War Torn Book 1: A WW2 fiction series. A story of betrayal, love, and survival

  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZSXM89J

War Torn: A Riveting Tale of Love, Sacrifice, and Survival in the Heart of WWII

Amid the horrors of war, can love cross enemy lines and survive the battle within?

October 1942. Frances Meyer, a gifted violinist, faces an unthinkable choice: stay in Nazi-occupied France under the menacing gaze of an SS officer obsessed with her or risk everything for freedom. With her ailing Jewish husband, she boards a fragile boat to escape, but fate has other plans. Shipwrecked in the unforgiving Atlantic, her fight for survival lands her in the last place she expected—a German U-boat. Commanded by the enigmatic Kapitan Kristian Mueller.

Frances soon finds out that the submarine is a perilous refuge. Trapped in a metal coffin with fifty restless young men oozing testosterone, she struggles to remain unseen and untouched. Yet, amid the suffocating tension, an unexpected connection with the Kapitan forces her to confront the unthinkable—her feelings for the enemy.
As the U-boat becomes a hunted target of Allied forces, Frances is torn between loyalty, survival, and a love she cannot deny. With danger closing in from all sides, every decision could mean life or death.

War Torn is a masterful blend of meticulous historical research and breathtaking storytelling. Perfect for fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Beneath a Scarlet Sky, this emotionally charged novel explores the boundaries of love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the moral complexities of war.

Discover a story of impossible choices and unyielding hope that will stay with you long after the final page. Book 1 marks the beginning of an unforgettable journey through the heart of World War II.
Get your copy today and experience a tale of courage, passion, and the enduring power of the human soul.

Editorial Review For Mom, Dad... I’m Drowning

  

https://amzn.eu/d/3yHyRzD

https://www.waterstones.com/book/mom-dad-im-drowning/ilias-agapiou//9789090405414

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mom-dadim-drowning-ilias-agapiou/1147841947

Editorial Review For Mom, Dad... I’m Drowning

Mom, Dad... I’m Drowning follows Orpheus, a fifteen-year-old who feels invisible in a world that refuses to understand him. The story traces his inner turmoil as he faces rejection from his parents after they discover his diary, which reveals his sexual identity. The book moves through his memories, isolation, and desperate search for acceptance. It looks at the pain of being unloved for who you are and the quiet fight to survive when even home feels hostile. It is not a light story, but it tells the truth about what it means to live behind a mask just to be tolerated.

The book’s strength lies in its voice. The writing pulls the reader directly into Orpheus’s thoughts, showing the raw confusion and sadness of a young person who cannot find a safe place to exist. The story’s pacing mirrors his emotions—slow and heavy when he feels trapped, sharp and chaotic when his fear peaks. The repeated rain and recurring image of drowning give the book a rhythm that feels alive. The dialogue between Orpheus and his parents is painful but believable, and that honesty is what makes the story hit hard.

Within its genre of contemporary fiction, Mom, Dad... I’m Drowning fits with other works that tackle themes of identity, mental health, and family rejection. It stands out because it doesn’t try to comfort the reader with easy hope. Instead, it exposes the quiet cruelty that many young people endure when love comes with conditions. It joins the growing list of novels that challenge cultural silence around LGBTQ youth, especially in conservative or traditional families.

Readers who appreciate intense, introspective stories will find meaning here. It is for those who want literature that feels personal, even uncomfortable. Anyone who has felt unseen by their own family—or has tried to understand someone who feels that way—will recognize themselves in these pages.

In short, Mom, Dad... I’m Drowning doesn’t hold your hand, and it doesn’t care if you squirm. It simply tells the truth, and sometimes that’s the only thing worth reading.

Editorial Review For Mercenary’s Journey

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DX9CM963

Editorial Review For Mercenary’s Journey

In Mercenary’s Journey, Colby Shillingburg introduces Markus, a weary mercenary who tries to avoid heroism but keeps getting pulled into it anyway. The story begins in the kingdom of Takar, a busy mix of humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs where Markus’s sarcasm and skill with a blade make him stand out. His job for a desperate elf soon turns into a bigger hunt involving bandits, hidden relics, and a wyvern guarding a cave full of secrets. The book mixes danger, humor, and dry banter through battles and uneasy friendships.

