In the face of hardship, two women learn how to rise up again under the bright side of the stars in A Certain Kind of Starlight, the next audiobook from USA Today bestselling author Heather Webber, “the queen of magical small-town charm” (Amy E. Reichert)
Everyone knows that Addie Fullbright can’t keep a secret. Yet, twelve years ago, as her best friend lay dying, she entrusted Addie with the biggest secret of all. One so shattering that Addie felt she had to leave her hometown of Starlight, Alabama, to keep from revealing a devastating truth to someone she cares for deeply. Now she’s living a lonely life, keeping everyone at a distance, not only to protect the secret but also her heart from the pain of losing someone else. But when her beloved aunt, the woman who helped raise her, gets a shocking diagnosis and asks her to come back to Starlight to help run the family bakery, Addie knows it’s finally time to go home again.
Tessa Jane Wingrove-Fullbright feels like she’s failing. She’s always been able to see the lighter side of life but lately darkness has descended. Her world is suddenly in shambles after a painful breakup, her favorite aunt’s unexpected health troubles, and because crushing expectations from the Wingrove side of her family are forcing her to keep secrets and make painful choices. When she’s called back to Starlight to help her aunt, she’s barely holding herself together and fears she’ll never find her way back to who she used to be.
Under the bright side of the stars, Addie and Tessa Jane come to see that magic can be found in trusting yourself, that falling apart is simply a chance to rise up again, stronger than ever, and that the heart usually knows the best path through the darkness.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
Addie and Tessa Jane are half-sisters, but they barely know each other. Kept apart by the manipulations of others, they are both called back to Starlight, Alabama, when their Aunt Bean’s health worsens. Connected by the amazing Starlight field, a field created by a fallen star that glows with its own special auroras in the evening, Tessa Jane and Addie begin to grow closer. But secrets and a manipulative relative who wants the field for himself threaten to drive both of them away from Starlight once again, and for good.
I just love Heather Webber’s books. I adore small-town fiction, and that little touch of magic she throws in just adds that special ingredient to make the story even more fascinating. This one was no exception. The entire cast of characters comes alive, and I felt like a part of this town. As an added treat, a flock of starlings becomes an important character of its own. There are sweet romances and lessons learned throughout the book. Each chapter is headed by baking tips from Aunt Bean, who owns the town bakery. This is a story filled with heartache and disappointment, but also love. It is a lesson about family, and what makes a real family. It is a lesson about people, and how some can surprise, and others disappoint and even harm, whether they are related to you or not. I loved every bit of this magical story, and I can’t wait to read her next one.
The audiobook narrators, Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis, did a great job of conveying all the emotions and portraying the varied characters in this special town.
A Certain Kind of Starlight will be released on July 23, 2024.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Webber (aka Heather Blake) is the author of more than twenty-five novels and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She loves to read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, and bake. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and is hard at work on her next book. She can be found online at www.heatherwebber.com and www.heatherblakebooks.com.
Everyone remembers her daringly short, silver lamé dress. An iconic photo capturing an electric moment, where emerging American designer Astrid Bricard is young, uninhibited, and on the cusp of fashion and feminism’s changing landscape. She and fellow designer Hawk Jones are all over Vogue and the disco scene. Yet she can’t escape the legacy of being the daughter of Mizza Bricard, infamous “muse” for Christian Dior. Astrid would give anything to take her place among the great houses of couture—on her own terms. I won’t inspire it when I can create it.
But then Astrid disappeared…
Now Astrid’s daughter, Blythe, holds what remains of her mother and grandmother’s legacies. Of all the Bricard women, she can gather the torn, shredded, and painfully beautiful fabrics of three generations of grief, heartbreak, and abandonment to create something that will shake the foundations of fashion. The only piece that’s missing is the one question that no one’s been able to answer: What really happened to Astrid?
BOOK REVIEW
This is a multi-period novel exploring the lives of three Bricard women who are talented but largely unrecognized for that talent. Mizza Bricard was a talented designer who is better known as the real-life muse of Christian Dior. Her fictionalized daughter Astrid Bricard was known as the daughter of Mizza Bricard and also as the muse of designer Hawk Jones. Astrid’s daughter Blythe is fighting to be recognized as a designer in her own right, but she is in the shadow of media perceptions and her designer ex-husband Jake. She is also living with the fact that her mother disappeared when she was a baby and her father has never been there for her either.
