Review – Perilous Tides (Hidden Bay #2) by Elizabeth Goddard @bethgoddard #periloustides

Posted on July 16, 2025 by fundinmental

Will the past rush in like a dangerous tide before the truth can be revealed?

Elizabeth Goddard delivers suspense blended with romance on Washington’s coast

MY REVIEW

Panic engulfed her as fast as the rising water.

I was hooked from the opening pages of Perilous Tides and I do love that Elizabeth Goddard was able to get me involved, curious to know what comes next and next and next. I also love second chance romances, so, when Jo Cattrel’s ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer made his appearance, I sat up and took notice. Now, the danger is really going to come at them and it does. Hard and fast.

Jo Cattrel had been hiding out on the Washington coast, until a message from her father had her hightailing it away from the safety of the lodge, determined to track him down. She doesn’t even make it off the ferry before witnessing a murder, making her a target.

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard is a complex, convoluted mystery with bullets flying and bodies dropping and the danger rising as Jo and Cole search for answers. The pacing moves at a steady clip, sometimes not even giving me enough time to catch my breath. I find it hard to believe I haven’t read any of Elizabeth’s work, but she is now on my radar.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Three years after her mother’s suspicious death, forensic artist Jo Cattrel is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder–and becomes a target.

More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother’s death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.

As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide to sweep them away before the truth can be revealed.

In this action-packed thriller, USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard serves up a complex plot and the sizzling romance readers have come to expect.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 15, 2025 by Revell

ABOUT ELIZABETH GODDARD

Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website.

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or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

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Review – The Flower Once Wilted by R M Demeester @rmdemeester #thefloweroncewilted

Posted on July 9, 2025 by fundinmental

GOODREADS

REVIEW

I have been reading The Girl Once Known series by R M Demeester from the very beginning. I had wondered if Lotus would get her own story…and, I’m happy to say the answer is yes. I knew it would be interesting an interesting story, because Lotus is an interesting character.

Lotus Oliver, more or less, raised herself. Her mother was lost to drugs and it created an inability to trust others in Lotus. She and Joseph Oliver are in love. When she turns up pregnant, all her insecurities rise to the forefront. Joseph wants to marry her, telling her he will support her and the baby, he will not desert her…BUT, he’s a bit of a mama’s boy…and mama is one nosy bitch to Lotus.

R M Demeester sure knows how to break a girl’s heart. I love a book that makes me grip my ereader so tightly that my knuckles turn white, that leaves me teary eyed, empathizing with the characters.

My thanks go out to R M Demeester for the opportunity to read The Flower Once Wilted.

GOODREADS BLURB

Lotus Oliver learned early that survival meant pretending.

Lie when you’re scared. Smile when you’re cornered. Trust no one. Never let your guard down. Because wanting something only ever meant one thing: losing it.

Then she met Joseph “Jo” Oliver. He didn’t just see her. He unraveled her, layer by layer, until there was nothing left to hide. And somehow, she gave him everything: her fire, her fight, her heart. A marriage. A family.

But the voice inside her never went quiet. It kept whispering that she wasn’t safe. That it could all slip away.

And maybe, just maybe, it was right. The question is: will Lotus be able to stop it?

Genre: Fiction, Psychological
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 11, 2025
Series: The Girl Once Known #4

ABOUT R M DEMEESTER

R.M. Demeester, from Saskatchewan, loves being a mom, reading books, and writing. She’s been writing since she was very young. Today, she’s known for her stories in women’s fiction, romantic suspense, and thrillers. She also has a rescue dog named Gainer, a chocolate lab who passed away recently, but is still very much loved and missed. Her newest book, “The Girl Once Known”, comes out in February 2024.

MY R M DEMEESTER REVIEWS

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Review – The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos #thebluehorse @bruceborgos #netgalley

Posted on July 8, 2025 by fundinmental

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I love horses and I think they are magnificent creatures, so when I saw The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos on NetGalley, I clicked the request button. I was not disappointed.

