Tag: Fiction

Review: Spellbound by the Captain’s Curse by Frances Mary Dunham

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

A Spicy Fantasy Romance of Blood Magic, Cursed Lovers, and Storm-Bound Passion.

She came for vengeance. He offered ruin. Together, they’ll defy the gods—or die trying.

Heiress Abigail Derby was born to rule the seas. She’s fought her way through storms, smugglers, and scheming noblemen to claim her place at the helm of her father’s shipping business. But when a shipment critical to her family’s legacy is stolen by none other than her long-time rival—Captain Wesley Northrup, the maddeningly seductive pirate with a devil’s grin and a taste for destruction—Abigail launches a personal mission of retribution. What she doesn’t expect is to uncover his devastating secret: Wesley is a cursed warlock.

Bound by ghost-forged chains and the ancient power of a fractured Oathstone, Wesley is slowly being consumed by magic—body and soul. Each silver-blue link etched across his chest is both a prison and a death sentence. The only way to break the curse is through blood magic—dark, forbidden rituals that require sacrifice, pain, and a bond no spell can fake. The deeper they go, the more Abigail must give. Her blood. Her trust. Her desire.

And she’s burning with all three.

As they descend into a world of haunted ruins, sea beasts, smugglers, and betrayal, Abigail and Wesley find themselves fighting not just for survival, but for control—of the curse, of their futures, and of the explosive passion that ignites every time they touch. What begins as an uneasy truce becomes an irresistible hunger neither of them can deny.

Every ritual draws them closer. Every broken chain demands a deeper intimacy. And every act of magic tempts fate itself.

But the curse is not the only danger.

There are forces in Salem who want Abigail’s empire to fall. Enemies from Wesley’s past who would see him dragged beneath the waves. Ghosts. Gods. Monsters. And as the storm builds around them, the final ritual may cost more than blood—it may demand their hearts, their souls, or the destruction of everything they swore to protect.

Will they break the curse before it breaks them? Or will love be the greatest risk of all?

Prepare to be swept away by:
Enemies-to-lovers heat that explodes off the page
Forced marriage by decree
Erotic blood magic & soul-binding rituals
A cursed rogue sea captain & a proud, powerful heiress
Sea monsters, ghost-inked chains & salt-kissed kisses
Savage intimacy, sacred vows & one unforgettable final bond

Set against the dark allure of colonial Salem and the raging Atlantic, Spellbound By The Captain’s Curse is a deliciously wicked blend of slow-burn tension, supernatural danger, and off-the-charts spice. This standalone fantasy romance delivers everything you crave—grit, guts, and gasp-worthy passion wrapped in lyrical prose and high-stakes adventure.

The rituals are brutal. The sex is searing. The love is something they never saw coming.

For readers who devour the seductive danger of The Bridge Kingdom, the raw intensity of From Blood and Ash, and the dark romantic magic of A Soul to Keep, this book will leave you aching, breathless, and completely spellbound.

Favorite Lines:

“I am terrified not of dying, but of opening myself to Wesley—of letting him see the soft, damaged parts I keep hidden even from myself. And that, I realize, is exactly what the curse wants.”

“I forgot how allergic you are to being outbid.”

“You mistake audacity for cleverness…You mistake privilege for immunity.”

“The storm didn’t claim them. Desire did.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

From the very first page, Frances Mary Dunham’s Spellbound by the Captain’s Curse sweeps you into Abigail Derby’s world of salt‑sprayed decks, candlelit archives, and auctions where fortunes—and honor—are won or lost in a heartbeat. Abigail, acting head of Derby Shipping, is introduced in full force at a high‑stakes auction where she dares to outbid Salem’s fiercest merchant captains—until Captain Wesley Northrup, the legendary “North Sea Devil,” arrives to crush her last vestige of pride.

Dunham balances razor‑sharp wit with crackling sexual tension. Abigail’s fierce determination and Wesley’s dark magnetism play off each other like thunder and lightning: each encounter leaves them both scorched and craving more. Unlike many romances, their enemies‑to‑lovers arc is driven as much by legacy and honor as by desire. The looming threat of the ancient Oathstone—a relic that can bind souls as surely as chains bind wrists—raises the stakes from personal rivalry to a battle for free will itself.

