Review – The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew #kellyandrew #netgalley #thegravewood

Posted on May 15, 2026 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

I love the bloody cover of The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew, and I love anything vampire, so this was an easy book for me to get lost in. The story takes place in a dystopian world. We have some diverse characters, which adds that extra little bit to keep me interested. I have to know what will happen to Shea.

Shea is the main female character and there are two men, one a vampire, competing for her heart. Shea is deaf and made a deal with Lys, the vampire. She would let him feed from her in exchange for batteries for her hearing aid. Then, we have Asher, a human that has his sights on Shea too. It is kind of a ‘Twilight’ sort of story and I loved Twilight.

We shift between points of view, which helps to reveal each character’s motivations for their actions taken. We have plenty of blood and gore to fill my mind with visuals. I love the blend of apocalyptic/dystopian and paranormal/supernatural.

The downside of The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew is waiting for Book II of the duology.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for the opportunity to read and review The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

An instant New York Times bestseller! The first in a darkly romantic duology that explores disability, obsession, and the twisted limits of loyalty.

Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood, an impassable forest that’s cut off her town from the rest of the world. With resources limited and supplies scarce, Shea is forced to carefully ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she’ll be left in the silence.

Desperate, Shea turns to the only person who can help — Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of a vampiric gang that rules the Gravewood.

The arrangement between Shea and Lysander starts off simply enough. She gives him her blood. He tracks down batteries. They don’t cross any lines. They don’t make it personal. But when Shea’s best friend is lured into the Gravewood, her disappearance brings her older brother home from the frontlines. Asher Thorley is willing to do whatever it takes to find his sister, even if it means holding Shea’s ugliest secrets over her head.

Ever an opportunist, Lysander renegotiates the terms of their deal. If Asher takes out Lysander’s vampire rival, Lysander will help him find his sister. And if Shea agrees to Turn, Lysander will give her a cure for her ailing mother. For the first time ever, Shea finds herself leaving home. Swallowed up in the dreamlike dark of the Gravewood and traveling in the company of killers, it isn’t long before she risks becoming one herself.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vampires, Young Adult
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2026
Series: The Gravewood, #1

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Review – The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French #richardfrench #theconvergence #brokenmagic

Posted on February 20, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French is about fated mates, enemies to lovers, second chance and forbidden romance. Samantha Reed is tasked by the Federation with finding and destroying Connor Blake. but when she meets him…again…her soul cries out to his. She has been lied to and what she does next could either save their world or destroy it.

The story is fast paced with lots of action. Circumstances bring together an unlikely group of characters that will do what is necessary, what is right, to save their world, no matter the consequences. I was wrapped up the danger that surrounded them…and that ending. It was a blow that I wasn’t prepared for, but, there is Book II, The Convergence: Restoration, so we shall see what comes next.

I have read some of Richard French’s work and felt it was very likely that The Convergence series would be a good one, and I wasn’t wrong.

GOODREADS BLURB

Federation Enforcer Samantha Reed has orders to kill Connor Blake—the one person whose soul was torn from hers when the Federation shattered magic itself.Enemies to lovers. Fated mates. A bond the universe refuses to let die.

Reality is fracturing across the galaxy as the Convergence approaches—a cosmic force trying to heal what was broken. The Federation claims Connor’s rebellion is causing the breakdown, but when Samantha confronts the man she’s been sent to destroy, stolen memories their connection isn’t coincidence. It’s the echo of a soulmate bond artificially severed centuries ago.

What begins as a mission to capture a traitor becomes a forbidden second chance neither expected. Their unified magic doesn’t combine separate powers—it remembers what they were before the Federation broke everything apart. But every moment they spend reconnected awakens the truth the Federation desperately the artificial separation is failing, and only their restored unity can stabilize reality’s collapse.

With a band of unlikely allies who become family, Samantha and Connor must outrun the Federation’s hunters while unraveling centuries of lies. As the cosmos continues to unravel, the Federation’s leader plans to weaponize the Convergence’s healing energy to make the separation permanent—even if it destroys existence in the process.

The choice isn’t between order and chaos, but between artificial control and natural wholeness.

For readers who devoured Shadow and Bone, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and A Court of Mist and Fury, this is star-crossed lovers, forbidden magic, and found family—with the fate of reality hanging in the balance.

When remembering their true connection means choosing between Federation loyalty and cosmic healing, will Samantha embrace what was stolen from them—or let the universe fracture forever to preserve a lie?

