Fiction Archives - Page 3 of 17 - BestSellers World

Mysterious manor with person and airplane silhouette.

The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor by D.R. Berlin

October 17, 2025

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor” by D. R. Berlin is a gripping tale that parallels two story lines that at first seem worlds apart, but then chillingly begin to converge, creating a psychological thriller wrapped in the moral ambiguity of espionage and family secrets. Purchase Here.

The story begins with Kai Lovac, a cold, meticulous, and hyper-professional assassin, who finds himself on a mission that doesn’t make sense to him. He feels paralyzed with dread and indecision as he recalls the events of the day – complications, delays, and awkward interactions that plagued his every move. The thoughts paralyze him with doubt, unraveling years of trained detachment. Still, duty prevails, pushing him to the execution even as he gets haunted by the suspicion that he may have just pulled the trigger on someone who may not have been a stranger at all.

Twelve years later, the story introduces Cadet Sophie Allard, who has invested the last four grueling years in intensive studying, muscle-aching physical training, and mental conditioning to earn her position as a fighter pilot. Things, however, take a new turn when she is made aware of an explosion at the lab at Grand Lake Manor, where her father, Professor Anderson, works. Many believe that he was the only one working at the time of the explosion and thus may have been the only casualty. Sophie hates it when people refer to him as her father- he never wanted to be a father to her and had instructed her always to call him “the Professor.” “I was a nuisance to him, nothing more…” These bitter words set the stage for a story charged with emotional tension and hidden family truths.

This story takes a sharp twist with the entrance of a figure, not a stranger, but a ghost from the deepest corners of Sophie’s past. It brings with it memories of a scar-faced man who murdered her adoptive mother, secrets of organizations operating in the shadows of government, a life’s work so dangerous that they had to hide it, and of a threat that never truly left the family. At this point, Sophie finds herself thrust into a battle for survival and forced to use every ounce of her elite military training not in the skies, but in the very place she once called home.

This story deftly confronts the nature of truth and deception through its well-hewn characters whose flaws and decisions blur the line between loyalty and betrayal. Each holds a mirror of what truth really is, according to them, as well as how it can be weaponized or twisted into motive, shield, or trap. The novel employs a dual timeline structure, which builds momentum through contrast and cliffhangers that mimic the rhythm of a cinematic thriller. It also uses a cause-and-effect design as well as short declarative sentences that heighten tension and mirror the characters’ sense of control.

I appreciated how Berlin’s writing style adapts to capture the emotion of the moment. The short, sharp dialogue makes the scene feel urgent and real, while the quick, active words show the protagonist’s determination. You can really feel the tension between following orders and following her own conscience. Berlin’s short, clipped sentences, such as “Still behind schedule. Not acceptable,” and “No more delays. Still behind schedule. Not acceptable,” make the moments feel fast and intense. Her writing style matches the well-drawn antagonist’s strict and focused mindset, while the quick rhythm of her words makes you feel his pressure and drive, pulling you right into his world.

“The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor” by D. R. Berlin is the right pick if you love stories that combine the technical detail of a military techno-thriller with the shadowy conspiracies of a political espionage novel and family drama. If you are fascinated by the question of “Who truly holds the power,” you will not want to miss it. It is a gripping and clever read that masterfully blends compelling elements, hooking the reader from start to finish without feeling forced or formulaic.

Elderly couple cartoon on mystery book cover.

The Moaning Lisa: A Paco and Molly Mystery by Rosemary and Larry Mild

October 15, 2025

Reviewed by Lilly Andrews

“The Moaning Lisa: A Paco and Molly Mystery” by Rosemary and Larry Mild is a sweeping mystery that begins in 1998, and follows two love-birds, Paco, a retired Baltimore police detective and the former head of the Black Rain Corners police force who is now eighty-seven, and Molly, eighty-two, who must use their wits to unravel a sinister plot while tolerating the aches and pains of advanced age. Purchase Here.

