Miranda Fights (A Miranda Quinn Legal Twist) by Gail Ward Olmsted Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

With young women disappearing and a ruthless organization behind it all, the former host turned lawyer Miranda Quinn must work to save these young women before it’s too late in the book Miranda Fights by Gail Ward Olmsted.

The Synopsis

Miranda Quinn is back in the courtroom working as a legal aid attorney when she’s asked to represent Lennon, the daughter of a high school friend currently serving time in prison. Still struggling with guilt from the role she played in her friend’s downfall, Miranda agrees to help.

The former assistant DA has given up a lucrative career as a legal talk radio host to better serve her community. In her spare time, she volunteers as a counselor for at-risk teens. It’s challenging but rewarding, at least until the young women begin to mysteriously disappear. As Miranda struggles to find out who is responsible, it becomes clear that Lennon is in danger as well. As the police piece together Miranda’s clues, they realize they’re dealing with a much larger and farther-reaching organization than they had expected.

Miranda has faced her share of adversaries, both in and out of the courtroom. To expose the sex traffickers preying on the group of girls she has sworn to protect, she’ll need to keep her eyes and ears open. But to save the one young woman who needs her most, she’ll have to open her heart.

She’s in for the fight of her life.

The Review

The balance the author found in persona development for her star protagonist and the chilling realities of the crime she investigates is very on point here, a Gail Ward Olmsted staple that has drawn readers throughout this series. The exploration of Mirandas’ friendship with her high school friend Charlene and the consequences of their friendship’s end on Charlene’s daughter years later make the narrative entirely compelling and easy to get lost in.

While the overarching story of the protagonist and her exploits are part of this growing legal thriller series, what always impresses me is that the author makes each novel stand out on its own, allowing each narrative its opportunity to shine. The horrors of human trafficking and the brutal fight against it are thoroughly explored here, and the descriptive nature of the settings allows the story to pop off the page.

The Verdict

Harrowing, thoughtful, and entertaining, author Gail Ward Olmsted’s “Miranda Fights” is a must-read legal thriller. The twists and turns in the narrative, the exploration of more domestic relationships, and the bonds that Miranda makes with Lennon will stay with readers as the story progresses.  If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a full-time basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical novel featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband’s, and his wife Mary. Miranda Fights is the third book in the Miranda Quinn Legal Twist series. Olmsted enjoys writing about quirky, wonderful women in search of a second chance at a happy ever after. When not writing, she loves being on the water, especially in a kayak. She is well known for her blonde brownies, and coffee is her love language. For more, visit her on Facebook at gailolmstedauthor.

New Trails (New Trails Book 1) by Jody Norman Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man without purpose or direction finds himself transported to another world and must rely on the help of a local energy worker and guardian to escape the clutches of a dark guardian in author Jody Norman’s “New Trails,” the first in the New Trails series.

The Synopsis

Trapped in a life without purpose or escape, Troy is suddenly thrust into a different world, one of mystery and magic, where he must learn to trust — in his companion Kieran, and in himself and his own learning as he navigates this strange and wondrous place.

Kieran, a stubbornly independent Guardian and energy worker in this new world, makes his own way until Troy crashes into his life, bringing change like a hot desert wind. The young men must grow together, slowly recognizing the bond of mind and soul that lies between them, one with the potential to make something greater of them both, if they have the courage to accept it.

Together they must face Aodhan, the Dark R’Guardian who wants to enslave Troy, using the outworlder’s very soul to destroy Aodhan’s own world in the name of saving it. And Kieran, junior to Aodhan, is the only one who can stand between them.

Will either of them take the journey they’re called to, or survive it if they do?

Finalist in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award and the Page Turner Award

The Review

What a breathtaking and compelling read! The author created an incredible world with this larger-than-life fantasy-driven narrative while injecting a healthy dose of realism into the character development. The author’s imagery throughout the book brings a sense of magic and wonder to the setting, similar to how this reader felt the first time they watched Return of the Jedi and saw the heroes walking through the forest moon of Endor. It evoked a sense of magic yet ancient and familiar territory as if you could walk right into it.

