Blog Archives
The Wizard of Grimmer’s Wharf
The Wizard of Grimmers Wharf by GJ Scherzinger is a fantasy about Padison, who was once Pacolorius, a bright upcoming wizard in a mystical order known as the Greycloaks when a rival fearing his power had him kidnapped and locked away. A fortuitous event frees him from his prison and onto the sea. Since that time, he’s made a quiet life for himself in Grimmers Wharf, until one night, he finds a mysterious woman on the water clinging to life. Padison now not only has to help the woman regain her memories but keep her away from those who would cause her harm. As her secrets come to life, he may find the key to exacting revenge on his old foe.
Scherzinger paints an alluring picture of this world and beyond. He captures this seaside town in whimsical descriptions. Even the realms of mind and spirit are beautifully written, giving readers a vivid image in their minds. In addition, there are some colorful characters that readers will be instantly drawn to that provide the storyline an enjoyable twist, such as Sallen. She is a forceful but loving woman who runs the local eatery that Padison lives above and who aids in keeping the girl’s pursuers at bay.
This engaging book presented a thrilling mystery from the opening pages. There is no slow build-up before our main character is thrown headfirst into the action. Instead, it was expertly communicated and hooked readers to the end. I also like that we get into the heads of not only one of the villains but a lackey as well; these multiple points of view give readers the full story from all sides. Unfortunately, the woman’s attempted killer is kept in the shadows, and readers are left waiting for the reveal till the end.
There were a couple instances where the speaker would say there’s a character coming this way, only to have the fact reiterated in the description of the scene. I felt this made for a repetitive read at times. Nevertheless, this original book is a fun escapade into the fantastic world of Terranova. It has an intriguing mystery with themes of betrayal, politics, and reclaiming your life after darkness. I would recommend this to anybody who wants to be absorbed in an engrossing fantasy adventure.
Pages: 286 | ASIN : B0B672XY87
The Curse
The Curse is another outstanding novel in Shana Congrove’s Breedline Series. This rousing dark fantasy novel follows the Breedline Covenant as well as Joseph Parker, who is possessed by a demonic spirit called the Shadow. We also follow Carrie Randall, an unlucky-in-love counselor who’s world collides with Joseph’s. While trying to track down Joseph, the Breedline Covenant finds out about illegal experiments being done on humans and about vampires.
The world in the Breedline series is well established at this point but if you haven’t read the other books in the series then the author provides plenty of backstory at the beginning of this book to bring you up to speed. The book focuses on setting up the world and the characters first before launching into the heart of the story, and the action.
The story also takes time to describe what the character looks like, so they are clear in the mind of readers before the story moves on. Readers are also reintroduced to Breedline characters as well. Each character is described so that we understand who they are, what they do, and what their power/ability is. This provides a lot of information that new readers will find helpful in understanding the world that has been built in the Breedline series, but longtime fans of the series will find information they’ve picked up in previous books.
I enjoyed getting into Jena’s head. I was pulled into the story during this section, which made it extremely enjoyable to read. I also found the vampires interesting, although I would have liked more information about them so that I could understand them better. The ‘biters’ are the evil ones, and we also have the good ones that are ‘Daywalkers’ or hybrids. I found this division interesting, but I would have liked to have seen their roles more clearly defined in the story.
I enjoyed the premise of this paranormal romance novel. I loved the werewolves, vampires, battle angels, shapeshifting, and the fight against evil. I enjoyed that this is set in the modern world as well. The Curse takes a slow-burn approach to story telling that utilizes most of the pages to build character and the world before jumping into the action.
Pages: 447 | ASIN: B0B5B6DGQK
Shatter the Stereotype
The First Buds of Spring follows a teen girl who befriends the new boy in school, as their relationship grows mysteries and secrets are revealed that will change their lives. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I wasn’t inspired by anything in particular, though I have always wanted to write a romance novel. Here’s something funny: I’m an aromantic. But I always want to challenge myself to new heights. So far I’ve written fantasy, adventure, psychological horror, and romance, and I want to write a book of each genre. Different from the shy-girl-meets-rich-cool-boy-trope, though, I made my protagonist Azalea a bit mean and phony at first, although readers will learn later that it’s simply a façade to retain her popularity. I thought it would be cool to have a male protagonist (Bruce) help her recognize her inner beauty and encourage her to be herself instead of shaping her into who or what he prefers. And then the story formed in my mind. I aimed to write a novel that was cute, refreshing, lighthearted, and fun to read, unlike my previous works, of which were mostly dark and heavy in tone. Read the Otherworld trilogy and one of the companion novels, Helen’s Tale, and you’ll know what I mean.
Azalea and Bruce are both interesting characters with a lot of growth. Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing or did the characters’ personalities grow organically as you were writing?
