Blog Archives
Wake the Lake
Wake the Lake follows fifteen-year-old Hudson Holloway, a driven wakeboarder chasing perfection on the glassy waters of Lake Watanabe while navigating the ripples of family struggle, fear, and self-doubt. Her father, Jim, a blue-collar worker with his own demons, supports her dream despite financial strain, while her mother, Evie, once a wakeboarding champion herself, watches from a wheelchair after a tragic accident. The story swells toward Hudson’s journey to the Junior Nationals, where ambition, anxiety, and family wounds collide in a powerful coming-of-age ride.
This book grabbed me from the first page. The opening scene, Hudson soaring across the lake, the water alive beneath her, felt cinematic. Kevler’s writing is sharp but tender, full of motion and heart. He nails the rhythm of sport and the quiet spaces in between, those moments when confidence fades and doubt creeps in. Hudson’s inner world is drawn with such authenticity that I found myself rooting for her even when she stumbled. The tension between her parents hit me hard, too. Jim’s flaws felt painfully real, and Evie’s strength broke through every page. There’s a rawness to their love that made me ache a little.
What really worked for me, though, was how the book balanced adrenaline and vulnerability. One chapter has you holding your breath through a stunt; the next leaves you still with heartbreak or hope. The prose flows like water, fast when it needs to be, gentle when it should. Sure, a few lines dip into melodrama, but I didn’t mind. The emotions felt earned. I could feel the sun, the spray, the exhaustion, and that electric need to prove something to yourself when no one’s watching.
Wake the Lake is a story for anyone who’s ever chased a dream while fighting the weight of life pulling them down. It’s especially for young readers who crave stories about resilience, family, and finding peace with imperfection. I’d recommend it to teens, athletes, and parents alike, or anyone who knows what it means to fall, get back up, and keep riding.
Pages: 253 | ASIN : B0FF4B3CF5
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
The Ascenditure
The Ascenditure is one of those books that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Set in a gritty, rain-soaked world where climbing mountains isn’t just sport—it’s survival—this story follows Klarke Ascher, a determined young woman fighting tooth and nail for a spot on the kingdom’s elite climbing team. But climbing, as it turns out, is the least of her battles. The real summit is freedom—from a system that sees women as nothing more than property, from a king who silences dissent with gallows, and from a future that promises marriage to a stranger if she fails. There’s rebellion, resilience, and a whole lot of heart.
I couldn’t put this one down. The writing is so visceral. From the opening chapter where Klarke scales a cliff in a soaking rainstorm—mud on her boots, blood on her fingers—you feel everything. “The only place I truly feel free is pressed against granite,” she says. The climb isn’t just physical; it’s symbolic, and Robyn Dabney writes those moments with so much tension and grace.
What hit me hardest, though, wasn’t just the injustice Klarke faces—it was how real it all felt. The sexism, the corruption, the constant need to prove herself twice as capable just to be considered. There’s this scene after she crushes the climbing trial, and yet she still gets passed over for a spot on the team. The moment Russet Kamber is named instead, you can feel her heartbreak, and it’s not just personal—it’s political. The city erupts in protest. People die. And Klarke doesn’t crumble. She runs straight into the chaos. That moment when the crowd starts chanting her name gave me chills.
Klarke’s relationship with Kiel is layered. When he proposes to her—not out of romance but out of desperation to keep her from being married off—you feel how trapped they both are. And when she tells him she’s going to flee to Kobo, where women are free, I wanted to jump into the book and help her pack. But then the city rises, the people rally behind her, and Klarke changes course—not to run, but to fight. That shift is powerful.
I’d recommend The Ascenditure to fans of The Hunger Games, The Handmaid’s Tale, or anything with strong feminist vibes and high-stakes rebellion. It’s perfect for readers who love flawed but fierce female leads, rich world-building, and stories that blend action with soul.
Pages: 358 | ASIN : B0CD9J6NNZ
SABOTAGE
Dave McKeon’s Sabotage is a high-stakes thriller that plunges readers into a world of crime, deception, and hidden identities. The story follows Lou Gault, a former elite soldier turned peaceful resort owner, and Santino Varni, a ruthless crime lord with an alter ego, Luigi Secondo. As Varni seeks refuge in Gault’s remote fishing lodge, tension builds when he tries to buy the land for mysterious reasons. Meanwhile, a brutal murder in Boston signals that Varni’s world of corruption is far from dormant. As these two worlds inch closer to collision, Gault finds himself caught in a dangerous game of power, one that threatens his land, his family, and his life.
McKeon does a fantastic job crafting an intense atmosphere right from the first chapter. The opening scene, where an assassin methodically kills a prosecutor in a parking garage, sets a chilling tone. The detail in this sequence is gripping. The way Popeye, the hitman, relishes the kill, even taking the victim’s Italian leather shoes as a prize, immediately tells us what kind of people we’re dealing with. The book throws you straight into the fire and keeps the heat cranked up.
One of the strongest elements of Sabotage is the contrast between Lou Gault and Santino Varni. Lou is a man of integrity, a protector of the land, and someone who values the simplicity of his life. Varni, on the other hand, is a man who bends reality to his will, eliminating obstacles without a second thought. The scenes where Varni pressures Gault to sell the resort are thick with tension. You can almost hear the underlying threat behind his words, even as he tries to frame the offer as generous. When Gault repeatedly refuses, you just know things are going to get ugly.
