Category: reviews

Murder for Me by Russell Little Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Four people find their lives converging in shocking ways as a shocking plot starts to take shape in author Russell Little’s “Murder for Me”. 

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The Synopsis

Ava is a middle-aged socialite jogging through a wooded park near her Houston home. The trees and her earbuds provide the only escape from her problems. Little does she know another problem is waiting just ahead—the kind of problem that wants her dead.

Houston attorney Larry Lamb has his own difficulties to sort through. He’s mediocre at work and a failure at marriage, and there’s something inside him screaming to get out. It’s becoming harder and harder to control—and it’s affecting him in mysterious ways.

Ava’s husband Don is madly in love with Marilyn Ramirez, a woman with the power to convince men to do whatever she wants. Marilyn has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to have Ava murdered so she can have Don for herself.

When Don drops a six-figure retainer onto Larry’s lap to defend Marilyn, Larry schemes to dump the case and keep the money. But Marilyn has a different plan, and the minute Larry sees her, her plan starts working.

Can Larry resist Marilyn’s manipulation, or will she summon the mysterious voice hidden deep within him? Follow Larry’s journey into the mind in this dark psychological page-turner.

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The Review

This was a compelling and gripping novel. The author immediately does a fantastic job of setting up these dynamic and thoughtfully crafted characters, giving readers multiple perspectives to follow as the plot develops. Immediately, the book establishes the hint of mystery and danger as a series of failed hits on a woman unfold before the reader. Establishing these characters’ backstories and the tension that mounts over time will keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

The narrative was the heart of this book, as the novel took the time to layer the mystery and intrigue while still creating a fast-paced thriller. The complex character development and the shocking realities that unfold instantly draw the reader in, and the heavy atmosphere will stay with readers long after the final page unfolds.

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The Verdict

A dark and richly developed mystery thriller and suspense novel that blends the character development of a Dean Koontz novel with the intrigue of a Hitchcock film, author Russell Little’s “Murder for Me” is a must-read suspense novel. The twists and turns in the story and the shocking final scene will stay with readers well past the book’s final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Russell G. Little is a writer and practicing divorce attorney. Murder for Me is a fictionalized compilation of the many people he’s encountered over his lifetime and thirty-two-year career.

He lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife of thirty-two years, Melinda.

www.russelllittleauthor.com

Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America (US Travel Guide, Gifts For Fans of True Crime, Horror and the Paranormal) by Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl share with readers a collection o the spookiest places in America in the book “Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America”.

The Synopsis

Grab your flashlight, garlic, and ghost hunting equipment. We’re taking you on the ultimate road trip of the spookiest places around the U.S.

Horror lovers, lifelong best friends, and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast, Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, have traveled around the U.S. to bring you the most thrill-inducing spots for horror, history, and true crime. They’ve compiled a list of what to do, where to stay, where to eat and drink, and where to shop to make your vacation-planning a breeze.

They’ve also delved into the history and pop culture of each spot, revealing hidden gems, most notorious true crimes, women you should know, horror books and movies set in the state, and other strange facts about some of the scariest places around the nation.

Here’s a small sampling of what you can expect to find in Travels of Terror:

  • St. Augustine, Florida: Take an open air trolley on the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour to the Old St Augustine Cemetery, Potter’s Wax Museum, Old Jail Museum, and a bevy of churches with their own macabre past.
  • Los Angeles, California: Stay at the haunted Hotel Roosevelt, where you may be visited by the ghosts of actors Errol Flynn and Montgomery Clift.
  • Portland, Oregon: Grab a cocktail at Raven’s Manor, a horror-themed bar with drinks like the Black Widow, Lilith, and Draught of Asphyxiation.
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Learn about the most famous true crime to happen there, when the wife of the Allegheny County Jail warden fell in love with a convicted murderer.
  • New York, New York: Celebrate Nia DaCosta, the first Black female director to have a film debut at the top of the box office, with the supernatural horror-slasher film Candyman in 2021.
  • Austin, Texas: Pick up souvenirs for friends and family at The Glass Coffin, a vampire parlor and horror shop.
  • Duluth, Minnesota: Visit Glensheen Mansion on the shores of Lake Superior, where Duluth’s most notorious murders occurred in 1977.

From big cities to small towns, get inspired to plan your own ghoulish getaway.

