Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy Book 1

 Inside the Book

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Title: The Lightbound Saga Trilogy
Author: S.G. Basu
Publisher: Dreamwater Press
Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult

Series Blurb:

13-year-old Maia is a land-dwelling Solianese living on the planet of Tansi. She has been raised by her doting grandfather. Her mother, Sophie, supposedly deceased, is accused to be a traitor who fought for the Xifarians who have subjugated Tansi. Loathing her family’s history, Maia has put herself into self-exile, vowing to steer clear of the temptations that led her mother astray. But when she is drafted into a peace summit by the Xifarians, she must walk into Xif, the planet she has always wanted to avoid. Here she meets loyal teammates Kusha, Dani, Nafi, and Ren, as well as Miir, their Xifarian team mentor who is as accomplished as he is temperamental. As Maia and her teammates thwart a plot to harm the underwater settlements on Tansi, she also discovers that her mother, Sophie, was not what she seemed. Sophie sacrificed herself to save Tansi before the Xifarians could destroy the Tansian system.

Maia visits the Jjord nation in their underwater colonies on Tansi. More of Sophie’s secrets come to light while she is in the colonies as well as more of the Xifarians’ plots to rebuild the dark heart of Xif. As Maia’s link with Sophie becomes apparent, Maia soon finds herself in the crosshairs of the Xifarians who kill her family and send her running for shelter across the dead lands of the Solianese. Chased by the Xifarians, Maia barely manages to stay alive with the help of her teammates.

While on the run across Tansi, Maia meets a mysterious man who unlocks a power within Maia. When her mighty Xifarian foes corner her, Maia unleashes the power on them, overpowering everyone, including her former mentor, Miir.

Maia struggles with her newfound power. The team is on the verge of fracturing when Maia reveals she might have killed Miir. Meanwhile, the R’armimon, an ancient and powerful enemy of the Xifarians, are on the way to the Tansian system, seeking vengeance from the Xifarians. On finding this, the Xifarians grow desperate to resurrect the dark heart that would enable them to leave the Tansian system. Maia narrowly escapes the Xifarians’ trap with a mysterious ally but her new alliance takes a toll on her friendships.

Maia is alone and hopeless but she forges on to regain the trust of her teammates and tries to convince the Tansian leaders of the impending threat of the R’armimon fleet. With help from her allies, Maia continues to uncover more of Sophie’s past. Together with her friends, Maia rushes to find the artifacts needed to thwart the R’armimon as the massive Execution Fleet of the R’armimon appears next to Tansi.

Purchase Information for Series

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Tb71xt

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Meet the Author

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S.G. Basu is an aspiring potentate of a galaxy or two. She plots and plans with wondrous machines, cybernetic robots, time travelers and telekinetic adventurers, some of whom escape into the pages of her books. Although she’s an engineer by training, writing has been her passion since childhood. Her other loves include extra-hot lattes, fast cars and binge watching sci-fi movies.

Find out more about the futuristic worlds she creates at sgbasu.com. She can also be reached at sg@sgbasu.com.

Books by S.G. Basu:

The Lightbound Saga series (YA Dystopian Science Fiction)

Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy

Maia and the Secrets of Zagran

Maia and Regency Protocol

The Lightbound Saga 3 Book Bundle

The Firefly League-A Lightbound Saga novella

Elementals-The Serial Thriller (Paranormal Science Fiction)

Population Morpheus (Near Apocalyptic Science Fiction)

Jumpers (Paranormal Thriller)

You can visit the author’s website at www.sgbasu.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. 

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My Review

I have to say that I am super excited by the fact that I will be reviewing books 1-5 of this series, so make sure to check out my next reviews too! I started this series with Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy Book 1 which follows Maia in this coming-of-age book as she learns about her long-dead mother, herself, and the truth. I really loved Maia in this book and I can't wait to read book 2!

HOW THE WICKED RUN (A Boston Clairvoyants Novel) by Annabelle Lewis

 

