Vagankov – A Fable by V. Campudoni and Andrew Schiavoni

December 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Vagankov – A Fable by V. Campudoni and Andrew Schiavoni
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A strange fellow on a strange alternate plane during a strange non-descript epoch provides strangers with exactly what they require.

Being a good influence is harder than it looks sometimes.

This was a good example of how modern satire can poke fun at ideas that have become so widespread in western culture that many folks don’t necessarily think twice about them. I grinned and nodded along as Vagankov travelled from place to place and attempted to improve the lives of various groups of people he met along the way.

I must admit to being a little confused by the beginning because of how it threw the reader straight into Vagankov’s adventures without explaining what was going on. To be honest, I scrolled back to the first page just to make sure I hadn’t missed a tiny row of text or something early on as I was not expecting such an immediate start. While the reason for this was partially explained later on, it was something I wish I’d known about ahead of time.

It’s difficult to discuss the message of this piece without sharing spoilers, but what I can say is that it echoed throughout every page once I knew what to look for. This is exactly the sort of stuff I love to discover when trying new authors, and it really helped to make everything gel together in the end. It worked as both a commentary on human nature as well as an explanation for why Vagankov was such a vagabond and what he hoped might happen every time he found a new group of people to get to know.

Vagankov – A Fable made me wish for a sequel.

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The Nameless Land by M. Laszlo

October 28, 2025 By 1 Comment


The Nameless Land by M. Laszlo
Publisher: Alkira Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Psychological Drama
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

This metaphysical novel, like its predecessor, Anastasia’s Midnight Song, is a mix of stream of consciousness narration and imaginary happenings. Mystical and mysterious, The Nameless Land follows the misadventures of Rupert Lux and Anastasia T Grace.

Rupert, a young New Zealander working as a night clerk in a hotel in Sinai, is beset by a daemon that inhabits his eye. His delusion is much the same as Anastasia’s was when she was tormented by the Arctic fox and the diadem spider in the earlier book.

Anastasia, now blind, travels to Sinai at the behest of a Spiritualist Society to seek hidden treasure by dowsing. She longs to find someone she can heal and love. Perhaps Rupert is the one she can save and thereby save herself.

But Rupert is plagued by females who seem to blend into one another and appear and disappear at will. Traumatised by childhood abuse, he worries that he is not worthy of love. He races headlong through many strange encounters, while Anastasia maintains a calmer stance, though troubled by what she is being coerced into doing. She has been urged to find lost Egyptian treasure and, though reluctant, manages to do so. A sense of menace attends the discovery.

Both protagonists are troubled by wild imaginings and beset by odd visions, smells, sounds, and touches as the pair descend into hallucinatory madness. This is a fast-paced metaphysical adventure, the events hiding many layers of emotional turmoil and insanity. The reader is whisked through a dreamlike landscape, disoriented, and made to experience a kind of madness themselves.

THE NAMELESS LAND is the second book in Anastasia’s travels and begins shortly after the incidents in ANASTASIA’S MIDNIGHT SONG (see our review here). However, if you haven’t read the first book, no worries. It definitely can be read alone.

Anastasia, now blind, falls victim to a group of spiritualists who use her in their pursuit of treasure. She very much wants to be free…that is her overriding pursuit during the course of the book, but she escapes from one group only to fall victim to yet another. She wonders if perhaps Rupert Lux, a hotel clerk in Sinai will be the one to set her free.

Rupert has longed to meet Anastasia but has his one daemon to face – and this leads him to not know what to do. Overcome with different hallucinations and dreamlike episodes, he is beset on all sides.

Mr. Laszlo brings his readers into this world and invites them to join the madness and the dreams that surround Anastasia and Rupert. Beautifully written, you never quite know what is real and what the characters have imagined. This leads to a big of tension during the reading, and that’s not a bad thing. There is definitely a depth to his writing that can take more than one reading to completely dive into.

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The Fox Creek Plantation Trilogy by M. E. Torrey

October 6, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Fox Creek Plantation Trilogy by M. E. Torrey
Fox Creek: Book 1
Publisher: Sly Fox Publishing, LLC
Genre: Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Ginger

The year is 1843 when six-year-old Monette, the pampered and beloved daughter of a French Creole sugar planter, is taken to New Orleans and sold into slavery. Sold along with her is Cyrus, a boy big for his age, torn from his mother without a chance to say goodbye.