The opening scene places Paco outside a supermarket where he is writhing in pain from his third heart attack. This unexpected event sends him directly to the surgery where doctors get his heart’s rhythm back in control. Their love is visible even at this dark moment, and their affectionate banter becomes a lifeline and a defibrillator that constantly shocks their spirits back to joy. Six months later, the duo comes to a crucial decision – to sell their house due to the cumbersome stairs now turned into an insurmountable mountain, and the difficulty in taking care of their charming cottage. Moving to an assisted living facility is the last thing they would want, but with age catching up, little is left to procrastination.

Their first stop is at Gilded Gates, where, as soon as the tour of the premises is over, a gaunt-looking, stooped man with hollow eyes and a sharp chin approaches them in the corridor, warning them that the place is evil. This is quickly followed by a dream that haunts Molly, the whisper of the same man twisting into a chorus of moans that seem to echo from the very walls of their new suite. It doesn’t take long for Paco to realize that the place holds a labyrinth of chilling secrets during his pursuit of a sleepwalker through the facility’s darkened underbelly. He is shocked to discover a hidden network of passages as he attempts to locate the source of a chilling, unearthly moan, which he believes the night walker may have been following. The tension mounts with every creak and shadow, culminating not in an answer but in a terrifying question that eclipses all others: in choosing this place, did they secure a peaceful retirement, or did they willingly lock the door on their own grave?

This is a humorous mystery since it is a chilling exploration of covered secrets. The humor between Molly and Paco is one of the story’s defining charms. Molly unintentionally mixes up words, creating hilarious and often strangely insightful new ones that Paco has to correct or decipher what they mean. She says things like Paco’s “serially hurting” and has had “hearty attacks”, calls his defibrillator his “defibber” or “refriberator”, calls a “real estate agent” a “real mistake person,” says lookers can be “disbelieving,” and refers to residents as “inmates.” Their humor isn’t just comic relief but a vital part of their characterization that ably highlights their deep affection, their resilience in the face of aging, and the quirky partnership that makes them such effective and endearing sleuths.

What’s most remarkable about this story is its themes, which include reclaiming power and purpose in an age often defined by loss, the enduring power of love and partnership, and turning perceived weaknesses into strengths. This beautifully elevates it from a simple mystery to one with resonance and depth. It excels in ending its chapters with unsettling revelations through characters that are well-carved with definition, depth, and a strong sense of authenticity.

While many mysteries often depict protagonists who are at their physical peak, “The Moaning Lisa: A Paco and Molly Mystery” by Rosemary and Larry Mild reveals a unique choice that unexpectedly pays off brilliantly. It is intensely suspenseful and entertaining, making you look at your granny and grandpa in a whole new light, wondering whether beneath those cozy sweaters lies the heart of a detective.

Paper Cut by Rachel Taff

October 8, 2025

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“Paper Cut” by Rachel Taff starts quietly, maybe too quietly, like the calm before something breaks. You can feel the weight underneath it —a type of grief that won’t speak but stays there, waiting. The story doesn’t open with action but with a strong sense that someone’s truth is about to break through the surface. The main character, Lucy Golden, is not an easy character to figure out, and that is what intrigued me. She is a memoirist who wrote the popular memoir “Rattlesnake”, a book that not only made her famous but also extremely hated. She is held responsible for killing a person she loved, and whether or not it’s true, the rumor clings to her like a shadow. She’s thirty-five and has lived too many lives already. Her mother, who’s an artist and a photographer, can hardly bear to look at her, and when they talk, it’s not across space or machines – it’s eye to eye, hard and icy, like two people standing on the threshold of something they can’t cross through. Purchase Here.

There’s Isaac Coleman, the documentary filmmaker who once solved the Buckhead Butcher case. He wishes to make his next documentary about Lucy and her life. He talks of bringing her back into the spotlight- more books purchased, more press, a re-release of “Rattlesnake”. He promises fresh evidence which will throw the case wide open. That word, “new,” sounded dangerous to me, like a trick wrapped as a gift. Lucy is intelligent enough not to take anyone in the media at their word, but she nevertheless goes along with Isaac’s request.

