Corporate Coach Approach: A Systematic Guide to Career Development by Nicole Fronek Review

On December 11, 2025December 10, 2025 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 Nicole Fronek shares a tested-and-true guide to shaping one’s career path and moving forward in the book “Corporate Coach Approach.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

In the modern corporate environment, career advancement does not typically occur by chance, but rather through intentional action. Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development was created to help individuals shape their career path while navigating the complexities of the workplace.

Recent graduates and seasoned professionals alike benefit from real-world experience accompanied by narratives to exemplify the subject at hand. Inclusion of relevant case studies provides readers with insight to the development of the tried-and-tested methods found throughout this book. Topics include areas such as establishing a personal brand, stakeholder engagement, and taking action to drive productivity.

Content presented in a consolidated format is aimed at identifying possibilities to heighten visibility, thereby showcasing capabilities. Each point covered integrates an evaluation of actual scenarios encountered and concludes with a summary reinforcing key concepts. This structure offers a quick yet informative view into the ‘best of the best practices’ and practical strategies for situations frequently found in the work environment.

Whether the aim is to increase confidence, maximize advancement opportunities, or retool an established career, Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development, serves as an ‘all-purpose’ manual for a range of industries and skill levels. Although a cover-to- cover reading is encouraged, each chapter is designed to stand on its own, providing guidance when it matters most – the moment it’s needed.

The Review

Immediately, I was struck by how organized and detailed the book was. The author’s writing style is clear and pointed, giving readers immediate access to valuable insights that are geared towards career advancement. The fast pacing of the book and what I like to call the re-readability factor of this book, which showcases the knowledge that allows readers to go back time and time again to learn and adapt to new situations using tried strategies, was on full display in the author’s writing and kept readers fully engaged throughout the book.

The balance the author found in thorough guidance through each chapter and the steps found within, with the detailed evidence and tests the author provided to prove how these strategies work, was remarkable. Lessons such as engaging a unique personal brand that allows businesses to perceive you a certain way, to being able to convey specific ideas and knowledge through professional presentations in the workspace and so much more had a significant impact on the reader as the book progressed, and even touching upon how AI can be a helpful tool but is not in any way an answer or solution to a problem added depth to the author’s lessons overall.

The Verdict

Compelling, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Nicole Fronek’s “Corporate Coach Approach” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and career management. A fast-paced yet detailed and profound read, the author does a remarkable job of providing a grounded, deep guide to career growth and excellence that will inspire and educate readers equally. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Known as “The Coach”, Nicole has supported Fortune 100 firms inclusive of CBRE, Chevron, HP, Citigroup, and Marriott International. With two decades of experience in project management and client services, she has built her career on a foundation of helping others achieve their goals.

Nicole holds a BA in Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and an MSc in Project Management from The University of Liverpool. Publications include Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development.

https://www.instagram.com/nicolefronek/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/corporate-coach-approach-nicole-fronek/1147592727?ean=9781952465574

https://amzn.to/3KURhzB

Bernice, the Busiest of Bees by Kalee Boisvert Review

On December 11, 2025December 10, 2025 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 hard-working bee must stop to smell the flowers in author Kalee Boisvert’s “Bernice, the Busiest of Bees.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Meet Bernice-the busiest bee in the entire meadow. With her tiny bucket hat, neatly packed pollen pouch, and a to-do list longer than a dragonfly’s tail, Bernice is always buzzing from one task to the next.

While the other bees take breaks and enjoy the sunshine, Bernice prides herself on never wasting a wingbeat. That is, until the Queen Bee steps in with an unexpected royal decree:

Mandatory vacation-three whole days!

At first, Bernice doesn’t know what to do without her checklist. But as the meadow slows her down, she begins to notice the world she’s been flying past-the dancing daisies, the giggling children, the joy of simply being a bee.

Through playful language and heartwarming humor, Bernice, the Busiest of Bees reminds readers of all ages that even the hardest workers need time to rest, breathe, and rediscover the wonder around them.

Perfect for children who love nature-and grown-ups who forget to use their vacation days.

The Review

This was such a cute little story for children that had both an important message and fun characters. The warmth of the illustrations is instantly eye-catching, and the amount of story the author can fit into such a short amount of time will delight children and parents alike as they get wrapped up in Bernice’s adventures.

