< Back Kyle Palmer The Last Rival: A Time of Our Choosing Late 1946, shortly after the end of World War II, and the Soviets continue to threaten peace in Europe. The Soviets have successfully developed a fusion bomb, and a group of men are summoned to Washington DC for a secret meeting with President Truman. Truman sets out his ‘Marshall Plan’, a grand scheme to resurrect Europe and position the United States of America as the leading world power. The plan brings together the great and the good of warfare, science, technology and business to construct and manage a new independent, intelligence agency, and build a fusion bomb. The new agency will be a rival of the Central Intelligence Agency, but entirely devoid of governmental influence or awareness. But when the men learn that Adolf Hitler did not die at the end of the War, their mission becomes even more critical. They discover that Hitler and other Nazi leaders fled to Argentina under the cover and protection of President Juan Peron. The men face an arduous journey by land and sea, to track down and eliminate the world’s most dangerous predator. The Last Rival: A Time of Our Choosing is an alternate history novel, set shortly after the end of World War II, by author Kyle Palmer. This is a chilling story, which imagines a world with a different outcome at the end of the War. The book poses a number of thought-provoking, but terrifying questions. What might have happened if Hitler survived World War II? What would you say if you came face to face with the Fuhrer? Palmer masterfully blends history, politics and detective fiction into a disturbing, but believable story. At over 500 pages this is a long novel, but very easy to read. A must read for fans of alternate history, political thrillers and detective fiction. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A well-researched and believable alternate history, with a compelling mix of mystery, suspense and espionage. Purchase here

< Back Jonnie Ramsey Brown You Promised To Do No Harm: A True Story of Love, Loss, and the Horror of Healthcare Disparity for One African American Family Author Jonnie Ramsey Brown tells the heartbreaking story of the loss of her beloved husband and her fight to uncover the truth about his hospital treatment during his final days. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 The Life, Part 2 The Loss, Part 3 The Fight. In Part 1, Jonnie describes her relationship with Thomas, how they met and built a happy home with their two children. Jonnie first met Thomas in 1972, aged twenty-three. After meeting by chance at a night club one evening, the couple fell deeply in love. Jonnie describes a fairytale romance and how from the moment they met, Thomas never left her side. The couple married in 1979. In Part 2, Jonnie describes how Thomas was suddenly taken ill during a family reunion in Florida. He was rushed to hospital and treated in an ‘unofficial’ ICU, when they couldn’t find out what was wrong with him. Jonnie recalls in graphic detail the neglect and subpar treatment her husband experienced, and her own experiences trying to navigate the hospital system and communicate with medical staff. Thomas’s condition deteriorated and he was moved to a hospice where sadly he passed away. Following his death, Jonnie describes her fight to uncover the truth about her husband’s illness and his treatment. She discovered that Thomas did not receive basic medical care and that the hospital had several opportunities to save his life but did not. Jonnie filed a lawsuit against the hospital in 2018. In Part 3, Jonnie describes the court case that ensued, and her struggle to get justice for her husband. You Promised To Do No Harm: A True Story of Love, Loss, and the Horror of Healthcare Disparity for One African American Family, is a poignant and heartbreaking memoir by Jonnie Ramsey Brown. This is a deeply moving book, written by Jonnie with such love, care, tenderness and compassion for her husband. Jonnie’s ability to put down in words this horrific experience is inspiring, and a true testament of her love for Thomas. The book highlights many failures in care, due to incompetence and racial discrimination. Sadly, Jonnie and Thomas’s story is not unique. Throughout the book Jonnie draws similar comparisons to the murder of George Floyd. Like George Floyd, Thomas did not receive the standard of care or compassion due to the color of the skin. This is a deeply personal and deeply distressing memoir, but it is a story that needs to be told. It gives a much-needed voice to Thomas and all those who do not have a voice. I hope this book will draw attention to racial discrimination in the healthcare system, and racism all its forms. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A deeply personal and deeply distressing memoir that shines a much-needed spotlight on racial disparities in the healthcare system. Purchase here

< Back T.V. Holiday T.V. Holiday's Angelface Book blurb... Angelface is a contemporary literary novelette about love, timing, and the emotional cost of the roads we choose. Haunted by memories of a woman he never allowed himself to pursue, he is forced to confront whether loyalty, fear, and responsibility have led him away from the life he was meant to live. Purchase here