Shillingburg’s strongest point is pacing. The action moves smoothly, but there’s always time for a sharp line or a quiet moment of thought. The dialogue feels natural, even when it’s laced with sarcasm, and the fight scenes are easy to picture without bogging down in detail. Markus’s cynicism keeps the story grounded, and his reluctant sense of right and wrong gives him more depth than most sword-swingers.

This book fits squarely into classic fantasy, complete with taverns, quests, and dangerous relics. But it plays with expectations by leaning on character interactions instead of endless worldbuilding. The humor cuts through the seriousness, giving the tone a welcome bite.

Readers who enjoy fantasy adventures with a bit of grit and a main character who’d rather have a drink than a destiny will like this one. It works for anyone who prefers their heroes flawed, their companions mismatched, and their monsters a little too real.

Overall, Mercenary’s Journey is the kind of fantasy story that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still knows how to tell a good tale. It’s a solid start for a series and proof that a bit of cynicism can go a long way when saving the world.

Editorial Review For A Restless Mind 40.92, 26.31

   

https://a.co/d/etUmPZJ

Editorial Review For A Restless Mind 40.92, 26.31

Emad Majedi’s A Restless Mind 40.92, 26.31 opens with a man standing at the border between Turkey and Greece, weighed down by cold, fear, and memory. The story travels through the harsh terrain of exile, detention, and self-reflection. It revisits a past in Khorramshahr, a city scarred by war and religious rule. The narrator’s journey mixes physical escape with mental unrest, showing how borders don’t end at fences. The themes of survival, disillusionment, and the search for dignity move through every page, often lit only by a flickering lighter or a distant prayer.

Majedi’s writing is sharp and observant. His scenes carry a quiet rhythm that feels both weary and awake. The book’s strength lies in its honesty. It refuses to soften history or turn pain into decoration. Instead, it makes the reader sit inside discomfort. The voice stays focused, turning ordinary objects—a flame, a torn shirt, a word of faith—into signs of human persistence.

This book fits in the growing body of migration and exile literature but keeps its own edge. Unlike many stories about refugees or displacement that reach for sentiment, Majedi stays closer to raw experience and self-interrogation. His take on faith, politics, and Western hypocrisy lands with clear intent, never begging for approval. It reminds readers that the border is not only a line on a map but also a mirror for moral failure, both East and West.

Readers who enjoy political fiction, memoir-like storytelling, or works that question systems of belief will find this book worth their time. It will appeal to those who prefer prose that argues as much as it narrates. People who think “human rights” are tidy slogans might feel slightly attacked—and that’s part of the point.

A Restless Mind 40.92, 26.31 is not a comfort read. It’s a conversation with truth that doesn’t care for politeness. Majedi has written something that asks for patience and attention, rewarding both. If you want a book that stares back when you read it, this one does exactly that.

The Spirit Samurai (Author Interview)

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS2712WT/

Robin climbs trees to feel free like the birds. Why do you think he feels most at peace in the cold wind?

I believe Robin has a special connection with the wind. Something about the essence of the breathe of the gods seems to speak to him. I can best describe it as he loves feeling the cool mountain air brush along his face. When there’s so much for a young samurai to do, being away high up in the trees away from the stress of training sounds peaceful to him.

Zor energy is shown in many forms like fire, lightning, ice, and even darkness. Which style stood out the most to you, and why?

Since this is the first book in the series, I focused a lot on Robin’s Phoenix style. I wanted to convey the idea that its not just fire, like the Phoenix symbolizes rebirth for Robin goes through his own throughout the book.

This of course does not mean the whole series will focus on the Phoenix. There is plenty more to be seen from the other gods, and the ways the world of man uses their spiritual abilities!

Robin’s sword is more than a weapon—it’s tied to his father. How does this connection shape the way he fights?

Ah a keepsake from a close family member. Especially one that is no longer with us. Robin’s sword is a symbol all its own of his choices up until a certain point. He chose to be a samurai. With his father’s contribution to the Warring States, his family would have at least been looked after, however it wasn’t enough to him. He needed to be a great samurai.

