#Bookreview of The Quest For Freedom

By: Matthew Devitt

Publisher: BOLD Publishing

Publication Date: July 5, 2025

ISBN: 979-8998938801

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: June 1, 2026

The Quest For Freedom (The Conquest Trilogy Book 1) by Matthew Devitt follows Fletcher Rush, an enslaved man who refuses to stay down and watch his kind suffer in captivity any more. Their captivity, which has surpassed centuries, began over 473 years ago when five species including angels, demons, the dammed, hybrids, and elves, joined forces against the humans and defeated them in a battle that was known as the Great War.

Fletcher has been secretly training for years while forging swords in Titanan, the third-largest city in the demon kingdom. He hopes to soon escape and reclaim the rights of his species. The day he has been waiting for to make his move finally arrives, and just as planned, his friend Abe stages a confrontation that sends Fletcher to the infirmary, unconscious. He meets Ji there, a fellow slave, who offers to help Fletcher escape as long as he takes him along. An array of brutal action and coordinated one-sided battles follow, against demon guards of various ranks.

The novel takes us to Admont, where the duo meets a former angel slave who has been living alone since her escape. Fletcher forges new weapons and together, they come up with a plan to attack the weakest city in the weakest kingdom before moving on to the rest of the cities. Readers, in full awareness of the man Fletcher is--dangerous, rash and with nothing to lose--find themselves pulled into a conversation between the trio, which suggests that this will end with fire and blood. Here, a question arises about how their three-man army will win a four-centuries-old war, and whether by the time they arrive, any soul worth saving will still be alive.

The greatest surprise of this book is how humorous the characters are, especially during and after brutal scenes. They joke about finding full meals in their escape car's glove, when in reality, it's dry oat bars they find. Fletcher calls Ji's sword a "butter knife," just because it is chipped and dull, implying that all along Ji has been fighting using cutlery! These, among other hilarious moments, do not feel like forced jokes, but rather natural, deliberate, and strategic breaks from the brutality. The action scenes flow very well, making sure that the reader never loses track of where the characters are or what they are doing. The pacing is equally impressive, and is far smoother than what many authors struggle to achieve. It is remarkable how the author choreographs every blow, dodge, and counter with precision. You also notice that he keeps raising the stakes by bringing on harder challenges, forcing the main characters to adapt mid-fight. The beauty of it all is that he ends up making the reader feel like a witness to the chaos, a witness who cheers them on from a point of understanding of why they should not stop.

Quill says: The Quest For Freedom is not your ordinary debut fantasy. It doesn't rush; it's confident enough to let its hero spend over a decade training before the story even begins; it lets you feel the significance of every blow; and by the last page, makes you feel like a survivor alongside everyone who makes it out. It is a very inspiring read that proves that one doesn't need to be strong or brilliant but instead unwilling to give up, that rising up after failing is crucial to success, and that an insignificant beginning doesn't mean the end will be insignificant. It is graphic but not careless, and so readers who are sensitive to detailed violence should proceed with caution. For those who can stomach it, it is deeply rewarding.

For more information about The Quest For Freedom, please visit the author's website at: theconquesttrilogy.com

#Bookreview of Creatures & Corridors

By: Brandon Auman

Illustrated by: Andrea Mutti

Publisher: The Lab Press

Publication Date: November 11, 2025

ISBN: 978-1964226316

Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson

Review Date: June 1, 2026

Creatures & Corridors, written by Brandon Auman and illustrated by Andrea Mutti, thrills a reader with action, suspense, and vivid graphics that make the story come alive, and this story has teeth.

This graphic novel is set in the home of Brian and Joelle Daly, normal teens in the year 1992, enjoying a Saturday evening engaged in an ordinary role-playing game with friends in their basement. Joelle, a popular girl with a chip on her shoulder, just broke up with her boyfriend. She’s feeling resentful that her younger brother has dragged her into playing this silly game. Their God-fearing, Christian mother warns them that role-playing games conjure Satan.

When a loud intrusion shakes the house, what can protect them? All hell breaks loose while the threats and horrors start to pile on. Their lives are at stake, and their abilities are tested at every turn.

The illustrations convey precise emotions. It feels almost miraculous the way color and lines can portray fear, anxiety, courage, determination, and even love amidst the threat of violence and death. The graphics, both realistic and fantastic, draw a reader in to be part of a live action. Each page deserves slow perusal. The images provide the mind with the kind of escape that makes excellent fiction mesmerizing. This is a reading experience that will make you forget the time of day. Plus, it gives goose bumps. It’s easy to see that each panel was considered and crafted with care and precision, making this whole book a splendid piece of artwork. The cover art and the box that it slides into make the entire book like a relic you could display on a coffee table.