The core of this story, of course, is its heartfelt message. Hard work is an admirable trait in a person, and yet working 24/7 and neglecting to have a life outside of work is a fast track to burnout. The lessons Bernice has to learn to stop and enjoy the little things in life and to find their own joy outside of work are commendable, and speak to the balance young people need to see in their own lives as they grow and move forward.

The Verdict

Fun, heartfelt, and entertaining, author Kalee Boisvert’s “Bernice, the Busiest of Bees” is a must-read children’s illustrated story. The inviting and engaging story, the volume of world-building the author accomplishes in this book, and the delightful illustrations that help hone in on the heart of this story’s theme will keep young readers and parents alike returning to this story time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Kalee Boisvert has spent over fifteen years in the financial industry, driven by a desire to rewrite the money story she grew up with. Raised in a single-parent household, she became passionate early on about financial empowerment and helping others create freedom and confidence through money.

But her path didn’t stop there.

Over time, Kalee’s work expanded into something deeper: a soul-level invitation for women to remember who they are. Today, she writes both financial and spiritual books—offering practical tools, tender truth, and gentle reminders that you are already enough.

She is the author of MoneyWise Mabel’s Bursting Bank, a children’s book on financial empowerment, Make Money Your Thing, a guide to owning your wealth journey, and The Remembered Woman, a soul conversation for the one who’s waking up to herself.

Kalee lives in Canada with her daughter Ivy and son Jax, who continually remind her of the magic in presence, play, and wonder.

https://www.instagram.com/kaleeboisvert/

https://kaleeboisvert.com/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bernice-the-busiest-of-bees-kalee-boisvert/1148632223?ean=9781069649546

https://amzn.to/4rRJ5AL

Operationally Svelte: Manage Costs to Increase Profit and Enhance Performance by Duane Deason Review

On December 11, 2025December 10, 2025 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 Duane Deason shares the practical use of a cost management center to make a company leaner and more profitable in the book “Operationally Svelte: Manage Costs to Increase Profit and Enhance Performance.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Operationally Svelte Unleashes Growth, Innovation, and Profit

An “operationally svelte” organization means it is lean, flexible, and efficient.

Organizational bloat creeps into companies as they grow. It dulls cutting-edge innovation, slows responses to changing economic conditions, whittles down profitability, and hinders growth. You will not curtail it by doing what you have always done. Companies need a new strategy.

In Operationally Svelte, author Duane Deason presents a refreshing approach to making an organization lean and unleashing its potential: create a Cost Management Center. Think of it this way—while your Sales team focuses on revenue, your Cost Management Center team focuses on managing and controlling costs throughout the organization.

Get step-by-step guidance to establish a Cost Management Center and eliminate the common culprits of waste and inefficiency. Then dive into strategies to maximize its effectiveness and transform your company for optimal performance, enhanced growth, superior innovation, and increased profit.

The Review

This was such a powerful and insightful read for those in leadership roles within a business. The author found a great strategy that greatly balances the need to manage a business’s daily costs while also allowing staff to innovate and grow as a company. The author’s writing style is very detailed and practical, speaking to innovators and business leaders who have a firm grasp of the technical details but can connect with the author’s messaging and outline for the cost management center.

The concept of a svelte organization is a powerful one: running a lean, mean operation that improves sales and growth. Yet oftentimes, overreaching to cut costs inefficiently can stifle that growth. The author’s deep dive into the ways a cost management center would help create the necessary oversight over the expenses incurred by your business was remarkable to get into, from understanding the differences in costs per items/tasks, to tackling the use of technology and emerging AI, to creating a cost management center by finding key team members and outlining the responsibilities of the center going forward. The author also covers many areas in this realm, from those that incur higher costs to those on the horizon, giving readers a wealth of details to engage with.

