Tag: Indie authors

Your best reads of 2024 and what are you excited for in 2025?

I had planned to read a lot more in 2024 than I actually did, but a few books stood out from what I did accomplish of my reading goal. This list contains paranormal thrillers, poetry, mystery, and a little romance. What is the book you’re most looking forward to reading in 2025?

Here are my top five reads of the year in no particular order:

The Bone Pendant Girls by Terry S. Friedman

My Goodreads review Amazon page

The Shoe Box Waltz by Kathleen Patrick

My Goodreads review Amazon page

Innocence Lost by Dan Grylles

My Goodreads review Amazon page

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

Goodreads page Amazon page

Pieces of Blue by Liz Flaherty

My Goodreads review Amazon page

Honorable mentions:

Don’t Go; Stay by Deanna Repose Oaks

My Goodreads review Amazon page

Billy Summers by Stephen King

Goodreads page Amazon page

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What a year!

I stepped away from my two sites this year to make room for a special passion project and to spend time with family members. While it was a stressful health year for our family, it was also a fulfilling year of connecting with people and creating. This coming year will hopefully one for the books, combining my love of teaching in my spare time, reading and reviewing books, and helping independent authors with putting their best stories out into the public domain.

My passion project for a very long time has been to set up ESOL classes that are available free of charge to the students. Early this year, I contacted a local library, and we’ve worked together to provide these in-person classes. At first we started with a 10-week session of classes one day a week. The next session was 11 weeks, with one advanced beginning class a week and one class for total beginners another day. Both sessions had their merits and issues, but we were able to help some community members improve their language skills. And ultimately, that is what it is about: helping people to communicate.

The classes are general. Students tell me what their overall language concerns are and what they hope to take away from attending. There are no grades, people attend when they are able due to work and family obligations, and we can easily review topics that are problematic for the English learner. I’ve enjoyed working with the community.

The ESOL classes will continue in the new year, though to give myself a break and some time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, classes don’t start until February. During the break, I’ll be working on my websites as well. I’ll be updating and organizing this site so it is easier to navigate and updating my editing website to include a little information about what I can offer. Helping others communicate is my passion, so thank you for following along with my journey.

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Book review: Bone Pendant Girls by Terry Friedman

5 out of 5 stars

Bone Pendant Girls by Terry Friedman is a compelling paranormal thriller that draws in the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The detail of the character building and the fact that the story is told from multiple points of view (including the murder victims themselves) give the novel an aura of empathy that a reader might not otherwise have for the characters’ plights.

Andi has struggled throughout her lifetime to deal with the Otherworld and the beings that inhabit it. Since life has not always treated Andi kindly, she has hardened her heart to the living, except for her best friend Fiona. Fiona is the perfect foil for Andi and understands her quirks and ability to talk to the deceased. When Andi discovers two bone pendants at a market that portray the faces of two young murder victims, she begins to her their voices and stories. Fiona and a cast of intriguing characters help Fiona discover what happened to the Bone Pendant Girls, Bennie and Mariah.

Throughout her description of Andi, Friedman takes time to show, and not tell, the reader the potential ups and downs of being able to communicate with the dead. There are moments of pure joy of receiving a message to be able to help solve a mystery; however, there are also moments of pure grief. Friedman never takes for granted the reader or their possible knowledge, or lack thereof, of the paranormal and how it functions in the richly defined world she has created for her characters.

I received an ARC for review. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: The Shoe Box Waltz by Kathleen Patrick

4 out of 5 stars

The Shoe Box Waltz by Kathleen Patrick is an enthralling novel that at times wraps its arms around to comfort the reader and at other times hits the reader with raw emotions. This book continues to showcase Patrick’s ability to observe the human condition and represent it in poetic language that leaves the reader knowing exactly what the characters are going through along their lifelong journeys.

With The Shoe Box Waltz, Patrick has built upon some of her short stories from her collection Anxieties in the Wilderness. Throughout the novel, the reader follows the members of the Daneli family, mostly the daughters Cora and Caitlyn, as they journey through love, broken hearts, bruised bodies, adventures, relationships with friends, and so much more to find what they both desperately seek: their true selves. And as the story is told from different characters’ perspectives, the reader gets a little closer to what it means to brave when all seems lost.