The novel’s pacing is masterful. After the charged auction scene, we follow Abigail into the storm‑lashed Maritime Archives, where she uncovers forbidden laws and the terrible power of the Oathstone. Moments of high romance—stolen glances, near‑touches, and whispered challenges—are threaded through discoveries that could undo her family’s legacy forever. Dunham’s prose is evocative without ever becoming overwrought: you taste the brine on your lips, feel the weight of Abigail’s defiance, and shiver at every hint of magic lurking in Salem’s shadows.

At its heart, this is a story about choice: whether to cling to the safety of solitude or risk everything for connection. Abigail and Wesley must decide if the bond the Oathstone forces upon them is a prison—and whether their own hearts are worth the gamble. 

Summary:

Overall, for readers who love gritty coastal settings, smart heroines, morally complex heroes, and slow‑burn romance that truly earns its happy ending, Spellbound by the Captain’s Curse is an absolute must‑read. Happy reading!

Check out Spellbound by the Captain’s Curse here!

Review: The Chronicles of Ordi: Brotherhood of the Lost Gems by Alex Zenk

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Synopsis:

In the sprawling fantasy realm of Asheros, Ordi—a dwarf mage of unprecedented talent—finds himself thrust into a desperate quest when rumors emerge that the Dark Lord Xerxes has returned from the dead. Together with his loyal posh hound companion Mira and his warrior brother Verdun, Ordi must embark on a perilous journey to recover the legendary Otthroite gems, ancient artifacts of immense power.

As darkness spreads across the land, Ordi’s party grows to include unlikely allies: a mysterious elven druid named Nimue, a gnome healer, and a charismatic bard hiding dark secrets. Their quest takes them through treacherous forests, abandoned dwarven strongholds, and into territories untraveled for centuries, all while battling the forces of the encroaching evil.

With each step, Ordi discovers more about the world’s forgotten magic and his own extraordinary connection to the arcane. The gems they seek were once used to enhance the weapons and armor of legendary heroes—but finding them proves far more dangerous than anticipated when betrayal strikes from within their ranks.

Time is running short as reports of attacks along the borderlands grow more frequent and disturbing. Ordi must master ancient spells, navigate political tensions between races, and confront enemies both seen and unseen if he hopes to prevent the prophecies of destruction that haunt his dreams.

If you enjoyed The Fellowship of the Ring, The Eye of the World, and The Wise Man’s Fear, you’ll love The Chronicles of Ordi: Brotherhood of the Lost Gems.

Favorite Lines:

““Oh, the winds, they sing our tale, of heroes bold who shall not fail. Our hopes and dreams will see us through the mist and twilight’s hue.”

“I can make you a god… but first, you must die.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. 

In The Chronicles of Ordi: Brotherhood of the Lost Gems, Alex Zenk gives us a fantasy tale that wears its heart proudly on its sleeve. It’s a classic quest at its core—complete with a call to action, a legendary artifact, and a band of unlikely heroes—but what sets it apart is the emotional vulnerability of its central character and the steady exploration of themes like faith, forgiveness, and the meaning of purpose.

The story follows Ordi, a reclusive dwarf who has spent years hiding from the world—and from his past. But when an unexpected vision shakes him out of his spiritual exile, he’s drawn into a divine mission that might be bigger than he’s prepared for. He’s not a warrior or a prophet, but he is someone who believes in doing what’s right, even if it hurts. That kind of quiet courage powers much of the book’s emotional momentum.

As the journey unfolds, Ordi joins forces with a growing band of companions, forming the “Brotherhood of the Lost Gems.” Their quest isn’t just to retrieve magical stones—it’s a search for hope, healing, and second chances. Zenk’s writing isn’t flashy or dense; it’s clear, sincere, and often meditative, especially in its reflections on Ordi’s relationship with Elandril, the world’s creator deity. The spiritual undertones feel authentic and integrated, adding depth without becoming preachy.

This is a book for readers who enjoy fantasy driven by relationships and ideals as much as by action. It has moments of danger and suspense, yes—but also long stretches of conversation, camaraderie, and introspection. The pacing may feel gentle to some, but the rewards are emotional rather than explosive.

Summary:

Overall, Brotherhood of the Lost Gems is a thoughtful, redemptive fantasy debut with a rich spiritual core. It champions kindness, humility, and the power of belief—not just in gods or magic, but in each other. If you’re looking for a quest with soul, this one’s worth answering.

Check out The Chronicles of Ordi: Brotherhood of the Lost Gems here!

