I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In the novel A Simple Job, a man desperate for a job to support his family finds himself on a cross-country road trip, doing new jobs and getting involved in a secret society.
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The Synopsis
Eli Asher is in hot water. He’s not sure which one is adding up faster, the lies he’s told his wife or the past due notices they are getting. He needs a job, a good job with benefits so he can take care of his family. He thinks he has one, but loses it to a member of some secret society that he wants no part of, until his hot water starts to boil and he has no choice but to take a leap of faith. That leap takes him away from his family and on a cross country adventure where he does a series of simple jobs, working with some incredible people. He learns more about what really matters every step of the way adding depth and breadth to his understanding of himself and the world, transforming his very life. This is an easy read that will leave you feeling good and glad you spent the time, so go a head and click the buy now button.
The Review
This was such an engaging and thoughtful read. The author did a fantastic job crafting a relatable and memorable narrative that will resonate with so many people worldwide. Still, especially in the United States, in the economy we are living through right now. The unique difficulties facing so many families right now, from lost jobs and poor prices to health pandemics and much more, the author touches upon some strong themes and balances this out with a unique and fun narrative that will drive the reader forward.
The heart of this story is character development, with protagonist Eli and his family becoming the POV that will resonate powerfully with the overall narrative. The lessons Eli learns along the way showcase the need to get rid of our prejudices and judgements of other people, learn to accept others, and be open to helping one another in life overall, making Eli and his family the everyman level of character growth.
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The Verdict
The author makes a good point in this book that no one is all villain, all hero, or all good, but understanding one another is the best way forward for us all. In that tone, author Kelly Kenyon’s “A Simple Job” is a must-read adventure and genre fiction novel. The heart and the passion for this subject matter come through with ease in this story, and the relatability of the characters will keep readers invested until the book’s final chapter. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young boy wakes to discover the story his grandmother has told him about Candy Mountain is real in the children’s book “Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain” by author Dr. Gerry Haller and illustrated by YM Cho.
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The Synopsis
Will’s Grandmother has told Will about the Candy Mountain since he was a small child. One night Will is awakened by the Conductor of a train. He is told to hurry to catch the train. “What train?” “The train to the Candy Mountain, of course.” On the train, he meets a boy named Quinn and they decide to go on the adventure together. He can hardly believe he is going to the Candy Mountain. Together there are many decisions they have to make, each more mysterious than the other. What will they find?
The Review
This was such a fun and engaging children’s book. The author thoughtfully and memorably conveyed the sense of magic and wonder children dream about. The book’s fast pace didn’t ever feel rushed, but instead allowed the reader to discover each new land and experience that the main characters found simultaneously.
Often in books, especially children’s books, readers seek to understand or engage with the more profound lesson or meaning behind the story, and there were so many in this book for younger readers to engage with. From the power of friendship and the rewarding nature of sharing to the more profound lesson of dreaming big and never being afraid of new adventures, this book had an outstanding balance of lessons to learn from.
The Verdict
A beautiful blend of The Polar Express meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, author Dr. Gerry Haller’s “Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain” is a must-read children’s book. With warm and vibrant artwork from YM Cho and a whimsical sense of adventure, this book will significantly bring parents and children together. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Author Dr. Gerry Haller is an accomplished educator having received many awards in the teaching, curriculum, and administrative fields. Some of these awards include being recognized for The Golden Apple, The Carnegie Foundation for her teaching in the Inner City of Chicago, and receiving the Phi Delta Kappa Award for being outstanding Principal of the Year. Dr. Haller received Primary, Gifted and Art Degrees form Bradley University, Master’s in Administration from Augustana, and Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University. She is a gifted public speaker and has presented at conferences from London to the U.S. Throughout her career, she has taught principals, teachers, and children. Dr. Haller is also a proud mother and grandmother.
About the Illustrator
YM Cho is an award-winning artist and designer. She earned a BFA degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she studied visual communications and fashion illustration. YM has been named the winner of several art and design competitions, including the 2017 Leavenworth Oktoberfest Logo Design, 2017 Navy Air Force Half Marathon shirt design, 2019 Seward Silver Salmon Derby Logo Design, and the 93rd Running Mount Marathon Logo Design.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In ” We Won’t Go Back, ” author Charlene Wexler’s second book in the Farewell to South Shore series, a woman finds herself reuniting with her mother’s activist friends after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
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The Synopsis
We Won’t Go Back, the second book of Charlene Wexler’s Farewell to South Shore series, is the story of Babs, who lived a pleasant life in a northern suburb of Chicago, devoting her time to her husband and two teen daughters. When the Supreme Court signals that it is going to overturn Roe v. Wade, Babs’ life changes as she reunites with her late mother’s fellow activists from the 1970s to take up the fight for women’s rights once again. But family matters continue to intervene—a close relative’s death, meeting a previously unknown half-brother, an unplanned pregnancy, and a nostalgic great aunt who wants her 100th birthday party to be a pilgrimage to the now-downtrodden South Shore community. Through it all comes a determination that We Won’t Go Back to a time when women lacked basic rights.
