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CarboN The Primitivision by Larry Hodge

Review:

Seattle Book Review – 5 stars

CarboN: The Primitivision is the premiere art book by Lawrence Armondo Hodge (aka CarboN). His new book is a collection of CarboN’s work from 1989 to 2021. This Bay Area native drew his inspiration from many cultures, styles, and art genres. As viewers flip through the pages of his book, it is easy to detect design hints from many civilizations and other artists. Mythological and natural forms can be seen in his drawings and figures from his imagination. The book spans thirty-two years of CarboN’s creative process. This book is broken down into four sections, showing the evolution of CarboN’s stylings.

This book takes the viewer through the years of his progression. Browsing through each section, one gets a sense of how CarboN’s art developed. His early works could be considered flash art. The pieces seem to be smaller and simpler but also detailed. The inkwork is lighter, and the art contains more open spaces. Later works tend to be more complex and abstract. Many later works are very involved, and CarboN explores the whole page. The lines get heavier and darker. At first glance, these larger pieces look like elaborate doodles, but the longer one studies them, the more one sees.

It has been said that all art should evoke emotions. CarboN’s works are no exception. Primarily black and white, some works are repetitive, giving them an Escher-like feel. Others are more in the style of Aubrey Beardsley. With the wide range of influences CarboN cited as his muses, it is hard to put a hard label on his works. Though, if I were to give them a genre, I would have to call his art psychedelic tribal with hints of surrealism and abstractism. It is not hard to lose oneself in the pages of this book for hours. Viewing the later works can be an all-day endeavor. The longer one explores these works, the more one will find.

The beauty of CarboN’s art is on full display in this book. It is well crafted yet simple and elegant. This publication would be a great addition for anyone who collects art books. CarboN holds off explaining his pieces, allowing the viewer to put their thoughts and emotions into how the art makes them feel. This book would be great as a conversation starter, for casual viewing, or in-depth meditations. Aspiring artists could draw motivation from this well-done tome. CarboN: The Primitivision is a highly fulfilling viewing experience.

~  Eric Smith, Seattle Book Review

Buy the Book – Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Lawrence Armando Hodge (aka ~CarboN~) was born in San Leandro CA on October 11, 1970 and spent much of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been consistently honing his drawing style since the mid to late 1980's.

During his younger years he was drawn to art and design from a multitude of different cultures including Pacific islander tattoo design, Ancient Hindu and Egyptian design, Greek, Norse mythology, Celtic, Far East and Oriental, Japanese woodcuts, Native American, Islamic, and African Tribal.

Major influences include: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Aestheticism, Vorticism, 1960's and 1970's psychedelic and Pop Art.

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The Dawn of AI (Paperwar) by Ryan LeKodak

Book Summary:

One malfunction…

Millions dead…

The search for answers begins…

In the year 2040, the world's transportation is dominated by a highly advanced artificial intelligence system.

However, this seemingly perfect technology collapses, resulting in catastrophic disasters and the loss of millions of lives worldwide.

The disaster is dubbed Mayday, and its aftermath affects everyone. But was it simply a malfunction, or is there a more nefarious agenda at work? Who is accountable for the mass slaughter, and why was it carried out?

Order your copy and find out if the rise of AI, will be the fall of civilization!

Buy the Book – Amazon

 Reviews:

★★★★★“LeKodak's stellar debut is a science fiction thriller that utilizes elements of speculative fiction, apocalyptic fiction, and conspiratorial mystery in a globe-hopping narrative that chronicles a group of adventurers trying to unravel who—or what—was behind a software malfunction that killed tens of millions of innocent people. It is well-written, relentlessly paced, and thematically profound, and will surely appeal to fans of SF thrillers by luminaries like Clarke, Dick, and Crichton. This is the good stuff.”

Paul Goat Allen, BlueInk Review

 ★★★★★“It's refreshing to see a talented author like LeKodak take the trope into the dystopian disaster novel niche and deliver an action-packed tale that gives just as many blockbuster thrills as it does intelligent technological questions. The plot and its themes are the primary focus, but in the ensemble cast of characters caught in the crossfire, each one has good solid development and moments to shine. I recommend The Dawn of AI to enthusiasts of intricately penned and exciting science fiction everywhere."

K.C. Finn, Readers' Favorite Book Review

 ★★★★★“The characters are extremely well developed, which is quite an accomplishment given how many there are. The most intriguing characters to me are conjoined twins with incredible story arcs and whenever the point of view kicked back to them, for me, it was like a favorite song playing again on the radio."

Jamie Michele, Readers' Favorite Book Review

 ★★★★★“The Dawn of AI connects the dots between characters that I neither expected nor saw coming in a story configuration that has an after-before-after pattern. I love this configuration as it hooks immediately and then goes back to fill in the blanks after I am invested in the plot. Excellent storytelling. Very highly recommended."

Asher Syed, Readers' Favorite Book Review

 ★★★★★“With the rise of Artificial Intelligence being a hot topic in the real world right now, I’m grateful to see such thought-provoking stories that explore this emergent technology's potential. This book is an easy recommendation to anyone interested in exciting science fiction, which takes a prevailing concern of today's world and explores it with intelligence and consideration."

Lexie Fox, Readers' Favorite Book Review

 ★★★★★“The pitfalls of giving the machines too much control play out in the storyline of Ryan LeKodak's novel. His take on an apocalyptic event is so vivid it is frightening to contemplate. The Dawn of AI is a science fiction aficionado’s dream novel."

Essien Asian, Readers' Favorite Book Review

 ★★★★★“In a world where jobs and livelihoods are being increasingly threatened by AI’s potential, this book is a reminder that machine malfunctions will inevitably happen.”

Theresa Kadair, Los Angeles Book Review

 About the Author:

Ryan LeKodak is a science fiction author who lives in San Diego, California with his family. After emigrating from Vietnam in 1980 by boat, Ryan dreamed of becoming a doctor and nothing more. But upon learning the sight of blood made him squeamish, he pivoted from premed to begin a thirty-plus-year career in high-tech engineering, IT, quality assurance, and operations. Now a cybersecurity program manager based in San Diego, Ryan juggles a hectic career, raising his twin sons, and appeasing a needy Poochon puppy. At home, his lively boys take center stage, and their colorful comic doodles, adolescent puns, and wildly exaggerated stories from school inspired him to craft fast-paced science-fiction thrillers that explore the ominous potential of a future where AI surpasses human control. Through his writing, Ryan champions the extraordinary strengths that reside within each of us and celebrates the individual quirks that lighten fantastic worlds on the brink of disaster.