The Verdict

Thoughtful, engaging, and memorable, author Duane Deason’s “Operationally Svelte” is a must-read nonfiction business read. The depth of information and the clear, precise way the author writes and conveys it through solid, insightful frameworks that business leaders can follow thoroughly. This is one book readers and leaders can return to time and time again for guidance. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

I am the author of Operationally Svelte: Manage Costs to Increase Profit and Enhance Performance. I wrote the book to take cost management out of the shadows, to explore why current strategies are failing, and to provide a more optimal solution. Companies owe their employees, customers, and shareholders an organization that is lean and best prepared to fend off competition, weather economic downturns, and adapt to organizational change. Svelte companies are not only more profitable but also experience a higher level of performance and innovation when compared to their peers.

I spend much of my time advocating, speaking, and educating on the topic of cost management. To pay the bills, I serve as President of The Efficacy Group, where I provide cost management advisory and consulting services. My early career was with PwC followed by starting my first business that provided financial support for companies undergoing transactions. After selling the business, I assumed the role of CFO at one of my former clients that was doing the typical titanic after the dot-com bust in the early 2000s. It was during that time as CFO when I fell in love with cost management. The feeling of saving a company from certain bankruptcy felt more rewarding than the prior acquisitions and initial public offerings that I had supported.

The last 25 years of my career have been dedicated to cost management in one form or another. I’ve had the privilege of working with many companies of varying sizes and industries. Through that, I observed patterns that resulted in success and others that led to deterioration. Among these patterns was the realization that companies that failed to prioritize cost management would eventually fail. Just like life, companies can’t outgrow their problems. Hence, I decided to dedicate my career to helping companies lower costs and operate more efficiently without hindering growth or innovation.

I am a Certified Public Accountant and have an MBA from Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business.

https://amzn.to/48w3a8h

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/operationally-svelte-duane-deason/1148299225?ean=9798998846700

Avi Lanir – A Short Life Story: The Courage and Capture of an Israeli Fighter Pilot by Yael Yannay Review

On December 9, 2025December 8, 2025 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 Yael Yannay shares the story of higher pilot Avi Lanir, who never returned from Syrian capture during the Yom Kippur War in the book “Avi Lanir – A Short Life Story: The Courage and Capture of an Israeli Fighter Pilot.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

This is the story of the life and death of Lt. Col. Avi Lanir (1940-1974)—the most senior Israeli pilot to fall into Syrian captivity during the Yom Kippur War, and the only one who did not return alive.

Lanir died after brutal torture, without betraying the critical secret the Israeli Air Force had entrusted to his care. The body was defeated, yet the human spirit soared and triumphed. In these stormy and turbulent times, here is the story of a man whose brief spring touched the seasons of a nascent Israel.

Israeli author and editor Yael Yannay has woven a moving, inspiring biographical tapestry from the memories of family members, soul mates, and comrades-in-arms, and from the reflections of those who led Israel then—in body and in spirit. A profound, complex story: one of beauty and a vibrant life attuned to awareness— full of orders and briefings; question marks and family; love and yearning; wounds and hopes.

The Review

What immediately struck me was how honest and heartfelt the author’s writing was. While a national hero who withstood some of the worst torture a person could endure during war before passing, the author could have easily written a biography that was pure hero worship. Still, instead the author delved into the complex humanity that was Avi Lanir’s life growing up and during his time as a fighter pilot, captured best in the author’s opening chapters that showcased the stress Avi was under during his last meeting with his wife, and his reaction to not seeing his child leading to a disagreement and later reflection on the words not said between them.

The honesty was balanced well with the detail and immersive writing experience the author brought to this book. The way the author conveyed the historical events that Avi’s father and grandfather experienced and how these impacted Israel as a whole, while also balancing this with Avi’s personal struggles and experiences, was memorable. The sheer volume of courage that Avi displayed during his career and short life, especially in those pivotal moments withstanding torture to keep his country’s military secrets, exuded a bravery that is inspiring and infectious all at once.

The Verdict

Honest, compelling, and engaging, author Yael Yannay’s “Avi Lanir – A Short Life Story” is a must-read book. The biography holds nothing back, is well-researched, and brings so much insight to life in Israel and in the Israel Air Force, both historically and through the life of Avi Lanir. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Yael Yannay, mother of four. Author, editor, lexicographer. Coaxes words into what they long to become: spring or autumn, iron or silk, minor or major.

https://amzn.to/4q1ggjU

Forever Changed by Jim Servi Review

On December 8, 2025 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

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

A group of people find their lives uprooted by the events of September 11th and the subsequent war in Afghanistan in the novel “Forever Changed” by author Jim Servi.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Starting out in the everyday country setting of rural Wisconsin, the world is quickly transformed when two soaring towers crumble to the ground and America is transformed from peace to chaos. The events that transpired are known by many around the world and revealed in this adventurous historical fiction. Forever Changed captures the details and portrays the feelings of citizens thrown into the extraordinary positions on September 11th and the war in Afghanistan that followed.

