Tag: books

Interview with Author Dana Robertson

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Writing is something I’ve done for as long as I can remember, jotting down ideas and random thoughts. I studied literature at university, completing a degree in English and psychology.

However, I pursued a career in psychology, working in counseling, vocational rehabilitation and psychometry. But my love of literature and passion for writing always remained, which I’m now focused on. And I’m excited and nervous to share my debut novel.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

My fascination with abandoned buildings and old theaters inspired The Abandoned Theater. I’m intrigued by the buildings themselves, the grand lobbies, ornate ceilings and rich tapestries throughout. And the shared experience as an audience reacts to the actors in unison, holding their breath, gasping, and laughing.

I pictured a theater standing in eerie silence and imagined what could have happened, causing it to be abandoned. I envisioned the audience settling into their seats, the anticipation building, then silence as the last performance begins. Their eyes widening, and gasps echoing as fear took hold. I imagined them scrambling over the seats, spilling into the aisles, desperate to escape.

Then I built the story around the mystery of that theater.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The Abandoned Theater while, intended as a fun escape and easy read, touches on deeper themes middle graders could encounter. Hopefully, the reader can relate to some of what the characters are experiencing, and their friendships while highlighting discovery and resilience.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I write mystery, science fiction and fantasy. I particularly enjoy writing middle grade fantasy because it frees your imagination to explore fantastical worlds and to go on magical adventures.

Middle schoolers are full of wonder and curiosity. And it’s fun to reflect how it felt at that age.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I would sit down with Darthius and ask if he regrets any of his choices, knowing now where they led.

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6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’m not very savvy with social media, although I’m currently exploring Instagram and finding some wonderful connections.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

The best advice I ever received is after you write your first novel, put it away. Then write at least a couple more and read. When you go back to the original one, you’ll realize how much can be improved after honing your skills, practicing, reading and learning.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

The Abandoned Theater is book one of the Alderland Series, soon to be followed by book two, Return to Gatland. I’m also completing the final rewrites of an adult mystery novel, Murder in Rockwell Estates.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dana Robertson lives in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She completed a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology with Trent University in Peterborough Ontario, followed by a graduate creative writing program with the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Ontario.

Formerly, a vocational rehabilitation consultant, psychometrist, youth counselor, and a small business operator.

She writes fantasy, mystery, science fiction and middle grade fiction. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, nature, hiking and reading.The Abandoned Theater is her debut novel and book one of the Alderland Series.

Links to sites:

Author website: www.danarobertsonbooks.com

Publisher website: Abandoned Theater, The from Our Street

Instagram: Instagram

Facebook: Facebook

Purchase links: 

Amazon: The Abandoned Theater: Alderland Series – Book One (A Novel): Robertson, Dana: 9781803417509: Amazon.com: Books

Barnes and Noble: The Abandoned Theater by Dana Robertson, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Indigo: The Abandoned Theater: Alderland Series – Book One (a Novel) Book By Dana Robertson, (Paperback) | Indigo

Walmart: Alderland The Abandoned Theater, (Paperback) – Walmart.com

Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide by Steven P. Unger (Photos by Ruth St. Steven) 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 Steven P. Unger shares the long and storied history of coffee, as well as the travel experiences of consuming coffee on multiple continents in the book “Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide.”

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The Synopsis

BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide, is the first and only book to trace coffee consumption from its origins in prehistory to becoming the world’s second-most-valuable commodity after oil—and to pair this history with replicable, affordable Coffee Experiences that provide a unique approach and added value to the readers’ destinations, no matter how many times they’ve been there before. This book is a multi-genre travel book with unique historical insights that immerse the reader in the culture of a country or city through the lens of the destination’s deep relationship with coffee. No other travel book has ever provided the kind of total immersion into a country or city—through histories, travel directions, one-of-a-kind photos, and recipes—that BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide, delivers in every chapter.

The timing is right for BLACK AS HELL, STRONG AS DEATH, SWEET AS LOVE: A Coffee Travel Guide, a history of coffee and a travel guide to Coffee Experiences on almost every continent. Plus, there are recipes.

