Words of Power

Words of Power, #1

by

Shami Stovall

Excellent beginning to this unique and magical new fantasy series.

Words of Power is the first book in author Shami Stovall’s exciting new fantasy series of the same name and features the son of a courtesan born into slavery who rises to lead the province as a powerful Ring Warlock. When Garrain Wist, a dangerously intoxicated Ring Warlock, chokes to death during a visit to the Scarlet Lantern brothel, lowly house boy Rimon picks up the warlock’s ring and places it on his own hand, becoming a Ring Warlock himself and Garrain’s heir as well. His initial thought was that the ring might bring him the means to protect the young courtesan who had been entertaining the warlock, the staff of the Scarlet Lantern, and himself from reprisals from Garrain’s people and the other Ring Warlocks. While he accomplishes his purpose, he also discovers he is not the owner of Garrion’s estate and the ruler responsible for the northern half of the Rovik Prefecture. 

Knowing little about his new power or how to control or wield it effectively, Rimon travels to Castle Wist with the former warlock’s learned servant, Ketsu. As they get closer to the estate, they pass acres and acres of fields of food crops dying under the onslaught of their twin suns. Rimon learns that the estate is failing to thrive, and its people are literally starving to death; it is now up to him to act before it is too late. 

Rimon is such a kind, earnest, and endearing character, one whom readers are bound to root for as he learns about his new situation and power and tries to bring stability and prosperity back to the people living and working in the shadows of Castle Wist and the surrounding mountains. Throughout the story, he consistently seeks the best course of action for everyone under his care. But talk about blindly jumping into the unknown with both feet! Rimon was so desperate after Garrain’s death that he put on his ring without knowing anything about the possible repercussions. This was preferable to the predictable actions of the other Ring Warlocks. 

The plot moves quickly from the very start. I enjoyed the unique concept of choosing six words to draw a felheen (titan) to bind with the new wearer of the warlock’s ring. The author’s creative and thoughtfully measured world-building made for a vivid and immersive experience. I could easily visualize the Asian-themed settings and all that populated and brought color to the story. There is a palpable miasma of fear throughout the Rovik Prefecture, a product of the Ring Warlock’s rule and the presence of violent and frightening supernatural creatures operating unchecked for so long. However, I was surprised and delighted by the many kindnesses that other characters secretly showed to Rimon as he began his new life. Similarly, the magic system was revealed slowly and steadily in easily absorbed bites to both the readers and the character Rimon organically as part of a scene, rather than in a long exposition. 

The author’s storytelling drew me in from page one, and I was completely engrossed in this story for the first half of the book before I had to take a break. The ending came all too soon, but there is the promise of more to come. I recommend WORDS OF POWER to readers of fantasy, action, and adventure. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Magelight

by

Kacey Ezell

An excellent quest story in the traditional sense, but with an unconventional twist.

Magelight by Kacey Ezell is an exciting and absorbing fantasy romance presented in a traditional quest format, but with an unconventional reverse harem setup that avoids venturing into intimate territory. The romance is clean and slow-burning, with the main characters invested more in the success of their mission. 

Aelys of Brionne, the heiress to one of the 20 ruling families in this matriarchal society, is graduating from her training as a mage despite her feeble reserve of power, when the man she expects to bond with and join the Imperial Battlemage Corps chooses another. Devastated, she heads to her distant home only to be waylaid by bandits just as she reaches the inn where she’d planned to stop. 

Romick, Daen, and Vil had been inseparable boyhood friends before tragedy had orphaned them and scattered them in different directions. Twenty years later, they finally reunite and plan to form a partnership, offering the special skills they had acquired while apart for hire to those who are willing to pay the price. When a young woman is attacked outside the inn where they had met, they leap to her defense. Aelys immediately hires the three to escort her the rest of her way home. But when the bandits return later with reinforcements and try to burn the inn down around the new companions, Aelys tries to save them using her meager power. While successful, in the process, she pulls energy through her new protectors and binds the men to her as well. Now the foursome must make their way to Aelys’s home and confer with her aunt, the most gifted mage of the day, to see if there is a way to dissolve the bond and set the men free. 

I enjoyed this book so much! Her horrible family has emotionally beaten down Aelys, and her treatment at the hands of her instructors and fellow students at school has been no better. She starts the story as a pretty pathetic creature and is like a magnet for bad luck. (But there’s more to what’s going on than is initially apparent.) Thankfully, she gradually grows into a more confident young woman over the course of the story. 

The author creates interesting and diverse backstories for the three men and skillfully weaves them into the story without overwhelming the reader or diverting significant time from the main plot. All three experienced hardships after they separated as boys, all heartbreaking at times and even shocking. All three struggle with their feelings after they are inadvertently bonded to Aelys, and frequently, those feelings threaten to overcome their bond of brotherhood. 

The plot moves at a fast pace, and the lively, interesting multi-viewpoint narrative makes the pages fly by. Several twists in the storyline were really surprising and what they discovered when they finally arrived at Aelys’s home was unexpected. The ending delightfully opens the door for a sequel. 

I recommend MAGELIGHT to readers of fantasy, romantic fantasy, and fans of quests. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Ordinary People: Extraordinary Lives

by

Naguib Sami Kerba

A loving tribute to personal heroes, inspirations, and role models.

Ordinary People: Extraordinary Lives by Naguib Sami Kerba is an intimate and loving tribute to people in the author’s life who are personal heroes, inspirations, and role models. These are not stories of the firefighter who risked his life to pull someone out of their burning home or about the self-less acts of a stranger, but an introduction and homage to ordinary folks, friends and family members of the author’s, who may have experienced a life event that would have stopped many others in their tracks, but who took what life gave them and ran with it. 

