The Reading Bud

Book Review: The Coffee Shop Masquerade by T.A. Morton

03/11/202502/11/2025Asian Literature, noir, Philosophical Fiction, Philosophy, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: T.A. Morton
Release Date: 23 April 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Philosophycal, Reflective, Asian Literature
Format: E-book
Pages: 202 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
A mysterious mask abandoned in a Hong Kong coffee shop eavesdrops on the lives of those who enter, asking, who are we beneath our masks?
The Coffee Shop Masquerade is a captivating exploration of transient lives seeking meaning amid everyday encounters, much like the alluring cup of coffee that unites and intrigues us all.
As the enigmatic forces inspired by the Tao Te Ching loom over them, choices must be made, secrets revealed, and unexpected bonds forged—all under the watchful gaze of a mysterious mask.

Review

The Coffee Shop Masquerade T.A. Morton feels simple on the surface but ripples with depth the longer you sit with it. Part fable, part philosophical reflection, it is an elegantly written exploration of identity, connection, and the spaces we inhabit between truth and illusion. It begins with something as ordinary as a mask left behind in a Hong Kong café, but what follows is anything but ordinary. Through that mask’s silent observation, Morton unravels a series of intertwined lives, each one searching for meaning in the chaos of modern existence.

What makes this novel so engaging is its sense of calm observation. Much like the Taoist philosophy that threads through the story, The Coffee Shop Masquerade doesn’t rush toward answers; instead, it invites you to sit still and listen. There’s something profound about the way author Morton captures loneliness and belonging, weaving them together with the aroma of coffee and the pulse of a city constantly in motion.

The prose itself feels meditative; lyrical but never indulgent. Every chapter brings a new encounter, a new glimpse into people who, in another story, might have remained background characters. Here, they each step briefly into the light, revealing the masks they wear and the truths they fear. The mysterious presence of the mask becomes both narrator and mirror, reflecting back to the reader their own unspoken longing to be seen for who they truly are.

The Coffee Shop Marquerade is a thoughtful, graceful, and profound literary reflection on identity and interconnectedness. It’s perfect for readers who love reflective fiction like The Little Paris Bookshop or Klara and the Sun, and for anyone drawn to stories that brew philosophy and emotion into something soothing yet stirring.

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Author Spotlight: David Morabito

02/11/2025Author SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author David Morabito for her latest release, The Old Clock Peddler.

About The Author

David Morabito

David Morabito is a retired engineer who lives in the mountains and deserts of Southern California.

You can find author Morabito here:
Website | Medium | Goodreads

About the Book

This novel continues where the Night of the Fisherman left off and is packed with suspense, fantasy, and romance as well as elements of science fiction with shrouded references to quantum physics. The characters are instantly transported between different realms in the cosmos using wormholes where the entry and exit ports are defined by clocks composed of mysterious substances. Each clock is the mirror image of the other, with each working backwards from the other.

We follow the exploits of the intriguing dark character known as the Old Clock Peddler, who sells paired clocks to unsuspecting consumers in different worlds causing interesting and unexpected interactions between diverse populations of beings. All the while, the Peddler has mysterious interactions with the characters caught up in his intergalactic web of intrigue, which include Lexicon, the principality of Yore and the land of the Druids.

Intrigue continues to follow two of the main characters from Night of the Fisherman, Fish (a.k.a. the Fisherman) and Kara in the 1950’s-1960’s suburban town of Lexicon. They along with other neighbors now have to contend with the power-hungry Surf, the surviving son of Poppa, who previously terrorized the local neighborhood and beyond. All the while, the character known as the dark Entity lurks about ready to do Surf’s bidding.

A secret society in Lexicon known as the City Fathers anoints Surf as their new Boss in their quest to amass more power and wealth, after the death of Poppa. A shady slimy lawyer named McAlister Bilge aids Surf in his quest for more power and wealth. Other neighbors such as little Elmo get caught up in the intrigue as well as the old man Mr. Ages, now reunited with his long lost son after several decades, Tommy, who once served as King of Yore under the name of Twede.

A host of new characters are introduced, including three college students, one of which believes he understands the physics of instantaneous intergalactic transport, while another desires Kara, the Fisherman’s girlfriend, to be his own. Frank Knightlite, a heroic figure in the small town of Lexicon, is known to shed light within the bowels of darkness. Aisling is a young Irish lass whose family got marooned in the strange world of mutated descendants of the Druids, courtesy of one of the Peddler’s wormholes. She gets rescued by the Fisherman and Frank Knightlite, who use a recently reestablished porthole to bring her back to Lexicon and eventually to that big green island across the sea to be united with her surviving relatives. Frank Knightlite has a clandestine encounter with Leena, the terrified and neglected young wife of Surf, in order to extract needed information from her.

In the Kingdom of Yore, an ensuing power struggle is in the works as Renigade a wayward Elder had escaped the palace dungeon and seeks to solidify a power sharing pact with Surf. The small gnomish person Georgos contributes to the drama as he again is put into service by his dethroned king Twede, now known as Tommy Ages. Twede reunites with his love Tarala when the porthole between Lexicon and Yore is reestablished by the Peddler.

It is later disclosed that Surf has an estranged brother who covets what Surf has and is determined to claim all that Surf inherited from Poppa as his birthright. Finally, the novel climaxes at the scene of the lake of fire, a huge cauldron-like depression in the planetary surface of Yore. Here, Surf plans to send his prisoners to their demise in the same way his Poppa attempted in the Night of the Fisherman. However, Surf does not count on having to contend with his brother as they confront each other near the precipice of the fiery lake, as the prisoners look on while the drama unfolds in unexpected and suspenseful ways.

You can find The Old Clock Peddler here:
Amazon | Goodreads

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: Paganini (PEOPLE MAKING DANGER) by Adam Fike

01/11/2025historical-fiction, noir, Supernatural, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Adam Fike
Release Date: 20 March 2025
Series: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER
Genre: Historical Fiction, Supernatural Intrigue
Format: E-book
Pages: 97 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
HISTORIC DRAMA – The wicked life of a notorious nineteenth-century violinist, who played so beautifully, and broke so many hearts, they thought he was the devil.
PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of quick, fun, three-act, feature-length stories, full of suspense, surprises and dark humor.Reading. Why not do it for fun sometimes?
More at AdamFike.com/books

Review

Paganini by Adam Fike captures the strange intersection where genius meets madness; where art, ambition, and darkness blur into something hauntingly beautiful. Inspired by the legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini, Fike crafts a rich, atmospheric exploration of obsession and talent, asking the timeless question: what price must one pay for greatness? Told with gothic elegance and a psychological edge, the novel walks the fine line between historical fiction and supernatural intrigue, making it a deeply immersive read.

From the very first page, Fike’s prose hums with tension. It is sharp, rhythmic, and musical in itself. The settings feel tangible, and the narrative mirrors a composition; building in tempo, layering motifs of desire, guilt, and genius until it crescendos into something unsettling.

The novel also thrives on its sense of atmosphere. There’s an undercurrent of the uncanny, the author never lets the supernatural overwhelm the narrative, using it as metaphor, showing how obsession can feel like possession.

Overall, darkly lyrical and psychologically intense, Paganini is both a portrait of genius and a cautionary tale about the hunger for immortality. Perfect for readers who loved The Master and Margarita or The Picture of Dorian Gray, and for anyone fascinated by the thin line between creation and self-destruction.

You can also read this review at:

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Amazon

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Book Spotlight: The Old Clock Peddler by David Morabito

29/10/202528/10/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author David Morabito for his latest release, The Old Clock Peddler.

Book: The Old Clock Peddler
Author: David Morabito
Publication Date: September 30, 2025
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Suspense, Romance, Science-Fiction
Page Count: 270
Formats Available: Kindle & Paperback
For Readers Who Loved Reading: Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Frank Baum), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Caroll), Crazy Hawk: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (R. J. Stewart)

About the Book

This novel continues where the Night of the Fisherman left off and is packed with suspense, fantasy, and romance as well as elements of science fiction with shrouded references to quantum physics. The characters are instantly transported between different realms in the cosmos using wormholes where the entry and exit ports are defined by clocks composed of mysterious substances. Each clock is the mirror image of the other, with each working backwards from the other.

We follow the exploits of the intriguing dark character known as the Old Clock Peddler, who sells paired clocks to unsuspecting consumers in different worlds causing interesting and unexpected interactions between diverse populations of beings. All the while, the Peddler has mysterious interactions with the characters caught up in his intergalactic web of intrigue, which include Lexicon, the principality of Yore and the land of the Druids.