Among the Coffee Experience destinations are places that almost no one goes to, like Ethiopia’s South Omo, and places masses of tourists go to, like Paris. Other Coffee Experiences are closer to home for Americans, as simple as sharing a colada at a ventanilla in Miami’s Little Havana; or taking the Canal streetcar to the end of the line, where Morning Call in New Orleans’ Spanish moss-shrouded City Park offers chicory coffee, beignets, crawfish bread, gumbo, alligator sausage, and jambalaya just a short walk away from the last remaining section of Bayou Metairie.

These Coffee Experiences result from three years of related travel, five years of research, and decades of travel and travel writing. These are the Best of the Best, the Coffee Experiences that surpassed all our expectations.

Linking the Coffee Experiences to history provides a unique approach to a city or country’s particular relationship to coffee. Coffee Experiences may be in the middle of, or adjacent to heavily touristed areas, but for the most part, they are places barely mentioned in guidebooks.

The Coffee Trail is full of curious twists and turns, spanning millennia and the rise and fall of great civilizations. Surviving bans from religions and regimes, coffee consumption has changed its style constantly to adapt to new customs, new physiologies, and new technologies with the driving mandates of better taste and more effective delivery systems for the physically and psychologically stimulating effects of caffeine.

All along the Coffee Trail, from Africa to Europe and the New World, each culture and country has added its own unique stamp to the passport of Coffee Experiences. This book is a journey through those countries and cultures with stopovers that are sometimes a reenactment, and sometimes a re-imagination of a unique time and place in the human history of coffee consumption.

Flea and Tick

The Review

This was such a fascinating read. Like much of the population, I am a coffee drinker, but I didn’t always know that there could be a powerful history behind the cultivation of coffee beans throughout the world. The sheer volume of detail and insight the author provides is fascinating. The author explores different cultures and continents not only in terms of how the coffee bean has grown and evolved there but also how the consumption of coffee has evolved and grown over time. 

The balance of the beauty that photographer Ruth St. Steven captured with the imagery of the author’s writing style and the sense of adventure that this book brought made it such an engaging read. The book not only featured an eclectic collection of history and stories related to coffee, but each location the author explored came with recommendations for orders, recipes, and where to get coffee while there. 

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The Verdict

Equal parts reference book, guide, history, and adventure book, author Steven P. Unger’s “Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love” is a must-read. The honesty, depth of knowledge, and thorough exploration of this subject, the locations where these products can be found, and the passion for coffee will instantly draw readers in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

cover girl

Steven P. Unger has traveled extensively in North, South, and Central America; Western Europe; the Middle East; Africa; Istanbul; and Romania. He has been published in numerous travel and bicycling magazines. His book, In the Footsteps of Dracula: A Personal Journey and Travel Guide, 3rd Ed., traces the voyages and eventual flight of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula from Transylvania to London and back in text and photographs, and pairs this journey with the life and times of Dracula’s real-life counterpart, Prince Vlad Dracula, or Vlad the Impaler.

Mr. Unger was an exchange student at a historically black college, Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and later a member of the Bear Tribe, a California commune that tried sharecropping, goat herding, and living in teepees—and failed spectacularly at everything. These adventures and many more are described in his novel Dancing in the Streets.

He also wrote the accompanying text and Preface for Before the Paparazzi: Fifty Years of Extraordinary Photographs, which includes over 250 pictures taken by Arty Pomerantz, staff photographer and assignment editor for the New York Post from the 1960s through the early 1990s.

Appearances by the author for Before the Paparazzi, 50 Years of Extraordinary Photographs included a video of his co-author’s life and work. In October 2014 at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism, the author’s presentation was followed by a roundtable on contemporary photojournalism with members of the New York Press Club and the New York Press Photographers’ Association. This presentation was given at the New York City Fire Museum and the Bronx Documentary Center, and was one of four lectures for the 2015-2016 California State University, Sacramento, Friends of the Library Author Lecture Series.

He lives with Ruthie St. Steven and their terrier mix Bailey in Elk Grove, California.