I enjoyed how the author had each of his subjects respond to their inclusion in this project, which began as a series of blog posts, by answering a couple of introspective questions. 

1. Who are you? Describe yourself in six words.
2. At some time, you reached a fork in the road. At that time, it didn’t feel like it, but looking back, you realize it was a big moment, one that changed your life. Describe yours.
3. What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
4. What one gem you learned on your journey that you would love to share? Alternatively, what hint would you tell a younger version of yourself? 

These questions are quite an exercise in self-reflection for anyone, and I couldn’t help considering what my answers would be. It also led me to wonder what kind of story I was creating as my legacy. 

While not tales of derring-do, each vignette is interesting and accompanied by pictures of the individual and photographs taken by the author and some of his photographically gifted subjects as well. The short and episodic nature of the entries was perfect for reading when time was limited, before turning out the light before bedtime, or when passing time waiting for an appointment. I recommend ORDINARY PEOPLE: EXTRAORDINARY LIVES to readers of memoirs, biographies, and human-interest stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

No Bass, No Party

Sketches of My Life in Music

by

Gary Shea

Fascinating, passionate, entertaining, and eye-opening!

No Bass, No Party (Sketches of My Life in Music) by premier bassist and now author Gary Shea is a fascinating, fun, and passion-filled look back over his more than 60 years creating music. Not a “tell-all” tale by any means, Shea instead reveals what it was like for him, a kid with little formal musical training but a lot of heart, desire, and natural ability, to forge a successful career in one of the hardest industries around. 

Gary, who started out playing guitar, quickly transitioned to bass to fill a need in his first band and was mostly self-taught. However, his desire and passion for his instrument of choice overcame his lack of training and pushed him to excel. Throughout the years, he was a driving force behind several well-known rock and roll bands, including New England and Alcatrazz. His story and past are filled with renowned musicians, singers, and industry legends, a veritable who’s who that most readers will recognize. His recounting includes the many stumbling blocks he and his bandmates encountered along the way, proving that “the best laid plans” can go sideways at any time. 

The biggest surprise for me was reading about how fluid the composition of bands actually was. These musicians came together, bonded over music and performing, and became like family to one another. However, an opportunity for one would entice them away, or a change in vision might see another member tossed out, abandoned, and left behind. Personal situations would arise for others that would require them to quit. All good reasons, perhaps, but each one had a lasting impact on the three or four, or more, others in the band, a family now torn apart. As Shea explained, some changes would prove to have happy outcomes, and members remained friends despite the parting of ways or, at least, reconciled down the road. 

I enjoyed Shea’s many tales of writing and creating new, original material, as well as the story behind the tracks. He even explains how to access some of the results online when they weren’t included on an album or from bands that only existed for a short time. It would be great to compile a playlist of all the music mentioned in the book and listen to it while reading Shea’s reminiscences. From one chapter to another later in the book, there tended to be some repetitions of earlier information or stores that could be eliminated as well as spelling, typos, wrong words, and other production issues that need to be cleaned up. However, none were difficult to pass over in order to continue reading about his fascinating life. 

I recommend NO BASS, NO PARTY to nonfiction readers with an interest in rock music. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Close Enough to Burn

by

Daniela R. Morassutti

Engaging character-driven young adult story of personal ambition, determination, and maturing romance.

Close Enough to Burn by Daniela R. Morassutti is an engaging, character-driven young adult story of personal ambition, determination, and the singular focus to achieve one’s dreams. At the same time, a sweet childhood attraction grows into mature adult love, all set in the exciting world of formula car racing. A sister and a brother, along with their two lifelong friends, compete against each other at the entry level of the California F4 racing circuit, hoping to attract sponsors and an invitation to one of the European F3 training teams. But as they focus on achieving their goals, romantic entanglements threaten to derail one racer’s dream. 

High school junior Isabella Rossi has wanted to be a Formula One racer like her father since her race against her brother and their friend, Marco. That desire has kept her on course ever since. She has also secretly longed to be more than just a friend to Marco. While never articulating her romantic yearning, her best friend and fellow racer, Matias, probably knows, as he seems to understand Isabella better than she does herself. However, Marco has always had his eyes on his future in racing and had a relationship with another girl, until the tension between him and Isabella became too great to ignore. When the smoldering feelings between Marco and Isabella finally ignite, their romance is sweet but fast-burning. 

Morassutti’s young adult characters are intensely motivated, whether it is for racing success or, as in Matias’s case, acceptance into the college of his dreams: Caltech. However, Matias is more balanced and patient in his pursuits than either Marco or Isabella. The three main characters are able to analyze their feelings and actions well enough to follow up after conflicts appropriately; in fact, they are better at it than most adults. As a result, the story progresses with just the right amount of tension and angst without becoming bogged down in overly lengthy drama. 

The story is more novella-length than novel, so the plot moves quickly. The racing scenes were thrilling and well-choreographed, especially the final Las Vegas race. I did encounter a little confusion at the beginning of the story when the characters were being introduced and their relationships established due to mixed up pronouns (i.e., Rocco is referred to as “his brother” rather than “her’ brother) and later when the name Matias is used when Marco was actually correct. Perhaps, this was an unconscious projection of Matias always being there for Isabella rather than Marco. 

With its engaging, reflective young characters and unique formula racing setting, I recommend CLOSE ENOUGH TO BURN to readers of young adult fiction, especially those who enjoy stories of romance or have an interest in racecar driving. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.