Together they go to Fox Creek Plantation in “English” Louisiana, home to the Jensey family. While Cyrus is sent to the fields, Monette becomes the childhood playmate of Kate, the planter’s daughter, and catches the eye of Breck, the planter’s son. It’s easier and safer for Monette to pretend life is normal. That she belongs. To forget her past, even to forget Cyrus, whom she’d loved. But as the years pass, it becomes clear that children of color do not belong in the world of the white elite—at least, not as equals. The brutality and powerlessness of slavery begin to take their toll upon Monette.

Who is she now? Who will protect her? And who is that big boy from the fields who keeps pestering her?

Fox Creek is a powerful novel set in 1843 Louisiana, during one of the most turbulent times in American history. The story follows six-year-old Monette, a French Creole sugar planter’s daughter, and Cyrus, who is a little older, after they are sold into slavery and sent to Fox Creek Plantation. While Cyrus is sent to the fields, Monette becomes a playmate for the planter’s seven-year-old daughter, Kate, and forms a bond with the planter’s son, Breck.

While the novel’s subject matter is compelling, I found its narrative flow to be challenging at times. The story jumps between multiple perspectives and over several years, making it difficult to identify the central plot and a clear main character. For a book of its length, I felt the plot lacked focus, and I was often left waiting for a significant event to occur. This untraditional narrative style made it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level, as many were introduced and then given little attention. For example, Cyrus, a significant character at the beginning, is barely mentioned again.

I understand that plantation life wasn’t always exciting, but for the sake of fiction, I was hoping for more. The book was unnecessarily long, with a lot of slow-paced and less interesting details—such as the in-home schooling from Mr. Gilbert, singing and dance lessons, social gatherings that introduced additional characters, and every detail of Sarah’s pregnancies was very slow-paced and not that interesting. What I assumed would be the heart of the story—the bond between Monette and Cyrus—never developed. Instead, the focus shifted to Monette and Breck, and my excitement for a climactic taboo romance was short-lived.

Despite these issues, the book’s greatest strength lies in its ability to show the complexities of life on a plantation from various perspectives. The author provides a glimpse into the bonds between Kate and Monette and the relationship between Breck and Monette. The character of William Jensey, the father, is particularly complex. He is shown to be a “kind master,” yet his actions reveal a more ruthless, less compassionate side. I wanted Monette to have a happy ending, but the author’s uncomfortable portrayal of reality ultimately felt more true to the time period.

Overall, M. E. Torrey’s writing captures the pain and complexity of the era, providing insight into the characters and events. Although the narrative structure could be improved, the book succeeds in exploring the painful legacy of slavery and the difficult truths of that time.

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Widow Fantasies by Hollay Ghadery

September 18, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Widow Fantasies by Hollay Ghadery
Publisher: Gordon Hill Press
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Poetry
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Fantasies are places we briefly visit; we can’t live there. The stories in Widow Fantasies deftly explore the subjugation of women through the often subversive act of fantasizing. From a variety of perspectives, through a symphony of voices, Widow Fantasies immerses the reader in the domestic rural gothic, offering up unforgettable stories from the shadowed lives of girls and women.

Life is filled with shades of grey.

“Jaws” explored the warm, loving friendship between a lonely woman and her goldfish. There aren’t enough tales out there about this type of pet, so I was immediately intrigued. I enjoyed learning about how they grew so close and why the woman’s husband was jealous of that bond. This could have easily been expanded into a novella or full length novel, and yet I was still satisfied with how it was written and what the characters chose to reveal about their lives.

Some of the stories in this collection had endings that were too abrupt for my tastes, especially since I only had a few pages on average with each one. When combined with the subtle messages in some cases, it was tricky for me at times to connect with the characters and their conflicts. As much as I wanted to choose a higher rating, these issues were an obstacle in my path to do so. “Widow Fantasies,” which captured a moment on a farm that changed the lives of everyone who lived there, was one such example of this. I needed a few more pages of exposition to understand what was going on with Leyla and Georgette on that unforgettable day.