When the story’s friend group must navigate the terrifying trials of an alternate dimension, their relationships take on satisfying turns and develop in unexpected ways. The whole story is equal parts plot driven and character driven, which achieves unique depth for this genre.

Quill says: Creatures & Corridors deserves classic status for its ability to spellbind the reader with characters and graphics that deliver pure entertainment again and again. This story is easy to share and this book would make a great gift for your loved ones who are fans of Dungeons and Dragons, “Stranger Things” or graphic novels.

For more information about Creatures & Corridors, please visit the publisher's website at: thelabpress.com/pages/creatures-corridors

 #Authorinterview with Lynn Lobban

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Diane Lunsford is talking with Lynn Lobban, author of One of the Boys: Surviving Dartmouth, Family, and the Wilderness of Men.

FQ: I was instantly fascinated with your memoir with the title (and subtitles) of your book. I was intrigued by the one tag line: ‘…and the wilderness of men…’ Please elaborate on your definition of wilderness in terms of its usage with men.

LOBBAN: Dartmouth’s motto is “A voice crying out in the wilderness.” I certainly felt I was crying out as one of seven women on a campus of three-thousand men. As I tried to blaze a path that hadn’t existed before, I was on a mission to prove I was equal to any man. Personally though. As I look back at my own relationships and marriages, it tended to feel like I was hacking through untamed territory. Theirs and mine.

FQ: I’m assuming you are still living in Los Angeles. What is the one thing that stands out that has drastically changed from when you first moved there to today?

LOBBAN: Funny you should ask. In February 2020 I put all my belongings in storage (in LA) and was making my back to NY. Then Covid hit. So I took everything out of storage and resettled in Santa Monica to sit out the pandemic. A year later, my first grandchild was born (in LA) and then my daughter had a baby (in NY), so I put things back in storage in December 2022 and have been bouncing between coasts trying to be “super Grammy.” Not having a home has been tiring to say the least, but now I’m making moves back to NY where I once lived for 42 years. Basically I’m a New Yorker even in LA. But how have things changed? Like many places, but especially here and LA, things are so expensive! Honestly, it feels like NY is for those who have never left their affordable apartments and the very rich.

FQ: Out of your well-rounded credentials of actor, singer, and writer, what do you enjoy engaging in most and why?

LOBBAN: Probably singing, which sadly I haven’t been doing much of lately. Think it tops everything because it’s such a full use of one’s body, breath, expression. And I love music (like most humans). I also tend to approach songs as an actor, so singing kills two birds.

FQ: You captured a quote from the iconic Maya Angelou at the very end of your credits that was quite powerful: “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now,” I would be lying if I didn’t say I’m glad this part of it is over. May we all find peace.” I think your acknowledgement to her quote is wonderful. At what point in your incredibly layered life journey did you realize it was time for you to have peace? How do you embrace your peace now?

LOBBAN: Honestly, am still realizing it. It’s been such a long journey and I am still in the acceptance stage. Writing and putting the book out made my history more painfully real in terms of feeling the grief. I am still working through it. Also finding peace especially hard to come by living in this awful time we are in. Why I practice transcendental meditation, read a lot of Pema Chodron, and go to 12-step meetings. I need all the help I can get!

FQ: I once read that ‘forgiveness’ is not an invitation to welcome someone back into your life who has hurt you. Rather, it is a means to heal your own being to release the hurt from within. What is your view on forgiveness?

LOBBAN: I think forgiveness can’t be forced and shouldn't be. It comes, or doesn’t, after whatever work one needs to do. I find the whole “forgive the person but not the act” confusing because the act doesn’t exist without the person. But I have stopped worrying about forgiveness. Having to get to it as if it should fix everything. For me, it’s all about letting go.

FQ: As a writer, I often find myself trying to instill the importance of reading and the wonderful escape a great book provides. In a world of rapidly advancing technology and perpetual scrolling, what would you say to our young adults to convince them of the great benefits of putting down their cell phone and picking up a book from time to time?

