I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Eli Felix reimagines the story of creation and God from a fantasy perspective as the relationship between mankind and spirituality comes to fruition in the novel “Testament.”
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The Synopsis
‘Sometimes placing faith in people is admitting that people make mistakes and that you are willing to forgive them for it’ – TESTAMENT.
‘I say even destiny is a choice. Those who choose destiny should never let go.’ – TESTAMENT
‘Love is like time that flows. It consumes you before you know.’ – TESTAMENT
God created Man for a purpose, to live on Earth and enrich his soul throughout lifetimes of experience so that he may be allowed entry into Heaven. Feminine residents of Heaven demanded representation and God was forced to allow, paving the way for Women. Now, to oversee God’s ambition, residents live amongst them, creating a system for them. But where there is light, there is darkness. Over the ages a battle between the light and darkness ensues and God will stop at nothing to get his way even if he has to defy his own creation!
The Review
This was definitely one of the more unique reads in the fantasy and spirituality genres that I’ve read. Exploring not just the cosmic impact on humanity but the idea of consciousness as a whole was so fascinating to behold. The powerful imagery and redefined look at ideas like Heaven, Hell, and the Universe as a whole, giving physical weight to these settings in a way that hasn’t been done before, made this such a powerful narrative to get lost in.
Not only were the world-building and themes of spirituality and consciousness so well done in this novel, but the character development was also spot on. From the historical and biblical figures on Earth, including Jesus, Peter, Mary, Caligula, and Nero, to more grand characters such as the living embodiments of Love, Song, Dance, Life, Death, and Fear, illustrated the grand mythos the author built. Love became not only a physical character but a theme for which all creation and cosmic function rested, showcasing God not just as an all-knowing creator but as a warrior and family man seeking to make things right.
The Verdict
Creative, thought-provoking, and entertaining author Eli Felix’s Testament is a must-read fantasy novel. The ideas and concepts the author plays around within this narrative, including creating a strong female voice and representation in the fight for equality and acknowledgment even as far back as the creation of the universe and showing the power that Love can have on even a figure like God, made this a memorable story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Eli Felix is a fitness enthusiast and a model railroader with a passion for writing. He holds an MA degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Nottingham, UK, and had dabbled in different career paths before spending a few years painstakingly creating Testament—a brilliant conceptualized journey into a world of fantasy, right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness. This is his first foray into publishing.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young man seeking to escape his troubled home falls for a young woman, and in the hopes of protecting his image must pull off a daring theft in author Zan Austin’s “The Girl from Jersey City”.
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The Synopsis
As the summer of his eighteenth birthday begins, Paul Nesbitt finalizes plans to escape his alcoholic, abusive father, enabling mother, and impoverished Jersey Shore town blanketed by the fumes of a chemical processing plant. Although the local police have Paul in their sights for a break-in and theft, he has been able to avoid arrest and has vowed to do his best to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, his strategies are disrupted when he meets Laura, a vivacious young woman from the city, who takes an unexpected interest in him. To deepen her intrigue, he lies about himself. The biggest one is his acceptance into a very prestigious Ivy League college. But when the facade he’s created threatens to crumble, the only solution appears to be money. And the only way to get that money is for Paul to break his vow and take part in a very ambitious robbery that, if he’s not careful, may not only lead to his arrest but cause him to lose Laura.
The Review
This was a moving and compelling read. The author does a compelling job crafting a series of natural and engaging characters. The exploration of class systems and how they impact relationships was well done here, as was the balance of suspense and romance drama found within the narrative of this novel. The tension is perfectly lined throughout the story, allowing the reader to feel the impact of the protagonist’s journey throughout the book.