The themes that the author brought to life in this narrative were powerful and engaged with the reader. The sense of identity and purpose that the story played with, both with Troy and Kieran, as well as the sense of identity that came from their growing bond and the use of energy and nature itself to enforce that bond, was so thought-provoking. The use of synchronicity, energy work, and how it plays into the way the world works not only elevates the story but also allows the reader to connect with this world more fully. 

The Verdict

Memorable, authentic, and entertaining author Jody Norman’s “New Trails” is a must-read fantasy novel. The main protagonist’s realism, origins, and the real dilemmas he faces throughout this fantasy journey add more depth to the shocking twists and turns the narrative takes, especially the shocking cliffhanger finale. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

I’m an award-winning author who loves thresholds, and portals, and passing through them.  Places where you’re not quite here and not quite there.  Or in other words, liminal spaces.  To me, this is where potential and opportunity wait for the unwary passersby, and I really enjoy placing my characters in these places and seeing them revealed for who they truly are and can be.

Nature and myself have an intimate relationship, and it’s key to all my writing, running through my novels like the fractal veins of a watershed.  And since I believe that nature includes our place in the universe, astronomy and quantum physics and cosmology inform the structure of my fantasy worlds.

I’ve taught English to high-schoolers, citizenship to immigrants, sustainability to college students.  I fell in love with cities and all that they could be in my masters degree in city and regional planning, and I’ve written articles for publications as varied as Dog Fancy and Colorado Gardener and Graduating Engineer and Computer Careers.

I have an almost forty-year love relationship with my same sex partner, and together we’ve moved in eight-year cycles from Tucson, Arizona, to Boulder and Denver, Colorado, to Atlanta, Georgia, and finally to Silver City, New Mexico.  We’re looking at various places for our next stop. I really want to know what it’s like to be a world citizen, so maybe somewhere out of the US!

Please check out my book at Goodreads, my Bookbubs Author page, and sign up for my newsletter to hear how the sequel (Hidden Trails) is progressing!  And keep an eye on my blog, which addresses the issues we all face as our civilization moves forward.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551887456347

https://books2read.com/new-trails

The Last Breath Before Death by Alan Golbourn Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

An artist and paranormal investigative reporter must seek answers to his missing brother when he disappears in Germany and in the process discovers an unparralleled evil in author Alan Golbourn’s “The Last Breath Before Death”. 

The Synopsis

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER

A missing brother … An imminent phenomenon …

Award-winning comic book illustrator and artist Jimmy Cochran is also a freelance reporter in New York City, specialising in the supernatural. Upon hearing that his estranged brother, Quentin, has gone missing with his best friend over in Germany, Jimmy becomes concerned — unable to shake off the feeling of foreboding and dread. Things worsen when he quickly learns that the missing two are in great danger from an unequalled evil, which is connected to an upcoming, ominous and phenomenal event.

A mysterious ‘man’ with a terrifying tale …

With time running out, Jimmy investigates further, in spite of the strong warnings and the danger to his own life — particularly after he is contacted by a peculiar and mystifying man with a horrific, nefarious past of his own, linked to old Serbian and German folklores and a sinister, secret brotherhood.

The Review

Another compelling supernatural thriller from author Alan Golbourn. The author does a remarkable job of simultaneously creating atmospheric supernatural stories and a cult following. The imagery in the author’s writing brought the European setting and folkloric atmosphere to life on the page in a way that will stay with the reader.

The heart of this novel was in the balance the author found between relatable character development and deep, folkloric mythos. The unique spin on the classic “vampire” that the author found through Germanic folklore was so inspired and added a depth of terror that few vampire books manage to capture these days. The protagonist’s complex familial bonds with his brother and mother and the relatable life experiences he exudes throughout this narrative will instantly draw readers in.