BOOK REVIEW TOUR: How the Wicked Run (A Boston Clairvoyants Novel) by Annabelle Lewis 10/16/2022 0 Comments   Book Details: ​Book Title: How the Wicked Run (A Boston Clairvoyants Novel) by Annabelle Lewis Category:  Adult Fiction 18+, 283 pages Genre: Contemporary Mystery, Thriller with Romance and Humor Publisher:  PePe Press Release Date: Oct 2022 Format available for review:  ebook (EPUB, Book Funnel download) Tour dates: Nov 21 to Dec 5 Content Rating:  PG13 +M: Lots of cursing, kidnapping, all sex off page, no gore Book Description: Destined for Love and Danger Sidrah Keeling, well-intentioned Boston clairvoyant and stalwart protector of her newfound family of psychics, purchases a country respite hours away from her grand Boston home. Lazy Pond Farm, just outside the town of Macoun, Massachusetts is an enormous fixer-upper, but it perfectly serves her agenda of fostering romance and promoting healing. In that order. But instead, the group encounters trouble. Fate, as usual, has her own plans. Macoun—named after the apple—is infested with racists led by a man who harbors terrifying secrets. Will Jenny, Max, Sidrah, Leon, and Bones—the fabulous five—have the power to change Macoun? Will they be able to rescue those who need saving? And what about love? As the fates do battle, so will the lives between the wicked and the good. A twisted thread. Who will break? In How the Wicked Run, romance, mystery, and adventure collide once more for this enchanting family of audacious clairvoyants. Buy The Book: Amazon Meet the Author: ​ Annabelle Lewis is a pseudonym for the author who lives in Minneapolis with her husband, children, and a wild thug of a dog who sleeps beside her. A multi-genre writer and publisher of 10 novels to date, all her books have a theme—taking down the bad guy. In addition to fighting evil, The Boston Clairvoyants mystery/thrillers also contain a bit of romance and a mythological hierarchy. (And dog lovers will adore the books.) Connect with the Author:  Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~Instagram ~ Bookbub ~ Goodreads My Review HOW THE WICKED RUN (A Boston Clairvoyants Novel) by Annabelle Lewis was a well-written book. I really liked Jenny, Max, Sidrah, Leon, and Bones, however, it was Sidrah Keeling that was my favorite with her desire to protect others.

A MEASURE OF SERENITY by Bryan Prosek

 

Book Details:

​Book Title:  A Measure of Serenity by Bryan Prosek
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  368 pages
Genre: YA Science Fiction 
Publisher:  CamCat Books 
Release date:  November 2022
Formats Available for Review: print - softback (USA only), audiobook (Book Funnel download), and ebook (EPUB, PDF, Book Funnel download)
Tour dates: Nov 21 to Dec 16, 2022
Content Rating: PG. There aren't any graphic scenes, and no strong language.

Book Description:

A million thoughts, but only one right thing to do.

Eighteen-year-old Serenity Ashdown has a brilliant mind: she counts, calculates, and analyzes everything, all the time. Awkward. When her father suddenly disappears, Serenity follows his trail to a parallel dimension. The feds on the other side claim to want to help her go home, if she helps them reconstruct the right codes for the portal between worlds. But it’s soon clear they want something more: a gateway for invasion, because this version of Earth is dying.

​When Serenity learns that her alter-ego was killed in battle, she assumes “the other Serenity’s” identity and uses her unique abilities to lead the resistance in a mortal fight against the tyrannical super-government that is poised to invade her universe. Serenity has no idea how to be someone she’s not, but she has to try—or she may not have a home to return to.

Buy the Book:
CamCat Books
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ IndieBound ~ BookShop
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Bryan Prosek is a science fiction writer and business attorney. Along with his debut The Brighter the Stars and the forthcoming A Measure of Serenity, he has published books and articles in legal trade journals and magazines. When he isn’t writing or practicing law, you can probably find him watching science fiction movies or television shows. He loves the big screen and the small screen. There’s a good chance that he’ll be watching one of the numerous Star Trek movies or series, but he could be watching anything from Guardians of the Galaxy to The Conjuring.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

A SPYING EYE (HENRIETTA AND INSPECTOR HOWARD) by Michelle Cox

 

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JOIN US FOR THIS TOUR ON OCT 25 TO NOV 21!

Book Details:

Book Title:  A Spying Eye: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel by Michelle Cox
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 256 pages
Genre:  Historical Mystery
Publisher:  She Writes Press
Release dates:   Oct 25, 2022
Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA and Canada), and ebook (MOBI FILE (FOR KINDLE), EPUB, PDF.
Tour dates: Oct 25 to Nov 21
Content Rating: R: There are some swear words peppered throughout (not many) and 2 explicit sex scenes (tasteful, but more than a PG-13 scene)

Book Description:

In A Spying Eye, Clive and Henrietta return to Europe in an attempt to resurrect their failed honeymoon. While in London, they are approached by their old friend, Inspector John Hartle, who convinces them to search for the missing panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, a famous Renaissance painting, of which Hitler’s top men are also in pursuit.

Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Oldrich Exley threatens to cut off financial support for the entire Von Harmon brood if Elsie continues with her plan to marry Gunther―a situation made worse by the sudden appearance of one Heinrich Meyer, who claims to be little Anna’s father and threatens to take her away. Desperate, Elsie seeks the help of Clive’s sister, Julia, who is herself the victim of domestic abuse and who has fallen under the spell of a handsome Texas millionaire bent on acquiring a rare painting from the Howard collection.