The Review
This was a powerful and engaging sequel to the author’s first book in this series. The balance between relatable character developments amongst the main cast of characters and the complex storylines that embody the realistic world we live in, at least in the United States, made this a powerful narrative to get lost in. The tension that the author was able to build in the characters’ interactions with one another helped elevate the emotional climaxes of each storyline as they all came together so naturally that readers could connect with each character’s struggles.
The critical themes this book embodied were so relevant and memorable that they became the heart of this novel overall. Themes including women’s rights, the political division that has grown exponentially in recent years, and the impact that it has on everyone from friendships and relationships to families as a whole, all played a role in the dynamics and struggles that these characters endured, including personal losses and shocking revelations, allowing readers to connect on a much more personal level to the characters themselves.
The Verdict
Moving, emotionally charged, and compelling, author Charlene Wexler’s “We Won’t Go Back” is a must-read women’s and political fiction novel. The narrative’s twists and turns, the characters’ relatability and struggles, and the relevance to our modern world make this one 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
Copyright JS_ECKERT 847-373-3937.
Native Chicagoan Charlene Wexler is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She has worked as a teacher and dental office bookkeeper and as “a wife, mom, and grandmother,” she said. In recent years, Wexler’s lifelong passion for writing has led her to create numerous essays as well as fiction. Her work has appeared in several publications, including North Shore magazine; the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry’s Vision magazine; Alpha Omegan magazine; the book and CD Famous Poets of the Heartland: A Treasury of Beloved Family Poems, Talent, OR: Famous Poets Press, 2014; and the Gazette newspaper of Chicago.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
The idea of becoming a writer never entered my mind until I moved to the United States from Russia. With my little English, I, inevitably, should have set my mind on studying the language seriously. I signed up for an ESL course in Manhattan, NY. To evaluate the level of my knowledge, the teacher asked me to write a quick test. “My name is . . . I was born in . . . I came from . . . Something like that,” she said. Boring, I thought. Let me write a story, I decided, and I did. It was about a young man in the subway car, who took a sit facing me. He blew his nose into his blue and white floral kerchief, scrutinized the result, then wound the kerchief around his head covered with dark, long, braided hair.
Next time I had the class, during the break, I presented my very first literary opus to the teacher. While she was reading it, I watched her eyebrows shooting up several times. Returning the paper with my scribbles, she said, “You should publish it.” Years later, after two manuscripts, one of 600 pages and the other of 260 (eventually, I buried them somewhere in the bottomless deposits of my PC) the idea of writing a story, which would be set up during WWII came to my head. Since then, I have published seven books, all WWII historical fiction, except for the last one, which is a bit different.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
My own life. I was born in East Germany, in Beelitz-Heilstätten, a Soviet military hospital, and since I can remember myself, I wanted to visit the place. My desire came true in 2018. The history of the place is so rich and ominous, I couldn’t help but to tell its story to my readers.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
WWI, WWII . . . Other wars . . . Before and after . . . Wars wasted millions of innocent lives. What for? The territories? Subsoils with deposits of minerals? Somebody’s (or of a group of individuals) ambitions? Lust for power and recognition? Why do some people become murderers? Isn’t it all relevant today?
I hope the readers of my book will close the last page and ask themselves, “Why?” and “Should we remember?”
“The one who doesn’t remember history is bound to live through it again.” — George Santayana.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
All my published books are historical fiction. This one, to some extent, is too. To integrate my personal life experiences and biographical details, I resolved to turn to the elements of time-slip, thriller, and psychological drama so to broaden my readership, to make my book more appealing to those who are interested in these other genres.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
Writing WWII historical fiction, I subconsciously wanted to come face to face with Adolf Hitler—his inescapable presence is obvious in all my books. I made this wish come true in this story. If you read it, you’ll feel my feelings and disgust at this evil of the 20th century. Unfortunately, his insidious influence on some minds expands—a sickening trend tendency!