The theme of change, how to fight the pull of an old life, and the emotional pull of the character’s plights allowed the reader to get lost in this story. The memorable way the protagonist struggled with his past and the exploration of life’s impact on a person, especially in the protagonist’s case, as he struggled with an abusive father and run-ins with the law, kept the reader invested in this character’s arc. The reality of such a hard life and people’s interactions with one another felt very honest and authentic to the reader.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, heartfelt, and compelling author Zan Austin’s “The Girl from Jersey City” is a must-read novel. The twists and turns in the story, the engaging cast of characters, and the rich dynamics found within this story will keep readers coming back repeatedly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Zan A. Austin is a Los Angeles-based writer and teacher. His novel End Man was published in October 2022 by Cursed Dragon Ship. Kirkus Reviews recommended End Man as “an engrossing and well-crafted SF tale with timely themes.” His novel Nakamura Reality was published by The Permanent Press in 2016. Publishers Weekly gave Nakamura Reality a starred review and called the writing, “powerful and moving.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I spent over thirty years in high-tech in California’s Silicon Valley. Prior to that I wrote two unpublished novels and several short stories. I was first published in a horror-genre magazine in the 1980s, so writing has always been in my blood. After graduation from college I worked as a copy editor for a newspaper in Las Vegas. That led me to a career as a technical writer/editor at Stanford, which eventually led me to a career in high-tech sales.
My career in high-tech blossomed and ended up taking so much of my time that I put writing aside. I resumed to writing after a hiatus from corporate America in 2001, at which point I wrote the first chapter of “Redneck Riviera,” based on my wife’s and my decision to move to a remote island off the coast of North Carolina.
I returned to corporate America for another twelve years, and finally stepped out permanently in 2018. At my wife’s suggestion, I completed “Redneck Riviera,” and it has led me to develop outlines for several more books, the latest of which will be released at the end of June 2004.
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What inspired you to write your book?
I was fascinated by the down-home culture of the island on which we lived and its unique characters. I also struggled to fit in with the locals, who never failed to amuse me. Writing a book about my experiences was the perfect way to explore my relationship with the island.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That life is a journey and should always be appreciated for what you find on life’s path.
What drew you into this particular genre?
More than anything, life is a journey to be enjoyed. There is humor and life all around us. Open your eyes and heart to appreciate them.
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would want to sit down with Blackbeard the Pirate and ask him where he hid his treasure on the island. 😉
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Linkedin and Facebook have both been very helpful channels for me to advertise my book and connect with new readers and fans.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Start with a concept that really interests you and that you know about. Then generate an outline for your book. The content of your outline will tell you whether your concept has legs.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I consider myself a commercial writer, and I’ll continue to write for the rest of my life. At the end of June I’ll release “Righteous Rebellion,” a novel about a small southern state that secedes from the union. After that, I have another novel which will be complete by the summer of 2025. I’ll then work on a trilogy of fictional novels on the life of Blackbeard the Pirate. After that, I have outlines written for five more humorous and historical fiction novels.
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About the Author
James Hooker spent over thirty years in research and technology in California’s Silcon Valley. He is a former senior executive in global sales and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Asia Pacific, Japan and Europe. He and his wife have been married for 21 years and make their home in Rhode Island.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
An ambitious young filmmaker puts himself through untold dangers to sell his dream project to a streaming service in author Rupert Taylor’s “Please let Me Destroy You”.
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The Synopsis
In this darkly comic rollercoaster of a novel, a desperate young filmmaker goes on a global quest for perfect content.
While trying to heist a casino in the Cambodian jungle, Apollo Jones has a crippling panic attack. But he’s no seasoned crim, he’s a filmmaker, and he’s heisting the casino so he can turn the story into the first season of a preposterously ambitious TV show he hopes to sell to HBO or Netflix or some other global streaming powerhouse. Spoiler alert: his panic attack stuffs up the heist. As punishment, his partners slice off his right pinky. But the TV show is all he has, so Apollo bandages his stump and heads off on a search for stories that will take him to the steaming streets of Saigon, the glittering hills above Hollywood, and all the way back to the dark and damp Cambodian jungle, where he may or may not be forced to dig his own grave.