Get your copy now and discover why some bonds refuse to stay broken.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Military
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025 by Indie Pen Press
Series: The Convergence #1

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Richard French writes at the intersection of technology, transformation, and storytelling. A former executive at Oracle and Nokia, and a serial startup leader, Richard brings decades of leadership experience to his books.

His non-fiction works include Daniel as a Blueprint for Navigating Ethical Dilemmas, The Journaling Mastery Series, and The Journaling Prompts Series. In fiction, his Convergence Series explores quantum physics, high fantasy, and human connection in richly imagined worlds.

Richard lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he writes full time and races GT cars on weekends. He believes in challenging limits—on the track, in business, and on the page.

Website

MY RICHARD FRENCH REVIEW

The Emotion Collector

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Cyberpunk – Review – The Zone: Fallen Son by Stu Jones @StuJonesFiction #thezone

Posted on February 18, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Gotta love Chance. In for a penny, in for a pound.

The Zone: Fallen Son by Stu Jones, is the second book in this cyberpunk series. It is filled with fast paced action and the stakes are high. The battles are brutal, savage, and many lives will be lost.

Everything revolves around Chance, a father, a son, a hero. His son is ill and he will do anything to get the treatment his child needs, but when he is taken, he will also do anything to get him back.

It all begins in Neo Terminus, where Chance had taken down the Zone, a walled off area in the middle of the city where Enforcers, nano boosted gladiators, would fight to the death. He finds out his son has been taken to a distant city, New West City, and he will have to partner up with an unlikely ally. He will face betrayal and hordes of mutant humans.

Action and adventure, life and death, thought provoking moments, The Zone engulfed me in rapid fire reading, flipping pages, caught up, unable to look away. BUT..the story is not done. Chance may have completed one mission, but his son is still missing, being used as a bargaining chip by High Director Marko Senterian. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

In the shadow of Neo Terminus, a father’s desperation becomes his only weapon.

Chance Griffin—super cop, fallen gladiator, hunted fugitive—will stop at nothing to rescue his kidnapped infant son. Even if that means tracking down and confronting the Glom’s shadowy masters.

But he can’t do it alone.

To save his child, Chance must forge an uneasy alliance with a ruthless adversary—a villain whose hands drip with the blood of Chance’s friends. Together, they’ll journey beyond the neon streets of Neo Terminus to the lawless frontier of New West City, where even legends are broken.

With each fractured step Chance is drawn deeper into a web of manipulation and betrayal, stretching the fragile thread connecting him to the life he left behind—to a wife whose face may soon fade from memory.

As Neo Terminus burns behind him and New West City looms ahead, Chance knows he can’t let the wasteland claim what’s left of his soul. He is more than the Glom’s former star Enforcer, their fallen son.

He is a father, a husband. A hero.

AWARDS for The Zone
Gold Medal(1st Place) Winner – The Bookfest Awards – Cyberpunk Category
Honorable Mention – Reader’s Favorite Awards – Science Fiction Category
Finalist – Best Thriller Book Awards – Science Fiction
Finalist – IAN Book of the Year Awards – Science Fiction
Semi-Finalist – Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards – Science Fiction
Approved Seal – Indie Reader

Genre: Action And Advenure, Cyberpunk, Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
402 pages, Kindle
Published: 2.17.26 by Dropship Publishing
Series: The Zone #2

ABOUT STU JONES

Stu Jones. SWAT Sniper. Adventurer. Award-Winning Author of Epic Genre-Bending Fiction.

A veteran law enforcement officer, Stu has served as a beat cop, narcotics, criminal investigations, as an instructor of firearms and police defensive tactics and as a team leader of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team. He is trained and qualified as a law enforcement SWAT sniper, as well as in hostage rescue and high-risk entry tactics. Recently, Stu served for three years with a U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force – hunting the worst of the worst.

He is the author of multiple sci-fi/action/thriller novels, including the multi-award-winning It Takes Death To Reach A Star duology, written with co-author Gareth Worthington (Children of the Fifth Sun).

Known for his character-driven stories and blistering action sequences, Stu strives to create thought-provoking reading experiences that challenge the status quo. When he’s not chasing bad guys or writing epic stories, he can be found planning his next adventure to some remote or exotic place.