Intrigue continues to follow two of the main characters from Night of the Fisherman, Fish (a.k.a. the Fisherman) and Kara in the 1950’s-1960’s suburban town of Lexicon. They along with other neighbors now have to contend with the power-hungry Surf, the surviving son of Poppa, who previously terrorized the local neighborhood and beyond. All the while, the character known as the dark Entity lurks about ready to do Surf’s bidding.

A secret society in Lexicon known as the City Fathers anoints Surf as their new Boss in their quest to amass more power and wealth, after the death of Poppa. A shady slimy lawyer named McAlister Bilge aids Surf in his quest for more power and wealth. Other neighbors such as little Elmo get caught up in the intrigue as well as the old man Mr. Ages, now reunited with his long lost son after several decades, Tommy, who once served as King of Yore under the name of Twede.

A host of new characters are introduced, including three college students, one of which believes he understands the physics of instantaneous intergalactic transport, while another desires Kara, the Fisherman’s girlfriend, to be his own. Frank Knightlite, a heroic figure in the small town of Lexicon, is known to shed light within the bowels of darkness. Aisling is a young Irish lass whose family got marooned in the strange world of mutated descendants of the Druids, courtesy of one of the Peddler’s wormholes. She gets rescued by the Fisherman and Frank Knightlite, who use a recently reestablished porthole to bring her back to Lexicon and eventually to that big green island across the sea to be united with her surviving relatives. Frank Knightlite has a clandestine encounter with Leena, the terrified and neglected young wife of Surf, in order to extract needed information from her.

In the Kingdom of Yore, an ensuing power struggle is in the works as Renigade a wayward Elder had escaped the palace dungeon and seeks to solidify a power sharing pact with Surf. The small gnomish person Georgos contributes to the drama as he again is put into service by his dethroned king Twede, now known as Tommy Ages. Twede reunites with his love Tarala when the porthole between Lexicon and Yore is reestablished by the Peddler.

It is later disclosed that Surf has an estranged brother who covets what Surf has and is determined to claim all that Surf inherited from Poppa as his birthright. Finally, the novel climaxes at the scene of the lake of fire, a huge cauldron-like depression in the planetary surface of Yore. Here, Surf plans to send his prisoners to their demise in the same way his Poppa attempted in the Night of the Fisherman. However, Surf does not count on having to contend with his brother as they confront each other near the precipice of the fiery lake, as the prisoners look on while the drama unfolds in unexpected and suspenseful ways.

You can find The Old Clock Peddler here:
Amazon | Goodreads

About The Author

David Morabito

David Morabito is a retired engineer who lives in the mountains and deserts of Southern California.

You can find author Morabito here:
Website | Medium | Goodreads

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

ARC Review: A River of Blood by Adam Williams

28/10/2025Historical, historical-fiction, Mystery, noir, Surreal Fiction, SuspenseLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Adam Williams
Release Date: 1 November 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Historical Mystery, Suspense
Format: E-book
Pages: 382 pages
Publisher: Earnshaw Books Ltd
Blurb:
Egypt 1099 CE, Qahira (Cairo)
Samuel, a Jewish doctor versed in alchemy, and Gregory, his English apprentice, are investigating a terrifying plague. The Nile has turned red with blood and fish are dying.
Near a small island, they wrangle a badly torn body from the jaws of a crocodile — but was this beast the killer? Samuel suspects foul play yet the authorities block his efforts to find the truth at every step. Ignoring the warnings from people in high places, and with nothing more to guide him than his scientific method, Samuel is determined to persist in his quest, especially after a series of gruesome murders seem to confirm his early suspicion.

Little does he know that the secret he will stumble on could shake the empire.
Assassins are on the prowl. A child is being hunted. Who finds him first will change the course of history..

Review

A River of Blood by Adam Williams is a richly textured historical mystery set in 1099 Egypt, where science, faith, and power collide. Set across Fustat and Qahira (old Cairo), the book opens in a world of scholarship, court intrigue, and gathering dread. Author Williams anchors the story in a striking image: the Nile “turning to blood” and fish dying, a scientific mystery that echoes Exodus while refusing easy mysticism. It’s a hook that blends atmosphere, theology, and empiricism in one sweep, and it pulled me in immediately.

The characterisation is brilliant and the world-building is superb. Author Williams weaves theology and politics into the mystery, so the stakes are never just “whodunnit,” but who gets to define truth: the scholar, the priest, or the state. The prose is clean and vivid; action beats snap, but what really stays with you are the moral compromises people make to survive the empire.

Without spoiling the turns, I will share that the volume closes on an earned pivot toward Jerusalem, with a neat blend of intimate vow and geopolitical fuse. It’s a satisfying end-point for Book 1. I turned the last page both satisfied and hungry for the continuation. A River of Blood is a learned and atmospheric historical crime mystery that mirrors Umberto Eco’s curiosity with Michael Jecks’ momentum. For readers who like their mysteries braided with theology, politics, and human tenderness, this will be a perfect read.

You can also read this review at:

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Amazon

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Book Review: Catalyst by Sloane Mercer

23/10/202527/10/2025Espionage, noir, Political, psychological thriller, Surreal Fiction, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Sloane Mercer
Release Date: 2 October 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Political Thriller, Terrorism/Espionage Thriller, Literary Suspense, International Intrigue
Format: E-book
Pages: 193 pages
Publisher: AMEE Publishing
Blurb:
Everyone’s the hero in their story. Even the monsters.
Jake Rossi, a Capitol crewman trying to rebuild his life, isn’t looking for meaning — just a paycheck, a place to belong, maybe someone to talk to. Then he meets Emily, a reserved Belgian chocolatier with a scar on her collarbone and eyes that never blink. Her silence is magnetic. Her past, untouchable.

But the closer Jake gets, the more off-kilter things begin to feel. Curiosity twists into obsession. Obsession curdles into fear. Is Emily a survivor haunted by shadows, or the shadow itself? Every answer Jake uncovers only deepens the riddle, and every step closer drags him toward a truth too dangerous to name.
By the time the city gathers under banners and floodlights, it may already be too late.
For readers of dark, atmospheric, slow-burning psychological thrillers with flawed heroes and razor-wire tension, Catalyst will keep you turning pages deep into the night.

Review

Catalyst by Sloane Mercer is the kind of slow-burning psychological thriller that creeps under your skin rather than rushing to shock you. Sloane Mercer’s writing carries that rare balance of elegance and unease, drawing you in with the intimacy of character before you even realize you’re standing at the edge of something dark.

The brilliance of this story lies in its tension, not the loud, cinematic kind, but the quiet, suffocating kind that makes you second-guess what’s real. As Jake’s fascination with Emily deepens, the novel turns into an exploration of obsession, perception, and the fragility of sanity. Mercer’s prose is clean and deliberate, every sentence calibrated to tighten the thread of unease. You start to feel as though you’re peering through a fog, seeing outlines of truth but never the whole picture. And that’s precisely what makes Catalyst addictive; it’s less about solving a mystery and more about descending into it.

Jake is written with a refreshing honesty. He is flawed, lonely, and relatable. He’s not a classic hero; he’s someone doing his best to survive the static of his own mind. Emily, on the other hand, is mesmerizing; part riddle, part mirror , and Mercer wisely resists defining her too soon. Through their fractured connection, the book asks a chilling question: what happens when our need to understand someone else exposes the darkness in ourselves? By the time the truth begins to surface, you realize Catalyst isn’t just about the main character, but about the stories we tell to justify the monsters we become.

Catalyst is atmospheric, introspective, and razor-sharp. It’s a dark psychological thriller that trades jump scares for slow, emotional corrosion. It is perfect for readers who loved Gone Girl or You, and crave stories that linger long after the last page.

You can also read this review at:

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Amazon

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Book Review: Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & The Truths They Bury by Chanchal Garg

21/10/202520/10/2025Autobiography, memoir, noir, Non-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Chanchal Garg
Release Date: 2nd June 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Autobiography
Format: E-book
Pages: 282 pages
Publisher:
Blurb:
In this searing memoir, Chanchal Garg reveals the spiritual and sexual abuse that shattered her sense of self and forced her to question a life defined by duty and sacrifice. Raised as a devoted Indian daughter, she was taught never to question authority-until a transformative moment during a yoga class, while pregnant with her daughter, awakened a truth she could no longer ignore.
That realization set her on a solitary journey, as she lost her faith, community, and the life she had always known. Without the support she had once relied on, she had to learn to trust herself, reclaim her bicultural identity, and redefine what it meant to be both Indian and American-on her own terms

Unearthed is a powerful call to every woman who has ever felt silenced-an invitation to trust your inner voice, reclaim your story, and return to yourself.