The Review
This was an intriguing and memorable read. The author does an incredible job of creating a wide array of characters, some that feel relatable and engaging and others that play to the absurdist and thoughtful nature of the main story. The shifting perspectives from the protagonist to the side characters he meets along the way were great to see come to life on the page.
The powerful themes and rabbit hole of a narrative were an instant draw for the book. The protagonist is ambitious yet self-absorbed and lacks any self-awareness, contributing significantly to the many misadventures he finds himself on. The theme worked on two fronts, with an examination of the cutthroat world of Hollywood in the 21st century becoming part of the central plot and a harder examination of the dog-eat-dog world that so many people in society live by, with everyone looking out for themselves without any awareness of the lives of others around them being explored on a much grander scale.
The Verdict
Stylistic, engaging, and visceral in its approach, author Report Taylor’s “Please Let Me Destroy You” is a must-read genre fiction novel. The almost lyrical and attack-style of writing keeps readers mesmerized by the twists and turns in the story. The dynamic character development will keep readers returning for more as the story progresses. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Rupert Taylor is from Aotearoa New Zealand. He wrote a film called BEVERLY that screened at one film festival. That’s right, one. He also won a major international screenwriting competition that led to absolutely nothing getting made, but he does have several TV series in development, so you never know. His short fiction has appeared in Hobart, X-RAY, Maudlin House, Points In Case and others, and he currently lives in Sydney, with his partner and his daughter, who likes unicorns and shouting.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man coming out of a high-powered job in California must adjust to life on a small island off the coast of North Carolina in author James Hooker’s “Redneck Riviera”.
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The Synopsis
After being laid off from his executive job with a California high-tech company, a man and his wife decide to leave the “rat race” and move to a tropical island on the coast of North Carolina. The culture of the island and its people are completely different from this cosmopolitan couple, who struggle to adapt to the island’s Southern, down-home, Redneck residents.
From food to local traditions, the author documents his humorous journey, in a classic tale of a “clash of cultures.”
What could possibly go wrong when Yankee meets Redneck?
The Review
This was such a compelling and thoughtful narrative. The author does a great job of balancing what feels like their own personal experiences with hilarious and engaging scenarios unique to the island they find themselves on. The fast pace of the narrative and the relatability of the character’s arcs in this story felt like a great way of drawing the reader in. The overall atmosphere and character arc themselves felt like something pulled out of the cult classic film My Cousin Vinny, embracing the city slicker fresh out of the water feeling when the protagonist arrives in the slower-paced, humorous landscape of the South.
The dynamic character development and the powerful theme of embracing the unexpected made this a fantastic story to get lost in. The juxtaposition of the protagonist and his mindset with how things operate within the Southern culture was perfectly presented here, and the way this journey takes off so suddenly and the couple here are thrown into this journey through adventure. Engagement kept the reader invested in the story’s development.
The Verdict
Remarkable, hilarious, and engaging author James Hooker’s “Redneck Riviera” is a must-read novel. The threading of multiple storylines and exploring culture shock throughout the story will keep readers invested in this short yet potent novel. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
James Hooker spent over thirty years in research and technology in California’s Silcon Valley. He is a former senior executive in global sales and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Asia Pacific, Japan and Europe. He and his wife have been married for 21 years and make their home in Rhode Island.
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.
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.
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.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man continues his journey of discovering his identity in author Matt Duggan’s “In Extremis”, the second book in The Rosy Dream series.
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The Synopsis
In Extremis is the second novel in Matt Duggan’s The Rosy Dream trilogy and takes readers on an immersive journey through the contrasting landscapes of 1990s and 2008 Los Angeles. Jack, the protagonist, navigates a series of misadventures and encounters with peculiar characters, uncovering a web of secrets and revelations that challenge his understanding of life and his own identity. The novel skillfully weaves together the two timelines, immersing readers in the vibrant energy of Los Angeles and its gritty underbelly. With suspense, introspection, and dark humor, In Extremis explores the depths of human nature, the search for meaning, and the unexpected paths one may take.
The Review
This was a compelling sequel to the author’s first book in this series. The changing perspective in timelines and the rich setting of California allowed the personal story of Jack to evolve and grow naturally, and the balance of witty absurdism with mounting permitted tension the narrative to feel alive on the page. The way Jack’s story mirrors the life of so many people who seek to make their dreams come true in Los Angeles is very engaging, and the wealth of different characters he encounters during his adventures will leave the reader eager for more.
The heart of this narrative rests in the continuing evolution of Jack, the story’s protagonist. His growth and changing perspective on life between the ’90s and 2008 were fantastic to read about. His growing desire to educate and gain knowledge of anything involving the abstract and his laid-back, almost carefree outlook on life that he took on when undertaking any situation made him such a relatable character, as readers either identify with or know someone like Jack intimately.
The Verdict
Though thought-provoking, entertaining, and deeply heartfelt, author Matt Duggan’s “In Extremis” is a must-read novel. The sense of adventure and exploration of 90s era Los Angeles will stay with readers long after they finish this book, and the humor that the author pierces the tension within the book with makes this feel like such a well-rounded journey for the protagonist, leaving readers eager to get their hands on the final book in the trilogy. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Matt Duggan, an award-winning writer based in Los Angeles, California, boasts a rich and diverse creative background. After graduating from Boston College with degrees in English and Communications, Matt immediately jumped into the world of filmmaking. As one of the first members of the renowned Annex Film Group, Matt contributed to the production of their critically acclaimed short films, recognized with numerous awards and global screenings.
Duggan’s directorial debut, Inverse, a feature film which he produced, wrote, and directed, garnered widespread acclaim, winning multiple accolades throughout its yearlong festival tour. Notably, Inverse premiered at the prestigious Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival, captivating audiences with its innovative narrative. The film continued to impress, securing Best Sci-Fi Narrative Feature Film at the Philip K. Dick Film Festival and other esteemed awards.
In addition to his successes in film and literature, Matt has garnered acclaim for his web series, including Man Vs. and Not Suitable for Work, demonstrating his versatility across various mediums.
A career highlight for Matt was his involvement in Marlon Brando’s documentary on acting, Lying for a Living, where he had the honor of spending two weeks alongside luminaries such as Robin Williams and Sean Penn.
Matt’s creative endeavors extend beyond the realm of cinema, with his literary works showcased in publications such as The Menacing Hedge and The Literary Hatchet. His debut novel, Ostraca, marked the inception of his compelling The Rosy Dream series, captivating readers with its vivid storytelling and exploration of the human condition.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I was born and raised in a small town on the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York City. I went to school in Boston, then after graduation I drove to Los Angeles to be an actor. I studied acting for three years, but it was more like a graduate program in being an artist. Not long after, I turned my artistic focus onto writing. I became interested in writing back in high school. I took a class on Greek mythology which I loved. I made-up my own Greek mythologies and wrote really bad poems about my made-up gods. In college, I was an English major. I had a creative writing class with Pagan Kennedy, a terrific author and columnist. She gave me confidence in my writing. She highlighted where my strengths were. She was an excellent teacher. I’ve been writing ever since. I started writing plays, then wrote screenplays, and then wrote my first book Ostraca which I published in 2019.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
When I drove across the country in 1996, I camped out most of the way. The encounters and experiences that I had really affected me. I had a powerful desire to write it all down, so I filled a journal with the experiences. Flash forward to 2015. I had an urge to write a novel based on that journal from all those years ago. The result was Ostraca. My inspirations were connection and experience. The protagonist in the novel, Jack Darmody, references Leonardo Da Vinci, who called himself a “disscepolo della sperientia”, a disciple of experience. That resonated deeply with me. That was the driving force behind the novel. Specifically, the experience and connection we have with each other. I was inspired to translate my feelings about this into words.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers feel a connection when they read each novel in my trilogy, starting with Ostraca. The world today is especially dark, angry, and disconnected. It shouldn’t be. We should instead focus on human interaction; it draws out the best parts of ourselves. The undeniable truth about us is that we need to be loved, and also, we want to give love. We should live these truths.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