From South Boston to Cambridge by Otis L Lee Jr 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 Otis L. Lee Jr. shares the life experiences that defined his career and his life in the book From South Boston to Cambridge.

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The Synopsis

Version 1.0.0

Travel on a journey of evolution from naiveté as a child in the Jim Crow South, to self-actualization at “the Door of No Return,” on Goree Island, in Senegal, West Africa. Experience some of the travails of the lawyer as solo practitioner, the last of the Lone Rangers, a dying breed. This memoir, written in the nature of a novel, also includes a descriptive genealogical narrative of the Lee Family, one of Charlottesville, Virginia’s notable Black families. The solo practice of law in the big city, as well as in smaller towns, offers numerous learning and teachable moments. Maturing as a lawyer requires time, patience, perseverance and a sound strategy but in the solo practitioner’s case it also entails a unique occupational journey: From the apprentice lawyer to the journeymen lawyer the ritual of passage is the same regardless of race. Here, as in the military in a time of war, race is blurred by the need to learn and the will to survive and grow. Professional success requires relationships with strange bed fellows where many essential lessons are learned. The competence of the black professional is never assumed; it must be proven even to members of his own race. A curious paradox with roots buried deep in the American story. The politics of race starkly impacted the recent history of a major American city, Philadelphia-in the killing of a police officer, the incineration of a neighborhood and the election of that city’s first black mayor. Contrary to what many people may perceive, middle class black families have much in common with middle class white families. They encounter many of the same head winds except the resistance of color in American culture. As a consequence black middle class youth confront deeper issues affecting their journey toward the goal of attaining self-actualization; personal doubts, race acceptance and appreciation, skin color and complexion, obtaining a competitive education, not just an integrated education for the two are not the same; economic gamesmanship to master an unfriendly and demanding economic system, “equal opportunity” test challenging for all races but for the American of African descent all of this occurs in an unaccommodating culture, no less demanding especially the skill of converting income into wealth. From South Boston To Cambridge: The Making Of One Philadelphia Lawyer touches upon all of these themes in a tapestry of stories woven together around the life of one central character but by no means the only colorful character.

The Review

This was the author’s most personal and engaging read yet. The memoir perfectly balances the author’s life experiences with the cultural experiences of both the eras he lived through and the community he established along the way. The level of detail and precision with which the author recounted these experiences was amazing, showcasing the heightened focus and attention to detail that comes naturally as a former attorney. 

The numerous challenges the author faced throughout his life and career, and how he conquered those challenges, were inspiring. The emotional depth of the author’s experiences was also felt, as when a colleague at a Philadelphia law firm was held in contempt. The expertise he witnessed at his colleague’s treatment disillusioned the author with the recognition of true justice when his life and the lives of other people of color were not valued as much as others. The impact those experiences and realizations have on the author’s life plays out perfectly on the page.

The Verdict

Remarkable, astounding, and engaging, author Otis L Lee Jr’s “From South Boston to Cambridge” is a must-read nonfiction book and memoir. The honesty and relatability with which the author writes, as well as the plethora of experiences that helped define the author’s journey, will stay with readers as they delve further and further into the book. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Otis L. Lee, Jr., a remarkable African-American individual, defied the barriers imposed by segregation and Jim Crow laws to achieve remarkable personal and professional accomplishments. Mr. Lee made significant contributions as a co-author in a 1980 project by the Howard University School of Business, which involved revising and editing the U.S. Department of Commerce manual titled “Local Economic Development Corporation, Legal and Financial Guidelines.”

He was a member of both the Pennsylvania and Virginia Bar Associations. He also contributed his expertise to several universities in the Midwest and along the East Coast. Otis’s distinguished professional journey included significant roles, such as serving as a Trust New Business Solicitor at the Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago, Illinois, as well as consulting the Mid-Atlantic Region Advanced Underwriting for the New York Life Insurance Company. Furthermore, Lee was the Associate Director of the Center For Small Business and served as a Panel Executive for the Panel on Product Liability for the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

A retired attorney, he has now transitioned into an author who uses his powerful insights and experiences to inspire others. Through his writings, captivating video shorts, and engaging speaking engagements, Otis Lee, Jr. enlightens audiences with his unique perspective on resilience and triumph over adversity.