The Verdict

Haunting, detailed, and entertaining, author Alan Golbourn’s “The Last Breath Before Death” is a must-read supernatural horror thriller. The unique twists and turns that this narrative takes, the relatability of the protagonist, and the chilling nature of this take on vampires will stay with readers long after the final chapter ends. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Alan Golbourn was born in Essex, England. He has enjoyed writing stories since a young age, when he was recognised early for his writing abilities. Amongst several interests and hobbies, including football and computer games, he holds a love and compassion for animals.

Silent Promises by Jessica Leed Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman mourning her husband’s loss and desperate to get help for their daughter turns to a psychologist. She begins to develop a close bond with him in the process as new secrets are uncovered in author Jessica Leed’s “Silent Promises.”

The Synopsis

In a journey of healing and rediscovery, Maddie, Caleb, and Lila navigate the complexities of love, loss, and healing, learning that sometimes, the people who understand our pain best are the ones we least expect.

In the wake of her husband Dylan’s tragic death, Maddie struggles to connect with their daughter Lila, who has fallen silent since losing her father. Desperate for help, Maddie turns to Caleb, a new psychologist at Dylan’s former workplace.

As Caleb works to break through Lila’s emotional barriers, rumors threaten to derail their progress, pushing Lila further into rebellion. Grappling with her grief and uncertainties, Maddie finds herself drawn to Caleb.

But when Lila’s behavior reaches a crisis point, Maddie and Caleb are forced to confront their fears and secrets. As they unravel Dylan’s hidden connections and the truth behind Caleb’s presence in their lives, they discover a shared loss that binds them closer than they ever imagined.

The Review

A truly powerful and moving read, the author did an incredible job of layering the narrative with powerful themes and compelling character arcs. The way the author captured the steady yet sudden journey that a loved one’s decline in health and subsequent loss maintains in life was so heartbreaking yet relatable for anyone who has ever lost someone close to them. The way the story allows both the mother and daughter to look back on their time with the husband and father and intermix it with the grief and journey through grief that they both endure in their terms was heartfelt and compelling to engage with as a reader.

The story’s surprising character developments and emotional pull were at the heart of this novel. In the grand scheme of things, Caleb’s connection to Maddie and Lila is a shock, and the emotional weight of Dylan’s loss impacts that connection significantly. The dips into romance that the story takes in exploring Maddie’s relationship with Dylan and the complex relationship between Lila and Maddie as they navigate post-loss life as mother and daughter will resonate with many readers.

The Verdict

A heartbreaking yet relatable and engaging story of loss, love, and moving forward, author Jessica Leed’s “Silent Promises” is a must-read romance meets genre fiction drama. The author does a marvelous job of tapping into the emotional turmoil that comes with any loss, and the twists and turns in the story and these characters’ arcs will leave a lasting impression the reader will not soon forget. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Jessica Leed hails from Victoria, Australia, and has lived in the United States since 2021. An elementary teacher, former dancer, and fitness professional, she now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two beloved cats. Jessica finds joy in books, coffee, long walks, the beauty of autumn, and cooking hearty breakfasts.

PRESS RELEASE: THE HOUSE FILLER BY TONG GE

The House Filler

A moving and powerful historical epic by critically acclaimed author, Tong Ge

Published by Ronsdale Press 

Available in both print and e-book format worldwide

The House Filler is a moving and powerful portrayal of one family’s struggle to survive in the face of an historical upheaval and political oppression. 

A family saga set in China during the most tumultuous time of the twentieth century including the Japanese invasion, the civil war, and the Communist takeover. 

The House Filler is told through the experiences of Golden Phoenix, a woman who faces war, poverty, and political oppression as she fights for survival, freedom and happiness. After the untimely death of her husband, Golden Phoenix is determined to keep her family together. However, poverty forces her to make the heart-wrenching decision to give her teenage twins to the Red Army. During the upheaval of the Japanese invasion of her hometown, she is separated from her two young girls, and her remaining son leaves to fight with the Nationalist army. Golden Phoenix, along with her adopted son, remains to endure the horror and hardship of war. When the civil war ends with the Communists in power in 1949, one of her twins, who had joined the Communist Party, is wrongly accused of being a traitor and is sentenced to death. Golden Phoenix and her family must find a way to save her son’s life. 