Review

Unearthed by Chanchal Garg is a book that doesn not just tell a story but bares a soul. This beautiful memoir is raw and luminous in equal measure. It traces author Garg’s painful yet empowering journey through spiritual and sexual abuse, her loss of faith, and the reclamation of her identity as both Indian and American. The book’s greatest strength lies in its honesty as Garg doesn’t hide behind polished prose or distance herself from the pain. Instead, she invites the reader into her unraveling and rebuilding, offering a voice that feels courageous, vulnerable, and deeply relatable.

Garg’s writing is tender but unflinching. Each chapter feels like a confession whispered into the dark. She shares moments of doubt, grief, awakening, and slow healing stitched together with lyrical precision. What moved me most was her ability to explore trauma without letting it consume the narrative. Unearthed isn’t a story of victimhood; it’s a story of reclamation. Through her awakening during a yoga class, while carrying new life within her, Garg begins to question the doctrines and power structures that once defined her, and in doing so, she creates space for other women to do the same. The narrative feels spiritual, but not in a religious sense, it’s about returning to oneself, trusting that quiet inner knowing that so many of us are taught to suppress.

The memoir also shines in how it navigates bicultural identity. Garg’s experience of being both Indian and American resonates profoundly. Her journey is personal, but her insights are universal. By the end, you’re not just reading about her healing; you’re reminded of your own capacity to listen inwardly and rebuild. Unearthed doesn’t promise easy closure but offers something rarer: authenticity, compassion, and permission to begin again.

Unearthed is a beautifully written, soul-stirring memoir about pain, awakening, and self-trust. Perfect for readers who loved Educated by Tara Westover or When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, and for anyone seeking a reminder that healing is not linear, but always possible.

You can also read this review at:

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Amazon

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Book Spotlight: Catalyst by Sloane Mercer

20/10/202520/10/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Sloane Mercer for her latest release, Catalyst.

Book: Catalyst
Author: Sloane Mercer
Publication Date: October 2, 2025
Publisher: AMEE Publishing
Genres: Psychological Thriller, Political Thriller, Terrorism/Espionage Thriller, Literary Suspense, International Intrigue
Page Count: 193
Formats Available: Kindle & Paperback
For Readers Who Loved Reading: I Am Pilgrim (Terry Hayes), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson), American Assassin (Vince Flynn), The Night Manager (John le Carré), and Our Kind of Traitor (John le Carré)

About the Book

Everyone’s the hero in their story. Even the monsters.

Jake Rossi, a Capitol crewman trying to rebuild his life, isn’t looking for meaning — just a paycheck, a place to belong, maybe someone to talk to. Then he meets Emily, a reserved Belgian chocolatier with a scar on her collarbone and eyes that never blink. Her silence is magnetic. Her past, untouchable.

By the time the city gathers under banners and floodlights, it may already be too late.

For readers of dark, atmospheric, slow-burning psychological thrillers with flawed heroes and razor-wire tension, Catalyst will keep you turning pages deep into the night.

You can find Catalyst here:
Amazon

About The Author

Sloane Mercer

Sloane Mercer is a storyteller of blurred lines, crafting fiction from fragments of truth. The portrait on this page is no different from the
story itself – part fact, part invention, and deliberately incomplete.
What matters is not who the author is, but the worlds they leave behind – the shadows you carry after closing the book, and the questions that follow you into the quiet.

You can find author Nordmed here:
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If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French

20/10/202520/10/2025Dystopian, noir, Speculative-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Richard French
Release Date: 1 March 2025
Series: Convergence Series
Genre: Dystopian, Speculative Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 184 pages
Publisher: Indie Pen Press
Blurb:
Federation Enforcer Samantha Reed has orders to kill Connor Blake—the one person whose soul was torn from hers when the Federation shattered magic itself.
Reality is fracturing across the galaxy as the Convergence approaches, a cosmic force trying to heal what was broken. The Federation claims Connor’s rebellion is causing the breakdown, but when Samantha confronts him, stolen memories surface: their connection isn’t coincidence—it’s the echo of a bond artificially severed centuries ago.

Their unified magic doesn’t combine separate powers—it remembers what they were before the Federation broke everything apart. But every moment they spend reconnected awakens the truth the Federation desperately hides: the artificial separation is failing, and only their restored unity can stabilize reality’s collapse.
As the cosmos continues to unravel, the Federation’s leader plans to use the Convergence’s healing energy as a weapon to make the separation permanent—even if it destroys existence in the process. The choice isn’t between order and chaos, but between artificial control and natural wholeness.
For readers who devoured Shadow and Bone and The Ten Thousand Doors of January, this is forbidden unity with the fate of reality hanging in the balance.
When remembering their true connection means choosing between Federation loyalty and cosmic healing, will Samantha embrace what was stolen from them—or let the universe fracture forever to preserve a lie?
Get your copy now and discover why some bonds refuse to stay broken.

Review

Every once in a while, I stumble on a sci-fantasy that feels both classic and new, and The Convergence: Broken Magic did exactly that for me. Richard French builds a world where magic has been split (politically, philosophically, and literally) and the cost of that fracture touches everything. What I loved most is how the book stays emotional even while juggling heady ideas; the opening teases the cosmic stakes with “shadow and light” patterns that feel sentient, immediately hinting this isn’t just good-vs-evil but a deeper question of how things were broken, and whether they can be made whole again.

The chapters (especially in the middle) blend brisk action with chewy ideas about power, control, and institutional memory without drowning you in exposition. I especially enjoyed how the story frames “unified” magic as something natural and healing, while forced control breaks people and worlds; a theme that gives the battles real emotional stakes.

Author French’s prose is clean and unfussy, letting the math-meets-myth logic of the magic system carry the wonder. The antagonist’s motivation, born from trauma and fear, adds dimension to the conflict and avoids mustache-twirling; policy, paranoia, and grief entwine into a believable agenda that feels tragically real. This nuance makes the late-book confrontations land harder because the “villain” isn’t simply wrong; he’s convincingly afraid of what ungoverned power can do.

The finale pays off the promise of the title, with sacrifice, restoration, and an earned sense of hope. Without spoiling anything: the book argues that wholeness requires consent and cost, not coercion, which is a beautiful take for a series opener. I closed the book feeling satisfied yet curious about where this universe goes next, which is always my favorite way to end the first in a series. If you like high-stakes magic systems grounded in character and consequence, this belongs on your TBR.

You can also read this review at:

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Book Review: The Supreme Pastor by Thomas C. Hosey DPM

19/10/202519/10/2025noir, psychological thriller, Surreal Fiction, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Thomas C. Hosey DPM
Release Date: 31 July 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Format: E-book
Pages: 260 pages
Publisher: Pegasus Publishers
Blurb:
Ian thought his quiet life was safe-until the night his uncle was brutally murdered. Narrowly escaping the same fate, Ian finds himself relentlessly pursued by a shadowy organization determined to silence him. Desperate and alone, he reconnects with Nicki, his former college love, a brilliant hacker, and someone with a knack for uncovering secrets.

Together, they dive into the dark web, unearthing a horrifying secret: a human trafficking cult known as the Church of Redemption, led by the ruthless Supreme Pastor Rick-the man responsible for Ian’s uncle’s death. As Ian and Nicki work to expose the cult, they uncover a web of corruption and terror that runs deeper than they imagined.
Packed with suspense, danger, and moral dilemmas, “The Supreme Pastor” is a high-stakes thriller that will keep you on the edge until the final explosive twist.

Review

The Supreme Pastor by Thomas C. Hosey DPM is an intense, unsettling thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Thomas Hosey builds his story around a terrifying cult hidden deep in rural America, a community ruled by manipulation, fear, and blind devotion. What begins as a quiet introduction to a mysterious world quickly spirals into a gripping tale of control, violence, and survival. Author Hosey’s pacing is taut, his atmosphere charged with paranoia, and his storytelling filled with moments that make your pulse quicken.

What impressed me most was how emotional the story feels, even in its darkest moments. The novel explores the kind of psychological and emotional control that allows people to surrender their will, not just out of fear, but sometimes out of desperate faith. The titular Supreme Pastor is a chilling antagonist, both charismatic and monstrous, and the world he commands feels disturbingly real.

Yet, beneath all the tension and violence, there’s a thread of emotionality that grounds the book. The characters, those trapped inside the cult and those trying to save them, are not just pawns in a thriller plot; they’re flawed, hopeful, and painfully realistic. Their choices carry emotional weight, and the moments of courage, even the smallest ones, shine all the brighter against the darkness surrounding them.

The Supreme Pastor is not an easy read as it’s raw, sometimes brutal, and emotionally charged, but it’s also powerful and deeply thought-provoking. It exposes the danger of blind faith, the seduction of power, and the resilience of those who dare to resist. Author Hosey has written a thriller that’s not just about escaping a cult; it’s about reclaiming one’s will and voice. It is perfect for fans of fast-paced thrillers with high-stakes action and thrills.

You can also read this review at:

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Book Review: Singing the Forge by G H Mosson

16/10/202514/10/2025noir, Poetry, Surreal Fiction2 Comments

Book Details:

Author: G H Mosson
Release Date: 22 April 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Poetry
Format: E-book
Pages: 90 pages
Publisher: David Robert Books
Blurb:
Singing the Forge explores the singing of what’s shaped us and what we’ve shaped for ourselves. Through poems at times personal, plus vignettes from men and women of the past two centuries in the book’s middle section, these poems offer mirrors of becomings. Readers encounter melodies from diverse lives. Across free verse, meter, and poems of organic form, you might just see yourself.

G. H. Mosson is the author of five prior books and chapbooks of poetry, including Questions of Fire (Plain View Press), Season of Flowers and Dust (Goose River Press), and Family Snapshot as a Poem in Time (Finishing Line Press). Two of the chapbooks are collaborative, Heart X-rays & Simultaneous Revolutions (PM Press). His poetry has appeared in The Tampa Review, California Quarterly, The Hollins Critic, The Potomac Review, Smartish Pace, Lines & Stars, Free State Review, SurVision of Ireland, and across the U.S.

“Through a series of beautiful meditative lyrics, Mosson links childhood and adulthood, journey and reckoning, memory and wonder. A humane and earnest poet, Mosson is as much attuned to ‘songless streets of Baltimore’ as to ‘trees’ unnamed relation to the world.’ He captures this attunement with carefully measured language and impressive precision. Many poems are probing observations of places and people, rendered in verbal landscapes revealing his debt to visual artists. Hans Hofman, Philip Guston, Henry Moore are three invoked in this volume. The poems in Singing the Forge create a philosophy of life centered around the idea of harmony with the universe – even if harmony’s always at the verge of disintegration. They should be paid attention to and cherished for this reason.”
-Piotr Gwiazda, Professor of English, Univ. of Pittsburgh

“Mosson’s poems are magical, memorable and meticulous, speaking to the powerful pull of locales and weathers and loves, yet get pinned to the memories of a reader with lines like these, spoken by a physician in his old age: ‘The nursing home is out there like a shark/ that has swallowed so many of my patients one by one.’ Give a copy to someone you love but be sure to keep one for yourself.”-Clarinda Harris, Professor Emeritus, Towson University
-Piotr Gwiazda, Professor of English, Univ. of Pittsburgh

Review

G.H. Mosson’s Singing the Forge is a contemplative and richly textured poetry collection that meditates on creation and the shaping forces of time, memory, and place. It’s a book that doesn’t simply present poems; it invites readers into a dialogue about how we are formed by what we build, love, and lose. The collection moves fluidly between the personal and the historical, exploring the idea of “forging” as an act of both endurance and transformation.

What I found most compelling about Mosson’s work is his ability to weave lyrical introspection with a painter’s eye for detail. Each poem feels sculpted, deliberate, and yet brimming with emotion. His imagery, whether drawn from the “songless streets of Baltimore” or from the elemental beauty of nature, transforms the ordinary into something almost sacred. There’s a rhythm to his lines that mirrors the forge itself: heat, strike, cool, and shape again. It’s poetry that asks you to slow down and feel the subtle music of thought.

Throughout the book, Mosson balances philosophy and tenderness. The poems meditate on memory, childhood, work, and the constant tension between chaos and harmony. You sense an awareness that life itself is a form of art, ever unfinished, ever reshaped by our hands and hearts. This awareness gives the collection its emotional pulse, turning each piece into an intimate act of reckoning and renewal.

Singing the Forge is a beautifully crafted, powerful collection that rewards patience and reflection. It’s for readers who find comfort in language that hums with meaning and for those who believe poetry still has the power to make sense of our shared becoming.

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Book Review: Love Without Borders by Ni Wencai

12/10/2025memoir, noir, Non-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Ni Wencai
Release Date: 29 July 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 229 pages
Publisher: Earnshaw Books
Blurb:
For more than three decades into the early 21st Century, China’s effort to curb population growth through the “one-child policy” created a wave of abandoned Chinese infants, most of them girls. Around 160,000 of these Chinese children found homes abroad, with more than half of them joining American families.
International adoptions should be a beautiful story of familial love transcending national boundaries. However, when the unintended fallout from the one-child policy came to light, it captured Western media attention, making China’s international adoption program a controversial subject.

This book offers a unique blend of Chinese and Western perspectives. The author, a Chinese civil servant who also oversaw a local orphanage, is a scholar with an international outlook. The book explores human relationships: familial bonds that transcend biological links, the continuing connection of the adoptees and their families with their homeland in China, and the special relationship that developed between the author and families who adopted daughters from his jurisdiction.
In an era of unprecedented geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, this book highlights an overwhelmingly positive aspect of the relationship between citizens of these two great nations, offering much-needed inspiration and hope.,

Review

Love Without Borders by Ni Wencai is a heartfelt and deeply moving story that explores the universal longing for connection across cultures, distances, and emotional boundaries. What begins as a seemingly simple narrative of two people brought together by chance gradually unfolds into something more profound; a meditation on love, identity, and the courage it takes to open oneself up to another person in an unfamiliar world. The author writes with tenderness and sincerity, allowing readers to feel the push and pull of emotion that defines cross-cultural relationships.

What I found particularly moving about this book is how grounded it is in real emotion. It doesn’t romanticize difference or distance but instead portrays love as a complex, evolving force that is beautiful, frustrating, and transformative. The characters feel authentic, their flaws and hopes interwoven with the settings they inhabit. From moments of introspection to scenes of cultural discovery, every page captures the vulnerability of stepping beyond one’s comfort zone for the sake of connection.

The prose flows with warmth and restraint, striking a delicate balance between passion and reflection. The pacing allows readers to breathe, to feel the weight of each emotional beat, and to witness how love reshapes the individuals at its center. There’s a sense of maturity in the storytelling that makes it stick with you after the story is over.

In essence, Love Without Borders is not just a story about romance; it’s about empathy, transformation, and the shared emotional connection that transcends geography. It’s a reminder that while love may begin between two people, it ultimately bridges entire worlds.

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Book Review: Mortal Zin by Diane Schaffer

02/10/2025crime, Humor, Mystery, noir, Surreal Fiction, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Diane Schaffer
Release Date: 4 March 2025
Series: A Mortal Zin Mystery (Book #1)
Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Humour
Format: E-book
Pages: 408 pages
Publisher: Sibylline Press
Blurb:
A crusading attorney’s death. Sabotage at a family winery. Secrets buried in California’s past…When corporate attorney Noli Cooper visits her godparents’ Santa Cruz Mountain winery, she’s hoping for a few quiet days to consider her future. But the future will have to wait. The body of her childhood mentor, a crusading social justice lawyer and local hero, is discovered in a rocky ocean cove. The sheriff is quick to call it suicide. Noli knows he’s wrong. Teaming up with PI Luz Alvarado, Noli dives into a world where nothing is as it seems.

As threats mount and the winery teeters on the brink of ruin, Noli and Luz must navigate a treacherous landscape of greed, revenge, and long-buried secrets. Their investigation weaves through the rich tapestry of California’s vineyard history, the mystery of zinfandel grapes, and the haunting legacy of the Vietnam War. With a murderer on the loose, predatory neighbors circling, and Noli’s godfather framed for murder, the clock is ticking. Can two fearless women from different worlds unravel the truth before it’s too late?

Review

Mortal Zin is a lively, character-driven novel that blends crime, suspense, and a touch of dark humor into a story that feels gritty as well as entertaining. From the opening chapters, the book throws readers into a world of ambition, temptation, and danger, where choices are rarely clean and every action carries weight. It’s the kind of story that keeps you engaged with its mix of sharp dialogue, fast pacing, and a cast of flawed, unforgettable characters.

What stands out most is how the author builds atmosphere. The settings feel vivid as bars, back alleys, and quiet corners all carry an undercurrent of tension, making the reader feel like something is always about to happen. The tone shifts seamlessly between high-stakes tension and wry humor, offering moments of relief without ever letting go of the suspense. This balance gives the book an energy that pulls you along while still allowing space to appreciate its layered characters.

At its heart, Mortal Zin is a story about choices and consequences. It digs into how people justify their actions, whether driven by greed, survival, or loyalty, and what happens when those justifications unravel. The protagonist’s arc is particularly compelling, as he is constantly walking the line between control and chaos, morality and survival.

Overall, Mortal Zin is a smart, engaging read for anyone who enjoys crime fiction with depth. It isn’t just about the mechanics of the plot, but about the people who inhabit it, their flaws, ambitions, and the shadows they carry. Suspenseful, atmospheric, and at times darkly funny, it’s a book that will resonate with fans of noir and contemporary thrillers alike.

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Book Review: High Desert (PEOPLE MAKING DANGER) by Adam Fike

02/10/202530/09/2025crime, noir, Surreal Fiction, Western FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Adam Fike
Release Date: 19 March, 2021
Series: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER
Genre: Crime Fiction, Western Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 69 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
MUSCLE CAR WESTERN – Hanner only wants to tinker in his desert junk yard, fish for wrecks on the highway and forget his family legacy. A rotten Sheriff, fate and a vault full of organized crime loot have another idea.
Free samples at adamfike.com/books.
PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of quick, fun, three-act, feature-length stories, full of suspense, surprises and dark humor. All told in the present tense. Like reading a movie.

“What a HOOT… recommended to me by a friend… High Desert is a clean shot at life and crime in the mid-twentieth century… I haven’t laughed so much in years. I plan to start on The Quiet Ones and work my way through them all.”

– BookBub Review

Review

High Desert by Adam Fike is a gritty, cinematic slice of crime fiction that perfectly captures the raw, unpredictable energy of the American West. Adam Fike doesn’t just tell a story about a botched heist and the violent, eccentric characters surrounding it, he creates a living, breathing desert landscape where danger lurks behind every gas station, junkyard, and stretch of empty highway. The atmosphere is heavy with heat, dust, and tension, giving the story a visual quality that feels ready-made for the screen.

What makes this tale so compelling is the cast of flawed but unforgettable characters. From Hanner, the hardened junkyard owner with his own rules of survival, to small-time hustlers, con men, and corrupt lawmen, every interaction is laced with suspicion, wit, and the constant threat of betrayal. The dialogue is sharp and often darkly humorous, while the pacing keeps the narrative moving with the same relentlessness as a car engine roaring across desert roads.

Overall, High Desert is a meditation on survival, morality, and the blurred lines between law, outlaw, and everything in between. It’s grim, fast-paced, and at times unexpectedly funny, making it a standout entry in the People Making Danger collection.

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Book Review: Operation Dragonhead (PEOPLE MAKING DANGER) by Adam Fike

30/09/202530/09/2025Humor, noir, satire, Science-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Adam Fike
Release Date: 19 March, 2021
Series: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER
Genre: Science-Fiction, Satire
Format: E-book
Pages: 78 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
MID-CENTURY SCI-FI SATIRE – Early one morning at the end of the 1950s, an impressive, highly coordinated Army training exercise goes off without a hitch. Until frightened town folk decide to fight back. Based on a true story.
PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of quick, fun, three-act, feature-length stories, full of suspense, surprises and dark humor. All told in the present tense. Like reading a movie.

Review

Operation Dragonhead by Adam Fike is a wildly inventive, satirical tale that blurs the line between Cold War paranoia, small-town Americana, and comic-book absurdity. Based on a real-life Army exercise in the 1950s, the story reimagines the chaos through the eyes of farmers, townsfolk, and overzealous generals who mistake, or encourage others to mistake, routine maneuvers for a full-blown alien invasion. What unfolds is a sharp, humorous critique of fear, authority, and the fragile trust between citizens and institutions.

What I loved most about this story is its tonal balance. Author Adam Fike layers sharp political commentary beneath a playful, almost cinematic surface. The exaggerated characters, the blustering General Hammertree, the wide-eyed townsfolk, the opportunistic local elites feel like archetypes, yet they capture something essential about human behavior in times of confusion. The dialogue brims with wit, and the pacing keeps the reader engaged, moving seamlessly between tense military briefings and farcical encounters with “aliens.”

Overall, Operation Dragonhead is more than a quirky historical fiction piece, it’s a mirror held up to both the absurdity and the danger of orchestrated fear. Readers who enjoy a mix of satire, history, and speculative playfulness will find this story as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2025

29/09/202529/09/2025MiscellaneousLeave a Comment

While Elif Shafak’s writing proved quite disappointing, Augustina Bazterrica’s phenomenal storytelling and world-building completely made up for it. I finally managed to finish the 3rd book in Brandon Sanderson’s epic saga Mistborn (with over 2000+ pages in just 3 books), and started with a very popular crime series by Steig Larsson, Millennium trilogy, opening with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

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Book Review: Italian by Default by M.J. Walker

29/09/2025memoir, noir, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: MJ Walker
Release Date: 25 July, 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir, Women’s Literature
Format: E-book
Pages: 283 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
AN ADOPTION REUNION – based on a true story –
Meet Polly, her Italian husband Joe and his identical twin brother Cicero. Polly is adopted and wants to find her heritage, but the twins’ passion for Italy dominates her life. She gets more style than Gucci, more opera than Verdi and more pasta than she can eat.
If this isn’t bad enough, Polly’s friends insist that she belongs where she is loved – safe and secure in her wealthy Sydney suburb.
What should Polly do?
She has met her birth mother, but not only will that lady refuse to discuss the past, she has barred Polly from ever meeting her siblings. Then one day Polly reads in the newspaper that her mother has been murdered.
Or has she?
Polly’s longed-for adoption reunion finally happens but not in the way she expects.

Review

Every once in a while, I come across a book that feels less like a neatly packaged story and more like an intimate glimpse into someone’s life experience. Italian by Default by M.J. Walker is very much that kind of book. It reads like a heartfelt exploration of identity, belonging, and cultural duality, written with honesty and warmth. From the very first pages, the narrative establishes itself as personal and genuine, inviting readers to not just observe, but to sit with the author’s reflections and journey.

What stood out to me most was the way the prose blends simplicity with depth. There’s an ease to the storytelling, it doesn’t try to dazzle with overly ornate language, yet the sincerity behind the words makes the book resonate on a deeper level. The pacing feels unhurried, almost conversational, giving space for the cultural observations and personal insights to sink in. This style makes the book accessible while still carrying weight in its themes.

Without delving into spoilers, I can say that what I appreciated most about this book is its exploration of identity, not as a fixed, singular concept but as something fluid, shifting with environment, relationships, and perspective. For anyone who has ever lived between cultures or questioned where they truly belong, Italian by Default will feel especially relatable.

Overall, this book is a thoughtful and respectful meditation on selfhood and heritage. It doesn’t seek to give easy answers, nor does it try to universalize the author’s experiences. Instead, it offers a window into one individual’s journey, while leaving enough openness for readers to reflect on their own. In a world where identity is so often boxed and labeled, Italian by Default reminds us of the richness that lies in nuance, complexity, and authenticity.

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Book Review: Into the Mountains: Exploring China’s Sacred Daoist Peaks by Debra Liu

26/09/202526/09/2025Horror, memoir, noir, Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Debra Liu
Release Date: 8 July, 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Nature Writing, Memoir, Philosophical
Format: E-book
Pages: 232 pages
Publisher: Earnshaw Books Ltd
Blurb:
In a journey of discovery through China’s sacred mountains, traversing the hidden caves of Huashan, freshwater pools where alchemists once lived on Luofushan, and the opulent brilliance of the Gold Palace atop Wudangshan, Debra Liu explores the rich culture and history of the Daoist tradition.
The author was ordained as a Daoist in the Qingsong group of temples, part of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate lineage, in Brisbane, Australia. She seamlessly integrates elements of Daoist philosophy and contemporary practice in this fascinating account, where the past is inextricably entwined with the present, where each step up a mountain is punctuated with magnificent vistas, archaic legends and the chants of ancient scriptures echoing across stone stairways.
Through this book, the reader can ‘enter the mountains’ to find the heart of the Daoism, as a vibrant, modern practice with deep roots in antiquity.

Review

From the very first page, Into the Mountains by Debra Liu drew me in with its subtle yet powerful storytelling. It’s a narrative that carries the intimacy of lived experiences and emotions as well as the vastness of the land that shapes those experiences. Author Liu manages to capture the pull of the mountains not only as a physical space but also as a metaphor for solitude, and transformation.

What I particularly appreciated was the way the prose balances descriptive richness with emotional honesty. The mountains come alive not just through visual detail, but through atmosphere. The book is at its strongest when it weaves external journeys with internal ones, showing how isolation, challenge, and beauty leave their mark on the human psyche.

The pacing is deliberate, and I found myself savoring it rather than rushing. Author Liu doesn’t force revelations but allows them to unfold organically, much like a climb itself: one step at a time, with effort and pauses to simply take in the view. By the end, I felt I had walked alongside the narrator, sharing in their solitude, their awe, and their gradual rediscovery of self.

Overall, Into the Mountains is a reflective and evocative read that will especially resonate with readers who, like me, are drawn to stories of solitude, inner transformation, and the healing power of nature. It is less about a plot and more about emotional resonance and atmosphere. And for that very reason, it lingers long after the last page is turned.

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Book Review: Burn My Shadow Issue #2 by Sebastiano Lanza

26/09/2025Comics/Graphic Novels, Dark Fiction, Dystopian, Graphic-Novel, noir, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Sebastiano Lanza
Release Date: September 22, 2025
Series: Burn My Shadow (Book 2)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Format: E-book
Pages: under 100 pages
Publisher: Markosia Enterprises
Blurb:
In Leipzig, Tharmas devises a plan to kidnap Thomas Crowley. To do so, he’ll need assistance from a quite extravagant tech wizz, a rather inhumane amount of patience, and a very light footstep. Even so, plans rarely unfold as first imagined.

Review

Burn My Shadow #2 takes readers deeper into its dystopian, cyberpunk-inspired world, where surveillance and control dictate every aspect of existence. This issue ramps up the tension by placing Tharmas and young K in the thick of shadowy deals, infiltration missions, and encounters with faceless enforcers. At the same time, we see propaganda speeches from the ruling elite, dripping with doublespeak that reframes oppression as progress. The contrast between the cold sterility of those in power and the grim desperation of those in the streets makes for a sharp and unsettling read.

The writing is dense with themes of compliance, resistance, and survival, while the artwork excels at amplifying the mood. Stark whites and clean lines dominate the scenes of propaganda, while the rain-soaked cityscapes and back-alley dealings pulse with grit and urgency. Tharmas, weary yet determined, is fleshed out further as a morally complex anti-hero, while K brings both innocence and moral tension to the story.

Issue #2 successfully balances world-building with forward-moving plot, setting up the confrontation with Crowley that promises bigger stakes ahead. Though some of the political speeches may feel lengthy, they reinforce the chilling reality of this authoritarian future. With its mix of noir tension, political allegory, and cinematic visuals, Burn My Shadow #2 is a gripping continuation that solidifies this series as one to watch out for.

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Book Spotlight: Italian By Default by MJ Walker

22/09/202522/09/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author MJ Walker for her latest release, Italian By Default.

Book: Italian By Default
Author: MJ Walker
Publication Date: July 25th, 2025
Genres: Women’s Literature, Memoir, Humour
Page Count: 283
For Readers Who Loved Reading: Bill Bryson’s works
Formats Available: e-Ebook ($3.99 USD)

About the Book

AN ADOPTION REUNION
– based on a true story –
Meet Polly, her Italian husband Joe and his identical twin brother Cicero. Polly is adopted and wants to find her heritage, but the twins’ passion for Italy dominates her life. She gets more style than Gucci, more opera than Verdi and more pasta than she can eat.
If this isn’t bad enough, Polly’s friends insist that she belongs where she is loved – safe and secure in her wealthy Sydney suburb.
What should Polly do?
She has met her birth mother, but not only will that lady refuse to discuss the past, she has barred Polly from ever meeting her siblings. Then one day Polly reads in the newspaper that her mother has been murdered.
Or has she?
Polly’s longed-for adoption reunion finally happens but not in the way she expects.

You can find Italian by Default here:
Amazon | Goodreads | UBL

About The Author

MJ Walker

Margaret Walker is a teacher. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her family. Her first two novels His Most Italian City and Through Forests and Mountains were published by Penmore Press in the USA.

You can find author Walker here:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

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Book Review: The Quiet Ones (PEOPLE MAKING DANGER #1) by Adam Fike

22/09/2025crime, Horror, Literary Fiction, noir, psychological thriller, Surreal Fiction, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Adam Fike
Release Date: 19 March, 2021
Series: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER
Genre: Literary Horror, Psychological Horror, Crime-Thriller, Noir, Horror
Format: E-book
Pages: 66 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
SUBURBAN THRILLER. When a young girl goes missing, families fall apart and neighbors grow together with the help of their friendly local serial killer.
PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of quick, fun, three-act, feature-length stories, full of suspense, surprises and dark humor. All told in the present tense. Like reading a movie.

Review

Adam Fike’s The Quiet Ones is a sinister slice of small-town noir with a macabre twist: neighbors who “grow together” under the shadow of a serial killer. Set in the sleepy but unsettling town of Clearfield Falls, the story layers the ordinary things like funerals, lawn services, and office gossip with the grotesque, where bodies double as fertilizer and everyday people reveal darker impulses. The writing blends dark humor with chilling violence, making the mundane (like mowing lawns or family dinners) feel like it’s always one step away from horror.

What stands out most is the interplay between banality and menace. Characters like Ruth, who hides behind oversized glasses, and Junior, the deceptively gentle gardener, embody the theme that danger doesn’t always roar, sometimes it whispers. Fike’s pacing is cinematic, cutting between suburban kitchens, cemetery burials, and sinister sheds with a rhythm that keeps readers uneasy yet hooked. While the sheer length of descriptive passages and overlapping storylines could overwhelm some readers, the atmosphere is thick, immersive, and undeniably memorable.

Overall, The Quiet Ones succeeds as a dark, satirical portrait of community and complicity. It’s a story that asks unsettling questions about what people are willing to ignore to maintain comfort, and whether monsters are truly outsiders or simply the neighbors we never look at too closely.

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Book Review: Market of the Never Setting Sun by E.F. Nordmed

16/09/202515/09/2025cozy mystery, Mystery, Science-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: E.F. Nordmed
Release Date: July 14, 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Science-Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 184 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Stout works as a tech by day, saving up money to achieve his dream of leaving the planet. His plans are thrown in disarray when he’s asked to look for a missing college student, Andrew, and he quickly finds himself over his head while looking for answers. He reaches out to his old flame, Yasmeen, who works on the police force for help.
Yasmeen is unhappy with the corruption she sees in her job, but is trying to change the force from the inside. When Stout asks her for aid, she’s hesitant to assist his amateur investigation, but when he’s falsely framed for murder and kidnapping knows she has to get involved.

Can they navigate Corporate Security agents, industrial spies, and the criminal underground to rescue the student and clear Stout’s name before it’s too late? Will they be able to stay true to their values in a world that rewards corruption? And will they let their feelings for each other reignite, or will the world get in their way?

Review

E.F. Nordmed’s Market of the Never Setting Sun is a refreshing entry in the sci-fi mystery space. It’s a novel that blends the grit of corporate corruption and industrial espionage with the charm of a cozy mystery’s slower, character-driven heart. At its center is Stout, a weary but determined tech worker saving every penny for his dream of leaving the planet. That dream is derailed when he’s asked to track down a missing college student, Andrew, a seemingly simple favor that spirals into a dangerous web of intrigue.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its atmosphere. The titular market feels vibrant and lived-in, a place where technology, trade, and corruption intersect beneath the glow of a sun that never sets. Nordmed balances worldbuilding with accessibility, never bogging the reader down in jargon but giving enough detail for the setting to feel tangible.

The character dynamics are equally engaging. Stout is a reluctant hero, stumbling into danger out of obligation rather than ambition, which makes his growth believable. His rekindled connection with Yasmeen, the police officer caught between her moral compass and a corrupt system, adds depth both to the plot and to the emotional stakes. Their relationship feels authentic and the tension between their personal bond and the larger mystery keeps the narrative engaging.

Thematically, the novel resonates. Questions of justice, integrity, and survival in a system built on exploitation underpin the mystery. The story doesn’t shy away from pointing out how corruption seeps into institutions meant to protect, but it does so with a cozy tone that makes the critique approachable rather than bleak.

The prose itself is straightforward and effective, but at times leans on exposition when showing would have been more immersive. Still, Nordmed’s clean writing style makes the book highly readable, and the lighter touch aligns well with the cozy sci-fi niche it occupies.

Market of the Never Setting Sun is a thoughtful, atmospheric sci-fi mystery that stands out for its grounded characters, morally resonant themes, and cozy but suspenseful tone. It’s a satisfying, engaging read that will appeal to fans of sci-fi with heart, mystery with conscience, and stories that ask what it means to hold onto your values in a world that rewards corruption.

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Book Review: BILLY 9F by David Finley

16/09/202515/09/2025Dystopian, Humor, satire, Science-Fiction, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: David Finley
Release Date: 3 November, 2021
~~Series~~:
Genre: YA Dystopian Satire, YA Humor, YA Adventure, YA Science Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 204 pages
Publisher: FINWORKS
Blurb:
Like Orwell’s 1984 — but even funnier!
In a grim School-centred dystopia where humour is outlawed and laughter—even a single HA!—is met with an excruciating electric shock to the neck, Billy 9F is the ultimate threat: he’s a Class Clown. When he’s labeled a menace for his extremely convincing and sublimely funny fake snot, barf and turd pranks, Billy joins a underground comedic resistance movement with a mysterious new student, Jamie 9F, her mysterious grandfather, the Major, an ultra-mysterious revolutionary leader named Poopoo the Clown, and Billy’s not-at-all

mysterious but highly malfunctioning android mentor, Uncle Mike. To free his imprisoned parents, save his little sister’s life and liberate the joyless populace, Billy must fully realize his own natural-born gifts and harness the awesome power of laughter.
Darkly funny, fast, and surprisingly hopeful, BILLY 9F is perfect for readers 12 years of age to infinity who love page-turners with big ideas—and lots of laughs.

Review

David Finley’s Billy 9F is a wildly inventive YA dystopian satire that blends absurdist humor with biting social commentary. The novel follows Billy, a schoolboy living in a rigid system where laughter is outlawed, rules are enforced with demerits and “Pain Collars,” and conformity is the highest value. His life takes a strange turn when his parents gift him “Uncle Mike,” a 57-year-old man who becomes both an irritating companion and an unlikely ally. From there, Billy stumbles into secret wars with clowns, underground resistance movements, and surreal teachers who bulldoze into dining rooms mid-meal.

What makes the book compelling is its sharp use of comedy as rebellion. Whether it’s fart jokes elevated to acts of protest, or the way “outside laughter” becomes a weapon against authoritarian control, author Finley underscores the importance of humor as survival. The recurring presence of Uncle Mike, bumbling, exasperating, yet oddly endearing, adds both comic relief and thematic depth. Jamie and the Major, resistance figures who guide Billy, give the narrative more emotional resonance and direction.

From an editorial perspective, the book occasionally overindulges in repetition. Uncle Mike’s constant chatter and some extended slapstick routines could have been trimmed without losing impact. Still, the playful prose, the creativity of its dystopian world, and the rhythm of dialogue keep the pages turning.

Overall, Billy 9F is equal parts absurd, satirical, and heartfelt. It asks readers, young and old alike, to remember the radical power of laughter in a world that insists on taking itself too seriously.

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Book Review: We Can’t Tell You: Part III (B&G Mystery: We Can’t Tell You Book 3) by Josh Martin

15/09/202515/09/2025Horror, psychological thriller, SupernaturalLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Josh Martin
Release Date: 13 April, 2025
Series: B&G Mystery: We Can’t Tell You (Book #3)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Psychological Thriller
Format: E-book
Pages: 119 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
The terrifying mystery has taken yet another turn. The stakes are higher than ever. Grayson’s running out of time…
It’s a frenetic race to an ending you won’t see coming! The exciting conclusion is finally here.
Buckle up!

Review

With Part III, B&G Mystery pushes the series into even darker, more labyrinthine territory, tying together threads of family trauma, supernatural manipulation, and the relentless questioning of what is real. Grayson remains at the center, but the narrative expands to test his endurance (emotionally, physically, and spiritually) as he faces deeper betrayals and revelations.

The atmosphere continues to be the series’ greatest strength. The imagery is often chillingly cinematic: houses that appear and vanish, the eerie pendants that tie characters to forces beyond comprehension, and the grotesque presence of Replicas, which hint at an apocalyptic design far larger than Grayson’s personal struggles. The recurring motifs of rain, sigils, masks, and mirrors take on even heavier symbolic weight, layering the story with mythic resonance.

As with the previous installments, the book does occasionally stumble under its own weight. The dialogue can still feel circular, with characters volleying cryptic half-truths that slow pacing rather than sharpen tension. Some middle chapters linger too long on Grayson’s inner turmoil, repeating questions the reader has already internalized. That said, Part III raises the stakes in ways that make the payoff worthwhile. The climactic confrontations are both grotesque and heartbreaking, a reminder of how personal loss lies at the center of this sprawling supernatural puzzle.

We Can’t Tell You, Part III by Josh Martin delivers a darker, more ambitious continuation of the saga. While it inherits some of the repetition issues from earlier volumes, its atmosphere, symbolism, and devastating emotional core make it a gripping addition. For readers who have followed from Parts I and II, this installment deepens the nightmare in ways that will both unsettle and haunt.

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Book Review: Hundred Tongues: Volume 1: Northern Poets (Song Dynasty Poets) by Susan Wan Dolling

15/09/202515/09/2025Asian Literature, Poetry, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Susan Wan Dolling
Release Date: 5 August, 2025
Series: Song Dynasty Poets
Genre: Earnshaw Books
Format: E-book
Pages: 283 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Volume I, Hundred Tongues, enters the world of Nothern Song Dynasty poets. It begins with a romantic warlord followed by “A Short, Short History of Song China”. Then comes a serious scholar-warrior, and a popular poet-songwriter whom some considered “vulgar”. Following them is a pair of good friends who were exiled and separated from each other. Two poets, one called “heroic and unrestrained” and the other, “delicate and elusive,” concludes this selection from the first part of the Song dynasty.

Review

Susan Wan Dolling’s Hundred Tongues is both a doorway and a companion to the lyric world of the Song Dynasty. This first volume, devoted to the Northern Song poets, sets the stage with translations that feel alive while also providing readers with enough context to understand the cultural, historical, and literary forces at play. From Li Yu’s haunting captivity poems to the bold voices of Su Shi and Qin Guan, author Dolling ensures that each poet is introduced as a strong voice with personality, context, and resonance.

What impressed me most is author Dolling’s balance between scholarship and accessibility. The book explains the difference between shi and ci, the intricacies of tune-patterns, and the cultural symbols woven into the lyrics (from wutong trees to migrating geese) but never in a way that alienates a newcomer. Instead, she offers these notes conversationally, as if guiding the reader through a gallery of poems, pointing out details they might have otherwise missed. This makes the translations not only comprehensible but deeply enjoyable, carrying both the music of the originals and the intimacy of personal reflection.

The translations themselves lean toward clarity and lyricism rather than ornament. They are readable aloud, and this simplicity allows the imagery to shine. At times, the commentary repeats information already offered, and some readers may wish for a stronger map or timeline to situate the poets within the dynasty. Still, these are minor quibbles when weighed against the richness the book provides.

On the whole, Hundred Tongues succeeds in what so many poetry collections fail to do, it makes the poems feel urgent and present rather than relics of a distant age. For readers familiar with Tang poetry who wonder what came after, or for anyone curious about the depth and subtlety of Chinese lyric, this book is an illuminating, thoughtful, and highly readable introduction. It is a project that feels both scholarly and personal, and that combination makes it linger. Its a beautiful entry point into Song Dynasty poetry, with translations that are clear, evocative, and anchored by commentary that both informs and invites.

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ARC Review: Betrayal of Trust: A Medical Thriller by Geoffrey M Cooper

14/09/202514/09/2025Surreal Fiction, Suspense, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Geoffrey M Cooper
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Series: Brad Parker and Karen Richmond Medical Thrillers
Genre: Medical Thriller, Suspense
Format: E-book
Pages: 229 pages
Publisher: Captain Thomas Publishing
Blurb:
Who’s killing the cancer researchers?
A leading clinical investigator is butchered in his hotel room hours after receiving a prestigious award for cancer research. Weeks later, a second researcher is the victim of an apparently random mugging in a parking garage. Unexpectedly, crime scene DNA establishes that the two men were killed by the same woman. But her identity remains unknown, her motive is mysterious, and the connections between the victims are scant—except that they were both collaborating with Professor Brad Parker at the Maine Translational Research Institute. When the killer strikes close to home, Brad and his fiancée—state police lieutenant Karen Richmond—are drawn into a nightmare of maniacal revenge. Until Brad sets a trap for the killer…or falls prey to a trap the killer has set for him.

Review

Geoffrey M. Cooper’s Betrayal of Trust sets its sights on the shadowy intersections of science, power, and morality, delivering a story that is as intellectually gripping as it is emotionally charged. It opens with a fiery hook and from that moment, the novel grips you with a potent mix of scientific intrigue, psychological drama, and the high stakes of justice gone personal.