The duality of Santino Varni, or rather his dissociative identity disorder, is one of the book’s more fascinating aspects. By day, he plays the role of Luigi Secondo, a charming, well-mannered guest who befriends the lodge’s residents. But at night, the voice of the real Varni creeps into his thoughts, reminding him who he truly is. This internal struggle adds an extra layer to the villain, making him more than just a standard crime boss. At times, I even felt a sliver of sympathy for Luigi, who seems to want to break free from the monster that created him. But then Varni reasserts himself, and the sympathy vanishes as quickly as it appeared.
The book builds to an explosive conclusion, and while I won’t spoil the details, I will say that the slow-burn tension pays off. McKeon lets the danger simmer, letting readers feel the growing sense of inevitability before delivering a hard-hitting climax.
I’d recommend Sabotage to fans of crime thrillers, especially those who enjoy stories with moral dilemmas, intense action, and psychological depth. If you like books where every interaction feels like a potential standoff, this one’s for you. McKeon keeps the stakes high, the characters compelling, and the pages turning.
Pages: 452 | ASIN : B0D9ZWHPXQ
Chasing Headlines
J. Rose Black’s Chasing Headlines is a lively, heartfelt, and deeply engaging sports romance that follows Olivia Milline, a headstrong and ambitious college journalist with an undeniable love for baseball. Olivia’s story is one of rebellion, passion, and determination as she fights against the limits imposed by her overprotective father while pursuing her dream of working in the world of professional baseball. With sharp writing, layered characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, Chasing Headlines hits all the right beats.
What immediately struck me about the book was Olivia’s voice. She’s witty, stubborn, and refreshingly real. Her internal monologue is peppered with humor and frustration, making her struggles feel personal and relatable. The prologue, which recounts her childhood love affair with baseball and the strict “No Baseball for Olivia” rule imposed by her father, is both heartbreaking and compelling. You can’t help but root for her as she maneuvers around roadblocks—both professional and personal—to get to where she belongs. The author does a fantastic job of making you feel Olivia’s determination and passion.
One of my favorite aspects of the novel is how well it blends romance with career ambition. Unlike many sports romances that lean heavily into the love story, Chasing Headlines gives equal weight to Olivia’s professional journey. Her interactions with baseball players, particularly the enigmatic Breslin Cooper, are electric. Their chemistry is palpable from the moment they meet, but what’s even more satisfying is how the romance builds over time. Breslin is more than just a love interest. His struggles, particularly with his past and the pressure of expectations, add depth to the story. His first POV chapter, set in a courthouse, hooked me with its raw emotion and vulnerability.
The writing is crisp and dynamic, with a rhythm that keeps the story moving. The dialogue is snappy, the internal reflections are sharp, and the descriptions are vivid without being overdone. The humor woven throughout the novel is another highlight. Olivia’s banter, especially with her brother Curt, had me laughing more than once. And yet, themes such as family expectations, grief, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field are all explored with sincerity and depth.
I’d highly recommend Chasing Headlines to fans of sports romances, strong heroines, and anyone who enjoys a story where career ambition and love intertwine in a meaningful way. If you like books with witty dialogue, complex relationships, and a heroine who refuses to take no for an answer, this one’s for you.
Pages: 524 | ASIN: B0D1FLDHFC
One Happy Accident
Sean McLaine, a high school junior, faces the kind of challenges that resonate deeply with anyone who has ever felt outmatched or overlooked. As a late-blooming soccer talent, his ambitions outstrip his physical growth, leaving him to contend with teammates who wield his smaller size as an advantage against him. At school, he’s practically invisible, a shadow moving through crowded hallways, unnoticed by classmates and seemingly forgotten by girls—except for one. Yet as Sean immerses himself in soccer, a pivotal question emerges: Can he balance his relentless drive for success with the budding promise of something more meaningful? Or will his dedication to the sport demand a sacrifice too great to bear?
One Happy Accident, by Gary Simonds, is a stirring exploration of ambition, resilience, and self-discovery. With Sean at its heart, the novel captures the grit and determination of a young athlete striving to achieve greatness on the field while navigating emotional and personal hurdles. From the first chapter, Simonds weaves a world that feels immediate and real, where raw perseverance often eclipses innate talent, and the divide between ambition and struggle is razor-sharp. Adding depth and nuance to Sean’s journey is Kayleigh, a thoughtful and layered peer whose presence introduces themes of connection, growth, and unexpected transformation. Their dynamic brings warmth and introspection, offering readers a lens through which to explore the profound impact of relationships on our lives.
What sets One Happy Accident apart is its ability to intertwine universal themes of resilience, mental health, and community without losing the emotional intensity of its characters. Sean’s story compels readers to confront enduring questions: Where do we find strength when our dreams feel unattainable? How do we reconcile hope and determination with the inevitable setbacks of life? Simonds writes with precision and heart, crafting vivid soccer scenes that pulse with energy and moments of vulnerability that linger long after they’re read. The dialogue sparkles with authenticity, blending humor and insight in a way that grounds the narrative in a deeply human reality. Each character feels alive, their flaws and triumphs forging a powerful connection with the reader.
For those who appreciate tales of perseverance and emotional complexity, One Happy Accident is a must-read. Soccer enthusiasts will revel in the thrilling depictions of the game, but the novel’s appeal extends far beyond the pitch. It is, at its core, a story of hope and inspiration, one that leaves an indelible mark long after the final page is turned.
Pages: 342 | ASIN : B0DPBMD9T8
LITERARY TITAN 