In all my trips to Nevada, I never got to see a wild horse, but I did hear about them and it wasn’t good. The Blue Horse deals with those who would rather shoot them dead than marvel at their beauty.

Many landowners, especially out west, use government owned land for grazing cattle, etc. They fight over who gets to use what, but it seems to me the horses would have more rights than the landowners. After all, they were there first.

The Blue Horse centers around a wild horse roundup and all the controversy that entails. Murder of human and horse alike create a mystery that kept me guessing. We have lots of suspects and more than one villain. That leads to intriguing characters.

We also have a group of troubled kids on a wilderness retreat and they will become involved in the mystery of the Canadian Lithium mining company. When push comes to shove, one of those most troubled kids will rise to the occasion. I love when a character redeems themselves.

If you love animals and a good mystery, The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos may be for you.

GOODREADS BLURB

A controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada results in two murders and too many suspects for Sheriff Porter Beck to deal with.

A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there’s no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.

Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.

Porter Beck’s new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck’s mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck’s sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they’re just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.

Genre: Animals, Fiction, Horses, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Western
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 8, 2025 by Minotaur Books

ABOUT BRUCE BORGOS

Bruce Borgos is the author of several novels, including the Porter Beck Mysteries. His latest, THE BLUE HORSE, is the third in the series starring Sheriff Porter Beck of Lincoln County, NV. and is scheduled for publication in July, 2025. https://bit.ly/TheBlueHorse

Visit his website at: https://www.bruceborgos.com/
or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BruceBorgos
or catch him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/bruceborgos…. or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/authorbruce…

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Review – Pointless by Michael Geczi @MichaelGeczi #pointless

Posted on July 7, 2025 by fundinmental

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I have read several of Michael Geczi’s books and loved them. Pointless did not disappoint. It’s rare when the villain is exposed from the opening pages, but it works, revealing his motivation for revenge. We start out with a car wreck, then move to poison laced bottles, then on to the assassination of the FBI agent put in charge of the investigation. Each piece of the puzzle is carefully planned. The mystery is muddled and characters are betrayed. Who’s doing what to who? Michael Geczi keeps the answer close.

Project Les Talionis – An Eye For An Eye

We have a diverse group of characters, and not all will survive. As the body count increases, so does the level of suspense. The pacing of Pointless keeps the story moving at a steady clip. The suspense mounts as we approach the final pages, and, no sooner do I breathe a sigh of relief…The ending is worth a star of its own, because as much as I hate it, I love it.

GOODREADS BLURB

POINTLESS – THE FIRST BOOK IN THE REVENGE, UNHINGED SERIES!

Poison-laced bottles of water are sent to three states in the U.S Southwest. A bottling plant employee is killed in a questionable traffic accident. The first illnesses – and the initial death – surface, and the FBI takes over the cases.

Just as the perps planned.

The agent in charge is assassinated, and Senior Special Agent Kari Dineh, a rising star, is put in charge. She’s encouraged to include a former agent, a felon she helped drive out of the agency years earlier, as an advisor. The case immediately takes on political overtones, spurred by poems sent by the perps, opportunistic pundits rallying pro- and anti-FBI supporters, and aggressive media reporting.

Violence erupts and cities burn.

Dineh, a brilliant investigator, at first struggles with her new role, as memories of misogyny and Indigenous prejudice resurface. But she overcomes them, ultimately figuring out the real intentions of the criminal group behind the crimes.

However, the U.S.’s 50-50 split on the rule of law is above her pay grade.

REVENGE IS A RATIONALIZATION, NOT A MOTIVATION.