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Cobra Pose: Yoga Mat Mysteries by Susan Rogers & John Roosen

 Book Summary:

Australia is a surfers’ paradise … but this nefarious surfing on the ‘net’ … will destroy the global financial system.

It’s not just a rippling ‘scam’ job. Has Australia been infiltrated at levels they’ve never known?

 Elaina Williams uses a Cobra Pose in her Yoga studio to boost her energy – she will need it! Elaina’s father, Edward, is in trouble. He’s disappeared.

 As a solicitor and now yoga instructor, Elaina drags Ric, a man she’s fallen for, into the bursting web of techno-thrilling intrigue.

 Ric Peters has just returned from a disastrous trip to Indonesia. Ric bills himself as a photojournalist. Elaina suspects he shoots more than just photographs. Ric has insight into the journey he and Elaina must take. He knows Elaina isn’t ready for what’s going to happen. There are too many moving parts for him to control.

 Time is running out before The Cobra and The Wolf strike with their heist. They are extending their fangs towards Australia’s ‘golden coastline’ to bite into and destabilise financial institutions worldwide.

 The sparkling sub-tropical city of Brisbane, Queensland, is the epicentre of this hacking tsunami of the century! But these hackers are good at hiding. They make a living out of it. They are submerged Phantoms leaving no tracks.

Can the burgeoning amateur sleuth Elaina piece this puzzle together before her father’s fate is sealed? How far is Ric willing to go in deciding to save Elaina … or Australia?

 Cobra Pose is the suspense-thriller and second novel in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series. This book is filled with a snappy plot, dynamic prose, witty dialogue, and slow-burn chemistry. You’ll love Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s atmospheric whodunit. Click Cobra Pose to stretch your sense of adventure today!

 Buy the Book – Amazon

 Reviews:

Elaina Williams and Ric Peters are back at it in the second installment of the Yoga Mat series, Cobra Pose. This time, things hit even closer to home when Elaina’s father, Dr. Edward Williams goes missing. After Elaina doesn’t hear from her father in a week, she calls Ric up to enlist him in helping her find the doctor. In a note he had left her, he had said he was going bushwalking but did not leave any dates or other information. Elaina leaves her staff at Yoga Boronia to run the business and goes from Sydney to Brisbane with Ric to find her father. Knowing that her father is adept at technology, specifically cyber-security and data protection, Elaina starts to put the clues together and realizes her father may have been kidnapped by someone who has a use for his skillset.

 There are so many well-thought-out parts to this book as in the first book. I love the relationship between Elaina and Ric although at times it seems that Ric is distracted and gives Elaina mixed messages. His obsession with only the best coffee and his taking up of tea draw humor into the book because Ric is such a masculine character. It is clear they both still care for one another. The scenery the characters pass through as they complete their adventure is descriptive yet not overbearing to the point it will bore the reader. The clues that Dr. Williams leaves Elaina are realistic, yet make the reader feel like there is a Nancy Drew element strewn throughout. The kidnappers who have different backgrounds each have very specific characteristics as well and the dialogue between the characters brings them to life. Elaina’s Uncle Max intercepts his way into the story when Ric and Elaina run into him after searching her father’s house. As Max’s dual identity reveals itself, the big guns are called in to help. Both Ric and Max’s backgrounds are very secretive, however, it is clear that they have resources at their disposal. I also love how a dummy yoga studio is created to bait the hackers/kidnappers. Genius!

 With the latest Australian cyber-attacks occurring, this book delves into the topic of cyber hacking and the reason that cyber security is so important, both personally and in business. Cobra Pose is a cat-and-mouse game full of action, adventure, and danger. With twists and turns throughout the plot and a tearjerker moment that puts readers into a final stage of suspense, authors Rogers and Roosen have put together yet another fantastic thriller.  

Reviewed By: Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

  About the Authors

What do a woman, who used to train military personnel how to shoot straight, and a man, skilled at eradicating all sorts of hazardous materials safely, have in common? Both were designated law enforcement officers and they have now written two ‘knock ’em dead’ books … together!

 John Roosen started his career as a biologist, served as a commissioned naval officer and environmental emergency specialist in the United States, and has lived and worked in Australasia, Antarctica, the Americas and the Middle East. At a moment’s notice, he would respond to chemical and refinery plant explosions, deal with rocket fuel plant meltdowns and dismantle illegal drug labs. With Susan, John delivered international security and safety training against terrorism to ports in the Pacific. As a change-up, John switched careers to chasing pirates and duelling with a con artist extraordinaire on a remote South Pacific island. In between, he organised jungle expeditions and deep-sea scuba diving. However, John’s experience extends beyond responding to cataclysmic disasters and includes mastering the intricacies of making soufflé omelettes without burning the edges.

 Susan Rogers already knew she was a writer at age six, but her life took a major detour when she became a commissioned naval officer. As a designated law enforcement officer, she was boarding ships at sea and conducting structural and safety inspections. In addition, she developed civil defence programs for civilian populations. With John, Susan orchestrated sting operations. Susan also ran extensive weapons training programs and managed emergency responses for natural and man-made disasters. Susan worked in Australasia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East. While posted in Abu Dhabi, she ran health and safety operations for multi-billion-dollar projects along the Persian Gulf. In her spare time, she directed the restoration of a Presidential yacht. In between, she has written several books and revamped a South Pacific maritime service. Susan continues to write: whether braced against the hull of a sailing vessel on a hard tack, during a crossing of the Middle East’s empty quarter in a Mini or bouncing around in a troop carrier in Australia’s outback.

 After writing Surviving Paradise about their life in the South Pacific, John and Susan hatched their Yoga Mat Mysteries series. Dead Man’s Pose is first in the line-up, with Cobra Pose as the second book. Next will be Tree Pose – coming soon!

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Deadly Repercussions by Karen Black

 About the Book:

From the streets of Mexico to mountains of Wyoming, Juan Velasquez does what is needed to survive and to prosper.

His belief in the rule of law is trumped by his belief in the pursuit of justice, a trait that is passed down to his daughter, Elizabeth, and his granddaughter, Elaina.