Lee’s 2013 debut memoir, “From South Boston to Cambridge: the Making of One Philadelphia Lawyer”, intricately weaves together a captivating narrative that chronicles his relentless pursuit of success, overcoming one obstacle after another. Within its pages, readers traverse alongside Lee, sharing in his profound emotions and experiences.

Published in 2019’s “The Last Train From Djibouti”, the story begins from an unassuming, yet metaphorical, location: a train voyage originating in Charlottesville, Virginia, bound for New York City’s Penn Station. For Otis, this journey recalls another train’s journey from distant times in a location many miles from home. Drawing inspiration from the accounts of Dr. Michelle Palmer Lee and her mentor, Dr. Harriett F. Karuhije, “The Last Train From Djibouti” brings us alongside these two women on a transformative odyssey, each embarking independently to the Motherland, spurred by a resolute desire to connect with Africa and self discovery. By artfully expositing passages from Michelle’s journal and Harriett’s recounting, Otis portrays a microcosm of the African-American struggle to unearth roots within a culture that underwent upheaval, crossed oceans and emerged anew.

Coming in 2024, Otis Lee’s latest title “Black Spartacus, I Was Born in the Forest: A Traveler’s Guide to Quilombo, Maroon Societies in Brazil” embodies the struggle for liberty by Africans who were transported to the Americas aboard slave ships, hailing from regions like Congo, Angola, and other parts of Central Africa.

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The Last Train from Djibouti by Otis L. Lee Jr 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. 

In author Otis L. Lee’s “The Last Train from Djibouti,” two women struggle with identity as they travel to Africa.

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The Synopsis

“The Last Train from Djibouti is an odyssey you will not forget.” —Larry Bechtel, author of The Tinsmith’s Apprentice and sculptor

Otis Lee begins this story in the most innocuous of locations: a train from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Penn Station in New York City. But for Otis this journey brings to mind another train, from long ago and far away—representative of a past to which there can be no return. Based on the true experiences of Dr. Michelle Palmer Lee and her mentor, Dr. Harriett F.  Karuhije, The Last Train From Djibouti follows two women on a life-changing adventure as they travel separately to the Motherland, determined to find Africa and themselves. What they find is nothing like what they expected. As these two women grapple with questions of identity and character, what emerges is a larger picture of what it means to undertake an “unrequited return.” Weaving entries from Michelle’s journal and Harriett’s observations together with his own research and experience, Otis depicts a microcosm of the African-American struggle to find roots in a culture that has been upended, shipped overseas, and become something new.

The Review

This was a thoughtful and engaging story. The author does a remarkable job of capturing the heart and drive of this narrative, speaking to the struggles of so many with the history and experiences their ancestors held when pulled away from their families at the height of the slave trade, and the need for identity when connecting to one’s roots. The presentation of this story and the author’s writing style are powerful and heartfelt, showing both detail and a deep understanding of the history of both America and Africa. 

It was great to see the author not only in the role of narrator throughout this narrative, but also in the depths of emotions. This is based on a true story that unfolds through the characters Michelle and Harriett. The struggles they both face when their expectations of their experiences are mired by their disillusionment when confronted with life’s realities make this a complex and engaging read. Yet the hopeful tone of the community they both found there and the realization of their experiences growing up in a more Western culture redefining what home truly is, made this a remarkable story to get lost in.

The Verdict

Memorable, thoughtful, and engaging, author Otis L. Lee Jr.’s “The Last Train from Djibouti” is a must-read. The amount of history balances out the rich character development and heartfelt delivery of the experiences shared in this narrative by the authors, keeping this a book readers won’t want to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Otis L. Lee, Jr., a remarkable African-American individual, defied the barriers imposed by segregation and Jim Crow laws to achieve remarkable personal and professional accomplishments. Mr. Lee made significant contributions as a co-author in a 1980 project by the Howard University School of Business, which involved revising and editing the U.S. Department of Commerce manual titled “Local Economic Development Corporation, Legal and Financial Guidelines.”

