JB Richards

"Nova" is, in all its glory, simply stunning! There is something I must explain to my readers before I begin my review of Joanne Van Leerdam’s “Nova”. Having a young adult son who is a published poet, former National Poetry Slam (NPS) finalist, and winner of numerous poetry awards, I tend, as a rule, not to not to gravitate toward books containing written poetry. For me, flowery odes of artist’s musing on an ideal utopia, a glorious sunset, or an unbound love hold no comparis

Fates Are Determined and Destinies Fulfilled! In this much anticipated third chapter to the popular Sci-Fi novel series, Author Lyra Shanti propels us forward on the exciting adventures of Ayn, Axis the Sarax, Reese and other favorite characters who discover new life paths as they come together in preparation of settling old scores and meeting their fates head on. In “Shiva XIV The Riddle of the Gods”, Shanti takes us deeper into the dark side of the Un Galaxy’s war between r

A Fast-Paced, Stomach-Churning, Down-Right Dangerous Thriller! I have a confession to make. I’m an historian with an addiction to storybooks, fairy tales, and folklore. In particular, I enjoy a well-written story with well-developed lead characters who are either themselves paranormal beings, or have a great deal of interaction and history with paranormal beings. Now I’m not talking about the odd superhero saga or two—although I do glance at the occasional Marvel comic featur

Rivals Lucas’ & Herbert’s Epics! Author Lyra Shanti is a remarkably gifted Master Storyteller, as I discovered some months ago in another brilliant novel of hers: “The Rainbow Serpent”. The introductory chapter for her Sci-Fi space drama, “Shiva XIV” (Book I), set in a faraway galaxy, rivals—and in many places exceeds—one’s expectations from those epic tales presented by the likes of George Lucas (Star Wars) and Frank Herbert (Dune)! The Shiva saga begins with the birth of a

A Fast-Paced Sexy Thriller That Will Leave You Out of Control! At first glance, Author R.M. Gauthier’s Mystery Thriller novel, “Control”, appears to be just another tale about a bored housewife having problems with her humdrum marriage. But once Alexandria Shaw is offered a choice between the Red Pill and the Blue Pill by best friend Haley, she is ushered through the world of an illicit private adult nightclub where public nudity, dominant/submissive role-playing, and sexual

Jennifer S. Alderson’s extensive travel experiences shine through in her novel, “Down and Out in Kathmandu”. Her descriptive passages effectively paint contrasting images of posh hotels, gourmet restaurants, and exotic tourist destinations against a backdrop of substandard hostels, seedy bars, and drug dens as we travel through Nepal with each of her main protagonists. The story is set in Kathmandu, of course, where a volunteer teacher named Zelda—our primary protagonist—has