Stu is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo-Helin-Fountain literary

Catch Up With Stu Jones:
Goodreads
BookBub – @stujonesfiction
Instagram – @stujonesfiction
Facebook – @stujonesfiction

MY STU JONES REVIEWS

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Review – The Last Nuclear War by Hazem Abdelmowla #hazemabdelmowla #thelastnuclearwar

Posted on February 13, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

When I grabbed Hazem Abdelmowla’s Future Novels series, I had a different thought in mind. The books are heavy on the science of things, and I kinda got lost in The Last Nuclear War and not in a good way. I had met and became interested in Mousa, the main character in The Viruses Enigma. He struggles with social justice, corruption, influence and money.

The year is 2110 and viral pandemics had ravaged the world. Energy sources that you and I know, no longer exist. So…here we are…

Because he is so smart, there are those that want to use him. As I follow his life, I am more curious about him than the war that seems to be looming on the horizon. I am curious how his story will end and I kept flipping the pages for that reason.

For those who like to carry the weight on their shoulders while reading sciency novels, this may be right up your alley. For me, it was too heavy, but I am glad I read to the end.

The Last Nuclear War will definitely pose questions that are difficult to answer. My thanks go out to Hazem Abdelmowla for the opportunity to read and share his books.

GOODREADS BLURB

You wonder why war? But what if you are the war! What will you choose? What will you do for the sake of this world?
In the future, after decades of surviving devastating viral pandemics, the world has become very different from what we know. Energy sources no longer exist like before. The world has become like a compass where its parts are looking for nuclear influence. A smart child named Mousa was born. He had difficulty understanding the world around him. Why is he treated differently in school? Why doesn’t he feel social justice? What happened to corrupt the world like this? What is happening between the parties of the world? What is the role of influence and money? The questions were getting more complex at every point in his life. But he didn’t know that the path of answers was destined to ask him for choices that could determine the fate of the last future nuclear war.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2024
Series: Future Novels #2

ABOUT HAZEM ABDELMOWLA

A dental surgeon, an entrepreneur and a writer who simply dreams of a better world.

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Review – The Viruses Enigma by Hazem Abdelmowla

Posted on January 2, 2026 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Viruses Enigma by Hazem Abdelmowla is one of those books that tempted me with the blurb. Since Covid, books about pandemics always strike a cord with me. Also, to read about a man that will sacrifice much to make the world a better place and to avert another catastrophic pandemic, is a man I want to learn about. What drives him? How much is he willing to give up? How much will be demanded from him? Where will he draw the line?

The Viruses Enigma is deep into the science side of things, while, I am more into the people side of things. I followed a lot of what was happening, how the pandemic had killed millions of people and changed the world. The virus apocalypse delved into the human psyche and the best and the worst of people and one doctor’s drive to stop the next pandemic from killing more. There are those who are for him and those who are against him. It made me think of our reality, when Covid stopped the world.

Another plus to The Viruses Enigma is that Book II, The Last Nuclear War, is already out, so Rami’s story will be told. I vacillated between a 3 and a 4, and when that happens, I round up. I enjoyed the story, but you need both books to get all the answers.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Can an ordinary doctor who cares for his family come up with a new idea that will make us triumph over future viral pandemics?Will he have the courage to go down the road? What’s his success rate at reaching it? What will he do despite the lack of resources?After COVID-19, the world was on a date with a new pandemic that threatens humanity, which may not be the last. Rami, a doctor who works in the capital’s hospital, came up with a new idea that could be a revolution and humanity’s last hope for the treatment of future viral diseases. But it seems that the road is not as expected.

What is the idea? What are the requirements for its implementation, what are the obstacles that he will encounter in the way? What sacrifices does he need to bring it to reality? What is the unknown path he has to take to achieve his childhood dream of saving the world and solving the mystery that has puzzled scientists throughout history?

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2024
Series: Future Novels #1

ABOUT HAZEM ABDELMOWLA

A dental surgeon, an entrepreneur and a writer who simply dreams of a better world.

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Review – The Emotion Collector: Awakening by Richard French #richardfrench #indiepenpress #theemotioncollector

Posted on November 17, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In The Emotional Collector: Awakening by Richard French, we meet Senior Collector Emma Thorne. Emma is the state’s most powerful weapon…until she opens herself up to a four year old’s feelings of love. She has been conditioned to collect feelings, which are considered waste, not to empathize or sympathize. Now she was beginning to question her purpose.

Evan Cross is part of the resistance. These are the kind of characters I find most interesting. They come across as real, fighting against suppression, wearing a white hat. He is immune to the dampening technology. And, of course, anyone that knows me, knows I love a good villain and I was surprised that it was Emma’s mother that surprised me the most.