The story moves back and forth between her present and her past, through fragments of “Rattlesnake” and memories that feel too sharp to be fiction. We meet her father, Max, a man who built a place in the desert called the Oasis, where people go to “find themselves.” At first, it sounds like a retreat, but soon it feels like something else entirely- something dark and controlling, like a dream that turns into a cage. The book slowly reveals what goes on there: drowned voices, missing bodies, strange “purity” regulations. The more we know, the worse it seems that the truth has been buried under decades of dishonesty.

The prose is calm but cuts deep. Rachel Taff doesn’t decorate her sentences; instead, she pares them down until they sting. There’s a rhythm to her writing, sometimes quiet, sometimes jagged, that matches Lucy’s own state of mind. The dialogue is gritty, sometimes broken, as though people are trying to convey what they really mean but never quite manage to do so. The characters breathe and bruise in real time. Lucy’s voice carries both strength and fragility, and even the side characters, like Isaac and Max, seem to be hiding entire novels behind their eyes. The word choice is simple, but there is tangible weight, depth, and tension between the sentences. You don’t read swiftly through this novel; instead, you feel your way through it. It isn’t flash writing; it’s real, and it hurts in the best possible way. Themes of manipulation, courage, and the strange ways that individuals survive the atrocities that would have killed them are meticulously built, and every chapter has you questioning what is real, who is lying, and whether redemption can occur after so much damage.

When I’d read “Paper Cut“, I felt undone and restless, as though I could still hear voices echoing in the desert. I adored how Rachel Taff writes with a quiet flame; she doesn’t push emotion but instead lets it simmer until it stings. This book is for readers who enjoy their stories complex, emotional, and uncomfortably human, as well as those who are not afraid to walk through the darker areas of memory to arrive at the truth. It’s not a story that ends cleanly, and maybe that’s what makes it so haunting.

Lizard eye with starry reflection, book cover.

Lizard People: Death Valley Underground by David A. Ek

September 26, 2025

Reviewed by Daniel Ryan Johnson

Lizard People: Death Valley Underground is a fascinating look into the lost souls that make up the populations of our most remote and harsh climates. In the novel, author David A. Ek takes us all the way down several rabbit holes as he explores the paranoia that consumes people in these parts of the world at a much higher rate than among the population as a whole. While the story revolves around Lizard People and their dealings with the government, it expands to contain a wide variety of eccentrics with wild ideas about the world in which we live. Purchase Here.

The action gets going as a woman from Boston arrives in Death Valley and enlists the services of a reluctant loner running away from his past to help her find her missing uncle. During their investigation, the two slowly begin to develop a close bond as their search takes them to every corner of Death Valley and the surrounding region.

Ek does great character work, building a large cast of fascinating folk drawn to Death Valley and the (often unfulfilled) promises it holds. What begins as a simple missing person case evolves rapidly and draws in more and more elements from the mountains and valleys that make up the region. With every turn of the page, you are flipping over a new rock to find what creepy crawlers lie beneath.

As the book progresses, the reader begins to question which elements within the story are real and which are simply the mad ideas of these characters who have spent far too much time in the oppressive desert heat.

The story of Lizard People: Death Valley Underground never gets boring or feels as if it is dragging on, as the mysteries just continue to pile up throughout the book. With plenty of twists and turns, it will keep you guessing right until the very end. And even then, you will find yourself wondering if the person sitting across from you on the bus, or working in the cubicle next to yours, or lying beside you in bed, just might be one of the Lizard People.

The Manipulator by Dan Buzzetta

September 18, 2025

Reviewed by Matthew W. McCarty

The world created by John Grisham in his seminal novel The Firm is taken to another level in The Manipulator, the most recent thriller by author Dan Buzzetta. Legal intrigue and sleight of hand have been as constant in American life as death and taxes. Many readers can recall an incident from their own lives or something that they read in the local newspaper that illustrates that idea perfectly. The Manipulator is an easy-to-read, swift ride through what can happen when legal wrangling becomes intertwined with other, more selfish interests. A single evening can transport the reader on an exciting and personal journey. Purchase Here.