Genre:
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2025 by Tierra Buena Publishing

ABOUT MICHAEL GECZI (from Amazon)

Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY MICHAEL GECZI REVIEWS

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Review – My Gypsy War Diary by Shawn D Brink #ShawnDavidBrink #MyGypsyWarDiary

Posted on July 3, 2025 by fundinmental

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I have read a couple of Shawn David Brink’s books and loved them, but, My Gypsy War Diary didn’t quite get there for me. I was interested from the getgo. A hidden treasure. Who wouldn’t want to know more? There is plenty of action, adventure, and mystery to keep me reading, wanting to know how it would all shake out for him. I don’t believe I ever heard his name, but I read his diary. 🙂 I do love diverse characters and he has an attention deficit disorder, undiagnosed. The next door lady becomes his best friend. My Gypsy War Diary has a hint of religion, nothing preachy. I liked the story, and, even though I was a little disappointed, because I loved his other books so much, I will be on the lookout for more of his work. Thanks, Shawn, for the opportunity to share your work.

GOODREADS BLURB

Where is Milo’s Bible, the intruders demanded. They came under cover of darkness, their guns pointed at my elderly neighbor and only friend. And with the break in, an old story came out–young love, betrayal, blackmail, a treasure stolen and stolen again, a tale of vengeance and a life lived in secret.

I was just a kid in the 70s, unable to sit still in school, living in my imaginary world of TV and movies. And now this betrayal from half a century ago threatened my life, as I found myself caught between hidden treasure and a band of gypsies who would stop at nothing to get it.

Genre: Action and Adventure, Childrens, Fiction, Religious
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2018 by Gabriel’s Horn

MY SHAWN DAVID BRINK REVIEWS

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Review Fatal Intrusion by Jeffrey Deaver & Isabella Maldonado @jefferydeaver @isabellambooks

Posted on June 10, 2025 by fundinmental

A SERIAL KILLER SPINS A WEB OF DECEPTION

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I have read numerous novels by Jeffrey Deaver, but this is my first experience with Isabella Maldonado and I was not disappointed. Fatal Intrusion brings together Carmen Sanchez, a Homeland Security agent, and Jake Heron, a security expert. Carmen is by the book, but Jake…not so much. I love the combination.

Jake owes Carmen a favor and she is calling it in. The peripheral characters who surround them are all important players and each has their own talent to contribute to the investigation.

I love a book that draws me in from the opening pages, making it impossible to put the book down and Jeffrey and Isabella make it look easy. I love a feisty, kickass female lead. The tension was high and the pacing furious. Danger oozes off the pages and I rapidly flip them, having to know what comes next…and I sure didn’t anticipate where they took me. I do love a story that twists and turns and keeps me guessing.

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer and MB Communications for the opportunity to read and review Fatal Intrusion by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado.

GOODREADS BLURB

As a wave of murders grips Southern California, an unlikely pair must untangle the mysterious patterns of an elusive killer. A propulsive new series by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado.

Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.

With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernable motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.

Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
Series: Sanchez & Heron, Book I

ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER

#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He’s received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.

Website

ABOUT ISABELLA MALDONADO

Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Special Agent Nina Guerrera series, the Special Agent Dani Vega series, the Detective Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez and Heron series (co-authored with Jeffery Deaver). Her books are published in 24 languages. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.

MY JEFFREY DEAVER & ISABELLA MALDONADO REVIEWS

The Grave Artist

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GC & Review – Muzzle The Black Dog by Mike Cobb @partnersincr1me

Posted on June 3, 2025 by fundinmental

MUZZLE THE BLACK DOG

by Mike Cobb

May 12 – June 6, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

First off, don’t let the cover of Muzzle The Black Dog by Mike Cobb fool you. The story is about Jack and his journey of self discovery and redemption.

We start with an isolated cabin…isn’t that a great place to start? Then, we have a mysterious stranger…it’s getting better.

Muzzle The Black Dog may be a quick read, but that doesn’t take away from the mystery that lingers on the pages. The fires…who is setting them and why kept me flipping through the pages. Mike Cobb did a great job of making me question what I thought was happening. The plot is more complex that I anticipated and that was a pleasant surprise.