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Bloggers like you, Anthony, and FB helped me to find most of the like-minded people, writers and readers.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Who was it who said that everyone has a story to tell? If you feel you can’t continue living without telling your story/stories to the world or just to yourself, don’t suppress this inner push – write and see if it makes you happy. Don’t think about fame and money. Only a bunch of authors live on royalties. Do it for your inner peace and excitement. Trust yourself. Write only if you feel you’ll “drown” if you don’t. Write from your soul. If the process, however difficult, brings you joy, it’s a sign you are a writer.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
My problem is that too many enticing stories live in my head, waiting to be spilled into my PC screen. Time will show which one will win next time.
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About the author
Marina Osipova was born in East Germany into a military family and grew up in Russia, where she graduated from the Moscow State Institute of History and Archives. When she was five, she decided she wants to speak German and, years later, she earned a diploma as a German language translator from the Moscow State Institute of Foreign Languages. In Russia, she worked first in a scientific-technical institute as a translator, then in a Government Ministry in the office of international relations, later for some Austrian firms. For many years, she lived in New York, working in a law firm, and then in Austria for several years. In the spring of 2022, after spending ten months in Russia, some unfortunate world events brought her back to the United States.
A long-standing member of the Historical Novel Society, she is dedicated to writing historical fiction, especially related to WWII. Her books garnered numerous literary awards, including a 1st Place WINNER of the 2021 Hemingway Book Awards novel competition for 20th Century Wartime Fiction (a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards). At some point or another, all her books hit the Amazon Top 100 lists in Historical Russian Fiction and Historical German Fiction and even #1 or #2 in War Fiction in Canada, the UK, and Australia.
Her readers praise her books for emotional realism, for taking on a subject few authors have touched, for writing with heart and compassion while not holding back from hard cold realities of war, for giving an authentic and in-depth look at a culture that tends to baffle westerners.
Osipova is passionately dedicated to the stories she writes, but when away from her desk and laptop, she, even if for one time, knows how it feels to fly with a helicopter over the Alaskan glaciers, to jump with a parachute upstate NY, to dive to the bottom of the Black Sea with a scuba gear, to fish on a little boat in the Gulf of Siam and catch a real shark however small. She brags about mounting a pensive elephant in Thailand, or an apathetic camel in Gran Canaria. She will never forget her experience riding a retired Russian circus mare who tried to throw her off, which she found much scarier than riding a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle at a speed of up to 260 km/h (about 162 mph). She experienced a thrill while zip lining through boreal forests at a dizzying height. She will never forget that feeling of humble ecstasy while performing on stage of an off-off (but close) Broadway; the most profound excitement she experienced as Marquerite in Camino Real by Tennessee Williams and Queen Elizabeth in The Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw. What other dreams does she have? Well . . . to find herself inside a Cheops pyramid (not like a mummy) and write all the stories that populate her head. The To-Write-List is big and growing.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In the children’s book “Max and the Mighty Hurricane” by authors Ben Jackson and Chrissy Hobbs, a young boy learns the essential things that matter when facing a deadly storm.
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The Synopsis
A hurricane is barreling toward Max’s coastal home. Max is scared. What will happen to his family and friends and home as this monster storm roars in?
Max knows about hurricanes. Over the years, some have hit his coastal town. The locals talk about ferocious winds, heavy rain, and flooding. His mom and dad are worried about the hurricane, which is getting stronger by the hour.
Max worries his home could be blown away. He’s nervous as his dad helps them gather the supplies they will need. When his parents tell him it’s time to evacuate to an emergency shelter, Max wonders if his world will ever feel safe again.
Max and the Mighty Hurricane explores the natural fears of a young boy who is forced to face the possible loss of his life, his home, and the people he loves. As Max and his family, friends, and neighbors come together, they show us the power of community in the face of a major natural disaster.
Max and the Mighty Hurricane is an engaging resource for parents, grandparents, and educators to help young people understand and accept our natural fears of extreme weather events and plan ahead to survive them. Included are checklists for emergency supplies, links for online resources, and an Award of Merit for young weather heroes.
The Review
This was equal parts educational and engaging. The authors did an excellent job of crafting a narrative that felt realistic and informative while also providing illustrations with rich tones and powerful images that spoke volumes about the nature of hurricanes and life in towns within a hurricane’s path.
What stood out about the book was how relatable the characters were to readers and the balance the authors struck in the terrifying reality of storms such as hurricanes and the essential things in life. While the fear that can come with dealing with powerful storms like the one found in this book is very relatable, the struggle with the destruction and loss of property is equally relatable, and not without its merits. However, the authors do a great job of showing how important it is to remember that no matter how devastating property loss can be, keeping our families safe is far more important than things, a lesson that younger children could easily adapt to now.