Thomas Berte, a rising lawyer at a prestigious law firm, is mysteriously promoted to chief deputy in the Department of Justice. The reader is privy to Tom’s thoughts, questions, and concerns about his promotion and what he is supposed to do when he arrives in Washington. Intertwined with Tom’s adventure is a man by the name of Cosimo Benedetto, the leader of the Syndicate, a leading purveyor of drugs and crime. The reader is eventually given the reason why Tom has been promoted and has led a charmed life, and why Cosimo has developed such a personal interest in Tom’s investigation into the Syndicate.

The Manipulator follows in the footsteps of excellent legal reading from Grisham, Scott Turow, and, to a lesser extent, Tom Clancy. Author Dan Buzzetta writes with a skill that draws the reader in and creates a need to turn the page in hopes of answering the question of why Tom has been promoted to the Department of Justice over other lawyers who have been in practice much longer. There is not much in the way of legalese that can creep into works of legal fiction. The reader can follow the narrative with ease and will actually enjoy finding out about why Tom has gotten where he is in life.

The Manipulator is one of the few works of fiction that this reviewer has read in the last several months. Apprehension was certainly in the air when this trip started. However, Buzzettas’ writing created a need to finish the book and find out what happened and why. The Manipulator is an excellent diversion from academic reading and professional monographs. It gave this reader a renewed interest in finding good fiction that can occupy a lazy evening by the fire or on the back porch and can take the reader into a world where the end of the book brings a definite conclusion and not questions that can never be answered as in the real world. This reviewer recommends The Manipulator without reservation and looks forward to Buzzettas’ next volume.

The Glastonbury Triangle by Stephen Ford

September 14, 2025

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“The Glastonbury Triangle” is Stephen Ford’s third book, following “Destiny of a Free Spirit” and “Walking out of the World.” It is a satirical dystopian thriller with copious helpings of political commentary infused with the mysticism of one of the most enigmatic towns in Britain, Glastonbury. Renowned for its Arthurian myths, Ley lines (a mytho-historical construct of early 20th-century myth that exposes ancient sites to have been placed consciously on a linear line on the landscape), and goddess worship (comprises a significant portion of the town’s religious heritage), Glastonbury is the site where state surveillance, religious revival, and media spectacle converge. What emerges is a story that feels both timeless and deeply unsettling, and which asks whether there really a difference between religion and politics if both are ultimately about controlling what people think and do. Purchase Here.

Journalist Simon Chewton from The Daily Trumpet arrives in Glastonbury expecting nothing more than to cover the new Knights of Camelot theme park, run by the Marquess of Mendip. Instead, he is sucked into a maze of missing persons, secret experiments, and mounting hostilities between pagan groups, Christian crusaders, and the guardians of “acceptable” belief for the state. His journalism loses its protective detachment- safety through neutrality- instantly as forces at play prove to be far more sinister than the quaint eccentricities he had arrived to mock.

Once it’s clear he’s digging for information where he shouldn’t, we see him encountering hostility from state authorities monitoring “unapproved” ideas, churchmen who fear losing moral ground and pagan organizations wary of interlopers. He is no longer considered a reporter but a meddler who may leak dangerous truths. His relationship with Jenny develops but complicates matters further. She’s enmeshed in goddess spirituality, and through her he’s pulled further into rituals and beliefs he once mocked. This personal tie makes his choices more costly.

All of the themes in this book are about power and belief, and how they get entwined until you can no longer separate them. We also find the motif of myth and identity, which is seen in the way in which Glastonbury’s myths are used by different sides in a bid to empower themselves or over other individuals. It also connects to the way one builds their own sense of self, from whatever belief they hold. The book also goes on to maintain that there can never be neutrality as a myth. This and other similar themes are well served and most effectively sustained on the character arc of the protagonist.