Paul Foster is a small-town boy looking for adventure and love, but only one woman could ever capture his heart even as he is thrust into war. JD, his best friend, is consumed by war before he ever sets foot there and is equally transformed when he returns home. Marie Lafayette is an innocent girl ready to expand her comfort zone, but never thought she would ever love a soldier, or have to watch him leave. Lynn Stone, on the other hand, has always loved men in uniform while she travelled the world in a military family. Never did she think loving a soldier would be so hard. Nasir is a young Afghan man that watches the Taliban take over his homeland and tear his family apart.

As their simple, happy lives are transformed, their paths intertwine in unforeseen ways, creating circumstances that none of them could have imagined. Forever Changed captures the essence of a globally connected world during the pivotal moments surrounding September 11th, 2001 and gives us a comprehensive look at the war in Afghanistan with a perspective that can only be gained from exploring the Afghan countryside and experiencing combat firsthand.

Jim Servi lives in Hamburg, Wisconsin with his wife and three boys. He is a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jim has written for several magazines and newspapers, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars magazine. This is his first novel.

The Review

This was such a powerful and moving read. The author expertly crafted a narrative that felt both relatable and heartbreaking. The depth of world-building and character development was evident from the beginning, with the author creating diverse, deep, and compelling characters that highlight the struggles and hardships so many faced during this troubling point in modern history. The tension that builds throughout that fateful day on September 11th really stays with readers, especially those who lived through that day, as readers feel the terror and heartbreak of those on the scene of those tragedies and the uncertainty so many felt watching the day unfold on their television screens.

The powerful themes of this book really resonated with readers as the story progressed. The impact of war and how it changes people is the driving force of the narrative, both for those who serve in the military and the people waiting behind who must watch their loved ones go to war and put their lives on the line. The complexities of war and politics take center stage as well, with multiple perspectives giving readers the mindset of loyal soldiers committed to the American cause, loving spouses who want nothing more than their loved ones safe return, and even the surprising emotional story of Nasir, a young Afghani boy who slowly is indoctrinated into the Taliban after suffering his own losses and has a complex character arc that isn’t a typically villain arc, but instead a tragic figure who loses himself to a cause he is essentially born into by circumstances.

The Verdict

Haunting, thought-provoking, and emotionally driven, author Jim Servi’s “Forever Changed” is a must-read historical fiction-meets-military-action-thriller. The character-driven, thoughtful narrative will keep readers invested, and the memories of this historic event will help readers understand those most impacted by this tragedy and war in ways they may not have known before. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Jim Servi is a U.S. military officer, journalist, and novelist whose life bridges service and storytelling. Over a 20-year career in the U.S. Army, Jim deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, gaining firsthand experience of the complexities of modern conflict.

His service also included strategic planning roles, including work with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and in the Pentagon, reflecting his deep commitment to global security.

After returning from combat, Jim channeled his experiences and his struggles with reintegration into writing. He began contributing to a range of publications, writing about the outdoors, sports, business, travel, and, especially, military life. His work has appeared in numerous outlets, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars magazine.

Jim’s debut novel, Forever Changed, was published in 2020. Drawing on his own wartime experiences, he weaves a fictional, deeply human story set in the wake of 9/11, following characters from small-town Wisconsin to the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. Through the novel, Jim explores themes of loss, identity, trauma, and renewal, and gives his readers an empathetic, layered perspective on life before, during, and after war.

Beyond his writing, Jim is a devoted family man, living in central Wisconsin with his wife, Angie, and their three sons. His journey reflects a powerful fusion of service and creativity, using his voice not just to tell his own story, but to amplify those of others.

www.jimservi.com

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-changed-jim-servi/1137002191?ean=2940164076214

https://amzn.to/4put4PK

Vampire Verses by LindaAnn LoSchiavo Review

On December 5, 2025 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 and poet LindaAnn LoSchiavo shares the power and seductive nature of the supernatural in the book “Vampire Verses.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

“Vampire Verses” explores the seductive mystique of the shadow sphere and savors the forbidden allure of encounters with the supernatural — illustrated by spooky full-page artwork.

