Blog Archives
Until the End
Until the End by Evan L. Grove is the conclusion to The Awakener duology; the imaginative and rich world built in this series is going through a terrible war. The nation of Odelia is facing big trouble, and few might be able to stop the darkness that’s growing in the land.
Emily Lee has found herself in the hands of Lord Gaudeman: as they are now one being, she has to endure and see her body being used to cause the most horrendous terror to innocent civilians. Now Gaudeman, alongside his supporters, is marching towards the capital. Their hope is to awaken and unleash the wrath of the Elierean goddess Mari. Releasing Mari will avenge the subjugation that the Eliere have endured for many years. Just as this is taking place, Lehksi Olent has seen herself as one of the few capable of stopping this madness, joining forces with Marcus Sugaar in a quest to undermine Gaudeman’s plans.
It doesn’t matter what steps the characters choose to take; the world they’ve known for so long will inevitably have to change. This second part of the story is definitely a darker one. The characters readers met and loved in the first book are all going through their own challenging paths. War is going on, and it’s hard to imagine a happy ending could materialize.
The entire story is brilliant and engaging; it was hard to put the book down. Darkness, magic, and tension are all well balanced in one single story. This is possibly one of the reasons why the style of narration is the biggest highlight of this book: the writing keeps the reader intrigued all the time, wanting to find out more about the plot and the story. Each chapter brings something new and fantastical to the table, covering various characters, stories and perspectives. The history of the world becomes richer as readers get to see elements of its past, which include gods, vengeful goddesses, and magic. It is simply a complex fantasy world with a captivating storyline.
With time, everything starts to connect, and the multiple characters and stories readers are introduced to finally intertwine, creating this big and enthralling plot with many twists and turns. Getting to the end of the book leaves a bittersweet feeling since it is worth seeing more of the magical world that we’ve come to meet in this duology, with its characters and beautiful stories filled with magic.
Until the End is the sort of book that every fantasy aficionado should put on their reading list, it is a fantastic and thrilling ending to a dark fantasy story that will fill the hearts of readers with absolute wonder.
Pages: 537 | ASIN : B09SVLC6M2
Literary Titan Book Awards April 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 imagination of these talented authors.
Gold Award Winners
The Future is a Memory, C. Ross
Silver Award Winners
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Shifter
Twin brothers with the power of life and death – will they choose the path of good or evil? In Shifter, the second book in the Healer Chronicles, Michael J Bowler brings us back to the world of Alex and Andy and all the characters revolving around them. Having survived the events in the first thrilling book, the brothers begin to get to know each other and test the limits of what they can do together. But with secret organizations and military operations vying for control of their power, they have to make difficult choices that could save people… or leave them dead. The story takes twists and turns that make you question everything and everyone, from well-guarded fortresses and secret military labs in the desert.
Early on, we’re taken back to Andy’s horrific childhood, which explains his character to the reader and his brother Alex. The reader also gets some recaps and explanations of events in the first book, allowing those that have not read the first novel to understand this one. The author expertly balances dialogue, description, and action, creating incredible tension. A few scenes in the military lab had me literally at the edge of my seat! The author also created a rich and relatable world by adding small details between big moments.
There were plenty of everyday things that we take for granted highlighted in these extreme circumstances. For example, Alex’s experiences with his disability, not being able to reach a shirt in a closet that wasn’t made for someone in a wheelchair. Alex’s human existence gave us a closer connection to a character with incredible power. I loved so many of the characters in the novel. They were unusual heroes, abandoned or scorned by society because of who they are, mistakes from their past, or circumstances beyond their control.
There were also plenty of more important questions of ethics and morality in the choices the main characters have to make, as exemplified in the passage below: “And you would be, Alex. You two could save more lives than anyone in history.” “By killing,” Alex said, his voice barely a whisper. “How is that good?” “Because some people need to be killed so others may live.” Without giving too much away, you can see the dilemma Alex faces when he learns about how some powerful forces would want him to use his power.
However, conflict in the book doesn’t touch only upon questions of morality but also on adolescent insecurities and friendship. Many characters grapple with complex feelings of jealousy or fear of a new person joining the group and taking your place, wanting to prove their strength.
Shifter (The Healer Chronicles Book 2) is a suspenseful young adult thriller. With strong and memorable characters, non-stop action, and high tension, readers will not want to put the book down and anxiously await the conclusion of this exciting trilogy.
