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book reviews |
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Multi-genre, multi-volume author Paula Braley introduces us to her time-slip adventure, “The Painted Fan”: One fall. Two eras. No way back. Newly engaged Ruby Saunders is finally on the brink of the life she’s always wanted—law school, a prestigious internship at a downtown Tampa law firm, and a future that feels perfectly within reach. Until one storm changes everything. A misstep on a spiral staircase sends Ruby crashing into a world that shouldn’t exist—a dazzling 1940s gentlemen’s club alive with music, danger, and secrets. At first, she thinks it’s a dream. It isn’t. When Ruby overhears a chilling plot involving kidnapped women from Havana, she realizes the glamorous club is only a façade for a powerful Tampa crime syndicate. The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes. The law is compromised. Loyalties are bought. And trust can be deadly. With time running out and danger closing in, Ruby must navigate a world of mafia corruption, hidden informants, and deadly secrets—where one wrong move could cost her everything. Because someone is watching her. And they know she doesn’t belong. Perfect for fans of time travel thrillers, historical suspense, 1940s crime fiction, noir mystery, mafia intrigue, and strong female protagonists. Step into a suspenseful time-slip mystery where the past is alive, the danger is real, and escape may be impossible.  I love stories about involuntary time travel! When they are tied to historical events and real places, the story is so much better. Braley is an amazing author! She is so good at plotting and weaving the many threads into a cohesive and surprising whole! There are a lot of twists and turns in this story, enough to keep you turning the pages. I am committed to not giving any spoilers, so I can't say more; except read this book!  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Painted-Fan-P-J-Braley https://www.goodreads.com/-the-painted-fan https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-painted-fan-p-j-braley You can connect with the author: https://x.com/PJBraley https://pjbraley.com/ www.instagram.com/pjbraley www.facebook.com/PJBraleyAuthor https://.pjbraley.bsky.social I have reviewed another book by the author: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-bookbinders-apprentice-by-pj-braley Copyright © 2026 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction.
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An Ozian Tale of Dark FantasyMulti-volume, fantasy and horror author Mary Ainihi introduces us to her contribution to the ever-growing body of work about the land of Oz, “Patchwork: An Ozian Tale of Dark Fantasy”: With Ozma gone, the marvelous Land of Oz had begun to fade, its wonders turning strange and wild. Into that shadowed country came a girl from our world, and there she found blue forests in decay, bread trees bent under their own curious burden, and a land scarred by its own enchantments. In this unraveling realm, magic tempts with wholeness, but every seam frays, every memory fades. Here, even beautiful makings leave their mark, and some creations are meant only to come undone. One fraying stitch at a time.  An amazing story! I love how it dovetails with Frank Baum's classic tale. The descriptions set the stage perfectly, and the action fits! Not a story for young children, but then the original work wasn't either. The flying monkeys were so scary for me as a little boy! So many favorite characters show up in this story.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Patchwork-Ozian-Tale-Dark-Fantasy-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/Patchwork-by-M-Ainihi You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/m_ainihi https://mainihi.wordpress.com https://ConcealedRealms.com https://bsky.app/profile/m-ainihi.bsky.social I have reviewed the four books in a series and collections of short stories in the horror genre, here are the links: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/rise-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/lost-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/endow-a-blood-inheritance-novel-the-blood-inheritance-quartet-book-3-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/resist Collections of her short stories I have reviewed: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-warning-signs-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/be-wary-of-wishes-gone-awry-by-m-ainihi Tags: Teen, Young Adult, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy, dark, Horror Copyright © 2026 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction. Raising resilient children in a world designed to weaken them. (One Story Series Book 1) Multi-volume author, Ulfarr Stoneheart introduces us to his first book, “Raise Them Strong”: Are you doing everything right — and still watching your child get sick again and again? More ear infections. Another round of antibiotics. Eczema that won't clear. A little body that seems to be working against itself. You are not failing. You are navigating a world that was never designed with your child's long-term strength in mind. Every year that passes without a change is another year of chronic low-grade inflammation quietly shaping your child's health. Another year of products loaded with compounds you can't pronounce absorbing through their skin. Another year of symptoms suppressed rather than solved — training an immune system that is never allowed to do its own work. The habits built now become the health outcomes of the next two decades. The window is open. It won't stay open forever. Raise Them Strong is a father's decade of practical knowledge, written for parents who are done outsourcing their family's wellbeing to a system that wasn't designed for resilience. This is not about fear — it is about power. The quiet, daily power of real food, a natural apothecary, and a home stripped of the chemical noise that wears children down. By the end of this book, you won't be scrolling forums at midnight. You'll know what to do.  No hype allowed! The author has written a wonderful book; it's filled with practical experience that some things work better than others. He stresses several times that these guidelines are meant to be followed one at a time. Start with what is most important to the reader and give it time to work. He freely admits that some things will take longer than others. Your kids are your kids. My kids had their problems; my grandkids seem to have more problems. My wife and I live with our daughter and her family. I think this will be fun, asking ten and twelve what they think is most important. Then working with them to create that product. Don't think I have a lot of time; I work 60-70 hours a week or so. I am confident we can do this. You can too. We all want healthier families. The content is fabulous! Four point five stars because I am picky about certain things.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Them-Strong-resilient-children-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-raise-them-strong You can connect with the author: https://x.com/UlfarrStone https://ulfarr.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ulfarrstone https://www.instagram.com/ulfarrpublishing/ Tags: health, nutrition, herbs, herbal, remedy, remedies Copyright © 2026 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
August 2026
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