When I was a kid, I hated reading. I wanted to live outside. My parents had to practically drag me into the house each night. I was like a wild animal. Reading was boring. But suddenly in young adulthood, I couldn’t read enough. I devoured books. But my interest was mostly in the literary fiction genre. That genre most appealed to me because, artistically, I’m fascinated with the artist’s voice. With 200,000 years of human existence, we aren’t going tell new stories. The themes, plots, tropes, structure…they’ve all been done. But what stands out is how each story is told. The voice it’s told in. I find that in the literary fiction genre.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I’d sit down with Jack Darmody, my protagonist. I’d ask him, “Why are you running so hard from your past? Why don’t you stop and face the demons?” But of course, unpacking this is what makes the story so fun to write.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m awful at social media. I’d rather wander around my backyard and watch the birds return after a long day, or admire the sun arching west. It’s the wild animal in me. I hate staring at a screen, scrolling vitriol. Also, I don’t think I have a good online personality. Too much is lost in translation. I have a very gallows sense of humor; that doesn’t always go over well in a tweet or post. With that said, I will be activating my Twitter/Facebook/Instagram accounts to promote the second installment of my trilogy in May. So, social media is an unavoidable reality, I guess.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
There are two keys to being an author. The first is to write. Write and write. Write and write and write. All that verb requires is elbow grease. Discipline is the second key. You have to be a dictator over your writing. You have to write regardless rain or shine. It is hard work. It is largely unrewarding, mostly without recognition, it requires a lot of sacrifice, and it is always lonely. But if you embrace all of that, and are not deterred by that, you will crack open whole new universes of possibility and joy. And the rest will come. You first have to discover, develop, and embrace your talent and voice. You do that through writing. I’ve written heaps of garbage. You have to sludge through it to find the gems. They’re there.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m releasing In Extremis, the second installment of my trilogy, at the end of May of this year. I’m also finishing a streaming series that has some industry interest, called Hell High. Starting in 2025, I’ll begin work on the third and final installment of my Rosy Dream trilogy. That prospect frightens me because I’ve spent nine years now with Jack and his menagerie of characters. It will be very hard to say goodbye.
About the Author
Matt Duggan is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Boston College with degrees in English and Communications, Matt jumped into filmmaking. He was one of the first members of the renowned Annex Film Group, a film co-op that produced sixteen critically acclaimed short films, recognized with numerous awards and global screenings. Duggan’s feature film, Inverse, which he produced, wrote, and directed, garnered widespread acclaim, winning multiple accolades throughout its yearlong festival tour. Notably, Inverse premiered at the prestigious Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. The film also secured Best Sci-Fi Narrative Feature Film at the Philip K. Dick Film Festival and other esteemed awards.
Beyond film, Duggan’s literary works have been featured in publications like The Menacing Hedge, with his debut novel Ostraca initiating the captivating The Rosy Dream trilogy. He’s also known for his popular web series and his involvement in Marlon Brando’s documentary Lying for a Living.
Currently, Duggan is developing the series Hell High while eagerly anticipating the release of In Extremis, the second installment in The Rosy Dream series, showcasing his visionary storytelling and creative versatility. In Extremis will be published in May 2024.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman must come to terms with her difficult past to find balance within herself in author Sally Lee Stewart’s “The Angle of Vanishing Stability”.
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The Synopsis
A vessel can heel to one side, but at a certain point, it will no longer balance above water—and it capsizes. This is the angle of vanishing stability.
Thea West, a Northern Californian teenager growing up in the late sixties and early seventies, is one of five daughters trying to stay afloat amid the psychologically catastrophic dynamic between her parents—a covert and commanding mother and an ocean-yachtsman father. A talented sailor and businessman, Mr. West suffers from crippling alcoholism, with frequent rages that mask his fragility. Thea longs to know how to sail, but in her world, traversing the water is a skill that belongs only to men, and she’s terrified to ask her larger-than-life father to teach her.