​Clive and Henrietta’s search takes them to Chateau du Freudeneck in Strasbourg, France―the ancient seat of the Von Harmons and home to three eccentric distant relatives. What begins as a wild goose chase turns decidedly more deadly when several Nazi officers also arrive at the chateau in search of a “valuable item.” When Henrietta and Clive attempt to flee after Henrietta uncovers a shocking truth, they are forced to trust themselves to a suspicious French servant who seems all-too willing to help . . .

​Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Apple ~ B&N
BookBub
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Michelle Cox is the author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. Her books have won over 50 international awards and have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Foreword, Elle, Redbook, Brit&Co., POPSUGAR, Buzzfeed, and many others.

Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade. She lives in Chicago with her husband, three children, and one naughty Goldendoodle and is hard at work on her latest novel. 

Connect with the Author:  website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ tiktok ~ goodreads ~ bookbub

My Review

I personally found A SPYING EYE (HENRIETTA AND INSPECTOR HOWARD) by Michelle Cox   to be a great read! I really loved Clive and Henriett in this especially the idea of giving their honeymoon a re-do then getting pulled into to a mystery.

To Catch The Setting Sun

 

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Inside the Book

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Title: To Catch The Setting Sun
Author: Richard I. Levine
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Pages: 320
Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Blurb:

There’s a killer loose on the island of Oahu. His targets? Young, native-Hawaiian women. But it also appears that he’s targeting and taunting Honolulu police detective Henry Benjamin who knew each victim and whose wife, Maya, had been the first name on that list. In addition to battling his personal demons, this New York transplant’s aggressive style didn’t sit well with his laid-back colleagues who viewed Henry’s uncharacteristic lack of progress in the investigation as evidence that fueled ongoing rumors that he could be the killer. Was he, or could it have been someone within the municipal hierarchy with a vendetta? As it was, after thirteen years on the job Henry had been disillusioned with paradise. His career choice long killed any fantasy of living in a grass hut on a wind-swept beach, being serenaded by the lazy sounds of the ocean and a slack key guitar. Instead, it had opened his eyes to a Hawaii that tourists will never see.

Book Information

Release Date: August 22, 2022

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Soft Cover: ISBN:‎ 978-1509243297; 320 pages; $17.99; eBook $5.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Rl42Aw 

Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3BRB0mv

Apple iBooks: https://apple.co/3dVBaBj

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Meet the Author

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Richard I Levine is a native New Yorker raised in the shadows of Yankee Stadium. After dabbling in several occupations and a one-year coast to coast wanderlust trip, this one-time volunteer fireman, bartender, and store manager returned to school to become a chiropractor. A twenty-three-year cancer survivor, he’s a strong advocate for the natural healing arts. Levine has four Indy-published novels and his fifth work, To Catch The Setting Sun, is published by The Wild Rose Press and was released in August 2022. In 2006 he wrote, produced and was on-air personality of the Dr. Rich Levine show on Seattle’s KKNW 1150AM and after a twenty-five year practice in Bellevue, Washington, he closed up shop in 2017 and moved to Oahu to pursue a dream of acting and being on Hawaii 5-O. While briefly working as a ghostwriter/community liaison for a local Honolulu City Councilmember, he appeared as a background actor in over twenty-five 5-Os and Magnum P.Is. Richard can be seen in his first co-star role in the Magnum P.I. third season episode “Easy Money”. He presently resides in Hawaii.

Visit Richard’s Amazon Page or connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

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My Review

To Catch The Setting Sun was a great read! I really liked Honolulu police detective Henry Benjamin's backstory the fact that he was in a place that could be described as the dream job of any detective and yet was not happy due to his own understanding of life made this book quite the page-turner. As I kept reading to find out not only who the killer was, but how the detective would fare. 

On The Edge of Shattered: A Mother's Experience of Discovering Freedom Through Sobriety by Kimberly Kearns

 

Book Details:

​Book Title:  On The Edge of Shattered: A Mother’s Experience of Discovering Freedom Through Sobriety by Kimberly Kearns
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  252 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Self-Help
Publisher:  Glass Spider Publishing
Release date:  November  2022
Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA only), ebook (PDF)
Tour dates: Nov  to Nov 28, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: Intended for adults only, contains information on alcoholism   

Book Description:

​Before she stopped drinking for good, Kim was lying to herself and everyone she knew about her daily habit—sneaking morning sips of vodka behind her husband’s back, emptying bottles of wine and hiding the evidence from her family, and convincing herself that nothing was wrong and everything was under control. Until she realized that it wasn’t, and that her dishonesty could cost her everything she loved. What would happen to her marriage if things continued in this way? And how could she be a mother to her young children if she remained trapped in this cycle of abuse? Deciding she had to make a change, Kim threw herself into a new life of sobriety seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic. But only after severing the chains of bondage did she realize how much work there was still to do. Opening the doors to buried memories and past traumas was only the beginning. Throughout her journey to sobriety, Kim would come to terms with the secrets and lies told by her parents and loved ones, allowing her a clarity and freedom she never before thought possible.

BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon ~ B&N

Meet the Author:

Kimberly Kearns is a wife to an incredible husband and a mother to three beautiful children. She currently lives in Need-ham, Massachusetts. She continues to tell her story of sobriety and inspire others every day on her blog at kimberlykearns.com, and through her Instagram account @asoberandstrongmom. Kimberly co-hosts the podcast The Weekend Sober and is a writer for the Webby Award-winning narrative podcast F*cking Sober: The First 90 Days. Writing has always been an escape for Kimberly, even as a little girl. Being able to express herself in words and getting lost in her imagination has served as a source of comfort to her as far back as she can remember. 

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ facebook  

The Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty

 

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Book Details:

​Book Title:  Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  275 pages
Genre: Supernatural Mystery
Publisher:  Self-Published
Release date:  September 2022
Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA & Canada), and ebook (PDF)
Tour dates: Oct 31 to Nov 18, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M - There is very little mild bad language, but there is a lot of somewhat graphic violence depicted.

Book Description:

The Miami police force is utterly baffled by the horrific crime scenes they are finding. The victims are being executed in unimaginable ways, and unlike most crimes perpetrated against humanity, these victims do not fit the usual murder victim profile. These victims are themselves criminals. In fact, some are very well-known criminals. But this scenario is not unique to Miami. Locales worldwide are seeing the same kind of maniacal homicides.

Who is responsible for carrying out these crimes, and how can they be stopped?

Two of Miami PD’s finest, Detectives Ian Jelani and Lane Madigan, are on the prowl, trying to solve these mysterious crimes. But they are being drawn into something far beyond their imaginations, something more than they have ever bargained for. These men may think they have seen it all, but that is quite the understatement. They are on a collision course with the most terrifying vigilante they have ever encountered. When their families become embroiled, the gloves come off, no holds are barred, and the rage of the vigilante spills onto them as well.

The forces of good and evil have waged war since long before Creation. Angels of heaven, both good and evil, have struggled to expand the borders of their kingdoms, and humankind has long been caught in the middle of that raging turf war. Men and women have faced the choices of good and evil since the Garden of Eden, and everyone knows where that original choice landed the rest of us. But humans are not the only ones tempted by the wares of evil. Angels have stared those same choices in the face too. Some have fallen away from the Creator, while some have remained faithful to Him. What of an angel caught betwixt good and evil, an angel who thinks he is serving his Master, but he is actually teetering on the edge of his own fall? What if that angel was the greatest warrior angel of all time, and decided to take it upon himself to rid the Earth of evil people? What might happen to those evil people who are trying to exert their malevolent power and intentions upon their fellow humans if such an angel was to go after them?

In Holy Terror, Thumos, the greatest warrior of the Creator’s angelic army, the fiercest of all heavenly soldiers, has had enough of what he perceives to be a pattern of deference. He decides to take matters into his own hands. But the path he starts down is a path that other angels have traversed before. And many of them have ended up in the camp of the Evil One, the most destructive force the universe has ever known. Thumos comes face to face with Satan himself, and he have even more decisions to make.

BUY THE BOOK:
John R. Dougherty
Amazon ~ BookBaby

Meet the Author:

John has spent his professional career working in information technology by day and dabbling in a variety of other diversions by nights and weekends, including a few decades of serving in lay ministry. While serving in this capacity he preached hundreds of sermons, taught countless Bible study classes, and wrote dozens of inspirational articles.

He enjoys golf, guitars, grandchildren, and all things Kansas City – the Chiefs, the Royals, Sporting KC, KC Symphony, and KC Broadway, to name a few. He thinks (if not for his long-lost metabolism of youth) he could eat the famous Kansas City barbecue every day…maybe not for breakfast, but lunch and dinner for sure!

Now he is enjoying bringing to life his angelic hero, Thumos, and a host of other characters that he hopes you will find both entertaining as well as either inspiring or repulsive (after all, there are both good guys and bad guys in this story). This is the first book of a series, featuring detectives Lane Madigan and Ian Jelani, whose experience with Thumos will yield life changing results. And if you happen to be interested in such things, happy Bible Easter Egg hunting while you read, since many are planted throughout the book.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram