Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Chanticleer 5 Star Book Review

  • NEVER OUTMATCHED: Military Strategies to Lead Innovate and Win in the Modern Marketing Battlefield by Lee Pepper – Business Strategy, Leadership, Marketing

     

    Part leadership manual, part tactical playbook, Never Outmatched: Military Strategies to Lead, Innovate, and Win in the Modern Marketing Battlefield by Lee Pepper blends military wisdom and modern insight into sharp, grounded business guidance.

    Pepper draws heavily from his dual experience as an army officer and a high-level marketing executive, offering more than just inspiration. Never Outmatched is a practical, story-driven guide that borrows from the discipline, mindset, and adaptability of military strategy.

    Lee Pepper distills years of hard-won experience into a collection of mental models designed to help leaders act decisively even when the odds feel stacked against them or the path ahead unclear. Strategies like “Commander’s Intent” teach you how to lead with vision while empowering your team to move independently. “Force Multiplication” shows how to get more from the people and tools you already have, and “War-Gaming” helps you anticipate problems before they hit.

    Never Outmatched is not a book of buzzwords or silver bullets but a steady, reliable companion for anyone trying to lead well under pressure or turn obstacles into forward momentum.

    Lee Pepper writes with the kind of clarity that only comes from having actually served in the military and thrived in business. The prose is confident but conversational, crisp in delivery and never sterile. Pepper doesn’t bog you down in jargon; when he introduces a military term or historic reference he gives it context, then connects it back to the messy, real-world problems business leaders face today.

    The structure is tidy and intuitive, with each chapter written like a mission briefing, complete with strategy, application, and action steps. Pepper builds a kind of conceptual world where military models make marketing feel navigable rather than nebulous. It’s not a narrative in the traditional sense, but the through-line “never be outmatched” serves as a rallying cry that gives the book emotional cohesion.

    So often, similar books talk about innovation and strategy in vague, glossy terms but Pepper drills down into decision-making without perfect information, managing people who are resistant to change, and motivating a team when you’re outgunned in budget, resources, or time. These are not just metaphors. He literally thrived in stressful situations where acting fast meant succeeding in the field and in the boardroom, and he now shapes that wisdom to keep it relevant to building a marketing campaign or navigating office politics.

    If you’ve ever felt like the marketing world is a little too much like a battlefield—chaotic, high-stakes, and constantly shifting—then Never Outmatched might just be the field manual you didn’t know you needed.

    This is a resource that acknowledges failures and false starts, as well as the fear and imposter syndrome that can creep in especially when you’re a new leader trying to prove yourself.

    Never Outmatched: Military Strategies to Lead, Innovate, and Win in the Modern Marketing Battlefield by Lee Pepper is a call to stop waiting for perfect conditions, to act with intention, and most importantly, to never let yourself be outmatched even when you’re outnumbered.

     

  • THE REALM Of GODS: The Chronicles of Chaos Book 3 by Glen Dahlgren – Epic Fantasy, YA, Action/Adventure

    The Realm of Gods, book three of Glen Dahlgren’s The Chronicles of Chaos series strikes a delicate balance. It has the familiar hallmarks of fantasy: swords and sorcery, daring and disaster. Yet it also subverts expectations, avoiding a too-simple “good versus evil” narrative.

    The gods wield phenomenal power, able to make their whims reality, but can be as fickle and foolish as any human. Mortal lives are inextricably intertwined with their gods, for better or worse. Even the “faithless”, who lack direct connections to the gods, are exploited and oppressed by the elaborate religious structures around them.

    But there are some humans who imagined a better way, and then fought for it. The Realm of Gods begins in the aftermath of this grand battle.

    A rebel group has managed to banish the implacable gods of Order by using the oppositional forces of Chaos. Banishing the gods might have been the right choice, but it cost some lives and left a complicated mess behind. Now, it’s up to the remaining characters to heal the world’s wounds as best they can.

    A young girl named Eve emerges as the hero of this story, facing a chain of god-related consequences she accidentally sets off.

    This book is fast-moving and action-focused—perfect for holding the attention of its younger target audience.