The novel starts with Cora’s adventures traveling through Europe as a young woman, and all the excitement that entails. She meets Nancy who opens Cora’s eyes to a different side of the world and educates her about art history, the performing arts, and taking chances. As travel companions, Cora and Nancy experience many of the ups and downs that plague two people who don’t know each other well but who have agreed to what hopefully is safety in numbers. They talk, cry, laugh, get frustrated with each other, squabble, apologize, and plan the next leg of their trip. Cora’s dream of traveling to Greece is suddenly put in peril as the young women go on one last Italian adventure, this time on sea. What happens on the boat will haunt Cora and Nancy for the rest of their lives.

The second part of the novel speaks to Caitlyn’s state of mind as she works through her latest revelation of what love means to her and how she defines herself through her relationship with Greg. This takes place years after Cora’s European travels, but the ghosts of the past have not left Cora in peace. At one time, the sisters had been very close. They played and laughed together and provided solace to each other throughout a somewhat turbulent childhood. They grew apart after Cora left for college, and had never been able to repair what they thought was broken between them. The reader grows attached to the sisters, understanding each one’s plight and the distance those plights create between siblings once so close.

In The Shoe Box Waltz, Patrick does what she does best: she creates an environment of empathy for her characters that brings the readers a little closer to the truth of the human condition. This novel might offer some triggers for some readers regarding violence and different forms of abuse.

I received this book as an ARC. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: Innocence Lost by Dan Grylles

5 out of 5 stars

Innocence Lost by Dan Grylles is the second installment of his Detective Remy Ferguson Thriller Mystery Book Series, and it is even more action-filled than the first book. Grylles continues to enthrall the reader from the beginning of the novel and keeps the mystery going until the final page.

Detective Remy Ferguson is providing security guidance for a donor event for Mayor Montero when shots ring out. What starts out as a possible attempted murder investigation leads Remy and his intrepid crew of CSIs and fellow police officers into an emotional and tangled web of clues, lies, half-truths, and additional crimes.

Some characters carry over from first book, and their continued development piques the reader’s interest. Grylles seamlessly blends new and old characters and technology into a believable and heartbreaking framework of big-city crime and the toll it takes on the folks who have to solve the crimes. The flawed humanity of the main characters adds a layer of intrigue to the novel and makes them more relatable to the reader.

I received an ARC of this book. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: Unpredictable Stars by GM Katz

4 out of 5 stars

Unpredictable Stars by GM Katz is an urban fantasy romance novella that grabs ahold of the reader’s heartstrings and doesn’t let go.

Dr. Mora Keneally and Dr. Owen Lang are two astrophysicists who live on opposite sides of the United States. Neither scientist has really made time or room in their hearts for love. Both wistfully wish upon a shooting star that they may find their one true love someday. Someday happens to be a chance meeting months later.

Attracted to each other from the beginning, Mora and Owen long to turn a one-night stand into a long-distance relationship and maybe something more. Forces beyond their control prevent them from seeing each other as much as they would like. Do they finally get a chance to be together in the same place at the same time for a substantial amount of time or does the universe find a way to keep them apart permanently?

Katz weaves the fantasy and mystical worlds into a romantic adventure for the ages. Her world-building and character descriptions lend to a believable story of what it means to find your soulmate even when you don’t believe that you are worthy. There were a few moments where more description would have helped round out the story a little more, but overall, a wonderful novella.

I received a complimentary copy from the author. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: Trauma’s Death by Deanna Repose Oaks

5 out of 5 stars

Trauma’s Death by Deanna Repose Oaks is a collection of 30 poems of varying rhythms and rhyming schemes centering around the topic of trauma and all of the emotions that go with it. The author poetically describes pain, (physical and emotional), falling down and getting back up, and two of the most important: growth and healing. At the end of the collection, Oaks leaves you with “My Pick Me Up Playlist” so you can share in the healing aspect as you read and listen. (Confession: I’m listening to the playlist as I compose this review.)

Anyone who has gone through trauma can relate to working through its various stages as they read through these poems. As Oaks writes through her memories, she connects with the reader and lets them know they are not alone, whatever they may going through. “Telephone Game” is a poem of miscommunication and applying our trauma filters to what the other person is saying instead of hearing what they are trying to communicate. “Tin Cans” talks of taking your trauma with you into fresh beginnings. “Self Evident” and “My Cocoon” are two of my favorite poems from this collection as they reached right into me and tugged at feelings I thought I had buried long ago. “Sunshine” is the appropriate poem to end this collection as it leaves the reader with recognition of growth and a sense of hope.