< Back Ashley Porsche Bugge The Ocean is Calling A poignant memoir of love and loss, beautifully written by author Ashley Porsche Bugge Thirty-five-year-old Brian James Bugge, sailor, explorer, naval officer, and diver, died tragically in a scuba diving accident in Hawaii on May 20, 2018, leaving behind his two young children, Izzy and Hudson, and wife, Ashley, pregnant with their third child, Adeline. Ashley is heartbroken, as she tries to come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband, best friend and soul mate. Brian was stationed in Hawaii as a US Naval Officer, and the family had built a beautiful home and incredible life on the paradise island. But, with memories and visions of Brian on every part of the island, Ashley is unable to stay in their family home. Just three weeks after Brian’s funeral, Ashley packs up her life and moves with the children to Boise, Idaho, with Brian’s sister, Nikki, and her family. Ashley is stricken with grief and struggles to eat, sleep and drink. She cannot see a future without Brian, and contemplates ending her own life. As her health deteriorates, Ashley is diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and hospitalised. At thirty-five weeks, Ashley is induced early, and baby Adeline is born safely in July 2018. The next few months are hard for Ashley, as she learns how to cope with new motherhood without her ‘tried and true.’ Ashley is determined to pull through and knows she must find something to look forward to. So, she decides to plan an epic trip to Europe, including seven countries in eight weeks. Several months later, with her best friend Kasey, nanny Kayla, and three young children in tow, the party embark on a European adventure of a lifetime. The trip is an opportunity for fun and adventure, but also allows time for Ashley to heal and recover, as she fondly remembers Brian and scatters his ashes in the ocean of each country she visits. Returning home, Ashley is comforted by a letter from one of Brian’s organ donor recipients and she deposits his remaining ashes in the dive site where he tragically lost his life. The Ocean is Calling is a poignant memoir, beautifully written by Ashley Porsche Bugge, wife of Brian who tragically lost his life in a scuba diving accident. Ashley writes about their life together, and his tragic death, with such openness and tenderness. She describes the impact of his death on her health and life with pure, raw emotion. The scenes she describes when she first learnt about his death, said goodbye in the hospital, carried his urn through the airport, and contemplated her own life, are truly heart-breaking. This book is a beautiful and loving tribute, to a man well loved. I’m sure it will provide much comfort to Brian’s family and friends, and his children as they grow older and start to process their own grief. It will help them to remember his life was a life well-lived. It will help them to remember what an extraordinary woman their mother was to overcome such unimaginable pain and loss, and their amazing travels through Europe. The book will provide hope to anyone who has lost a loved one, that even in the darkest of times, one can find happiness. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A beautiful and loving tribute, to a man well loved. Purchase here

< Back Juliet Rose Trigger Point Love and loss on a mountainside in Montana, by Juliet Rose. Zoey Sanders is a paramedic intern, completing her final rotation with the Mountaintop Search and Rescue, in the Beartooth Mountain Range in Montana. A new dog handler arrives at base camp, Micah Byrne, with his two dogs, Trek and Chef. Micah is deaf and communicates with his dogs via hand signals. Zoey is immediately attracted to Micah, and they become close friends. Zoey knows a little sign language and she is able to communicate with Micah using finger spelling. As Micah settles into base camp, he teaches Zoey American Sign Language. Zoey and Micah’s relationship becomes intimate, and Zoey moves into Micah’s cabin. But their relationship is put to the test when there is a huge avalanche on the mountain, triggered by a drunk man on a snowmobile. Over twenty-five people are on the mountainside, with multiple buried and many injured. As the team deal with the injured, a toboggan carrying dead bodies arrives in base camp. Zoey soon learns that one of the dead is her little brother, Charlie, who was out on the mountain snowboarding. Zoey is distraught and takes a leave of absence from Search and Rescue, moving back into her parent’s farmhouse. Overwhelmed by grief and anger, Zoey pushes Micah and her loved ones away. Zoey’s parents decide to sell the farmhouse and Zoey returns to the mountain. How will Zoey cope when she returns to the place her little brother died? And can she restore her relationship with Micah? Trigger Point is an emotional, heart-breaking and gripping romantic drama of love and loss, by author Juliet Rose. Zoey meets the love of her life on a mountainside in Montana, but everything changes when her little brother is killed in a catastrophic avalanche. Zoey’s life is shattered, as she struggles with grief and pushes away everyone around her. Rose portrays death and grief honestly, sensitively and with compassion. Her prose is heart-rending, and I was overcome with emotion on several occasions. This is a beautifully written novel, with well developed, likeable and interesting characters. I particularly liked the introduction of a strong lead character with a disability. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A heart-breaking, emotional and gripping romantic drama about love and loss. Purchase here