    Dahlgren switches perspectives rapidly, weaving the viewpoints of different characters to move the story forward. A few viewpoints are surprising: even a truly detestable character gets a chance to show things from his perspective. There’s no lack of suspense as we switch from character to character and even world to world, waiting to see how all the pieces fit together.

    Sometimes, those pieces come together literally. Dahlgren’s experience as a video game designer shines through in pivotal moments when two main characters, while navigating a complex unfinished temple, must solve puzzles to reach their destination. Following along as they figure it out is almost as satisfying as solving the puzzle yourself.

    Author Glen Dahlgren has younger readers in mind, but the complex story he’s woven has lots to love for readers of all ages, and plenty of surprises along the way.

    As the last in the series, The Realm of Gods delivers unexpected and compelling turns of fate for several beloved characters.

    Dahlgren’s certainly left the possibility of a sequel open. However, in this for-now-final book, he offers closure to the story with a few twists left up his sleeve. The characters seem just as surprised by how things turn out as many readers will be.

    Dahlgren also pays off the series’ longstanding questions. The gods are real in this world, but it wasn’t always that way. When two characters explore a magical realm called the Dreaming, they find they can visit scenes from the past, learning how the gods of Order came to life—in a very unexpected way. Just as the gods can be brought into the world, they can also be banished. But are they eternally bound to return, or can this world be rid of them for good?

    Multiple storylines meet as a team assembles around Eve, determined to help her enact her solution to the god problem.

    A world with too much Order needs the force of Chaos to keep it in check. Eve and her friends will have to go far beyond the boundaries of the known world to find the Chaos they seek, bringing the universe back into balance.

    Eve’s plan isn’t perfect. Problems arise and mistakes are made. In the end, not everyone ends up quite where they were supposed to be. But as the book winds down, there’s plenty of happiness to be had in The Realm of Gods. Dahlgren lingers on joyous reunions and newly-discovered talents, giving readers one last moment to bask in his vibrant world. His characters bring one saga to a close and begin a new journey. Though readers can’t come with them down this new path, it’s a satisfying parting nonetheless.

    The Realm of Gods by Glen Dahlgren won Grand Prize in the 2024 CIBA Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

     

  • IT’S YOUR TURN: How to Rediscover Yourself Prioritize Your Well-Being & Thrive with Purpose by Shari Biery – Personal Transformation, Women’s Self-Help, Midlife Change

     

    Blue and Gold First Place Winner Badge for Mind & Spirit AwardsThe detailed and actionable guide, It’s Your Turn by Shari Biery, encourages women to reclaim the time and space they deserve in life from the slow creep of demands like home, childcare, and supporting a spouse’s career.

    To help women take “their turn,” much of this book is devoted to slowing down: why, how, and when to do it. Even its conversational writing style is an invitation to do so. It’s Your Turn leads readers to reflect, assess, and make effective changes in their lives. This isn’t a quick-hit self-help book, but a meditation for navigating midlife flux amid marriage and family responsibilities.

    Biery draws on her own experiences living through many challenges frequently encountered by modern women. She struggled most with balancing personal needs and family responsibilities. Biery’s own needs and dreams long fell by the wayside in favor of managing her household and supporting her husband with his career in the military. With It’s Your Turn, she hopes to share her process of reclaiming those needs and dreams and reclaiming her well-being.

    It’s Your Turn is loosely organized around Biery’s “C.A.L.M. method.” Through Clarity, Awareness, Learning, and Mindset, she teaches women how to carve out necessary space for themselves.

    After Part I sets the book’s intentions, Part II guides readers through the C.A.L.M. method. Then, Part III helps them reenter the world to “embrace your turn.” Throughout the book, boxed text inserts offer actionable tidbits like questions to reflect on and even a self-care game. This format invites readers to break out the highlighters and sticky notes, adding their own marks to the parts that resonate with them most.

    Some of the lessons are more widely applicable than others. Biery is a military wife, and certain advice is clearly designed for military spouses in particular, including a list of military spouse resources near the end. Yet other advice, like a detailed guide to journaling, can truly apply to anyone.