LOBBAN: That it will help them with focus in general, not to mention lower their chances of dementia later? Honestly, don’t know. My alcoholic mother was a voracious reader and I turned on my TV in rebellion, and I loved movies. She used to tell that I was “ruining my mind” and that I should read a book. I didn’t listen to her. TV helped me survive my alcoholic home. I probably read more now than I ever have, though as a young adult I was all over self-help books.

FQ: You clearly have an artistic calling. If you were asked to produce a play on one of our current events of today, what would the subject matter be and why would you choose this?

LOBBAN: Actually just finished a play called Food about end of life issues and women’s eating disorders. Always interested in plays/musicals about women. Sorry I missed Suffs when it was on Broadway.

FQ: I am curious to know your experience in writing One of the Boys. Were there times when you had to walk away because of the raw nature of the scene? If so, how did you overcome the stall and get back to writing?

LOBBAN: It took a long time to write and finish the book, but I never gave myself a hard time (or worried) when I needed a break. I always went back to it though because I wanted my story out there. I thought it might help others which is always a powerful motivation to keep going. I will say I had to learn to write and cry at the same time. In fact, when I would cry, I knew I was going as deep as I needed to go.

FQ: I enjoyed your view on ‘…one of the lies I told myself in order to survive was that I didn’t need help…” Help comes in many forms. How much of this came from your siblings and how did that fuel your inspiration to keep telling your story?

LOBBAN: Not at all from my siblings. They were horrified I was revealing family secrets even though I clearly state at the start that the book is only my story. My relationships with my brother and sister were never close in the way I think of as close—we’re so different in so many ways—but now they feel non-existent. Help has always come from my close friends and colleagues. They feel more like family to me and I’m okay with that.

FQ: It’s been such a pleasure to chat with you today. I applaud you for having the strength and courage to pen such an impactful body of work. Are you working on anything new? If so, can you share? If not… when?

LOBBAN: I have a few essays on Substack and am about to post a new one about the parallels between the political time we’re in and an alcoholic home. Think I will work on a solo show where I can write, act, sing, and even dance!

Thank you! This was a pleasure!

 #Bookreview of Miz Country Goddess

By: Cat Treadgold

Publication Date: August 1, 2026

ISBN: 979-8998986079

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: May 29, 2026

Miz Country Goddess by Cat Treadgold begins in May 2003 on a desolate stretch of US-95 between Goldfield and Tonopah where 23-year-old Henry is driving an old Honda Civic hatchback. He spots a 1991 Jaguar that has broken down and quickly stops to help. The owner is a woman who he quickly feels is special. Her looks, sense of banter, voice and laughter are unlike anything he has recently encountered. He offers her a ride and just as impulsively as they met, asks her to join him for a drink.

The woman, Serena, is a divorcee and a talented singer who has been scarred by early exploitation, a rape, and a traumatic marriage. When we meet her, she is wearing oversized sunglasses that give signals of someone who is either trying to hide something or someone who doesn’t want to be seen. She flashes her charm before Henry, a total stranger, calling him harmless, giving hints at her need to take early charge and control the conversation. As her character develops, she emerges as someone who desperately wants a genuine connection, but every time she reaches for it, her trauma yanks her back. She feels like a strategist, and one hopes to see her, with every new page, take her disguise off perhaps with the help of Henry, a man who wants nothing from her that she isn’t freely and comfortably offering.

This book’s suspense is built on uncertainties regarding their relationship, their reputation and revelations. Every moment they share triggers the question of what new detail will be discovered about each other, and whether that discovery will feel like a betrayal or as something that can bring them closer. The book weaves in grave situations, descriptive songs, dilemma situations, seduction, and confessions that make the reader wait and worry at the same time about the impact each might have on the duo.

This story’s brilliance lies in how it touches on deeply universal experiences, including the question of who hasn’t worried about whether people will walk away from them if they learned about their scars, past mistakes, and insecurities. It also clearly reveals the true reality of most sexual assault survivors, showing their messy, shame-filled and complicated aftermath, in a manner that many of them might recognize but perhaps have never seen portrayed with such raw honesty. This is an essential read that rejects the hypocrisy around older women dating or marrying younger men. It boldly challenges this persistent cultural bias, offering a model for how such a relationship can work. And in a world that often suggests quick fixes, it calmly advocates for patience and love, not simplifying or romanticizing a happy ending but making it feel worth the wait and the work. It is conversational and immersive, and carries a “can’t put it down” rhythm.

Quill says: Miz Country Goddess is for readers who love romance but want more than just escapism. To anyone who has ever suffered emotional abuse, the story might be painfully familiar, just like it might to readers whose lived reality includes being denied love due to perceived flaws.