Assassination within Juan’s family triggers a homicide investigation that sets off a chain of events leading to betrayal, kidnapping and more death. Deception and devotion become confused and while loyalty has benefits, it also has a cost. When Juan disappears during his unofficial search for the assassin, Elaina deciphers details that could lead her to him. Hesitant to share the information with authorities she sets out on her own, aware that in the undercover world, life is a masquerade and the path to the truth is complex.

 Buy the Book – Amazon.com, Bookshop.org

 Review:

Trouble is coming.

That's the opening portent of Deadly Repercussions, a suspense/mystery story that introduces brothers who are dual citizens of the United States and Mexico.

Alejandro and Manuel have chosen different paths in their lives, but their loyalty and family ties to one another remain consistent until death breaks them and leads one brother to exact revenge whil e a son left behind is indoctrinated into a street gang.

The fight for justice continues into new generations and a conflict as the story evolves, following Juan into adulthood. A daughter's safety is left to New Jersey boy Jerod Ventura, who moves from his initial burglary as a young man to become one of Juan's trusted friends.

The repercussions of murder resonate through different generations, relationships, and experiences. Karen Black weaves a powerful saga of disparate special interests, kidnappings and threats, and forces that clash as times change.

Black is particularly adept at following children into adulthood, from Elaina and Juan to Jarod, showing how family and friendships evolve against the threat and backdrop of violence and change.

Deadly Repercussions moves deftly between and among these disparate lives in a dance with death that keeps altering the characters in unexpected ways.

The mercurial timeline of shifting experiences and interests keeps readers thoroughly immersed in events that challenge relationships with heartache, love, adversity, and wasted lives changed by destructive impulses.

“Life is a masquerade with repercussions that can be deadly.”

Libraries that choose Deadly Repercussions for its special brand of suspense paired with inspections of generations that grow and change under the influence of violence and bad choices will find this story replete in not just suspense and mystery, but murder, loss, and the resonance of events that change future generations.

Book clubs, too, will find its winding progression through choices and consequences sparks lively discussion over the pursuit of justice and its end results. 

~ Donovan’s Literary Services

 About the Author:

With a degree in Criminal Justice and an understanding that for some justice trumps the law, in “Deadly Repercussions,” the author combines experience and imagination to weave a complex mystery novel that doesn’t end quite the way you would expect.  Black lives in the United States with her husband and a variety of wildlife, as well as two aliens disguised as cats.

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Squeeze Plays by Jeffrey Marshall

 About the Book:

Squeeze Plays is variously listed as a financial thriller, a satire (Amazon category) and a modern morality play. It deals with business and finance - though in terms that most sophisticated readers can easily understand, even though they may know little about finance. The villain is a cunning Russian oligarch, which makes the novel timely.

The story offers an intertwining of three principal characters, with a fourth - a financial journalist - entering the picture as the agent who ties them together. Along the way, the novel is rich in simile and metaphor and casts a satirical eye on the foibles of the rich and well-connected in New York and London.

Buy the Book – Amazon.com, Bookshop.org

Reviews:

“Corbin van Sloot is a man who is well positioned in the financial world. He is the CEO of Whitehall, a financial firm with a long history that is held in high esteem. Corbin oversees the United States end of the business for the UK-based company. The winds of change have Corbin concerned, however, as the financial system appears more and more precarious. One of Whitehall’s key clients, Star Enterprises, is a newspaper empire that has been hemorrhaging money for quite some time. The higher echelon at Whitehall want to call in the loan as the newspaper company seems more and more unstable with each day. Corbin must balance the concerns of his day to day along with his desire to climb the social ladder while also covertly stepping out on his wife.

Winston Crumm is the head of a crumbling media empire. Star Enterprises has been in his family for generations, but the saturation of internet news sites and the desire for instant news has led to the decline of profits. Crumm appears to be oblivious to this, as he routinely puts off calls to his bank and forestalls the inevitable callback of a large loan. Crumm is staring into the abyss of ruin and embarrassment when he receives a call.

Maxim Ripovsky is a Russian oligarch who is as mysterious as he is charismatic. He desires to spread his wealth in the United States, by hook or by crook. He doesn’t have allies in business as much as chess pieces strategically placed, ready for the next attack. He senses opportunity in aiding Winston Crumm and propping up a storied tabloid empire. His loan contains some conditions, and once Crumm opts to accept, the trap is set. Ripovsky is wily and his machinations don’t end solely with him as benevolent benefactor. Ripovsky, Crumm, and van Sloot are on a collision course that may not bode well for anyone.

Squeeze Plays thrives as an intelligent book that explores three particular men and how their desires threaten to bring them down. Corbin seeks status, but his whole world would crumble if his philandering was revealed. Crumm is obsessed with the trappings of wealth to the extent that he ignores his daily tasks. Maxim desires power to the point of hubris, and his ambition may be larger than his view. Author Jeffrey Marshall has written an absorbing work suitable for the current status quo of the world, from the decline of the newspaper to the distrust of anything Russian to the shaky position of the financial world. The three principal characters are united in their fallibility, but the reader will find themselves captivated by their stories and how they’ll end.”

~ Philip Zozzaro, Manhattan Book Review

Take a rich, lazy and arrogant tabloid owner, a hard-charging bank executive who can’t keep his pants zipped and add a powerful Russian oligarch with buckets of money. Top it all off with a hard-working journalist intent on exposing financial misconduct and you have all the key ingredients for an exciting financial thriller.

Jeffrey Marshall’s Squeeze Plays (Atmosphere Press) takes us on a journey to New York, London, Nantucket and the English countryside. We follow Marshall’s rich pampered characters, from sailboats to penthouses and private jets to luxurious homes. This gripping thriller explores the upper reaches of the newspaper and global banking worlds as they collide with the unsavory manipulations of a Russian oligarch.

MONEY WITH STRINGS ATTACHED

Winston Crumm’s newspaper empire, Star Enterprises, is failing in the digital age and is in desperate need of cash. Corbin van Sloot is the CEO of Whitehall Banking Group, the company that is holding over $15 million of Star’s debt. Van Sloot ultimately decides to call the loan in order to protect his bank, should Star go under.

Enter Maxim Ripovsky, a rich Russian oligarch with no moral compass. Ripovsky generously invests $20 million in Star, but not without strings attached. Ripovsky wants to use Crumm’s newspaper as his own personal public relations tool. His goal is to ease his entrance into New York society and take advantage of the connections and business opportunities that entail.