< Back Daniel Lawrence Abrams Aliens Venmoed Me a Trillion Dollars: The Short Story Douglas “Doug” Dawkins is a sceptical YouTuber known for debunking popular conspiracy theories. Doug’s wife, Lena, is an internationally acclaimed scientist, conducting groundbreaking astronomical research with the Belarusian State University. While Doug scoffs at the notion of alien life, Lena’s research has found undeniable proof of super-advanced, extraterrestrial communications. When Doug is contacted by aliens out of the blue, he thinks it is a scam. The aliens offer Doug huge sums of cash to conceal the truth about extraterrestrial life. They ask him to forward on a computer virus to the Belarusian State University, to destroy his wife’s research before it is made public. Believing the communication to be a prank, Doug sends the virus to the National Security Agency, to protect his own back. The virus completely destroys the NSA’s servers, and two NSA agents are sent to Doug and Lena’s home to spy on the couple, believing them to be Belarusian spies. When the aliens make contact again, Lena requests demonstrable proof that the aliens are real. But, when the aliens provide irrefutable proof of their existence, Doug and Lena find themselves in a whole heap of trouble. Aliens Venmoed Me a Trillion Dollars is a short genre-bending story by author Daniel Lawrence Abrams that fuses satire, science-fiction, conspiracy debunking, and espionage. Abrams delivers a sharp, satirical comedy about a guy who makes his living debunking conspiracy theories, only to discover indisputable proof of alien life. What starts out as a seemingly absurd message from an alien, quickly spirals into a darkly comedic series of events. Lena’s scientific integrity and Doug’s cynicism collide in high-stakes decisions that test their loyalty, love, and the very boundaries of reality. I enjoyed the clever inversion of roles: the sceptic becomes the target of the ultimate conspiracy, and the scientist must demand proof that shakes the foundation of her beliefs. The writing is sharp and laced with dry humor and biting social commentary. The result is a gripping page-turner that is both thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny. Star rating : 5 Stars Summary : Satire meets sci-fi in this fast-paced, darkly comic short story by Daniel Lawrence Abrams. Purchase here

< Back Michael Shandler Karma and Kismet A spiritual quest across continents, cultures and consciousness. A Memoir of Adversity and Triumph One man’s journey of struggle, self-acceptance and success. Author Michael Shandler writes about his life growing up as ‘Gary Fuchs’, in South Africa, and his journey across the ocean to North America as a young man. Part one (‘Karma’) focuses on his early life in 1950’s Cape Town, where he lived in constant fear of his violent father. At age thirteen, he was sent away to an all-boys boarding school, where he was regularly bullied by other students. After leaving school at eighteen, he was drafted into the all-White South African army but struggled to find his place: “I’m not a proud South African. The country’s history is alien to me. I love the land and the sea, but I’m a Jew. An outsider. Bullied by Afrikaners and English alike”. After he is discharged from the army due to medical reasons, he joins a training program in Johannesburg, but he remains sad, lonely, and depressed. Part two (‘Seeking’) focuses on his early twenties, as he leaves South Africa in search of new opportunities. Following the outbreak of the Arab-Israel conflict in 1967, the twenty-one-year-old volunteers to work in a kibbutzim to support the war effort. When he receives cash from his uncle's in Canada, he decides to emigrate to Vancouver. He takes several jobs, and experiments with psychedelic drugs. He soon discovers a love of yoga, which he later teaches and develops a friendship with Ram Dass, a spiritual teacher and yoga guru. He is given the spiritual name Ravi Dass, and he joins an intensive ‘Arica’ enlightenment training program. He later marries Aparna, and they have a daughter named Manju. In the late 1970’s he writes a yoga journal and publishes his first book. In Part three (‘Kismet’) he publishes several other books with his wife, under the names Michael and Nina Shandler. Aparna gives birth to their second daughter, Sara, and Michael reconciles with his estranged father. Karma and Kismet A spiritual quest across continents, cultures and consciousness: A Memoir of Adversity and Triumph is an absorbing and heartfelt memoir by author Michael Shandler. Shandler shares his personal journey from Cape Town to Canada, chronicling key personal, social and political events during his life. Shandler escapes a violent and controlling father, and builds a new life in a new country, where he finds peace and a sense of purpose through yoga and spiritual practice. This is a deeply moving, honest, authentic and courageous memoir, exploring the complexity of the human experience and the basic need for love and belonging. It offers a beacon of hope and healing for anyone recovering from childhood trauma. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A deeply moving, honest, authentic and courageous memoir, exploring the complexity of the human experience and the basic need for love and belonging. Purchase here

