Reviews

A Celtic Yuletide Carol

Jennifer Ivy Walker (The Wild Rose Press, Inc. (November 6, 2024))

| Reviewed by Sarah Harkness

 A Celtic Yuletide Carol by Jennifer Ivy Walker is a historical fiction set in medieval France, specifically in the 13th century. The story takes place during the Christmas season in the winter of 1250 and revolves around the themes of family, love, redemption, and healing. The main characters in the novel are Gaultier and Cardin de Landuc, two Breton knights defending the Atlantic coast of Aquitaine for King Philippe le Bel of France. Gaultier is the older brother who has taken on a fatherly role to Cardin, who is struggling with his past...

Camel from Kyzylkum

Lara Gelya (Life Journeys Books)

| Reviewed by Brenda Baiocchi

In this remarkable memoir, Lara Gelya recounts her life journey, spanning over five decades, from her childhood in Ukraine to her years in Uzbekistan and eventually to her new life in the United States. The book examines humanity’s capacity to adapt, persevere, and thrive in adversity. Gelya's story begins in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, where she was born in 1950 to a Jewish family. Her childhood was marked by discrimination and stigma due to her Jewish heritage, which she experienced firsthand during her early years in school and social interactions. H...

Little Boy I Know Your Name

Mitchell Raff (River Grove Books)

| Reviewed by Cristina Prescott

Little Boy, I Know Your Name by Mitchell Raff is a personal and emotional exploration of the author's journey as a Holocaust survivor's son. The book is a powerful exploration of the trauma and pain that can be passed down through generations and the author's struggle to come to terms with his own identity and sense of self. The book is divided into Part One, “A Mother's Betrayal,’ and Part Two, “The Inheritance.” The first part is a detailed account of the author's childhood and his relationship with his parents, who were both Holocaust surviv...

I, Robot Soldier

Joel R. Dennstedt (Joel R. Dennstedt)

| Reviewed by George Buehlman

In I, Robot Soldier, Joel R. Dennstedt presents a thought-provoking and unique science fiction novel that delves into the complexities of human-robot relationships. The story follows a robot soldier, One Shot, who awakens from a war-torn world and finds himself lost and wounded as he navigates his new reality. One Shot bonds with a young girl named Amy, who becomes his sole concern and companion. He is bound to protect her, and the future of humanity depends on it. Amy wants to explore the world beyond the devastation she has noticed around her...

Lucius A Soldier's Journey A Man's Search For Truth

Rev. Michael H. Lavery (ReadersMagnet LLC)

| Reviewed by Cristina Prescott

Lucius: A Soldier's Journey by Rev. Michael H. Lavery is a thought-provoking and immersive historical fiction novel that examines the complex reality of war, power, and morality. The story follows Lucius, a renowned soldier from Rome, who is torn between his loyalty to Caesar and his moral principles. Lucius seeks truth and wisdom as an old soldier, only to be on a collision course with the harsh realities of the empire's destructive nature. Lucius's journey is marked by his conflicts with the Roman Empire's power lust and its concept of peace,...

Footsteps in the Dark

Carlo Armenise (Author's Tranquility Press)

| Reviewed by John Grossman

Footsteps in the Dark: Stories of the Bizarre and Unusual by Carlo Armenise delivers an intriguing collection of horror stories. While these are not your run-of-the-mill horror tales, they examine the darker parts of human nature, presenting sophisticated and genuinely flawed characters. In “A Conversation with Death,” Jeremy, still reeling from the murder of his wife, joins forces with FBI veteran Flannigan to chase a serial killer who stabs his victims, both male and female, twenty to thirty times with a hunting knife. Can Jeremy find the kil...

Dancing With Dragons

Jenni Ogden (Sea Dragon Press)

| Reviewed by Jeff Klune

In Western Australia's Coral Coast, a young girl's life is forever changed when she discovers a magical secret beneath the waves. After a devastating tragedy, Gaia, a talented ballet dancer with a promising future, is torn from her family and her dreams. Two years later, she returns to the abandoned property, determined to survive off the land. As she navigates the harsh realities of isolation, she finds solace in the wild animals and a deep bond with Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work on the neighboring property. But when Jarrah, Ma...

The Girl In The Garage: 3 Steps To Letting Go Of Your Past

Sharon Hughes (BookBaby)

| Reviewed by Meg McKinnon

The Girl in the Garage: The True Story of Radical Healing by a Radical God is a deeply personal and transformative book that shares the author's journey of self-discovery and healing from childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect. The book delivers the wisdom that readers require to engineer positive change in their lives and how to heal from trauma. The key message of this book is that it is possible to break free from the lies and patterns of thinking that hold us back from living our true selves. The author, Sharon Hughes, shares her story of los...

Echoes Lost in Stars: Poems

PS Conway (Literary Revelations)

| Reviewed by Elena Enger

Echoes Lost in Stars by PS Conway is a poetic journey that explores the human experience through its connections with nature, mythology, and love. The poetry collection is imbued with captivating imagery that appeals to the senses and insightful lines illuminating readers' imaginations. This profound, powerful, and extensive collection of poems is uncannily precise and beautifully tuned. It is also direct and infused with metaphorical language, giving it a universal appeal. The imagery is striking, exciting readers in unspeakable ways. In ''Ear...

Echoes Lost in Stars: Poems

PS Conway (Literary Revelations)

| Reviewed by Matthew Novak

Echoes Lost in Stars by PS Conway is an exceptional collection of poetry that beautifully illustrates how the author’s mind works, featuring streams of emotions, bursts of insights, and experiences that underline the speaker’s humanity. Elegant, profound, and utterly captivating, these poems of varying lengths and styles examine different themes — the love for nature, loneliness, and solitude, love and loss, humanity and the beauty of human encounters, and much more. Conway’s diction is deceptively simple, but the thoughts are profound, and a m...