< Back David W. Berner The Islander An ageing writer develops an unlikely friendship with a young hiker. Eighty-year-old writer, Seamus Damp, lives alone with his dog in a small house, on a remote island, ‘The Rock in the sea,’ off the coast of Dingle in Ireland. Following his divorce, Seamus sunk into a deep depression, and moved to the island seeking solitude, leaving behind his only son, Aiden, on the mainland. Berner writes, Seamus had fallen into his own silence, a retreat of spirit, increasingly in need of solitude. He had become an intensely quiet man. No longer present. No longer capable of giving enough to someone else. After several medical emergencies, Aiden, and Seamus’s doctor, encourage him to return to the mainland, but Seamus refuses to leave. Early one morning, Seamus is disturbed by a tap it his door. He meets a young American named Maddie, who asks to shelter in his home during a turbulent storm. Maddie is hiking in Europe to find solace and to escape her own troubles. They share an evening of conversation, and they develop a deep connection through their personal stories of betrayal, death, despair, and hopelessness. Maddie and Seamus become friends and find comfort in each other’s company. As Maddie helps Seamus with a number of medical emergencies, Seamus helps Maddie heal from her past trauma. The Islander is a short novel by author David W. Berner about a man in his later years who finds friendship with a younger woman. This is a poignant and heartfelt novel, beautifully written by Berner with great sensitivity and compassion. The book deals with themes of friendship, love, loss, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. With well drawn, complex and relatable characters, stunning imagery of the wind-swept Irish island, and a beautiful story of two strangers who develop an unlikely bond, this is a compelling read. Highly recommended. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A poignant and heartfelt story of friendship, love, loss, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. Purchase here

< Back Eric Kok ANIMALIS Ascent of an Angel Book blurb... In a world on the brink of collapse, three lives converge at destiny's edge. Gabrielle, a teenage girl revered as the Divine Emissary, becomes a beacon of hope amid rising chaos. Gifted with mysterious powers, she must navigate the treacherous waters of political schemes and religious fanaticism while struggling with fear and the crushing weight of expectation. Jacob, a brilliant young scientist, joins the world's top research council while concealing a dark family secret. As he works to build a better future, he is haunted by a legacy that threatens to destroy his credibility and everything he's fought for. Rafael, a hardened law enforcer, is tormented by the unsolved murder of his parents. Consumed by guilt and rage, he teeters between justice and revenge, his path one of inner turmoil and self-destruction. Their intertwined paths weave a tapestry of hope, betrayal, and the relentless struggle for survival as they confront the unravelling of their world. Purchase here

< Back Maurice Hicks Looking for Trouble Maurice Hicks’s memoir ‘Looking for Trouble’ is a compelling and deeply personal account of his two-decade career in law enforcement, offering readers a raw and honest look into the challenges, triumphs, and moral complexities of policing in Baltimore and Prince George’s County, Maryland. The book is structured as a series of vivid anecdotes and reflections, focusing on specific incidents and themes that shaped Hicks’s career, including his time as an undercover narcotics detective, his leadership role in the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and his involvement in high-profile cases such as the dismantling of the Barksdale Gang and the apprehension of the crossbow rapist. Hicks’s storytelling is gripping and unflinching, immersing readers in dangerous situations like undercover drug buys, high-speed chases, and confrontations with violent criminals. These thrilling accounts are balanced with poignant reflections on the impact of crime on families and communities, as well as the toll that policing takes on officers’ mental and emotional well-being. Hicks also delves into his personal life, sharing the emotional weight of losing loved ones, the strain on his family, and the sacrifices he made for his career. Hicks addresses the racism he encountered within the police force and the challenges of being a Black officer in a predominantly White department. His reflections on disparities in treatment of officers and communities of color provide a thought-provoking lens to examine broader issues of inequality and injustice. The memoir also explores the moral dilemmas and ethical challenges of law enforcement, offering a nuanced perspective on the complexities of policing in communities affected by poverty, drugs, and violence. Hicks’s resilience and unwavering commitment to justice shine through, making his story both inspiring and impactful. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A must-read for anyone interested in true crime, law enforcement, or the human side of policing. Purchase here