Fans of dystopian satire and readers who have no problem with some mysticism and darker cultural critique will love this one. It is a book that is not so much for people looking for light escapism but for those who like books that push at politics, religion, and identity and ones that ask uncomfortable questions. Its prose is clean and simple, and its characters are well-honed. Simon is the anchor and his evolution from a detached reporter to a trapped participant is the book’s strongest part. Jenny comes out as a love interest and also a doorway into the spiritual side of Glastonbury, but all too frequently more symbolic. “The Glastonbury Triangle” is not an easy read- it’s challenging, brain-stimulating, and textured. It is the kind of book that lingers with you because it keeps poking at questions that relate to everyday life- who we trust, what we believe, and how easily power reshapes both

No Free Speech for Hate by Stephen Ford

September 12, 2025

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“No Free Speech for Hate” by Stephen Ford is a thought-stirring dystopian political thriller set in a near-future Britain. This is in a period when free expression is tightly restricted under the slogan “No Free Speech for Hate” and when universities, schools, workplaces, and even families are monitored for “toxic influences.” Additionally, status isn’t determined by one’s skills but by one’s acceptance of society’s ideologies, and historical figures are being erased or rewritten if their pasts don’t align with the new ideological standards set by a web of overlapping powers. Purchase Here.

The protagonist, Jim Hubbings, is a middle-aged pharmacology professor who, at the beginning of the story, strongly believes that his field is “safe” from political battles. Sooner than expected, however, he discovers otherwise when, at his university, administrators force him to erase the work of Herbert Pethering, a pioneering figure in pharmacology, and replace his contributions with those of Enid Clompton, Pethering’s secretary, who is retroactively elevated as the “real” contributor.

At home, Jim’s world tightens just as much as it does at the university. His daughter Amelia becomes the target of the school’s “safeguarding” regime when her tablet is found to contain a suspicious material named Category-A Toxic Influence. In reality, the material is a simple romance novel in her room that gets flagged as unsuitable for her age because it depicts “sexist and heteronormative stereotypes.” Even a framed photo in the lounge raises suspicion because the woman in it resembles the banned writer Kate Stillworthy. Kate is stated as “one of the most notorious terfs, a trans-exclusionary radical feminist whose material could cause severe mental anguish to any trans pupil in the school, scarring their young lives, possibly even ending their lives, should the trauma drive someone to suicide…” Officials imply that if the household is found to harbor “toxic influences,” Amelia could be marked “educationally unsuitable,” cutting off her future prospects. Here we see Jim’s safe haven turn into another battleground where compliance is demanded and resistance could destroy everything he cares about.

This is a book that accurately represents a society caught between competing forms of authoritarianism, each claiming moral legitimacy. It serves a warning against sacrificing liberty for safety while employing irony, exaggeration, and bureaucratic absurdities to deliver dark humor that sharpens its critique. It is well-layered, and beneath the politics includes personal struggles that give it an emotional anchor that readers can readily connect with.

Ford doesn’t shy from tackling hot-button issues like gender politics, colonial history, identity, and surveillance, and has hence offered the world an integral read whose impact will remain both relevant and provocative for a long time. “No Free Speech for Hate” themes resonate globally, and any society grappling with balancing tolerance and liberty will see itself reflected therein. Readers who enjoy fiction that collides with real-world debates and forces them to question their own stance on freedom, safety, and truth will also not want to miss this one.

Book cover with green diamond and silhouettes.

Hunting the Red Fox by W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr.

July 29, 2025

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

From the moment Perry Barnes opened his mouth, I knew I was in for more than a story about golf. Told through the lens of Roger Mace, an earnest, aspiring writer and amateur golfer determined to collect honest, unembellished life stories, “Hunting the Red Fox” by W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr., unfolds as a novel that reads like a true account, blending historical fiction, sports, espionage, and personal reinvention. As Mace listens, Barnes, an enigmatic 82-year-old with a disarmingly smooth voice and a shadowy past, reveals far more than tales from the PGA Tour in the early 1950s, with one earlier appearance during World War II. What begins as a look back at his golfing days in the 1950s soon gives way to a sweeping, layered confession, one that traverses war, theft, deception, love, and the fragile pursuit of redemption. Purchase Here.

The story centers on Perry Barnes, an 82-year-old Southern gentleman whose charm and mystique immediately draw you in. As he begins to peel back the layers of his past, it becomes increasingly clear both to the reader and to Mace that what he is about to reveal has never been spoken out loud before, not even to his wife.

Barnes’ confessions unfold in unexpected bursts. They are stories of wartime missions that never officially happened and high-stakes encounters where the wrong move could mean a life lost or a secret exposed, as well as one impossible decision involving a priceless object and a promise made in the dark. At times, they leave Mace speechless, his pen hovering in midair, unsure whether he’s listening to fact or fable until Barnes provides just enough detail to make disbelief impossible.

These aren’t the nostalgic ramblings of an old man clinging to faded glory but rather the haunting recollections of someone who has lived on the edge of history, love, and law and who now seeks not forgiveness but to be fully known before it’s too late. Barnes does not seek pity, nor redemption, nor even understanding but rather wants to be seen for who he truly is, not just the golfer, the gentleman, or the husband, but the man behind the “carefully constructed” life, the man shaped by war, tempted by power, shadowed by regret, and compelled by something he still cannot name. Through his story, the author speaks powerfully to something far greater than one man’s extraordinary past- to the universal longing to get known before we are forgotten, to reckon with the choices that shaped us, and to confront the truths we’ve spent a lifetime burying. He also speaks to the fragile, often uncomfortable space between who we were, who we may have pretended to be, and who we might have become.

“Hunting the Red Fox” doesn’t rush in waving flags or demanding your attention with loud, dramatic scenes. It rather unfolds like a conversation you’re lucky to overhear, gradually pulling you closer and drawing you into something far more layered and unexpected than you initially thought. Structurally, the novel is framed through interviews that give the narrative both intimacy and tension while allowing the past and present to sit beside each other, overlapping in ways that feel natural and emotionally earned. The story development itself has been handled with a kind of quiet confidence and in a manner that requires the reader to be patient, to pick up on small details, and to recognize that even in seemingly light moments something weightier may be brewing beneath the surface. In terms of pacing, this isn’t a thriller in the traditional sense, though it carries the tension and intrigue of one. Instead, the book takes its time, letting scenes breathe and allowing the backstory to unfold at a human rhythm, much the way someone might tell you their life story across several evenings. There are, however, moments when the pace slows down, such as when Barnes reflects on his childhood or the mechanics of golf or wartime detail, but these aren’t fillers; rather, they serve as essential grounding points. The prose is clear, unpretentious, and conversational, which suits the oral-history-style narrative beautifully. The language is never flowery or overwrought, but it’s smart and deliberate, with a kind of Southern lilt that is particularly effective in the way word choice mirrors character.

“Hunting the Red Fox” by W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr., sparkles especially in how the author layers the mystery, not in a puzzle-box, high-stakes kind of way, but through character revelation, through implication, and through the emotional weight of memory. Readers will love how it carries the sense that something is always being withheld. It will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, from those who enjoy watching a life unfold in slow, textured detail to those who enjoy slipping into time periods like the 1930s to 1950s, where world events and personal decisions intersect in meaningful, sometimes unexpected ways.

Warrior facing wolf silhouette, book cover.

Creed of Legends by A.K. Kubica

July 14, 2025

Reviewed by Diana Coyle

In the book “Creed of Legends” by A.K. Kubica, decades ago the kingdom of Kresha created alliances with certain individuals and as a result, it caused a continent to divide because of the poor choices made. From that time, two men, both with legacies to follow, are at a battle with each other. Nothing will stop them and their hatred for each other is obvious to everyone around them. Tarison, given the title of king at a juvenile age, has developed intense animosity for Brudais, Leifuis and Xenia’s son. As these boys grow and become adults, their hatred has grown deeper as each year passes. To the point that Tarison would do anything to take Brudais’ life, even if it means with his own hands. Brudais, although despising Tarison, defends his homeland serving the king he very much hates and knows wants him dead. But both have legacies they must fulfill. Are they able to achieve their destinies?

A.K. Kubica has masterfully written an epic fantasy adventure tale that is so descriptive, you feel as if you are in the kingdom of Kresha as another resident within the story. As I turned the pages, not only the characters, but the world she created came right off the pages for me to delve into. Considering this is her first novel, this author has a talent that not many can achieve within their first attempted novel, and a detailed novel at that.