SYNOPSIS

After a mysterious stranger appears at his isolated cabin door, Jack’s life is forever changed. The stranger’s cryptic message sets off a chain of events that lead Jack on a harrowing journey to uncover the true meaning of his own existence.

As a series of unexplained fires threaten to consume everything he holds dear, Jack is forced to confront his deepest fears and question everything he thought he knew about himself.

Set in the aftermath of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, Jack’s search for the truth takes him to the edge of sanity and puts him on a collision course with a dark and powerful force that has been lurking in the shadows.

Join Jack on a gripping and thought-provoking quest for answers in this thrilling and suspenseful tale of self-discovery and redemption.

Praise for MUZZLE THE BLACK DOG:

“Muzzle the Black Dog takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions and family secrets. The slow reveal is creepy many times but you still want to read page after page. I loved the combination of thriller, drama, history and mystery.”
~ Erik S. Meyers, author of The Sally Witherspoon Mystery Series

“A mystery whose plot will transfix you and whose finish will stun you, Muzzle the Black Dog is simply superb. A stranger enters narrator Jack Pate’s life and proceeds to upend it through his bizarrely intimate knowledge of Jack’s past. In determining the identity of the visitor, Jack solves a deeper mystery within himself, but doing so provokes demons in his soul, demons he’d been holding at since childhood. Author Mike Cobb provides that rare combination of masterly prose, passion, and insight, in an atmosphere dark and chilling as a Georgia winter.”
~ Charles Philipp Martin, author of the Inspector Lok novels Rented Grave and Neon Panic

“The pages just fly by in this quick-moving, compelling and stunningly unique psychological thriller about a man searching for answers to a deadly crime who uncovers long-buried secrets about himself and his own troubled past. Muzzle the Black Dog takes the reader on a wonderfully wild roller coaster of a ride filled with plenty of twists, thrills and tension. Mike Cobb has written a terrific book – read it!”
~ R.G. Belsky, author of the Clare Carlson mystery series

“Mike Cobb’s Muzzle The Black Dog, is a fast-paced, unputdownable thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.”
~ Westley Smith, author of Some Kind of Truth and In The Pale Light

“Intriguing doesn’t begin to describe the appeal of this book’s premise: a mysterious stranger on the doorstep of recluse Jack Pate, offering friendship and help. Despite Jack’s surprise (he has no need of aid) and suspicion of the disheveled man—who looks more like a vagrant than any friend he would choose—Jack is fascinated. Who is this man, and how did he find Jack’s secluded cabin? And why does he seem to know things about Jack’s uneasy past?
Just as suddenly as the stranger appears, he vanishes, leading Jack on an odyssey, beginning as a physical search but quickly morphing into self-preservation as reports of heinous local crimes trickle in. Arson and murders begin to stain the remote countryside, and the suspects are few and far-between.
Sneaky clues, well-drawn characters, and swift plotting propel the story forward as the author deftly explores the many ways the past affects the present—and how it might endanger the future. I highly recommend this one.”
~ Jennifer Sadera, author of I Know She Was There

“A slow burn of a story revealing the power of deeply held secrets. Secrets so earthshaking that Jack Pate questions everything he believed when a mysterious stranger knows everything about him. Moody and atmospheric.”
~ James L’Etoile, award-winning author of River of Lies and the Detective Nathan Parker series

Book Details:

Genre: Crime, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Published by: Waterside Productions
Publication Date: April 15, 2025
Number of Pages: 184
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Author Bio:

Mike’s body of literary work includes both fiction and nonfiction, short-form and long-form, as well as articles and blogs.

He is the author of three published novels, Dead Beckoning, The Devil You Knew, its sequel You Will Know Me by My Deeds, and Muzzle the Black Dog, a novella. He is also working on Kathleen, a fictionalized account of a cold case murder from 1970.