Tensions rise when we learn that Ripovsky has purchased a large amount of Whitehall’s stock on the open market and is pressuring the bank for a board seat. Not only that, but Ripovsky has some nasty leverage on van Sloot — leverage that can destroy both van Sloot’s marriage and his career. And Ripovsky isn’t afraid to exploit van Sloot’s sexual escapades to achieve his nefarious goals. ~ Mark E Greene, BookTrib

  About the Author:

Jeffrey Marshall is a writer, novelist and poet from Scottsdale, AZ. He's the author of five books, including the novels Squeeze Plays, Little Miss Sure Shot and Undetected; Undetected and Squeeze Plays were named ShelfUnbound Notable 100 Indie books in 2020 and 2022, respectively. A retired journalist and the former editor of two national business magazines, Marshall has freelanced to more than 30 publications as varied as The New York Times, High Country News and Tail Fly-Fishing Magazine, and his short fiction has appeared in online magazines like Bright Flash Literary Review, Ariel Chart and Vocal.com, among others. A short story he wrote took first place in the 2022 Arizona Authors competition.

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Jus Breath by B. Lynn Carter

 About the Book:

It started the day she heard Daddy slur, "She ain't mine. You had the nerve to name her Dawn. Look at her! You shudda named her Midnight!" Then Daddy left . . . for good. And the loving music that had filled Dawn's life went silent.

That was the day that a "Midnight" Duckling appeared in the mirror, took up residence in her chest, and controlled her ability to breathe. That was the day she learned to recognize "leaving time" . . . her superpower.

Couched in speculation, Jus Breathe is the tale of a young Black woman's struggle to defy her inner "Duckling" and embrace her true self. Set in New York City during the turbulent sixties, it's an improbable love story with precarious impulses, secret pasts, and inner demons.

Dawn, a survivor, flees her stepfather's violent home. While struggling to go to college, she perfects sofa-surfing and hones her ability to leave situations in an instant. But in the mist of the chaotic uprising that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, serendipity spins Dawn into Danny's world.

Toxically in love, no longer a "leaver," Dawn realizes that in order to survive, she must break free of Danny's dominance. But that Duckling, who's allied with Danny, threatens to squeeze the life-breath from her if she dares to leave . . . that ugly, midnight-black Duckling, she has to kill.

 Reviews

“There is a layer in Jus Breathe, which feels like a blend of Jazz by Toni Morrison and Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson. All explore the stories of Black folks, specifically Black girls and women, as they are in reality. Dawn feels real because she is real; she embodies the tenacity asked of girls, especially Black girls. With this offering, Carter ensures a happy ending for at least one Black girl. With resilience, strength, and the power of her breath, Dawn returns to music and takes a lesson from Aretha Franklin: she was always worthy of love and respect.” 

~ Keana Agula Labra, Manhattan Book Review

Full Review

 Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org

 About the Author

B. Lynn Carter was born and raised in New York City’s Bronx county. She earned a degree in creative writing from The City College of New York

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Just City by Olga Tymofiyeva

About the Book:

Just City is a story of 21-year-old Nathan who dreams about creating a cool start-up with his friend Jack. To get money for the start-up Nathan starts playing a virtual reality game as part of a scientific experiment. The game forces Nathan to discover what it is like to be in the skin of somebody else, for whom the cards have been dealt differently. The depressing experiences of playing the game make Nathan question his belief in meritocracy and pick a fight with Jack. What is just and what do we really deserve? This is only the beginning of Nathan’s search for a new life credo that will have both love and reason at its core.

Reviews:

"Just City is a fantastic book that will have its readers contemplating life and the choices we all make.

It will make readers understand a little bit better about how the brain works and hopefully stimulate compassion for those who are less fortunate.

Just City is an amazing, engaging book with life lessons that all adults should be reading about." 

~ Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

Full Review

"Gripping, moving, and thought-provoking... A page-turner.

The story seems straightforward initially, but relentless twists unravel a hidden complexity, keeping readers invested. The characters are fully fleshed out, including the secondary ones. Tymofiyeva's prose is crisp as it places readers alongside Nathan, thriving as a young man surrounded by love, legacy, and promise before his life turns upside down and he begins to question everything he has known.

Thoughtful and absorbing, the novel makes for a winner." 

~ The Prairies Book Review

Full Review

Buy the Book – Amazon

 About the Author:

Olga Tymofiyeva, PhD, was born in 1981 in Kyiv, Ukraine. After having lived in Ukraine and Germany, she now lives in the US and works as an Associate Professor of Neuroimaging at the University of California in San Francisco. Just City is Olga's first fiction book, which reflects her passion for science and critical thinking.

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The Mommy Clique by Barbara Altamirano

About the Book:

Life in suburbia is typical and ordinary--just the same old same old. Only, not in this neighborhood. Here, the impressively large homes and pure green lawns hide a much darker reality that is far from mundane.

When Beth moves back to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her ailing mother, she is forced to confront not only the ghosts of her youth but the other mothers on her street. There is Elise, the queen bee, who determines the fate of everyone and is all-controlling. There is Kelly, Elise's sidekick and most sycophantic supporter, who secretly longs to have a voice and power of her own. There's Ronnie, the informer, who, with her intelligence and investigative skill, digs up dirt on the others in service to the queen. And then there's Gail, the wannabe, who is constantly striving to feel as important and valued as the others.

Looking for some mom friends, Beth seeks a place for herself within this mommy clique. Turns out they do have an available role for her: it's called the target.

Reviews:

“The Mommy Clique is an entertaining and unpredictable novel filled with gossip and betrayal that will keep readers on their toes. Beth comes back to her hometown after many years to take care of her mother. She is worried about coming back to town, and to make matters worse she is forced to face the mean girl clique of mothers on her street. She soon realizes that she has become the target of these women, and they are looking for some fun. We find out that their ‘perfect’ life in the suburbs is not as great as it looks on the outside.” ~ Literary Titan

Full Review

“If you think that “mean girls” can only be found in the high school cafeteria, think again. Author Barbara Altamirano shows that mean girls grow up to become mean mommies in her newest book, The Mommy Clique. The book takes place in a town in Connecticut and centers around a group of women whom all have elementary school-aged daughters...  This book is fun, entertaining, and very humorous at times.” ~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review

Full Review

Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org

About the Author: Barbara Altamirano has been blessed with an abundance of awkwardness, which allows her to write about uncomfortable situations with authenticity. She was thrilled to discover that there actually are perks to being a wallflower. She has had essays published in places such as Guideposts Magazine, WOW! Women On Writing and bioStories. The Mommy Clique is her first novel. After exploring the antics of women who refuse to grow up, she is now working on several young adult novels.