Ronsdale Press » House Filler, The

The House Filler: Ge, Tong: 9781553806981: Books – Amazon.ca

“Golden Phoenix’s voice is strong. It feels that she is right there, sitting with the reader, telling her story”_Miramichi Reader

When momentous events take the whole of China by storm, her family is buffeted as well: ‘Blessings do not come in pairs, and calamities never come alone.’ Quotidian struggles give way to horrendous tragedies with the Japanese invasion, the civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists, and the iron-fisted regime of modern China. Golden Phoenix and her family go through incredible pain. In simplistic works, the ones who inflict pain under an occupying power would face retribution when the regime changes. This is no such fairy tale. It is a testament to the power of spirit; a work reminiscent of Yu Hua’s To Live but also one with a unique, wry voice.” _ Historical Novel Society

“A debut novel of a proposed trilogy from Canadian writer Tong Ge promises more to come” _ The Epoch Times.

About Tong:

Born and raised in China, Tong Ge came to Canada in the late 80s as an international student. She has obtained a Master of Science degree from University of Saskatchewan in 1992. Since 2012, she has written under both her real name and the pen name Tong Ge, publishing poems, prose, and short stories in both English and Chinese across North America, England, and Taiwan. Her works can be found in publications such as PRISM International, Canadian Stories, Ricepaper, Academy of the Heart and Mind, FLOW magazine, Vineyard Poetry Quarterly, 渥水, 远方的诗, Polyglot Magazine, Aloka Magazine, Magnets and Ladders. With four literary prizes already received, she is also a finalist for four others. Her debut novel, “The House Filler,” was published in Canada in 2023 and is among the five finalists worldwide for the 2023 Eyelands Book Awards historical fiction + memoir category and is the winner of the 2024 Independent Press Award for new fiction. It is also a finalist for the 2024 Canadian Book Club Award.

PRESS RELEASE: SILENCERS BY JENNA GREENE

SILENCERS

A Young Dystopian novel by Award-Winning author

Jenna Greene

Published by Foundations Books and available worldwide in e-format

Despite warnings from family and friends, Scona Tinay enrolls in Silencers Academy.

Someone she is being trained to kill.

Amazon.com: Silencers: A Young Adult Dystopian eBook : Greene, Jenna: Kindle Store

Other Books by Jenna:

“The writing is solid and definitely directed toward the younger set, but that is yet another reason why the book works well. If authors can conjure books that attract youngsters to read, then we must bow to them in thanks. Reading Jenna Greene results in that old urge to sit on a park bench and just gaze and chat about all the possible variations of ‘world’ there are/can be!” _ Grady Harp, Top 100 Amazon Reviewer

“Yet it’s the evolution of Lexil as she showcases a well-rounded and thrilling journey of a young woman surviving after escaping enslavement to becoming a leader and heroine who must risk everything she has fought for in order to save others. This novel cements her heroic journey and highlights the shifting landscape of this dystopian world that blends realism with sci-fi and fantasy elements. Anthony Avina, Book Sirens Reviewer

The stakes are raised, it’s a life-or-death gamble. The odds? Surely not in their favor. Our characters find themselves in a gruesome and Jenna Greene does not shy away from showing it. Bound by the author’s narrative, as the author resumes the story without funfair, while giving us precious content, reflections, thoughts and a grim reality of what it’s like to be considered less than a living being.  In “Restore” by Jenna Greene good intentions do not count, and practicality isn’t always possible. There are many swift thriller scenes that will grip your attention for four or five pages as they run from either retrievers, prisons, camps and fires they provoked one way or the other. Restore by Jenna Greene is a worthy continuation from the previous book Renew, and an interesting stepping stone to the final book of the Reborn Marks Series to which the epilogue hints to. We are eager to read the next book as there’s still much more for us to discover.” The Avid Reader

  About Jenna:

Jenna Greene is a YA/ Children’s writer. She is also a teacher … as well as a clumsy dancer, enthusiastic dragon boat paddler, and a semi-professional napper.