While he is comfortable playing across a broad range of topics, much of his focus is on true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction. Rigorous research is foundational to his writing. He gets that honestly, having spent much of his professional career as a scientist.

A native of Atlanta, Mike splits his time between Midtown Atlanta and Blue Ridge, Georgia.

Catch Up With Mike Cobb:

MikeCobbWriter.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @cobbmg1
Instagram – @cobbmg
X – @mgcobb
Facebook – @MGCobbWriter
YouTube – @mikecobbwriter
Waterside Productions

Tour Participants:

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Click here to view the Tour Schedule

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Mike Cobb. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Review – The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark #julieclark #netgalley #theghostwriter

Posted on June 2, 2025 by fundinmental

NEW RELEASE – 6.3.25

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I was scrolling through NetGalley, checking out the new arrivals and saw The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark. I haven’t read any of her work, but I was intrigued by the premise of the story. Julie Clark was able to grab my attention from the opening pages and keep me engrossed in Olivia’s story until the very end.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont is having financial problems, so when she was approached to ghost write her father’s memoirs, she said yes.

Her father, Vincent Taylor, a famous horror writer, has Lewy body dementia, which creates difficulties when it comes to figuring out what is true and what is false. Olivia will have to face her father’s past. His family had been murdered and he was the only one left standing. That fed the rumor mill. Was he involved? Did he kill them himself?

We float from past to present and I loved Poppy as much as I loved spending time with Olivia.

I quickly became involved in Olivia’s story, watching the past unfold, wondering what was true and, even when the story was finished, was it the truth? I love an author that can keep me flipping pages, unable to put the book down, having to know, having to reach the end and have all the secrets exposed.

I love when I find a new author to love, keeping my eyes open for new books to come.

GOODREADS BLURB

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father’s last book, not realising she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family.

Genre: Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication: June 3, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark

ABOUT JULIE CLARK

Julie Clark is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We Choose and The Last Flight, which was also a #1 international bestseller and has been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and a golden doodle with poor impulse control.

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Review – Lucid by Michael S Milano #michaelsmilano #lucid

Posted on May 23, 2025 by fundinmental

FREE TO BE SAFE (Surveillance cameras and Pansophical Corporation flags)

SAFE TO BE FREE (Surveillance cameras and Pansophical Corporation flags)

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

Lucid by Michael S Milano is a combination apocalyptic, dystopian and technothriller.

Antony Sartori is the star of the show. Since the death of his wife, things have changed for him. He began to question the regime, and that can be very dangerous, seeing they are watching…all the time. It will take him on a perilous journey.

I thought I would love Lucid, but it was hard for me to get into it. I don’t know if I was burnt out on reading or if the writing style didn’t work for me. The character didn’t speak to me. It did have its moments, there just wasn’t enough of them.

My thanks go out to Michael for the opportunity to read a copy of Lucid.

GOODREADS BLURB

A mind-altering regime. Unity and loyalty dictated. Can one man resist the machine and rip away the veil to reveal the truth?

Seattle, 2084. Antony Sartori hides his grief. Struggling to find a sense of purpose after losing his wife to a deadly pandemic, the former engineer silently suffers while surviving on welfare payments. Out past curfew after a long night of drinking, the devoted citizen is detained, put on trial, and assaulted by the authority he once served.

Plagued by flashbacks that feel more real than the world around him, the fifty-four-year-old begins to question whether his mind or reality itself is unraveling. And though bombarded by reminders to leave the past behind and to live for his fellow man, the seeds of defiance take root in his heart.

With every move watched and judged, can Antony wake up before all is lost?

Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Political, Technothriller, Suspense, Thriller
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2024 by Praxis Books

ABOUT MICHAEL S MILANO

For over a decade, Lucid has consumed Michael S. Milano’s waking hours. Finally, he is an author. Michael earned his PhD from The Ohio State University. His articles have been published by the Mises Institute and the Libertarian Institute. Michael is a hammock enthusiast who enjoys the Madness of March and drinking wine. He lives somewhere in the observable universe.