For more information about Miz Country Goddess, please visit the author's website at: cattreadgold.com/

 #Bookreview of One of the Boys

By: Lynn Lobban

Publisher: Palmetto Publishing

Publication Date: September 15, 2023

ISBN: 978-8-8229-1907-5

Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford

Review Date: May 29, 2026

In One of the Boys: Surviving Dartmouth, Family, and the Wilderness of Men, Lynn Lobban delivers a compelling memoir of her incredible life journey that includes becoming one of Dartmouth College’s first seven women in attendance in 1968.

Lynn Lobban had an extremely troubled childhood. Her redeeming quality was learning how to navigate the mine fields created by two severe alcoholic parents. Her story is a testament of strength and perseverance to overcome whatever obstacles she encountered along her way. She may have grown up in a privileged environment, but the aftermath of destruction from having been raised by parents with severe alcoholism didn’t keep her down. She went to Dartmouth College in 1968 and was one of its first women in attendance. Lynn often struggled to fit in and immersing herself into a campus of 3,000 men didn’t make such a challenge any easier. She pledged a fraternity and after navigating an abominable initiation, she became a full-fledged member.

Lynn not only coveted ‘male power,’ but she also needed male approval. Lynn details egregious accounts of her Dartmouth fraternity pledge experiences and is unafraid to pen the horrific and devastating dynamics of the family she grew up with. There is a sublime message throughout the memoir that details how she suppressed her traumatic childhood and rose like a Phoenix from the ashes. Overcoming the institutional injustice of a college that refused to accept her as an equal was perhaps her greatest achievement.

I applaud Ms. Lobban for the raw and unfiltered style she adopted to share her story. There are moments of shock and awe as much as there are heart-wrenching situations of blatant mental abuse from her parents: the two people who were supposed to be the ‘safe haven’ and protectors of her and her siblings. Her humor is palpable and it is a salve that provides the reader with a sense that Ms. Lobban is quite capable of overcoming most anything dealt her way. I applaud Ms. Lobban for her courage to not only write her memoir, but to write it with valor and integrity.

Quill says: One of the Boys: Surviving Dartmouth, Family, and the Wilderness of Men was written with intention and the nuance of ‘no victim’ is audible throughout this read.

For more information about One of the Boys: Surviving Dartmouth, Family, and the Wilderness of Men, please visit the author's website at: lynnlobban.com

 #Bookreview of Owl Be Seeing You

By: Susan Marie Chapman

Illustrated by: Natalia Loseva

Publisher: Gourmet Dog LLC

Publication Date: January 14, 2022

ISBN: 979-8988351498

Reviewed by: Diana Coyle

Review Date: May 26, 2026

In Owl Be Seeing You by Susan Marie Chapman, all Grumpy the Iguana wants to do is fall into a comfortable sleep, but instead he keeps hearing a loud noise outside that keeps him from achieving rest.

He decides to go outside of his tree house to see what is creating the racket. When he steps out of his house, he sees a young owl sitting on a branch above, screeching into the night. Grumpy starts talking to the owl and learns his name is Screech Owl and he is putting a call out to another owl he is waiting for. You see, Screech met a female owl, Miss Screech Owl, last year and they made a promise to each other that they would meet in Flamingo Park in April, when the owls pair with a mate. So, Screech is patiently waiting for Miss Screech Owl to arrive so they can become an official pair. What happens while Screech is waiting for her? Does Miss Screech finally arrive?

This was a very entertaining story for readers of any age to enjoy. The idea of teaching children that it’s important to keep the promises you make to others rang solid throughout the pages of this children’s story. This story shows children that making a promise is something important and you should always stay true to your word. It was adorable to see this theme play out with two Screech owls.

Another theme found in this book was that Grumpy the Iguana should not have jumped to conclusions before knowing all the facts. When he lightened up his mood to find out what was happening with Screech, he discovered that there was a heartfelt reason why Screech was so sad and calling out. This teaches children that they, too, shouldn’t jump to conclusions and run through emotions until they have the full story.

The illustrations provided by Natalia Loseva were done in earthly tones, matching the animals and their environment, and they were pleasing to the reader’s eyes. Some pictures were full-paged, while others were smaller illustrations. Throughout the tale, readers were greeted with an illustration found on every page that perfectly told the written story in picture format.

