The Magician is the first book in Tales from the Deck series. After his divorce, Michael is lonely. His friends Sarah and Dan had invited him to have fun together on the weekend but Michael was busy. Suddenly, all his clients cancelled on him and the universe conspired to make Michael visit his friends. There, Sarah and Dan introduced him to Shiloh who is a veteran in tarot card reading.
When Michael wanted to know about his future and was with Shiloh, he discovered that he is a Magician. With this new information, Michael’s world is about to change. Unveil yourself by reading this unputdownable story, what will happen next.
This story is a perfect escape from the real world. Plot is written nicely by the author. Language used in the book is simple and I was able to follow it easily. Pace of the story is fast and I wasn’t bored anytime while reading this. Author has constructed a very intriguing world in the story.
I enjoyed this story till the last page. Go ahead with it without any second thoughts.
Hero Maker is a YA fiction penned by the author Tom Starace. Main character of the story is a sixteen-year-old Adam. Adam has been having strange dreams from the age of seven. These dreams leave him confused and exhausted.
In his dreams, Adam gets inside the body of a kid who is in trouble and Adam makes the kid take brave steps that saves their lives and makes them heroes.
When Adam wakes up from his dreams, from the newspaper, he finds out whatever he saw in the dream has happened to real people at a real place. Adam’s supernatural power made the story much more interesting.
I couldn’t put this book down until I finished reading it. Cover photo of the book is nice and the title is suitable according to the story. Plot of the story is nice. Characters are well written and Adam’s character is my favorite. I enjoyed every bit of this book. Looking forward to reading more books by Tom in the future.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Stephany Barcomb. I was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Central Florida. Obviously, I love to write, but I also am an artist, an intermediate sewer, and love gaming and streaming casually. My lifelong dream was to write a book, then it upgraded to publish a book. My new life long goal is to make writing and drawing my work. There’s no better way to support yourself, family, and friends than doing exactly what you love most!
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Last Sane Awoken : Freedom’ book?
The book itself is different. I was worried people may find it too off putting, but after years of pushing myself, I finally got to a point of just doing what I love.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The two books that stick out to me are Speak and Child Called It. While one is fiction and one is more of a biography, the impact those two books left on me was immense. I read them both in eighth grade, about 13 years old, because a teacher made us. Both focused on a different form of abuse and the survivor aspect of it. Reading such raw content helped me feel like I was not alone and the world truly was cruel to most. While it’s broken comfort, it is something we should keep bringing to light and make an active effort to better the lives of the next generation and those alive today.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Within my own state, I love going to St. Augustine. Seeing the forts, the old jail, the fountain of youth is cool, but learning about life back in the day and seeing it with your own eyes is incredible. Many forts were built in Puerto Rico, which I have yet to see, and it can feel like I’m getting a taste of home and familial history while there. My all-time favorite place has to be New York City. Manhattan has so much to offer. I love to eat and walk, so I can walk more than 14 miles and eat samples of delicious food all day long. The diversity is beautiful and being around a mix of people is where I am most comfortable. The city never sleeps, the food is amazing, fresh M&Ms are the best, and central park is simply gorgeous.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
I think this depends on the person. My inspiration comes from movie scenes, games, but mostly seeing scenes to my music or dreaming scenes up. I started by writing the scenes that came to me, even if it was not chronological. It helped me get to know the world and the story so much more than outlining ever did. Once the story began to piece together, it was easier to start the book properly and string the events together. My sister on the other hand outlines much more. She outlines all her chapters with lots of detail and follows her guideline. If she was told to sit and write a scene out of the blue, it would be difficult. We’re all so different in how we think, so I think if anyone were to look into getting into writing, try storyboarding, character development, outline, or just start writing random stuff and see what you like!
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Last Sane Awoken : Freedom’ book?
The book itself took me less than a month. At the time, that was when the first and second book were together as one. Through editing, the entire book was split into Freedom, book 1, and Hope, book 2. I have up to book 7 written, but not heavily edited, so it’s possible the series may end up much longer than I originally anticipated.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Last Sane Awoken : Freedom’ book to buy?
Amazon and Barnes & Nobles are my two main sources to buy the book.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Last Sane Awoken : Freedom’?
The cover was drawn about 4 times by me. I tried a few different styles and none of them spoke to me, nor did I think it resembled the tone of the book exactly how I wanted. The final cover was a blend of few ideas. I wanted the main character on the cover, and I wanted this greyscale look to feel a sense of dread, a bit of horror, and a strange mix of hopelessness and ferocity.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I let my characters tell me the story. Life is not predictable, so I want the book to mostly feel that way. Of course, to allow some events to happen there are small coincidences and I can see how people might say ‘But why didn’t they just do (blank)’? Think about it. When faced with real life, decisions are difficult. You do not always know what someone else is thinking or what their priorities are. Allow the characters to be themselves and there’s your story.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
There are many secrets in the entire series, which will be revealed in small doses. I will say this: the ancient Master Necromancers were a deadly, notorious bunch. The ancient Master Necromancers were among the first children created by the remains of Death’s flesh, the first few families of death sorcerers, necromancers. To ascend to masterhood grants the necromancer eternal life, so if they can protect their body from harm, they will live forever. Many of them are over 5,000 years old and from small tribal families. A couple of the main characters are related to a few of these ancient ones, bringing the descendants of these ancient ones much closer than they original thought.
