Blog Archives
Rewind to Us
Rewind to Us follows Big, a burned-out K-pop idol desperate to escape a suffocating industry, and Kelly, an ordinary young woman who finds herself pulled into his world by chance and fate. Their connection grows into something real amid chaos, danger, and the strange appearance of supernatural “dealers” who trade in human desires. The story builds from a tense escape narrative into a romance, then finally into grief as Big’s life is cut short and Kelly must navigate the aftermath with those who loved him most. It is a blend of real-world pressure, fantasy elements, and emotional fallout, tied together by a central yearning for freedom and belonging.
I found myself swept up in Big’s restlessness. His unhappiness sits right under the surface, and the writing shows it in a simple, raw way that hit me harder than I expected. I could feel his exhaustion and the tiny sparks of hope that appear whenever Kelly enters his thoughts. I loved how the book lets their relationship grow slowly, almost shyly, in the middle of everything falling apart around them. At times, the dialogue feels blunt, which works because it mirrors how trapped Big is and how unsure Kelly is about her own life. The supernatural dealer concept surprised me. It comes in quietly, then starts echoing through the whole story until it becomes a major force. That little creature showing up at the end made me stop and think about the whole journey in a new light. It added a strange, eerie charm to the book.
There were points where the pacing jumped fast, especially when the story shifted locations or introduced new conflicts. Yet there is an honesty in the writing that kept me reading. Characters say exactly what they feel. Sometimes it is messy. Sometimes it is harsh. Sometimes it is sweet. I liked that because it gave the story a heartbeat.
Rewind to Us is a heartfelt story for readers who enjoy character-driven romance with a twist of the surreal. It is especially suited for fans of K-pop fiction, soft fantasy, and emotional journeys that do not shy away from pain or complicated endings. If you like stories about people trying to rewrite their lives and finding love in unexpected places, you’ll enjoy reading this book.
Pages: 230 | ASIN : B0FTDTGBGW
Facing Revenge
Facing Revenge follows Calista Snipe and Skyler McCray as they navigate friendship, romance, and rising danger during their high school year. The book opens with normal teen routines, like rides to school and lunchroom drama, then slowly shifts as tension rises around bullying, simmering grudges, and a growing threat targeted at their friend group. The story builds toward a frightening climax in which Skyler, Clair, and others face off against masked attackers to rescue kidnapped girls, a scene vividly shown when Sky bursts into the loft to confront four hooded figures reviewing photos of their captives. The novel blends everyday teenage life with suspense, friendship loyalty, and moments of courage.
I found myself pulled into the friendships more than anything else. The banter between Sky, Bax, Leantos, and Clair made the group feel familiar and warm, even when they were dealing with tense moments, like when Clair was harassed in the cafeteria, and Eli slammed Boman against the milk cooler in his defense. The writing had a casual rhythm that felt like listening to actual teens talk. Sometimes the dialogue rambled, but that looseness also made the quieter emotional moments land harder. Seeing Clair’s anxiety before his first wrestling match and the tears on his cheeks afterward made me feel protective of him. Those scenes felt honest in a way that surprised me.
I also reacted strongly to the darker parts of the novel. The boys plotting revenge in Bakari’s bedroom, talking flippantly about grabbing Calista or Gabrielle, hit me with a jolt because of how casually they floated the idea, almost like it was entertainment rather than cruelty. That casual malice felt real and unsettling. And by the time the kidnapping unfolds, the book had built enough dread that the violence in the loft genuinely shocked me. The moment Sky uses the stave as a ruse, fakes high, then sweeps the attacker’s knees while Clair charges like a human battering ram, felt unexpectedly intense for a teen novel.