Pages: 372 | ASIN : B09R2K41L7
The Limitations of Existing
Fancy Shop is a collection of imaginative and thought-provoking short stories. Did you write these stories over time or did you write these stories specifically for this collection?
The stories are written at different times and occasions. What unites them is the unusual view of reality. Their common theme is the desire to overcome the limitations of existing and creating a new world of dreams comes true.
Your characters are intriguing and well developed in so few pages. Who was your favorite character to create?
I tend to Waste who stands against his predestined destiny to save the one who should be himself.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some of the themes in my book are: change as a path to salvation or destruction, the clash between being and mind, dream as a path to one’s own unknown worlds.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
It would be a weird story collection about new challenges such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, loss of identity and their collision with a human mind.
Author Links: Twitter | Play Books
The short stories presented here take place at different times (past, present, future) with different fantasy levels – from stories that are nearly real to phantasmagorias and new Gothic. The characters are also different: knights, anonymous people, dreamers, outsiders, crazy ones, technocrats, cockroaches, holders of secret knowledge.
What unites them is the urge (gradual or sudden) to leave the orderly system of their lives, attracted by the alluring hope that they can find or create another world of dreams come true, inexpressible truths and oases of redemption of past guilt.
On the way to their new identities, they move freely between reality and fantasy. They are in constant conflict with themselves, and the front line is the line dividing the two hemispheres of their brains. The stories are very short but each has a complex plot, provocative suggestions and a surprising end. Without in any way denying the traditional concepts of good-evil, simple-profound, they lead the reader into worlds in which paradox is a synonym of universal meaning.
Supernaturals Coming Together
The Younglings Shadows & Magic follows a teenage boy as he comes to terms with his supernatural powers and hunts a killer. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I’ve always been a lover of fantasy & the supernatural. The concept of a diverse range of supernaturals coming together to fight for good, has been an idea of mine for quite a long time. I wanted this concept to be a coming of age type story—teenagers dealing with teenage life, and being thrown into a supernatural world, whilst discovering who they are, forming the bonds of friendship, and falling in love, as well as all the usual teen-angst.
Quinn has a few shocking revelations in this novel on top of being a teenager figuring out who they are. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As a mother, I have, in the not too distant past, had a house full of teenagers. The joie de vivre that they have is inspiring. But most teens can experience all sorts of difficulties in their day to day lives—from bullying, to gossip, to drugs, to deep depression, isolation, and so on. Subsequently, overly polished plots and people won’t resonate. They want to see themselves in your characters—they want the messy, real deal.
The characters in my series are real teenagers, from the decisions they make, to their reactions to certain situations, and the confusion of falling in love—like real teens. Their heightened sense of emotion (and hormones) can cause immaturity and self-doubt issues. We see The Younglings grow and mature throughout the series. For Quinn, though, it was a matter of integrity—finding out your father is not human but a demon king—would it break him or make him stronger?
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As a writer, I wanted to be edgy, to write like young adults would think and speak, and really get into their mindset. The theme of self-belief, family bonds and friendship are important to me—but all in all, I felt that my characters needed to be portrayed honestly.
Another thing I needed to remember, was that my book would need to exclude any insight a typical teen would not yet have—for the characters integrity. As teenagers, The Younglings wouldn’t have the wisdom of a forty-year-old, would they? And we have to remember, teens don’t want to be treated like kids. Teens read to understand friends, frenemies, but mostly themselves. I feel the goal should be to empower teen readers.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The sequel—The Younglings: Fire & Magic is out early June 2022. I’m hoping the third in the series—The Younglings: Starlight & Magic will be out December 2022, or early 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
“This is such a hilarious and well-paced YA read that introduces us beautifully into a new series. It is absolutely packed with demons, angels, ghosts, witches, and more, all wrapped up in teen angst, misfits and unwitting heroes.”
Supernaturals are fantasy, right?
Wrong … so very wrong.
When Quinn Carter finds out his dad is a demon king, his life spirals to Crazyville.
As if being secretly in love with his best friend, Eve, isn’t bad enough, he also starts to develop freaky powers, then finds out Eve and his grandma aren’t all they seem.
His new friends have secrets too. Apparently, demons aren’t the only paranormals out there.
Throw in a few spirits, stab-worthy demons and black witchcraft, and life becomes messy for Quinn and his team of supernaturals.
On top of it all, the vampire ministry covet Eve’s angelic blood. Will the team rescue her before it’s too late for Quinn to admit his feelings?
