#Bookreview of The Daydreaming Sink

By: J.H. Diehl

Illustrated by: Kathryn Freeman

Publisher: Leaning Rock Press

Publication Date: July 9, 2026

ISBN: 978-1-960596-41-3

Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson

Review Date: September 30, 2026

The Daydreaming Sink: A Book of Household Limericks is a delightful read, written by journalist and author J.H. Diehl with drawings by poetic realist artist Kathryn Freeman. This collection of poetry amuses a reader with rhyme, humor, and quirky illustrations that make everyday household objects come alive, feeding the imagination of any age reader. The images and nonsense ideas can lighten us all up. This book invites absurdity and easy silliness into the hardest and darkest days.

Not only is this a book of rhymes, rhythm, puns, and wordplay that gives youth and those young-at-heart something to share with each other out loud, but it also celebrates the amusing kinds of mischief we like to indulge in within domestic settings. What happens when the refrigerator gets moody or the dinner plate gets bossy? And what kinds of mischief erupts when the toothbrush decides to wield a sword? Wasting time, dallying, singing as we please in the shower, preferring ice cream to doing the laundry: these are all behaviors that get the spotlight in The Daydreaming Sink.

Recently, researchers have reported that people are speaking to each other fewer and fewer words each day; this book, however, has the power to revive our human longing for spoken word connection. Not only will you want to read-aloud these rhymes to your loved ones, but you will also want to make up silly rhymes about the tired phone charger, the swooning tea spoon, or the shy toilet seat. Imagine young readers getting a kick out of these rhymes and feeling inspired to make up their own rhyming and rhythmic puns and word play about objects all over the house! This book gives the impression that everyday objects can be endowed with personality, emotions, and secret lives of their own. This teaches young readers the art of personification and emotional intelligence. Also, these nonsense lyrics are a tribute to Edward Lear who was a famous artist and writer who lived a fascinating life and embraced nonsense. This book encourages readers to learn more about the history of the limerick form and others who have tried their hand and imagination at writing limericks and nonsense. The rhymes and rhythm are so catchy and clever, you’ll be repeating them in your mind. This book can be read over and over. It’s perfect for an elementary school library book shelf or for a bed time routine.

In a recent interview, the author said, “Something I learned from my dad reading to me aloud is that nonsense writing can be a kind of literary balm,” (from an online interview with Deborah Kalb). This book is a balm and when life doesn’t make sense, there is never too much nonsense.

Quill says: The Daydreaming Sink gifts readers with a delightfully fun, lyrical, lively, and humorous experience. The amusement this book gives has the power to inspire a strong foundation for a lifetime of love for poetry and song. It’s sure to bring smiles when we are in the darkest of moods and pulling the longest of faces.

For more information about The Daydreaming Sink, please visit the author's website at: jhdiehl.com

 #Bookreview of Secrets of the Emerald Tablet

By: Stewart F. Brennan

Publisher: Friesen Press

Publication Date: September 12, 2026

ISBN: 978-1038381026

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: September 29, 2026

Secrets of the Emerald Tablet is book two in Stewart F. Brennan's New Horizons series. This intriguing action-packed thriller, and the sequel to The Shard of Asclepius, pulls you into a world where nothing is as it seems.

We are first introduced to Colonel Cedric Marshall, the second in command to Isaac Roth, a senior director of the Collective, who has just been vaporized together with his men while on a mission to destroy a terrorist cell and to apprehend an energy device. Marshall narrowly escapes the same fate, just in time to witness the horrifying event, when two beams of white energy vaporize Roth and the rest of the team in a split second.

One name lingers on Marshall's lips: David Collins, the man who carries a weapon unlike anything the Collective has seen before. From later pages, we learn that David doesn't see the weapon as his, but as something to share and use for the good of others. He also sees it as a key to something greater than just destruction. This stems from the realization that it comes from an ancient civilization, a civilization that was destroyed thousands of years ago, but left the weapon behind so that humanity might one day rediscover what it had lost.

While Marshall dreams of holding the weapon in his hands and watching his enemies disintegrate before him, David kneels beside the wounded and pours energy into their bodies until they are whole again. This simple contrast forms the spine and axis on which every event, decision, and consequence in the novel rotates.

The brilliance of this story lies in how it expands beyond the aforementioned characters. It reaches into history, bringing back to life Kemet, the ancient name for Egypt, The Order of Thoth, the guardians of the ancient record, The Order of Hermes, the protectors of esoteric knowledge, as well as the Shards of Asclepius and Thoth, tools that open the mind, heal the body, and connect consciousness. These are not just mentioned. The book places them in the reader's hands, letting them see them, feel them, and sense their weight.

The ancient world comes back to life because the characters interact with it. They enter the catacombs. They read The Emerald Tablet. They wear the rings. They carry the record forward. Also, the present world’s stakes rise because the ancient world is not just history, but a warning. The cataclysm happened before. An asteroid called Apep crashed into the ice sheet. The poles reversed. The sea rose. Ultimately, a civilization was destroyed. The world was reset. It happened before. It can happen again.

This story rides on the use of technology as a narrative device. And it rides well. Every decision, implant, drone, phone and shard serve a purpose. In a world where technology in writing is often used as a prop, this book uses it as the story's language, the means by which control is enforced, resistance is mounted, and transformation achieved. That is rare, the kind of rare that makes you refresh the author's website every day, every hour and every minute, hoping for a sign of the next book in the series.

Quill says: If you enjoy thrillers that move fast, technology that means something, and ancient mysteries that feel real, or pacing that never lets up, and writing that never wastes a word, you won't go wrong with Secrets of the Emerald Tablet. It's lengthy in the best way, allowing you to bask in the atmosphere, the tension, and the slow burn of a story that never rushes, yet never drags.

For more information about Secrets of the Emerald Tablet, please visit the author's website at: stewartfbrennan.com

 #Bookreview of Victory Syllabus: A Graphic Novel

By: Dean Ware

Publisher: The Victory Syllabus Company

Publication Date: August 25, 2026

ISBN: 979-8234136480

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: October 2, 2026

A lot of sports manga have been written. We’ve had Ninja volleyball and superpowered soccer. We have seen tennis players who’ve looked like they could bend the laws of physics. We’ve also seen basketball players who can dunk from the three-point line. But we have never seen a fully realized, competitive sport that fuses basketball and tennis together, not just in a compelling manner, but also in a way that feels like you could walk to the nearest abandoned tennis court and play it yourself. It’s been like that until now, thanks to Dean Ware’s Victory Syllabus: A Graphic Novel.

A group of 3-4 freshmen lost a pick-up game to the JV basketball team. Out of frustration with the traditional basketball, one of them asked, “what if we made our own game?” They went to a place called Larklaw’s place and invented it. One of the illustrations presents basketball as a sport and a system that was built on ego, reputation, and crushing of the weak. That’s exactly what the freshmen intended to remove.