Yes, I wrote an outline for the characters. I outline every novel project before starting it to give myself confidence and convince myself I know what I’m doing. Having detailed chapter outlines is important for me because I never write according to the sequence of chapters. Chapter 2 was the first chapter I tackled in The First Buds of Spring. Then chapters 10, 3, 1, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 6, 16, 8, 9, 11, 19, 18, and finally, 20. I remember the sequence because I keep track of them in my iPad.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Love and life are the main themes. I wanted to shatter the stereotype that romance novels are soppy, sentimental, and totally pointless. I imbued plenty of life philosophy in the story, stressing how people always hurry through and fast-forward their lives. If they stop long enough to feel, they’d see the magic around them. Azalea and Bruce bonded through their common belief in slowing their pace in life.
Another theme I hinted at (but will be explored in depth in the future books in the series) is racism and tribal rivalry. Taking advantage of races with weaker magical powers, as evidenced by the Fireflamers and Aquamarines’ tormenting the Woodlanders.
Apart from those, I also wanted to stress the importance of being oneself. Too many people lose themselves in hope of blending into the society. They erase their individuality due to their choice of conforming to mundanity. However, neither Azalea nor Bruce conformed to the crowd. On the other hand, they remained true to themselves. Sometimes “strength” refers not to physical power but rather to spiritual dominance over the shallow, foolish majority.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The First Buds of Spring is my third-published novel. I released it in June, while I had three releases in July—War of the Chaotic Worlds I, War of the Chaotic Worlds II, and Heart of the Forest. The former two are the third books of the Otherworld Trilogy. Apart from the titles mentioned above, I also have three other books contracted—Once Upon an Enchantress, Helen’s Tale, and Eric’s Tale, the latter two being companion novels to the Otherworld Trilogy. While Zack’s Tale and Eileen’s Tale, also companion novels, are awaiting contract, I finished another book yesterday titled Where the Magic Lies, a YA fantasy romance about a girl being forced to marry a fairy prince to atone for her mother’s sin. I’m hoping to self-publish it in August. Right now I might start a novel about a lost siren finding love.
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The Final Battle At The Mountain
Spoiler follows a young man who’s plunged into a deadly standoff and must choose between the torture of his loved ones or giving in to Ms. G’s monstrous demands? What were some sources that informed this novels development?
I’ve always been fascinated by choices we make and I believe we don’t ever really know someone (or ourselves, for that matter) until we’re tested in a difficult situation. Alex has always had a desire to heal, not hurt and he’s so empathetic toward the pain of others that he can’t see someone suffering without needing to help, and yet if he helps, in this case, he will hurt countless other people. I like putting characters into challenging moral quandaries to allow readers to ask themselves, “what choice would I make under those circumstances?” I didn’t have any special sources for the situational portion of the book except that it continues what began in books 1 and 2 and I took the premise to its logical conclusion. I felt the moral vacuum that is Ms. G must do monstrous things because that’s who she is, and the young heroes—particularly Alex—would therefore be forced to resist her in any way they could (without stepping over the line into her level of evil.)
This book is very creative. What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
My favorite scenes were the personal ones, the character bits that emphasized relationships and family, like the scene in the gym where everyone worked out together and bonded even more than they had previously. I also liked exploring the development of William and Francis and how they explored their innate humanity (despite having been told by Davalos and others they weren’t fully human.) The most challenging scene was the final battle at the mountain. I had to make a list of every character who would be present, what “team” each would be on, and an approximate outline of where each would be as the scenes progressed. Even then, I still forgot about some along the way and had to go back to make sure I showed what he/she was doing.
What challenges did you set for yourself as a writer with this book?
This biggest challenge was to wrap up and pay off all that had been set up in the first two books and do these things in ways that readers would find enjoyable and satisfactory. Series like this that have so many characters and so many threads sometimes stumble in the final book because some of those threads are left unraveled, and that has often frustrated me as a reader, so I hope I have resolved everything to my readers’ gratification.
Do you have plans to write more books in the Healer Chronicles?
I definitely leave the door open for more stories with these characters, especially with the promise Alex, Andy, William, and Francis made to the president that they are available in a national crisis. Of course, William and Francis are already special agents, and I’ve considered a spinoff series focusing on them. Time will tell. For now, I’m giving these characters (who are some of my all-time favorites) a much-needed rest.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Despite losing Andy, Alex has a few fleeting moments of happiness, especially as he finds himself falling for Allison, Mr. Shaw’s spunky daughter. But he knows these moments of “normalcy” will be short-lived because Ms. G and her group need his power to fulfill their evil plans.
When on-base treachery leads to attempted assassination and kidnapping, Alex—along with Roy and Allison—is plunged into a deadly standoff with Ms. G that he knows will result in his death and that of his loved ones. Can he allow them to be tortured, or will he give in to her monstrous demands?