Monthly Features – July 2025

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MATE: A Novel in Twenty Games by Robert Castle

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: MATE: a novel in twenty games deals with marriage as a chess game. What distinguishes MATE from other stories and novels about the life and death of a relationship is its radical correlation of the actions of a husband and wife to chess moves. The logic of the novel suggests: chess is war reduced to a game; marriage is chess; marriage is war. That is the tragedy—marriage, as a human institution and human desire, is innately tragic. In marriage, one or the other partner feel obliged to annihilate the other in a struggle for…what? This is the central question and riddle of MATE.

Summary: Overall, sharp, exhausting, and wickedly funny, MATE argues that when love turns into a tournament, the best most of us can hope for is a well-fought draw—and maybe a laugh at the post-game press conference.

See the full review here: MATE
Purchase here

 

Hearing My Secrets by Julie L. James

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: At first glance, Marion Andrews would seem to have it all. She’s just been promoted at her job at the top home design magazine where she’s worked for a few years on the creative team, and she’s earned it, even after a few blunders. Her personality and work ethic have taken her far, but not everything is as it seems in her personal life.

Marion’s been hiding her biggest insecurity for years, and now that she’s working closer with her handsome and austere boss, Mr. Shaler, she’s never felt more unsure about whether or not she should reveal it. Mr. Shaler isn’t as intimidating as Marion thought and she never expected things between them to be quite so friendly.

During her transition in her new position, she meets Charlie, a stranger who insinuates he knows things about her past. Charlie keeps popping up in her life, revealing more each time, and getting closer to Marion in every way.

Caught between her tragic past and her dramatic present life, Marion realizes she doesn’t have control over everything and has to find a way to navigate how she can “have it all” without the unforeseen drama that comes with it.

Summary: Overall,  this book is full of warmth, wit, and an eye for every day beauty. It offers a slow-burning romance wrapped in emotional honesty, making it a refreshingly grounded and relatable read. If you like romance with a splash of comedy, then this book could be for you.

See the full review here: Hearing My Secrets
Purchase here

 

Review: Hearing My Secrets by Julie L. James

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

At first glance, Marion Andrews would seem to have it all. She’s just been promoted at her job at the top home design magazine where she’s worked for a few years on the creative team, and she’s earned it, even after a few blunders. Her personality and work ethic have taken her far, but not everything is as it seems in her personal life.

Marion’s been hiding her biggest insecurity for years, and now that she’s working closer with her handsome and austere boss, Mr. Shaler, she’s never felt more unsure about whether or not she should reveal it. Mr. Shaler isn’t as intimidating as Marion thought and she never expected things between them to be quite so friendly.

During her transition in her new position, she meets Charlie, a stranger who insinuates he knows things about her past. Charlie keeps popping up in her life, revealing more each time, and getting closer to Marion in every way.

Caught between her tragic past and her dramatic present life, Marion realizes she doesn’t have control over everything and has to find a way to navigate how she can “have it all” without the unforeseen drama that comes with it.

Favorite Lines:

“Gratitude is always the best attitude.”

“‘What do you have against hot drinks?’ I asked. ‘The concept of soaking ground bits of vegetation in boiling hot water feels wrong to me,’ he explained.”

“I moved closer, resting my head on his chest, hearing his heart beneath me, and appreciating the sound of every single beat.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Julie L. James’s Hearing My Secrets is a heartfelt and quietly powerful novel that blends workplace drama, hidden disabilities, and unexpected romance into something utterly engaging. From the opening pages, we’re drawn into Marion’s world—a young editorial assistant at a glossy home design magazine who is trying to keep a tightly held secret: she wears hearing aids.

The strength of this book lies in its honesty. James doesn’t sugarcoat Marion’s insecurities, frustrations, or her deep desire to be seen for her talent, not her limitations. The writing is warm, often funny, and steeped in the little textures of life—fabric swatches, late-night train rides, whispered lobby secrets. There’s something incredibly comforting in how ordinary everything feels, even as major emotional shifts are happening.

The story evolves gently, but not without stakes. Between a blossoming workplace crush, office politics, and glimpses into Marion’s painful childhood accident, Hearing My Secrets keeps you hooked with emotional resonance rather than high drama. And when romance sparks, it’s the kind that feels earned—tender, tentative, and full of chemistry.

It’s rare to find a novel that explores disability, ambition, and love with this much grace. This is a quiet triumph of a story—one that champions sensitivity without sentimentality, and strength without loud declarations. You’ll be rooting for Marion from the first page to the last.