    This book focuses its advice for family-oriented women who want to find more balance and self-care in their lives.

    It’s Your Turn isn’t intended as a guide for decision making about looming relationship difficulties, major financial issues, or long-term career and education choices, although women navigating divorce, business failure, and other major catastrophes may still find benefits here. Biery occasionally touches on more serious issues like health problems but is careful to stay within her realm of expertise.

    Clever use of anecdotes adds to the messages of well-being in It’s Your Turn. The chapters begin with windows into real people’s lives which illustrate Biery’s advice in action.

    Some anecdotes are drawn from Biery’s career as a health and wellness coach, while others come from her own life. In one instance, Biery uses her experience navigating the Covid-19 pandemic as an example for slowing down daily routines to bring clarity to what one truly need in life.

    The advice shared in It’s Your Turn is given by a qualified expert who has used these methods to successfully make changes in her own life, and the welcoming, encouraging, and authentic anecdotes make it feel as if the reader and the author were supportive friends chatting over a cup of coffee. A wonderful combination for delivering the message that “It’s Your Turn.”

    It’s Your Turn by Shari Biery won First Place in the 2024 CIBA Mind & Spirit Awards for Spirituality and Enlightenment Non-Fiction.

     

  • BELLA BROWN VISITS A BEE FARM by J.W. Zarek, illustrated by Anastasia at GetYourBookIllustrations – Animal Stories for Children, Picture Books, Children’s Educational Books

     

    Bees frighten Bella, but a learning adventure turns her fear to fascination in J.W. Zarek’s delightful children’s book Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm.

    Bella’s bespectacled Grandma Yetta asks for help in her wildflower garden. Bella hops along with her bucket of gardening tools, surrounded by beautiful hovering butterflies. But a sudden encounter with a large striped flying insect sends Bella running.

    Grandma Yetta explains that the buzzing bee is merely curious or trying to protect her home or babies. She advises Bella to stand very still, and the bee will fly away. Bella gives it a try and sees her own fears fly away as the bee continues its journey through the garden.

    Grandma suggests taking a visit to Farmer Joe’s Sunny Meadows Bee Farm to learn about the importance of these amazing flying creatures.

    Farmer Joe coaxes the hesitant Bella to learn about our “buzzing friends,” taking her first to a glass observation hive full of bees at work. Farmer Joe explains the different jobs bees perform, from collecting nectar to caring for young bees—and even fanning their wings just to keep the hive cool!

    With protective face netting and elbow-length gloves, Bella next visits the boxed beehives and learns how the placement of the hives can influence the taste of their honey. Farmer Joe describes how the bees make honey in the first place.

    Sweet illustrations by Anastasia with GetYourBookIllustrations show the roles of the bees with childlike whimsy.

    The queen bee wears her royal crown. Worker bees carry miniature tools and nursery attendants hold newly hatched baby bees, all doing their part to support the hive.

    Wide-eyed Bella asks what else bees do.

    Grandma Yetta explains how bees pollinate fruits and vegetables. Their communication “wiggle dance” is complimented by amusing images of a dance floor complete with big speakers and a sparkling disco ball. Zarek includes even more facts about bees, from their sleep patterns to flight speeds.

    The fascinating little creatures ultimately awe Bella, and all she’s learned about them dispels her fears and leaves her instead with a desire to help the bees. She even pays tribute to them by donning an adorable bee costume.

    Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm makes learning about bees approachable for young readers.

    The book concludes with a page of affirmations for children like “Bee Joyful,” “Bee Happy,” “Bee Honest,” and “Beelieve in Yourself.” Zarek also provides a glossary of words related to Bella’s visit to the bee farm, as well as some friendly tips for readers to help bees in their area.

    A furry little friend known as “Pip the Domovoi” appears in the background visuals several times throughout the book, prompting children to discover fun new details within Anastasia’s beautiful illustrations.

    Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm by J.W. Zarek both entertains and educates at once. Young readers will appreciate the easily followed narrative and fun, colorful illustrations, and children of all ages will learn something new about these productive little insects and their importance to our ecosystem.