He was a member of both the Pennsylvania and Virginia Bar Associations. He also contributed his expertise to several universities in the Midwest and along the East Coast. Otis’s distinguished professional journey included significant roles, such as serving as a Trust New Business Solicitor at the Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago, Illinois, as well as consulting the Mid-Atlantic Region Advanced Underwriting for the New York Life Insurance Company. Furthermore, Lee was the Associate Director of the Center For Small Business and served as a Panel Executive for the Panel on Product Liability for the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

A retired attorney, he has now transitioned into an author who uses his powerful insights and experiences to inspire others. Through his writings, captivating video shorts, and engaging speaking engagements, Otis Lee, Jr. enlightens audiences with his unique perspective on resilience and triumph over adversity.

Lee’s 2013 debut memoir, “From South Boston to Cambridge: the Making of One Philadelphia Lawyer”, intricately weaves together a captivating narrative that chronicles his relentless pursuit of success, overcoming one obstacle after another. Within its pages, readers traverse alongside Lee, sharing in his profound emotions and experiences.

Published in 2019’s “The Last Train From Djibouti”, the story begins from an unassuming, yet metaphorical, location: a train voyage originating in Charlottesville, Virginia, bound for New York City’s Penn Station. For Otis, this journey recalls another train’s journey from distant times in a location many miles from home. Drawing inspiration from the accounts of Dr. Michelle Palmer Lee and her mentor, Dr. Harriett F. Karuhije, “The Last Train From Djibouti” brings us alongside these two women on a transformative odyssey, each embarking independently to the Motherland, spurred by a resolute desire to connect with Africa and self discovery. By artfully expositing passages from Michelle’s journal and Harriett’s recounting, Otis portrays a microcosm of the African-American struggle to unearth roots within a culture that underwent upheaval, crossed oceans and emerged anew.

Coming in 2024, Otis Lee’s latest title “Black Spartacus, I Was Born in the Forest: A Traveler’s Guide to Quilombo, Maroon Societies in Brazil” embodies the struggle for liberty by Africans who were transported to the Americas aboard slave ships, hailing from regions like Congo, Angola, and other parts of Central Africa.

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Can I Have a Hug First? By Mary Paula Hunter 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 unique blend of humor and tragedy comes to life as author Mary Paula Hunter turns years’ worth of performance art into short stories in the collection “Can I Have a Hug First?”

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The Synopsis 

CAN I HAVE A HUG FIRST? is a short story collection born out of author Mary Paula Hunter’s career as a performance artist. Her monologues turned short stories feature midlife adults struggling to align their crazy minds with an equally crazy world. Hilarious and tragic in a high energy mix, these stories will get the reader questioning what came first— the whacked mind or the whacked world?

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The Review

What a powerful and memorable read. The author establishes a tone of humor and realism in the narrative of each story very early, showcasing the haunting realities that so many women have to face on any given day and how some people cope with those realities. The originality and artistry behind the prose the author utilizes will stay with readers within each story, as the tension in each story is undercut by humorous dialogue or observations of the everyday life people encounter during these situations.

The themes and feelings of strength and paranoia in each story resonate with the harsh experiences that so many women are left to face. The unique delivery of the stories as an almost first-person monologue in a way allowed the reader to feel as if these stories represented personal conversations between the reader and the author. The titular story is an excellent example of this, with the narrator gradually becoming more and more afraid as she has strange encounters and is soon face to face with a unique outcome. 

The Verdict

Thoughtful, performative, and engaging author Mary Paula Hunter’s “Can I Have a Hug First?” is a must-read fiction and speculative fiction genre. The poignant and carefully crafted narrative behind each story and the rich character dynamics built in such a short amount of time in each story made the collection both relatable and alive on the page. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Mary Paula Hunter is a writer living in Providence, Rhode Island. She received early praise for her writing when as a dancer and choreographer, she told stories about her eccentric Midwestern family while she danced.

Laurie Stone, in the now-defunct VILLAGE VOICE wrote that Mary Paula’s writing was brilliant. Jennifer Dunning in THE NEW YORK TIMES also praised her hybrid work, especially the honest storytelling.  Finally the writing won out… although she still creates dances (mainly in her kitchen), and works on performance art projects.