Memorable, heartfelt, and educational, authors Ben Jackson and Chrissy Hobbs’s “Max and the Mighty Hurricane” is a must-read children’s book. The information and the passion the authors poured into this book, as well as the connection readers will make with the characters and their struggles, will surely bring parents and children together, especially when facing a crisis of their own. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Ben is the owner and writer for Author Services Australia, while also working at Indie Publishing Group Inc.
Ben Jackson was born in Tasmania, Australia, and is a successful indie author that has been writing for over four years. Ben owns and manages a self-publishing company, Author Services Australia, which helps Australian authors self-publish their books.
Ben is married to Sam Lawrence, and together they specialize in self-publishing children’s books. They have been married for several years and have traveled together between Australia and Canada. Ben is also a freelance writer that specializes in writing website content for businesses and a wide variety of different articles. They have published a series of children’s books called My Little Fart, Hockey Wars, as well as If I Was A Caterpillar and several other non-fiction books.
Chrissy Hobbs, also known as Sam Lawrence, is a bestselling author of the My Little Fart and Hockey Wars series. Since 2015, she has been writing books with her husband, bringing humor and heartfelt stories to readers worldwide. Before her writing career, Chrissy spent seven years as a police dispatcher, a role that profoundly influenced her passion for emergency management. Recently, she has returned to her education, expanding her knowledge in emergency management as she plans to step back into the field.
While pursuing her studies, Chrissy noticed a significant gap in children’s literature—books that help kids navigate the emotional and physical challenges of natural disasters. Having witnessed the devastation of recent global disasters, Chrissy felt called to create stories that inform and empower children during these challenging times.
Her Navigating Natural Disasters series is designed to help kids understand what happens during disasters, how to prepare, and, most importantly, how to process their emotions and find strength in their community. Through relatable stories of resilience and hope, Chrissy aims to provide children around the world with the tools to face life’s storms with courage and confidence.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young girl must balance her schoolwork, a new business venture, and her softball team in authors Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence’s “Softball Strikeout: Pitch Perfect.”
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The Synopsis
Olivia had been scared starting over in a new town, with new friends and a new softball team, but her worst fears hadn’t materialized, and, in the end, she was settling in as the Blue Jay’s lead pitcher and had quickly formed a small group of core friends she was growing to love.
With the first softball game of the season done and dusted, the Blue Jays were off to a great start, but could they carry their winning momentum into their upcoming games? Only time will tell.
The girls were working hard on and off the field, with a new business venture quickly taking shape and their friendship group getting a little bigger with a new addition to the trio. However, Olivia knew that she couldn’t afford to slip up. She’d need to put 100% into everything, including softball, her schoolwork, and her new business, if she didn’t want it all to come crashing down.
Will Olivia’s new business collide head-on with softball and schoolwork, or will she be able to pull it off? Read Softball Strikeout Pitch Perfect now to find out!
Stay tuned for more books in the Softball Strikeout Series!
The Review
What a fun and heartfelt read. The authors did a fantastic job capturing the story and the characters that made the first book so relatable while providing new challenges that reflect the problems many people face in their youth, especially when juggling real life with athletics. The realistic descriptions and imagery in the author’s writing style were memorable and vividly ingrained the reader in these characters’ lives.
Much like book one, the second book in the series perfectly balanced rich and dynamic character development with personal themes that many readers can relate to. The themes of friendship, teamwork, and finding balance were well represented, and the characters were memorable and relatable. The entrepreneurial spirit that the protagonist and her friends showed in their new pet-friendly business and the struggles with acceptance and even early relationships with others in school will be something so many readers will respond to favorably.
Heartfelt, evenly paced, and entertaining, authors Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence’s “Softball Strikeout: Pitch Perfect” is a must-read children’s and middle grade coming-of-age story. The ability for young readers and parents alike to see themselves in the shoes of these characters and the struggles they faced in their youth will resonate with so many and keep readers eager for more in this series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Ben is the owner and writer for Author Services Australia, while also working at Indie Publishing Group Inc.
Ben Jackson was born in Tasmania, Australia, and is a successful indie author that has been writing for over four years. Ben owns and manages a self-publishing company, Author Services Australia, which helps Australian authors self-publish their books.