The state had been updating the dampening technology, increasing the efficiency, causing the planet to die at a faster rate. Emma begins to think that her real purpose was not to destroy the planet, but to save it.

The Emotional Collector made me think of Avatar, how everything was connected. By killing emotions, they were killing the planet.

The state wants to study Emma, and we know what that means…nothing good for her. And…it’s her mother leading the way. She can save the people and the planet, but at what cost to her? Is the Awakening a good thing, or will it doom the planet and everyone on it? Doesn’t really matter because the state had begun Project Terminus and it would permanently cut out human feeling within hours, killing the plane anyway.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Emotion Collector, but I loved it. The more characters I met, the more characters there were to love and others to try to understand their motivations. It’s one of those things, just because you can do something, should you?

I love this thought provoking novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I love novels that surprise me, and I was surprised at the twists and turns that Richard French threw my way.

GOODREADS BLURB

In a world where emotions are harvested as hazardous waste, an elite Collector absorbs a child’s love—and awakens.Senior Collector Emma Thorne is the state’s most precise weapon until a four-year-old’s pure love fractures her conditioning. When her collection field fails on an immune stranger, everything she believes crumbles.

Emma discovers the brutal emotions aren’t waste—they’re living energy linked to planetary health, and the Council’s “peace” is killing the world. Her mother is the architect of suppression. Project Terminus will permanently sever human feeling within hours.

For readers who devoured Delirium and The Giver, but crave the hard science and hope of Nexus.

To save humanity, she must sacrifice everything she is to restore the world’s heart.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Metaphysical, Science Fiction
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 17, 2025 by Indie Pen Press

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Website

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Review – The Human Hybrid Odyssey: Primitive Dangers by Kimathi Witt, Aaron McDonald & Kawsu Jatta #kimathiwitt #aaronmcdonald #kawsujatta

Posted on November 12, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Primitive Dangers by Kimathi Witt, Aaron McDonald and illustrator Kawsu Jatta is the second book in The Human Hybrid Odyssey. It picks up where Book I left off. They made it through the attack of the giant elk and their journey to the kingdom is almost over.

I have found the creatures are intriguing. I don’t think I have read anything quite like The Human Hybrid Odyssey. The dangers rise, the beasts are more brutal. Can they learn to work together? Can they learn to trust each other?

The books are short and easy to read. I found myself gobbling up the words, having to know what comes next. We definitely see the dark side of the world the authors created. The beasts are savage. Are any of their human qualities left? I’m curious how the authors will bring the story to its conclusion.

My thanks go out to Kimathi Witt, Aarona McDonald and Kawsu Jatta for the opportunity to read The Human Hybrid Odyssey.

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

The hybrids have survived-but the world is only growing more savage.

Deep in the wild, a new era begins as hybrid tribes fracture and ancient powers resurface. Danger lurks in every shadow-primitive beasts, rival factions, and internal divisions threaten to tear them apart from within. What was once instinct is now weaponized. What was once unity is now war.

As trust crumbles and secrets rise from the soil, the journey through deadly terrain becomes a test of loyalty, purpose, and evolution itself. Bonds are broken. Enemies are born. And a deeper, darker truth about their transformation begins to reveal itself.

In Primitive Dangers, Volume 2 of The Human Hybrid Odyssey, the stakes climb higher, the battles grow bloodier, and the line between man and beast fades further into the jungle.

The survival of the hybrid species depends on more than strength-it depends on who they choose to become.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
136 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2025 by McDonald, Witt and Jatta Ltd
Series: The Human Hybrid Odeyssey #2

MY KIMATHI WITT, AARON MCDONALD & KAWSU JATTA REVIEWS

The Human Hybrid Odyssey: Forever Changed

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Review – Divided States by Bob Thomas #bobthomas #dividedstates

Posted on October 6, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

How bad would things have to be for you to want to secede from the union?

The Divided States novel by Bob Thomas supplies food for thought.

David Evans didn’t have a political bone in his body. He was only at the New Year’s Eve event because he could run the audio visual equipment. But, he was the face that was seen when chaos ensued, when states decided they didn’t want to be a part of the United States any more. They wanted their independence, able to choose their own government, their own laws.

A reporter, Jen O’Neil comes knocking at his door, wanting to know more about him. Of course, it’s easy to figure out that a romance may blossom between them.

It makes me wonder, how big is too big? Do individuals get lost in the shuffle and politicians have their own agendas, forgetting who they work for?

I found Divided States by Bob Thomas to be fascinating. It sure is a different way of looking at our government and the current leaders. I remember when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was dissolved and states broke away, becoming their own countries, in 1991. Why could it not happen to us? Just food for thought.