< Back Terry Ray King Deathly Vision Book blurb... Dean Malcolm begins to experience troubling premonitions from his brief death following a shooting at his workplace in New York City. These premonitions alert him to impending tragedies that will occur to others around him, which he struggles to understand. His journey of self-discovery leads him to confront his abilities and the impact they have on his life and the lives of others. Each vision leaves him feeling more isolated and desperate to find a way to change the fate of those he sees in danger. He moved to the Outer Banks where he meets a beautiful Hispanic woman named Amelia Lopez who has her own minor premonitions. She begins to provide emotional support for Dean and begins walking through each premonition at his side. A psychiatrist named Doctor Ascott pressures Dean to visit his Psychiatric facility to allow him to expose Dean to some unconventional and possible dangerous testing to understand what is causing Deans premonitions. Dean receives an offer from Alberto Black, who wants to recruit him and Amelia to work together in a team of individuals with special abilities to help solve crimes. This opportunity presents a chance for Dean to use his premonitions for good, but it also raises concerns about their safety and the nature of their work. Purchase here

< Back Tammy Billups Your Animal - Your Soul Mirror: Healing the Emotional Wounds of Animals & Their People Your Animal -Your Soul Mirror is a transformative guide that explores the deep, reciprocal healing potential between humans and their animal companions. Drawing on decades of research and hands-on experience, author Tammy Billups presents a compelling case for viewing animals not just as pets, but as evolutionary partners and soul mirrors who help us heal our deepest emotional wounds. Billups structures the book around five core emotional wound patterns—The Scared One, The Needy One, The Sensitive One, The Protector, and The Perfect One. Each pattern is thoroughly described with its origins, manifestations in both humans and animals, and practical healing guidance. The book is filled with real-life stories, charts, and exercises, making the material accessible and actionable for readers at any stage of their healing journey. A central theme is the concept of soul mirroring: animals reflect back to us the emotional wounds we carry, often more clearly than other humans can. Billups explains that animals sense and respond to our unhealed emotions, sometimes even absorbing or mirroring them in their own behaviors or health. This dynamic creates a unique opportunity for mutual healing, where working on our own emotional patterns can directly benefit our animal companions—and vice versa. The book is rich with practical tools, including the WISH emotional release technique, meditations, and compassionate self-talk exercises. These are designed to help both humans and animals move beyond survival patterns and into a state of greater wholeness, self-acceptance, and love. Billups emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, patience, and the willingness to look beneath the surface of our reactions to uncover the root wounds. This book is a must-read for anyone ready to embark on a journey of mutual transformation and deeper connection with their animal kin. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A heartfelt, insightful, and practical guide that redefines the animal-human bond. Purchase here

< Back Kurt Bravata Live Free or Diet: A Holistic Guide to Finding Faith, Freedom, and Abundant Life Book blurb... Are you stuck in a cycle of fatigue, stress, or self-doubt? It’s time for a change. Live Free or Diet offers a powerful blend of practical tools and spiritual guidance to help you break free from negative habits and embrace your true potential. This isn’t just another diet book—it’s a holistic guide that empowers you to take control of your mind, body, and spirit. Discover life-changing strategies for overcoming addictions, cultivating a positive mindset, and finding your true purpose. With inspiring verses from Scripture, Dr. Kurt Bravata shows how God equips us to triumph over adversity. This flexible blueprint will help you reclaim your vitality and step into the abundant life you were meant to live. Start your journey today and experience the freedom, faith, and fulfillment you've been longing for! Purchase here

< Back Nina Blakeman The Peace Talk Four men, united by a shared history and a secret they have harboured for ten long years. Every May for the last ten years, four men have been brought together for the anniversary of the death of their high school teacher, Otis Watt. A vigil is held to commemorate Otis’s passing, and high school friends, Andy, Gary, Hal, and Mont y are forced to relive the events of ten years ago. Otis was brutally attacked on the banks of the Arkansas River, after their high school graduation. The four men know more about the attack than they have previously revealed and are sworn by a dark secret that has bound them together for a decade. Each man has gone his own way since the incident, but as they try to move on with their lives, they are haunted by the events of that fateful night. May 2019, the men reluctantly meet before the vigil to put on a united front and to get their story straight. But, when Otis’s daughter, Angela, is found dead at the same high school, the complex web of lies and deceit begin to unravel. Angela had asked to speak to Monty before the vigil, and he was one of the last to see her alive. Monty’s brief liaison with Angela could implicate him in her death and tie him to the death of her father ten years ago. As the investigation into Angela’s death ensues, the lives and loves of the four men intertwine, while they recall events from their teen years. Meanwhile, Monty's tyrannical father and Judge, Winston Reardon, is determined to make a soldier out of his son. The Peace Talk by Nina Blakeman is a gripping, twisty, tale about a group of four men, who share a dark secret from a decade ago. There is no love lost between the men, but their lives became forever entwined when their high school teacher was viciously attacked following their high school graduation. Ten years have passed since the fateful night, but the consequences of their actions still loom large. The event that bound them together a decade ago, now threatens to tear their lives apart. The narrative is compelling and emotionally charged as the author slowly peels back another layer of each character’s psyche, and the circumstances that led to the event. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A gripping and twisty tale, and a masterful exploration of how a single event can impact one’s life forever. Purchase here