For lovers of Gothic poetry and vampire lore, this collection captures what makes these immortals irresistible: their paradoxical existence where death becomes a gateway to living more intensely.

The Review

The gothic horror atmosphere in these poems, and the blend of humor, heart, and dread, were so perfect for this collection. The haunting imagery found in these poems perfectly captures the bloody and visceral nature of vampirism and the supernatural draw that so many people have towards the genre and this particular supernatural creature.

The heart of these poems is so much more than the vampire angle, however. It is a beautiful fusion of history, mythology, and pop culture, delivered with a poetic touch. The poem “When We Rented ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’” gave readers a first-person perspective on how vampires would respond to a slasher flick of that caliber, and the section highlighting the impact Bram Stoker had on the genre was also thrilling. The shifting points of view in each poem and the way the poems delve into power dynamics in relationships, people’s fascination with death and danger, and what happens when a person’s needs overpower them, become powerful themes that bring these poems to life eloquently.

The Verdict

Memorable, thought-provoking, and enthralling, author LindaAnn LoSchiavo’s “Vampire Verses” is a must-read gothic horror collection of poems. The humorous illustrations, tidbits of knowledge, and quotes on history and mythology throughout the collection helped elevate the pop culture references and balance the tones in this very atmospheric collection. Readers will return to it time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

A native New Yorker, LoSchiavo has received nominations for the Pushcart Prize, Rhysling Award, Best of the Net, the IPPY Award, CLMP’s Firecracker Award, Balcones Poetry Prize, and Dwarf Stars. She is a member of Science Fiction Poetry Assoc., The British Fantasy Society, and The Dramatists Guild.

Her poetry chapbooks include “Conflicted Excitement” [Red Wolf Editions, 2018], “Concupiscent Consumption” [Red Ferret Press, 2020], “Women Who Were Warned” [Cerasus Poetry, May 2022], and “Messengers of the Macabre” co-authored with David Davies [Audience Askew, October 2022].

Her full-length collections include Elgin Award winner “A Route Obscure and Lonely” [Wapshott Press, Dec. 2019] and “Apprenticed to the Night” [UniVerse Press, 2023].

Three of her short stories appear in “A Feast of Narrative,” Vol. 1 [Idea Press, 2020], edited by Tiziano Dossena.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/V0vyi_v8hfU

https://www.prolificpulse.com/lindaannloschiavo

Editorial Review: “Cancer Courts My Mother” by LindaAnn LoSchiavo

————————-

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18972725.LindaAnn_LoSchiavo

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/LindaAnn-LoSchiavo/author/B084WSGD5K

* * “Apprenticed to the Night” [U.K.: UniVerse Press, 2023]

* * Publisher’s site: https://universepress.net/product/apprenticed-to-the-night/

* * Interview: https://spkofmarvels.wordpress.com/2023/02/09/lindaann-loschiavo/

* * Interview: https://medium.com/interstellar-flight-press/caught-between-two-worlds-family-far-away-places-and-formal-poetry-270426062797

* * Book Trailer: “Women Who Were Warned”

* * Book Review: “Women Who Were Warned”

Critic Yasmine Dashti

https://www.fahmidan.net/book-reviews

* * Interview & excerpts:

Women Who Were Warned – Book Excerpt

* * “Messengers of the Macabre” ― website: https://messengersofthemacabre.com/

* * Book Review: “Messengers of the Macabre”

Critic Joshua Gage

Review: Messengers of the Macabre by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies

Critic Jodie Crump

Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies

* * Book Trailer: “Messengers of the Macabre”

* * LindaAnn Literary: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHm1NZIlTZybLTFA44wwdfg

* * Twitter: @Mae_Westside

https://amzn.to/48UetHn

Get our newsletter delivered directly to your inbox

A Study on Falling by Gaelan Donovan Wort Review

On December 4, 2025 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 traumatized author reluctantly travels to a special clinic to seek help, only to be confronted by an emerging story and dark secrets in author Gaelan Donovan Wort’s “A Study on Falling.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Have you ever been lost in a maze?