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Cycles of Norse Mythology by Glenn Searfoss

About the Book:

These stories are old, old as the Behmer Wold and seldom in life has there been such a brewing...

Cycles of Norse Mythology captures the passion, cruelty, and heroism of an ancient world. Encompassing Odin’s relentless pursuit of wisdom across the nine worlds, Gullveig’s malicious death at the hands of the Æsir that sparks a brutal war with the Vanir, Thor’s battles against the giants of Jotunheim, the tragedy of Volund, the many devious machinations of Loki, and the inescapable events of Ragnarök, this lyrical re-imagining of the Norse myths presents the gripping adventures of the Norse gods and their foes in a style to delight modern readers of all ages.

A detailed glossary provides a quick reference to the meaning behind names and terms used in the book. A Source Reference is included for persons who want to delve deeper into the study of Norse mythology.

Reviews:

“Searfoss brilliantly captures the voice of ancient Norse myths through a stunning writing style and characters who deliver astonishing tales about the time of gods and creation. The tales are divided into cycles, with the events occurring based around themes of prophecy, victory, vengeance, premonitions, Ragnarok, and the relationship between gods and men. The stories are brought to life with well-crafted details and vivid characters as Searfoss reimaginines the beginnings of well-known Norse characters. Several of the characters featured include Loki, Thor, Freyja, Sif, and Odin, each of whose origins are explored as well as their victories and struggles.” 

~ Elizabeth Konkel, Seattle Book Review

Full Review

“There are many stories about the Norse realm. Only a few are common and easily accessible. Glenn Searfoss gives readers access to more than just the common ones. The reader gets more dimensions with regards to the characters in the fictional universe. This book is a rewrite of the stories on Norse mythology with a fresh voice and packed with exciting tid bits. The book offers a revamped look at all the suffering, victories and battles of the characters in Norse mythology accompanied by a glossary for a better reading experience.” 

~ Literary Titan

Full Review

Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org

About the Author:

Engaging storytelling transports the reader to a different time/place/viewpoint and encourages their exploration of a subject.

A professional writer of 30+ years, Glenn Searfoss has authored numerous technical manuals, as well as books in the arenas of computer science, natural history, science fiction, and mythology.

Glenn lives with his wife in a turn-of-the-century, brick farm house in Colorado, USA. When not busy making a living, he gardens, works on the house (there is always something to work on with an old house), reads classic and not-so-classic literature and does research for new book projects.

Edda's and Sagas of the Northland recount epic struggles for control of the world. In this land lost amid the cycles of time, canny gods battle shrewd giants, while valiant heroes struggle against honorable foes. Comprised of over 100 stories, Cycles of Norse Mythology takes the reader on a thrilling exploration of the Norse Universe as the Gods and Giants are exposed in their complex interactions. From creation of the world to its violent ending, this comprehensive re-imagining breathes life and modern relevance into the Norse gods and their foes. Cycles of Norse Mythology is the culmination of 16 years intensive study of Norse myths that involved consuming research literature and story compilations published from the late 1700's to the present. Through engaging, lyrical storytelling, this work presents the author's interpretation of the subject matter. It is frustratingly easy to find out what happened to Odin, Thor, and Loki at Ragnarök, but not the other participants in the battle, nor the goddesses and the animals that populated their world. Delving into this world prompted the inevitable who, what, where, and why questions, which required more background and more tales from earlier in the mythology. So, the scope of this work lengthened over the years to encompass the entire breadth of Norse Mythology.

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Equipment by Hesse Caplinger

About the Book:

In 2005, Charles Foster is suffering setbacks both personal and professional: he's been pulled from jet-setting overseas duties and stuffed behind a lectern in a rust belt river-city town--where his wife and child have left him to return to the alabaster and cordials of Washington, DC. When he receives a pet assignment and an inevitable personal challenge, he discovers he may make the worst of them both.

Edmund LeFrance is a habitual gambler and itinerant hit man whose employer accepts a job from a CIA agent--it's a simple fix that could have long-term implications.

Hoyt Gamlin is retired SAS from working-class Britain. A missing compatriot draws him from sunny Los Angeles into the search--and his characteristic aggression.

And Marek Hussar is a recent arrival--seemingly a businessman with little furniture and a wealth of kit--an eccentric and enigmatic foreign national whose motions and motivations interleave and unfold beside Foster, LeFrance, and Gamlin, as they each move to discover, subvert, and survive the intentions of the other.

 Reviews:

“A well-written, thrilling adventure, Equipment takes the reader on a fascinating rollercoaster ride. Two main players, Doctor Howard Charles Foster, CIA agent, and Marek Hussar, a well-connected hitman, find each other in the most advanced game of cat and mouse you could imagine. And although the storyline is intriguing, what I found the most pleasure in while reading this book was the way it was written. The prose felt like a cross between a James Earl Jones narration and a scene out of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. The action was exciting, just as it should be, with car chases that not only describe the vehicles but also every detail as the driver shifts gears and the style of road he is on. The reader can literally hear the gears shift as the two vehicles race through the scene.” 

~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review

Full Review

“I should have put more stock in the foreword, where the editor said this novel doesn’t fit neatly into any particular genre. Is it literary fiction? A thriller? Espionage? There is no easy answer, because it’s easily all of these. The protagonists are spies, the book opens with an explosion, and the author’s tone throughout makes it clear this isn’t your standard genre novel. It’s something far more compelling.” 

~ Jo Niederhoff, San Francisco Book Review

Full Review

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 About the Author:

Hesse Caplinger has written fiction, essays, profiles, and criticism. His work has appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Magazine, Glasstire, and elsewhere. He is the author of the novels "Equipment" and "Terrain."

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A Break in the Fog by Molly Salans

About the Book: 

A family in turmoil, a dangerous cult, and God at the center of it all, A Break in the Fog is a psychological novel that explores how faith can be used to heal, but also how abuse and how family is all that matters in the end.