Colonel Walker gathers his troops around the location where Alex is held prisoner – the mountain housing a mysterious “gate” into another dimension. Should Alex be forced to open that gate and release the dark entities within, the human race will come to a swift and violent end.
As the final battle approaches, can Alex hold out long enough for rescue to arrive?
The Healer Chronicles conclude.
Literary Titan Book Awards August 2022
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Silver Award Recipients
Calm Before the Storm by Steven Paul Germanè
The Sting
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Spoiler (The Healer Chronicles Book 3)
Fresh off a chaotic battle, Colonel Walker and his band of superhuman kids, created through government-sanctioned experiments, realize that the world is in more danger than they thought. There’s a breach in the barrier separating earth from the dimension housing demons, and dark entities are slowly seeping into our world. Even worse, Ms. G, a strange but powerful woman, is bent on opening the gates between both worlds to let demons into ours. Once again, Alex the healer, Colonel Walker, and the group, with help from the Pentagon, the Vatican, and others, must stop Ms. G before she causes untold darkness to overrun the world and end the human race.
Spoiler, by Michael J. Bowler, is the third book in a gripping series that is brimming with adventure and imaginative science fiction elements. It’s a compelling coming of age story of camaraderie, exploring what is means to be human, and the evils that are lurking on the fringes of the world as we know it.
The book sounds a tad spooky, right? It is, but only when it has to be, otherwise it has an adventurous spirit overall. The author finds a great balance between the dark themes and the refreshing fantasy ones. Frankly, reading Spoiler took me back to the description of Netflix’s Stranger Things which once caught my eye: “hair-raising and heartwarming.”
There are no flowery words or complex descriptions. The writing is simple and evocative as Bowler relies on the strength of his plot and characters to keep you spellbound. It’s been a while since I read a book that had me wondering, “how have I read 100 pages already?” Spoiler reels you in with the promise of chaos, drama, and twists and delivers massively.
The author has a fantastic ability to create gripping tension. He expertly teases several possibilities and leaves a few crumbs of evidence here and there, just enough to heighten your suspicion without giving too much away too soon. I think the book moves along at a good pace. Bowler nicely builds up to the inevitable chaos and uses that buildup to connect readers with the characters before everything devolves into chaos.
Spoiler is a real page-turner and an occasional tear-jerker. If you’re looking for an exciting young adult urban fantasy story with imaginative paranormal elements then you’ll heartily enjoy The Healer Chronicles series.
Pages: 377 | ASIN: B0B2V5J6C4
Death and Rebirth
Phoenix: The Rise follows a demi-god and a vampire who are struggling to defeat a powerful enemy while protecting humanity and trying to get married. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The set up was established way back in book one and this was just a natural progression of where and how I wanted the characters to evolve. I also wanted them to experience a level of drama that the reader could relate to.
Carissa and Xen are intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As writers, we often talk about character types, and I always come back to trying to make them as three-dimensional as I can, and for that, there needs to be interaction, reflection, and some form of decision making. It is through the reflection stage that we can dive just a little bit deeper to see what they are made of, and it is at that point where we can either sympathize or feel their anger, joy and other emotions. It is how we make a connection with them. Sometimes that can be a hit-and-miss situation, and I am always biting my nails and hoping I got it right. 😊
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Death and rebirth. I hate to say it, but I had to kill one of my darlings. It was time. Another theme was the magical element of Carissa’s power. I wanted to explore a little more of that and the danger of having such a gift. And of course a big battle scene, that encompasses the theme of good vs evil. No story is complete without one of those.
This is book three in your Phi Athanatoi series. Do you have plans for book four?
Book four is Kane’s story, so we get to see what makes him tick. The gods are also present, and of course there will be a little of Carissa Xen in the story too. Sadly, that will not be released till early 2024, but things do change. I am currently working on a new three book series, The Willow Witch Chronicles. Book one is scheduled for release in November and is already up for pre-order. There’s more information on my website.
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Demi-god Carissa Alkippes has fought her equal share of demons and Olympian gods, when one battle ends another begins. Only this one may destroy the thin veil between supernatural creatures, gods and humans. To make things worse Zeus offers her a ‘get in and out of Olympus’ card, which paints a dangerous target on her back. Now she must get a handle on her power.
With new enemies hunting her down, Carissa must use everything she knows to protect those she loves from being collateral damage.
Xen Lyson, has seen much in his immortal life and walking Carissa down the aisle is at the top of his vampire list, but when an ancient libation bowl turns up, so does Discord and Death.
Now they have fight not only to protect humanity, but themselves too. Will they defeat their enemies in time to tie-the-knot?
ThePhi Athanatoi is a paranormal, fantasy romance series featuring; vampires, werewolves, witches and Greek gods. If you love stories with strong heroines, adrenaline-filled drama, prophecies, Greek mythology and immortal warriors, then you’ll love the Phi Athanatoi.
LITERARY TITAN 