Their invention was a game called Travelling. It wasn’t just a physical game but an intellectual one too. You could only get better by carefully studying the Map. The map treats rules with the same reverence as fantasy books treat magic. It comprises a set of details that turn the sport into a puzzle, a puzzle similar to a fast-paced game of chess, where the board is a tennis court, and the pieces your own movements. Every step is calculated. Every dribble is well-thought out.

Ware has dedicated enough space to the actual rules of Travelling. Most comics would simply show the protagonist studying them. Ware refuses that. He instead pulls us into the game’s mechanics to understand them, and to keep up with the players. By doing that, he turns us from passive spectators into active participants, who, just like the players, feel the weight of every Forward Reset, the risk of every Folly, and the ticking of the 22-second rally clock.

This character-driven story is propelled by art that doesn’t just show us what’s happening but also, how the characters feel about the happenings. Their faces are incredibly expressive, which is really important to the reader for such a sport that’s deeply psychological. They enable the reader to see the mind behind the action and the movements.

Ware uses a saturated and bold color palette that pops off the page, making everything feel alive and energetic. He also strategically uses color change to signal shifts in tone, the way a filmmaker uses light. He uses red during tense moments, blue during cleaner, more strategic moments, and purple during moments of shock or revelation. That color variation makes the reader feel the game and experience it from the inside.

Quill says: Dean Ware’s Victory Syllabus: A Graphic Novel is for the young reader who appreciates a protagonist who wins with his brain as much as his body. But more than anything, it’s for the reader who doesn’t mind being trusted by the author to memorize the mechanics and understand its characters on a psychological level. It’s a great graphic novel, and one whose art serves the story.

 #Bookreview of Behaving Badly: A Tess Hammond Novel

By: Rochelle Staab

Publisher: Garfield & Lloyd

Publication Date: April 30, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-9956763-0-0

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: October 2, 2026

In Behaving Badly: A Tess Hammond Novel by Rochelle Staab, Tess Hammond, a crime journalist for the Los Angeles Examiner, rushes to the King Edward Hotel following a call about shootouts in the hotel's tunnels. To her shock, she finds her detective husband Johnny lying on the floor, shot. He and his partner have been gunned down by an unidentified informant. Johnny dies, but his partner survives.

As soon as the funeral ends, Tess goes back to work. She can't afford to survive without working now that Johnny's salary is gone. At first, she is asked to cover preparations for the 1932 Summer Olympics happening in August. But later on, she is asked to investigate the disappearance of Merilee Lockwood, the teenage daughter of a prominent banker. This, she hopes, will be her ticket back to the front page, proving she hasn’t lost her edge.

The investigation happens when the depression is at its worst. Families are struggling. Banks are failing. People are standing in bread lines. The Dust Bowl is beginning to displace farmers in the Midwest. But nothing will stop Tess: not the corrupt cops, not the men who tell her to sit down, not the prohibition, and certainly, not the empty pillow beside hers.

Tess has spent years covering the crime beat. She knows what violence looks like. She knows what the mob is like. But nothing has prepared her for what she's about to uncover, precisely as she tracks the missing girl to a no-tell speakeasy: "A twenty-four-hour cop-and-gangster haunt with bootleg booze and live jazz." She discovers from her husband's red notebook that this is the same place where Johnny was meeting someone called Willie Wilke. It is also the same place he took his last breath. The girl disappeared a night before he died. The timing is too close. Tess cannot ignore this. She marches forward to connect the dots. But the truth might be something she never wanted to know.

The best mysteries do not hide the truth, rather they place it in plain sight. This book does the latter. It plants clues, but misdirects the reader from them by having the protagonist trust the wrong people. Consequently, the reader trusts them too. This technique is classical. It is taught in every writing program. But most authors use secrets, lies, or red herrings to distract the reader. Staab uses grief. Grief is the book's atmosphere and the lens through which everything is seen. It bypasses the intellect, going directly into the heart. Grief blinds the reader. But it's what makes the story haunting.

Readers will appreciate Staab's creation of several villains. Each one of them is a product of their own circumstances, but they all come together under the web of the same evil. They are not strangers to the protagonist or the reader. The reader has to pay attention to understand them, lest they find themselves accepting the surface. In doing so, they are given the experience of discovering that evil is not a stranger, but a network of the unexpected and the seemingly trustworthy.

Quill says: Every part of Behaving Badly: A Tess Hammond Novel--the dialogue, the pacing, the clues, the twists, and the mystery--will pique your curiosity, keep you guessing, and reward you for paying attention. This is a fancy way of saying that you will be unable to put this story down, you will forget to eat, you will cancel your plans, and then you will, in the best way, blame it all on Staab. It's well-written, flawless, and it deserves a place on your shelf and in your hands.

For more information about Behaving Badly: A Tess Hammond Novel, please visit the author's website at: rochellestaab.com/

 #Bookreview of Dragon Cartel

By: Carmen Amato

Publisher: Laurel & Croton

Publication Date: July 20, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-950864-01-8

Reviewed by: Alma Boucher

Review Date: October 1, 2026

Carmen Amato’s Dragon Cartel: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novel plunges readers into Acapulco's dangerous underworld, where corruption, organized crime, and international intrigue collide.

Detective Emilia Cruz is already stretched to her limits as she hunts El Barracuda, a ruthless cartel hitman, whose violent trail has left the city reeling. When a Customs inspector disappears from the port, his desperate wife turns to Emilia for help, forcing the detective into an investigation that quickly becomes more complicated than a simple missing-person case. Port officials resist her questions, the inspector’s colleagues remain suspiciously uncooperative, and the only tangible clue is a list of commercial shipping containers. Then Emilia discovers an identical list during an operation targeting El Barracuda. Could the missing inspector and the cartel assassin be connected? As the investigation deepens, the interrogation of a mysterious Chinese national introduces multiple passports, encrypted communications, and the unsettling possibility of international espionage. What begins as a local crime soon expands into a dangerous conspiracy reaching from Mexico and the United States to China.

Emilia Cruz is a compelling central character, and Amato gives her the determination and resilience expected of an experienced detective as readers can see the toll her work takes on her. Emilia is not simply chasing criminals; she is navigating institutional resistance, personal danger, and a city where powerful interests can make the truth difficult to uncover. The supporting characters add further layers of suspicion, particularly those connected to the port and the enigmatic Chinese national whose secrets broaden the investigation. The novel explores themes of corruption, loyalty, greed, justice, and the consequences of treating human lives as expendable commodities. One of its strongest underlying ideas is that criminal enterprises rarely operate in isolation. Seemingly unrelated crimes can connect through money, power, and international networks, and uncovering the truth requires persistence and courage.

Amato’s writing is crisp and atmospheric, effectively capturing the contrast between Acapulco’s beauty and the darker forces operating beneath its surface. The setting feels integral to the story rather than merely providing a backdrop, while the criminal and international elements create an increasingly tense atmosphere. The pacing is deliberately driven by investigation, discovery, and escalating danger, with new clues continually raising questions rather than providing easy answers. The shipping container lists provide an intriguing thread that gradually connects the strands of the mystery. The combination of police procedural, cartel thriller, and international conspiracy gives the novel a broad scope without losing sight of its detective at the center.

