscent of historical and contemporary crackdowns on civil liberties. The eeriest part? The way ordinary people just accept it, because resisting seems futile. The slow boil of control, where citizens willingly trade freedom for perceived safety, is executed masterfully. It’s impossible not to draw parallels to real-world events, making the book feel like both a warning and a prophecy.
I highly recommend The Meeting Place to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction with a social conscience. If you liked The Handmaid’s Tale or 1984, this book will hit hard. It’s gripping, emotional, and alarmingly relevant. Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with high stakes and moral dilemmas will find themselves hooked. Be prepared, though, it’s not an easy read. It will make you uncomfortable, it will make you think, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished the final page. But in a world where truth is often stranger than fiction, perhaps stories like this are exactly what we need.
Pages: 235 | ASIN : B0DWRBVD41
Cockatoos in the Mangroves
Vanessa Lee-AhMat boldly confronts racism and prejudice against the indigenous Australians in her collection of poetry Cockatoos in the Mangroves. In this unforgettable collection, she profusely expresses her love and pride in her heritage, exemplifying her cultural identity as an Aboriginal-Torres Strait Islander and relaying her rich cultural experience on the island. This thought-provoking book is categorized into three sections, each containing twenty-two, eighteen, and nineteen poems respectively, each channeling distinct confessions and experiences. However, their expressions have one thing in common- pain.
The author begins with the category ‘Cutting Through The Racism,’ with a poem that forms the basis of this category. The poem describes a speck of history, when Terra Nullius was declared over indigenous Australians’ lands, thus robbing them of their land and culture, but lauding it as commendable in the pages of history. This category offers a variety of viewpoints regarding the discrimination of indigenous Australians and the bigotry directed at them, shedding light on suicides that are the result of humanity’s failure to fully accept them. The author makes a scathing attack on the system falsely claiming support, but she eventually bounces back with a drive and strength of a resilient woman.
‘Becoming,’ the second category in the collection, has some of the most striking poetry, including poems that are indicative of black woman’s fortitude and perseverance in the face of continual opposition and discrimination. In this category, one also sees the author’s staunch pride in her old-age customs and civilizations. The collection concludes with the category ‘Black Earth,’ which raises new issues about the government’s and people’s careless destruction of the ancestors’ land, animals, and other natural resources, which are being devoured by wildfire. The section chiefly warns the ignorant, ‘privileged’ population to act before unfavorable climate changes make everyone pay dearly for their irresponsible acts. Cockatoos in the Mangroves, the title of the poetry book, is the final poem, which wonderfully summarizes all of the major ideas in the poem.
When read without any context, the poems at first appear to be jumbled memories and thoughts. However, when these dispersed feelings are assembled and seen in the light of the context, the thoughts come together wonderfully and with clarity. The author has bravely articulated the injustices that individuals have endured simply for being indigenous Australians, venting and condemning the hierarchies that have so egregiously worn the blind cloth to the injustices that have been perpetrated against communities.
Cockatoos in the Mangroves is a moving collection of poems that are brief and direct. Readers that appreciate raw realism, history, and deep meaningful poetry will find this collection a much-needed addition to their library.
Pages: 108 | ASIN : B08L62WZTM
Beyond the Physical Realm
J. Elizaga Author Interview
Penchant Revealed follows Miles as he discovers his superhuman anomaly after he protects his wife from a paranormal attack. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling novel?
I originally outlined a simple possession/horror story but it did not feel exciting or unique. Plus, I did not want yet another story showcasing an evil subject getting away with things. By chance, I watched a rerun of Ancient Aliens which speculated that alien DNA had been incorporated into human DNA. Suddenly, the idea that if nature finds a way, and alien DNA had been suppressed in human DNA, that it would manifest eventually– that is why there are seers who can see beyond the physical realm, or ghost whisperers who could speak with spirits–came to me, my Eureka moment I suppose.
Miles Penchant is an intriguing character that, I felt, continued to develop as the story progressed. What were some obstacles that you felt were important to the development of his character?
I wanted to introduce a superhero/superhuman who does not rely on any machines or lab-introduced enhancements, who was not aware of his power, and who has a biological weakness. You see his character change as the story unfolds.
This book is filled with some fantastic paranormal and ancient alien sci-fi. What balance did you want to strike between realism and the supernatural?
On the setting, I picked a tropical and sunny location on the planet (near the equator) to show that evil exists everywhere, not just in dark and dreary locations. The characters have regular jobs and the usual differences. On the character of Lucifer, he was initially the standard evil being who possesses people on Earth. But religious texts mention that Lucifer was defeated in a battle and imprisoned for a million years. So how can he possess people on Earth if he’s imprisoned somewhere? In developing his character, I had to answer questions on where he came from and what turned him into the ultimate evil against humans.
Also, I incorporated real science elements in the story. For example, there is a chapter that alludes or pays homage to nuclear fission. 🙂
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am in the midst of finishing a new short story inspired by the story of Joseph Merrick, known as the Elephant Man, hopefully ready by winter. After that, I return to Miles Penchant and the continuation of his story. Now with the knowledge that he has superhuman abilities, what does he do with that power?
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Smashwords
![Penchant Revealed by [Elizaga, J.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gWZE0R6UL.jpg)
Miles Penchant keeps a secret from his wife. But even he isn’t sure what his secret is, until he defends his wife from a paranormal attacker and a band of otherworldly beings discover who he really is. This short story reveals the beginning of Miles Penchant’s fate, entwined with ancient aliens and archangels.
The Woman Behind The Waterfall
![The Woman Behind The Waterfall by [Meriel, Leonora]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dxz9GQY3L.jpg)
Lyuda was a lovely seventeen-year old girl with a potentially bright future. This was until she met Vova and the course of her life changed forever. Later, Vova would leave her orphaned and with a baby to care for. She was in pain and alone but she had a child. This meant she could not cry openly. Therefore, she tried to find momentary happiness at the bottom of a glass of Samohon.
Angela is a happy child. She is blissfully unaware of the harsh realities of life. She often wanders in her imagination without a care in the world. What does a seven-year-old girl have to worry about anyway? One day her night spirit appeared and warned her of an impending darkness. She did not understand this but the meaning soon became apparent. With the help of her grandmother, she embarks on a mission to make her mother happy again. Her mother needs to be reminded of the joy she derives from having Angela in her life. When all is said and done, Angela can finally grow up without being held back by her mother’s past. She can move on out of the dark envelope that is her mother’s mistakes.
Leonora Meriel successfully evokes intense emotion with this book. It is so sad and devastating to watch a child wish to be happy but hold themselves back to cater to their parent. She writes with vivid clarity and details the excruciating struggles Lyuda goes through. The author’s description of the Ukrainian countryside transports the reader to Lyuda’s little house with the lilacs outside. The Woman Behind the Waterfall is a good book about a mother’s desire to maintain her sanity. Not for her own sake but for the sake of her child.
Not enough stories explain, in heart wrenching detail, the struggle that mothers go through. Especially single mothers. This novel, to me, was told with an air of reverence. I’m always looking for books that take me beyond the words and transports me into new characters with interesting stories to tell. What you’ll find here is a story about people and passion and the moments that test both of them.
This book will leave you in tears. The story will ignite an urge to hug your mother and express appreciation for all the times she gave up her own life for yours.
Pages: 264 | ASIN: B01M078MOF
The Six and the Gardeners of Ialana
![The Six and the Gardeners of Ialana (The Ialana Series Book 2) by [Brooke, Katlynn]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51uF4Un2UuL.jpg)
Book two of the Ialana series by Kaitlynn Brooke picks up right where book one, The Six and the Crystals of Ialana, left off. Because of this, it’s essential to have read the first book to understand the previous experiences of the six healers, and this review cannot avoid mild spoilers for book one.
Jarah, Tristan, Kex, Djana, Teagan and Adain take some time to rest and regroup. With the help of their friends, they head to the kingdom of Galon to continue healing the animalistic Trueni return to human forms. There are other survivors of the disaster and the remnants of Armafalus’ leadership vie for control. Blaidd is rescued by a beautiful woman named Branwyn who takes him under her wing to help rebuild the city.
When the Six get to Galon, they start their work. As they begin to heal the Trueni there, they gain the attention of a warlord as well as a shapeshifter and are forced to flee. With the help of their mentor Irusan, they run for home, hoping to find their families. To do so, they must journey through territory filled with dangerous, mutated creatures. Irusan has told them to find the Gardeners, who will aid and teach them. They also have an unknown ally—Queen Catrin of Galon—who is on a quest to find them before her husband does.
I enjoyed the first book and was happy to read the second. Katlynn Brooke delivers more exciting adventure for the Six. With Armafalus’ grip on power shattered, leadership and domination are up for grabs, and the scramble for political control is on. Several factions believe if they can find the Six, their abilities to use the crystals will turn the tide in their favor. It’s quite realistic, and the manipulative struggle for power on both sides is well done. When the Six find the Gardeners, their skills and understanding of both crystal and elemental power deepens, and helps them understand their place and role in this multi-layered world.
There are a lot of characters to follow, but most of them are so fleshed-out as individuals that it’s not difficult to remember who is who. When it comes to the healers, Jarah does most of the talking for the group, but I missed experiencing the story through the perspective of different characters, like Djana, Tristan, and Kex. Blaidd continues to be both a strong character and a catalyst for change, and while I know he’s a betrayer at heart, I couldn’t help feeling bad for him.
The end of this book is tense, action-packed and exciting as the forces of Anfawl, Galon, and the Six crash together in an inevitable conflict. The author delivers more twists and surprises that don’t disappoint and plants the seeds for book three. This series is shaping up to be an engaging high fantasy adventure that’s perfect for teen readers while being enjoyable for adults as well. I’d recommend this series for fantasy readers of any age.
Pages: 205 | ASIN: B00N42SCDS
LITERARY TITAN 