Blog Archives
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
A Man Driven By Greed
The Kingdom Thief follows Princess Sitnalta as she races to undo a thief’s reality-warping wish, becoming the lone keeper of the truth in a world that no longer remembers who she really is. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The Sitnalta Series finds itself focusing a lot on this coin- its origin, its powers, and the power of wishes. Through the first book, with Sitnalta’s relationship with the troll, Najort, we look into the consequences of wishes done with the right motivation, and by good people. For the sequel, I wanted to look at the reverse. Wilhelm is not Najort. He is not Sitnalta. He is a man driven by greed, and what would that look like, if he were to acquire the coin and make a wish.
Sitnalta and Navor’s relationship holds so much emotional weight. How did you approach balancing romance with the fast-paced plot?
For someone their age, the idea of a budding romance can be what drives a person. In a way, it is the plot. Navor wants to help Sitnalta, and Sitnalta wants her home back. This should be in balance with what is happening outside of their little bubble. For them at least, their feelings are just as important as magic, and politics, and stopping the mad man who has stolen a kingdom. When you look at the world through the lens of two young people and their feelings, one thing is never more important than the other. As a parent of teenagers, I’m surrounded by that on a daily basis, and that was my approach.
If you could expand one section of the story, give readers more time in any particular place or emotional moment, what would it be and why?
I would love to spend a lot more time in Navor’s head. He has a lot on his plate right now. Writing his dreams, his fears, and his hope for the future was a lot of fun, and I would love to have done a lot more of that.
What can readers expect in book three of the Sitnalta Series?
Oh, without giving too much away, I can say that we have tragedy, a very different type of romance, and so many questions about the past get answered. In a way, this is almost a prequel, but still very much Book Three. Sitnalta would not have been ready for these answers before now. I hope that wasn’t too cryptic.
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Princess Sitnalta has been living happily ever after with Queen Aud and King Gerald as her adoptive parents, enjoying the peace in her world. Her growing friendship with the mysterious Prince Navor leads her on a journey to visit his island kingdom. While there she receives the horrible news that her kingdom has been conquered and cruel King Wilhelm is responsible.
With King Gerald and Queen Aud imprisoned, Prince Navor and a secretive network of spies as her only allies, Princess Sitnalta feels lost and adrift. Nothing about Colonodona’s takeover seems right, and Sitnalta suspects magic may be to blame.
Far from home and unsure of whom to trust, Sitnalta must find a way to save her kingdom, and return her beloved Aud and Gerald to their rightful thrones.
Nurse Dorothea® presents Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Why Mindfulness is a Key Coping Skill
Nurse Dorothea Presents Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Why Mindfulness Is a Key Coping Skill by Michael Dow is a warm, inviting introduction to mindfulness presented through a fictional after-school class. Nurse Dorothea guides readers through the basics of mental health, the meaning of mindfulness, and the many ways it can improve daily life. The book mixes friendly explanations, real research, and simple activities while also covering Jon Kabat-Zinn’s nine pillars of mindfulness and the three main practices: meditation, body scanning, and mindful yoga. It’s an easygoing, approachable read meant for people of all ages.
The book opens with Dorothea reminding the class that every person is one life event away from facing a mental health challenge, which felt honest and grounding. Throughout the early chapters, she repeats gentle reminders to be patient and nonjudgmental with yourself, and I found those small, warm nudges surprisingly comforting. The writing avoids heavy language and instead feels like someone sitting beside you, calmly talking you through your own thoughts.
I also really enjoyed the student comments woven throughout the book. They make the lessons feel alive and relatable. One student mentions that mindfulness while driving helps keep you safe, and another talks about how multitasking can pull you away from the moment. These small interactions add humor and humanity to the material. They break up the teaching in a way that makes the book feel more like a real class than a traditional self-help guide.
The seated meditation instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the emphasis on letting your mind wander without judgment made me feel oddly relieved. The body scan exercise is explained in a simple, calm voice that made me want to try it right away. Even the yoga section feels approachable, especially when the author reassures readers not to judge themselves if they wobble or fall. That moment actually made me smile because it felt so human.
The book is gentle, sincere, and wonderfully beginner-friendly. I’d recommend it to teens, parents, teachers, or anyone who wants a simple and encouraging introduction to mindfulness. If you’re looking for a book that feels like a calm, supportive voice guiding you through stress and distraction, this one fits the bill perfectly.