“If you’re a Twilight or City of Bones fan, this is for you.”
“I also loved the grannies! What a fabulous team of guardians they had watching over them!”
“If you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Supernatural this is perfect reading material to satisfy your paranormal obsession.”
“Quinn is so well written, funny, frustrating and loveable.”
“I simply loved the world building, the characters that are diverse in their supernatural abilities, gender and sexuality which is fantastic to see.”
Do Not Open Until 23
Ash and Gold follows a woman whose normal life is shattered when she’s consumed by nightmares and a dark underworld of cults is revealed. Where did the idea for the story come from and how did it change as you wrote?
The idea for the novel initially came from a time capsule. When I was around 13 years old, I made a time capsule for myself ten years in the future. I filled a box with random things that I found important at the time, including songs, stories, journal entries, photos of my family and friends, and most importantly, a cassette tape with recorded messages from younger me to future me. I wrapped the little box up with duct tape. Wrote “Do Not Open Until 23” on the box in big block letters and tucked it away in a corner of my closet.
Ten years later I pulled out the little box and checked the contents. I was surprised to find that I had forgotten nearly everything I had put in there, including what I had said on the cassette tape. I spent a fun evening listening to ten years ago me giving current me advice on life (in a way only a thirteen-year-old could) and that sparked the idea: what if there was a girl who was listening to a past version of herself, one she didn’t remember, but one that gave advice. What if that past version was older, not younger? How could that occur? Why would it occur? What secrets could such a little cassette tape hold?
From there the story kind of snowballed into Ash and Gold as it is now.
I enjoyed the overall eerie feeling embedded in the story. What were some challenges you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
Well, I wrote a good portion of this novel during quarantine, and I challenged myself to set out the entire morning, every day, to simply sit down (drink lots of coffee) and write. Challenge completed, I guess?
I am also so glad you enjoyed the eerie feeling! I did my best to keep a creepy under tone without overdoing it or having it come across as goofy. It is difficult to tell, since I can’t step out of myself to read what I have written. I know the vibe I’m try for, but it’s sometimes hard to tell if I am successful. So, thank you!
What scene in the story did you have the most fun writing?
That is honestly a hard question—I had a great deal of fun writing this book overall. But the first scene that comes to mind is the scene when Buggy meets Theo for the first time at the cabin. The dialogue between Theo and Buggy were always some of my favorite parts to write, and that scene in particular carried a lot of confused “worlds colliding” elements that I had so much fun bringing into existence.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently switching back and forth between two books at the moment. One is the sequel to my first novel The Strangest Woman, and the other takes place in the same universe as Ash and Gold (closely related—although not exactly a direct sequel).
I’m not sure when either will be available. I suppose it depends how much time I have to write and if I can force myself to hunker down and just work on one book at a time—which I find surprisingly difficult at times. Some days one story nudges me a little more than the other and I find myself jumping back and forth quite often. Despite that, I am making decent progress on both—so hopefully one (or the other) will be available soon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Ripped from her normal life in sleepy Marshall County, California, Buggy fights for control over her mind as a darkness awakens within her heart and splinters her reality. Nightmares fill her dreams with fear and pain. Dreams of evil deaths. Drowning in darkness. Burning alive. But those are the least of her terrors.
An intense power is building inside Buggy, a power she does not understand or know how to control. Just when things cannot get any worse, two mysterious strangers bulldoze into her life, scattering her already weak hold on everything she believes to be true. They show her a world full of psychic cults and dark promises.
They say they want to help her, but can she trust them? And even if they can help her, is there enough time?
Or is it already too late?
Meshkwadoon: Book 1
Alex Tilley has crafted a world where people in the melting pot of Ontario, Canada, come face to face with the spirits of the lands they call home. Blending beliefs and personalities from India and Japan with the indigenous Anishinabek traditions and mythologies forges a new map to follow through these forests and small towns. Meshkwadoon translates as a bargain, trading or exchange. As the novel unfolds, readers discover many other words found in Ojibwe, and some Japanese and Hindi peppered in. Within the context of the story, many terms get defined while reading, and using other languages helps the reader step into the unknown a little less sure-footed, but with a sense of wonder.
The story opens with the dreamy Natasha, who we soon find out appears to be having delusions or hallucinations in the forest, if not visitations from powerful old spirits. Begging for help or direction home, she is told in few and broken words that they don’t want her to leave. Her hazelnut eyes drink in the trees and waterways as she tries to escape. Seasons seem to flash forward as we discover all is not what it seems in the woods.