This novel looks at the oppression of women in the fashion industry, mental health, abandonment, and other issues. The characters are strong, talented women who face an uphill battle with discrimination, public perception, and media portrayals. The fashion industry background is richly described, and the treatment of the media towards women over the decades is eye-opening. Important mental health issues that affect women are also brought to the forefront. The three time periods—the 1940s, 1970’s, and present day are very different, but all share the same issue of women fighting to be recognized in the fashion industry. The love stories set in the midst of the glamour and betrayal of this industry are well done.
I also listened to the audiobook, and the narrator Barrie Kreinik does a great job of portraying all of the characters.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to five on sites with no half-star option.
Anyone interested in fashion and historical fiction will enjoy this novel.
I received a free copy of the ebook from Forever Books and a free copy of the Audiobook from Hachette Audio. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (FROM GOODREADS)
Natasha Lester is the multi-award winning and New York Times best-selling author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS, THE PARIS ORPHAN, THE PARIS SECRET and THE THREE LIVES OF ALIX ST PIERRE. Her new book, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD is out now in Australia, and was published in North America in Jan 2024.
Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.
Natasha’s books have been translated into more than twenty-one different languages and are now published all around the world.
She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves fashion history, practicing the art of fashion illustration, collecting vintage fashion, traveling and, of course, books. (less)
Below are the American and Australian covers. Which one do you like better? I think I’m leaning toward the Australian cover, but I like the color of the dress on the American cover. I don’t always like it when they cut the face in half on a cover, so I will choose Australia.
When scientists in Moscow decided to resurrect the Mammoth, they soon realize they will have to teach them HOW to be mammoths. They call on Dr. Damira Khismatullina, the top expert in elephant behavior. The only problem is that she was murdered by poachers long before. But they have her consciousness in digital form. Will what remains of Dr. Khismatullina’s conscience agree to be uploaded into a mammoth?
This is a fascinating premise. The idea of putting a human conscience into a mammoth’s brain brings up so many questions and possibilities. The author does a great job of explaining the modern plight of the elephant and the ruthlessness of the poachers. The idea of a human inhabiting the body of a mammoth is so intriguing that I wish it was explored a little more. The fact that a mammoth’s senses are greater than a human’s, and how that impacts Damira, is definitely related to the reader, but Damira’s experiences of first inhabiting the mammoth and actually learning to move around, maneuver, and take leadership of a herd were not fully explored. The book is very short and should have been a lot more fleshed out. I realize it’s a novella but the topic deserves a full-length novel. This idea has movie potential, but the book is not long enough to support that.
I listened to the audiobook, and it was well narrated by Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir, who handled the tough task of portraying a unique character, Damira, who is a digitized human turned mammoth. They also related the plight of animals hunted by poachers in a truthful way so the reader can realize the brutality that is going on.
Anyone interested in protecting endangered species with a little science fiction added to the story will enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from Spotify Audiobooks. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
(Excerpt from the bio on the author’s website) Born in Quebec and raised in California, Ray Nayler lived and worked abroad for two decades in Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Kosovo. A Russian speaker, he has also learned Turkmen, Albanian, Azerbaijani, and Vietnamese. Ray is a Foreign Service Officer. He previously worked in international educational development, as well as serving in the Peace Corps in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. In Vietnam he was Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Ray also served as the international advisor to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He is currently Diplomatic Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at The George Washington University. He holds an MA in Global Diplomacy from the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS, the University of London.
Ray began publishing speculative fiction in 2015 in the pages of Asimov’s with the short story “Mutability“. Since then, his critically acclaimed stories have seen print in Clarkesworld, Analog, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Lightspeed, Vice (Terraform),and Nightmare, as well as in several Locus Recommended Reading lists and many “Best of the Year” anthologies. Ray currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife Anna, their daughter Lydia, and two rescued cats – one Tajik, one American. His novella The Tusks of Extinction will be published in January 2024 by Tor.
Self-Published Saturday is my effort to help Self-Published/Indie authors with marketing. These authors have to do it all, from cover design to editing to marketing. If I can help even a little bit with marketing, I’m happy to do it. This week’s feature is Desperate Tides, Desperate Measures, the fifth book in Brett Salter’s Talisman Series, a young adult adventure with dragons!