     

  • VITAL MISSION: Jake Fortina Series Book 4 by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke – Military Thriller, Contemporary, War in Ukraine

     

    Vital Mission, the fourth book in Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke’s Major Jake Fortina series, is a military thriller with exceptional heart. It goes beyond combat tactics to explore the traumatizing impact of war on those who wage it.

    Vital Mission confronts the true cost of war, not in headlines, statistics, and maps, but in kitchens, schoolyards, and the private corners of people’s minds.

    The story opens in February 2022 as Russia conducts a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Jake Fortina, a former US Army commander and military attaché living in Italy with his wife and small child, observes the invasion from a distance, Fortina is troubled by old instincts and a sense of helplessness.

    In Mariupol, Ukrainian mother Olena tries to protect her sons from raining shells. When tragedy strikes, the boys are taken in by Russian soldiers participating in a disturbing child-relocation operation dressed up as a “rescue.” From there, readers follow the boys on a journey full of heartbreak and quiet bravery.

    Margarita Romanova, a young Russian field medic with a difficult history, steps into this emotional scene when she’s assigned to care for the displaced children.

    She develops an unexpected connection with Sergiy and Gleb. Through her eyes, readers face the moral conflict of a soldier choosing between duty and compassion. Meanwhile, Jake’s point of view provides a glimpse into the emotional toll of seeing a battle you can no longer fight, yet cannot ignore.

    Vital Mission is brisk and cinematic with frequent shifts of perspective. Its tight pacing constantly engages readers with the narrative while still allowing room to bring in great emotional depth.

    Steinke strikes a masterful mix between urgency and empathy, utilizing simple yet powerful words to draw each scene. Whether in a darkened gym where children whisper into their covers or along a frostbitten tree line where Ukrainian soldiers lie in wait, the language Steinke uses is visceral and immersive.

    The story never feels bloated with complex politics or overly technical military jargon. This lets Steinke’s great strength in his character work shine. He quietly builds layers of emotion, especially around the two boys, without ever slipping into melodrama. There’s a haunting restraint to many of the scenes and a clarity that layers every moment with gravity through the author’s intense voice and emotional precision.

    That deep level of emotional impact is felt most through the desperation the children experience in their captivity. Readers feel the weight of a child’s confusion, desperation, and growing awareness that the world around him might not make sense for a long time—if ever.

    Vital Mission isn’t just a story about war alone. It is also a story about humanity.

    Children are forced to grow up overnight, soldiers question their orders, and love shows up in the unlikeliest places. Readers who are drawn to stories with emotional insight, moral complexity, and real-world relevance will find Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke’s Vital Mission hard to put down—and harder still to forget.

  • A SIREN CALLED TRUTH: A Bone Wars Novel by Patricia Roberts Wright – Historical Fiction, Old West, Fossil Hunting

     

    Patricia Roberts Wright’s A Siren Called Truth plunges into the fierce rivalry of the Bone Wars, a real-life scientific feud between paleontologists Edward Cope and O.C. Marsh. Blending history, ambition, and human drama, this gripping historical novel explores the cost of discovery and the lengths people will go to secure their legacy.

    A Siren Called Truth is a character-driven exploration of rivalry. Edward Cope, a self-taught genius, is determined to unearth America’s prehistoric past, but O.C. Marsh stands in his way, a well-funded and politically savvy adversary. Their battle for dominance in paleontology is about reputation, power, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

    A Siren Called Truth’s prose transports readers to the rugged landscapes where fossils lie buried beneath layers of time.

    Vivid sunrises, dust storms, and excavation sites give the setting itself a sense of character. All the while, the pacing remains taut, balancing scientific intrigue with personal stakes.

    One of Wright’s strengths is her ability to blend history with storytelling. She doesn’t just recount events—she resurrects a time period, bringing to life the personalities and conflicts that shaped paleontology.

    Edward Cope is portrayed as a brilliant but flawed man, driven by a passion that often turns to recklessness in his pursuit of discovery. O.C. Marsh stands as his compelling contrast—calculating, strategic, and willing to bend ethical lines to secure his place in history. Their dynamic is electric, arcing between grudging respect and outright sabotage. The tension builds through meticulously researched details, creating a sense of immediacy and consequence for each discovery and betrayal.