< Back Mary L Schmidt Her Alibi A heart-breaking story of survival, by author Mary Schmidt One of seven children, Mary tells the story of her childhood and growing up in a household where the children were neglected and abused by their mother, Marguerite. Mary describes the horrific mental and physical abuse she experienced and the trauma of living with a sociopath. Mary recalls her first memories of her mother’s rage, from around the age of two, when she was regularly beaten and force fed. She describes how she was often singled out by her mother throughout her childhood, and blamed for the misdemeanours of her siblings. Unfortunately, Marguerite’s abuse was never discovered by the authorities. From the outside, Marguerite was a warm, loving and attentive parent, but behind closed doors, she was a monster who terrorised her children, her husband, and even her own mother. While Mary describes a loving relationship with her father and grandmother, they could do little to intervene, help or protect the children, as they were subject to the same cruelty and feared the matriarch. As an adult, Mary distanced herself from her mother, as did most of her siblings. But one day, her mother unexpectedly visits her home and they spend several hours reconnecting and bonding. Mary had hoped for a reconciliation, but the next day she heard tragic news that her step father had been shot, and Mary questions the motivation for her mothers’ strange and sudden visit. Her Alibi is a heart-breaking novel and a memoir by author Mary L Schmidt. Mary describes the pain and trauma she suffered at the hands of her abusive mother, and the impact this had on her life, and the lives of her siblings. It is an open, honest and graphic account of child abuse, told through Mary’s own tragic lived experience. Whilst this is a deeply upsetting story, there is some comfort that Mary survived and was successful in her own life, despite her mother's maltreatment. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A compelling memoir about one woman’s lived experience of childhood abuse and trauma. Purchase here

< Back William Meisel The Lost History of "Talking to Computers": And What It Teaches Us About AI Exuberance Book blurb... Speech recognition ”using human language to connect with computers” is an area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that has caught people's imagination and challenged hundreds of companies to make it a reality. This work documents 27 years of efforts by companies and the individuals driving them to connect us to computers using human language and to make a financial success of the effort. In some years, over 300 companies believed they could profitably deliver speech recognition technology or its applications. They faced the hurdle of the cost of computing power being much higher than it is today and had to compromise in early years on their objectives, finding applications that both served a need but could be delivered at an affordable price. This history provides a perspective on how difficult technologies evolve more slowly than we remember, with much of that history and its lessons lost. The Lost History of "Talking to Computers" provides insights into today's exuberance over Artificial Intelligence. Purchase here