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Looks like our heroes can finally put an end to the nightmare that was Scarabadon, The Juggernaut. And it seems everyone’s favorite Synergist Knight and Master Dragon have fixed their Talisman issue too. Having thwarted every attack The Tyrant King has thrown at them to this point, The Alliance believes that they can endure any challenge as long as they remain together. Now, having the upper hand seems like the perfect opportunity to seek out more allies and even more of the realm’s mystical Talismans. Could this be a “happily ever after” for our ensemble of motley heroes? Or is this peace just a fool’s hope and just as temporary as the changing tides?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
(In his own words): My background in writing stems mostly from the inspiration I found as a kid when I read Fantasy and Sci-Fi books. These include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Xanth Novels, The Time Quintet, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and everything from Shakespeare to Dr. Seuss. In my formative years, I joined several punk rock bands and wrote songs, poetry, and short stories aplenty. As an adult (?) I took on a dare and wrote the first book in my Talisman Series. I loved the feeling it gave me and the idea of inspiring others so much that I kept writing until I had an entire series.
BOOK REVIEW
Rome and Julian are back for another adventure, and this time the enemy is up close and personal. Having discovered their true synergy and unlocked their full powers, Rome and Julian set out to find more allies and talismans.
Overall, I enjoyed this latest installment in the Talisman series. The plot is clever and captivating, and my favorite dragon, Rome, continues to grow and develop as a character and a mythical creature. The author has a great talent for world-building, and he adds more intriguing characters and nuances to this world. The plot is exciting and action-packed. The new character, Mander, is delightfully funny.
However, I do have some constructive criticism: I’m still not happy with the way Julian treats Mr. Jones, especially five books in. Julian’s character development seems to have digressed. I had great hope for him after the last book, but the spoiled brat has returned. Julian also spends a lot of time whining and complaining about another character in this latest installment of the series. I don’t find him to be a great influence on middle-grade readers, especially with his disrespectful attitude.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can borrow the book for free.
*If you buy the book(s), please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help self-published authors go a long way!
This is a new feature I’m starting which was inspired by a post on another blog, Feed The Crime (One Book At A Time. The post here lists books the blogger has loved that have less than 200 reviews on Goodreads. With a tip of the hat to them, I take a look at Amazing Books by Indie/Self-Published Authors With Less Than 100 Reviews on Amazon. This is aimed at telling the world about great books they may not have seen. Indie authors do not have the marketing machine enjoyed by the traditionally published, so it is up to us to share, read, and review these great books. A couple of these books are from small, independent presses, but most are self-published. Please share this post with all of your social media followers, because some of them may find a book they love, and would have otherwise missed.
If you click on the covers, you can go straight to the Amazon link.
I plan to do this feature at least once a month, so please share these great books with others. Let’s get these books the attention they deserve.
Agustina De Aragón by Gail Meath. This is the amazing story of the “Spanish Joan of Arc.” My review is here.
No Ordinary Thing: GZ Schmidt: This is amazing Middle Grade/Young Adult historical fiction–with a time-traveling snow globe! My review is here.
The Robin Hood Trilogy: Olivia Longueville and J.C. Plummer: This is the best Robin Hood retelling I have ever read. My review is here.
TELLING SONNY: Elizabeth Gauffreau: This gorgeously written book will take you back to Vaudeville in the 1920s. My review is here.
Your Words Your World: Amazing poetry book about God and His Creation. My review is here
This amazing Middle Grade/Young Adult fantasy series, The Hamelin Stoop series, is reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia. My review is here.
These are all great books that received 5 stars from me. They just need readers to know about them. If you decide to read any of them, please leave a review on Amazon. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
Jessalyn Joy loves her husband, but she can’t help the feelings that arose when he volunteered for the Union army. When he comes back to her in a box instead of on his feet, those feelings complicate even more.
Jessalyn’s mourning period is cut short when something begins to attack the livestock in their small town, and greater dangers begin to threaten their provincial life. Thrown together with the new reverend, one of her own students, and a strange man somehow related to her husband’s passing, Jessalyn must find a way to stop the evils that threaten her husband’s first and ultimately last home.
Set in the Southwestern home front, Huszar blends a taste of fantasy into a startling down-to-earth world, creating a high stakes adventure for this strong female protagonist and her band of amateur sleuths.
Rachael Huszar kept her life steeped in stories from a young age, and she began her own journey in story-making when she reached adulthood. In the time since, she has taken up swimming, roller skating, and consuming tabletop RPG streams. She spends the bulk of her time with her dog, Silo, and works full time as a designer in Dallas, Texas.