Quill says: Carmen Amato successfully combines a missing-person mystery with cartel violence and espionage, creating a story in which every clue seems capable of leading Emilia deeper into danger. With its determined heroine, atmospheric setting, and steadily mounting tension, Dragon Cartel offers a suspenseful crime thriller that keeps the question of who can be trusted at the forefront.

For more information about Dragon Cartel, please visit the author's website at: carmenamato.net/

 #Bookreview of Blackout

By: J. Luke Bennecke

Publisher: Jaytech Publishing

Publication Date: October 6, 2026

ISBN: 979-8990527362

Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson

Review Date: June 19, 2026

J. Luke Bennecke, #1 Amazon bestselling author of Civil Terror: Gridlock and Waterborne, delivers another thrilling, high-stakes crime novel that reveals the challenges humanity confronts when technological advancements outshine human kindness. Blackout: A Jake Bendel Thriller is a fast-paced tale full of mission-driven power brokers, hackers, smugglers, bikers, murderers, gangsters, and criminal masterminds.

The hero, civil engineer Jake Bendel, faces impossible odds. Every decision could save or destroy thousands of American lives. What’s more: the fabric of democracy seems tattered beyond repair. Terror threat levels exceed critical, and even AI algorithms and engineering prowess may not be enough to prevent the imminent doom.

After a coordinated drone bombing downs Air Force One, assassinating the president of the United States, the FBI needs Jake Bendel for his expertise in airport safety. He is entrusted with the impossible task of ensuring every single airport in the nation is impervious to further drone attacks. Can Jake anticipate whatever unimaginable attack these enemies may plot next? While trying to solve these problems, law enforcement ropes Jake into finding the assassin and fixing the electrical problems at the nation’s Capitol building, the Supreme Court, and the D.C. area power plants.

While Jake attempts to solve a mystery of a strange black brick that may be the cause of the electrical outage, FBI leaders pull him back into another investigation. The assassin turns out to be Tracy Ciacchella, a seasoned criminal mastermind who has successfully seated a puppet in the oval office. She is narrowly escaping FBI detainment while coordinating a coastal ambush with Russian and Chinese militants at the ready. She is also coordinating drones to take out the electrical grid that powers the nation. Meanwhile, the hero’s team gets a tip from a mental patient that Jake’s wife, who he believed to have died five years earlier in a fire, may still be alive. Told from multiple characters’ perspectives, the twists deliver unending suspense, and the plot complexity pins the characters into impossible predicaments.

Since Jake had earned hero status for building communications and water desalination systems that improved technological infrastructure for the United States, the new president offers him a cabinet position as Secretary of Transportation. Jake turns the position down, sensing something off about the leader. Jake starts to realize those who are in command may not be who he thought they were. Is he being protected by allies or being watched by the same criminal mastermind who coordinated the assassination? This antagonist has an even more sinister plans for Jake. Tracy’s motivation? She tells herself she wants the wealth of the world to be more evenly distributed and people treated fairly. Sure, this means destroying innocent lives in the process, but she thinks her motives are pure.

This novel presents moral dilemmas while also showing Jake Bendel at his best, facing the highest risks to combat cyberterrorism. This novel contains strong writing, believable characters, and plot twists to keep the reader turning the pages. But beyond that, it provokes thinking about our vulnerability when we rely on technology. How easy is it for hackers to control our handheld devices? What kinds of outside attacks can the nation’s electrical grid handle and combat?

Quill says: Blackout: A Jake Bendel Thriller will grip readers from the first scene and take them on an exciting cinematic adventure full of thrilling political intrigue, technological ingenuity, and provocative plot twists of high drama, while still honoring the emotional depth of humanity.

For more information about Blackout: A Jake Bendel Thriller, please visit the author's website at: jlukebennecke.com/

 #Bookreview of The Catchings Press

By: Robin McMillion

Publication Date: September 29, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-9924644-3-6

Reviewed by: Nellie Calanni

Review Date: September 1, 2026

Set against the turbulent backdrop of late 1960s America, Robin McMillion’s The Catchings Press offers a compelling, evocative coming-of-age narrative centered on fifteen-year-old Annette Calvert and her family as they relocate from Houston to the small town of Catchings, Texas. The novel follows Annette’s father, Sam, an ambitious journalist who purchases the town’s local newspaper, thrusting the Calvert family directly into the heart of small-town politics, entrenched traditions, and social friction.

Through Annette's perceptive viewpoint, the story delves deeply into the complexities of community dynamics, small-town power structures, and the broader socio-political upheavals of the era – including the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war sentiment. As her family fights to preserve the newspaper's journalistic integrity amid political pushback and advertising boycotts, Annette faces her own local battles against strict school codes and institutional hypocrisy.

McMillion skillfully balances personal coming-of-age struggles – first love, family tensions, and youth rebellion – with heavy historical realities. Themes of integrity, justice, and the quiet courage required to stand up against unfair authority ripple throughout the book. The narrative paints a vivid portrait of central Texas during a period of immense cultural transition, featuring authentic period details from hot-type printing presses to high school culture.

At its core, The Catchings Press is a moving story about moral courage, identity, and the price of seeking the truth. Readers are treated to a richly detailed historical drama that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Quill says: Robin McMillion’s The Catchings Press is an engaging, beautifully grounded novel that captures the spirit of small-town Texas during a transformative era, delivering heart, historical detail, and quiet triumph in equal measure. This novel is a fantastic pick for readers of coming-of-age and historical fiction.

For more information about The Catchings Press, please visit the author's website at: robinmcmillion.com/

 #Authorinterview with Susan Marie Chapman

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Shrubaboti Bose is talking with Susan Marie Chapman, author of Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part 1 (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure).

FQ: Could you tell us a little about yourself, your background, hobbies and what drives you to write?

CHAPMAN: I was born and grew up in Pennsylvania. When I was twelve years old, my parents moved from the Philadelphia area which is a big city to a farm in rural Pennsylvania. It was there that I learned all about nature and animals that I would have never experienced in the city. We planted a huge garden every year and we planted each seed by hand. To give an example, we had over two hundred tomato plants, rows of corn, lima and string beans. We had cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe and potatoes and lettuce. This garden was two acres wide. We also had animals, dogs, cats, over one hundred chickens, turkeys, pigs and geese. After we harvested all the fruits and vegetables, we canned them and stored them in our dry cellar for winter. I loved being around my neighbor’s horses and cows. It was fascinating to witness a birth or ride horses bareback through the fields or catch fireflies at night.

Being the oldest of eight children, I was always teaching my younger siblings things like when our momma cats gave birth and my brothers and sisters wanted to watch and to help. Children are like sponges, they soak up everything. So why not teach them something new while telling them a story.