    Within its historical intrigue, A Siren Called Truth ponders ethical dilemmas, questioning the lengths scientists will go to for recognition and the moral cost of shaping history.

    Wright doesn’t shy away from the intense personal stakes involved—Cope’s desperation, Marsh’s cunning maneuvering, and the collateral damage among the people caught between them. Scientists, journalists, and financiers all play roles in shaping the Bone Wars, adding layers to this story’s exploration of ambition and consequence.

    Whether you’re drawn to scientific rivalries, richly textured historical settings, or high-stakes ambition, A Siren Called Truth delivers an unforgettable journey into the tumultuous world of 19th-century fossil-hunting, and it sets the stage for an exciting trilogy.

     

  • THE QUARRY: The Druid Chronicles Book 4 by A.M. Linden – Historical Fiction, Brittania, Druids

     

    Druids struggle to evade Christian persecution in A.M. Linden’s The Quarry, Book Four in the Druid Chronicles, a fast-paced adventure through medieval Brittania.

    Although dwindling in number and hunted by Christians who fear their pagan rituals, Druids still roam the land. Linden explores these oppressed people and their belief system, one that approaches life and conflict with reason and attempts to find a peaceful resolution—a novel idea during this historical time.

    The High Priestess Feywn’s health is failing. Our hero, Druid priest Caelym, does everything in his power to save her so she can pass on her vital role in their religion.

    The necessary ritual takes time and specific ingredients. As he hunts for those sacred herbs, he is captured by the local sheriff whose second in command, the fanatic Christian Matthew, only wants Caelym’s death.

    Cyri, the young Druid woman who would become the next High Priestess, goes in search of Caelym but finds only his bag, weapon, and clothes. Fearing him kidnapped, Cyri journeys to save him in a hunt or be hunted Dark Age. Each step puts Cyri’s and Caelym’s survival into question.

    Linden peoples this story with characters from across her series whose roles stand clear and meaningful—including the villains.

    Stefan, the Saxon warrior recently appointed sheriff of the Shire of Codswallow, weighs two problems against one another. His wife’s uncle wants to marry her—over Stefan’s dead body. And Stefan has just run into a wanted Druid who might prove useful.

    The different POVs create unpredictable and entertaining twists, as Stefen captures Caelym on his way to an inn where he hopes to receive a hearty lunch and a roll in the hay with Cyri, who he believes to be a barmaid. Little does Stefan know Cyri’s connection to Caelym’s mistress Feywn.

    Stefan first wants Caelym simply for his value as a hostage, but recognizes his talent as a gifted musician and storyteller, and refuses to give in to Matthew’s murderous desire. When an attempt is made on Stefan’s life, his understanding of his place in the world is shaken to its core, and only Caelym can give him the perspective and advice he needs—both to save himself and plot revenge.

    For lovers of historical fiction, Celtic and Druidic literature, and classic fantasy like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the story of Stefan, Caelym, and Cyri in The Quarry will cast an enrapturing spell, making them fall in love with Linden’s characters, both heroic and villainous, and appreciate these ancient pagan ways.

    Linden’s masterful storytelling in The Quarry stands wonderfully on its own and as continuation of the Druid Chronicles, leaving new readers excited to finish the whole series.

     

  • VERMILION HARVEST: Playtime at the Bagh by Reenita M. Hora – Historical Romance, Indian Independence, Cultural Conflicts

     

    Reenita M. Hora’s Vermilion Harvest weaves love and liberation into literary gold.

    “Why do love and freedom have such a complicated relationship?” This haunting question pulses through every page of Vermilion Harvest, Hora’s breathtaking debut that creates, in one of history’s darkest moments, a luminous testament to the power of love in transcending boundaries.

    A star-crossed romance sparks against the backdrop of empire.