Using a kayak in a ditch after it floods with melted snow from the entire winter was never something I’ve considered doing, so I was curious to see how this game would work out for Cassie in “Ditch Run.” She planned it all out so thoroughly that I was surprised by how her ride actually unfolded for her. What an adventure! It would make an excellent addition to a scrapbook.

Widow Fantasies was thought provoking.

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Shakespeare in Virginia by John Leonard

September 8, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Shakespeare in Virginia by John Leonard
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In February 1616, William Shakespeare finds himself on the brink of financial ruin and trapped in an unhappy marriage. Desperate for a way out, he agrees to resume his clandestine work for the English secret service. His mission: to report on the Virginia Company and their activities in the Virginia Colony. To maintain his cover, Shakespeare must fake his own death and assume a new identity. As he embarks on this dangerous journey, Shakespeare befriends John Rolfe and his wife Matoaka (Pocahontas), who are visiting England. The couple provides invaluable insights into Virginia, Powhatan society, and the complex situation unfolding in the Colony. Following Mataoka’s tragic death, Shakespeare accompanies Rolfe to Virginia, taking on the guise of a tobacco planter. In this new world, Shakespeare must navigate the treacherous waters between the avaricious English colonists and the hostile, embittered Powhatans. Can his experience as a renowned actor and playwright help him survive and thrive in the Colony? And how will the most famous life in history come to an end?

Pretending to be dead is easy, right?

Shakespeare was a complicated character whom I had all sorts of reactions to. There were scenes when I was impressed by how open-minded he was to new experiences only to shake my head in exasperation at his stubbornness a few pages later. It was almost like spending time with an uncle who was so set in his ways that he couldn’t quite see how his actions were affecting others. As much as one loves relatives who act like that, they also might wish for five minutes of clarity to help smooth things over. Honestly, I think it’s wonderful when a protagonist can evoke so many different types of emotions in me as a reader, and I’d happily read a sequel if the author ever writes one.

I found myself wishing for more character development in this novel. For example, some of the characters held surprisingly modern opinions about slavery and race that I would have loved to dig into deeply in order to understand where they came up with those ideas and how they had been able to develop them in a society that often firmly disagreed with them. It would have also been easier for me to keep track of everyone if I had stronger impressions of their personalities and interests.

Some of my favorite passages were the ones that described Powhatan culture in vivid detail. Their reactions to English culture, especially when it came to topics like cleanliness, the afterlife, or how one should spend a long, cold winter, were completely understandable. Honestly, I could have read an entire book about their tribe and still wanted to learn more about how they thought about the world.

Shakespeare in Virginia made me smile.

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Hear Me by Lynn Crandall

September 3, 2025 By 11 Comments

Hear Me by Lynn Crandall
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Atlantis Aeon Ainsley Durham loves running her antique shop, Fancy This, in Old Town Auralia, but takes seriously her mission to work with her fellow Aeons to fight Darkness in her home town. But she’s changing. Her precognition is showing her darker and darker visions of what’s to come. When growing darkness forces her to reevaluate her place in the Aeons and her work, she’s not sure she belongs in either space any longer. Her terrible past urges her to withdraw, not only from her mission but from letting true love in.

Bounty hunter turned bonds company owner Keegan Barnes is also an Aeon. He hears things others don’t, and sometimes he wishes he could shut down his clairaudience ability. After all, he doesn’t see how he can help the cause with such a low-key ability. But when he picks up discussions among members of Dark Sides, will he discover just how much he’s been underestimating himself? He’s hiding secrets that keep him from healing his scars and getting close to anyone, most of all Ainsley.

Keegan and Ainsley know the efforts the Aeons have been putting in to raise the level of light energy in the city have been helping. But will it be enough to influence others to make choices for good or will Dark Sides take the city? Can they team up to save the city and find true love? Find out in this thrilling book two in the Dark Sides trilogy.

I have always loved the idea of the lost continent of Atlantis (I blame the TV show Stingray and the character Marina for this). So, when I found out about Hear Me, I had to take the chance, even though it was the second book of the series. I’m glad I did.