Pages: 179 | ISBN : 978-1-968690-01-4
Nurse Dorothea® presents Healthy Relationships
Healthy Relationships presents a thoughtful and approachable exploration of what helps relationships thrive. The book is framed as a guided workshop led by Nurse Dorothea, who walks readers through the core ingredients of healthy connection, communication, boundaries, empathy, responsibility, and self-awareness. Although the tone is gentle and accessible, the book is wide in scope, touching on friendships, family ties, romantic partnerships, and online relationships. Its structure blends direct instruction, reflective prompts, and short personal stories in a way that encourages readers to slow down and consider how they relate to others.
The classroom-style format works particularly well. Early in the book, readers are invited to pause, write, and reflect, which creates a sense of active participation. Simple metaphors, like caring for relationships as one would tend a garden, and the recurring reminders that everyone faces challenges, offer a steady, grounding presence throughout the text. At times, the tone can feel overly earnest, but that sincerity reinforces the author’s intention: to encourage readers to approach their relationships with clarity and kindness.
The many student stories woven into the book add depth and texture. Accounts from individuals describing supportive parents, patient partners, meaningful friendships, or online connections create an authentic emotional thread. These examples are used to highlight specific principles such as trust, cooperation, and mutual respect, and they break up the instructional sections in a way that feels natural. The book does not shy away from discussing difficult dynamics either. Its explanations of imbalance, dishonesty, control, and disrespect are concise and direct, making the warnings easy to understand without sensationalism.
The section on meaningful apologies stands out for its emphasis on responsibility and repair rather than defensiveness. Later discussions on reconnecting with others and choosing high-quality relationships are practical and encouraging. The message is consistent and clear: healthy relationships are intentional, vulnerable, and sustained through ongoing care.
Nurse Dorothea® presents Healthy Relationships offers a steady, compassionate guide for readers of all ages. It would be especially valuable for educators, counselors, families, and anyone seeking a straightforward framework for understanding relational well-being. Its warmth, clarity, and practicality make it a supportive companion for those hoping to build stronger and more thoughtful connections.
Pages: 239 | ISBN : 978-1-968690-00-7
Fragments of Light
Fragments of Light is a sweeping and atmospheric dive into a fractured world where humanity rebuilds in the shimmer of auroras and forgotten machines. The story follows Keela, a young Archivist in the crystalline city of Lumik, as she unearths relics from a past civilization while strange awakenings stir beneath the ice. The novel blends science fiction and myth with elegant precision. From flooded towns to radiant cities, author Arlen Voss crafts a landscape that feels both alien and deeply human. The world pulses with mystery, every shard of glass or whisper in the frost hinting at something larger, something old and waiting.
The prose is lyrical and deliberate, yet grounded enough to keep the story alive with movement. Voss’s worldbuilding shines brightest, the mix of Arctic folklore and speculative technology is mesmerizing. But it’s the emotional undercurrent that struck me most. Keela’s curiosity feels contagious, her fears achingly real. The author paints her world with a quiet sadness, a kind of beauty that only exists in loss. At times, the pacing slows, but I didn’t mind. The stillness gives the reader space to breathe, to feel the hum of a place where even silence has memory.
I loved how Voss lets themes of memory and connection rise slowly. There’s wonder here, but also unease. The machines waking up, the whispers of the past bleeding into the present, it all feels eerily relevant. The dialogue, especially between Keela and her mentor Naaja, carries warmth and wisdom without feeling heavy. I appreciated the subtlety in the emotional moments, the quiet restraint that lets the story breathe. Rather than pushing too hard, it invites the reader to lean in and feel the emotions between the lines. That control gives the book a quiet strength, reflecting a world learning to remember with care instead of pain.
I’d recommend Fragments of Light to readers who like their science fiction poetic, patient, and full of heart. It’s for those who savor atmosphere over action and find joy in slow discovery. Fans of Le Guin, Chambers, or Ishiguro’s quiet dystopias will feel right at home.
Pages: 397 | ASIN: B0F3D7WDHG
What Can Become Life Changing
Not Just Another Brick in the Wall! follows two fifteen-year-old students, a boy and a girl (Sky McCray and Cali Snipe), who just started high school and who find out that an older high school girl was kidnapped, raped, and murdered at the school last year. Cali thinks she can help solve the case. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Cali Snipe and Sky McCray had experience being kidnapped (events that happened in the previous three novels in the series). In those stories, a local crime boss had hoped to sell them to sex traffickers for a large sum of money. Using their wits and sometimes with the help of teen friends they were always able to escape, but they are knowledgeable of what fates awaited them if their sale to traffickers had transpired. Consequently, once made aware of the kidnapping and murder of a classmate, they are determined to expose the guilty perpetrator.
Sky had always been the primary creator of the method(s) for his and Cali’s escapes in the past, so this time I wanted Cali to have the limelight in solving this new kidnapping dilemma.
As in the previous novels, friends become crucial, this time for Cali’s ability to gain insight on the criminal responsible for the crime. However, it is her own courage, ingenuity, and her determination that eventually solve the mystery and helps her bring the pedophile to justice.
Cali and Sky are your typical teenagers when not investigating crimes. Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters’ life?
One emotion would be the pleasure of sharing concerns and humor with close friends. Even sharing homework assignments can be bonding and enjoyable and often outrageously humorous.
One memory of my teen days was mine and my friends’ constant curiosity about our budding interest in sexuality and our confusion regarding our sexuality. Accurate information about relationships between males and females was not available to teens when I was in high school. Teens could not even take a book from the local library to read if it contained “adult” material.
I wanted to focus on both these issues for teens in my books. I wanted to highlight the joy of sharing daily experiences, mundane or otherwise, with friends. When we look back on our teen years as adults, we realize how precious and rewarding were those moments. I also wanted to include accurate and timely information on human sexuality that some of my teen readers might be seeking. I also hoped that some parent readers would realize the importance of offering tactful but accurate and enriching advice on sexual issues.
Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic, that is life-changing?
Absolutely. Sometimes it can be a traumatic or dramatic event like a car or airplane crash or an unexpected health issue or the death of a close relative. Or it could be something as inconspicuous as something someone says to you like a teacher saying you will never learn to write well or solve math problems, or a friend saying to you that it was so out-of-character for you for the despicable way you treated another person. What is then lifechanging is not the event or what was said but how you respond to it. Your positive response to the event is what can become life changing.
What will the next book in that series be about and when will it be published?
The book is already written and published: Facing Revenge. Once again, as in most of the earlier books in the series, both Cali and Sky are instrumental in their own way in facing a challenge, a traumatic event, and finding a successful resolution. Assistance from friends is also crucial to their “survival”.
As in the earlier books, other events typical of teen life occur. Cali, Sky, and friends cope with typical teen situations with humor and with comradery.
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Unfortunately, along with the excitement of adjusting to a new school environment, Cali and Sky discover that last year a student was abducted, raped, and murdered. The police investigation is at a standstill. Because of her history with kidnapping, Cali believes she might find some answers to the murder mystery. She drags Sky into her quest. Will Cali’s involvement in the murder open Cali to being a victim herself? Cali and Sky may be new to Parkington High, but they are not new to danger.
The Kingdom Thief
The Kingdom Thief kicks off in a fantasy world. Princess Sitnalta is happy with her adopted parents, King Gerald and Queen Aud. She has a blossoming friendship, maybe more, with Prince Navor. But then a thief named Wilhelm gets his hands on a magical wish-granting coin. He rewrites reality itself. Suddenly, Wilhelm is king, Sitnalta’s parents are traitors in a dungeon, and she’s a fugitive. The catch is, Sitnalta is the only one who remembers the “real” world. She has to figure out how to fix a history that nobody else knows is broken.
I found this central idea really compelling. It’s a fantastic hook. The “gaslighting-by-magic” concept, where the hero’s entire reality is upended, creates immediate, high-stakes tension. I was completely on board. The writing itself gets the job done. It is clear, and it is direct. It moves the plot forward at a really fast clip. Sometimes, I will admit, it moved almost too fast. I felt the story leaped from one major plot point to the next. It was a whirlwind of a ball, a boat trip, and a new reality all in just a few chapters.
When Sitnalta discovers her world is a lie, I was devastated for her. The connection between Navor and Najort (the troll he is a reincarnation of) was a genuine surprise. I thought that was a brilliant twist. It added a new layer of tragedy and sacrifice to the story. I just wish I’d had more time to explore what that felt like for both him and Sitnalta. Their romance, which I was rooting for, was a really bright spot in the story, and it made total sense that their connection would grow so strong given the magical problems they had to solve together.
I really enjoyed the book’s finale. This book is a lot of fun. It is packed with creative ideas, big twists, and a classic good-versus-evil fight. I would absolutely recommend this for a younger YA reader, or really, for anyone looking for a quick, imaginative fantasy adventure. It’s the kind of book you can read in a weekend and just have a good time with.
Pages: 227 | ASIN: B0G1VTB3C3
LITERARY TITAN 