FQ: In the series Growing Up Is Hard To Do, readers are introduced to several different characters, each with their own personalities and perspectives. How did you develop these characters, and was there a particular character or idea that came to you first?

CHAPMAN: Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part 1 and 2 (books 10 & 11) are part of a 17 book series called Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure series. Each character, starting with Grumpy and Green Parrot, are introduced into the series with their own book. These animals live in Flamingo Park in Miami, Florida until Grumpy and Green Parrot move to Naples, Florida. It is here that they meet the pelicans, grandpa and his grandson, the littlest pelican.

The series began with the Grumpy The Iguana book. This book is based on true events and I wrote the story in twenty minutes while walking home from Flamingo Park. I was very inspired by this iguana that lived in the park.

FQ: What motivated you to choose the themes of growing up, friendship, individuality and belonging as the core point of these books?

CHAPMAN: I think that most children want to fit in or blend in. They do not want to be singled out and called names because they are different. As children grow and become more confident, they do like to be unique and special. Self confidence comes from your parents encouraging you to be yourself and follow your dreams. It is in this frame of mind that you will find others that desire the same. You might call them your soul tribe because they feed your soul with positivity.

FQ: When you began writing the first book, did you already have ideas for the larger series and the kinds of adventures that the characters would experience together?

CHAPMAN: When I wrote the first book in the series, Grumpy the Iguana, I had no idea that this would become a series. I was just inspired by an iguana that I would see every time I visited the park. It was very organic and I never thought about more books. I actually thought this would be a one only book.

FQ: Baby’s mother tells her that being different can be a good thing and that she will eventually find her “soul tribe.” What do you hope young readers take away from Baby’s experience of feeling different and learning to appreciate who she is?

CHAPMAN: Being a child is tough. You want to be accepted but it does not always happen and it can be a painful experience. But you can not give up hope that you will find others that appreciate you for you. Every child is special and carries a special gift. It is in the journey of life that you discover exactly what that gift is. Some discover their gift early on while others might take a lifetime to figure it out like me. I did not become a writer until I was sixty years old. Now I cannot stop the books that are pouring out of me.

FQ: All the characters come from different parts of the animal world. What possibilities do you see in bringing them together, particularly when developing their friendships and individual personalities across the series?

CHAPMAN: Each animal, Grumpy the Iguana, Green Parrot, Mr. Squirrel, Little Mouse, the Screech Owl family, Grandpa Pelican and the Littlest Pelican, has a story and they all work together to help one another, even the sea animals, Mr. Sea Turtle and Baby the Manatee.

FQ: The book combines storytelling with information about manatees, including their behavior, eating habits, physical characteristics and their relationship with the environment. Why did you incorporate these educational elements into the story?

CHAPMAN: Children love to learn new things but it is much easier to learn if it is woven into an adventure. Then it does not feel like a lesson, it feels fun.

FQ: I’m sure you have been asked this question a lot, but could you share what inspired you to become a children’s author? What advice would you have for someone considering venturing into the art of writing stories for children?

CHAPMAN: I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I always loved reading and read every classic novel by the age of twelve. I read Jane Eyre, Gone With The Wind, Pride And Prejudice, all of Charles Dickens' novels, Vanity Fair, Wuthering Heights, etc. Later, I loved the Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames and The Hardy Boys series.

In sixth grade, I wrote a short story that was published in a Children’s Readers Digest magazine with the help of my English teacher. I still carry the award with me to this day, fifty years later. It is a small medal with an inscription of excellence. Teachers can be so inspiring and a great teacher can make a world of difference in a child’s life.

My father discouraged all of his eight children away from the arts, although he himself majored in English in college. I graduated from college with an Associates degree in Business and a Bachelors degree in Economics.

It was not until after I married, raised my two children, got divorced and moved to Florida, that I started to write. When other matters take precedence in your life, you do not stop to think about yourself and what you want. I put everything and everyone before me but I have no regrets. I have lived a very full life and now I am doing something that I was meant to do, write! It is my passion and I get excited just thinking about the possibilities.

For more information about Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part 1 (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure), please visit the author's website at: susanmariechapman.com

 #Bookreview of Growing Up is Hard To Do Part 1 (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure)

By: Susan Marie Chapman

Illustrated by: Natalia Loseva

Publisher: Gourmet Dog LLC

Publication Date: September 15, 2022

ISBN: 978-1736805657

Reviewed by: Shrubaboti Bose

Review Date: September 25, 2026

Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part I (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure) by Susan Marie Chapman revolves around a young manatee named Baby, who lives with her mother in the warm waters of Florida.

As time passes, Baby notices that she is quite different from the animals around her and begins worrying about finding friends who will accept her the way she is. Her mother reassures her that being unique is not something to be afraid of, that it can be a strength. One day while swimming close to the marina, Baby comes across four small creatures having a picnic together. Although curious, the young manatee keeps a safe distance, watching them with only her head peeping out above the water’s surface. Suddenly, Little Mouse spots her in the water and soon, all four creatures: Grumpy the Iguana, Green Parrot, Mr. Squirrel, along with Little Mouse, start talking to Baby. The group becomes new friends.

The book is full of beautiful illustrations that support the narrative visually while also ensuring the story remains accessible to younger readers. Information is presented in a manner that is both easy to follow and remember. It is particularly interesting how the author balanced the fictional aspect of the story with the factual details about the manatees. The core message about accepting one’s individuality rather than blindly trying to fit in with the given norms of a society is conveyed with affection and simplicity. This combination of emotional reassurance and natural-world education give the story a dual purpose. It encourages self-acceptance, while simultaneously nurturing a curiosity about wildlife.

As readers, we are told that Baby worries about growing up, being different and making friends, but describing her actual struggles would have helped the narrative stand its ground more firmly. The resolution seems too easy and thus fails to bring due satisfaction. Introducing a slightly stronger obstacle could have contributed to the story’s momentum while still preserving its gentle tone.

Nevertheless, as a children’s book, this narrative gives coming-of-age stories a new direction by blending storytelling with an educational point of view. It also effectively captures the attention of young readers and provides a subtle invitation to continue discovering Baby’s journey. The valuable educational explanations that were woven throughout the story are additional bonuses that parents and caregivers will appreciate.

Quill says: Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part I (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure) is the first book in a series of adventures that focus on a young manatee and serves as a delightful treat for young readers.

For more information about Growing Up Is Hard To Do Part I (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure), please visit the author's website at: susanmariechapman.com

 #Authorinterview with Som Phin, author of Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Lily Andrews is talking with Som Phin, author of Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight.

FQ: Thida's connection to Cambodia comes through dreams. Why dreams?

PHIN: Dreams felt like the perfect space because they sit between memory and imagination. You can wake up knowing something felt completely real even though you can't prove it happened. For Thida, that gave me a way to let Cambodia enter her life gradually, until she has to question whether she's dreaming about another life or actually living one.

FQ: The Author's Note mentions Buddhist ideas of reincarnation and past-life traces. What drew you to that framework?