With her mother dead, her sister Wendy addicted to drugs, and her father condemning her every decision, Clara Greenwood shoulders the weight of all her dysfunctional family’s problems. Desperate for a way out, she is reluctantly goaded into attending a meeting for a secret school, The Ancient Side of Ideas. She is quickly swept up in the cult, however, when she meets the charismatic Damien - one of its teachers. His charm and good looks melt her skepticisms away, convincing her to give up everything in her old life. But when Clara finds herself in too deep, can she find her way out before it’s too late?

Reviews:

“A Break in the Fog is a beautifully written story with themes of love, addiction, post-traumatic stress, and the true meaning of family. In this book, author Molly Salans, writes with prose that dances in the reader’s ear as she tells the story through the points of view of the three main characters. Joe (or Yosev)the father, and Clara and Wendy, the adult daughters. Well-written with beautiful scenery and complex characters, A Break in the Fog will have its readers wide-eyed and hoping for the best.” 

~ Kristi Elizabeth, Seattle Book Review

Full Review

“A Break in the Fog, by Molly Salans, had me thinking about Clara, the story’s main character, well after I finished the story. A wonderfully well-done novel, this is not a light read. The story follows Clara’s journey recalling her traumatic childhood, dysfunctional family, and her eventual wash up in a deadly cult. A tale that truly shook me, readers of serious fiction or those who are seeking a deeper understanding of cults, would thoroughly enjoy this book.” 

~ Theresa Kadair, San Francisco Book Review

Full Review

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About the Author:

An award winning psychological thriller, A Break in the Fog is a story about a family in turmoil and a dangerous cult. This novel is loosely based on the author's own cult experiences years ago.

A Break in the fog has won a first place award for best historical fiction, thriller and suspense

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Woody's Leap of Faith by Julie Boden Schmidt

About the Book: From beginning to end, readers of all ages will fall in love with Woody, a little wood duckling, and his siblings, Buzz and Zoey. The day after hatching, the ducklings must jump from their nest, forty feet high in a tree. Buzz and Zoey are ready – Woody does not want to go!

Follow Woody from being afraid of his future to taking a courageous leap of faith with support from his siblings, all told with wit and wisdom.

Reviews:

“I thought this book was an adorable story capturing perfectly the importance of courage. It shows young readers the benefits of bravery, and how more often than not, troubles are not as bad as they at first seem. Additionally, this book had absolutely stunning illustrations. The large, beautifully drawn images had so much detail and life to them. I also loved the formatting; with feather details on each page and boxes around the words, the book is easy to follow and fun for young readers. I would recommend this story to all readers, but especially to those in the four to nine age group. I think readers of this age, whether being read to by a caretaker or reading solo, would appreciate this book the most.” ~ Theresa Kadair

Full Review

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About the Author: The author spent much of her career in health care, but always dreamed about writing a book. A great mystery fan, she assumed if she ever pursued that dream it would be a mystery. Then, one day while working in remote Montana, she saw three photographs of wood ducklings preparing to leave the nest - by jumping! Her curiosity was roused and imagination stimulated about it was like to take that jump. And so, Woody (who doesn't want to jump), his brother Buzz, who has a buzz cut and wears sunglasses, and his sister Zoey, who wants to be a ballerina and wears a tutu came to life!

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Cleopatra's Vendetta by Avanti Centrae

About the Book:

Bari, Italy, present day. Think tank Special Ops leader Timothy Stryker and his wife Angie, a self-made CEO, haven't exactly been seeing eye-to-eye. They take a much-needed Italian holiday, but it comes to a shocking end when Angie and their daughter are kidnapped.

Still raw from the death of their infant son, Stryker is desperate to rescue Angie and reconcile their differences. As he works to locate the captors' lair, he discovers the kidnappers are behind a string of recent assassinations and attempting another high-profile hit in only seven days. But when he learns their plans for his only remaining child, the scab on his heart tears open and blood begins to spill.

Working from inside her brutal captors' high-security compound, Angie realizes the cabal is hiding an ancient secret using modern propaganda techniques. And as Stryker races hitmen across India, Egypt, and Greece to thwart the next assassination and save his family, he has to connect a series of deadly dots tracing all the way back to the time of Cleopatra. Ultimately, the estranged pair must shake the deeply-buried pillars of western civilization to save their four-year-old daughter from an unspeakable fate.

Reviews:

“Royal secrets. Epic lies. This “dangerous” and controversial standalone thriller from international bestselling VanOps author Avanti Centrae is a fast-paced bombshell of a story about truth and courage.

Born a goddess, Cleopatra died a prisoner. But the cobra’s deadly kiss was just the beginning…

Fascinating, provocative, original, and timely, Cleopatra’s Vendetta is a sizzling novel that paints a disturbing picture of some of the most intricate issues that have plagued humanity’s past…challenges that color our days and provide the blueprint for our future.” 

~ Avonna Loves Genres

Full Review

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Book Video 

About the Author:

#1 International bestselling author who blends intrigue, history, science, and mystery into pulse-pounding action thrillers

Avanti Centrae always wanted to be a writer. Her father served as a U.S. marine corporal in Okinawa, gathering military intelligence during the first decade after the Korean War and her mom was a teacher. She grew up haunting silver bookmobiles in the Midwest but her practical family urged her to get a degree in computer technology, which she did. Eventually, she became a Silicon Valley IT executive, but her heart wasn’t in it. Before her hair began to turn gray, she had a health scare, which forced her to face her own mortality. At the top of the bucket list was becoming a bestselling author. She decided to break free of the golden handcuffs to pursue her dream. After years of drafting, editing, and finding an agent and publisher, her debut, VanOps: The Lost Power, released as an instant Barnes and Noble Nook bestseller. It went on to win three literary awards. Solstice Shadows, VanOps #2 quickly became a #1 Amazon bestseller in the U.S. and Canada, before winning a bronze medal at the Readers' Favorite book awards and nabbing the Chanticleer Global Thrillers Genre Grand Prize.

The Doomsday Medallion won an Honorable Mention at the Southern California Book Awards, was a quarterfinalist in the Publisher's Weekly Booklife contest, and was a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards. It also hit the Top 100 in the Canadian and Australian Amazon Kindle stores. Her trademark blend of intrigue, history, science, and mystery has been compared to that of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Dan Brown, and Clive Cussler. When not travelling the world or hiking in the Sierra mountains, she’s writing her next breathtaking thriller in Northern California, helped by her family and distracted by her German shepherds.