This is a fascinating story that appears to be a Western, but is so much more. Jessalyn Joy’s husband has been killed in the Civil War, and she is still in mourning when she meets Sam Brooks, a stranger who needs a place to stay. Jessalyn is also distracted by a number of strange livestock kills in the town of Three Willows. Three Willows seems like any Civil War era western town, but it holds a secret, and the element of fantasy that is thrown into the story makes this Western unique. The author has a great ability to create and build a mystery, and the relationships between the characters are dynamic and real. There is also a touch of comedy at times. I would recommend this story to readers of both Fantasy and Western fiction, and those, like me, who love genre mashups.
I received a free copy of this book via HF Virtual Book Tours. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
This is the newest edition of Self-Published Saturday, where I highlight self-published books and their authors. As you know, self-published authors have to do their own marketing, and I hope with this feature to help spread the word about their books. This week’s feature includes two books, both by Brett Salter. They are books 3 and 4 of his Talisman Series. I reviewed Books 1 and 2 already, and I have provided links below. The Talisman Series is a young adult/middle grade fantasy adventure–with dragons! As always, if you buy the book, please remember to leave a review. This is so important for self-published authors.
Book Review: Windy City Ruins (Book 3)
In Book 3 of the Talisman series, Rome, Julian, and Mrs. Case head to New York to meet with a contact and learn more about the talismans and their mission. Circumstances land them in the “Windy City” of Chicago, and they meet new friends and face new challenges. With targets on their backs and evil drawing ever closer, they continue to search for information on how to defeat the Tyrant King and his armies. I continue to enjoy this series, as Rome and Julian learn even more about talismans and their mission, and they meet fascinating new friends along the way. Rome continues to grow and learn. While I was still frustrated with Julian’s rudeness early in the book, he begins to show some growth as well. The group meets even more players in this game and we are introduced to another type of dragon. There is a shocking surprise that will provide more challenges than ever. I continue to be fascinated by the dragons in this series and the good vs. evil battle as a whole. Brett Salter has given us a fascinating world to explore in the Talisman series.
Book Review: The Battle for Verdana (Book 4)
Rome and Julian’s search for true synergy takes them to the forests of the Pacific Northwest where they search for answers and deal with the ever-pursuing enemy. More surprises and new friends await them in the latest book in the Talisman series.
Wow! Five stars for this one as Rome and Julian continue to grow in strength and humility. There are ups and downs, and a fantastic surprise at the end that will not disappoint. As always, epic battles abound, and I really enjoyed the character growth I saw in this book. This book teaches kids important lessons in integrity, humility, and team building. A team is made up of those with different strengths and talents, and I am glad to see this lesson shown so well in these books. I am looking forward to Book 5 and the adventures that await.
Brett Salter’s background in writing stems mostly from the inspiration he found as a kid in Fantasy and Sci-Fi books. These include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Xanth Novels, The Time Quintet, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and everything from Shakespeare to Dr. Seuss. In his formative years, he joined several punk rock bands and wrote songs, poetry, and short stories aplenty. As an adult he took on a dare and wrote The Talisman Series. He has published four books in this series so far: The Search for Synergy, Riders of Fire and Ice, Windy City Ruins, and The Battle for Verdana.
BUY THE TALISMAN SERIES
You will find links buy all four books of the Talisman Series by clicking on the photo above.. Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read them for free.
Q&A With Brett Salter
Brett Salter was kind enough to answer some questions for me, and I thank him again for taking the time out to do that. Here is the Q&A below:
What inspired you to write the Talisman Series? I’ve told this story a bunch of times. And it’s completely true. My mother dared me to write a book off a premise we came up with together, and I just went with it. Before I knew it, I had the first book done and since it ended on a cliffhanger, we were like, “What next?”. I realized that I liked writing so much that I just kept on going. Now, I’m sitting on 4 self-published books and 7 more waiting in the wings (get it?)
What is the main message you want readers to take away from this series? I think the main thing I want to impart on young readers is to always take that first step into adventure. It could be a situation in real life or cracking open a book and following along with characters. Preaching creativity is really what I strive for with my life and my kids’ lives. I want them to be passionate about their interests and always be creative because this world need creativity now more than ever.