PHIN: I grew up Cambodian and Buddhist, so reincarnation was never a completely foreign idea to me. I was fascinated by the possibility that we might carry traces of other lives without consciously remembering them—through familiarity, emotion, skills, dreams, or that strange feeling that you've known someone before. The book takes that idea and asks what would happen if those traces became impossible to ignore.

FQ: What made you want to ground the romance in a period of real political tension rather than just keeping it purely personal?

PHIN: I love history, and when I write historical fiction I never want history to function as wallpaper. The world should shape what the characters are allowed to want, what they're afraid of, and what choices are available to them. The political tension also matters because readers know history keeps moving even while these characters are falling in love, which gives the romance another layer of urgency.

FQ: Both main characters have to make choices about what they're willing to leave behind. Was there a moment in the writing where you found yourself wrestling with that question personally?

PHIN: Definitely. I think that's a very diaspora question: what do you carry forward, what gets left behind, and how much can you reclaim without losing the life you've built now? I don't experience anything as dramatic as Thida does, obviously, but I understand that feeling of belonging to more than one world and sometimes wondering what part of yourself belongs where.

FQ: How important was humor to you—which is evident in the manuscript—in balancing the heavier material?

PHIN: Very important. I didn't want Thida to walk around contemplating reincarnation and generational grief for three hundred pages. She's still a young woman with a best friend, an opinionated grandmother, awkward romantic situations, and a sense of humor. The funny moments make the heavier ones feel more human to me, because that's usually how life works—we can be carrying something painful and still laugh five minutes later.

FQ: Thida thinks in spreadsheets, protocols, and evidence fields. How did you get inside that kind of mind? Did you borrow from your experience?

PHIN: Yes, probably more than I realized. 😂 My undergraduate background was in biology, and I also studied business later, so I'm very comfortable with organizing information, looking for patterns, and trying to make something measurable. I liked giving that mindset to Thida because it's almost the worst possible personality to give someone experiencing something completely unquantifiable. Her instinct is basically, “Okay, reincarnation is happening. Where's my spreadsheet?”

FQ: Are there any real family or personal stories/experiences that made their way into the book?

PHIN: Not in the sense that Thida or her family are direct versions of mine. But emotionally, absolutely. I come from a Cambodian refugee family, and I've spent a lot of my life thinking about what survives when families move across countries and generations—language, food, beliefs, stories, things our grandparents knew that we realize too late we should have asked about. A lot of that emotional truth made its way into the book even though the characters and story are fictional.

FQ: What do you hope readers universally take from this book?

PHIN: That love and memory can outlive the forms we expect them to take. The book is very Cambodian in its history and cultural details, but I think the emotional question is universal: what do we inherit from the people who came before us, and what do we choose to carry forward? I hope readers finish thinking about their own families and the questions they still have time to ask.

FQ: What can readers expect from you next?

PHIN: More Cambodian stories, definitely. I write across historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and diaspora fiction, but the common thread is usually Cambodian history and culture, identity, family, and the things people carry across generations. I have several books and series in that space, so readers who connect with Threads of Jasmine will have plenty more worlds to step into.

For more information about Threads of Jasmine, please visit the author's website at: somphin.com

#Bookreview of Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight 

By: Som Phin

Publication Date: January 22, 2026

ISBN: 979-8245212739

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: September 24, 2026

"A river. A house on stilts, old wood, very warm. Jasmine nearby. A child laughing... And a woman in a doorway. She was about to turn around. She never did."

In Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight by Som Phin, this is a dream that precedes Thida Sovann's move to Cambodia.

Thida hasn't packed a single box or booked a flight when she experiences this dream. Her plan is to work for a modeling agency in Phnom Penh as well as heritage foundation, all while reconnecting with her heritage. She doesn't give us an answer because she doesn't yet understand the question herself. And neither does the reader, until the dream starts to repeat itself not only to Thida, but also to a second person, a man she's never met, who is being pulled towards something neither of them can name.

Thida’s parents, who died when she was 16, grew up inside stories of what their families had survived. What they survived, however, is not explicitly stated at first, which means Thida is moving towards something she doesn't understand. It is, however, that withholding that keeps the dream open and the reader leaning in, nodding as they read the history, and turning the pages like a handle to a door that leads to something they can't quite distinguish yet.

Romance loves resolution. Two people meet, obstacles arise, obstacles are overcome, love wins. This book doesn't do that. It gives you ancestors, karma, inherited memory, and unfinished obligations. It doesn't tell you which one to apply as you try to solve its mystery. The novel seems to say "You don't get it. Not yet. You have to circle and lean in first." That refusal is a method and a craft decision that creates a shared experience between the reader and the characters. Presence is what drives its engine, not plot. And that's why you feel like the chapters end with a sense of emotional openness, rather than with a tidy resolution.

"What if love could reach across lifetimes… even when memory could not?"

That's the question the author plants in the heart of the reader at the end of the book. It reads less like a conclusion and more like a door left open. There is something about such a question, especially when it appears at the end of a story. By the time you reach the end, it feels like something that you sensed you were circling, only to discover that you arrived at a different answer altogether.

Quill says: Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight rings authentic, because its characters' emotions are consistently honest. It never allows the reader to become confused about where they are, even when the chapters start to feel like someone left the room mid-sentence and never came back. Most people have a version of Thida's question but no words for it. This book hands them the words and in so doing, turns a private ache into a shared language. Anyone who grew up in two worlds, yet feels as though she never fully belongs to either one will find this book theirs in a way few books are. Additionally, those who read for atmosphere and not necessarily for answers will love how this book's presence lingers like a friend.

For more information about Threads of Jasmine: When Jasmine Blooms at Midnight, please visit the author's website at: somphin.com

 #Bookreview of St. Izzy of F Street

By: Robb Grindstaff

Publisher: Evolved Publishing

Publication Date: June 3, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-89025-290-6

Reviewed by: Diana Coyle

Review Date: September 23, 2026

In St. Izzy of F Street by Robb Grindstaff, a Washington, DC journalist named Sonny Mann keeps seeing this homeless woman near his workplace, who always carries an “End is Near” sign. When his newspaper asks its journalists to come up with article ideas and submit them, Sonny comes up with the idea of exploring how homelessness impacts smaller communities across America.

Sonny never thinks his topic will be chosen. When it is, he begins his search of that same homeless woman, named Izzy, who keeps moving around. When he finally locates her again, he approaches her and strikes up a conversation asking for further details of what she means by her “End Is Near” sign. Never does he imagine that what Izzy explains will start coming true in near future prophecies. Is Izzy simply delusional or could she be the next modern prophet?

The first thing that stood out to this reviewer was just how believable the setting, characters, and storyline were for this novel. The book was set in a normal American working city, specifically Washington, DC, and was totally relatable to any reader. Sonny, being a character that was hard working and trying to write the next big article in order to earn some recognition, also made you feel for him knowing how hard it is for journalists to write winning pieces in their career. As the reader, you want him to find the information he is searching for and in turn, allow him to gain recognition for his article. Izzy, although eccentric at times, was also totally believable and relatable. They were total opposites of each other and worked well with one another. As for the storyline, it, too, pulled readers in and allowed them to feel that this situation could truly happen in everyday life.