The novel dives into the murky underbelly of academic medicine, exposing how power, reputation, and predation intertwine. As the story progresses, the author does a great job of raising the stakes from personal revenge to systemic rot. Author Cooper’s background in science lends the novel a razor-sharp authenticity. From clinical trial data to DNA evidence, the details never feel forced, but rather elevate the story’s stakes.

Brad Parker is an excellent protagonist and Shirley makes for a fascinating antagonist; she is morally complex, technically skilled, and driven by both revenge and justice. The interplay between Brad Parker and Karen Richmond is one of the book’s greatest strengths. Their combined expertise, science and law enforcement, creates a dynamic that’s both intellectual and emotional.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there are moments where the narrative could have been tighter. Surveillance details and hacking logistics, while realistic, occasionally slowed the pace. Additionally, some of the secondary characters could have been fleshed out more deeply to add layers of emotional resonance. These are, however, just minor issues compared to the overall experience of reading this book.

Betrayal of Trust is a tense and timely thriller that explores what happens when power, science, and exploitation collide. Author Cooper balances ethical questions with a strong, suspenseful narrative, making this one of the more thought-provoking medical thrillers I’ve read recently. If you enjoy Robin Cook or Michael Palmer, this book deserves a spot on your shelf.

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Book Review: Dreamland: Selim’s Echo by Robb Watson

09/09/202507/09/2025Fantasy, Middle-Grade, psychological thriller, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Robb Watson
Release Date: August 8, 2025
~~Series~~:
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy, Psychological Fantasy, Surreal Fantasy
Format: E-book
Pages: 77 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Ever had the exact same nightmare every night. Miles was beginning junior high and trying out for the basketball team. While trying to fit in and excel on the court, he started to have nightmares he couldn’t get rid of. In Dreamland, the court he once loved twists into a living nightmare. Monsters whisper his name. Shadows chase his every move. And at the center of it all stands Selim—a sinister, red-eyed creature that seems to know Miles’s deepest regrets. Miles must navigate a haunting dream world that mirrors his own mistakes. With the help of friends—both real and imagined—he sets out to uncover the truth behind the dreams. A fantasy about the monsters we create when we forget who we are.

Review

Robb Watson’s Dreamland: Selim’s Echo is a darkly imaginative middle-grade/YA crossover that blends the pulse of sports fiction with the shadows of psychological horror and the tenderness of coming-of-age. Author Watson excels at crafting horror imagery that is both surreal and psychologically resonant. Selim, as the literal embodiment of Miles’s self-doubt and fear, is a masterstroke of symbolism. The dream sequences are cinematic, often evoking Neil Gaiman’s Coraline or the darker tones of Stranger Things.

At its core, this isn’t just a story about nightmares, but about guilt, regret, and ultimately redemption. Miles’s arc feels emotionally honest and hopeful. The second half of the book, where Miles becomes a guide within Dreamland to help Mia confront her own anxieties, expands the novel’s scope beautifully. It reframes Dreamland as not just a personal battleground but a shared space for healing.

Over all, Dreamland: Selim’s Echo is a vivid, unsettling, and heartfelt novel that balances horror with hope. Though it occasionally lingers too long in its dream cycles and could sharpen its supporting cast, it stands out for its inventive symbolism, strong emotional core, and its message: that the scariest monsters are often the ones we carry inside ourselves, and the only way to defeat them is to face them.

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Book Spotlight: Market of the Never Setting Sun by E.F. Nordmed

08/09/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author E.F. Nordmed for his latest release, Market of the Never Setting Sun.

Book: Market of the Never Setting Sun
Author: EF Nordmed
Publication Date: July 14th, 2025
Genres: Sci-fi Cozy Mystery, Private Eye, Amateur Detective, Tech Noir
Page Count: 184
For Readers Who Loved Reading: Malka Ann Older, “The Mimicking of Known Successes”; Mur Lafferty, “Station Eternity”; Samit Basu, “The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport”; Annalee Newitz, “Automatic Noodle”

About the Book

Stout works as a tech by day, saving up money to achieve his dream of leaving the planet. His plans are thrown in disarray when he’s asked to look for a missing college student, Andrew, and he quickly finds himself over his head while looking for answers. He reaches out to his old flame, Yasmeen, who works on the police force for help.

Yasmeen is unhappy with the corruption she sees in her job, but is trying to change the force from the inside. When Stout asks her for aid, she’s hesitant to assist his amateur investigation, but when he’s falsely framed for murder and kidnapping knows she has to get involved.

You can find Market of the Never Setting Sun here:
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About The Author

E.F. Nordmed

After a childhood spent devouring any science fiction he could get his hands on, he went to college as an English Major and was “fired” from the English Department at the University of Houston because he liked math too much. He spent a tour in the US Marine Corps and finally completed a bachelors and a masters degree in computer science, but never lost his love of the written language or adventure. He has traveled extensively outside of the military, to include visiting all seven continents. This is his second foray into the realm of writing, the first being a technical manual while working for IBM.

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Book Spotlight: Dreamland: Selim’s Echo by Robb Watson

05/09/202504/09/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Robb Watson for his latest release, Dreamland: Selim’s Echo.

Book: Dreamland: Selim’s Echo
Author: Robb Watson
Publication Date: 8-18-2025
Publisher: Amazon KDP
Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy, Psychological Fantasy, Surreal Fantasy
Page Count: 77

About the Book

Ever had the exact same nightmare every night. Miles was beginning junior high and trying out for the basketball team. While trying to fit in and excel on the court, he started to have nightmares he couldn’t get rid of. In Dreamland, the court he once loved twists into a living nightmare. Monsters whisper his name. Shadows chase his every move. And at the center of it all stands Selim—a sinister, red-eyed creature that seems to know Miles’s deepest regrets. Miles must navigate a haunting dream world that mirrors his own mistakes. With the help of friends—both real and imagined—he sets out to uncover the truth behind the dreams. A fantasy about the monsters we create when we forget who we are.

You can find Dreamland: Selim’s Echo here:
Amazon

About The Author

Robb Watson

Robb Watson is a family man and lifelong sports enthusiast whose love for the game shines through in everything he creates. Inspired by his own experiences with family and sports, Robb brings heart and authenticity to every page, aiming to spark young imaginations and bring families closer together.

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Book Spotlight: Billy 9F by David Finley

05/09/202504/09/2025Book SpotlightLeave a Comment

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author David Finley for his latest release, Billy 9F.

Book: Billy 9F
Author: David Finley
Publication Date: 2021, 2nd Edition 2025
Available Formats: ebook and paperback.
Publisher:
Genres: YA Dystopian Satire, YA Humor, YA Adventure, YA Science Fiction
Page Count: 212
Contact: billy9f@gmail.com

About the Book

Like Orwell’s 1984 — but even funnier!

In a grim School-centred dystopia where humour is outlawed and laughter triggers ruthless punishment, 15-year-old Billy 9F is the ultimate threat: a Class Clown. When he’s labeled a menace for his extremely convincing and sublimely funny fake snot, barf and turd pranks, Billy joins a underground comedic resistance movement with a mysterious new student, Jamie 9F, her mysterious grandfather, the Major, an ultra-mysterious revolutionary leader named Poopoo the Clown, and Billy’s not-at-all mysterious but highly malfunctioning android mentor, Uncle Mike. Inevitably, the regime cracks down and the stakes rise. To free his imprisoned parents, save his little sister’s life and liberate the joyless populace, Billy must fully realize his own natural-born gifts — and harness the awesome power of laughter.

Darkly funny, fast, and surprisingly hopeful, BILLY 9F blends dystopian stakes with sharp satire and heart. Perfect for readers 12 years of age to infinity who love page-turners with big ideas.

You can find Billy 9F here:
Amazon (kindle) | Amazon (paperback) | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About The Author

David Finley

David Finley is an award-winning Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Playwright and published Author, living in Toronto. Much of his work has been in family and children’s entertainment. He has had a long career as a writer and story editor, mostly in TV. He has also written, produced and directed his own film and theatre projects and had several short stories published in various literary magazines. “Billy 9F” is his first novel, aimed at readers 12 and above.

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David Morabito

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Sloane Mercer

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Book: Italian By Default
Author: MJ Walker
Publication Date: July 25th, 2025
Genres: Women’s Literature, Memoir, Humour
Page Count: 283
For Readers Who Loved Reading: Bill Bryson’s works
Formats Available: e-Ebook ($3.99 USD)

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You can find author Walker here:
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