    Set in 1919 Amritsar, Vermilion Harvest introduces readers to Aruna Duggal, a nineteen-year-old Anglo-Indian schoolteacher caught between worlds—too brown for British acceptance, too white for Indian belonging. Born from violence, raised in the shadows between communities, Aruna navigates life’s margins until she meets Ayaz Peermohammed, a passionate Muslim law student from Lahore. Ayaz’s dreams of Indian independence ignite something revolutionary within Aruna’s heart.

    Their love story blooms like a flower in defiance of winter—beautiful, tender, and heartbreakingly fragile. Hora captures the exquisite tension between personal desire and political reality as Aruna and Ayaz discover that in a country divided by religion, race, and colonial rule, love itself becomes an act of rebellion.

    The masterful prose in Vermilion Harvest transforms historical tragedy into profound art

    Hora’s literary craftsmanship elevates this novel far beyond typical historical romance. Her prose shimmers with intelligence and emotion, creating an intimate portrait of a young woman’s awakening consciousness against the violent fractures in her society. Through Aruna’s compelling voice, readers experience the complex interior landscape of someone perpetually displaced, seeking belonging in a world determined to categorize and divide.

    Hora approaches the Jallianwala Bagh massacre with remarkable literary courage. She threads historical horror into a deeply personal narrative that honors both individual suffering and collective trauma. This nuanced exploration of identity, belonging, and resistance resonates powerfully in our contemporary moment.

    The characters of Vermilion Harvest pull together in an urgent love story racing against a bloody turning point in history.

    As political tensions escalate and Colonel Dyer’s military orders loom, Aruna faces an impossible choice between safety and love—the peripheral privilege of her Anglo-Indian status and the dangerous freedom Ayaz represents. The novel’s final act builds to a devastating emotional crescendo as love and liberation collide in the gardens of Jallianwala Bagh.

    Vermilion Harvest succeeds brilliantly as both intimate love story and sweeping historical epic.

    Hora has crafted a novel that makes the personal political and the historical immediate, creating characters so vivid and emotions so raw that readers will find themselves completely invested in Aruna and Ayaz’s fate.

    For readers seeking high-caliber fiction with both gorgeous prose and compelling storytelling, Vermilion Harvest delivers an unforgettable reading experience. A new novel from an author of major literary talent, offering historical insight and timeless truths about love’s power to transform and transcend.

    Vermilion Harvest by Reenita M. Hora won the 2024 CIBA Overall Grand Prize.

     

  • TIME-MARKED WARLOCK: The Chronos Chronicles Book 1 by Shami Stovall – Urban Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Supernatural Mystery

     

    Shelley (paranormal) Grand Prize Badge for Shami Stovall The Time-Marked WarlockShami Stovall’s Time-Marked Warlock rewinds urban fantasy with fresh magic.

    Adair Finch is the world’s most powerful warlock – and he’s done with it all. In Time-Marked Warlock, Shami Stovall crafts a brilliant urban fantasy that feels like Groundhogs Day meets Harry Dresden, delivering a take on magical investigation that will leave readers spellbound from the first page.

    A reluctant mentor meets his match in a twelve-year-old witch.

    After losing his brother in a case gone wrong, Finch has sworn off the paranormal world entirely. But when young Bree Blackstone pounds on his door in the middle of the night – her mother murdered, her father kidnapped – Finch wades back into the magical chaos he’d tried to escape. What starts as a favor for an old friend becomes a twisting mystery that threatens everything he thought he knew about his world.

    Stovall excels at creating an unlikely partnership, one crackling with energy and humor. Bree isn’t your typical helpless child in need of rescue – she’s a young witch with questions, opinions, and magical abilities that complement Finch’s considerable power. Their banter and growing mentor-student relationship provides both emotional depth and genuine laughs throughout the investigation.

    Time magic creates a game-changing twist on fantastical investigation.

    The real genius of Time-Marked Warlock lies in Finch’s unique ability to rewind time and witness events as they actually happened. When someone tries to kill both Finch and Bree, his ability to see the attack unfold adds layers of complexity that keep readers guessing right alongside the characters.

    Stovall uses this temporal element not as a gimmick but as a sophisticated plot device that deepens the mystery while raising the stakes. Each revelation through time manipulation reveals another clue towards conspiracy, transforming what appears to be a straightforward murder case into something even more sinister and far-reaching.