Summary:

Overall,  this book is full of warmth, wit, and an eye for every day beauty. It offers a slow-burning romance wrapped in emotional honesty, making it a refreshingly grounded and relatable read. If you like romance with a splash of comedy, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Hearing My Secrets here!

 

Review: The Regression Strain by Kevin Hwang

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Synopsis:

Nobody’s safe when the inner beast awakens…

Dr. Peter Palma joins the medical team of the Paradise to treat passengers for minor ailments as the cruise ship sails across the Atlantic. But he soon discovers that something foul is festering under the veneer of leisure. Deep in the bowels of the ship, a vile affliction pits loved ones against each other and shatters the bonds of civil society. The brig fills with felons, the morgue with bodies, and the vacation becomes a nightmare.

One by one, the chaos claims Peter’s allies. His mentor spirals into madness and the security chief fights a losing battle against anarchy. No help comes from the captain, who has an ego bigger than the ocean.

With the ship racing toward an unprepared New York, the fate of humanity hinges on Peter’s deteriorating judgment. But he’s hallucinating and delirious…and sometimes primal urges are impossible to resist.

The Regression Strain is a fast-paced medical thriller laced with psychological suspense, perfect for fans of Michael Crichton and Blake Crouch.

Favorite Lines:

“Right back into it, then. He was a kid on a roller coaster cresting the first big incline—the moment before the bottom fell out. He opened the closet and confronted his uniform. Sure, he’d paid for the ride, but that didn’t make it any less stomach-churning.”

“Funny how standards eroded in the face of devastation.”

“The holes in his memory were filling in like groundwater welling up in the paw prints of a rabid raccoon. Muddy and random.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

What starts as a slow simmer quickly boils over in The Regression Strain, Kevin Hwang’s debut that’s equal parts medical mystery, psychological spiral, and pandemic-era existential horror. It’s not a long book, but it’s the kind that lingers—creeping into your thoughts days after you’ve closed it.

The story follows Dr. Peter Palma caught in the chaos of a rapidly spreading fungal pandemic. But Hwang doesn’t just want to tell a virus-outbreak story. He wants to pick at your nerves. The plot slips between sanity, and reality in a way that’s deliberately disorienting. Think fever dream with a med school vocabulary. And I mean that as a compliment.

What makes this novel hum is the way Hwang blends scientific precision with narrative messiness. There’s an almost surgical attention to detail in the clinical scenes—no surprise, given Hwang’s background in medicine—but it never feels like a lecture. Instead, the book immerses you in the  high-stakes environment of a cruise ship in the midst of a mysterious illness, only to pull the rug out with unsettling shifts in tone and perception. At times, I questioned whether what I was reading was happening at all—much like the narrator himself. It’s a risky move, but it works.

Stylistically, it won’t be for everyone. The prose can be clipped and clinical one moment, then rush into sensory overload the next. It’s intentional and immersive, but it can make for a slightly uneven reading experience. That said, if you’re the kind of reader who doesn’t mind being dropped into the deep end—without floaties—there’s a lot to appreciate here.

Emotionally, The Regression Strain taps into something very now. The anxiety of being overeducated but powerless. The loneliness of a pandemic. The slow erosion of certainty. It’s not a comforting read, but it’s a relatable one, especially if you’ve ever tried to logic your way through a crisis and come out the other side more confused than when you started.

Summary:

Overall, is it horror? Sci-fi? Psychological drama? Honestly, it’s all of the above and then some. Hwang doesn’t seem interested in coloring within genre lines, and that’s part of the fun. The Regression Strain is sharp, strange, and surprisingly affecting. It’s not your typical outbreak story—It’s weirder (in a good way), smarter, and a bit sadder.

Can we also take a minute to acknowledge that Hwang is a whole father and doctor and still somehow found time to write this masterpiece, I am in awe! If you like horror, suspense, action, medical mysteries, sci-fi, and/or thrillers then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out The Regression Strain here!

 

Review: Coven of Andromeda by Ron Blacksmith

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Synopsis:

When a powerful magical artifact disappears from the Tanner home, Bree uncovers her family’s true legacy: they’re descendants of witches who fled a dying world centuries ago. Now, Bree must forge an uneasy alliance with Sam Sorken, her mysterious neighbor who harbors secrets of his own—he’s a necromancer from that same world, sworn to protect the coven.