I highly recommend this poetry collection to have on hand if you need to be reminded you are not alone and want to be reminded there is hope.

I received a complimentary copy from the author. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: The Time Tourists by Sharleen Nelson

4 out of 5 stars

The Time Tourists by Sharleen Nelson is a story of time traveling, love, and mystery with a bit of science and history mixed in to the plot. Sci-fiction and time traveling tend to be a crowd favorite, but not everyone can pull it together like this. The character building is detailed and done with love. The scenery is well researched and described well enough you can almost see the scenes playing out in front of you on a screen.

Imogen Oliver is not a pushover. Her parents and grandmother helped shape her into a strong, educated woman who can adapt to whatever situation in which she finds herself. She also discovers that she has a secret talent, one that her parents shared but told her nothing about: She can time travel through photos. Imogen must use everything she has learned up to this point to survive situations that we in present day may take for granted: like the proper way for a lady in the early 1900s to cross a street, taking a photograph in that same time period (it’s not as easy as a click of a button), or how to carry a conversation using the proper vocabulary of the era.

Imogen creates a private detective business and calls it Dead Relatives, Inc. She uses her various talents to help solve mysteries of the past for people of the present. What she doesn’t expect is that she’ll end up working on a few mysteries of her own.

The Time Tourists is a wonderful new take on the subject of time travel and the complications that may arise.

I received a complimentary copy from the author. This review is honest and voluntary. 

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Book review: Rise to the Horizon by Hyunah Kim

4 out of 5 stars

Rise to the Horizon by Hyunah Kim is a heartwarming novella about a horse named Poseidon and Axel, a young rider who will enter his life and improve it at a time when most would have given up. Anyone who has worked with horses, especially horses with traumas, will relate to the bond between Poseidon and Axel. The character descriptions are beautiful and connect the reader to the characters’ emotions.

Poseidon is badly injured in a barn fire and is sent to Axel, a rider known for working with the more difficult cases, for training and emotional and physical healing. The story progresses as Axel and Poseidon work together and gain the other’s trust throughout months of hard work. The supporting cast of Poseidon’s owners and Axel’s family and friends add to the ambience of healing and recovery through relatable stories of overcoming setbacks and loss.

There are two areas of note with this novella: Throughout the story, Kim describes and explains the competitive world of show jumping for the readers who might not be as knowledgeable about these areas. However, what Kim describes is an exposition of show jumping from parts of Europe and may not completely mesh with American readers’ knowledge of the sport. This is not a distraction, only a chance to expand knowledge for those who already love the sport. Also, Kim’s language base is extraordinary and encompasses various languages. Most of the spelling is based on British English, and the English syntax used is lyrical and poetic in ways that may appear unusual to some readers.

I received a complimentary copy from the author. This review is honest and voluntary.

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Book review: Greed Box by Molly Garcia

3 out of 5 stars

Greed Box by Molly Garcia is a horror novella that builds on the “Be careful what you wish for” trope. The character descriptions are well done; however some of the setting descriptions could be filled out a little more. The reader can relate to the main characters’ (Jack and Meg) emotions as they find themselves in various predicaments seemingly brought on by bad luck. Who among us hasn’t made a wish or two in our lifetime? Also, would you give everything back if what you wished for brought more than you can handle? This story goes on to answer the question, “What would you do to ensure the success of your wish completion?”

Jack and Meg are out and about in town one day and come across a shop with an interesting store front. After entering the shop, Jack spies an intriguing and well-made wooden box. The shop curator soon tells the couple of the story and warning behind the box. In spite of the warning, Jack purchases the box almost as if bidden to do so by an unnatural force.

After having the box displayed in their home for a short while, Jack wonders if there was any truth behind the shop curator’s story. Jack contemplates what he should do as he and Meg suffer some setbacks. He picks up the box, opens it, and whispers his wish. What happens afterward is a bit predictable at times, but nonetheless keeps the reader cheering for Jack and Meg to overcome the new obstacles in their lives. Garcia’s thorough character descriptions keep the reader going until the end.

There are a few unresolved questions at the end (that might bother some readers), and various grammatical and punctuation errors throughout that detract a little from the story. However, this quick horror read is an interesting take on “Be careful what you wish for.”

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