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The Review

This was such a memorable and remarkable book. When I am not reading or writing, my specialty is paranormal investigation. I have always been into everything from UFOs to cryptids and ghosts. We recently featured an episode of our latest paranormal investigation with my team, Phenomenon Paranormal, on our YouTube channel. So when this book came across my path, I knew I had to dive head first. 

The level of detail and insight the authors can give to this book drove me into the stories found within. The thing that stood out immediately was the level of different things the authors included in each city’s history, from the paranormal sightings and the infamous true crimes that put these cities on the map to the local sightings, films, and shows made there, and even the places a person will want to stay at and eat. The authors do an excellent job of not just presenting the information to the reader but instigating a sense of adventure and the need to hit the road, inspiring so many to delve into the strange, the macabre, and the unknown.

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The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and beautifully haunting, authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl’s “Travels of Terror” is a must-read paranormal nonfiction read meets travel guide. The knowledge and excitement that the authors bring to this subject matter and the adventurous tone the author’s writing strikes in the reader will have them returning to this book repeatedly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Authors

Kelly Florence teaches communication at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN and is the creator of the Be a Better Communicator podcast. She received her BA in theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her MA in communicating arts from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She has directed, produced, choreographed and stage managed for dozens of productions in Minnesota including Carrie The Musical through Rubber Chicken Theatre and Treasure Island for Wise Fool Theater. She is passionate about female representation in all media and particularly the horror genre.

About

Bram Stoker Award nominated Meg Hafdahl is the creator of numerous stories and books. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Eve’s Requiem: Tales of Women, Mystery and Horror and Eclectically Criminal. Her work has been produced for audio by The Wicked Library and The Lift, and she is the author of three popular short story collections including Twisted Reveries: Thirteen Tales of the Macabre. Meg is also the author of the three novels; The Darkest Hunger, Daughters of Darkness, and Her Dark Inheritance called “an intricate tale of betrayal, murder, and small town intrigue” by Horror Addicts and “every bit as page turning as any King novel” by RW Magazine. Meg, also the co-host of the podcast Horror Rewind and co-author of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King, The Science of Serial Killers, and the upcoming The Science of Witchcraft lives in the snowy bluffs of Minnesota. 

https://www.meghafdahl.com

Pegasus: A Journey to New Eden by James L. Hill Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Two people set on a course for a new world to escape the madness of Earth discover hidden secrets on the ship they call home in author James L. Hill’s “Pegasus: A Journey to New Eden”.

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The Synopsis

Zack and Zuri are set to embark on the Pegasus for New Eden, an unknown and unexplored planet four light years from Earth. For Zack, four light years isn’t nearly far enough from the madness that has been mankind’s history. For Zuri, it is a chance to have the family she has so long desired. Pegasus is humanity’s greatest invention, a modern day Noah’s Ark, set to spread civilization to the stars. But Pegasus has secrets which some will do anything to possess, and Zack and Zuri have yet to discover. A journey to New Eden is an emotional rollercoaster that will take the pair to the depths of despair, launch them beyond heavenly delights, and into the heart and soul of humanity.

Pegasus, the first starship, will take the best that the world has to offer and transplant it on another world. Readers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as the only two people to escape the escalating madness must wrestle control of the ship from its Artificial Intelligence and restore faith in human dignity. In this work, readers see a future that is just around the corner. Beware, technology advances faster than our knowledge of what to do with it.

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The Review

What a truly epic and engaging sci-fi read. The world-building was incredible in this book, as the author not only layered the narrative with futuristic technology and the space spiders and their terrifying power, but the hero’s journey itself that these characters went on spoke to the scope of the universe that the narrative resided in.

The character development was impressive to see come to life on the page. Zack is a fantastic protagonist forced to work for a corporation in a world where corporations have more power than governments. Zuri, his beloved, is a strong female protagonist who is the perfect partner, and he compliments Zack on their adventures together. The imagery and atmosphere the author develops as the ship travels to New Eden and the shocking juxtaposition between the ship’s A.I. and the humanity Zack and Zuri represent make this an incredible story.