Visit Mary Paula Hunter’s Performance website.

https://www.marypaulahunterwrites.com/

The Abandoned Theater (Alderland Series Book One) by Dana Robertson 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. 

In Dana Robertson’s The Abandoned Theater, the first in the Alderland Series, a young girl goes to an abandoned theater in search of a missing teenager, only to discover an evil that threatens multiple worlds.

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The Synopsis

Deep in the woods of the Winnodov property sits the abandoned theater. Something mysterious happened during the last performance there – the same night Mr. Winnodov disappeared. Eight years later, it’s happening again. A group of mischievous teenagers sneaks into the theater. And now, one is missing. When 12-year-old Beth Shoner learns who the missing teen is, she sets off with two friends to find him. But what they discover is more astonishing than they could ever have imagined. Now, Beth must defeat an evil plan unleashed long ago that threatens to destroy countless worlds, including their own.

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The Review

What a compelling and engaging read. The author does a marvelous job of balancing the relatable, heartfelt character development with the visceral fantasy world-building that the author was able to create. The imagery in the author’s writing made the world the characters stumbled into feel alive on the page, and the mythology the author was able to drive into the narrative not only ramped up the drama quickly but honed in on some of the more personal mysteries tied to the characters themselves.

What stood out was how much this story seemed to embody the themes and nostalgia that so many projects in this genre have established beforehand while still creating a fresh and remarkable story. Whether it was Steven Spielberg’s E.T. or the modern-day Stranger Things, the idea of young people having to confront the strange and the unknown and face their own looming adulthood in the process was thoroughly presented in this narrative. 

The Verdict

Action-packed, magical, and entertaining author Dana Robertson’s “The Abandoned Theater” is a must-read middle-school/YA fantasy read. The magical world-building that the story takes on and the rich and relatable character dynamics of this novel make this a remarkable narrative that readers won’t be able to get enough of and will be eager for the next entry into the series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy on May 1st, 2025 or preorder your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Dana Robertson lives in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She completed a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology with Trent University in Peterborough Ontario, followed by a graduate creative writing program with the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Ontario. She writes mystery, fantasy, science fiction and middle grade. The Abandoned Theater is her debut novel and book one of the Alderland Series.

Dana Robertson Books

Cursed Mage (Catenarian Chronicles Book 1) by TC Marti 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 woman discovers her powers and lineage just as she discovers she has a long-lost sister who is in danger from a ruthless regime in author TC Marti’s “Cursed Mage,” the first book in the Catenarian Chronicles Series.

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The Synopsis

Every family has secrets. Hers are trying to kill her.

Kaija can’t wait to dive into university and leave the wreckage of her past behind. But becoming an orphan and moving in with her weird rich uncle wasn’t on the cards. Neither was discovering she’s a mythical Mage—and something rarer that the unscrupulous ruling party would kill to possess.

Now she’s dredging up long-buried family secrets, chatting with drowned ghosts, and dodging elite assassins and a ruthless mercenary Mage. All while learning to control magic so she can rescue the sister she didn’t know she had from the clutches of an oppressive political regime.

If Kaija fails, she and her sister won’t just lose their freedom, they’ll lose their lives… or worse. And the nation will pay the price.

Cursed Mage is the pulse-pounding first book in the Catenarian Chronicles. If you love chosen one dark paranormal fantasies packed with political intrigue, high-stakes action, and unforgettable characters, hang on for the ride of your life. Start reading today!

Flea and Tick

The Review

What a remarkable and exciting start to a brand-new metaphysical fantasy series! The world-building and mythos the author establishes between the Mages and the magic system itself are fantastic and well-established on the page. The balance of action with character growth and story development made this feel like a gripping and well-defined world to get lost in. The compelling world the author creates gives the reader a sense of familiarity while also transporting them into a world filled with magic and wonder. The thoughtful approach to the imagery used in the author’s writing style helped simultaneously elevate this setting and cement the mythos.

