Magnetic Reverie by Nico J. Genes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Author Nico J. Genes weaves an exceptional erotic romance that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a compelling and intriguing story of love and sexual discovery in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a relatively fast paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last. It’s a very absorbing read about ‘one woman's struggle between her dreams and the reality of love after newly discovering her sexuality.’

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Lana lives a perfect life in Washington DC with her husband, Greg. Right in the middle of a peaceful and simple life, she awakens from a dream that ironically reveals a new reality to her that questions the very essence of who she is. Enter Claire, a beautiful young woman who Lana is supposedly in a relationship with. Meandering between Slovenia and Washington DC, sleeping and waking hours, this love story makes Lana evolve and grow. But a decision must be made. Love wins in the end, undoubtedly, but love for whom?’

Now, if that’s not enough to get your curiosity juices flowing, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my second time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed yet again.

The story had every element a good story should have. A thought-provoking plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book. The erotica is accomplished in the delivery of exciting and titillating prose. From mild illusions through detailed, sexy scenes, the concept is wonderfully delivered in truly amazing writing.

Captivating and commendable, this work had me immersed from the beginning. It’s an emotional fiction interwoven with sexual discovery. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly compelling and fascinating journey!

It’s one of those books that come along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

If this book is anything to go by, I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Nico J. Genes in the future. It also has a distinctly cinematic feel to it and I could easily see it being adapted for a made-for-TV movie. This has all the hallmarks of making a great series. A well-deserved five stars from me.


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Daddy's Curse 2: A Young Boy Who Has Survived Child Slavery Remembers… by Luke. G. Dahl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my second time reading this author. His previous work, Daddy's Curse: A Sex Trafficking True Story of an 8-Year Old Girl was a gripping first-person account of organized crime and human trafficking. This book is about a young boy, named Od, who has also survived child slavery.

It’s worth stating here again what I had previously said about this authors’ last book: Human trafficking is thought to be one of the fastest-growing activities of trans-national criminal organizations. It is condemned as a violation of human rights by international agreements. ‘Human trafficking is a crime of such magnitude and atrocity that it cannot be dealt with successfully by any government alone. This global problem requires a global, multi-stakeholder strategy that builds on national efforts throughout the world.’

The book description gives a poignant preview: ‘When Od was growing up with his grandfather in the mesmerizing yet poverty-stricken countryside of Mongolia, he didn’t know that his life was about to turn into a living hell. His own grandparents sold him to child traffickers who took him away from his village and turned him into a slave, along with other children from the region.

Od, Altantsetseg, Chinua and Khulan were all held captive by child traffickers, but Od, being the oldest and smartest, managed to come up with an escape plan. Altantsetseg and Chinua escaped but Khulan didn’t make it. A shot was heard from behind and it was the last time they saw Khulan. But they had to keep on moving.

Yuna. Od’s only love was going through the same hell. She managed to escape from her abusers, only to find herself back in the hands of traffickers. When she finally found her way to freedom, Od found her. That was a moment of happiness in a lifetime of sorrow.

In this eye-opening child abuse story, Luke G. Dahl, author of the best-selling book “Daddy’s Curse” offers us a different perspective. Od is a young boy and his experiences in Mongolia, China and Thailand, his efforts to overcome his emotional wounds and his struggles to find Yuna will give you a unique way to truly understand child abuse and respect for life.’

Author Luke. G. Dahl writes a significant but harrowing story – based on true events - of sexual abuse, human trafficking and organized crime. It’s an emotional story that will take you on a journey to the dark side of human nature. The author must be commended for highlighting this truly appalling crime against the future of mankind…OUR CHILDREN.

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Surviving Desert View by Karl Steam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great action and adventure story!

This is another exciting outdoor tale of survival. This time Josh and his friends find themselves in the desert. It’s an exciting story that also teaches significant life lessons like teamwork and caring for each other.

Surviving Desert View (Kids vs. Nature Book 2) was a very enjoyable read not only for my grandkids, but also for me! Author Karl Steam writes in a wonderful style that will guarantee the attention of young minds. I also thought the text and illustrations (by Joshua Lagman) worked very well together. We’ll be looking forward to seeing what’s coming next. Five stars from us. Well done Karl!


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American River: Tributaries: Book One of the American River Trilogy by Mallory M. O'Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted historical novel.

Whatever flaws we might identify or frustrations we might feel are trivial in comparison to a reader’s pure joy in losing himself/herself in a narrative. When all the elements come together: an intriguing plot, thoughtful, profound themes, complex, troubling, characters, and language that will unsettle for its clarity, directness and confidence; we gratefully set all analysis aside and give ourselves up to the sheer magic of a great book. And for me, American River: Tributaries, is such a book.

Author Mallory M. O'Connor weaves a compelling and gripping historical drama, with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a dynamic and spellbinding tale in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It was a slow-paced novel at times, but it still kept me engaged from the first page to the last.

The story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.

The book description gives a preview of this first instalment; ‘In the mid-1800s, three immigrant families—Irish, Japanese, and Mexican—settle along the American River in Northern California. A century later, only one family remains.

Owen McPhalan’s Mockingbird Valley Ranch is still a thriving family business in 1959. But when his wife, Marian, leaves Mockingbird to follow her dream of becoming a successful artist, she ignites a firestorm that impacts the descendants of all three families. As artists, musicians, writers, and politicians inherit their immigrant parents’ hopes, they are torn apart by ambition, prejudice, and deception while struggling through the turbulent 1960s. From the concert halls of Europe to Kyoto’s ancient avenues, and Manhattan’s artist’s lofts to San Francisco’s North Beach, they each learn the price they must pay in order to realize their dreams. But just as the river is drawn to the sea, they eventually find themselves pulled back to the place that forged the original link between their destinies—a place called Mockingbird.

American River: Tributaries follows three California families as the descendants of Irish, Japanese, and Mexican immigrants embark on unique journeys to pursue their dreams amid an unsettled 1960s world.’

Now, if that’s not enough to get your whet your appetite, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.

Captivating and commendable, this work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly fascinating and intriguing journey of discovery!

It’s one of those books that comes along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

If this book is anything to go by, I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Mallory M. O'Connor in the future. I would recommend this book and could easily see this being adapted as a television series or even receiving a Hollywood treatment. A well-deserved five stars from me.


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She Was Born a Good Girl: An All Girls Boarding School Story by Garfield Whyte
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted coming of age tale…

Author Garfield Whyte weaves a vibrant and very interesting coming of age tale, with fascinating twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints an all-girls boarding school story in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a relatively fast-paced novel that will keep you captivated from the first page to the last.

The book description gives a sneak preview; ‘Raunchy Zoe, prude Nola, follow-fashion Myra, indecisive Jody and man-hunter Anona. It’s final year at the Rosemount School, a prestigious all-girls boarding school in Jamaica where parents send their daughters to become ladies; but some girls allow their raging hormones to turn them into renegades. No-nonsense, principal, Lenora Mustafa has her hands full with these girls as she strives to maintain the school’s enviable reputation. Everyone is different in this sisterhood, but they all share a common goal to graduate at the end of this school year. How will final year go?’

Now, if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.

Engaging, and entertaining, this work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey!

If this book is anything to go by, I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Garfield Whyte in the future. I would definitely recommend this book and would love to see it adapted for the Silver Screen. I honestly think this would make a great movie. Five stars from me.


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