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The Verdict

Memorable, entertaining, and remarkable, author James L. Hill’s “Pegasus: A Journey to New Eden” is a must-read sci-fi thriller. The thought-provoking nature of the narrative and our relation to corporations and technology made the story vibrant and alive on the page, and the twists and turns in the book’s final pages will keep readers engaged and eager for more from the author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

A native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, James L Hill spent his adolescence years in Fort Apache, the South Bronx 41st precinct during the 60’s, during a time when you needed to have a gang to go to the store. Raised on blues, soul, and rock and roll gave him the heart of a flower child. Educated by the turmoil of Vietnam, Civil Rights, and the Sexual Revolution produced a gladiator. Realizing the precariousness of life gave him an adventurous outlook and willingness to try anything once, and if it did not kill him, maybe twice. 12 years of Catholic education and a couple of years in college spread between wild drug induce euphoric years, which did not kill him, gave James an unique moral compass that swings in any direction it wants. A scientific mind and a spirit that believes nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough guides his writings. He enjoys traveling to new places and seeing what life has to offer. James began writing short stories and poetry back in his early years. In his twenties moved on to novels. He worked in the financial industry and later got a degree in computer programming, his other love. James has a successful career as a software engineer designing, developing and maintaining systems for the government and the private sector. He has been programming for nearly forty years in various languages. After years in the computer world he returned to his first love, unleashing the characters in his head. Still a hopeless insomniac, he feels free to pound out plots. James L Hill is a prolific storyteller writing crime stories, fantasies, and science fiction, with a slant on the dark side of life. The next step on his journey naturally led to the business of publishing. He started RockHill Publishing LLC not only to produce his own work, but to give others access to the literary world. His computer background and experiences in word processing gives him insight into what it takes to publish good books.

https://www.jlhill-books.com/index.html

Return of the Grudstone Ghosts (Canadian Chills) by Arthur Slade Review 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Students at a Canadian school must discover the haunting secrets of the Grudstone school that resided where their school is now, and face the terrifying evil threatening to let loose on the world in author Arthur Slade’s “Return of the Grudstone Ghosts”, part of the author’s Canadian Chills series.

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The Synopsis

Terror stalks the halls of St. Wolcott School . . .

When Daphne’s sixth-grade teacher, Miss Vindez, plummets from the belfry of St. Wolcott School, Daphne and her friends Nick and Peach are plunged into a mystery that includes a long-ago fire that left behind twelve dead schoolchildren, tiny ghosts with nowhere to go, and an ancient evil just dying to break through into modern-day Moose Jaw.

Miss Vindez survives her fall, but things just aren’t the same–she’s spouting gibberish, and both Principal Peterka and the school janitor are definitely not themselves at all anymore.

Determined to get to the bottom of what’s going on, Daphne, Nick, and Peach dig up the troubled history of Grudstone, the school that used to stand where St. Wolcott is now. They uncover evidence of a crime so terrible it can hardly be believed. Worse, the terrifying perpetrator of that crime isn’t done yet–he has more horrible plans in mind. And all that stands in his way are three Moose Jaw school kids.

Toy & Treat of the Month

The Review

This was such a fun and exhilarating read. The author does a remarkable job of combining paranormal mystery and school-age adventure in a way that feels somehow natural and relatable to young readers who have always felt that close-knit relationship amongst their friends as they seek out new adventures. The imagery and fast-paced narrative instantly draw the reader in as the mystery unravels.

The history and local culture in Canada was a unique aspect of the story, as it drew readers to the history of this area of Canada and the era in which gangsters hid contraband in hidden tunnels, harkening back to the early 20th century and the era of Prohibition in America as well. The heartfelt connection that the reader makes with the protagonists as they discover new clues and hidden pasts within the school grounds will keep them invested.

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The Verdict

Adventurous, entertaining, and thrilling, author Arthur Slade’s “Return of the Grudstone Ghosts” is a must-read paranormal YA thriller. The narrative’s twists and turns, the relatability of the protagonists, and the spooky yet heartfelt nature will keep readers returning to this series time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

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Arthur Slade was raised on a ranch in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. He is the author of twenty five novels for young readers including The Hunchback Assignments, which won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and Dust, winner of the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature. His lifetime of work has also received the prestigious Kloppenburg Award for Literary Excellence.  All of these awards mean that when he drinks tea he has to raise his pinky. It’s very fancy. He lives in Saskatoon, Canada. 

P.S. He does all of his writing on a treadmill desk. And he listens to heavy metal. At the same time.

https://www.arthurslade.com/bio

Life Strikes Back (Back In A Year Series) by Candace MacPhie Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

Author Candace MacPhie continues to share her journey through a year of travel as she crosses through Eastern Europe in the book “Life Strikes Back”. 