My thanks to Bob Thomas for the opportunity to read and review Divided States.

GOODREADS BLURB

EMPIRES RISE AND FALL…

What if you lived in a country with an overly restrictive government that used technology to suppress individual freedoms?

When David Evans agreed to help with the technical details of staging a New Year’s Eve event in the small city of Penndelom, PA, he could never have imagined what their fireworks would set off.

Suddenly, David’s world erupts into chaos as the United States breaks into new geographic regions. Is this new found order better than the old?

Together with new-found ally, confident, and more – Jen O’Neil, they work with a charismatic governor, to survive several events that mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.

DISCOVER HOW ONE SMALL CITY CAN RESHAPE A COUNTRY

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Ficiton
274 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2025 by Willow River Press

ABOUT BOB THOMAS

A lifelong love of the written word first led Bob to a professional career in communications. During a tenure that began with a small, de novo operation, Bob oversaw all aspects from advertising, web development, and public relations to more technical editorial tasks, but the written word was always the common denominator. Recently, he co-authored a blog, which has been on hiatus the past two years while Bob pursued his early love of fiction and completed his novel Divided States.

Bob and his wife Molly have two adult children, Caitlin and Dylan, which became three with the addition of Dylan’s wife Kelly. Bob and Molly split time between Dallas and Harvey’s Lake in Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Bucknell University.

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GC & Review – Above The Clouds by Tim Vee @_Tim_Vee_ @goddessfish #abovetheclouds

Posted on September 29, 2025 by fundinmental

ABOVE THE CLOUDS by Tim Vee

GENRE: post-apocalypse, dystopian, sci-fi, horror

MY REVIEW

Tim Vee writes some interesting stories, and Above The Clouds had me intrigued. This unique apocalyptic/dystopian novel takes place deep underground, in long unused subway tunnels and sewers. No one knows what came before .

Everyone has their duties to perform, whether it’s raising the young, hunt or work to provide necessities. When their usefulness comes to and end, whether through injury or old age, they are sent to the surface to fend for themselves.

Dara and her sister, Squirt, are the main characters in Above The Clouds. Squirt is still young enough that she helps where she can and not much is expected of her. Dara is a hunter. She is expected to bring back from the hunt a dozen rats or three cats or a dog.

The world Tim Vee has created is bleak and dangerous. It is a world I haven’t visited before and I have read many apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. We go from the depths of the earth to the clouds in the sky, where Squirt will find a life she could never have envisioned. I like the twist from dark to light, from despair to hope. I was suitably creeped out and that is always a good thing. LOL

BLURB

n a ruined, distant future of our world, filled with rain, gloom, and danger, Squirt and her sister Dara fight to survive as part of the underground clan, hunting meat to survive and clinging to the edges of existence.

When Squirt encounters a mysterious figure above ground, her life is upended. Taken to a gleaming paradise above the clouds, she finds herself trapped in an idyllic prison, where everything seems perfect—but is danger hiding in plain sight? Does Charlotte, her enigmatic and gentle companion, hide secrets behind her perfect smile? Does Mrs Wallis, the tower’s cold matriarch, watch Squirt with a predator’s patience?

Below, Dara hunts alone, trying to find meaning in her life and haunted by her sister’s disappearance while whispers of betrayal within the clan force her to choose between being a victim or fighting for her survival.

As the sisters’ paths converge, truths are exposed: immortality comes at a terrible price, and the ones they’ve trusted most may be their greatest enemies. Above the Clouds is a haunting tale of the fight for survival and identity, asking the question: What does it truly mean to be human?

EXCERPT

She made it to the side of the ruins, ducked under a concrete slab, and crouched silently, listening and watching the darkness. She allowed her ears and eyes to acclimate to the noises and darkness of the ruins, the dripping water, the scurrying of a rat, the rattle of a falling piece of rock, and the sounds men made.

She sniffed and smelled something. Something cooking.

Rat! she thought.

Moving slowly and cautiously, she crept out from her hiding place, not making a sound. She climbed onto a slab of concrete laying diagonally and crawled upward until she was looking down at where Chagga sat on a rock, roasting a pair of skinned rats above a fire. Adam was standing, shaking and banging the water off his furs. Chagga was speaking.

“…Tomorra, when the hunters head out, make sure our men are on guard at the big tube that comes in by the butcher…”

Hidden in the shadows above, Dara silently slipped her quiver from her shoulder.