We follow mild-mannered teacher Arjun on a class trip into Algonquin park from Huntsville Ontario when his hiking group finds Natasha covered in mud, nude, and unable to explain where she had come from, or otherwise who she is. One student, Yutta, assists Arjun with the exhausted and injured girl and soon becomes inexplicably enraptured with her.
After handing the strange girl over to the authorities, Arjun, the teacher, is visited by a mysterious reporter named Chloe who is digging for clues about what may have happened to Yutta’s grandparents. Arjun, certain the strange girl and his student’s tragedy must be connected, goes to the hospital and visit the enigmatic Natasha. Much like Yutta, he can’t get her out of his mind and proves oddly compelled to seek her out. Natasha, now missing from the hospital, has this unlikely duo– man and boy– seeking her out. Visions, apparitions, spirits, and tricksters fade in and out as the men travel together, then separately, unraveling as best they can what happened to Natasha before they found her and uncovering clues to the journey she is on now. Many of the people they meet sometimes help or otherwise hinder their quest to find the striking girl who seems to call from them through miles of the surrounding forest.
Chloe’s father, Ogi, is a medicine-man of sorts and has some answers and guidance but warns them all is not what it seems in terms of the meshkwadoon between Natasha and the earth. Peppered with moments of nightmarish visions, and the terror of being alone in the forest, the book has only a few main characters but many short scenes with unnamed apparitions, spirits, and strangers they meet along the way, perhaps many guises of the trickster spirit Nanabush or the greater spirits of the earth itself. From modern hospitals to the most ancient groves, the story paints a picture of Ontario that is recognizable when Arjun and Yutta are interacting with the familiar, yet a murky mystical world lurks under all of this as they take guidance from the various monsters, guides, and spirits.
Some of these characters may be familiar to readers of fantasy or folklore, and certainly to those who are acquainted with indigenous legends. From the stoic brother bear that lends Arjun clarity and wisdom to the mischievous Puk-wudgie, a tiny woodland troll-creature that accompanies Yutta; there are extremes of delightful whimsy and cold reckoning worked into each chapter as they encounter clues to Natasha’s true nature. The very human elements of exhaustion, pain, nudity, confusion, and dread weave through the story, making this sit very close to the realm of horror without being overly graphic. This is despite the beautiful descriptions of the landscapes these creatures and our cast travel through. The woods are dense between the towns and cities we discover, Huntsville to Sudbury, and it soon becomes clear people can be very close to one another, yet be lost and alone at the same time.
Meshkwadoon spans the genres of dark fantasy, thriller, horror, and magic realism, creating a complex storyline with many twists. Readers will find themselves on a journey questioning what is real as they follow the characters through this chilling novel.
Pages: 242 | ASIN : B09PBKYBBP
The Younglings
Destined to be Keepers – the Protector of innocents in the mortal realm, Quinn and his team of supernatural friends must safeguard their town of Portaville from all the mystical energies that come their way. When a teacher’s heart is torn out of their chest and students start to go missing, the friends combine forces to reinstate the safety of those closest to them. With their freshly discovered powers, the teens can sense something isn’t all that it’s made out to be. All it takes is Mrs. D – Quin’s demon nanny – to confirm their suspicions and their plan to stop the murderer begins. All while Quinn is coming to terms with the fact that he is the demon king’s son!
Author Helena Craggs expertly crafts a brilliant young adult novel and navigates the reader through first loves, sexuality, friendship, and familial unity. Readers will find the characters in the story to be entertaining, full of personality, typical teenage moods, and dedication to their cause. In addition, the author injects humor in the story which lightens the mood of some of the darker drama that they face, and the twists and turns of the storyline as they discover more information about the town, paranormal activities, and themselves, making this an unpredictable urban fantasy novel.
Craggs has done well to create realistic characters and an easy-to-follow storyline with enough action to keep readers engaged. There is a character for everyone to relate to with demons, angels, ghosts, witches, magic, and teenagers. I enjoyed reading about Quin’s character especially as we followed him on his emotional journey of discovering his own powers and learning the truth about his family.
The Younglings: Shadows & Magic is a fast-paced, jam-packed paranormal fantasy novel that is perfect for younger readers looking to be taken on a fantastical journey that is filled with supernatural beings and teen angst.
Pages: 401 | AISN : B09C6JLDQW
LITERARY TITAN 