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The Synopsis

Ahh—here I am—on my dream backpacking trip overlanding from Russia—through Eastern Europe—to Istanbul with my travel partner, Khadejah. Bring on the sunny days of exotic sightseeing, tasty new food, interesting people, and places I can get lost in to soothe my tattered heart.

But …

It rains most days.

Don’t even get me started on the food.

The locals are low on smiles.

And I’m drowning in grief.

Then the sun finally comes out. With the help of my friends, George Michael’s music, and laughter we tackle culture shock, wild interactions, changing plans, and uncover gems I never thought I would see with my own eyes.

But the leers, catcalls, and gropes are never-ending. Regardless we persevere … until a vicious and humiliating encounter causes me to question if life on the road will save me or break me.

__________

About the series: Grab your backpack and get ready for an adventure in the ’90s when the Internet was scarce but laughs weren’t. Life Strikes Back is Book Two in the five-part Back in a Year series, a true story of a young woman traveling around the world. Each book can be read independently, but it’s more fun to take the full trip.

__________

Content Warning: Profanity, sexual harassment, sexual assault, consensual sexual content, parental grief, alcohol consumption, smoking, and visits to Holocaust sites.

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The Review

This was yet another compelling and engaging read. The adventurous nature of the author’s experiences and the vivid imagery that comes with the descriptive nature of those experiences, including the settings of each chapter. The rich culture of each country and the customs that went into each interaction gave readers insight into each country and their interactions and the era in which this book took place (the 90s).

The balance the author struck between her journey’s big, emotional moments and the more witty, humorous interactions she had made this an enthralling memoir. The bond she shares with her travel partner and the theme of travel being a means of healing from grief spoke to this author’s heart, as well as the connection readers can make with this deeply personal story.

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The Verdict

Thoughtfully, deeply engagingly, and incredibly presented, Candace MacPhie’s “Life Strikes Back” is a must-read memoir. The breathtaking imagery the author brings to life on the page and the thought-provoking life lessons the author experiences will keep readers invested as the book comes to a close. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Born in Montreal, Quebec, I spent years backpacking and working around the world. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA, and worked for twenty years on four different continents and now call Calgary, Alberta home.

I got married, had kids, and things got busy. Time was moving by quickly, and my kids were growing up fast. I shifted gears and quit my job to spend time at home. During the COVID lockdown, I had time on my hands, decided to try writing, and started writing the Back in a Year series.

When I’m not at my computer yelling, “Just a few more pages, then I’ll make dinner,” I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains, hot yoga, reading romance novels, and making up new cake recipes. I especially like to laugh and spend time with my husband, the self-proclaimed grumpy motherf*%ker, and my three awesome kids.

Follow me on Instagram: @candacemacphie

Or on TikTok: @candacemacphie

And visit my website for trip photos: www.candacemacphie.com

Lester Lion Calls 911 by Donna M. Cramer Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

A young lion must learn when the right time to call 911 is in author Donna M. Cramer’s “Lester Lion Calls 911”.

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The Synopsis

“Lester Lion Calls 911” is a delightful children’s book that follows the adventures of Lester, a young lion who is thrilled about Fire Prevention Week and eager to meet real firefighters. But when he learns that anyone can dial 911 during an assembly, he mistakenly believes it’s okay to do so while playing. Using his mom’s phone, Lester dials the number, sparking an educational journey for Lester.

Through colorful illustrations and engaging storytelling, this book teaches young readers about the importance of discerning when to call 911 in a real emergency. Along the way, they’ll also learn the essential safety technique of stop, drop, and roll, ensuring they’re equipped with valuable knowledge to stay safe.

Join Lester Lion as he navigates through valuable lessons about responsibility, emergency preparedness, and fire safety in this heartwarming tale that’s perfect for story-time or classroom discussions.

Toy & Treat of the Month

The Review

This was a quick yet powerful children’s book. The author does an incredible job of crafting a narrative filled with fun yet relatable characters, each providing an important role that helps drive the themes of this book home. The vibrancy of the illustrations and the thoughtful dialogue between the characters help greatly emphasize the importance of this book’s message.

The lessons taught in this book helped elevate the overall story. The need to instill the importance of emergencies and what 911 is for children in the United States was significantly explored here, showcasing the harm that can come from not utilizing this service appropriately and how children should take this 911 service seriously in case real dangers or emergencies pop up.

