Blog Archives
The Golden Hearts Club
The Golden Hearts Club by Cinda Swalley tells the story of two sisters going on the adventure of a lifetime. Katie and Megan, freshly out of college, plan for months to go on a road trip across the American South and Southwest, from Ohio to Florida, then to California. Despite their careful plans, things on the road aren’t easy. Through the kindness of strangers and the sisters’ strong bond, they survive illness and harsh weather on their journey to California, where fate entangles them in a powerful family’s turmoil. In this unfamiliar land amid intoxicating luxury, Katie and Megan must sort friend from foe, love from lies, honesty from corruption in order to survive and find their happy ending.
Author Cinda Swalley has done a great job describing some beautiful parts of the country. These vivid descriptions draw the reader into the road trip with the sisters. Detailed descriptions of towns like Galveston, including some of its history and California’s natural beauty, made me want to visit! The road trip also served as an excellent backdrop for character development and growth. Both sisters learned a lot from their journey, especially Katie. At first reluctant to leave home, she grows into a stronger, more adventurous person. It was also interesting to learn about horse care and breeding in the second part of the book. The author paid close attention to the details she included throughout the book.
Once they were in California, the primarily romantic plot had a backdrop of corporate corruption and heavy family drama, reminiscent of afternoon soap operas. The novel feels like two stories that are intertwined. The book’s first part had a much different feel than the second as the sisters’ adventures in California began. The girls’ music taste, dialogue, and expressions read like a story in the 70s, giving them a well-defined personality. However, the technology mentioned is modern, showing readers that this is a contemporary story.
The Golden Hearts Club is a beautifully written novel that spans several genres. This impassioned novel will appeal to readers looking for an absorbing family saga that is easily intertwined with travel adventure, a bit of corporate intrigue, and a dash of romance.
Pages: 350 | ASIN : B08VQDK7YV
Betrayal in the Casbah
Betrayal in the Casbah is a fascinating new action-thriller by a first-time author and real-life action hero, Ted Kissel. Betrayal in the Casbah revolves around the story of Colonel Mitch Ross. Ross is a former ace fighter pilot who now works as a military attached at the US embassy in Algiers. Set in the early 2000s with threats around every corner, this should be an exciting post for the Colonel. However, Ross struggles with the day-to-day doldrums of Embassy life and especially finds the niceties of professional diplomacy draining. However, Ross’s life is turned upside down when he is attacked and nearly killed at an Embassy dinner. As he is brought back from the brink of death, he falls for the beautiful but mysterious nurse Abella. Once he has recovered, he is approached by the CIA to help rescue a downed fighter held by terrorists. Ross teams up with Abella and his enigmatic French counterpart, Yves, to track down and save the pilot in a race against time.
Not since Jack Reacher has there been a protagonist so clearly inspired by his author. Colonel Mitch Ross and Ted Kissel are clearly one and the same. This lends the book an air of authenticity and realism so often lacking in thrillers. The book deftly blends the lines between fact and fiction. For the most part, the book is exciting and well-paced, making this thrilling novel hard to put down.
As the first book from Kissel, I felt that the dialogue could use some work because it didn’t always flow naturally. The characters are often found to be explaining technical terms to each other for the benefit of readers rather than the plot. The book’s pacing is a slow burn style allowing the readers to immerse themselves in the story. The characters are likable and easy to root for because they feel familiar and what you would expect from high-ranking military.
Betrayal in the Casbah is an action-packed thriller novel. This riveting foreign suspense novel will excite readers from start to finish. I look forward to reading more of Mitch Ross’s adventures.
Pages: 358 | ASIN : B09MZKTNCN
Paris Blue
First loves only happen once a lifetime, and as such are memorable, for better or worse. In that vein, what could be a more memorable, or magical, experience than finding that love in Paris, a city well known for its romance? For Julie, a 20-year-old music student from a small town in Main, that’s exactly what happened. Furthering her musical talents, and trying to broaden her horizons in a city full of culture, Julie meets Luc, an older man who shares her passionate love of music and art. As the story so often goes, from that moment on, her life was never the same.
Paris Blue is a superbly written memoir by Julie Scolnik about finding unexpected and intense love, in a foreign country. I loved the descriptions of Paris and how the city became such a part of Julie’s story, creating the sense that the love she shared with Luc was literally impossible anywhere else. Scolnik’s wonderful prose perfectly captures the atmosphere and energy of Paris, and the first half of the book reads like a love letter to the city itself. Paris has had more than its fair share of lines written in its honor and this book joins those ranks, painting vivid pictures of bustling streets, quaint cafes, cultured inhabitants, and the serenely bucolic nature that the city still manages to maintain despite all the activity. Julie’s relationship with Luc takes more of a center stage in the latter part of the memoir, as their relationship progresses and then regresses in turns, leaving the reader unsure where the two may eventually land. Throughout the entire impassioned book, Scolnik keeps the tone deeply personal, opening each chapter with an excerpt from one of Luc’s letters, providing hints to events that occur later in their blossoming friendship turned to romance. She never shies away from her feelings or actions, portraying them all as accurately as one can imagine they were at the moment in time.