Together, they race against time to stop Kestral Drach, a vengeful voodoo witch preparing to breach the Realm of the Dead and consume the power of countless spirits. As ancient histories collide with present dangers, Bree must embrace her heritage and master unexpected magic that binds her family across generations, before Kestral unleashes forces that could destroy both worlds.

Favorite Lines:

“The timing of destiny is rarely convenient”

“Balance has never been particularly difficult to disrupt.”

“Different paths sometimes lead to the same destination, my boy.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

At first glance The Coven of Andromeda looks like two different novels stitched together: a high-fantasy apprenticeship set beneath lavender skies on Eldoria, and a contemporary tale of bayou folk-magic unfolding in rural Louisiana. The stitching, however, is deliberate. As dimensional rifts widen, necropolis spirits seep into southern swampland, and the narrative threads converge with satisfying inevitability.

Blacksmith frames the entire story around one idea—that so-called “life-magic” and “death-magic” are complementary halves of the same discipline . Sameril, a meticulous student of necromancy, and Bree Tanner, a reluctant heir to her grandmother’s coven, spend much of the book wrestling with that paradox. Their eventual alliance is persuasive because both characters must confront inherited duty: Sameril through the austere Codex Mortis , Bree through a family legacy that offers “truths we must face” rather than evade .

Structurally, the novel alternates measured training chapters with brisk set-piece battles; the rhythm reminds me of a well-paced anime season. The climax is undeniably crowded—multiple factions, a power-hungry voodoo queen, and a spirit of chaos invoked in a single ritual—but the ambition rarely tips into confusion. When the rifts finally erupt, Blacksmith delivers the promised spectacle without abandoning the quieter question of what balance between worlds should look like.

Stylistically, the writing alternates between lyrical description and colloquial banter. A paragraph detailing obsidian pillars flickering with ghost-light may be followed by a dry aside about who is responsible for bringing refreshments to the next ritual. This tonal flexibility works because the characters themselves embrace both gravity and levity; a sisterly bond forged late in the novel underscores that the real stakes are personal before they are cosmic .

Summary:

Overall, I would describe this as A Darker Share of Magic colliding with Practical Magic at a Cajun cookout. Readers who enjoy expansive fantasy with contemporary texture will find The Coven of Andromeda an engaging—and occasionally demanding—journey. Its length requires patience, but the reward is a robust exploration of power, responsibility, and the fragile equilibrium between the realms of the living and the dead. Happy reading!

Check out Coven of Andromeda here!

 

Review: The Call of Abaddon by Colin Searle

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Synopsis:

To save the human race from the ultimate cosmic threat, Jason will have to become something far beyond human.

New Toronto is a fractured city-arcology on a dying Earth, where hope is as scarce as clean air. For Jason, survival means scavenging the ruins beneath the city – where any day could be his last.

But everything changes when an ancient alien obelisk – the ABADDON BEACON – attacks Jason’s mind from afar, making his dormant psychic abilities spiral out of control. After barely surviving Abaddon’s psionic possession attempt, Jason and his companions are left with no choice but to find the obelisk before it consumes him.

Problem is, Abaddon has been sealed within a top-secret United Earth Federation research lab for over a century, silently worming its alien technologies into human society, presented as gifts with a far darker purpose. The Beacon doesn’t just speak; it infects, projecting its viral energies far beyond the walls of the lab.

And Jason isn’t the only one hearing Abaddon’s call. Across the Solar System, a ruthless Emperor will stop at nothing to seize the Beacon’s power for himself.

As the Imperial invasion of Earth looms, Jason’s quest to confront Abaddon will force him into a critical choice: master the strange power growing inside him…or succumb to the

Beacon’s godlike influence, ushering in mankind’s doom.

The Call of Abaddon is a gripping mythological tale of humanity’s struggle to overcome an unimaginable darkness, blending the political intrigue of Dune with the eldritch terror of Lovecraft, and the explosive world-building of The Expanse.

Favorite Lines:

“‘Sounds wonderful,’ Sam responded, oozing sarcasm. ‘Now, enough stalling—let’s go find the yoks and that stupid-ass robot'”

“Aren’t you glad you got involved with us crack Undocs…?”