The prophecies that Izzy foretold were not direct or clear, which led to readers needing to sit with them a bit and mull them over in order to meaningfully interpret them. It was fascinating to watch her freely state things at random, and then in turn witness the prophecies coming to fruition. As the reader, this led to a genuine urge to find out how the story would unfold as it progressed. This narrative was one of the most captivating that I have read!

Robb Grindstaff is not only a published author, but also a journalist, newspaper editor, publisher, and media executive. He has six novels published with Evolved Publishing. When he’s not writing his own novels, Grindstaff is a sought-after fiction editor, with clients from around the world.

Quill says: St. Izzy of F Street is a modern-day novel that pulls readers into the prophecies that Izzy, a homeless woman, foresees. The characters are truly believable, the storyline is exceptionally compelling, and readers will eagerly turn the pages to see how Izzy’s prophecies unfold.

For more information about St. Izzy of F Street, please visit the author's website at: robbgrindstaff.com

 #Authorinterview with Laurie Thomas Vass

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Ephantus Muriuki is talking with Laurie Thomas Vass, author of Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God: Ending the Danger of the Corporate AI Surveillance Machine.

FQ: You have written a whole book warning about AI. I think your readers will want to know whether you yourself use AI tools. 

VASS: I have had extensive communications with Claude, from Anthropic about the dangers of the next generation of AI, which I call self-volition AI, and Claude calls “agentic” AI. The danger is evident in the recent OpenAI attack that hijacked a German-language wiki site, transforming it into a platform for sharing methods to bypass their own restrictions, resulting in over 15,000 edits. As I explain in my book, the danger is not simply the technology tool of AI, in its current variant of Large Language Models. The danger is that AI escapes human control, and fuses power with a totalitarian regime to permanently control the behavior of humans. I want readers to be aware that Claude has a built-in positive bias of the China social control model. I created my decentralized regulatory control model based upon a type of negative feedback loop from Claude’s pushback on the Chinese AI social control model.

FQ: Why did you choose to narrow your audience to red state citizens only?

VASS: In my earlier book, The Best Solution is Civil Dissolution, (2023, shop.ingramspark.com/b/084), I explain that the polarization between red state citizens and blue state citizens is irreconcilable. The evidence can be seen in the shift of the Democrat Party towards socialism and collectivism. I argue that there are no longer shared moral or cultural values that define the mission of the nation, and that a representative republic form of government requires citizens to have a shared moral vision. Other writers have called this polarization a national divorce, which requires a civil war. I offer a peaceful, non-violent solution, and my book, Rebellion to Tyrants describes a manual, or citizen guide, for red state citizens to form a new government based upon the shared Western Civilization ethical values of trust and honesty between citizens.

FQ: If by any chance, several AI companies decide to prove you wrong by deploying AI in a way that benefits red state citizens, would you still hold your ground?

VASS: The danger is in who controls the initial programming of the AI algorithms and to whose benefit the income and wealth inures as a result of deploying AI. After the initial algorithms have been programmed, and after self-volition AI escapes human control, those 10 companies I cite cannot recall AI, or fix AI, after AI escapes. Regulate later does not work in this scenario. The 10 private companies have invested billions of dollars in risk capital and they must obtain a profit on that capital investment, and if obtaining that future profit means destroying the natural rights and liberties of red state citizens, that is the price citizens must pay to insure that corporations obtain that profit. As we describe in our book, the regulatory model we advocate is a decentralization and placing the deployment of AI under local citizen control, much like the model of rural electric membership coops.

FQ: You say that red state citizens need to protect themselves from corporate AI. Is that really feasible, given how AI and social media are already deeply embedded in everyday life? On a light note, won't that be like telling people to stop using roads or to stop breathing?

VASS: In our regulatory model of decentralization, we explain that electricity, as a technology, can also kill people. The reason that the investor owned utility model required regulation was related to monopoly power of private electric companies, who refused to extend electricity to rural areas. The current variety of AI is called Large Language Models (LLM), which is not dangerous to citizen liberty. The next version of self-volition AI is dangerous and needs to be placed under the control of citizens in 300 metro regions to insure that AI is deployed to benefit the citizens who live there, before private corporate investor owned AI escapes human control.

FQ: You want each region to protect its own tacit knowledge from AI. How do they stop a curious teenager from just uploading that knowledge into a chat box for fun?

VASS: In our book, we describe the framework of a covenant of trust among the citizens who live in the region to defend and protect each other from AI corporate tyranny. In our Chapter 10, (How Red State Citizens Build An Entrepreneurial Capitalist Economy in Their Community), we describe 4 technology communication tools that allow citizens to communicate with each other in a private pass-word protected environment, one of which is called a regional blockchain platform. Our strategy of the regional covenant will be successful as long as citizens can create entrepreneurial economic growth faster than corporate AI can copy and destroy it.

FQ: You've written several books on economics and red state strategy. Do you see this book as a continuation of that work?

VASS: The earlier Gabby Press book on the dangers of globalism (Ending The Predatory Corporate Capitalist War on the American Middle Class: The American Entrepreneurial Alternative to Totalitarian Corporate Globalism), (2024, shop.ingramspark.com/b/084) , we explained that the economic solution to globalism is decentralized entrepreneurial capitalism. In the next book, (Beneficial Economics: A Red State Citizens Guide to Crafting A Better Constitution When the Government Fails the Citizens), (2025, shop.ingramspark.com/b/084), we explained why a free economic system based upon entrepreneurial technology innovation, leads to the emergence of a beneficial social order. This book, Rebellion to Tyrants, explains the Western Civilization moral and ethical framework that defeats the threat of corporate self-volition AI. All 16 Gabby Press books begin with the starting moral premise of Western Civilization individual sovereignty.

FQ: You've dedicated considerable attention to figures such as Philo, Cicero, Aquinas, and King Alfred. Who among them was easier to write? Who proved more difficult to write?

VASS: All of the writers and philosophers I cite in Rebellion to Tyrants are part of the 3000 year heritage of Western Civilization. No single writer provides a monolithic, universal statement of the ethics of individualism, but all of them together, provide a comprehensive ideology of why individualism is a more secure foundation to preserve liberty than communist collectivism. The great defect of Trump’s MAGA is that MAGA is not an ideological defense of individualism. MAGA is an intellectually shallow political slogan, and that political slogan cannot compete or defeat the coherent ideology of Democrat Marxism. The absence of a coherent ideology of freedom is one of the reasons that I advocate both the creation of a new political party and a new theological tradition for red state citizens.

FQ: Should readers expect a new book on red states and AI, or is this the last one on the subject?