Music plays a big part in this story. It is music that brings them together in the first place, and the thing that they bond over so intensely, creating an emotional connection well before anything else. The music is so instrumental to their relationship, in fact, that Scolnik provides an index at the end of the pieces that meant the most to them. It’s a sentimental addition that creates another layer of vulnerability to the story being told.
Paris Blue is Julie Scolnik’s memoir, it will captivate readers that love Paris with her vivid descriptions. Readers that enjoy a true story romance will find this biography appealing and heartwarming.
Pages: 285 | ASIN : B09FVBXCJ1
Brainwashed
Brainwashed by Dr. Ramdyal Bhola is a heartwarming story about a young boy who grows up with his family in Guyana, South America. His life is very sheltered, and he is raised with heavy influence from his father, who is determined to send him to medical school to become a doctor. From the age of five his father planted the seed in his mind that he was born to be a doctor and that was his life’s purpose. It’s an autobiography and a well-written account of Dr. Ramdyal Bhola’s journey through childhood and his goal to fulfill his father’s dream for him. However, when he encounters tragedy and unforeseen circumstances, Dr. Bhola only becomes more driven towards success.
This touching book is an inspiring read and written with engaging content and exciting development to keep readers invested in his story. Readers will find the author’s life journey takes him through many experiences, including extensive travel, discovering worldwide attractions, exciting cuisines, and persevering through difficult setbacks and hurdles along the way. It’s an excellent read for anyone who enjoys a great success tale and how maintaining focus throughout life can lead to incredible results in the form of a great career and overall fulfillment.
When you read this book, be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a story that begins humbly, in a small village, with a strong desire to dream and pursue the best option for success in life. The author highlights the overall advantages of his personal and professional path in life, resulting in solid friendships, family, experiences, wealth, and satisfaction in life. It’s a wonderfully positive account of one man’s goal to achieve the greatest he can while meeting his father’s dream of becoming a doctor. It’s a great read that highlights the power of pursuing your dream and never giving up.
Brainwashed is an autobiography that will appeal to those who enjoy memoirs, real-life stories of overcoming hardships, and fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Pages: 267 | ASIN : B08QHRFZRB
DREAMer
Kate and Lawrence are driving back from their couples’ vacation when they spot a young girl sitting on a rock all by herself on a deserted highway. Fearing that something is amiss, they stop to investigate and end up picking up the mysterious girl. Armed with nothing more than a few postcards with postmarks from obscure U.S towns and some photographs found on the child, Kate and Lawrence embark on a mission to solve the mystery behind the girl’s identity and reunite her with a family they aren’t even sure she has.
DREAMer delivers a touching snapshot of the reality of undocumented immigrants through the story of a fictional main character. Author Emily Gallo cleverly plays with the acronym DREAM. This U.S. act offers undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as minors temporary residency and permission to attend school and work. This act is used as the basis to depict her main character’s fate under the law and her quest as a dreamer. The book is a wholesome tale of sacrifice and compassion and a needed reminder of the good humans are capable of.
Gallo gives her characters very well-defined personalities allowing readers to get to know them quickly as the story opens. She also executes the story well by centering on just three characters, allowing her to wrap up the storyline quickly, making this an easy read. There’s no doubt that Gallo did her research as she effectively highlights seemingly obscure locations in the United States that host minority communities and are quick stops for immigrants. As a result, readers will enjoy learning about the dynamics of immigration. In addition, the book reads like an adventure story because the characters are on the road for most of the story, so their road trips give readers something to look forward to aside from the unraveling plot.
DREAMer is a through-provoking book that readers of historical fiction will find captivating. In this well-crafted novel, you have a story that’s educating, deeply thoughtful, and entertaining.
Pages: 199 | ASIN : B09278WTQ8
TRAVEL 911
Travel 911: A Health Guide For Adventurers is for those that want to globe-trot or even travel locally in style. Dr. Yvett McQueen talks about travel in an exciting way, making one fantasize about the trips they plan on taking. In this informative book, Dr. Yvett McQueen highlights the benefits of traveling and discusses in depth how travel and adventure are great for your body, mind, and soul. As a global traveling physician, Dr. Yvett McQueen understands that traveling involves more than just packing your bags and booking your ticket. She is direct in her language and gives a step-by-step guide that provides readers with the tools to turn travel dreams into a reality.
Dr. Yvett McQueen covers some important topics such as: what to pack in your bag, preparing for long trips, how to handle fever or other illnesses, skin problems, water accidents, and much more. However, the author adds a personal touch that makes the book more conversational and less of a how-to instruction manual when talking about these topics. Dr. Yvett McQueen includes in her educational book details about her own personal experiences and encounters, making the information feel more genuine.
Some examples of the information that the author goes into detail about are as follows. Travel tips like avoiding jetlag rather than just dealing with it when you arrive at your destination. There are maps included of areas known to have high cases of Malaria, what you need to do to protect yourself, or should you contract it, what to expect and what treatment to seek out. Finally, there are illustrations provided through this informative book to help explain techniques or examples of what to look for with an illness.