The heart of this story rests in the development of the protagonist and her journey. Kaija was both relatable and engaging as a character, bringing the same sense of wonder and awe that the reader felt discovering this hidden world and the power that rests in the hands of the Mages, all while layering the story with elements of mystery with her discovery of her sister and the intrigue that comes with the introduction of a potential boyfriend, with a supernatural twist. The story and the mythology the author establishes help elevate Kaija’s journey to an entirely new level.

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The Verdict

An intense, heartfelt, and powerful dark fantasy novel that readers won’t be able to put down, author TC Marti’s “Cursed Mage” is a must-read thrill ride. The heart and emotional story behind Kaija and her evolution throughout the narrative, the well-rounded supporting cast, and the blend of action with magical suspense made the author’s world feel alive and vibrant on the page. The twists and turns that the protagonist and her story go through and the epic world-building the author deploys make this feel like a concrete, engaging world that readers won’t stop getting lost in 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

TC Marti is an avid workout warrior and author of the dystopian fantasy shared universe, the Renegades Epic. After spending years devouring the works of J.K. Rowling, George Lucas, and some of the greatest libertarian thinkers in world history, Marti has fused his imagination with free market principles whenever he metaphorically puts pen to paper.

Daadi Maa’s Diary of Secrets (Picture Books For Big Kids and Adults Book 1) by Monita Kumari 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. 

In author Monita Kumari’s ” Daadi Maa’s Diary of Secrets, ” a young boy tired of his grandmother’s behavior soon discovers a hidden past that explains who she is.

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The Synopsis

Seven year old Vivek thinks his Daadi Maa (Indian Grandmother) is a mean old lady until he finds her diary. Although the first few entries are hilarious to him, Vivek soon realizes it was not meant to be funny. As he reads on, he recognizes that Daadi Maa is trapped in a vicious cycle. Her obsessive pinching is a coping mechanism. Although Daadi Maa has persevered outwardly, she still suffers silently. The diary brings the issue to the forefront and light is finally shed on the death of Daadi Maa’s brother Bhola, which is the crux of the problem. It also brings attention to the guilt she feels about the death of her son – Vivek’s father. Although Vivek’s mother has forgiven her, the fact remains that the last conversation Daadi Maa had with Vivek’s father was an argument about her pinching habit – which is why she cannot forgive herself. This obsessive-compulsive behavior which Daadi Maa suffered from most of her adult life touches the issue of neurodiversity. It is only after Vivek finds the diary that Daadi Maa faces her guilt. Here, she finally realizes that she doesn’t have to do it alone. She has a smart, educated family that will support her and love her as she is. No one will think less of her. All she needs to do is open up and ask for help even if not in those exact words. Daadi Maa’s Diary Of Secrets is a beautiful tearjerker picture book for young adults with twenty-two vivid and detailed illustrations (six of which are center spreads) that make the book come alive! The story explores the delicate issue of death in the family in a gentle way that young adults can relate to.

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The Review

This is a genuinely heartfelt and compelling read. The author’s ability to bridge the gap between adult and young readers through this story and the emotional connection the reader makes with Daadi Maa and her journey will stay with readers long after the book ends. The powerful imagery and thoughtful themes the author delves into create a harrowing yet poignant conversation for readers to deal with.

That conversation surrounds the topic of loss and its overwhelming nature. The book showcases the hardships and struggles that loss can have on a person and how it can dictate how they behave later in life. The book also shows the classic theme of not judging a book by its cover. The story shows the protagonist how their grandmother is not the way she is due to her just being mean but because of the experiences that life has given her.

The Verdict

Thoughtful, meaningful, and heartfelt author Monita Kumari’s “Daadi Maa’s Diary of Secrets” is a must-read illustrated young adult book. The themes of death, loss, and how to cope play a powerful role, and readers will instantly connect with and become invested in the narrative overall. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Born and raised in Fiji Islands, Monita is a trained medical professional, an artist and an amateur sitar player. She is a descendent of laborers brought to Fiji through the Indenture System from India, so her life has been a colorful mixture of both Fijian and Indian culture. When she has time to spare, she likes to watch her backyard birds. Monita lives in California with her family.