Ben is married to Sam Lawrence, and together they specialize in self-publishing children’s books. They have been married for several years and have traveled together between Australia and Canada. Ben is also a freelance writer that specializes in writing website content for businesses and a wide variety of different articles. They have published a series of children’s books called My Little Fart, Hockey Wars, as well as If I Was A Caterpillar and several other non-fiction books.
Owner and head formatter at Indie Publishing Group Inc.
Sam Lawrence was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, and has traveled extensively in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She founded and operated a self-publishing company, Indie Publishing Group Inc., specializing in helping indie authors self-publish their books. She grew up playing hockey and still plays in a recreational league. Sam is the proud mother of two boys and one girl and enjoys volunteering with the London Lacrosse Association.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In author Ana Yudin’s ” A Song at Dead Man’s Cove,” a young woman is confronted with a terrifying reality when a spirit targets her. She must solve the mystery of what happened to this spirit before it is too late.
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The Synopsis
Never turn your back on the ocean…
2023. Another person has disappeared at Dead Man’s Cove in coastal Washington. Jaded from her job at the historic Irving Hotel, Zarya wanders to the scene of the tragedy. She has heard her Russian mother’s tales of rusalki—vengeful spirits that have died unclean deaths near a body of water—and never paid them much attention. But now, on a misty headland beside an abandoned lighthouse, Zarya locks eyes with the rusalka and is chosen to be the next victim. She must unearth the siren’s tragedy before Rusalka Week, a period in early summer when water-spirits roam freely on land.
1850. Josephine has just joined her newlywed husband in Washington, in the lighthouse erected by local businessman Hurley Irving. Marriage is not quite what she expected, and her melancholia grows over the course of the winter. The medic prescribes pregnancy as the antidote. What he doesn’t realize is how far Josephine is willing to go in order to become a mother.
What a truly emotional, compelling, and haunting gothic horror read. The atmospheric nature of the setting and tone this novel exuded from beginning to end was intense and mesmerizing, with the reader instantly transported to this small Northwestern Pacific town. This narrative also artfully handled the idea of small-town life and deep-rooted beliefs playing a role in how events are perceived.
The heart of this narrative was the rich history of life in the mid-nineteenth century, especially life in a coastal town, and the rich character development explored in both periods. The historical fiction bend in this gothic horror story was an excellent addition that made the narrative feel more alive and pronounced on the page. The root of both perspectives and protagonists, Zarya and Josephine, respectively, explored what it truly means to be haunted in life, both emotionally and psychologically, giving readers more depth to this horror story and inviting them down the rabbit hole, so to speak.
Haunting, engaging, and heartbreaking, author Ana Yudin’s “A Song at Dead Man’s Cove” is a must-read gothic horror novel that is impossible to put down. The twists and turns the story takes, and the question of what happens when the ghosts chasing us are those of people who never were, make this one book that readers will turn to time and time again, much like Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw,” making it an instant classic. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Ana Yudin is an author, content creator, and Doctor of Clinical Psychology. She writes Gothic horror, psychological thrillers, and journaling workbooks.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A violent storm and a powerful fire reveal a shocking death that unravels a small town’s hidden secrets in author J.J. Macaw’s “The Ashes of Coral Cove: Murder and Mayhem in Paradise.”
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The Synopsis
A massive storm sweeps Coral Cove. Townhall consumed by flames. The city clerk’s tragic death sparks suspicion.
Maxine Harper, (Maxy) is a renowned investigative reporter who returned to her childhood hometown, steps into the web of confusion and chaos with Tony Blane, high school sweetheart turned therapist. Tom Mitchell, a retired cyber sleuthing expert and local bookstore owner, adds his unique skills to the investigative team. Recalled intimacy sparks between Maxy and Tony as they dig through the town’s past..
The arson investigation smolders under the fire chief’s incompetence, and the community’s trust burns out quickly. With remarkable skill and steely determination, the trio unravels a puzzle of cyber clues, red herrings and long buried motives.
A forgotten victim turned villain lurks amid the ashes. With vengeance in his veins and decades of rejection in his heart, he continues his arsonist rampage, targeting Coral Cove’s historic buildings.
As embers cool, the team races against time to uncover the truth before Coral Cove’s history turns to smoke. A shocking confession halts the town’s heart.
The Review
This was a short yet powerful story. The author did a great job immediately captivating readers with vibrant scenery and relatable characters they could invest in. The emotional drama and intimate relationships the story explores, while adding weight to the suspense and mystery this narrative provides, kept the short story feeling balanced and engaging.