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Tempest Poems by Ryan Meyer

 About the Book:

Ryan Meyer departs from the horror themes of 2018's Haunt in his new collection of poems, Tempest. He explores fear, hope, and self-identity through striking fictional vignettes and surreal personal accounts. Tempest is thus a marriage between the dichotomies of musical, rhythmic poetic dialogue, and the deeper, innate anxieties that accompany change. Discover your truest self and brave the Tempest.

Winner of the American Book Fest 2021 Best Book Award for Contemporary Poetry

Winner of the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Award for Best Cover Design in Fiction

 Reviews:

”Ryan Meyer’s poetry collection Tempest plays with metaphors and myths, assembling an assortment of short poems that filter ordinary experiences through vibrant imagery.

Elements from mythology stand out in the entries, as when Sisyphus recounts his fate and the power-hungry desires that landed him in the torturous underworld, where he feels a connection to the vultures that watch him. Magical realism is a factor, too: the narrator of “Antlers” laments the antlers that protrude “from my skull / Like antennae– / Tangible headaches.” They complicate his life, scraping ceilings as he moves around. But there are also more common subjects: in “Flamingo,” elements of a typical work day, like deadlines, are contrasted with “pink flamingo sunsets” that are reminiscent of a happy vacation.” 

~ Jeana Jorgensen, Forward Reviews

Full Review

“In the foreword, the author explains that, with the poems in Tempest, he aims to capture destructive and terrible things in a beautiful way. Although I can only talk about a couple of the poems in this review, I thought that most of the poems in this book were perfectly in line with this mindset and the dichotomy within them was what kept me interested and fascinated. This poetry collection is about difficult and hard moments as well as incredible moments of clarity. But they don't have the roughness or urgency you'd expect from them. Everything is told with calmness. Reading this book is like hearing the story of a destructive tempest after the boat has been rocked to shore and the sky has cleared again. Everyone is warming up next to a fire. The sea is tranquil and quiet. The fear has gone back into hiding.” 

~ Linda Arrighi, Reedsy

Full Review

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 About the Author:

Ryan Meyer is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Freshwater Poetry Magazine, Beechwood Review, Moon Tide Press' Dark Ink anthology, Folio Literary Magazine, and Spellbinder Magazine. Ryan and his books have been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Publisher’s Weekly, Pop-Culturalist, Lambda Literary, Connecticut Magazine, and more. ​He published Haunt, his first book of poems, in February 2018, and his follow-up, Tempest, in March 2021. He lives in Shelton, Connecticut. Learn more at NothingPeak.com.

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The Art of Lifelong Customers by Mihaela Akers

 About the Book:

We’ve been conditioned to treat strangers better than customers and to endlessly chase what we don’t have. But the key to a highly profitable and fulfilling business is acknowledging and appreciating what we already have—in particular, our existing customers.

Products are replicable, but the way you make people feel can never be replicated. You can stand out in a crowded market by making your customers feel acknowledged, respected, and appreciated.

Drawing from her career in customer-relationship marketing with major brands like Gucci, Ralph Lauren and La Redoute, Mihaela Akers lays out the essential ideas for building sincere, long-lasting relationships with customers who not only adore you, but who also eagerly buy from you for life.

In The Art of Lifelong Customers, you’ll discover how to:

 Become a magnet for high-quality customers

 Make your customers feel seen and appreciated

 Speak differently to different customers

 Build a VIP Customer Love Program

 Become best friends with your customer data

 Create an authentic emotional connection

You’ll find that the forgotten art of making people feel appreciated is the new science of making customers stay.

Mihaela Akers’ marketing insights have been featured in major media venues, including NBC News, Fiscal Times, and U.S. News and World Report. She’s helped shape the marketing strategies of some of the world’s leading companies, including Ralph Lauren and Gucci. She believes in the power of acknowledgement, sincerity, and caring about your customers.

Reviews:

“Mihaela Akers brings to the table only what years of experience can. With tips on everything from mindset to gift-giving to marketing, The Art of Lifelong Customers is simply fantastic. This book will help business owners create lasting customer retention by building meaningful, authentic relationships." 

(Manhattan Book Review)

“This book is packed with essential information. The Art Of Lifelong Customers will engage readers and provide much-needed advice. People who have a business or provide any services will find this book extremely useful. The friendly tone feels like talking to a friend. The author does not simply write the do's and don'ts, but she backs it up with analytics, good examples, personal experiences, and proper research.” 

(Independent Book Review)

The Art of Lifelong Customers is a fantastic way to help you stand out in the crowd, whether your business is a kitchen table start-up or a multinational enterprise.” 

(Readers’ Favorite)

Buy the Book – Amazon,

 About the Author:

Mihaela is the author of The Art of Lifelong Customers, the non-fiction book in which she lays out the essential ideas for building sincere, profitable and fulfilling relationships with customers who not only adore you, but who also eagerly buy from you for life.

Mihaela’s 14+ years of marketing experience includes working with Gucci, Ralph Lauren, La Redoute, KingSize Direct, MedicAlert Foundation and others. She started her career as a marketing analyst and in her last full-time role, she was a Director of Global Customer Intelligence and Experience Management at Ralph Lauren. She’s worked with databases of millions of customers and conducted hundreds of marketing experiments.

Mihaela’s marketing ideas have been featured in NBC News, Authority Magazine, Shopify Plus, US News and World Report, Fiscal Times, National Federation of Independent Business and others.

Mihaela is passionate about writing, sharing her expertise and inspiring people to become fulfilled, peaceful and abundant. She writes about business and personal growth on her website, www.builduplab.com.

Mihaela holds an MBA from NYU Stern Business School, a M.S. in Direct Response Marketing from NYU and a B.A. in English from Vassar College.

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50 Ways to Love Wine More by Jim Laughren

About the Book:

Winner-Best Wine Book, National Indie Excellence Award; Winner-Best Cookbook, Independent Press Award; Winner-Best Design, NYC Big Book Award. Finalist-USA American Book Fest Awards; Finalist-Foreword Indies.