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Peter J. Reurings, J Standing for Jacobus, after my late great grandmother. I am a Dutch first time author born in Vlissingen though grown up in and around the city of Deventer. I have both a form of autism and dyslexia, though neither of them will stop me from doing what I love, but a spell checker does help. Speaking of which, if you are ever worried about mispronouncing my surname, as far as I am aware it came to be due to a spelling error two hundred years ago.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Chokehold Of Darkness’ book?
There are a lot of things I could mention here, my poor English grammar skills at the start, inconsistent characters, ever changing storylines, my dyslexia, and representing difficult subjects such as female representation and other such subjects, (there are many female characters in my story, ask yourself why this world is the way it is). However, without talking spoilers, the one problem that was the hardest to fix was the whole character of Vivian. The problem was due to how my story first started, something I will no doubt speak of later. Put simply this character began as a self insert, to give such a character his own personality and let go of him was the hardest thing to do on a personal level.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The easy answer here is Tolkien, even though I watched the movies first there is no denying the influence Tolkien’s world had on me. I will however acknowledge the influence of my other great love Star Wars, specially a few notable works from the old expanded universe. Joe Schreiber’s maul Lockdown was brilliant and brutal as was Michael Reaves’ Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter. That said I would be amiss if I didn’t recognize Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy, this trilogy is what got me into reading. They are not the first books I ever read, but they did cement my love for reading.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
The beach in my birth town Vlissingen, it represents the past. I was orphaned at an early age so I never knew my parents, that place, that town, its where my roots lie, I could never forget that. A spot halfway up an old stairway under the Wilhelminabrug in Deventer, it represents the present. In this city I leaned to live on my own, overcame many challenges, and started doing what I love. This spot has nothing to do with that, it is just my favorite spot in the city. A bench along the Waal river in Nijmegen, it represents the future. I have only been there once and not more recently then the last spot, but it means a lot, and not just to me.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Of course, lots of things in fact. You need to plan out the main tread of the story, work out the characters and lore and hundreds of other things. However, most importantly of all I need to put up some good instrumental music and pick out one of the thirty-six flavors of tea I have collected so far.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Chokehold Of Darkness’ book?
At least three years if not more. That said the origin of the story goes back at least fifteen years. This is all because this story began as my teenage fantasies and a bunch of storylines I used in games with two of my brothers. A character like Vivian finds its origin at least ten years ago, but that is still not as old as a character set to appear in book two. This character, whom I will call Av for now, is at least fourteen years old and has both changed a lot yet so little.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Chokehold Of Darkness’ book to buy?
Bol.com for the Netherlands and Amazon would be the places where you can buy it for now.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Chokehold of Darkness’?
I always try to make people think with covers, illustrations, and titles in particular. That said there is no process here, the only thing that matters is what do you think it all means before reading, and what do you think it means after you read the book or chapter. There tends to be meaning behind everything in my work.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
One way is the magic system , fundamentally its a very hard system, but its also very soft in that every mage has a unique magical ability. For the more general story I try to use a lot of different story formats and story lines, different characters with different morals and goals. I don’t tend to pay a lot of attention to tropes and cliques, I care about writing a good unique story, represent certain topics to the best of my abilities, and just write the story I want to write.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
Funny you should mention the blurb there. In any case if I told you it wouldn’t be a secret right. That said you should pay close attention to everything, an offhand remark might just foreshadow something or point to deeper lore, minor events and appearances might have great consequences later, and there are plots involving in the background. Trust that I will not lie to you, but know that I will mislead you. The biggest secrets might just be in plain sight and the characters might not tell you the truth, if you can find any hidden secrets try and keep them to yourself, its more fun that way right?
The Order of the Fallen is an interesting fantasy story penned by the author Jacqueline Marinaro. Story features a seventeen years old teenager Nev whose mother has an envious personality. Nev is looking forward to graduating and she has no set plans for after graduation.
Since Nev’s family moved constantly so she abated the practice of making friends. Nev’s father left her mom when she was pregnant. Nev was taken care of by her mother.
Achaiah is the Archangel. He is the guardian angel of Nev. Since the time Nev saw Achaiah, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about him. What would be the dangers of falling in love with a fallen angel? Read the story to know more.
If you love stories of angels falling in love then go ahead with this book. Writing style of the author is impressive. Cover photo of the book is eye-catching. Pace of the story is fast and I wasn’t bored anytime while reading it. Go ahead with this book without any second thoughts.
The Stars Forgot Us is a captivating story penned by the author R.J. Garcia. Jacob Kelly is the main character of the story. Jacob, his mother and his older brother Michael moved to New York so Michael could attend a day program. Now they are moving back to Steely, Pennsylvania in a new house that feels strange to Jacob.
