J.S. Frankel’s ‘Seven Times Unto Eternity’ evolves through his seamless weaving of Paige DeMaster’s backstories and prExcellence to the Seventh Degree
J.S. Frankel’s ‘Seven Times Unto Eternity’ evolves through his seamless weaving of Paige DeMaster’s backstories and present-day surrealism in Manhattan. Seems the original incarnated Anek, a male who hailed from a centuries-old nomadic culture, is fated to reincarnate female each of those seven times.
There’s more than meets the eye as to the whys and wherefores of Anek’s reincarnation and repetitious deaths at knifepoint from Carna, an evil nemesis. The author reveals this in due time.
Finding love with Selena Chan provides an outlet for all of the admirable, relentless hammering the author does to nail the timeless ills of an evolving world: bigotry, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny.
I highly recommend this young adult paranormal fantasy driven by the element of same-sex romance in the real world....more
I found author David Pugh’s ‘Dharma Sutra’ an absorbing read manifested by well-heeled travel, well-healed transformatiA Sensual and Spiritual Journey
I found author David Pugh’s ‘Dharma Sutra’ an absorbing read manifested by well-heeled travel, well-healed transformations, and perilous ventures.
Straddling the lines of demarcation between autobiographical revelation and imaginative plotting, the mind-blowing journey unfolds through narratives told by: Jeffrey Dharma, Remus Jallow, Bob Jatta, and Molefi Bankaketse. They, along with other in-depth characters, become an integral part of each other’s lives, for better or for worse.
The story is enriched with authentic glimpses of culture and off-the-beaten-path locales in West Africa and India. You know the author didn’t make up stuff such as Officers’ Choice and Kingfisher Strong.
Leonard Cohen’s “The body is the light; the body is the way,” in conjunction with Buddhist teachings, propel Jeffrey Dharma’s erotic soul-searching journey as he embraces those who complete the circle of enlightenment.
I highly recommend this well-written and thought-provoking read transfigured by erotica and exotica. ...more
Author Terry Kerr’s macabre work of literary art is a “slice” of life imitating art. ‘Pavlov’s Bell’ is gripping theater brilliantlyLife Imitating Art
Author Terry Kerr’s macabre work of literary art is a “slice” of life imitating art. ‘Pavlov’s Bell’ is gripping theater brilliantly staged by a writer who is also a play actor. This allows readers, his captive audience, a glimpse of what goes on behind the curtain.
Eve Rogers, Kerr’s protagonist, along with her telepathic dead husband, Carl; and her sister, Sarah, become seared into your psyche, courtesy of the author’s flashbacks and character introspection. Plot-wise, if the characters have trouble piecing together the puzzle clues, the reader is also held hostage in fear and trepidation.
Kerr stumped me with “barking clappers,” and slayed me with “someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah”.
Terry Kerr has masterminded the nuances of psychological horror through impeccable pacing, precision timing, madness, and gruesome details. It’d be grand to see this novel adapted into a screenplay. Standing ovations and box-office sellouts, guaranteed! ...more
Rhyme with Reason Author/poet Anna Casamento Arrigo’s environmentally educational and entertaining marine-life story, told in rhyme from Tessy’s point Rhyme with Reason Author/poet Anna Casamento Arrigo’s environmentally educational and entertaining marine-life story, told in rhyme from Tessy’s point of view, is a charming and heartfelt read. The artistic illustrations by Jryona are vivid.
Tessy, the Green Sea Turtle, fills the reader in on the low nesting survival rate, contributing factors that have endangered her species, and simple but effective ways people of all ages can help turtles make a comeback.
I highly recommend Tessy’s engaging story which barnacles the reader from shore to sea.
Author J.S. Frankel’s highly imaginative, young adult fantasy leaps off the pages from the premise of homeostasis: there must be aThe Perfect Balance!
Author J.S. Frankel’s highly imaginative, young adult fantasy leaps off the pages from the premise of homeostasis: there must be a balance between the number of souls in heaven and those in the nether region. If the balance doesn’t hold by the end of the year—there’s hell to pay, whereby the world will be destroyed and the whole process of evolution begins anew.