Have you ever kept walking, sure that the exit was near, only to realise that you’ve been going around in circles?

Ever been trapped?

I have.

Once, I was someone. A bestselling author whose prose charmed the world. I was in love, I was married, and my muse was my partner through it all. Then came the accident. I lost a part of myself – became a man unravelling, a husband undone. A novelist without words.

See, the mind can be a maze. Mine became a labyrinth.

I was banished to a hospital for the gifted, where my paranoia wasn’t cured; it only grew, fed by the doctors and my fellow inmates surrounding me.

My name is Henry Levi. I’m a writer. This isn’t a memoir, it’s a record of my time spent in the depths of the labyrinth, fumbling in the dark for the golden thread that would lead me to salvation.

A story, a warning, a legend … call it what you like.

I call it my Study on Falling.

The Review

This was such a compelling and unique psychological thriller. It reminded me a lot of Alan Wake without the overt supernatural themes. Instead, it was a masterclass in the psychology of a writer, an artist, a creative who has been through trauma and cannot return to the space that their creativity once sprang from. The fact that the author brought to life a unique story surrounding an author of the recently reviewed The Shambling Lords, itself a fictional story written by a fictional author, and how that dark fantasy played out in the confines of this story was so unique and imaginative that readers were instantly enthralled.

The powerful imagery in the author’s writing style and the way the fictional story Henry Levi wrote bled into his waking life were so chilling and haunting, especially in his confrontation with Viviane later in the story. The honest emotional struggle Henry goes through in this narrative is so reflective of the impact trauma can have on a person, and how easily or narrowly the path towards pessimism and anger can be to traverse, but the fight to find new inspiration and hope again is achievable, but sometimes only by acknowledging the pain of loss and finding a new beginning.

The Verdict

Artful, thrilling, and entertaining, author Gaelan Donovan Wort’s “A Study on Falling” is a must-read psychological thriller. The twists and turns in the narrative, the deeply personal relationships and interactions Henry has with others in the clinic, and the realism with which the author tackles these themes will keep readers invested all the way to the book’s impactful final chapter. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Gaelan Donovan Wort penned his first novel, The Nature of Predation, at the age of seventeen, driven by a restless passion for storytelling that has since deepened into a lifelong craft. Since that early beginning, he has followed the shadows that gather between myth and memory, reverie and ruin – threads that continue to weave throughout his stories. His fiction drifts between genres – gothic horror, mythic tragedy, psychological thriller, speculative drama, and satirical science fiction – but is always drawn to the liminal, the haunted, and the human. Whether eerie or elegiac, his stories linger where the rational frays – and the unknowable begins.

https://www.endangeredpoetproductions.com/

https://amzn.to/44PgNNk

The Shambling Lords by Henry Levi Review

On December 4, 2025 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 king becomes desperate to save a kingdom caught in a blood plague that has warped everyone and everything in author Henry Levi’s “The Shambling Lords.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Transience has come to the undying lands of Amelbaran.

A plague of blood cripples the once-immutable kingdom of Kelcarosa, replacing beauty with decay.

The advent of this calamity, like nothing the immortal kingdom has ever known before, distorts even the incontrovertible Nobles of the Scarlet Court, stealing away the righteous instincts of these great custodians, warping their sensibilities and making shambling monsters, debauched and dangerous, of those who had once been hailed as heroes.

Only the New King seems to remember the grandeur that once was theirs, and in reverence to all that was, he seeks to undo all that is.

This is the King’s requiem; the legend of the end of that which had been undying, the corruption of that which had been consecrated, the fall of that which had stood most high.

The Review

This gritty, dark-toned fantasy novel was the perfect blend of horror and dark fantasy, bringing a rich new world and kingdom to life in vivid detail. The visceral imagery and haunting atmosphere that the author exudes in the story, as this plague decimates the land and begins to creep into the once majestic city, is thoughtfully written into the narrative, effortlessly conjuring up a feeling of unease and despair that the characters are hit with, as well as a physical sensation of grime and grit in this chilling world.