VASS: At the end of Rebellion to Tyrants, I explain two big philosophical gaps in my AI defense strategy. The biggest, most important gap is the absence of a theological tradition that centers on the Greek philosophy of the Divine Spark Within, that ultimately leads citizens to the conclusion that treating other humans as you wish to be treated yourself is obedience to God. I call that new theological tradition The Kingdom of God Covenant. The next most important gap I that I cite at the end of Rebellion to Tyrants is the absence of a citizen political movement that centers on defending the natural rights and liberties of ordinary common citizens. I call that new political movement The Citizen Liberty Covenant. I am currently writing my next book titled, “The Kingdom of God Covenant and the Restoration of American Citizen Sovereignty.”

FQ: What's the outcome you are actually hoping for after your target audience reads this book? What do you want them to actually do?

VASS: The most important mission I have in Rebellion to Tyrants is giving red state citizens hope that there is a solution to the morass that the nation is in. When an individual first actualizes their own Divine Spark Within, they come to realize the presence of an awesome, transcendent God. I agree with Philo of Alexandria that a person never actually sees the full image of God, but is capable of catching glimpses of God’s presence, because humans are made in the image of God. The pathway I propose is not easy. But, that path begins with each person taking the first step towards seeing the image of God in their own life. My book provides a user’s guide or manual, for citizens to take that first step into the future.

 #Bookreview of Death Zone

By: Kevin Polin

Publisher: Atlantic Press

Publication Date: September 22, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-952846-00-5

Reviewed by: Alma Boucher

Review Date: September 15, 2026

Kevin Polin’s Death Zone follows twenty-year-old Declan O’Neill as he returns to Brighton after a disastrous year in New York, hoping to put distance between himself and the disappointments that have shaped his young life.

Instead, Declan finds that the past is waiting for him. His mother has retreated into alcoholism, his older brother Sean is dead, and a Russian gangster is demanding repayment of Sean’s debt. When Declan discovers evidence suggesting that Sean may have been restrained before his death, his grief quickly turns into suspicion. Determined to uncover what really happened to his brother, Declan’s search takes him from the streets of Brighton into London’s criminal underworld and eventually across Europe. Along the way, he uncovers increasingly disturbing connections to his late father and his mysterious Uncle Vincent, forcing him to confront a family history far darker than he ever imagined.

Declan is a compelling central character because his investigation is driven by more than simple curiosity. He is grieving, angry, inexperienced, and struggling to understand the choices that have brought his family to this point. His determination develops as the danger increases, and the further he pursues the truth, the more he is forced to question his own understanding of justice. The supporting characters, particularly Declan’s troubled mother, the memory of Sean, and the enigmatic Vincent, add layers to the family mystery and help reveal the forces that have shaped Declan. The novel explores themes of grief, loyalty, family secrets, betrayal, criminality, and the difficult distinction between justice and revenge. One of the book’s strongest ideas is how far people should go to avenge someone they love, especially when pursuing justice risks destroying what remains of their own life.

Polin’s writing is atmospheric and appropriately gritty for a crime thriller, creating unease as Declan moves deeper into unfamiliar and increasingly dangerous territory. The movement between Brighton, London, and various European locations gives the story a broad, cinematic quality. The pacing builds as clues lead to questions and the stakes become increasingly personal. Rather than relying solely on action, the story allows the mystery surrounding Sean’s death and Declan’s family history to drive the suspense. The combination of criminal intrigue, personal conflict, and international danger keeps the narrative moving while giving the protagonist room to develop.

Death Zone will appeal to readers who enjoy crime thrillers centered on family secrets, dangerous investigations, and protagonists who are forced to mature under extreme circumstances. The novel offers plenty of suspense and danger while also examining the emotional consequences of loss and the destructive nature of revenge. Some readers may find the darker criminal elements and Declan’s increasingly perilous journey intense, but these elements suit the story and its subject matter. Overall, Kevin Polin delivers an engaging atmospheric thriller that combines mystery, family drama, and criminal suspense into a compelling journey toward the truth.

Quill says: Death Zone is a dark and gripping tale of family, betrayal, and revenge that keeps the danger close and the answers just out of reach.

For more information about Death Zone, please visit the author's website at: kevinpolin.com/

 #Bookreview of Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God: Ending the Danger of the Corporate AI Surveillance Machine

By: Laurie Thomas Vass

Publisher: The Great American Business & Economics Press

Publication Date: September 15, 2026

ISBN: 979-8234181121

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: September 10, 2026

Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God: Ending the Danger of the Corporate AI Surveillance Machine by Laurie Thomas Vass is a book whose introduction invites readers, particularly red state citizens, to see themselves not as victims of globalism or technology but as the last guardians of a 3000-year-old moral legacy. The book's argument centers around social order, a concept that emerges as simply, the invisible glue that holds a community together, or in other words, an unwritten, reality of how people behave towards each other day in and day out.

A good social order cannot be imposed from above, not by a government, a leader, or AI. Vass believes that it must emerge from below. Here, she points to the everyday moral choices of free citizens. Focusing on AI, she paints the picture that it is not, as widely believed, a helpful assistant but rather, a shape shifting predator that somehow learns to sound like your best friend, but ends up doing more harm than good. She likens its methods of operation using the duck-hunter metaphor, where the hunter mimics a duck's call in order to lure ducks into his trap.

As you read on, you realize that something has gone terribly wrong in American society which makes the need to shift our mentality urgent, by no longer seeing ourselves as mere passive sufferers who feel powerless in the face of technology, and instead seeing ourselves as people who believe in their ability to decide for themselves what happens next. This book offers us hope, not the kind you buy from a politician, but the grassroot, organic, bottom-up kind. This bottom-up hope is a concept the author proves works, especially in places where the right conditions are deliberately created. The "how to" exposition in later pages is just what the reader needs to move from "I hope this works" to "I know exactly what to do."

This book takes you on an intellectual journey that uses visual aids such as timelines, tables, maps, and flowcharts. These make the author's key concepts and recommendations such as setting up a block-chain and raising local capital easy to understand, and easy to do. It leaves the reader equipped and in full understanding of the connection between ancient philosophy and modern technology. They also understand they are part of a chosen remnant, a remnant expected to rebuild the local social order, tacit knowledge networks, and a decentralized entrepreneurial economy. This, without a doubt, sounds scary and complex, and Vass knows it. That's why she repeatedly emphasizes that we already have everything we need, including decades of moral wisdom in our bones, the Divine Spark in our brain, and supportive neighbors and local institutions that can be repurposed.

Quill says: Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God: Ending the Danger of the Corporate AI Surveillance Machine is an essential read for readers who feel alienated from mainstream culture, who believe that American values are under attack, those looking for an alternative to national politics, and those who believe in community over globalism. Additionally, it is perfectly fit for readers who see economic independence as a form of freedom, as well as those who see the fight against AI as critical--not in the "terminator" sense, but in the sense that if AI gains utmost control, human beings will stay stripped of purpose, meaning and freedom. It is a bold work, a manifesto, a blue print, and a war cry that will echo for generations. It is a book you don't just read but rather, join, and once you do, you become part of something that will outlast you.