“Right now, we don’t have time to get into that, and frankly, there’s some things about myself that I don’t make a habit of discussing.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Call of Abaddon drops us straight into neon-soaked New Toronto, where ex-street kid Jason and his salvage crew comb a rotting megacity for half-functional nanotech. By page three, malfunctioning bots are sparking, black-market implants are changing hands, and a strange psychic signal is tunneling into Jason’s head, promising trouble if he dares ignore it.

The spine of the novel is Jason’s unwanted link to the Abaddon Beacon—an ancient obelisk that hijacks his dreams and starts rewriting the very tech he lives on. Colin Searle layers that creeping dread over kinetic salvage runs and under-city gunfights, all while a self-replicating nanite “Phage” looms in the background, ready to turn yesterday’s gadgets into tomorrow’s monsters.

What keeps the grimness from swallowing the book is the crew’s banter. Their gallows humor and sibling snark feel lived-in, grounding the high-concept horror in recognizably human friction. When reactor seals fail or a rust-bucket drone opens fire, the arguments feel like the kinds you’d have with friends while racing to plug a leak.

Scope-creep is the one snag: the action rockets from claustrophobic tunnels to full-blown interplanetary war. A late exposition dump about the Solar Empire’s crusade opens the universe but also stalls the momentum just long enough to notice. Even so, Searle’s knack for crunchy tech and apocalyptic imagery keeps the pages—and the debris—flying.

Summary:

Overall, grim, punchy, and weirdly heartfelt, The Call of Abaddon serves up cyber-ruins, cosmic horror, and a found-family you’ll root for right up until the Beacon calls their names. Happy reading!

Check out The Call of Abaddon here!

 

Review: MATE: A Novel in Twenty Games by Robert Castle

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

MATE: a novel in twenty games deals with marriage as a chess game. What distinguishes MATE from other stories and novels about the life and death of a relationship is its radical correlation of the actions of a husband and wife to chess moves. The logic of the novel suggests: chess is war reduced to a game; marriage is chess; marriage is war. That is the tragedy—marriage, as a human institution and human desire, is innately tragic. In marriage, one or the other partner feel obliged to annihilate the other in a struggle for…what? This is the central question and riddle of MATE.

Favorite Lines:

“Psychological brutality alone would have satisfied the patrons of the Roman Colosseum.”

“This is tragedy of the modern game, the games cannot avoid desperate attempts to defeat one’s opponent.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

MATE: A Novel in Twenty Games imagines marriage as a grand-master tournament, complete with opening gambits, trash-talking color commentary, and a running scoreboard that rewards the first spouse to notch six wins. Robert Castle’s conceit lands fast: every domestic flare-up—whether it’s bedtime negotiations or political chatter over lamb chops—gets diagrammed like a tactical skirmish. The result is part sports broadcast, part relationship post-mortem, and entirely compulsive to read.

Most chapters replay a single “game.” Castle’s unseen narrator calls the moves with gleeful precision, pausing to highlight blunders and propose sharper sidelines the players never see. A simple grocery-store run, for instance, spirals into feints, sacrifices, and counter-punches that would impress a blitz champion. The play-by-play can be savage, but its real charm is how it exposes tiny hurts we all recognize—the sigh before an argument, the silent tally of old grievances—without ever dropping the tournament mask.

Beneath the quick wit sits a bleak observation: perfectly played matches end in stalemate, and no clever tactic erases the cost of constant competition. Scores swing wildly—one chapter leaves Pillsbury a single victory from clinching the match—yet triumph feels hollow when the commentary reminds us another round always looms. Class anxiety, gender scripts, and ‘90s pop politics all take turns on the board, their influence measured in incremental positional gains rather than sweeping mates.

If there’s a hurdle, it’s overload. Castle peppers every game with alternative lines and psychological footnotes; the barrage can feel like reading an annotated grand-master classic without diagrams. Still, that density is the punchline: marriage, he suggests, is endless analysis paralysis, where the move you regret is always the one you just made.

Summary:

Overall, sharp, exhausting, and wickedly funny, MATE argues that when love turns into a tournament, the best most of us can hope for is a well-fought draw—and maybe a laugh at the post-game press conference. Happy reading!

Check out MATE: A Novel in Twenty Games here!

 

Monthly Features – June 2025

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

A Song at Dead Man’s Cove by Ana Yudin

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Never turn your back on the ocean…

2023. Another person has disappeared at Dead Man’s Cove in coastal Washington. Jaded from her job at the historic Irving Hotel, Zarya wanders to the scene of the tragedy. She has heard her Russian mother’s tales of rusalki—vengeful spirits that have died unclean deaths near a body of water—and never paid them much attention. But now, on a misty headland beside an abandoned lighthouse, Zarya locks eyes with the rusalka and is chosen to be the next victim. She must unearth the siren’s tragedy before Rusalka Week, a period in early summer when water-spirits roam freely on land.