    A standout series launch that reinvents urban fantasy tropes.

    Time-Marked Warlock succeeds because of the originality it infuses into familiar urban fantasy elements – powerful warlocks, magical investigations, supernatural threats. The world-building feels both lived-in and vivacious, populated with complex characters whose flaws make them more compelling than perfect heroes ever could be.

    Stovall’s writing sparkles with wit and energy, moving at breakneck pace while never sacrificing character development. Finch’s journey from bitter retirement to reluctant heroism feels earned, while the emotional resonance of Bree’s evolution from terrified child to capable young witch elevates the entire narrative.

    As the opening volume of The Chronos Chronicles trilogy, Time-Marked Warlock establishes a magical world readers will want to revisit again and again. Fans of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files and Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles will find their new favorite series in Stovall’s perfect combination of urban fantasy adventure and time-bending mystery.

    Time-Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall won Grand Prize in the 2024 CIBA Shelley Awards for Supernatural Fiction.

     

  • THE THIRD ACT: A Spicy Lesbian Romance by Kathleen Brehony – Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ+ Fiction, Friendships & Relationships

    The subtitle “A Spicy Lesbian Romance” belies the true emotional depth of Kathleen Brehony’s The Third Act. This story is a testament to the unbreakable connection between a “Tribe” of 60ish lesbian women, and the unexpected possibility of love appearing even in the darkest of times.

    The story opens as Shannon, a member of the Tribe, witnesses her lifelong best friend, Linda, pass away after a decade-long battle with breast cancer.

    Shannon has been by Linda’s side during the last part of her battle, and now she’s the friend who sends the rest of The Tribe the simple message “She’s gone.” They make a plan to come together on Labor Day weekend to celebrate Linda’s life at Shannon’s family’s beachside resort on the Jersey shore in the hopes that the closeness and comfort they’ve shared as friends all these years will help them begin to heal. When they arrive at the coastal cottage, they toast their friendship with a quote from Rumi, “Friend our closeness is this: anywhere you put your foot, you feel me in the firmness underneath you.”

    It is here, with the gathered Tribe, that we begin to understand the long, complicated history between Shannon O’Connell and Elizabeth Mathews.

    Many decades earlier, Elizabeth and Shannon shared a tequila-fueled night of passion while Elizabeth was going through a breakup. It was a night that neither Elizabeth nor Shannon have ever forgotten, but the complications of life kept that passion from growing further. Each became involved with different people over the years and never could find a time when they were both single to try out a deeper relationship. Now, they are together again, both free to honor their friend and reconnect with each other.

    During the long weekend, Elizabeth shares Shannon’s bungalow on the beach and long-simmering emotions bubble to the surface.

    Shannon hesitates, shaken by the end of her 27-year relationship with her girlfriend, Kim, who betrayed her with another woman. She is afraid to have her heart broken again. Even as Shannon and Elizabeth finally act on their sexual attraction, the combination of Linda’s death, her mother’s Alzheimer’s, and Kim’s betrayal may be just too much for Shannon to recover from.

    For women of a certain age beginning their own ‘Third Act,’ who have lost a best friend after a valiant fight with metastatic cancer, or have had their heart torn apart by betrayal, this novel touches on many of life’s universal experiences and lessons about friendship, love, and loss.

    A message from Linda, pre-recorded to play at her Celebration of Life ceremony, challenges the Tribe to live their lives to the fullest, doing all that they plan to do. As she stares directly into the camera, Linda smiles and tells her friends, “I’m talking to you.”

    This “spicy lesbian romance” is lovely not just in its exploration of long-time friendships. It’s also a celebration of women “of a certain age.”

    Still vibrant, creative and loving, Kathleen Brehony’s The Third Act portrays women who are worthy of relationships both supportive and sensual. There is something empowering about finally acknowledging the wisdom and authenticity—and sexiness—that comes from really knowing who we are as women. Shannon, Elizabeth, Linda, and the whole Tribe are a perfect illustration of how that sentiment opens welcoming doors to new experiences and the joy of living to your full potential.