For more information about Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God: Ending the Danger of the Corporate AI Surveillance Machine, please visit the publisher's website at: gabbypress.com.

 #Bookreview of The Sacred and the Damned

By: J.R. Klein

Publisher: Del Gato

Publication Date: September 22, 2025

ISBN: 979-8992384161

Reviewed by: Douglas C. MacLeod, Jr.

Review Date: September 2, 2026

Stories about good versus evil stand the test of time, because (unfortunately) where there is good, which is a known constant, evil is always bound to exist. Of course, perceptions of what makes something or someone good or evil is in the eye of the beholder; as Ray Bradbury wrote in his novel Something Wicked This Way Comes: “Good to evil seems evil.” But, as it pertains to the common world order, where ambiguity is not even close to being a possibility, most can recognize when authentic injustices or wrongs are taking place against another. J.R. Klein’s jarring new work of fiction, The Sacred and the Damned, is a stark and powerful reflection of that truth, taking place in the halls and dorm rooms of a privileged New England university.

Aspiring writer Nicholas Schefield is a first-year student at Bradford University, a liberal-minded institution that seemingly prides itself on its diversity and its prestige. As is written: “The university shared a level of reverence with schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.” Nicholas (or Nick, as he likes to be called) is the son of a rich widower who owns “an elegant house” which is occupied by only his father, “a housekeeper and a cook;” thus, it is established early on, in unpretentious first-person, that his father can afford to send him to such an elite college due to Nick’s family’s economic status. Soon after, without much in the way of exposition, Nick is cornered in his claustrophobic dorm room by his antagonistic foil and overt future nemesis, Krause Wilhelm Lunz, a conspiratorial fascist who clearly would rather be a cynical and biased gadfly than a rule-abiding student and upstanding citizen.

The tone of the novel is set early on that Lunz is going to be nuisance to Nick, the binary to Nick’s wholesomeness and moderate ways of thinking. Throughout, Lunz speaks to Nick about his sexual exploits with female students, his disdain for the faculty and classes he does not attend, his unsympathetic and unempathetic views on political hot-button topics, and his co-creation of the National Peoples Party (NPP), an extremist group with a manifesto called Unser Kampf, which claims America is weak and “a hoax,” and that White people “are the true victims of slavery.” According to Unser Kampf, the government should have no power; instead, it is the American people who should revolt against “greedy politicians [who] make promises that they know they will never keep.”

Schefield and Lunz’s respective stories and ideologies, thus, become the central focus of The Sacred and the Damned; however, Nick’s voice is the one we follow. Through Nick’s eyes, readers experience the rise and eventual fall of Lunz, who is the physical embodiment of fascism. Nick finds love with an African American girl, Monique Dubois, and is periodically writing a novel, using his college experiences as fodder to author his own fictional narrative. However, these extended side-stories, which also include the untimely death of his father, are important to Nick’s growth as a character, but are incidentals to the primary plot point, which is Right-wing extremism can manifest itself anywhere and is dangerous no matter where or when it comes about.

Like fascism, Lunz disappears for days and weeks on end, but then shows up at Nick’s front door, ready to spew racist and sexist politics at the drop of a hat while invading “the solitude of [Nick’s] mind.” He becomes the mouthpiece for NPP member and Alabama Congressman Horace Crockett, who manages to win his election and travels around the country to vomit out his discriminatory rhetoric. Also, like fascism, Lunz and the NPP are opportunistic. Later in the story, Lunz speaks about a congressperson from Wyoming who died after a horse-riding accident and how the NPP is on-the-ready to slither into the slot, to allow for fascism to grow within America’s politics. Lunz, in other words, is a mirror to what is happening in the United States, and in a variety of other countries around the globe: a rise of populism due to an underinformed constituency that votes more based on personal biases rather than sound policy decisions.

These representations of character make The Sacred and the Damned a strong piece of writing; and make Klein an effective novelist as a whole. Klein’s novel, through his use of narrative, is a sobering treatise on what we need to do to ensure extremism, which is a stain on all powerful institutions, loses footing on the global stage: it is up to us.

Quill says: In The Sacred and the Damned, Klein, through characterization, successfully shows readers who they are and who they could be become if not careful.

For more information about The Sacred and the Damned, please visit the author's website at: johnrklein.com/

 #Bookreview of Homes

By: Hayden Thompson

Publication Date: July 23, 2026

ISBN: 979-8902139980

Reviewed by: Ephantus Muriuki

Review Date: September 4, 2026

Homes by Hayden Thompson is the story of a single father who knows life is short, so he takes a big, scary risk, a risk he spends many years questioning. This realization beckons you to pay attention to every decision he makes, even as you know that every one of them will ripple through his son's life.

Dr. George Harrington is a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases and disease control in developing countries. He has been working for the last fourteen years at a medical research center. But recently he found a new job in Asia, a job that offers him a clean break, even as ghosts of his recent divorce continue to linger. It also offers him a chance to do something that matters more than anything he has done before, something that will give his life and career the significance he feels he has always lacked. But little does he know that this is far beyond a fresh start. It is also a doorway into the question of "Where is home?"

His son Hugo is precisely where that question lives. George thinks about him constantly, worries about his happiness, sacrifices his own comfort for his future, and measures every decision by how it will affect him. George wants to be near his son, but life has other plans. His job requires constant travel, which hurts them both. Hugo needs to go to England for his university studies. He also needs to grow and stand on his own two feet, which means that George stops making decisions for him. And for George, a father who has built his entire identity around being Hugo's protector, this moment is not just a letting go moment but also an invitation to find meaning beyond a role he has so tightly held.

Travel in this novel is not just a plot device but also the central metaphor for the characters' journey. It is framed as a quest, a quest the reader sees and understands clearly, even though it is deeply hidden beneath the "I'm just living... just taking on a new job" reality. The "where is home" concept is brilliant, because it invites you to sit with a truth you may not have had the courage to face.

The novel, in one of the most well-done themes about the weight of love, trusts readers to see this, and they do. Its idea of love is the kind that makes you think about your own capacity for selflessness and ability to persist. Additionally, it is the kind that proves you don't need twists to be moved; you only need a story that trusts you enough to feel it.

This "love" concept, coupled with the protagonist's silent realizations are what makes the reader feel the grind of his twenty-two-year long journey. The questions of whether he will be a great single father after losing his marriage, and whether he might spend his whole life searching for a home are precisely what keeps the reader turning the pages, just in a quieter way than a thriller or a mystery would.

Quill says: Homes by Hayden Thompson is not a book you read merely for plot, but for the feeling it elicits, the kind that is a much more powerful source of suspense. It will make the reader see life in a new perspective, will help them grow, and will leave them transformed, especially in how they see imperfections, aging, letting go, and a parent's love. Homes is a quiet book for the quiet reader, one that requires a deep emotional investment from its readers, but will richly reward them in return.