The team upstairs is short two souls. Heaven sends a Halo named Nell to team up with Ed, one of Hell’s minions, to make things right before the New Year. Not an easy task, given human nature. Ed and Nell chase down many leads to make their quota.
What ensues along their chase is an in-depth, soul-searching venture with time running out to avert an apocalypse:
Ed grapples with remembering his past to gauge how he got to Hell, wondering if he could be someone different if given the chance. Marcus, Ed’s demonic nemesis, sabotages all efforts to save the world for his own selfish reasons. Ed finds himself attracted to Nell.
Frankel’s readers get the best of heaven, hell, and earth’s ominous sky, ever darkening as the apocalypse approaches. You’ll get a strong dose of New York through an uptick in breakout fights, riots, and the sewer underworld as Nell and Ed struggle to serve their masters and save the world.
Cleverly plotted with charismatic characters and harrowing action at every turn, ‘And the Devil Take Ye’ is a devilishly different, must-read. ...more
A fan of the ‘Mildred Unchained’ series, she takes the cake in ‘Mildred Rolls the Dice’. When one of her neighbors at the WilHarpy Hour at its Finest!
A fan of the ‘Mildred Unchained’ series, she takes the cake in ‘Mildred Rolls the Dice’. When one of her neighbors at the Wilton Arms Retirement Community (dubbed Wrinkled Arms) is victimized by a scammer on a dating site, the entire retirement community is up in arms to root out the perp.
Besides her stint as an undercover detective at the Ivory Winds Casino, Mildred sets herself up as bait on a few dating sites. While there’s no shortage of humor at each other’s expense as the residents provide backup for each other during initial dating meets, there’s a serious undertone throughout. Loneliness at any age is a poor excuse for believing smarmy sweet talk.
A surprise awaits Mildred’s followers at Harpy Hour in addition to wine, dessert, and gossip. I highly recommend nosing around in Book 6 of ‘Mildred Unchained’. ...more
Author Martha Perez’ ‘Leave the Light On: Dark Short Stories’ is an exemplary exploration of the human psyche in An Eclectic Collection of Dark Shorts
Author Martha Perez’ ‘Leave the Light On: Dark Short Stories’ is an exemplary exploration of the human psyche in the face of unimaginable horror. Each unique story is eerie and bizarre, unfolding disturbing plot lines and unpredictable conclusions, pivoting from characters driven by aberrant behaviors.
Keep away from Daddy Dearest, the dude from “Alone in the Woods”.
My heart bleeds for the sister of Tina and Ben in “Secrets in the Basement”.
The author accurately depicts the harsh reality of homelessness as the reader follows in the footsteps of Georgia and Big John in “Life’s Twists and Turns”.
One of my favorites, “The Nightmare,” is a heartrending story about Cindy Parker’s psychological breakdown, so convincing, you feel her torment and confusion.
I highly recommend this imaginative and provocative journey along the dark side of life. ...more
Having read ‘Pathway to Freedom,’ I connected the autobiographical dots traversing the landscape of author Patty L. Fletcher’s fiction iA Robust Blend
Having read ‘Pathway to Freedom,’ I connected the autobiographical dots traversing the landscape of author Patty L. Fletcher’s fiction in Book 1 of ‘The Blended Lives Chronicles’. A well-written, intriguing, and entertaining blend of fact, Sci-Fi, Romance, and Paranormal elements—these Chronicles literarily transport the reader to planets Korponious and Casimia.
There’s plenty of double dealing and somersaulting mysteries surrounding the key players representing the Blended Lives Planetary Foundation and the Clear Bloods in their clash of differences. High Priestess, Lady Laya Moonwalker and her guide dog, King, use their psychic powers to battle the vampish Clear Bloods from systematically cleansing those with disabilities and deformities—or, kill those resistant. Lady Laya’s mission is that of upholding the Federation’s creed to blend the lines of race and disability, while elevating the recognition of service animals.
Just as everyone is not what they portend to be, the outcomes along the story are not cut and dry, keeping the reader guessing every step of the way. Well-worth the flight! ...more
Author Beth Hildenbrand has that black magic touch when it comes to penning Occult Horror, holding this reader under her spell fromEdgy Occult Horror!
Author Beth Hildenbrand has that black magic touch when it comes to penning Occult Horror, holding this reader under her spell from beginning to end.
In ‘Dark Writes,�� she takes the focal point of an ancient stone altar hidden in the woods, and a curse perpetrated by the Prioress of the Priory of Roses at the nearby Cloister, to unleash her storytelling magic in bringing lore up to speed in the twenty-first century.
Meeting up with old friends, Church and Will from Book1, ‘Death Writes,’ the circle expands to elaborate on Lainie O’Connor, Will’s best friend, and catalyst in the bloodline that’s cursed her mother. The target of a mad witch’s lust for immortal power, this book centers on the fight to protect Lainie from inherent evil.
Mesmerizing as the occult plot lines are, I also succumbed to whatever else Beth has going—the bonus of badass characters: Will, Church, Lainie, Zeb, Randy, and Misha. Their dialogue is realistic. They can knock ‘em down and hold their own. Their loyal friendship is commendable. The love scenes are mind-blowing with the right amount of sizzle.
Gotta love Lainie’s taste in reading. And, darn, I want to meet these cool cats from Chapel Street.
I highly recommend this edgy Occult Horror teeming with strong, admirable characters who are up to the task of confronting evil.
Christa Nardi’s ‘Risky Business, Another Murder,’ Book 9, is the first standalone I’ve read. While I may have pinpointed the perp An Engaging Mystery!
Christa Nardi’s ‘Risky Business, Another Murder,’ Book 9, is the first standalone I’ve read. While I may have pinpointed the perp right away, there were certainly enough players who could have fit the bill for offing Donald Woodlawn.
More than finding out “whodunit,” the mystery held my attention for many reasons:
I admire Sheridan Hendley’s practical investigative techniques even while she is sitting this one out, and becomes a target for foul play.
The author realistically conveys the slow, deliberate process of detective work.
An assortment of stable and quirky characters besides the growing list of suspects.
Danger and Unpredictability.
I highly recommend this cleverly-written mystery which shows the author clearly knows her business when it comes to sleuthing.
Author J.S. Frankel’s ‘The Replacement’ is a super sci-fi serving of interplanetary adventure. Orphaned at the age of seventeenA Super Sci-Fi Serving!
Author J.S. Frankel’s ‘The Replacement’ is a super sci-fi serving of interplanetary adventure. Orphaned at the age of seventeen due to the death of his parents, with a debt of back taxes to pay, Lorne Kimbrel places an ad in the local paper, capitalizing on his skills as a part-time short-order cook. Dass, a recruiter for the Occludians, part of the Peace Federation, whisks Lorne away through a portal to Outpost Twenty-Seven on the Kallinian galaxy.
Lorne’s ability to hurl knives with accuracy becomes a lead-in for him to go on scouting missions for the purpose of resettling refugees with Miki, his soon-to-be girlfriend.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the different interplanetary characters with their unique physical features. Scouts battling the Outliers symbolize standing up for what’s right to thwart evil powermongers. I especially zeroed in on Lorne’s trip back home to Tacoma, Washington with Miki in tow which garners a racist brawl.
One of the many reasons I’m an avid fan of J.S. Frankel’s novels is because of his effective jabbing at the ills perpetrated by the mob mentality inherent in any society. In the name of kindness, decency, and integrity—‘The Replacement’ is highly recommended food for thought. ...more
Susan Jean Ricci’s ‘A Delicate Reunion’ is a sensitively-written, touching, heartwarming story. Nate Grunderson is a changed man wheA Touching Romance
Susan Jean Ricci’s ‘A Delicate Reunion’ is a sensitively-written, touching, heartwarming story. Nate Grunderson is a changed man when he comes back into Melanie Hutchin’s life eight years later—but, with good reason. Still, you can’t blame Melanie for rebuking his attempts to reconcile when you find out what he told her before going on a government mission that went wrong.
There’s plenty of heart tugging going on in this story. Without giving away spoiler details: A firebomb explosion. A child coming to grips with her father’s death, while drawing her own conclusions about Nate. Melanie’s reservations about Nate while they’re picking up the pieces of their romance with gusto.
Providing just the right amount of erotica, innuendo, intrigue, realism, emotion, and heartache, ‘A Delicate Reunion’ has won a place in my heart.
Author Martha Perez ups the ante of chills in her gripping sequel teeming with darkness and depravity. At this junctureA Roller-Coaster Ride of Chills
Author Martha Perez ups the ante of chills in her gripping sequel teeming with darkness and depravity. At this juncture, Raven’s sister Vicky has been dead for six months. Raven lives a bleak existence which turns bleaker when Dragon kidnaps her. As in, ‘Ruthless Intentions’ Part 1, the story is told through Raven and Dragon’s first-person narratives.
Exercising the will to survive and exact revenge for her sister’s sadistic murder, Raven uses her feminine wiles to turn the tables on Dragon. He may have created a monster!
From here on in, the author tightens her grip on the reader who careens around corners of vivid, nightmarish scenarios until the last page in this suspense thriller.
I highly recommend this fast-paced, chilling story where evil begets evil. ...more
Mildred Petrie, aka G-ma, undercover security septuagenarian at Ivory Winds Casino, embarks on an all-expenses-paid Caribbean cruise with thShipshape!
Mildred Petrie, aka G-ma, undercover security septuagenarian at Ivory Winds Casino, embarks on an all-expenses-paid Caribbean cruise with three out of four longtime friends. Courtesy of the casino, it’s a combination working vacation to scout out an investment opportunity for Ivory Winds, and to scatter Janice’s ashes at sea.
What ensues delights Mildred’s diehard fans as she steps up her game to track a suspected pedophile on the ship, and in the process, all pertinent hands on deck—Bea, Susan, Officer Buza, Girl Scout Troop 442, and her FBI contacts uncover an operation involving the trafficking of guns, drugs, and explosives.
Witty repartee, the dispelling of old-lady stereotypes, elements of danger, and forging new friendships keep the pages turning in this highly entertaining crime fiction.
A shout-out to those five girl scouts who are tough cookies in this shipshape novel worth booking passage....more
Protagonists and love-interests, Zander Nelson and Millie Lennet, were highly respected members of a backup crew who helpeNo Good Deeds Go Unpunished!
Protagonists and love-interests, Zander Nelson and Millie Lennet, were highly respected members of a backup crew who helped law enforcement fight crime in Tellson City. Disbanded and retired due to collateral damage in a takedown, the two become targets of a mad bomber. Worse—the press, police force, and law-abiding citizens have vilified them, and there’s a bounty for their capture.
This novel is no exception to J.S. Frankel’s formidable writing talent for creating three-dimensional, social outcasts who’ve grown up without an intact family, but steer themselves in the right direction. He intersperses backstories with present circumstances for the reader’s enlightenment. He exposes the underbelly of society during Zander and Millie’s futile search to find the bomber so they can clear their names. Last, but not least, he employs the elements of surprise you don’t see coming.
All of this should be enough to entice potential readers to acquire ‘The Backup Crew’. For me, it’s always J.S. Frankel’s accuracy in depicting the frailties of society and those at odds with social justice.
‘The Backup Crew’ should be at the top of your reading list.
Having read Jack Kregas’ hard-hitting ‘Shattered Innocence,’ I acquired his sequel, ‘The Visual Deception’. Anxious as Ruby Streeter toUncompromising!
Having read Jack Kregas’ hard-hitting ‘Shattered Innocence,’ I acquired his sequel, ‘The Visual Deception’. Anxious as Ruby Streeter to find her twin sister Rose who has been kidnapped by human traffickers and sold to a breeding farm, I hunkered down in anticipation of the author’s uncanny ability to interweave fact with fiction, along with his ingenious ways to “make things right” for those wronged.
Wrong (Fact) – Cases prosecuted for human trafficking get about a 38 per cent conviction rate due to many convoluted and corrupt reasons.
Right (Fiction) - Lasttec, a Reno-based company with several highly trusted tech-savvy employees headed by Carl Svensson, Ruby’s boyfriend. One of their missions is to rescue Rose.
The author effectively bridges the gap between both books so the reader gets the gist of what has transpired. Dialogue enriches detailed plotting. Tension builds to a crescendo. You know where the characters stand, especially Ruby. Outcomes are both gratifying and heart-wrenchingly realistic.