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Review – I Am Jayvyn by Peter D Brown #peterdbrown #iamjayvyn

Posted on May 21, 2025 by fundinmental

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

WOW! I had high hopes going into I Am Jayvyn by Peter D Brown and he did not disappoint. His research and the ability to create a storyline that rivals any other Black & African American Historical Fiction novel is at the top of the list.

We start off in Africa. Jayvyn is twelve years old, looking forward to his right of passage ceremony coming up, when his village is raided by English slavers. The trek to the slave ship left many dead and there would be many more that would succumb to the ocean voyage. Jayvyn kept telling himself, just stay alive and, maybe, some day…

I Am Jayvyn is 509 pages of raw emotion. I laughed and I cried with the characters. The brutality was savage. I cannot understand why one human being thinks they are better than another. The slaves were treated like chattel. How much work can you get out of someone that is being beaten and starved?

Every time something good happened to the slaves, I waited for something horrid to follow. What an emotional roller coaster. I felt all the emotions, happiness and sadness, disgust and anger, sorrow and rage. I love that, no matter how much they tried to beat him down, Jayvyn held on. There were those around him that helped him grow into a man that persevered, learning life’s lessons.

I Am Jayvyn by Peter D Brown is an in your face, thought provoking novel. An historical novel that blends truth with fiction, showing the slaves ability to believe in something larger than themselves, seeing the good amongst the evil.

I highly recommend I Am Javyyn by Peter D Brown. It was everything I anticipated and more. This is Peter’s first book, but I now have him in my sights and look forward to reading more of his work.

Thank you, Peter, for the opportunity to read I Am Jayvyn. Well done.

GOODREADS BLURB

“I AM JAYVYN,” is a compelling work of historical fiction positioned to remind readers, at a critical time, of the key role that the enslaved played in the development of America and the systemic racism that still plagues the US today.

Cir. 1710: On a beautiful morning full of hope and promise, twelve-year-old Javyn’s world is suddenly shattered when English slavers raid his peaceful village. His father is killed, he is separated from his mother and little sister, and his home is left in flames. In a whirlwind of change, Jayvyn survives the horrors of the middle passage alone, landing in Barbados, where he endures two years of ‘seasoning’ on a sugar plantation. His adolescent development progresses under the tutelage of Andrew, a fellow enslaved African, in desperate circumstances he could never have imagined.

In time, Jayvyn is sold again and survives another harrowing ocean voyage to South Carolina, where he is auctioned off to the owner of a growing rice plantation. Jayvyn lives his life amongst a diverse cast of fellow enslaved in a world where love, hate, and cruelty coexist as families are formed and separated at the whim of masters who see the enslaved as nothing more than chattel property. Colonial history unfolds while this resilient community of enslaved Africans adapt to an ever-changing world of oppression and subjugation.

Over the course of his life, Jayvyn gains a healthy perspective on the virtues and flaws of humanity—even transcending the high threshold of forgiveness—leaving readers with abundant food for thought delivered in an appalling tale of pain and suffering, but also one of true faith and deliverance told through the clear lens of history.

Genre: Black & African American Historical Fiction
505 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2025, Independent

ABOUT PETER D BROWN

Peter D. Brown is a Maine-based author of historical fiction with a deep interest in social justice and a passion for preserving history. His writing relies on a deep commitment to historical accuracy while aiming to illuminate stories of the oppressed or misunderstood. Presented alongside proclivities typical of the human condition, he challenges his readers to confront uncomfortable truths and engage with the complexities of the human experience.

Retired now from formal enterprise, Peter lives in a quiet, pastoral township in Maine with his loving wife and two dogs, where he enjoys ample quietude and peace to gain inspiration, sort out his thoughts, and bring them to life.

Through his work, Peter hopes to promote thoughtful conversations about the enduring impact of history on contemporary society.

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