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The Verdict

Thoughtfully crafted, engaging, and memorable, author Donna M. Cramer’s “Lester Lion Calls 911” is a must-read children’s book. The fast pace and depth of the themes allow for a great bonding experience between parent and child and will keep parents coming back to this book repeatedly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Donna M. Cramer is a retired special education teacher who lives in Massachusetts. She worked with young special needs students for over 20 years. While working at school, Donna sustained a life-altering brain injury. Cramer discovered a love for writing after her injury, particularly early in her recovery when she had difficulty expressing herself through speech. She lives with her husband and two Maine Coon cats, all of whom facilitated her recovery with lots of love. Cramer wants everyone to know that there is always hope. Even though it may seem like a distant, faraway glimmer, there is always hope.

https://www.authordonnamcramer.com

Goyhood: A Novel by Reuven Fenton Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

A man and his twin brother discover after the death of their mother that they are not in fact Jewish as they once thought, and must go on a series of misadventures through the American South as they wrestle with their conflicted relationship with their heritage and their faith in author Reuven Fenton’s “Goyhood: A Novel”.

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The Synopsis

Reuven Fenton’s novel Goyhood is a brilliant debut about a devoutly Orthodox Jewish man who discovers in middle age that he’s not, in fact, Jewish, and embarks on a remarkable road trip to come to grips with his fate; it’s Chaim Potok’s The Chosen meets Planes,Trains and Automobiles.

Funny, poignant, and revelatory while plumbing the emotional depths of the relationship between estranged brothers, Goyhood examines what happens when one becomes unmoored from a comfortable, spiritual existence and must decide whether coincidence is in fact destiny.

When Mayer (née Marty) Belkin fled small town Georgia for Brooklyn nearly thirty years ago, he thought he’d left his wasted youth behind. Now he’s a Talmud scholar married into one of the greatest rabbinical families in the world – a dirt poor country boy reinvented in the image of God.

But his mother’s untimely death brings a shocking revelation: Mayer and his ne’er-do-well twin brother David aren’t, in fact, Jewish. Traumatized and spiritually bereft, Mayer’s only recourse is to convert to Judaism. But the earliest date he can get is a week from now. What are two estranged brothers to do in the interim?

So begins the Belkins’ Rumspringa through America’s Deep South with Mom’s ashes in tow, plus two tagalongs: an insightful Instagram influencer named Charlayne Valentine and Popeye, a one-eyed dog. As the crew gets tangled up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew.

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The Review

What a profoundly moving and engaging read. The author does a fantastic job of balancing the culture and thought-provoking study of the Jewish faith with the deep and heartfelt character studies the author puts out there from these two distinct protagonists. The rich imagery and quirky dialogue shared between these brothers and the way they connect with people they encounter along their journey made this book so compelling to get lost in.

The heart of this narrative was in the character development, as the author could weave humor, wit, and emotional moments into both brother’s stories. The themes of faith, family, and how we connect were so eloquently brought to life on the page, and the tense atmosphere that cut through all the humorous and relatable moments shared on this road trip helped highlight the divide between the brothers, and the work they put into closing that divide together. 

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The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and thoughtfully developed author Reuven Fenton’s “Boyhood: A Novel” is a must-read genre fiction novel that meets coming-of-age contemporary drama. The twists and turns these brothers face along the way and the thought-provoking examination of the Jewish faith and culture help bring a lovely harmony to the overall narrative. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Reuven Fenton has been covering murder and scandal for the New York Post since 2007, and has earned national recognition for his exclusive reporting on a myriad of national stories. Mr. Fenton was inspired to write “Stolen Years” after covering an unforgettable court hearing in 2013, in which a Brooklyn judge freed David Ranta, who had been wrongfully convicted for murdering a rabbi twenty-two years earlier. The sensational story sparked an investigation into misconduct by both the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the lead detective in the case. Mr. Fenton is a graduate of Columbia University School of Journalism, and lives in New York City with his wife and two sons. Follow @reuvenfen on Twitter.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Goyhood/Reuven-Fenton/9781771683685

https://nypost.com/author/reuven-fenton

Last of the Pops by Adam Wilson (Illustrated by Dr. Demus and Dapit Jumar) Review

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

Twenty years after radio waves suddenly powered down, a group of people are brought together when the radio turns back on in author Adam Wilson’s “Last of the Pops”.

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The Synopsis

Not many people noticed the day the airwaves went silent. Thousands of radio stations across the country powered down for the last time. Twenty years on, even fewer noticed the day the towers came back to life, broadcasting on repeat, a handful of songs that don’t exist.