How is Book 5 coming along? Can you share the title yet, and how many books do you have planned for this series? I plan on releasing the 5th book of my proposed 12 by winter of this year! It needs an edit or two….or three or four. And it needs some cover art, but it should be out early 2022. Book four ends with a pretty big cliffhanger regarding our heroes and their powers. Well, that DOES get resolved, but the 5th book opens so much more trouble for our heroes in the form Darkbrand threats. Plus, we get a ton of reveals regarding the “big bad’s” plans, more Talismans, and we maybe, possibly, definitely get to visit a new dragon den??? I have several titles in the mix, but I have not settled on one yet. This book is going to be a little darker than the previous 4, so I need title reflective of the darker turn in the series. I’m open to suggestions
In your bio you mention being inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings, among others. Both series feature scenes with dragons, of course, and Eustace from the Chronicles of Narnia even turns into a dragon at one point. Obviously Eustace was a boy who was turned into a dragon and Rome finds out he is a dragon disguised as a boy. However, is Eustace an inspiration of sorts for Rome? That’s an interesting question. I think the idea of Rome transforming into a dragon may have unintentionally been inspired by Eustace Scrubb or perhaps a similar character from another work of fiction. But I will say this. The main difference between Euastace and Rome is that Eustace’s transformation furthers his character development by forcing him to look at his attitude and behavior and change the way he treats people for the better. Whereas Rome’s transformation is meant to be more in keeping with his destiny. Confirming he is a dragon DOES change him for the better, but It’s more of realizing his future than trying to make up for past indifferences. I do see the similarities though.
What other authors are you reading now? I read everything E.C. Meyers puts out because most of his books are cannon side projects to my favorite show RWBY. I’m reading “The Breadwinner” by Deborah Ellis alongside my son for a school assignment. I just finished “Sirens of Titan” by Kurt Vonnegut. And, I intend to start “War for the Oaks” by Emma Bull on a friend’s recommendation.
Do you have any other series planned for the future? Abso-lutely! I do have the humblest beginnings of a second series in the works. I have the plot of the first book and the “Legendarium” already put to paper (or hardrive). That series will be a work of portal fiction mixed with destiny fiction and entail more adult themes as compared to The Talisman Series. I came up with the idea in between writing books 8 and 9, and I WILL eventually get around to writing that series. Maybe after I put out book five of The Talisman Series this winter.
Thanks again to Brett Salter for his great responses to our questions!
Two Reminders before you go:
If you buy the book(s), please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. This is very important to self-published authors.
Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help self-published authors go a long way!
The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity. They built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.
Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo. Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!
The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.
BOOK REVIEW: THE ABDICATION:
I would best describe The Abdication as a fantasy thriller with elements of historical fiction, the supernatural, and biblical imagery. I might even add alternate history, as biblical characters appear, but in a different way. Angels, Devils and Moloch play heavily in this story and are, of course, also found in the Bible. Some characters, such as Ruth, Sarah, and Enoch, share names and certain traits with Biblical characters. In this novel, mankind decided to leave Unity after being granted the gift of free will, similar to the Bible story of Adam and Eve, who were forced to leave Eden after gaining the knowledge of good and evil. I see Unity as Eden, and Tula as the representation of mankind trying to return to Eden, or mankind trying to seek out God. Child sacrifice to Moloch is an element of history that is brought into this book and is one of the consequences of man receiving free will. To me, the rope bridge between Topeth and Unity is a symbol of man’s separation from God, and Tula as a symbol of those who try to cross that breach.
The very name of the town Topeth provokes thought, as it is a slightly different spelling than tophet, which comes from the Hebrew toph “a drum,” because the cries of children sacrificed by the priests of Moloch were drowned by the noise of drums, or from taph or toph, meaning “to burn.” The Middle English definition of tophet from Merriam Webster literally refers to the shrine used to sacrifice children to Molech or Moloch in the book of Jeremiah. The author has put a great deal of thought and meaning into every detail of this book.
This novel is entertaining, but will also make you pause and reflect, especially about the consequences of free will and man’s relationship with God. This is a thought-provoking read that will make you consider the results of actions and how evil comes about.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers – that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
OTHER BOOKS BY JUSTIN NEWLAND
The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind.
The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times.
Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution.
Today’s Self-Published Saturday feature is The Search for Synergy, the first book in The Talisman Series by Brett Salter. As always with self-published books, be sure to leave a review if you decide to read it. Reviews are extremely important for self-published authors who have to do all of their own marketing.
#BOOK REVIEW: The Search For Synergy
Rome is a 14 year old boy who suddenly finds himself seeking out fire and danger. When he accidentally sets the neighbor’s tree on fire in an unusual way, he catches the eye of a schoolmate, Julian. Julian begins watching Rome closely and soon discovers what he suspects is true. Rome is a dragon, and Julian will be his knight counterpart, once they achieve Synergy and get their full power. They are descendants of dragon and knight families of old. Together, they can save the world from dark forces that are coming. Rome soon meets Mr. Jones, who has been training Julian for this moment since he was seven years old, and they begin to try to unlock the secrets of Synergy.
The whole concept of hidden dragon and knight families with special bonds and powers from the time of King Arthur is exciting and interesting. The beginning 30 percent or so of the book is spent on Rome learning about who and what he truly is. Then the first epic battle between good and evil happens, and it is awesome. I enjoyed this hidden world where dragons are real and live among us, knights are still training to save the world, and evil creatures keep trying to break through into Earth from the void.
The friendship and bond between Rome and Julian is believable and fun. The evil creatures we’ve seen so far, the Garms, are powerfully described. Rome’s fantastical transformation is a joy to read and experience along with him. This start to The Talisman Series reminds me a little bit of Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Riders of Fire and Ice.
Although I have seen this book described as middle grade fiction, which would be roughly ages 8 – 12, I think kids under the age of 13 should read it only with parental supervision, and I would categorize it as young adult instead of middle grade. The battles with evil creatures could be scary for young kids, and the fact that Julian has been trained by Mr. Jones since he was seven and the two of them keep a lot of secrets from his parents set off some alarms for me.
Even as someone who is in her 50’s, I truly enjoyed the start to this young adult series. After all, as C.S. Lewis said, “No book is really worth reading at the age of 10 which is not equally—and often far more—worth reading at the age of 50 and beyond.”
I have rated this gem of a book four and half stars, rounded up to five on sites without a half star option.
I downloaded a copy of this book on Kindle Unlimited where subscribers can read it for free.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brett Salter
Brett Salter’s background in writing stems mostly from the inspiration he found as a kid in Fantasy and Sci-Fi books. These include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Xanth Novels, The Time Quintet, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and everything from Shakespeare to Dr. Seuss. In his formative years, he joined several punk rock bands and wrote songs, poetry, and short stories aplenty. As an adult he took on a dare and wrote The Talisman Series. He has published four books in this series so far: The Search for Synergy, Riders of Fire and Ice, Windy City Ruins, and The Battle for Verdana.
Once again, it’s time to feature a great self-published book. I really enjoy this feature because it helps independent authors with the monumental task of promoting their books. If you decide to read this book, please write a review and post it on Amazon, Goodreads, and other sites where you talk about books. This helps authors so much. I can’t stress that enough. Your review makes a difference.
Today’s book is the first in a series that captivated me from the beginning, The Hamelin Stoop series by Robert B. Sloan. In fact, I have been known to drop everything and ignore my giant TBR list in order to read the next installment. See the review below.
BOOK REVIEW: THE EAGLE, THE CAVE, AND THE FOOTBRIDGE
Hamelin Stoop is an exciting young adult/middle grade fantasy adventure series in the vein of the Chronicles of Narnia and even Harry Potter.
In The Eagle, The Cave, and The Footbridge, Hamelin’s mother Johnnie is on the run from evil trackers, so she places him, still a little baby, on the stoop of an orphanage in a tomato box. One of the only legible words in the note she left was “Hamelin,” and since he was found on the stoop, he was named Hamelin Stoop by the orphanage staff.
Upset and frustrated, Hamelin runs away from the orphanage when he is 8 years old. That’s when strange things begin happening. He is drawn to a cave by a talking eagle, and then he begins to learn more about his parents and his true purpose. There is a related story about three princesses in another land as Sloan begins to weave this tale together.
This is a “good vs. evil” adventure series which drew me in immediately, and I am always excited to see the next book. This book has everything–talking creatures, evil overlords, distant lands, and lost princesses. So far, there are three books, and I’m anxiously awaiting the fourth. I see definite nods to C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, which is always a good thing. I would recommend this to anyone over 10 years old who enjoys fantasy, adventure, and good vs. evil stories. As C.S. Lewis said, “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” And this is a great children’s story that will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
I received a free digital copy from Booksirens. My opinions are voluntary and are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Robert B. Sloan is President of Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas. He is also a former President of Baylor University. Dr. Sloan and his wife Sue have seven adult children and more than 20 young grandchildren. He is an author, communicator, educator, and leader—all hats he has worn many times for a variety of reasons. These four areas represent life experiences that have provided him and his family with many memories. It is in the experiences of life that memories are made and lives are shaped.
Robert Sloan has a passion for Christian higher education and the spiritual formation of young people for the glory of God, which can be seen in both his professional and personal life.
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