Wine appreciation as it was meant to be. No textbook necessary, just open arms and a mind and palate ready to explore. 50 Ways to Love Wine More is about discovering wine on your terms, at your pace, with your friends and fellow wine lovers. Let your ideas and desires intersect with the wonder of wine to enhance and expand your wine knowledge and appreciation.

Author Jim Laughren, a certified wine educator--and certifiable oenophile--shares the insights and lessons learned from 20+ years as a wine importer, distributor, collector, consultant and confirmed aficionado. He reaffirms what is important about wine and our relationship to it. With this foundation to build on, the details, the history, the geography, the art, and the science of wine are easy to assemble and appreciate.

While 50 Ways to Love Wine More is brimming with facts and "vintellect" on a wide variety of wine-focused topics, what you'll learn most is how to let wine wrap you in its embrace, whisper its secrets in your ear, and welcome you to its confederacy of aficionados.

Reviews:

“This book is a must-have for anyone who is even remotely into wine or wine-drinking. 50 Ways to Love Wine More is an easy-to-read book with simple ways to enhance the reader’s knowledge of wine. One aspect of the book that I immediately noticed and loved was the use of wine glass rings on several of the pages. That little ring that red wine makes on the table or napkin gives the book an authentic, warm feeling whether you are drinking while reading or not. The overall design was so thoughtfully laid out, with the rings and corks labeling each chapter along with the red wine accent color used for the page number borders. Jim Laughren does a wonderful job of teaching the reader about all aspects of wine, not only what to look for when tasting but also the history of wine and methods of wine-making.” 

~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review

Full Review

“Jim Laughren’s 50 Ways to Love Wine More: Adventures in Wine Appreciation is a fun and approachable guide to becoming more knowledgeable about buying, serving, and drinking wine. There’s no fug of elitism or pretension here; each of the fifty short chapters sets up a self-directed task that expounds on an aspect of wine history, grapes and regional wine types, aspects of viticulture and winemaking, and other related topics, making it easy to dip in and out. One could use the book as a solid wine appreciation course, plowing through it in linear fashion, or meander through it over time to pick up wine hints and tips as one’s social calendar and wine purse allows.” 

~ Rachel Jagareski, Forward Reviews

Full Review

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About the Author:

Jim Laughren loves wine. And has for a very long time. He is a former importer and distributor of fine wines from around the world. He is also a Certified Wine Educator who has both taken and taught dozens of classes and seminars dealing with various aspects of wine and spirits.

But it’s sharing—with you!—that means the most to him. And it’s writing that allows him to share his knowledge, experience, and passion with all the people he’d love to meet but probably won’t have the chance to.

He has little use for the snobbery and condescension that have, somehow, become part of the world of wine. “Wine is a joy, a gift of the gods, bounty of the earth, and should be shared and celebrated. Whether someone is brand new to the wine scene or has many years of vinous pleasure at his or her back makes no difference.

“Wine, to me, is part of the human story. From Mesopotamia to the ancient lands of Egypt, Israel, Persia, Greece, or Rome, wine has been drunk and shared and influenced cultures and lives in ways we can only imagine.”

Known for his irreverent, fun-loving approach and abiding enthusiasm, his writings, whether in the pages of “A Beer Drinker’s Guide To Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine,” “50 Ways to Love Wine More,” or the coming series of “Everything You Need to Know About Wine in 15 Minutes” is targeted squarely at the wine enthusiast with an open heart and curious mind.

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Room Service Please by Alicia Cahalane Lewis

About the Book:

Have you ever stopped to think what makes a modern woman, modern?

In Room Service Please, Edie May, a budding dance protégé, has lost her virginity on the night of her sixteenth birthday, June 17, 1922, in New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Unprepared for this turn of events, Edie is nonetheless determined to confront the man who seduced her and demand he make things right. However, Edie has been mistaken for Agnes Ayres, the famous Hollywood motion picture actress.

As much as she tries to convince everyone that she is not the rising starlet, Edie is whisked into a role she is not prepared to play. Using her wits and ingenuity, Edie transforms herself from the daughter of a washerwoman living on the Lower East Side into a shining star of her own making, a true Modern, and one of the first flappers of her era.

Reviews:

“It all starts with a pair of too-tight shoes from the dime store. Ugly, black pumps for Edith to wear. But her mother wants her to wear them so that’s what Edith does. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Edith goes dancing without a proper escort and is mistaken for a movie star. No one believes she’s not the rising starlet, no matter how much she tries to convince them otherwise. She only wants a fun night of dancing, to not lose her virginity, and to not have a whirlwind of problems the following morning. No obstacle will stop her; Edith is determined to confront the man who seduces her and demands he makes it right. As she performs a role she wasn’t prepared for, Edith starts to find her true self, not whom her mother wants her to be or whom her dance teacher wants her to be, but whom she’s meant to be.” 

~ Grace Derickson

Full Review

“This evocative, deeply immersive tale is character-driven, a tale about taking impossible chances. Fans of beautifully wrought and suspenseful coming-of-age stories will not be able to resist the spell in Room Service Please. Lewis introduces a young heroine who is born on the wrong side of life but who must reinvent herself to rise up from the conditions to which life has thrust her. She is determined, intelligent, and beautiful. The beguiling prose sets the allure that this novel takes, introducing scenes that are not only focused but infused with realism. In turn inspiring and entertaining, Room Service Please is a tale about art and beauty and choices that shape the characters. I loved everything about this book — the powerful premise, the compelling characters, the unexpected twist, and the gorgeous writing. You won't be able to put it down.” 

~ Christian Fernandez

Full Review

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 Book Video -

https://youtu.be/GCA6yCdG2j4

 About the Author:

ALICIA CAHALANE LEWIS is a ninth-generation Quaker from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Naropa University where her poetry appeared in Not Enough Night. She is the author of nebulous beginnings and strings (Tattered Press, 2017), featuring art by Shenandoah Valley artist Winslow McCagg. Her chapbook, The Fish Turned the Waters Over So The Birds Would Have A Sky, a contemplative meditation on the origins of evolution, was published by The Lune Chapbook Series (Spring, 2017). The Intrepid Meditator (2021), a self-help memoir, and the accompanying novella, Room Service Please (2022), were published by Tattered Script Publishing. Her forthcoming novella, Restless, will be published by Tattered Script Publishing in February 2023. A Reiki Master, Alicia continues to live and work in the Shenandoah Valley.