Yet it was the fast pacing and impactful themes the story seemed to embody that made this narrative feel so engrossing. The King, an antihero in this story, is steadfast in his view of his people’s failure and the kingdom he once loved so deeply, and, through hardship and struggle, fights to make his mission succeed, no matter the cost. The story reflects the loss of what was once good in a person’s life, and sometimes the inevitable realization that it cannot be recovered. Instead, all we can do is move on from that loss and start anew, a fitting theme the King embodies as he sees the plague of mortality plaguing his immortal kingdom and the need to start over.

The Verdict

Viscerally written, compelling, and thoroughly enthralling, author Henry Levi’s “The Shambling Lords” is a must-read dark fantasy and horror novella. The haunting, atmospheric tale of betrayal, loss, and rebirth takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, and the depth of the world-building the author uses to convey this theme is remarkable. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Best known within the pages of other tales, acclaimed writer Henry Levi first made his name with the razor-edged prose of a bestselling crime thriller trilogy, though he has since outgrown the confines of any single genre.

In A Study on Falling, Levi emerged as the sharp-tongued voice behind the Alistair Black series, a sudden success that vaulted the then-unknown author into global stardom — only to be followed by a spectacular unraveling, marked by public feuds, private bitterness, and a much-publicized retreat from the literary stage.

Now, after a tumultuous hiatus steeped in further scandal, Levi returns: unapologetically eclectic and unfashionably sincere, having finally beaten back the jaded nihilism and acrimonious apathy that had once defined him.

Returned to writing on his own terms, Levi’s recent works are darker, stranger, and far more personal. The extent of his acclaim depends, as always, on who you ask. Whatever else may be said, he is writing again.

https://amzn.to/4aAKpBM

Cancer Courts My Mother by LindaAnn LoSchiavo Review

On December 3, 2025 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 and poet LindaAnn LoSchiavo shares a thought-provoking collection of poetry dealing with sorrow and relationships in the book “Cancer Courts My Mother.”

The Synopsis

“Cancer Courts My Mother” gives voice to the creativity borne out of the experience of late-stage cancer from the perspective of a caregiver and a daughter.

Written with candor, warmth, and grace, these poems explore universal themes of sorrow, resiliency, relationships, anger, hope, and love.

This collection is for anyone who’s ever wondered how to go forward in the face of suffering, but doesn’t expect an easy answer.

Cancer, a Casanova, is bent on seducing a mother away from her family– even as a dutiful daughter tries to defeat him.

* Haiku summary:

cancer’s intrusions

can’t stop a relationship

from healing

Cancer Courts My Mother has received two literary distinctions: the BREW Seal of Excellence from The Chrysalis BREW Project and the Voyages of Verses Award from OneTribune Media.

The Review

Emotionally driven and compelling, this book of poetry and prose does an incredible job of conveying the experience of both patient and caregiver facing the horrendous journey through cancer so many have had to suffer through. The powerful imagery of each chapter and the writing style gave the poems an almost fictional, cohesive quality and allowed the reader to connect with the poet’s experiences.

What really stood out to me about the collection was how controlled and honest the author’s writing felt with every poem. The author never shies away from the realities of facing cancer head-on, delivering a narrative that shows the dignified yet painful truths she and her mother faced throughout this process, and the often artistic and emotionally rhythmic lyricism of each poem felt both natural and creative in the face of such overwhelming emotion.

The Verdict

Thoughtful, heartfelt, and engaging, author LindaAnn LoSchiavo’s “Cancer Courts My Mother” is a must-read book of poetry and prose. The fast pacing of the story the author tells, and the powerful themes of love, loss, and saying goodbye on your own terms, really made a heartfelt statement. The author’s ability to write honestly and still spark passion and creativity in the reader’s imagination made this a memorable and enthralling read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Her full-length collections include Elgin Award winner “A Route Obscure and Lonely” [Wapshott Press, Dec. 2019] and “Apprenticed to the Night” [UniVerse Press, 2023].

Three of her short stories appear in “A Feast of Narrative,” Vol. 1 [Idea Press, 2020], edited by Tiziano Dossena.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/V0vyi_v8hfU

https://www.prolificpulse.com/lindaannloschiavo