Travel 911: a Health Guide For Adventurers will reignite your love for travel. Travel adventures will find this helpful book, and those just stepping out into the world of travel will find security in having this how-to manual at the ready, written in terminology that is easy to understand.
Pages: 106 | ASIN : B096T5LVLB
POWERBALLS
Powerballs Be careful what you wish for by Jimmy Clifton is a story about a middle-aged couple who unexpectedly wins the lottery and find themselves in a very different world, offering them a life vastly different from their challenging careers and financial struggles. Henry Ball, an accountant in a progressive firm, fantasizes about living a more exciting life, fantasies about his younger female coworkers and greater recognition at work. Likewise, Henry’s wife, Rose Ball, dreams of a luxury lifestyle that she sees her friend enjoy.
As the couple dreams about their ultimate life, they suddenly realize their most fantastic fantasy, winning the Powerball lottery. Quickly though, they learn how this transformation will create a new set of challenges for each of them. Things are not what they seem as they dive into this extravagant world. This growing tension and realization of their newfound financial freedom becomes a journey that leads them on separate paths. The couple’s new adventures lead to many exciting and humorous encounters that give them a changed perspective on life, but not without a few shocking lessons and opportunities.
Readers will enjoy this light and funny read that details the struggles of a couple’s journey from mediocracy to luxury and how they trade one set of tension and challenges for another, with higher risks and experiences. The author narrates a well-paced, lively tale that creates a sense of hope and adventure for a couple struggling with mid-life identity and goals while transitioning into the extravagant world of billionaires and how they transform into this world of privilege.
Powerballs Be careful what you wish for is a riveting, enjoyable read that’s quickly absorbed. It’s a fun page-turner that readers will find entertaining and witty, with brilliant character development, lots of action, and a well-structured story filled with drama. Readers looking for travel fiction or contemporary American fiction will enjoy this humorous, fast-paced read.
Pages: 250 | ASIN : B094DTBRPX
A Reluctant Protagonist
Flotsam follows a diver that stumbles upon two murder victims. While assisting in the investigation she becomes the next potential victim. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I knew from the beginning that Ricky would be a reluctant protagonist and that it would be tied to her being a divemaster, so that was the first step. The second was that it needed to be something that was outside of the normal divemaster experience — dive accidents are something they train and any accident would reflect badly on Ricky, so it couldn’t be anything having to do with a diver. As I tried to figure this out, I decided that “place” might help in the decision. Once I decided on Palau, and its complex relationship with the Japanese, I began to research the yakuza and found a story about the yakuza kidnapping a South Korean politician with plans to weigh him down and throw him overboard into the Sea of Japan (spoiler alert: Japanese officials intercepted the boat just as the yakuza were bringing him up to the deck and he was saved)
Ricky is a complex character that even other characters have trouble understanding. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Ricky doesn’t think she’s complex. She is, at her core, conflict-averse. That’s why she tries to keep whole oceans between her and her family. But she has a trigger, which is an innate sense of responsibility. And when that trigger gets flipped, when others refuse to take responsibility and accountability that is theirs, she is stubbornly going to work to right the wrong. But there’s a better answer: Ricky is based on roughly a dozen women divemasters I’ve met over the years. They work and live in a male-dominated environment, 24 by 7. They have to know when to be conciliatory and when to be dominant. They are fun-loving but incredibly reliable once they step on the boat. For Ricky, the history that influences her decision of when to make that switch goes back to her teenage years in Hawai’i and her experience with a man who murdered her best friend.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Obviously, I’ve included a mix of local politics and environmental advocacy in the book. These are prominent in Palau’s everyday experience. In fact, when you enter Palau today, they take up a whole page of your passport with the Palau Pledge. It begins “Children of Palau, I take this pledge as your guest to preserve and protect your beautiful and unique island home.” Palau is at the forefront of the concept of shark sanctuaries and continues to expand that model. I don’t think you can tell a story about Palau without including that.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Most people will be disappointed to hear that it’s not called Jetsam. There are actually four categories in maritime law that relate to shipwrecks. Derelict and Lagan are the other two. Book two will be Derelict. I’m a big fan of Tana French and her concept of keeping the story fresh by maintaining certain elements but shifting others around in the Dublin Murder Squad. The sites change and the protagonists change. Minor characters become lead characters. I decided that I would use a primary characteristic of expat divemasters and that every book would be in a new locale. Derelict is based in the Sinai Peninsula in Dahab, a small town with a very famous (and dangerous) dive site. I went to Dahab on December 27 of 2012, one day after the new president imposed a new constitution, spurring protests and clashes throughout the country. Some of my experiences made it into the book. It will be available in June of 2022.
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When her morning dive is interrupted by a spinning tangle of chains and bodies, she is dragged into an international free-for-all. As authorities bicker, and rumors fly, the villains fight to eliminate loose ends, tracking Ricky through WWII tunnels, on a high speed chase through the lush tropical islands, and back to where it all began – the edge of her favorite cliff.
LITERARY TITAN 