< Back Paula Dail Fearless One woman’s selfless and fearless pursuit of greater equality, justice, and reproductive rights for women, by author Paula Dáil. Maggie Corrigan was born in 1932 to young Irish immigrants, and brought up in a rough, South Side neighbourhood of Chicago. Her mother, Maureen, died during childbirth when Maggie was just nine years old, leaving her to bring up her younger siblings as the oldest female in the household. Her father, Paddy, worked in the stock yards, and spent much of his spare time in drinking establishments. At the age of seventeen Maggie contemplates her future. She could marry and have children like her mother, or she could work for a pittance as a domestic, but Maggie wants more from life and wants to improve the lives of poor catholic women. She decides to enter a convent with the hope of changing the catholic church and making it more equitable for women. Maggie joins the Order of the Pax Christi Sisters of Charity and Justice (SCJ) motherhouse in Saint Xavier, Indiana, where she is assessed by her superiors for her commitment and suitability for religious life. Maggie is admitted into the novitiate, and six years after entering the Order, she becomes a fully professed member of the SCJ religious community. Maggie dedicates the rest of her life to improving the lives of women, by helping them gain the self-confidence and freedom to control their own futures and their reproductive lives. In 2017, at the age of 86, Maggie contacts Professor Gillian Spencer, a sociologist, poverty researcher and women’s rights advocate, and invites her to write the story of her life. Gillian turns down the offer at first, but is eventually persuaded by Maggie to tell her story. Gillian travels to Chicago and immerses herself into the life of Maggie, following her journey back to her birthplace, through the church, to her work leading the women’s reproductive rights movement, and as a patient advocate in an Illinois abortion clinic. Fearless, by author Paula Dáil, is a moving and inspirational story about one woman’s selfless and fearless pursuit of greater equality, justice, and reproductive rights for women. Maggie dedicated her entire life to God, and to helping poor catholic women, while overcoming her own childhood trauma, and risking her profession and reputation. This is an insightful, captivating and sometimes harrowing novel, with believable characters and authentic narrative. The book highlights the patriarchal control and authoritarianism that still exists in society and the Catholic Church today. It is a great way of engaging those who might find feminist literature inaccessible, in women’s rights issues. Whilst this novel is a work of fiction, it is inspired by the collective stories of real women. The many women that inspired this story are a true inspiration to women and girls everywhere. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A moving and inspirational story that highlights the patriarchal control and authoritarianism that still exists in society and the Catholic Church today. Purchase here

< Back Joshua Hershey Linden Falls Can a young woman free her people from darkness? Orphan, Mabel, was brought up by her grandmother, Gigi, in Linden, a nation cursed and shrouded by dark and evil forces. Mabel’s parents died of the plague when she was a young girl, but Gigi never discussed their life or death. Mabel always thought she was different from other children and had vivid dreams she was a witch. Rumors had even spread at school that Mabel was a possessed dreamer, who uses magic to enter shadows and speak with the dead. When Gigi dies, Mabel is left penniless and alone. She visits Gigi’s cabin to retrieve her belongings and feels a strange presence. When she spots a book that she had seen in her dream, she must open it. The book emits light and fire, and Mabel is spellbound. The magic book creates a cyclone and Mabel flees the cabin by stepping through a door of fire. Mabel is chased by a serpent, Lavian, and a hoard of Dark Angels. She is saved by the Light Angels and taken to Citadel; a fortress suspended above the Earth. Mabel learns from the Light Angels that the book has special powers, and she was chosen by the one who wrote the book to break the darkness over Linden. She also learns there are two worlds, the world where she lives and the unseen realm that permeates the heavens and Earth. Mable has two choices, to return to her old life in Linden and give up the book, or to harness the book’s powers and continue the path of her calling. Which path will Mabel take? Can she end the darkness that presides over Linden? And will she find out the truth about her parents, and her special powers? Linden Falls is an imaginative and thrilling dark fantasy fiction novel by author Joshua Hershey. This is a well written and tightly crafted story, with a gripping plot, and rich, memorable characters. Mabel is a strong female protagonist, who overcomes adversity to free her people. There are strong Christian messages throughout the book, which make this a unique and powerful read. Hershey has created a spellbinding world that will appeal to those who enjoy action-adventure, fantasy fiction, and Christian fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A thoroughly enjoyable and spellbinding read. Purchase here

< Back Rose Mary Boehm Life Stuff Book blurb... This brilliant collection speaks candidly about living in the final stretch of one’s time. Rose writes about aging, the pending inevitable, the changing world, friendship and family, the meaning of home. She meanders down memory lane, from Peru to Paris to Spain to Germany. She recalls childhood and harrowing experiences of tyranny and war, in the same scrapbook as motherhood and love and the wonders of people and nature. These gorgeous poems speak about regrets and losses with rare honesty. In a way, this collection from a prolific and gifted writer is her love letter to us, something for us to keep, to keep her close. This is a writer who knows that the darkness and most painful parts of life hold as much wealth as the sweetest. And this is her magnum opus. Lorette C. Luzajic, editor, The Ekphrastic Review, author, The Rope Artist, Winter in June Purchase here