For more information, visit her website MonitaKumari.com

Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven (The Ferren Trilogy Book Three) by Richard Harland 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. 

As the final battle between the forces of Heaven and Earth commences, an angel and a human must contend with developing feelings for others, and the terrifying new leader of the Humen sets his sights on a full invasion of Heaven in author Richard Harland’s “Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven,” the third book in the Ferren Trilogy. 

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The Synopsis

In a retro-future world, the continents of our planet have been reduced to ruined wastelands after a thousand years of war between Heaven and Earth. The war began ten years on from our present time, when human medical scientists pushed over the boundary between life and death, resuscitated a human brain, discovered the reality of a Heavenly afterlife and ended up fighting against the angels. Now, Earth’s military forces are composed of artificially created Humen, while the original human beings have been reduced to a mere survival existence, living in fearful, isolated tribes.

Miriael is the angel who was shot down, fell to Earth and miraculously survived; Ferren is the young tribesman who found her. Together they’e been building a Residual Alliance of human tribes willing to cast off their slavish ‘alliance’ to the Humen and stand up for themselves.

In Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven, the Residual Alliance is almost ready to act when the Humen find themselves a new leader and act first. Asmodai is a traitor angel far more dangerous than any Humen ‘Doctor’, and brings his own special powers to reinforce the secret weapons of Earth’s armies. With Asmodai in charge, the Humen launch their long-planned invasion of Heaven.

Asmodai also has a particular interest in Miriael, who once fell in love with him. She has to untangle her new, human-like feelings, while Ferren has to sort out his own tangled feelings when Zonda reappears. Now he must deal with that past relationship while working through his new feelings for Kiet, which have become more than feelings of ordinary friendship.

The third book of the trilogy contains shocks and betrayals, a desperate pursuit, close encounters with the highest archangels, an amazing journey up to Heaven, and the wonders and terrors of terra-celestial warfare. The final battle in Heaven will be the turning point that decides the entire thousand-year war. But there are more twists to come before the end …

From the author of Worldshaker, an extraordinary dystopia of angels and apocalypse.

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The Review

What a profound and exhilarating final chapter in this YA dystopian and fantasy series. The depth of world-building and the emotional beats that the author builds upon with this cast of characters was incredible to see come to life. Seeing Ferren grow and become the leader he was meant to be and seeing Miriael embracing humanity fully and leaning on each other while also dealing with their own personal turmoil was fascinating and emotionally invested as a reader.

The chilling nature and villainous charisma of Asmodai set a haunting tone for the novel, and his growing power and the threat of the Humen made this novel’s action and major battles easily flow. The heart of this novel, though, rested in the personal and in-depth connections these characters made with their own humanity, both for Miriael as she wrestled with her celestial identity and her life on Earth. For Ferren and his growing feelings for someone, as he tries to unite a broken world, all felt natural and authentic to their development. 

The Verdict

A rich, dynamic, and powerful read, author Richard Harland’s “Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven” is a must-read novel. As a centuries-long fight nears its end, the larger-than-life stakes and the shocking twists and turns the narrative takes, especially the fate of both heroes and villains alike, will stay with readers long after the emotional final page turns. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or grab your copy on February 26th, 2025!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

I’m the author who nearly wasn’t – it took me 25 years to beat writer’s block. In those 25 years, I migrated from England to Australia, became a singer/songwriter, a poet and a university lecturer. But all I wanted to do was write speculative fiction.

Finally I finished my first novel, the comic macabre, The Vicar of Morning Vyle. With its prequel, The Black Crusade, it grew into a cult. When mainstream Australian publisher Pan Macmillan contracted my next novel, I resigned my lectureship, and I’ve been a full-time author ever since.

I live south of Sydney between green escarpment and golden beaches, with partner Aileen and Yogi the labrador. Writing non-stop… I have 25 missing years to make up for!

My big international success has been with my YA steampunk novels, Worldshaker, Liberator and Song of the Slums (published by Simon & Schuster in the US).

Ferren and the Angel came out in November 2023. I swear it’s my best yet! An amazing retro-future world of angels and apocalypse!

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