When her father’s demons drive him to a new low, Thea isn’t sure if she can ever learn to forgive. She strikes out from home in search of love and self, running from what she views as the problem—her father and his hold on her family. As Thea falls in and out of affairs, marriages, and jobs, her travels take her from New York to Nicaragua and finally back to California. There, she must reckon with the legacy of her father’s love and failure and decide whether she’ll let her past capsize her future—or if she can finally find balance with a life of her choosing.
The Review
This was such a compelling and engaging read. The author does a remarkable job setting the stage for this narrative, exploring the themes of familial relationships, identity, and living a balanced life naturally and honestly throughout the narrative. The heart and emotional struggle the protagonist endures throughout her life and the journey that she goes on that takes her to parts unknown, only to return her home once more, made this feel like such a complete and thoughtful moment in the protagonist’s life.
The heart of this narrative rested in the character-driven story the author told. The book perfectly fits the genre fiction outline, giving an honest and depth-filled plot that allows the characters to shine and determine their path. Readers will be able to see not only themselves in these characters at some point but also people in their own lives in these characters, allowing the reader to connect further to the overall story.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, honest, and engaging author Sally Lee Stewart’s “The Angle of Vanishing Stability” is a must-read narrative. The twists and turns in the story, the emotional experiences and dialogue, especially those that define the protagonist and her father’s relationship, and the full-circle journey she goes on will keep readers heavily invested in this story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Sally Lee Stewart is a fourth-generation Californian and elementary education specialist. She lives on a cooperatively grazed ten-acre farm in the coastal hills of Northern California and sails on the San Francisco Bay. “The Angle of Vanishing Stability” is her first novel.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinion are my own.
A perfect storm hits a college off-campus party in author S. Atzeni’s “W(h)ine and Cheese), the next entry in the One ’n Done series.
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The Synopsis
Social engagements are the cornerstone of the college experience. Unfortunately, this is not one of them.
A broken heart, something to prove, and discounted dairy products create a perfect storm of disaster at a party where the wine is actually a dollar store garbage can mixed with unidentified blue liquid.
A campus novel mostly off-campus, W(h)ine and Cheese is a story of friendship, privilege, and bad ideas. In their next One ‘n Done installment since The Legend of Dave Bradley: a Performance Piece, S. Atzeni returns to ask the all-important question, “did this really happen?” The answer is simple: don’t worry about it.
The Review
This was a unique, creative, and heartfelt story. The fast-paced and honest atmosphere the author establishes in this narrative stands out immediately. The setting of college life separates this book greatly, allowing for a very pointed and unique story that captures the world of college life.
The heart of this story is in the relatability of the protagonist’s situation and the themes of heartbreak, friendship, and the consequences that follow bad decisions. The author’s ability to hone in on the path of privilege that so many people hold in life and the real-life consequences that await those who don’t share that same privilege was engaging to see come to life on the page.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, engaging, and heartfelt author S. Atzeni’s “W(h)ine and Cheese” is a must-read novel. The twists and turns the character’s story holds and the way the situation escalates repeatedly allow the poetic and imagery-driven writing style to shine through so perfectly that readers will come to find this story again and again. If you haven’t yet, preorder your copy today or grab your copy on July 23rd, 2024!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
S. Atzeni (she/they) is a multi-genre, award-winning writer of prose, comics, and academic scholarship. They are the co-author of The MOTHER Principle graphic novel series and The Legend of Dave Bradley and the upcoming W(h)ine and Cheese in the bestselling One ‘n Done series. S. Atzeni holds a B.A. in Professional Writing and Journalism and a Master of Arts in English from The College of New Jersey.
When not being an adjunct professor and academic of ethnography, sequential art studies, and trauma theory, S. Atzeni is the co-founder of Read Furiously Publishing, its editorial director and its head of acquisitions. Through Read Furiously, S. Atzeni is proud to publish great books, be a part of an amazing independent literary community, and participate in literary activism.