1850. Josephine has just joined her newlywed husband in Washington, in the lighthouse erected by local businessman Hurley Irving. Marriage is not quite what she expected, and her melancholia grows over the course of the winter. The medic prescribes pregnancy as the antidote. What he doesn’t realize is how far Josephine is willing to go in order to become a mother.

The Gothic horror novel follows two protagonists, a modern-day misanthrope who fears intimacy and a woman in the Victorian era who thinks stealing love will make her whole. But how long can a person hide from love, and can love really be taken by force?

Summary: A Song at Dead Man’s Cove is a mesmerizing, multilayered ghost story that manages to be both otherworldly and deeply human. Ana Yudin delivers a narrative that is as much about ancestral trauma and unspoken truths as it is about sirens and shipwrecks. It’s a tale of women silenced by history—singing now through salt and shadow to be heard.

Highly recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Erin Morgenstern, and readers who crave gothic atmosphere with a feminist edge.

See the full review here: A Song at Dead Man’s Cove
Purchase here

 

With Time to Kill by Frank Ferrari

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Everyone deserves a second chance, but how far would you go for one?

In the gritty streets of Edinburgh, Garry Plumb is about to find out. Living life on the periphery, never fitting in and always on his own, Garry’s world opens up when he meets Billy, the peculiar bus driver who has been watching him. Billy knows exactly how it feels to be ignored and his influence on Garry is immediate.

For the first time, Garry knows what it means to have his very own best friend. But this friendship is unlike any other, as Billy reveals how Garry can fix his entire life by changing his past.

But when the DCI John Waters, a relentless detective hunting a clever serial killer, enters Garry’s life, their friendship is put to the ultimate test.

Garry is willing to do anything for a second chance at life but, after meeting Billy, he has to ask would he kill for it?

This dark and captivating tale of self-discovery, murder and redemption will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With Time to Book One, a perfect blend of Scottish crime and sci-fi thriller, will leave you wanting more.

Summary: Overall, With Time to Kill is a gleefully dark mash-up of police procedural, serial-killer horror, and high-concept time travel. If you like your thrillers smart, Scottish, and just a little bit unhinged, clear an evening—you’ll race through this and immediately want the sequel.

See the full review here: With Time to Kill
Purchase here

 

The People Who Paint Rocks by Michael Stewart Hansen

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: The People Who Paint Rocks is a multi-generational horror epic that transcends the boundaries of its genre. What begins as a period horror/drama in 1910 Santa Fe evolves into a chilling supernatural thriller by 1975, where a pregnant nurse and a detective tormented by spiritual doubt race to stop an evil older than memory. A moody, unsettling, and unrelentingly atmospheric work that grips the reader from the first page and refuses to let go.

The opening act is steeped in Western gothic, introducing us to Albert McCord, a grieving husband and father seeking revenge on the wolf that took his family. But the creature he hunts is no ordinary predator—it is the origin of something far more terrifying. Hansen cleverly seeds this early chapter with themes of loss, legacy, and the illusion of control. Albert’s struggle is both physical and existential, as he fends off his late wife’s scheming family while unknowingly chasing a malevolent force that will haunt generations to come.

Fast-forward to 1975, and the novel pivots into psychological horror, following Charlie, a pregnant nurse caught in a web of ritualistic murders, and Alonzo, a detective whose beliefs are unraveling. This shift is not jarring but deliberate, echoing the disjointed sense of time that defines much of the book’s unsettling tone. The narrative connection between Albert and the events six decades later becomes a dark thread pulling the characters toward an inevitable confrontation.

Summary: Overall, The People Who Paint Rocks is a gritty, big-hearted mash-up of western, creature feature, and generational ghost story. Come for the demon wolf and six-gun showdowns, stay for the way Hansen turns painted pebbles into the creepiest grave markers this side of Stephen King country. It’s messy, mean, and—when the sun finally comes up over Red Rocks—oddly hopeful.