Jacob’s cousin Lucas is just two miles away from his new house. One night, Jacob heard the voice of a girl. He also noticed a word HELP written on the wall. Jacob’s mother had to work midnights being a new nurse. Jacob decided to check in the cellar and he saw a girl standing in front of him. He recognised that girl as Ary Daniels from fourth grade. Ary told Jacob that Ma-Mother kidnaps most of them and fosters some. Whatever Ary told Jacob, he finds it difficult to process.
Read this story to find out what will happen next. Writing style of the author is nice. Plot of the story is interesting. Since I read this book at night, I had to sleep with the lights on. Cover photo of the book is eye-catching and the title couldn’t have been better. Even though the story is spooky, I enjoyed every bit of it.
Those who enjoy reading paranormal stories should get their hands on this one.
Hunter’s Prey penned by the author Faye Pierce is an interesting story. Main character of the story is Nikolai Volkovich. He is full of rage because of being betrayed by his fiancee. Betrayal is something Nikolai doesn’t take lightly so he killed her.
Anya Griffith is Peter Griffith’s only daughter. Peter is the owner of Haven, a club. But when new owner Nikolai came to Haven, Anya was charmed by his personality. Nikolai is one of the most handsome men she has ever seen. He is the head of the Volkovich family. He wants to live up to his father’s honor and avenge his death. Anya was taken to Nikolai’s home and he told her that she can’t leave now. Both of them would be living in Nikolai’s home as Anya is the key to his vengeance. Even though Anya was asking Nikolai to not touch her body, the extreme pleasure she got from Nikolai is something she has experienced for the first time.
The story is captivating and I enjoyed every bit of it. Cover photo of the book is nice. Characters are well written by the author. Language is lucid and the narration is smooth. The book is written well by the author and I am interested to read more books by Faye.
Those who love reading Dark Mafia romance stories should get their hands on this book.
“Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die” is a science fiction novel penned by the author Billy Dering. Story is set in the future and features Kid Carlson and his girlfriend Sara Hyland. Kid was at the beach along with his group in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. There was a neutron beam attack that wiped out everything. Only Kid and his friends survived the attack. Even though Professor Cofflin had invented the weapon earlier, he didn’t have any plans to build it. He knew that this weapon in the wrong hands could extinguish the entire human race.
This made Brian to pinpoint at the fact that the neutron beam attack happened a week after the Utopia Project was discovered. In the 2020s, an army wife, named Anna Delilah, fell off of a window ledge trying to get her kid and escape the CCP project. Because of her death, there was a rally which made the President stop the CCP. Read this book to know the challenges that Kid and his friends have to take.
Story is full of drama, action. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. Cover photo of the book looks lovely. The title is suitable according to the story. There are so many characters to keep track of. If you enjoy stories with more characters then add this book to your tbr.
Those who love reading Dystopian fiction should get their hands on this one for sure.
“Are You Love Smart or Love Stupid?” penned by Marriage & relationship expert Dr Rachel Sims is a guide that will help readers to identify damaging myths that prevent them from having fulfilling relationships. This book will guide you on the right path to finding and keeping love in the modern day.
I agree with the author when she says that individuals must learn to love themselves before seeking a romantic partner. We believe in many dating myths and that complicates our love life. The author is suggesting readers to be more realistic while looking for a date/love.
Various love quotes mentioned in the book are something I really like. I have noted all of them in my journal. The myths that have been mentioned in this book have opened my eyes. I needed to learn such details from someone and I am thankful to the author for sharing such details with us.
If you want to uncomplicate your love life, then you should get your hands on this book. Tv shows, movies, book names mentioned in between the chapters are great recommendations. Rachel’s writing style is highly impressive. I laughed at various occasions while reading this book. I like to strongly recommend it to my fellow readers. It is one of the best books that I have read this year. I will definitely reread it in future. Also, I am looking forward to reading more of Rachel’s work in the future.
Book: Lateral Thinking Lessons And Puzzles To Unlock Creativity And Leadership Ability
Author: Paul D. Pantera
Available On: Amazon
Language: English
Rating: 5/5
“Lateral Thinking Lessons and Puzzles to Unlock Creativity and Leadership Ability” written by the author Paul Pantera is a very helpful book.
Lateral thinking involves analyzing all raw data from different perspectives to see connections that may not be clear at first glance. This is what I need to learn. I am unable to look for a solution from different perspectives. These days lateral thinking helps a lot in cracking interviews. Also, it helps you to save your time and energy. The puzzles given in this book are amazing and a great mental exercise.
So, if you want to be a genius, do innovative work instead of doing hard work. This book has various puzzles using which the author is guiding us in our lateral thinking journey. The main goal here is to focus on our thoughts instead of the solutions. Once we get used to lateral thinking, the way we see the world changes. This book will help the brain to break free of habitual patterns of thoughts. I am curious to read more such books by the author in the future. It’s a book worth reading.
Sassy Reviews 