Although I know I would have gotten a richer experience had I read the first book, the author does a great job about filling in the backstory as she goes along. There was no great info-dump, for which I’m grateful, but instead she gently inserts needed material where it is needed.

The concept is very cool. Descendants of survivors from Atlantis (Aeons) have found each other at this point in history because evil (the Dark Aspects) is getting a deeper stronghold. The mission of the Aeons is to use their power of light to combat the workers of darkness. With each of them having specific abilities, together they are stronger than each of them separately.

The worldbuilding here is wonderfully done.  These are not just cardboard characters, but real people with their real lives and backstories. I especially enjoyed the backstory involving Ainsly’s family and would love to learn more about that (it’s possible it was covered in book one).

The characters that Hear Me focuses mostly on are Ainsly and Keegan – both damaged in their own ways, but honestly drawn. I appreciate flawed heroes and heroines and loved the connection these two have.

I really hope there are more books in this world coming – and now off to read book one.

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Father of One by Jani Anttola

August 25, 2025 By 8 Comments


Father of One by Jani Anttola
Publisher: The Book Guild
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

Maka, a young Bosnian soldier, has survived three years under siege. When the enemy forces launch their final attack on his hometown, he must escape to the hills. But traversing the vast woods is a task against all odds: to stay alive, and to find his infant son and his wife, he is soon forced to make a desperate move.

Set against the harrowing background of raging guerrilla warfare and the genocide in Srebrenica, Father of One is, at heart, a story of deep humanity, compassion and love. It is the account of one man’s desire to reunite his family, separated by war, and of bonds unbroken by trauma, sustained by loyalty and tenacity. Writing in a voice that rings with clarity and authenticity, Jani Anttola lays open a dark moment in Europe’s recent history.

Knowledge is a powerful weapon.

War makes many forms of communication difficult or even impossible. The most memorable scenes in my opinion were the ones that showed how the characters coped with not knowing as much about their loved ones and the world at large as they would normally expect. Whether it was knowing if someone was still alive or if they should trust a stranger, there were many moments that were filled with danger and uncertainty that would not have otherwise been there. This was where Mr. Anttola’s writing style shone brightly as he gave the audience many examples of how the characters dealt with all of these unknowns.

I struggled with the slow pacing, especially given the subject matter. War is a difficult topic to discuss, and there were times I thought the author’s thoughts about it would have been easier to understand if this were a shorter read. While the detailed descriptions did give me a vivid mental image of what Maka and his fellow soldiers were enduring, it also slowed down the storyline at times when I would have preferred things to move along a little faster.

This book did an excellent job of exploring how even seemingly tranquil moments can still be traumatic for a soldier in retrospect. Not knowing when violence is going to erupt again can make it extremely difficult to take care of basic human needs like eating, sleeping, bathing, or using the bathroom. Nobody should live on high alert twenty-four hours a day for years on end, and yet this was what Maka had to do in order to have any chance at all to survive. The effects on his mental and physical health were serious but left understated in some places so readers could figure out for themselves what was happening with him.

Father of One was a sobering read.

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The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy

August 12, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion. Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, Marguerite is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers—some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality—and Marguerite’s life—slips away entirely.

The novel introduces us to Sadie Halloran, a young woman adrift after profound personal losses—her mother’s death and a sad broken engagement. Seeking a new purpose, she accepts the role of live-in companion for her great-aunt Marguerite, a celebrated artist now grappling with the disorienting grip of dementia, at the secluded, once-grand Blackberry Grange.

Kennedy excels at crafting layered characters. Sadie’s journey from desolation to determination is compelling, but it is Marguerite who truly captivates. Her fragmented memories and feverish compulsion to paint haunting portraits of her past lovers—some cherished, some monstrous—provide a fascinating and unsettling window into her fractured mind. This blurring of truth and delusion is exquisitely handled, making you question what is real alongside Sadie.