See the full review here: The People Who Paint Rocks
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Review: The People Who Paint Rocks by Michael Stewart Hansen

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

The People Who Paint Rocks is a multi-generational horror epic that transcends the boundaries of its genre. What begins as a period horror/drama in 1910 Santa Fe evolves into a chilling supernatural thriller by 1975, where a pregnant nurse and a detective tormented by spiritual doubt race to stop an evil older than memory. A moody, unsettling, and unrelentingly atmospheric work that grips the reader from the first page and refuses to let go.

The opening act is steeped in Western gothic, introducing us to Albert McCord, a grieving husband and father seeking revenge on the wolf that took his family. But the creature he hunts is no ordinary predator—it is the origin of something far more terrifying. Hansen cleverly seeds this early chapter with themes of loss, legacy, and the illusion of control. Albert’s struggle is both physical and existential, as he fends off his late wife’s scheming family while unknowingly chasing a malevolent force that will haunt generations to come.

Fast-forward to 1975, and the novel pivots into psychological horror, following Charlie, a pregnant nurse caught in a web of ritualistic murders, and Alonzo, a detective whose beliefs are unraveling. This shift is not jarring but deliberate, echoing the disjointed sense of time that defines much of the book’s unsettling tone. The narrative connection between Albert and the events six decades later becomes a dark thread pulling the characters toward an inevitable confrontation.

Favorite Lines:

“You got more balls than brains, son.”

“Some rocks are hard to read. Some are easy.”

“The wolf he’d hunted so determinedly suddenly seemed insignificant compared to the secrets the red rocks had been keeping.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Michael Stewart Hansen’s The People Who Paint Rocks splices a dust-blown 1910 New Mexico western to full-tilt folk-horror and somehow makes the seams feel natural. From page one we’re pitched into camp-fire mist and an injured stranger clutching a dead infant, while a spectral wolf circles just out of the light. What starts as a classic “frontier bad-omen” tale quickly sprawls across decades and states, dragging in an orphan-stuffed mission school, a crooked land grab, and a sanitarium where nuns hiss Latin that would curdle holy water. The mood stays taut because Hansen never lets the supernatural drown the human stakes; every eerie set piece, from a wolf pacing in a carnival cage to a demon-tinged asylum corridor, lands on the backs of characters already bowed by grief or greed.

At the center is Albert McCord, a rancher still raw from losing his family to a “black wolf”—animal, spirit, or both. His dogged hunt stitches the novel’s timelines together: one minute he’s evangelizing dynamite-strong coffee with his ranch hand Earl, the next he’s staring down that same black beast against a blood-red mesa. The wolf’s menace is real enough to draw actual Winchester fire, yet it also feels like whatever evil the locals have been whispering about since the priests of Our Lady of Sorrows were found slaughtered on All Hallows’ Eve. When Albert finally realizes the painted stones dotting his land may be grave markers rather than kids’ crafts, the horror pivots from creature-feature to something far older and sadder.

The large cast could have ballooned into chaos, but Hansen doles out POVs like camp-fire stories—each one lurid, self-contained, and building the overarching mythos. William Ward, the whiskey-soaked heir who wants Albert’s ranch, is more tobacco-spit than moustache-twirl, yet his brand of entitled cruelty fits the book’s grimy view of power. Later chapters jump to a 1970s asylum where Sister Kinney’s bone-snapping transformations crank the horror to Exorcist-level body fear, all while a pregnant nurse and an unnervingly prescient child pass painted rocks like cursed postcards. The tonal gear shifts might jar some readers, but the through-line—wolves, faith, and buried sins—keeps the engine firing.

What really sells the novel is the language: plain-spoken frontier grit bumping against sudden poetry. Hansen can describe a saloon stare-down with the same weight he gives a wolf’s last breath or a nun’s Latin snarl, and the dialogue rings true whether it’s ranch-hand humor or courtroom doom-saying. If there’s a flaw, it’s that the time jumps demand close attention—blink and you’ll miss which decade you’re bleeding in—but the payoff is worth the occasional whiplash. By the time Albert stands ankle-deep in desert soil written over with painted stones, the book has earned every chill.

Summary:

Overall, The People Who Paint Rocks is a gritty, big-hearted mash-up of western, creature feature, and generational ghost story. Come for the demon wolf and six-gun showdowns, stay for the way Hansen turns painted pebbles into the creepiest grave markers this side of Stephen King country. It’s messy, mean, and—when the sun finally comes up over Red Rocks—oddly hopeful. Happy reading!

Check out The People Who Paint Rocks here!