Quill says: Owl Be Seeing You by Susan Marie Chapman is a heartwarming children’s book that can be enjoyed by readers of any age. The characters are fun to get to know, the storyline is pleasant to read, and the themes help illustrate perfect learning lessons for the youngest of readers.

For more information about Owl Be Seeing You, please visit the author's Amazon page at: amazon.com/stores/author/B07D6B4928

 #Authorinterview with Behcet Kaya

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Alma Boucher is talking with Behcet Kaya, author of Murder at Tutley Brewery: A Jack Ludefance Novel.

FQ: What inspired the striking opening scene of Murder at Tutley Brewery?

KAYA: Two overpowering thoughts come to mind. The first inspiration was a smell rather than an actual image. I used to work in the small town of Van Nuys, California where an Anheuser Busch facility was located. There was an overwhelming smell of fermenting beer permeating the entire area; a smell I have never forgotten. The second inspiration came due to my desire to explore the fascinating history of German beer. I discovered just how fierce the competition between breweries is and how many feuds are still ongoing. Combining those two thoughts led to the opening chapter.

FQ: Jack Ludefance is a calm and methodical investigator. What shaped his personality and investigative style?

KAYA: In a number of ways, I have based the Jack Ludefance character on my own. To a certain extent, his personal development has followed my own growth as I have matured. Certainly far from perfect, but working towards who I would like to be.

FQ: The Wein family is central to the novel’s tension. They are all very secretive. How did you build them like that?

KAYA: In researching the history of the German beer industry, it became apparent that most of the prominent families all held secrets. That became the starting point.

FQ: Wilhelmina Wein has many secrets from her past. How did you decide how much to tell us about her history and when to tell us?

KAYA: With the issue of Wilhelmina and Wolfram’s forbidden relationship, the topic needed to be thoughtfully introduced and expanded upon. The reality is that sexual relationships between siblings are more common than many people realize, though they remain underreported due to societal stigma and secrecy. The careful use of foreshadowing, give hints or clues about events that will happen later in a story, helped to build suspense and prepared the reader for future developments.

FQ: The novel is about secrets and how they affect families over time. Did you plan to write about that from the start, or did it just happen as you wrote?

KAYA: Every writer has their own unique strategies to build a storyline. (That is unless they use a pre-programmed outline in which they simply supply the answers, or enlist the help of AI to write the story, both of which I do not consider writing, but rather a form of cheating both themselves and their readers.) My stories have always seemed to write themselves. I start with an idea, then both my wife and I conduct extensive research, then discuss. From those often times intense discussions, the storyline begins to flow in my head. Once it starts, I cannot stop until the novel is completed.

FQ: What do you hope readers take away from the story beyond solving the mystery?

KAYA: Each of my novels have touched on a current societal issue, in this case the issue of sibling sexual relationships. In this story, my emphasis was on the consequences of revealing long held secrets of that relationship. Was it worth it?

FQ: How do you maintain suspense and pacing in a more methodical, investigative narrative?

KAYA: Again it is the use of foreshadowing, which is a very delicate balance. The entire structure depends on feather light balance.

FQ: Did you face any challenges while writing this book?

KAYA: Yes, I did. Two issues surfaced. First, I wanted to research the beer industry here in the U.S., but it wasn’t enough to base a story on. So, I went back to where beer actually comes from. “Beer’s origins can be traced back over 6,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia, where fermented grain drinks were made by accident. These early brews spread across Europe, and by the Middle Ages, monastic breweries in Southern Germany, especially Bavaria, became central to beer production. Monks perfected brewing techniques, developed distinct styles, and made beer a staple of German culture. A turning point came in 1516 with the Renheitsgebot (Beer Purity Law), enacted by Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria. This law mandated that beer be made only from water, barley, and hops.” (Copilot research from various sources).

The second issue was the forbidden topic of sibling sexual relationships and the stigma of revealing them. I struggled with how much to reveal on a topic that most people are not even aware of.

FQ: Tutley feels like a character in itself. How did you develop the setting and its influence on the story?

KAYA: The Town of Tutley is based, in part, on the small rural town of Tifton, Georgia. The descriptions of the town and surrounding areas are entirely fictional.

FQ: Are you currently working on another installment in the series?

KAYA: The next Jack Ludefance novel will be titled The Silencer. In fact, I have already written several chapters. The first chapter is included in the current novel Murder at Tutley Brewery. The story revolves around the frequently featured character of the gangster named Perrera.

For more information about Murder at Tutley Brewery, please see this press release.