This narrative powerfully felt the rich history of this small town and explored small-town life. It explored the all-too-familiar theme of forgotten people and what happens to those forced to live on the fringes of a society, whether that be by choice or circumstance. The emotional heartbreak of that situation and the steady pace at which this mystery unraveled throughout the story made this a standout read.
The Verdict
Memorable, entertaining, and thrilling, author J.J. Macaw’s “The Ashes of Coral Cove” is a must-read small-town cozy mystery and suspense thriller. The mystery’s twists and turns, and the attention to detail the author paid to developing these rich characters, will make readers eager for more stories 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
J.J.Macaw is a pen name, but the biographical information here is real. His prose reflects the experience of being a husband of 34 years, parent and grandparent. It also reflects his four decades of entrepreneurship, having founded several companies in such diverse fields as water treatment, public policy consulting, fertilizer manufacturing and engineering. This experience lends authenticity to the settings, characters and descriptions of science, technology and business operations as they occur in his novels.
J.J. is an avid sailor spending years sailing San Francisco Bay and its environs. He also holds Dan rank in Aikido.
There are no spicey sex scenes nor an abundance of cursing or overt graphic violence in his novels . That said, his characters do what real people do and the characters reflect the fullness of their lives.
J.J. lives with his wife and two cats (who own the house). Panama became their home a few years ago and enjoys writing in that beautiful country.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Twins Tyler and Tess must navigate perilous worlds within 12 mazes and stop a wicked queen and a nefarious wizard before finding a way home in the novels “The Magic Maze Trilogy” by authors Samuel Warren Joseph and Phil Proctor.
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The Synopsis
THE MAGIC MAZE TRILOGY is about eleven-year old fraternal twins, Tyler and Tess Porter, who accidentally get sucked up into the bizarre world of the Magic Maze. Geared to appeal to children from seven to thirteen and older fantasy fans as well, the story propels the twins into an “Alice in Wonderland/Wizard of Oz” world. In order to return home, they must get through twelve separate parts of the maze. Each is its own world with strange rules, riddles and puzzles that the twins must solve using their wits, knowledge and athletic prowess. Tyler and Tess learn how much they mean to each other as they evade the evil QUEEN ZEBRA and her ZENTAURIAN GUARD of two-faced POLINERDS, and a duplicitous wizard, SIMON PERCIVAL. They form alliances with the rebel TRIDGETS (tiny trolls with Mohawk hairdos) led by the feisty BELKIN, and an assortment of other bizarre and funny characters. At the end, they must track down and put back together three parts of a MAGIC AMULET before they can be finally transported home, safe and sound.
The Review
What a powerful and memorable trilogy of middle-grade, fantasy-driven novels. Each novel’s pacing was superb, instantly capturing the reader’s attention with magic and action while delivering relatable, engaging character development from the two protagonists. The world-building and mythology the authors brought to life in these books were a unique blend of magical realism and sword and sorcery style fantasy storytelling, complete with magical beings such as the Tridgets and an evil queen who pits a full-blown rebellion against her nefarious ways.
At the heart of this story is the bond and understanding each of the two protagonists holds for one another. The series starts with Tess and Tyler on opposite ends of the spectrum from one another. Yet as the series progresses, their shared bond and ability to see one another instill a sense of understanding and connection between the reader and the characters. The imagery and atmosphere of each book create a sense of wonder and awe that draws younger readers into the magic of that world, and the variety in the different mazes and worlds shows the creativity and depth of world-building that the authors brought to this series.
The Verdict
A story of magic, adventure, and family, authors Samuel Warren Joseph and Phil Proctor’s “The Magic Maze Trilogy” is a must-read children’s and middle grade fantasy read. The twists and turns this series takes, and the open-ended nature of the final chapter of this trilogy, will stay with readers. As someone with a close bond with his sister, I find this book an excellent way of bringing siblings together and showing the importance of that bond in a magical way. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Samuel Warren Joseph – is a writer whose credits include DuckTales, Batman, Beast Wars, and the film Off Your Rocker. His plays and musicals, including Window of Opportunity, Campaign, and God Help Us!, have earned critical acclaim. He co-authored Ed Asner’s autobiography and teaches college English and Creative Writing.
Phil Proctor – is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Firesign Theatre and a veteran actor with voice credits in Rugrats, Assassin’s Creed, Dr. Dolittle, and Pixar films. He has performed on stage, screen, and in video games, earning numerous theater awards. Phil co-wrote the political comedy God Help Us! and several books, including his autobiography Where’s My Fortune Cookie?