I felt satisfied with the way the story balanced its emotional beats. The friendships carry the book, and the suspense gives those bonds real weight. I would recommend Facing Revenge to readers in the older-teen range who enjoy stories about tight friend groups, school drama, and real danger woven together. It would especially fit readers who like character-driven suspense that still feels grounded in everyday life, and anyone who appreciates stories that highlight loyalty, bravery, and the way ordinary kids can rise to extraordinary moments.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B0F5N8YYS9
High School Epic
High School Epic is a coming-of-age YA novel that follows Danielle from the first days of freshman year in 1989 through the messy, funny, dramatic, and sometimes painful moments of early adolescence. The story centers on Dani’s tight bond with her two best friends, her growing fixation on a skater boy named Kevin, and the quieter, heavier ache of her dad’s disappearance two years earlier. Built around friendships, crushes, family fractures, and the small-but-big moments that mark high school, the book blends teen romance and heartfelt drama in a voice that feels both nostalgic and relevant.
I found myself slipping into Dani’s head easily. Her voice feels like sitting on someone’s bedroom floor with the lights low while she tells you everything that’s been happening. There’s a looseness to the writing that works, especially in scenes with Tiff and Kris, who bounce off each other in a kind of chaotic harmony. Their friendship is loud and weird and sometimes exhausting, which is exactly why it feels real. The author leans into those small sensory moments that stick, like the smell of Dani’s dad’s sweater or the warm buzz of walking outside with Kevin after detention, without ever feeling showy. The tone stays grounded even when the drama spikes, which kept me on Dani’s side even when she spiraled or overthought things, which she does a lot.
What surprised me most is how layered Dani’s inner world is. The school crush storyline is fun and sweet and very YA-romance, but running right underneath is this deeper thread of loss and confusion around her dad. Those moments hit in a softer way, like when she tries on his sweater in the attic or clings to old fantasies of him returning. They add weight without dragging the story down. It also made her desperation to feel wanted by Kevin and her friends hit harder. The book captures that strange ninth-grade cocktail of insecurity and longing and sudden boldness, the way you can feel childish one minute and painfully grown the next. It felt honest and familiar.
I found myself thinking that High School Epic will speak most to readers who like contemporary YA that blends romance, friendship drama, and emotional family threads. It’s especially perfect for anyone who remembers the late ’80s or early ’90s, or just loves that vibe in their coming-of-age stories. If you want something that feels like reliving freshman year through a friend who tells it all, the awkward, the funny, the embarrassing, the sweet, this book is worth reading.
Pages: 353 | ASIN : B0FVFCL3YC
Flight of a Prodigy
Flight of a Prodigy follows Remy, an eight-year-old street kid in ancient Rome who survives cruelty that feels almost unreal. The book opens with raw violence as Remy and his closest friend, Tacitus, are dragged from hiding under a tavern floor. What happens next shapes everything that follows. Remy loses the only person he loves, kills three men to escape, and stumbles into the hands of the Roman Guard. His survival throws him into political schemes, a new orphanage, long marches, and a journey that twists his life into something far larger than he understands. The story paints Rome as a place full of beauty and rot at the same time, and Remy is caught between both worlds.
Author Daniel P. McCallister’s writing grabbed me right away because it never tiptoes around horror. It jumps straight into it. The early chapters made me feel uneasy and angry for Remy, and I found myself rooting for him before I even realized it. The pacing kept pulling me forward. Sometimes the scenes felt sharp, like the violence was a little close to the surface, but that roughness made Remy’s world feel real. I liked how the author handled Remy’s shifting emotions. He swings between fear, rage, numbness, and stubborn grit, and those swings feel natural for a child pushed far beyond his limits. The quieter moments like Remy waking in a real bed for the first time gave me a breather and made the harsh parts hit even harder.
I also found myself surprised by how much the political side of the story pulled me in. The Governor, Urbain, is charming on the surface and rotten underneath, and he treats Remy like a tool for his own gain. The guard captain, Salvador, is caught between compassion and obligation, and that tension makes him stand out. The world feels lived in. Everyone has their own motives, and the book never lets me forget how easily a child can get crushed in the machinery of Rome. I wanted even more time in Remy’s head or more insight into the other kids, but the quick cuts gave the story a restless feeling that fit Remy’s constant danger.