More information about Jenna can be found at:  Jenna Greene – Author

PRESS RELEASE: HEART OF NEW YORK BY EMIL REM

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Heart Of New York

New York is the backdrop for a family Christmas full of complicated memories and new perspectives from critically acclaimed author, Emil Rem

The book is published by EICA Press and is available worldwide in print and e-book format

Books by Emil Rem

Another passage refers to “the obligatory winter mix of snow-laden grey sky and face-slapping ocean wind.” But the author’s wry, sharp-eyed humor is always as warm as the weather is cold. Whether he’s fondly reflecting on the nicknames he’s given his sons or on his wife’s nature, he relates his tales and misadventures with wonderful care and relish. Even when these episodes verge on being grim (a long story about a serious legal battle with the Canada Revenue Agency, for instance, is in many ways the highlight of the book), Rem’s gimlet-eyed raconteur spirit is irrepressible.

And the balance of the volume’s antic, detailed escapades in New York reads like the most inviting kind of travelogue. An outsiders-in-New York story with plenty of chuckles and a lot of heart. ~ Kirkus Indie Review

More From Emil Rem:

The adventure continues… In his third novel—using his signature blend of personal memories interwoven with history and depictions of his ongoing travels, the author takes us through Spain and Gibraltar—creating an insightful narrative around a vivid host of characters and experiences on this journey to rediscover the ‘vanished’ landscapes of his culture and his childhood.
…“Sitting cross-legged in his tent, Prince Feisal laments, “But you know Lieutenant, in the Arab city of Cordova were two miles of public lighting in the streets when London was a village?”
“Yes, you were great,” Lawrence admitted. “Nine centuries ago.”
“Time to be great again, my lord.”
“My father is old and I…I long for the vanished gardens of Cordova.”
Cordova. The name hung over him like rich, intoxicating Arab perfume. He had longed to visit her since a child. What would she be like? Were her gardens still abloom? …”
The Vanished Gardens of Cordova eBook : Rem, Emil, Miller Hansen, Lorie: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN

Join Emil on his adventures around the world in a series of beautifully written and illustrated stories—heartfelt, and uniquely insightful this book will take you from England to Africa, from Canada to Cyprus—all through the author’s skillful storytelling lens…

…“As he gazed out at the revellers on the beach, he was transported to a beach in Africa, where a native boy peered at him from behind a sand dune, much as he had spent his life peering at the alien world around him, trying in vain to understand it, to make it more manageable.

And so he oscillated between the past and the present—the past so dangerously more real…”

“Pure gold.” —Tom Dixon—

Chasing Aphrodite: Stories of Life, Love & Travel eBook : Rem, Emil: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

About Emil Rem:

Emil Rem—an eccentric accountant, has become a writer of eccentric characters in exotic locales—using his stories to take us on a trip into his fascinating twisted world. Born to a close-knit, Muslim, East Indian family in Dar-es-Salam in the 50’s, he then moved to Maidenhead, England at the age of five. The next twenty years were spent shuttling between England and East Africa—attending Christian church wearing a St. Christopher’s Cross one minute, to wearing a green armband at Muslim religious classes in Africa the next. These days, Emil and his wife (originally from the Philippines) live in Calgary, Canada. They have two sons.

More information can be found at:  Meet Emil Rem | Author

PRESS RELEASE: THE SORCERER’S SONG FANTASY SERIES BY BRIAN D. ANDERSON

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The Sorcerers Song

A three book epic series by Award-winning and critically acclaimed author, Brian D. Anderson 

The Bard’s Blade is the start of the new Sorcerer’s Song fantasy adventure series from Brian D. Anderson, bestselling author of The Godling Chronicles and Dragonvein.