The decaying grandeur of Blackberry Grange itself acts as a character, with time seemingly shifting alongside the shadows. This creates a palpable sense of suspense that builds steadily as Sadie delves deeper into the estate’s — and Marguerite’s — dark secrets. The plot is cleverly constructed, unfolding with a careful pace that keeps the reader thoroughly engaged, hungry to uncover the mysteries that hold Marguerite captive to her past. It’s clear that Kennedy has written this novel with care, evident in the rich historical detail and the sensitive portrayal of dementia alongside the ghostly elements.

While the narrative is largely gripping, there were occasional moments where the exploration of Marguerite’s disjointed memories felt a touch repetitive. However, this minor point does little to detract from the overall immersive experience.

Ultimately, The Artist of Blackberry Grange is a well-crafted tale of family secrets, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love and loss. It’s a novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy atmospheric historical fiction with a ghostly twist, well-developed characters, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Paulette Kennedy delivers another compelling story that resonates long after the final page.

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The Song of Achilles By Madeline Miller

August 7, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Song of Achilles By Madeline Miller
Publisher: Ecco
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.

Oh my, what a story. A story I did not think I would enjoy. It sure turned out very different than I thought. This book, The Story of Achilles, is a sort of adaptation of the Iliad/Odyssey. A Homeresque story made, well, readable in my mind.

This story shares some of the same characters as The Iliad, but I never once felt like I was wading or struggling through the heavy language of Homer’s book. This was so flowing, such a strong story and vivid too. There is a bit of everything in Madeline Miller’s book. The tale is filled with Greek mythology, the lives of the wealthy and the gluttonous, as well as the tender lives of those struggling to care about one another in a world of war and death.

We’re discussing a book with over a million ratings on Goodreads. An author with many other best sellers. If this all sounds dramatic, I meant for it to have that effect. This is a five-star read that made me cry and yet set my heart on fire all in the same 300+ pages.

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Once Upon a Bookstore: A Tale Told Through the Lens of Time by Leslie Gullo

July 9, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Once Upon a Bookstore: A Tale Told Through the Lens of Time by Leslie Gullo
Publisher: Allie Cat Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Melinda Jenkins seemed to have it all — a successful career as a lawyer, a fiercely independent spirit, and a carefully crafted life of solitude. But when a routine assignment leads her to a small bookstore on Main Street, Melinda’s world is turned upside down.

As she delves deeper into the mysteries of the bookstore, she meets Jake Samuels — a charming and irresistible bachelor who challenges her beliefs about love and independence. Melinda must make a heart-wrenching choice: cling to her solitary life or take a leap of faith and embrace the love she never thought possible.

Leslie Gullo’s Once Upon a Bookstore: A Tale Told Through the Lens of Time offers an intriguing premise: a successful lawyer, Melinda Jenkins, finds her carefully constructed life upended by a mysterious bookstore and a charming bachelor named Jake Samuels. The book boasts a high rating, and for good reason – the initial setup is engaging, and the characters are undoubtedly captivating.

Gullo paints a picture of a fiercely independent Melinda whose solitude is both a shield and a source of contentment. The allure of the bookstore, whispered secrets within its walls, and the immediate spark between Melinda and Jake create a compelling hook. The author successfully introduces a layer of mystery from the get-go, drawing the reader in with the promise of uncovering secrets and exploring Melinda’s transformation.

The romance with Jake also adds to the charm. He challenges Melinda’s preconceived notions about love and independence, forcing her to confront her vulnerabilities and consider a life beyond her solitary existence. The “irresistible bachelor” trope is handled relatively well, with Jake possessing enough genuine qualities to make him a believable love interest.

However, the story unfortunately hits a snag in the middle. The narrative slows at one point and becomes repetitive. Despite the mid-book slump, the inclusion of a little bit of science adds an interesting layer to the overall narrative. This scientific element plays a role in the mystery surrounding the bookstore.

Once Upon a Bookstore offers a promising blend of romance, mystery, and a touch of science-fiction. The engaging characters and intriguing premise are strong draws, but readers should be aware of the potential for a slower, repetitive section in the middle. If you enjoy stories about self-discovery, charming bookstore settings, and a little bit of mystery mixed with romance, this book is worth picking up. The engaging beginning and intriguing elements might just be enough to keep you turning the pages until the end.

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