Flight of a Prodigy shines brightest when it shows Remy fighting to hold on to the smallest scrap of hope. I would recommend Flight of a Prodigy to readers who like dark historical fantasy, character-driven stories about survival, or tales where a young hero claws his way through impossible odds. It is not light reading, but it is gripping and inspiring in its own way.
Pages: 237 | ASIN : B0FWJNYRLV
The Beast Keepers
The Beast Keepers tells the story of Jonathan St. Roche, a young veterinarian who takes a job in rural Ohio and discovers that his new patients include mythological creatures hiding in plain sight. The book follows Jonathan as he learns to care for flying monkeys, unicorns, gryphons, and even a pregnant Pegasus, all while untangling his own past and falling into a quiet, hopeful romance. The story blends warm small-town life with danger, mystery, and a deep sense of wonder as Jonathan faces ethical choices and moments of real heartbreak, including an emotional situation with a basilisk.
I loved the way the author mixed everyday farm routines with bizarre surprises. One moment I was listening to a farmer brag about his border collies, and the next, there was a Pegasus unfurling honey-scented wings that glowed in the sun. The writing has this gentle rhythm to it. It pulls you into the fields and barns without feeling forced. Sometimes the book drifts into long conversations, but I liked that. It made the place feel authentic. Even when a scene turned tense, like when the team hunted the dangerous basilisk in the woods, there was still this grounded sense of companionship and purpose.
I also grew surprisingly attached to the characters. Jonathan’s mix of idealism and exhaustion felt honest. His reactions made sense. He stumbled, tried again, cared too much, and sometimes cried when he had to do the hard thing for the right reason. I liked DeeDee too. Their story is gentle and sweet, and the moment they finally kissed made me grin because it felt earned and warm and a little awkward in the best way. What surprised me most was how the book handled the mythical creatures. They are wondrous, but they are not props. They have needs, instincts, dangers, and sometimes tragic flaws. The book treats them with respect, and that gave the story emotional weight that stayed with me.
When I finished the last page, I felt good, and a bit wistful, and honestly kind of sad to leave the world behind. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves gentle fantasy with real emotional stakes, especially readers who enjoy animal stories, cozy rural settings, and small-town friendships. It is also a great pick for people who want fantasy that feels new but still comforting.
Pages: 323 | ASIN : B0CBQKPVZY
Heritage Mountain
Heritage Mountain is a heartwarming blend of cozy fantasy and wilderness adventure, following botanist Anita and survivalist Marco as they reunite for an archaeological expedition in the Adirondacks. Alongside their close-knit friends, Maria and Chase, and a delightful cast of supernatural beings like pixies, elves, and a telepathic cat, the group embarks on a journey that’s as much about discovery as it is about connection, both with nature and each other. The story gently weaves folklore, love, mystery, and magic into the everyday, creating a world where firepits reveal ancient tools, and a simple forest walk may bring you face-to-face with stargazers or nymphs.
I genuinely enjoyed reading this. There’s a quiet, comforting kind of magic in the way author Karen Black writes. She gives the characters space to breathe, laugh, stumble, and grow close. I loved the humor between Chase and Maria. It felt like watching old friends tease and support each other without missing a beat. Marco’s protective, grounded energy made him instantly likable. And Anita. I loved Anita. Her blend of practicality and wonder, her quiet strength and openness to magic, made her feel real and relatable. And the worldbuilding? It’s so gentle and subtle, the supernatural just slips in like a whisper. Nothing is overexplained or flashy. And that makes it feel real.
Everything feels safe, and sometimes I find myself wishing for a little more tension or stakes. But then again, that’s probably the point. Heritage Mountain tells a different kind of story. One about trust, connection, and ancient magic hidden in plain sight. It’s quiet but rich, like the kind of story you’d tell around a fire under the stars. It made me want to go hiking. Or at least take a walk and keep an eye out for little footprints in the moss.