A Chorus of Fire is the second installment of the Sorcerer’s Song fantasy adventure series from Brian D. Anderson, bestselling author of The Godling Chronicles and Dragonvein.

Lem continues his descent into darkness, serving a man he does not trust in the name of a faith which is not his own. Only Shemi keeps his heart from succumbing to despair, along with the knowledge that he has finally found Mariyah. But Lem is convinced she is being held against her will, and compelled to do the bidding of her captors. He is determined to free her, regardless the cost.

Their separate roads are leading them to the same destination. And once they arrive they will have to confront more than the power of Belkar. They will have to face themselves and what Lamoria has forced them to become.

At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Sword’s Elegy is the third book in a new epic fantasy trilogy from successful self-published author Brian D. Anderson, perfect for fans of The Wheel of Time and The Sword of Truth

“Magic, music, assassinations, and betrayal . . . a successful mix of some of the finest elements of James Islington’s The Shadow of What Was Lost, Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, and Anderson’s own Behind the Vale . . . everything fans of epic fantasy will be looking for on their next big adventure. Highly recommended.” _ Grimdark Magazine

“Damn entertaining and engrossing . . . The alluring song that Anderson orchestrated with his words enchanted me, and I absolutely loved every second of reading The Bard’s Blade.” _ Novel Notions

“Filled with twists and turns, likable characters, and rich worldbuilding. Natural pacing provides an equal mix of colorful descriptions, character development, and exciting action scenes.” _ Library Journal

“Ambitious, enjoyable . . . surprising twists [and] plenty to be explored in further installments.” _ Publishers Weekly

“Fantasy tale with magic, music, and a looming evil starts a new series that fans of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind will enjoy.” _ Booklist

Author of over 25 novels, Brian D. Anderson gained massive popularity right out of the gate with his debut series, The Godling Chronicles. His follow-up series, Dragonvein, was just as popular, Book One becoming a Top Five Finalist on Audible.com for Fantasy Book of the Year in 2015 – becoming the very first independent to reach the finals. But Anderson was far from finished.

After co-authoring the Akiri series with Steven Savile (Warhammer, Pathfinder, Dr. Who, and Sherlock Holmes) Anderson became the first independent author in history to secure a six-figure audio only deal for his highly anticipated two-book sequel of The Godling Chronicles.

Still, Anderson felt there was more to accomplish. So he secured a three-book deal with Tor Books for The Sorcerer’s Song series and is currently writing short fiction for the Conan the Barbarian Franchise.

When not writing, Brian D. Anderson divides his time enjoying his friends and family at home in the sleepy little southern town of Fairhope, Alabama or astride his Harley Davidson, traveling the country from convention to convention, meeting fans and signing books. Information on the Sorcerers Song series can be found here:   The Sorcerer's Song (3 book series) Audible Audiobook Edition

PRESS RELEASE: THE DREAM BY BURKEY & BREAKFIELD

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The Dream

The Award-Winning and critically acclaimed writing duo, Burkey and Breakfield begin a new adventure inspired with hope!

How is it that the dreamers among us always know which way to go? The irrational path often appears brilliant in hindsight. When one takes a leap of faith, there can be challenging obstacles.

More from Rox and Charles!

First Place Gold Award at 2024 BookFest in Fiction – Short Stories Category

Amazon.com: Trusted Friends and Lovers eBook : Breakfield, Charles, Burkey, Rox: Kindle Store

Trusted Friends and Lovers eBook : Breakfield, Charles, Burkey, Rox: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

About Rox and Charles

Charles Breakfield is a technology expert in security, networking, voice, and anything digital. He enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. Charles is a fan of wine tastings, winemaking, Harley riding, cooking extravaganzas, and woodworking. 

Together these Texas authors create award-winning stories that resonate with males and females and young and experienced adults. They bring a fresh new view to technology possibilities today in exciting stories. Visit their website for more information and free stuff. Https://www.EnigmaSeries.com