One of the points that I really enjoyed about the presentation of this novel was how Kubica dedicated chapters to certain characters. Within those chapters, that dedicated individual was able to tell their story from their point of view and allow readers to see things through their eyes personally. I really enjoyed this approach, not seen done in many novels, and it worked perfectly for this fantasy novel. Readers could immerse themselves more by having each chapter dedicated to an individual, which then added to the storyline as a whole overall.

The characters she created were real people and having the chapters dedicated to them telling their stories allowed me to develop stronger bonds with each one of them, even if they weren’t a favored character of mine like King Tarison. The internal and external battles both Tarison and Brudais experienced with each other throughout the entire novel were believably real to me. These weren’t created cardboard characters I was reading about. On the contrary, they became real human beings that had thoughts, fears and emotions. They truly hated each other and wanted the other to be eliminated in any possible way that could happen.

A.K. Kubica is a fantasy author and poet. She has published several poems over the past fifteen years in anthologies, and even published a book of short stories that has been published this past year. Being a fantasy reading fan herself, Kubica felt that she wanted to create something that readers would enjoy as much as she loved reading herself. This is how this novel was born. Ironically, the author has had many insecurities throughout the years in regard to her not being worthy enough to produce meaningful writing that readers would love. Thankfully, she overcame her insecurities enough to have tried her hand at writing this wonderfully entertaining novel. This is the first book in the Fear and Fortitude series.

If you’re looking for a fantasy book that has a wonderful storyline to follow along with and well-developed characters you invest in getting to know personally, then “Creed of Legends” by A.K. Kubica is one novel you must look into. Well done, Ms. Kubica!

Please click on the link below for more information on the Kickstarter Program and how Backers will get their special editions and digital rewards by September 2025, two months ahead of the official release!

Kickstarter Program Link

The Regression Strain by Kevin Hwang

July 6, 2025

Reviewed by Timea Barabas

The Regression Strain grips you from page one and doesn’t let go. Kevin Hwang delivers a fascinating medical thriller set aboard the luxury cruise ship Paradise. Dr. Peter Palma signs on as the ship’s physician, expecting smooth sailing. Instead, he finds himself facing a terrifying unknown that drives human behavior into dangerous regression. Purchase Here.

Peter steps away from his quiet family practice to join the medical staff aboard a cruise ship, hoping the change of pace will lead to some much-needed self-discovery and escape. It feels good to be somewhere he’s needed, somewhere he can truly make a difference. But his fresh start hits rough waters quickly.

Dr. Elizabeth Hartley, the ship’s stern chief physician, greets him with cold hostility, and even Luisa, one of the nurses, keeps her distance. Only Nurse Mandy brings warmth to the clinic, her presence a welcome contrast in an otherwise frosty atmosphere.

In an attempt to distance himself from his family after a devastating loss, Peter sets out on this unexpected journey only to discover he’s not as alone as he thought. Unknowingly, he finds himself sharing the voyage with a loved one, offering a rare chance to mend a strained relationship before it’s too late.

As chaos erupts aboard the ship, a loved one’s presence adds another layer of complexity. Still, Peter is unexpectedly grateful, for in the heart of the medical storm, this unlikely ally helps him connect the dots and face what lies ahead.

What initially appear to be isolated incidents of extreme and reckless behavior soon form the outline of a pattern. It falls to Peter to connect the dots and decipher the medical mystery behind a rapidly escalating outbreak of aggression. New to the job and still struggling to establish his authority, Peter faces mounting challenges as the invisible threat begins to compromise the ship’s staff and crew including the captain.

In an environment clouded by uncertainty, he must make critical decisions to contain the crisis and minimize casualties. But as suspicion grows that he himself may be affected by the unknown agent, Peter finds himself racing against both time and his own unraveling sanity to protect the people of Paradise before they reach their final port, New York.

Kevin Hwang delivers a compelling medical thriller set aboard the Paradise cruise ship, where every turn brings a new twist. The Regression Strain is the perfect choice for readers seeking a compelling summer read or a captivating escape from the everyday.