< Back Dr. John Stanley Weekes Seven Vials of Wrath: God's final outpouring of wrath upon man, the seas, rivers and streams Book blurb... Are you prepared for what's to come? This gripping, prophetic book offers a dramatic forecast and Biblical foretaste of the End Times, born from night visions and divine revelation. The author recounts a stirring vision of the imminent rapture when Christ will return in the clouds to gather His chosen people, both dead and living, to live with Him eternally. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. This pivotal event will ignite the unfolding of apocalyptic chaos: global unrest, lawlessness, famine, and the rise of the anti-Christ. As the Beast gains power, demanding allegiance through his mark, the world will tremble under the weight of divine judgment. Yet, amid darkness, hope shines for those who believe. Purchase here

< Back Chloe AH Lewis The Covenant of Saints A young art students life takes an extraordinary turn when she inherits a locket from her late grandfather . Twenty-five-year-old, Nola, is a gifted Fine Arts student from Kansas City, Missouri. She returns to Lockwood Manor, the seat of her paternal family line going back three generations. Her beloved grandfather, Nolan Lockwood, has passed away and Nola wants to pay her last respects. Her uncle gives her a small white box and a letter, an early birthday present gifted by her grandfather before he died. She does not read the letter immediately, but inside the box is a locket with a black polished oval cut stone, a precious family heirloom. Returning home, Nola is attacked in an alleyway by three mysterious figures. She is helped by a stranger named Cade, who fights off the attackers. Cade breaks into Nola’s apartment and follows her to her workplace. He explains that her life is in grave danger, and he has been sent to protect her and keep her alive, as a Guardian. Nola learns that she has descended from a longline of conjurers in the ‘Unseen World.’ The three mysterious figures were Hunters, sent by the Head of the Warlock Council to retrieve her. The Hunters need Nola and her precious locket to bring the Council’s ‘Final Solution’ to fruition. The Final Solution is infinite power and immortality, and they will stop at nothing to find her. Cade takes Nola away for her own protection, where she must crossover from the ‘Mundane Society’ into the ‘Unseen World’ to protect her people – a process of ‘Ascension.’ As Nola takes in the extraordinary news, she reads the letter from her grandfather. He asks her to continue the legacy of the family’s magick and answer her ancestors’ call. Will Nola fulfil her grandfather’s final wishes? Can Nola protect her people and secure the family bloodline? And can Cade keep her safe from the demon Warlocks and Hunters? The Covenant of Saints by author Chloe A.H. Lewis is a gripping urban fantasy fiction novel, with elements of historical fiction, romance and horror. The novel follows the journey of Nola, a gifted artist, whose life takes an extraordinary turn when she inherits a locket from her late grandfather. With multiple timelines and points of view, the past and present intertwine through the discovery of the family heirloom. This is a captivating and satisfying novel with an intriguing and multi-layered storyline, and deep, multi-dimensional characterisation. Lewis has created an exquisite slow-burner, packed full of magick and mystery. I was engrossed from cover to cover. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A gem of a book, which will captivate readers with its blend of fantasy, magic, mystery, suspense and horror. Purchase here

< Back Aimee Hill All The Gray In Between Two clients, two deaths, one month apart . Thirty-year-old therapist, Lexi, specialises in cases of child neglect and parental alienation, a form of abuse where one parent is intentionally negative towards the other parent. Lexi had a good childhood, but everything changed when her wealthy stepfather abused her during her teenage years. Lexi’s mother stuck with her husband, and abandoned Lexi when she reported the abuse to the police. Following her stepfathers conviction, Lexi was awarded millions of dollars in compensation, which meant she never had to work again. However, as a result of her own trauma, she was determined to help other children, and qualified as a therapist. Lexi has had an on-off relationship with Beau, a detective for the Key Sebastian Police Department, for many years. Beau was also neglected by his mother and abused as a child. Lexi loves him deeply but is scared of commitment due to their troubled upbringings. When one of Lexi’s clients commits suicide, she wonders whether she could have done more to save her life. One month later, another client also commits suicide in similar circumstances. Lexi becomes suspicious and questions the cause of both deaths. Lexi believes there is foul play and starts to investigate the case with Beau. They find a connection between the deaths and a police officer, her own brother, and the son of one of her clients. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Or is someone targeting Lexi’s clients to get to her? Meanwhile, Lexi thinks she is being followed, and her estranged mother pays her an unexpected visit. Will Lexi and Beau solve the two mysterious deaths? Will Lexi forgive her mother? And can the couple leave their past behind them and move forward with their lives together? All The Gray In Between is a harrowing, psychological thriller / crime mystery by author Aimee Hill. Hill weaves a chilling tale of a therapist whose life takes a dark and twisted turn when two of her clients are found dead in mysterious circumstances. As Lexi, and her on-off partner, Beau investigates the case, old wounds are opened, and their relationship is put to the test. With strong characters, and an original plot with plenty of twists and turns, this is a captivating read that was hard to put down. The twist at the end of the book was totally unexpected and made me reevaluate the whole story. A must read for fans of psychological thrillers. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A harrowing, psychological thriller about a therapist whose life takes a dark and twisted turn when two of her clients are found dead. Purchase here