“…That is where we attack…Once we have taken control, all those who have no faith will be butchered, and we will call Major Tom, and he will pick up, and he will send the riders, and we leave for Marbro Country!”

She rolled onto her back and slid two arrows from the quiver.

“Can you trust this bandit, Barg, father?” said Adam.

Gently, she laid one of the arrows on the concrete, and the other she notched.

“No,” said Chagga firmly. “But I need them to do in the guards while you kill the chief.”

She rolled, holding the bow with her left hand, pulling the bowstring back.

Kill Adam, and the others won’t know the plan? she thought. Or kill Chagga, and there is no plan?

She closed her left eye, pulling the string tighter.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing, he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd and go cycling.

Website: https://timvee.com/

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/above-the-clouds/id6741713791

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ddhFEQAAQBAJ

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Above-Clouds-post-apocalyptic-Tim-Vee-ebook/dp/B0DTJL73QM/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1704940

X: https://x.com/_Tim_Vee_

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21960899.Tim_Vee

MY TIM VEE REVIEWS

Golden Blood

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Review – Callasandra Fractured by Stephanie Douglas #callasandrafractured @St3phnieDouglas

Posted on August 8, 2025 by fundinmental

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Callasandra Fractured by Stephanie Douglas is a dystopian, science fiction novel about a young girl traveling through dimensions. It slowly drew me in, picking up the pace as the story unfolded.

Cassi had been jolted awake by what sounded like a burst of thunder – the hair on her arms stood on end, and in her gut, she knew something was wrong.

That’s putting it mildly. She finds herself in a world called Cimerrion, where every move is watched. When rules are broken, ‘motivation’ is used. It depends on who is doling it as to how brutal it can be. At least, for a moment, she is protected from grave bodily harm. They want her unmarked until they decide what they are going to use her for, but there is one guard who has his eye on her and believes she may be a Disunited, a person from another world. If they knew she was also a twin, they may have been even more worried. There is a prophecy…Our control of Cimerrion hangs in the balance of the twin fates of our destiny.

The main characters are young and I love watching them grow and develop, working together. Knowing they can’t just sit there and do nothing, they become a part of the resistance and risk their lives to save those targeted for a life of slavery.

Stephanie Douglas has created a world of danger, but no matter how bleak things look, the characters still have hope. The pace increases as does the suspense, the closer we get to the end…and that ending. It’s a good one. I am looking forward to what comes next.

Also, for a unique reading experience, Stephanie has sprinkled QR codes for music so you can listen along with the characters. I did not choose the option, but it may enhance your reading experience.

My thanks go out to Stephanie Douglas for the opportunity to read and review Callasandra Fractured.

GOODREADS BLURB

A DANGEROUS SECRET AND ENEMIES EVERYWHERE

WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO SURVIVE?

Sixteen-year-old Cassi Dyson thought she had a normal life—until the day her world shattered. In a sudden, terrifying moment, two men seize her father right in front of her. Before they drag him away, he shouts a coded message to her—the warning changes everything. Soon after, a dimensional fracture scatters Cassi—and all of Earth’s citizens—across dimensions.

Separated from her family, Cassi awakens alone in Cimerrion, a world where the government sees her as a threat, where every move is watched, and any misstep could mean capture—or worse. Not knowing who to trust, she adopts a new name—Callasandra—but even that may not be enough to keep her safe. Assigned to The Camp, a monitored sector where sixteen-year-olds are trained, Cassi must blend in to survive.

When Joren, a charismatic and quick-witted fellow student, sees through her disguise, he brings her to the covert resistance known as the Antistasi. Desperate to find her family, Cassi turns to them for help and learns that survival means more than just concealing her identity—it means playing a dangerous game where trust is scarce, deception is everywhere, and escape may not be an option.

For Fans of Action, Suspense, and High-Stakes Survival

A thrilling blend of impossible choices, gripping action, and cunning resistance, Callasandra Fractured is perfect for readers who love action-packed stories set in dystopian worlds with young protagonists who refuse to back down. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat until the very end, immersed in a world where secrets and action collide.

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult
474 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2018 by Dreamer’s Lair Books

ABOUT STEPHANIE DOUGLAS

Stephanie Douglas writes YA dystopian sci-fi that explores identity, power, and survival. Her debut novel, Callasandra Fractured, blends psychological tension, cinematic worldbuilding, and unforgettable characters navigating a fractured dimension. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family, singing whenever the mood strikes, or plotting the next twist in the Callasandra series.

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