I highly recommend this sequel for the author’s painstaking and uncompromising ability to fabricate a story pertaining to the crime of human trafficking. ...more
Not the first book I’ve read by Terry Kerr, nor the last, ‘An Unquiet Past’ is disquieting. Not from gratuitous, cheap-trick Horror, buHeart-Thumping!
Not the first book I’ve read by Terry Kerr, nor the last, ‘An Unquiet Past’ is disquieting. Not from gratuitous, cheap-trick Horror, but because of the morsels of undeniable truth he wraps around disquietude like prosciutto wrapped around a slice of melon.
To pilfer some words from protagonist/writer, Stephen Vaughn, the man with an unquiet past who describes a spectacle you’ll come across while reading this story:
It’s awesome, breathtaking, and surreal.
And, in my own words: brilliant, outstanding, incredible, and heart-thumping!
Past and present collide in this well-written story where horror rears its ugly head in the Cotswold village of Willow, presumably because the source it emanates from recognizes a kindred soul in a screw-up with a big male ego and a nasty habit.
I highly recommend ‘An Unquiet Past’ whose characters stand out in living color as manifested in the vibrant and subtle shades of Van Gogh’s sunflowers....more
Each short story in author P.S. Winn’s diverse collection is a thumbnail sketch pertaining to a supernatural encounter. Easy to reaSupernatural Shorts
Each short story in author P.S. Winn’s diverse collection is a thumbnail sketch pertaining to a supernatural encounter. Easy to read with just enough characterization and plotting to get to the heart of matters, every story is uniquely pensive.
The author succeeds in grounding speculations of the afterlife, bridging the gap between now and hereafter with storytelling finesse in this soothing read.
Anna Casamento Arrigo’s poetry collection explores, extracts, and exposes snippets of truths emanating from the depths of her souA Soulful Exploration
Anna Casamento Arrigo’s poetry collection explores, extracts, and exposes snippets of truths emanating from the depths of her soul. Interspersed with vibrant canvases of her paintings, every poem in itself is a work of art splashed with vivid imagery vacillating from ethereal fields of jasmine and lavender to the “visceral stench of torn flesh gathered in haphazard mounds upon the floor”.
Respecting the reader’s intellect, Anna’s poetic prowess enables one to discern the diverse autobiographical threads in her intricately woven tapestry of motifs: grief, childhood innocence, depression, contentment, and determination:
In “Holding On Letting Go,” there’s the clarion call for suicide awareness.
On the flip side of life, “Life’s Path” - With perseverance and beyond/ I dare to/ Move on/ Carry on! / Walk on!
Nestled inside the collection, “Patience Insanity and Wisdom,” letting us know she is embracing her unfiltered thoughts with disregard for patience, ferreting out all of her questions in search of wisdom despite the irony and insanity of life.
I highly recommend this poetry collection which conveys the artistry of an exemplary poet, a phoenix soaring to reach the sky and succeeding. ...more
Author/poet Anna Casamento Arrigo’s luscious Romance rife with tragic outcomes abounds with vivid and sensual imagA Luscious Romance Rife with Tragedy
Author/poet Anna Casamento Arrigo’s luscious Romance rife with tragic outcomes abounds with vivid and sensual imagery, as well as excerpts from the literary classics which capture Nunzio and Mariella’s circumstances.
Taking place in Sicily’s countryside in the early 1950s, the reader becomes painfully aware of the counterproductive peasants’ fear of a wrathful God and their suspicions of young Father Nunzio Aragaona’s who benevolently challenges their ignorance.
Nunzio’s chance meeting of Mariella in an abandoned orchard fuels a forbidden romance, all the while she is married to Paolo, an abusive husband. Like Mariella, the reader cringes in fear for what he is capable of doing to her, while also becoming embroiled in the brutal murders of villagers, one after another.
The author weaves a vibrant tapestry brocaded with Nunzio’s words of wisdom, spoken during his trysts with Mariella throughout their ill-fated romance:
“I don’t think the world, in general, is willing to acknowledge, let alone accept the strength that many, if not all, women possess.”
“For every wrong, there is an equal and even greater right.”
I highly recommend this heart-wrenching story where evil secrets lurking in the shadows are exposed and thwarted....more
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