< Back Dr. Trent W. Smallwood Lethal Decree Sebastian Storm overcomes childhood trauma to become an elite super soldier, from author Dr Smallwood. Thirteen-year-old Sebastian Storm’s life is turned upside down when he tragically loses both of his parents within a forty-eight-hour period. First, his beloved mother is killed after apparently falling down the stairs, but Sebastian is convinced his abusive father pushed her. Sebastian is grief stricken but his father shows no emotion. Sebastian is determined to punish his father and shortly after, Sebastian’s father dies in a gruesome and equally suspicious manner. Sebastian is sent to an orphanage for a while, before he is taken in by an older friend James, and goes to live on his farm. James mentors Sebastian and teaches him soldiering and combat skills. Sebastian channels all of his grief and energy into his combat training, and years later, he is noticed by the US government and trained to become an ‘elite super-soldier’. But, a fellow trainee, Tobias Teague, holds Sebastian responsible for his wife’s murder, and sets out to avenge her death. For years, the two men manage to avoid each other, but when Tobias plans a horrific terrorist attack, Sebastian must find a way to stop his old enemy. Lethal Decree is a testosterone-fuelled, suspense thriller. It is an enthralling and gripping novel, filled with action and violence. Sebastian is a well-developed, complex, and likeable character, despite his sadistic tendencies. There is one particular scene that reveals the complexity of his character, when he leaves his father to die in a bear trap, but then sets a rabbit free. The book will appeal to those who enjoy gripping, suspense thrillers, but the gratuitous violence and sex scenes are not for the faint hearted. Star Rating: 5 Stars Summary ‘A testosterone-fuelled, and gripping suspense thriller. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ Purchase here

< Back Anthony J Mohr Every Other Weekend Coming of Age With Two Different Dads A memoir by Superior Court judge, Anthony J. Mohr, about his life growing up with two dads. Every Other Weekend: Coming of Age With Two Different Dads , is a moving memoir by Anthony J. Mohr, about his extraordinary life growing up in Hollywood with two dads. Mohr served twenty-six years as a Superior Court judge in California and also served on the California Court of Appeal. Born in 1947, Mohr was the only child of Rita and Gerald Mohr. His father was an award-winning radio star in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and found fame as crime detective, Bill Lance. Mohr recalls happy memories of his childhood in Hollywood, with parties, celebrity friends, and bit-roles on TV. He enjoyed the glitz and glamour of Hollywood life, but his father was largely absent from those early years as he strived to make a name for himself on TV. But his career took a downturn in the 1950s, and he failed to achieve the same level of success on TV. In an attempt to salvage his flailing career, his father moved to Sweden to take a job on a Swedish TV show. He never returned home. Mohr later discovered that his father had an affair with the script writer of the show. His parents divorced and Mohr moved from his half-acre plot in the San Fernando Valley to a small abode in New York City. His mother later re-married wealthy business tycoon, Stanley Dashew. The family moved back to California, Beverly Hills, and Mohr became accustomed to a life of luxury. As Dashew’s business thrived, his father fell on hard times as his career continued to nosedive. This is a fascinating memoir, told through the eyes of a child growing up during the golden age of Hollywood. During a time when divorce was uncommon and frowned upon, Mohr describes his experience as he moved back and forth between two homes, and tried to find a place for himself and a sense of belonging. Mohr’s father and stepfather were polar opposites. His father: creative, charming, and charismatic, the life and soul of the party. His stepfather: quiet, sensitive, and reserved, a stable force in Mohr’s life. Mohr describes a deep love and affection for both men but grappled with divided loyalties throughout his life. This is an authentic, well-written, and witty memoir, providing a glimpse into the world of celebrity and old Hollywood, through the eyes of a young boy. The book sensitively depicts the impact of parental separation, which will resonate with many readers. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A heartfelt and absorbing memoir about family breakdown and divorce, told through the eyes of a child growing up during the golden age of Hollywood. Purchase here