From Ashes Arise: A First Look at Chapter One The wait is almost over. I am thrilled to pull back the curtain on From Ashes Arise finally. If you’ve been waiting for a story that blends the gritty, neon-lit underbelly of the drug trade with high-stakes cosmic fantasy, this is it. We aren’t starting in a castle or a battlefield. We’re starting in Allentown, in the shadows, where the only magic most people believe in comes…
Welcome to Pine Falls, where the past never stays buried. We’ve all had that one love. The one that burned too bright, moved too fast, and left a scar that never quite healed. For Misha, that love was Anna. Seven years ago, Anna chose the bright lights of Hollywood over a quiet life in Pine Falls, leaving Misha behind to pick up the pieces. Now, Misha has finally rebuilt her world. She has a steady…
The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen My rating: 5 of 5 stars A dark tale of family choices and bonds One of the joys of reading translated books is experiencing a different sort of storytelling than what has become standard for American reading. This novel turned out to be a much darker story than I expected, focusing first on a ten-year-old child’s perspective of the absent world he lives in. The author leads…
Hubba Hubba Santa Claus by LaRae Parry My rating: 4 of 5 stars Hubba Hubba Santa Claus is a quirky, chuckle-filled read. While we may have seen this plot enacted and repeated in hundreds of television shows and movies, Parry brings a delightful spin to the switcharoo scenario. Written with sometimes subtle but more often “slap your forehead while thinking ‘doh, really?!’” humor, Hubba Hubba is a cute holiday themed romance. The main character Shelly…
My War with Hemingway by J.C. Arlington My rating: 3 of 5 stars **Note: I received a copy of this text in exchange for an honest review.**My War with Hemingway follows Zach, a post-Iraqi and Afghanistan war veteran hounded by his experiences in the wars and the aftermath of such violence. True to the blurb, Zach contemplates suicide while on leave, still active duty and haunted by the losses he’s suffered, and is visited by…
Where is Heaven? by Phil Bowie My rating: 5 of 5 stars Note: This book was submitted by the author in exchange for an honest review. I’ve never read a book before that seemed to be tailor written for me. Or maybe I just never realized there were other skeptical believers out there that had the same questions I did and do. Apparently Phil Bowie did have that realization and he’s given us all a…
Heart Of Eternity by N. Jay My rating: 3 of 5 stars This review is in association with The Review Board. Heart of Eternity is a book unlike any I have read before. Well-written and crafted, the story of Jay and Naida is richly interwoven with unexpected, insightful doses of abstract spiritualism. Readers looking for a light read should be cautioned to pass this book by; the story’s intellectual examination of light versus dark, healing…
The Fall and Rise of Lukiya’s Lover by James E. Mutumba My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ll start with the cover. It does absolutely nothing for the story, being quite unappealing in its simplicity. I like a cover that gives some sort of preview of the story about to unfold. A trio of coupled hearts over a blue and white scribbled background does nothing to entice the imagination. If I saw this sitting on…
Clonmac’s Bridge by Jeffrey Perren My rating: 3 of 5 stars Note: I received a copy of this text in exchange for an unbiased review. True to its blurb, Clonmac’s Bridge is an interesting fusion of genres. Revolving around the discovery of a twelve hundred year old bridge near Clonmacnoise Monastery, the story takes us along for the ride as Griffin Clonmac, an archeologist who has spent fifteen years searching for the elusive bridge, finally…
The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre My rating: 5 of 5 stars After reading the first Deanna Madden book it’s not hard to understand why Hachette Book Group picked up this originally self-published novel. The Girl in 6E is a unique novel is almost every way. Centered on the main character, Deanna Madden aka Jess Reilly, her online camgirl persona, this book had me clicking my Kindle’s Next button like my life depended upon…
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