Ever since Robin was young he idolized the way Zor energy mixed with samurai arts. When his father taught him how to utilize the Phoenix style and his swordsmanship it gave the two close time to bond, which is why the memory of his father is so strong within him!

Shroud of Turin: When Siblings—a Psychiatrist and an Internist—Collaborate on an International Suspense Mystery

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FP4FVHWB/

"When a powerful mafia boss Sergei learns that he is sterile, he turns to Professor Derian, a physician specializing in IVF, seeking instead the forbidden path of human cloning.

After a past encounter with Father Vasily, Sergei vows to make the world pay by stealing the Shroud of Turin—the cloth that once covered Jesus—and using it in his cloning experiments. However, the skies have a different plan in store!
In parallel, another dimension of this extraordinary realm unfolds: Four young men from vastly different backgrounds—Prometheus, a poet and singer; Andrew, a physics professor; Bilal, an influencer and writer; and Detective Bongani—unite. Together, they challenge long‑held beliefs of their reality, striving to restore meaning and rekindle the essence of life in a world transformed by love and mystery."
At its heart, The Shroud of Turin is an international suspense novel that carries readers across borders and deep into the human mind. Dr. Lama Muhammad, a psychiatrist, and her brother Dr. Ghephar Muhammad, an internist, become entangled in this vast mystery—one that reveals not only hidden truths about existence but also the diverse realities of mental illness. Each character shines a light on a different facet of a mental disorder, offering both insight and healing.
Blending high-stakes suspense with medical wisdom and touches of magical realism, this is more than a novel—it is a refuge, a companion through life’s struggles, and a testament to the power of storytelling to help us rise from pain. If you believe in the healing force of literature, this journey is for you.

Editorial Review For Rancid Badges

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPPP5Q64

Editorial Review For Rancid Badges

Derrick Nash is a beat cop who should be chasing down small-time crime, not sitting in a jail cell accused of stealing drugs and money from evidence. From there the story spirals into gunfire, ambushes, and a trail of corruption that leads him deeper into the Atlanta police force than he ever imagined. Nash teams up with Kristi Jackson, whose husband was murdered under suspicious circumstances. Together, they piece through setups, dirty officers, and missing evidence while trying to survive in a city where the badge is not always what it seems.

The book works well because it keeps the action moving without letting up. The dialogue feels sharp and pushes the plot forward. Scenes are written in a way that makes it easy to picture the danger, the city streets, and the tense confrontations. Nash’s push-and-pull between loyalty to the force and mistrust of those around him gives the story weight. The steady balance of chase scenes, shootouts, and quiet investigations keeps it from dragging.

As a crime thriller, Rancid Badges sits right in line with modern police dramas where corruption runs deep and justice is murky. Readers who enjoy urban grit mixed with personal stakes will find familiar ground here. The book also follows the trend of questioning the system rather than blindly defending it. The title itself is a cheeky nod to the rot underneath the shine.

Fans of fast-paced cop stories will like this one. It will appeal to readers who want action that starts in the first chapter and rarely slows down. If you like crime shows where the cops might be worse than the criminals, this will be your type of read.

My take? Rancid Badges doesn’t bother easing you into the story. It throws you in, cuffs you to the seat, and then shoots out the tires. That’s the kind of commitment I can get behind. This book earns a strong recommendation for crime and thriller fans.

https://alexcage.com/book/rancid-badges/

Editorial Review For The Sanctuary of Tomorrow

  

https://sanctuaryoftomorrow.com/

Editorial Review For The Sanctuary of Tomorrow

The story opens in Florence during 1918, where Martino Griffiths, a boy with unwanted telepathic powers, is hunted by the authorities and betrayed by his own family. His gift, once valued, has become outlawed, leaving him with guilt, anger, and a trail of destruction. Years later, in 1933 London, the focus shifts to Maxine Ocampo-Weber, a chemist and part-time detective raising children with her partner Jodi. Their family crosses paths with Martino, now older and still burdened by his past. What follows is a mix of family drama, moral debate, and a fight against unjust systems that treat telepaths as less than human. Themes of betrayal, secrecy, and survival sit beside ideas of community, love, and resistance.