I’d recommend Heritage Mountain to anyone who loves stories about found family, soft magic, and wilderness tales that feel like a warm blanket on a chilly morning. If you liked Practical Magic or The Bear and the Nightingale, or just need a break from the world, this book will meet you gently and invite you in. Fans of cozy fantasy, magical realism, and wilderness adventure will find Heritage Mountain a gentle, enchanting read full of heart, hidden magic, and unforgettable charm.
Pages: 264 | ASIN : B0FGVT464K
Heirs of Empire
S A Melia’s Heirs to Empire is a sprawling space opera of loyalty, survival, and rebirth. The story sweeps through twelve human worlds known as the Dodecahedral Empire, where young King Teodor, once presumed dead, claws his way from slavery on a plague-ridden world to reclaim his crown. Alongside him are soldiers, nomads, and lovers bound by webs of duty and betrayal. Melia threads political intrigue, biological warfare, and deep personal transformation into a story that feels both intimate and epic. It’s part military science fiction, part mythic hero’s journey, and part meditation on power and belonging.
Reading this book, I felt pulled between admiration and awe. Melia’s world-building is stunning, dense, and alive with detail. Her writing has a cinematic rhythm, with scenes that pulse between horror and beauty. There’s a strange poetry in how she describes destruction, especially the plague-ravaged London and the living forests of Sas Darona. The characters feel raw and human, even when they’re riding giant spiders or waging interplanetary wars. I loved the contrast between Teodor’s noble stoicism and Guy Erma’s rough-edged loyalty.
What struck me most was how personal the story feels beneath all the spectacle. This isn’t just about empires rising and falling, it’s about what happens to people when the idea of “home” burns down. Melia writes grief and hope side by side. Her characters are always torn, always trying to choose between love, survival, and duty. I found myself angry with them one moment and rooting for them the next. That unpredictability kept me turning pages, even when the politics grew thick. There’s a pulse of emotion here that feels tender, painful, and real.
Heirs to Empire is a bold, emotional ride. It’s perfect for readers who love the grand scope of Dune but crave the grit and heart of Battlestar Galactica. If you enjoy stories that blend science fiction with myth, politics with passion, and chaos with redemption, this book will grab you and not let go. It’s ambitious, heartfelt, and riveting.
Pages: 466 | ASIN : B0FCCX2672
Kloe’s New Friendship
Kloe’s New Friendship follows a junior-high cat named Kloe as she tries to juggle school life, old friends, new friends, and the emotional chaos of having a challenging brother. The story sweeps through the semester with warm scenes of friendship, misunderstandings, secrets, and growth. Kloe tries her best to help a new student settle in while also holding her own friendships together, all while dealing with the unpredictable behavior of her brother, Wreny. The plot builds toward moments of tension, hurt feelings, and honest conversations, and it closes on a hopeful note that feels gentle and real.
The writing has a light touch, but the feelings underneath hit pretty hard. I found myself rooting for Kloe because she tries so hard to be good to everyone, even when she’s exhausted. Some scenes, especially the ones where she feels unheard at home, made my heart sink a bit because they felt familiar. The dialogue sometimes rambles the way real kids do, which made the friendships feel believable. I caught myself smiling at the inside jokes and wincing when something awkward landed the wrong way.
What surprised me most was how the book handled messy emotions. It doesn’t pretend everything is simple. Kloe gets frustrated and confused, and sometimes hopes for things she knows she probably won’t get. The moments with Terry, especially the falling-out and the reconciliation, felt honest. And the talk with Mrs. Adams carried a quiet warmth that settled me. The story looks cute on the outside, and it is, but beneath the soft edges, there’s a lot of heart and more depth than I expected. The illustrations feel warm and full of motion. I especially like how the artist uses soft shading and expressive eyes to show personality, making the characters feel relatable even though they’re animals.
I’d call Kloe’s New Friendship a sweet, thoughtful chapter book for kids who are navigating friendships, school drama, or tricky siblings. It’s also a comforting read for parents or teachers who want a window into how kids actually feel beneath the surface.
Pages: 66 | ASIN : B0FVCRVVJ1
LITERARY TITAN 