An experiment in sequential and epostolary storytelling, Wilson, Demus, Paratone, and Jamit present the soundtrack of a wannabe podcaster, a teen graffitti artist and her estranged brother, a former disc jockey, the newest owner of a vinyl legacy, and a tortured singer on the cusp of greatness.

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The Review

This was such a fantastic, well-written graphic novel. The distinctive difference between artistic styles alternating between each story highlighted the talent and tone each illustrator brought to the narrative. The emotional depth of each character’s experiences in their respective chapters and the way music and sound highlighted each story helped elevate the significance of each character’s arc.

This graphic novel stood out because it honed in on relatable, everyday emotions. Rather than focusing on how the radio stations disappeared and reappeared two decades later, the chapters honed in on how music and sound, in general, impacted the character’s feelings and overall journey. The stories tapped into everything from friendship and love to inspiration and connectivity among our fellow human beings. 

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The Verdict

Thought-provoking, memorable, and engaging author Adam Wilson’s “Last of the Pops” is an incredible and exciting graphic novel. The depth and heart that went into these characters and their journey, as well as the thoughtful approach to such deep subject matter, kept me enthralled by the developing stories in this book. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

A former comic editor, Adam Wilson is one of the co-publishers of Read Furiously and an award winning comic writer, His works includes Brian & Bobbi, In the Fallout, Helium, and the upcoming graphic novel Last of the Pops. He co-writes the graphic novel series The MOTHER Principle and edits the anthology series Life in the Garden State with his partner S. Atzeni. Together they live in West Trenton with their son and cat.

https://www.lifeinasplashpage.com/p/home.html

Runes of the Dokkrsdottir (Outside The Thalsparr Series) by Bjorn Leesson Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

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

A Norse woman in the Viking Age must face her supernatural destiny and her status as a legendary warrior in author Bjorn Leesson’s “Runes of the Dokkrsdottir”, the first book in the Outside The Thalsparr Series.

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The Synopsis

The Dokkrsdottir is not your ordinary Norse woman of the Viking age. One of the great warriors of her time, she soon learns that the hardest battles are not always those fought with a sword and shield. Through countless trials and tests, she is led by visions and omens on numerous adventures with the help of steadfast friends and family to discover her mysterious supernatural destiny, one more extraordinary than anyone could ever have imagined.

RUNES OF THE DOKKRSDOTTIR (Book 1)

The story of Myrgjol the Dokkrsdottir begins with her birth in 800s Scandinavia where it becomes immediately obvious that she is very different in so many ways.

After adventures abroad and continuously making friends and loyal allies, and after suffering many losses and setbacks, she bravely travels the many winding paths of her destiny – facing and defeating a dark foe she never expected to face.

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The Review

This was such a compelling and gripping read. The rich blend of historical fiction meets fantasy and the immersive way the author uses imagery draws the reader into the sea-faring settings of this novel, making the world-building feel larger than life on the page. The author’s use of mythology and detail in the narrative allows the reader to feel transported back to the Viking age, keeping the reader invested in the story.

Yet, it was the dynamic development of the protagonist that fueled this story. The rich and thoughtful detail that went into the protagonist’s backstory, from the tragic circumstances that brought her father over to live amongst the Norse people as a child to the tragedies she faces and the supernatural prophecy that hung over her head as she spent her life struggling to balance the light and darkness within her, made her character arc and journey so much more impactful and engaging.

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The Verdict

Remarkable, thoughtful, and entertaining author Bjorn Leesson’s “Runes of the Dokkrsdottir” is a must-read historical fantasy. The shocking events, significant narrative twists, and open ending leave readers wanting more from the author’s “Outside the Thalsparr” series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Bjorn was born in the Lowcountry of South Carolina a long, long time ago.  He has worked in manufacturing all his working life to feed himself but has nourished his mind with the study of many topics; history of all eras, the paranormal, astronomy, writing of different types, photography, archeology, genealogy, vexillology, some other -ologies, even stock car racing for a couple of years, and on and on.  Bjorn finds just about everything fascinating in some way and has been accused of being too easily entertained.  A blend of a few of his interests led to the creation of the Thalsparr Universe.  The first installment of the series will be “Runes of the Dokkrsdottir,” with a release date to be determined.  He currently lives in the Midlands of South Carolina with his wife of 25 years on their hobby farm.