The strength of The Sanctuary of Tomorrow lies in its layered characters. Martino is not a shiny hero but a flawed figure wrestling with regret and mistrust. Max and Jodi bring heart, wit, and determination while trying to balance personal happiness with a dangerous world. The dialogue is sharp and keeps scenes moving, whether it’s police officers bickering like an old married couple or Max lecturing a telepath as if he were one of her kids. The book never lets its tension slip, even when humor breaks through. And yes, the Border Collie named Augustus steals a few moments, as he should.

This novella fits well within speculative fiction that blends historical settings with supernatural elements. It recalls stories where hidden powers are both gift and curse, while also adding queer family dynamics and cultural identity in ways that feel natural. The trend of reimagining early twentieth century history with marginalized voices and secret abilities finds a solid entry here.

Readers who enjoy stories about chosen family, moral ambiguity, and characters trying to outwit oppressive systems will connect with this book. Fans of supernatural drama with a dose of historical grit and a touch of sass will find plenty to hold their attention.

My verdict: The Sanctuary of Tomorrow does not pretend its characters are perfect, and that is exactly what makes it work. It takes telepathy, prejudice, and survival, stirs in humor and found family, and delivers something worth your time. And if you can resist rooting for Max while she scolds both cops and criminals like a schoolteacher with zero patience, you might be tougher than the Coppers chasing Martino.

Vault of Secrets: The Chronicles of Drew (Author Interview)

  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C91MY79Y

How did you come up with the idea of setting the story in a Chicago law firm?

The true story is about the internal battle of good and evil within the main character. I felt that setting the story within a law first perfectly exemplified that same struggle in a real, and everyday, world scenario.

 

Andrew uses ruthless methods and schemes. Did you ever feel tempted to make him more likable?

Absolutely not. The draw to Drew is in the fact that he is so unlikeable that the reader finds themselves lost in his behaviors. You are almost forced to root for a person you never would in real life because the fiction of it allow for such a broader range of emotions and intrigue than real life.

 

The book shows Andrew’s moral struggles. Why was it important to include that side of him?

It is very easy to write a character doused in purity or in evil. I wanted to show that even someone operating, in times, at their worst can have redeemable qualities. Qualities that continue to draw the reader in, wondering if he will end up succumbing to either side.

 

Many readers said they related to Andrew even though he is dark. Were you surprised by that reaction?

Editorial Review For A Measure of Justice

  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F4LTSXD9/

Editorial Review For A Measure of Justice

The story follows Nicollo Moro, a Venetian noble fallen on hard times who turns to trade after losing his footing in politics. He arrives in Constantinople with his cargo, only to find himself in the shadow of an empire about to fall. The wheel of fortune is never kind for long, and Moro learns this the hard way as he is pulled into intrigue, suspicion of treason, and choices that echo between loyalty, profit, and survival. The book captures a city at the edge of catastrophe and a man caught between his past as a magistrate and his present as a merchant.

The strongest element here is the way the narrative balances personal downfall with the larger sweep of history. Moro’s voice feels grounded, and the scenes of Venetian politics and Constantinople’s decay are tightly drawn. The meetings with figures like naval hero Alvise Contarini and Governor Minotto give the book both weight and movement. It is history told through lived experience, not through dry recounting, and that is what makes it engaging. Even the quieter moments, such as Moro staring at Hagia Sophia or reflecting on Fortuna’s wheel, keep the tension alive.

This work sits firmly in the tradition of historical fiction set during pivotal shifts in power. Readers of maritime and Renaissance-era stories will recognize the familiar backdrop of trade, politics, and looming Ottoman conquest. The book also joins the recent wave of historical novels that focus less on kings and generals and more on those who hover near the edges of power, making it more relatable while still steeped in historical drama.

Readers who enjoy detailed settings, political maneuvering, and characters who straddle honor and pragmatism will find a lot here. Those fascinated by Venice, Constantinople, or the rise of the Ottoman Empire will feel right at home. If you are waiting for swashbuckling pirates, though, you may have to settle for sharp-tongued Venetians instead.

In the end, A Measure of Justice succeeds in giving history a human face. It takes you into the courts, the taverns, and the crumbling streets of Constantinople without losing sight of the personal stakes. If you like your history with a touch of cynicism and more than a hint of irony about the so-called glories of Venice, this book deserves a place on your shelf.