‘Into the Dread Void’ is the first in The Dread Void series by Abe Moss. Photo: google
Abe Moss has been writing horror stories for as long as he can remember and hopes to never stop. He loves creature-features, psychological horror, supernatural horror, cosmic horror, you name it. With each book he writes, he hopes to try something a little different. The possibilities are endless and that is what he really loves about storytelling. He hopes you will enjoy his stories too. The Dread Void is a chilling new series by Abe Moss with the first two books released in May and July and the third in October. They are meant to be read in numerical order. (amazon, 2021)
“Into the Dread Void” (The Dread Void Book 1) The first in a chilling new series by horror author Abe Moss, “Into the Dread Void” begins the story of an unlikely duo—Nell, a foul-mouthed orphan with an unusual gift, and Hux, an otherworldly man with a knack for destroying otherworldly things—and their union against a universe teeming with horrors the likes of which our world has never fathomed. After years of life in foster care, fourteen-year-old Nell Parrish can hardly believe her luck when she meets her newest foster family. Kind and accepting, the Palmers are everything for which she has ever hoped. However, during a weekend trip to the Palmers’ summer cabin, a dark storm rolls in, along with something else lurking in the downpour. Hux is no stranger to the horrors of our universe. It is his job to stop them when they breach the Void—the glue which binds and separates our universe’s dimensions. So, when he must track down yet another trespassing entity, it is business as usual. That is, until the trail leads him to her—a teenage girl whose peculiar nature seems to have earned her the entity’s fixation, much to the peril of those around her.
“Amid the Sinking Dark” (The Dread Void Book 2) Robbed of her only chance at a normal life, Nell Parrish now finds herself in a strange new home where darkness and mysteries abound. Plagued with dreams of the night which brought her here, she is desperate for any distraction, anything to forget those unimaginable horrors…even if it means braving another altogether. Marilyn Powell and her little daughter Emmie are running toward a new life, escaping the overbearing judgement of Marilyn’s parents who want nothing more than to separate them. But when their road-trip getaway brings them to the dark and stormy seaside town of Brightport, plans change. A monstrous thing resides in Brightport. Something with an appetite as dark as the storm overhead. What was meant to be a one-night stay soon becomes a nightmare, as Marilyn and Emmie become the town’s latest target.
‘Unthinkable’ is the new thriller by Brad Parks. Photo: amazon
International bestselling author Brad Parks is the only writer to have won the Shamus, Nero, and Lefty Awards, three of American crime fiction’s most prestigious prizes. His novels have been published in fifteen languages and have won critical acclaim across the globe, including stars from every major prepublication review outlet. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Parks is a former journalist with the Washington Post and the Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey). He is now a full-time novelist living in Virginia with his wife and two school-age children. His new novel, “Unthinkable,” is a thriller about an ordinary man who may be able to save the world as we know it but to do so, he must make an impossible choice. (amazon, 2021)
“Unthinkable” – Nate Lovejoy is a self-proclaimed nobody, a stay-at-home dad who does not believe he is important to anyone but his wife and their two daughters. So, it is a shock when members of a powerful secret society kidnap and spirit Nate away to a mansion at the behest of their leader, Vanslow DeGange, who claims to know the future. He has foreseen that a billion people could die―unless Nate acts. It seems improbable, especially given what DeGange says will set this mass casualty incident in motion: Nate’s wife Jenny will sue the biggest power company in Virginia. Nate quickly senses that the power company is perpetrating a fraud. But at every turn, it becomes apparent there is more to DeGange’s gift than Nate wants to acknowledge. A billion people really could die, and Nate might be the only one who can save them. All he must do is the unthinkable.
‘Billy Summers’ is the new novel by Stephen King. Photo: amazon
Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, “Mr. Mercedes,” won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both “Mr. Mercedes” and “End of Watch” received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016, respectively. King co-wrote the bestselling novel “Sleeping Beauties” with his son Owen King. Several of his books have been adapted into celebrated films and television series including The Shawshank Redemption, Gerald’s Game and It. King was the recipient of America’s prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His new book “Billy Summers” is out now and is the story about a good guy in a bad job. (amazon, 2021)
“Billy Summers” – Billy Summers is a man in a room with a gun. He is a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he will do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong? How about everything. This spectacular novel is part war story, part love letter to small town America and the people who live there, and it features one of the most compelling and surprising duos in King fiction, who set out to avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. It is about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption.
‘The Noise’ by James Patterson and J.D. Barker will be released on August 16, 2021. Photo: amazon
James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett, and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. He also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries, and Max Einstein series. J. D. Barker is the international bestselling author of numerous books, including “Dracul” and “The Fourth Monkey.” His novels have been translated into two dozen languages and optioned for both film and television. Their new thriller book, “The Noise,” will be released on Monday, August 16, 2021. (amazon, 2021)
“The Noise” – If you hear it, it is too late. Can two sisters save us all? In the shadow of Mount Hood, sixteen-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister Sophie when the girls are suddenly overcome by a strange vibration rising out of the forest, building in intensity until it sounds like a deafening crescendo of screams. From out of nowhere, their father sweeps them up and drops them through a trapdoor into a storm cellar. But the sound only gets worse . . .
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Release of ‘The Noise’ by James Patterson and J.D. Barker
‘The Star Trek Book New Edition’ is the updated edition of ‘The Star Trek Book.’ Photo: amazon
Paul Ruditis has written over 30 books based some of the best shows on TV, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, The West Wing, Alias, and Prison Break. While he continues to work on these media tie-ins, he has also focused a great deal of attention on his own original fiction, including his teen series DRAMA! and the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy Love, Hollywood Style. He currently lives in Los Angeles. His new book out today, “The Star Trek Book New Edition,” is the new edition of “The Star Trek Book and takes readers even further into one of the greatest science fiction universes ever created. (amazon, 2021)
This unique, insightful, and comprehensive examination of an enduring, much loved franchise features every era of Star Trek in one volume, from the pioneering 1960s TV series to the latest movies and streaming shows, including Star Trek: Beyond, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Short Trek. Written by Star Trek experts, this book is packed with stunning film and TV stills, illuminating infographics, and incisive, specially curated essays that unlock the mysteries of the ever-expanding Star Trek Universe. From new and legendary heroes such as James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, and Michael Burnham to iconic villains like Khan, Q, and the Borg, to fascinating alien species like the Vulcans, Klingons, and Ferengi, this book explores the central characters, technology, civilizations, and events that have shaped the complex, epic story of Star Trek. Resistance is futile. This is the (star) trek of a lifetime you do not want to miss.
“The Pariah” by Anthony Ryan is set for release on August 24, 2021. Photo: amazon
A new month means new books on the horizon. These are some notable new releases for the month of August in my favorite categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, History and Biography, Mystery and Thriller, Science fiction, Historical fiction, and Fantasy. If I could pick just one this month, it would be “The Manningtree Witches” by A.K. Blakemore simply because I enjoy historical fiction, especially the time period of the witch hysteria. (amazon, Goodreads, 2021)
Fiction: “We Are the Brennans” by Tracey Lange Release date: August 3, 2021 When twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. But it is not easy. She deserted them all—and her high school sweetheart—five years before with little explanation, and they have questions. Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the east coast, even if it means tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, the only way to protect them is to upend all their secrets—secrets that have damaged the family for generations and will threaten everything they know about their lives. In the aftermath, the Brennan family is forced to confront painful mistakes—and ultimately find a way forward, together.
Nonfiction “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” by Lizzie Johnson Release date: August 17, 2021 On November 8, 2018, the people of Paradise, California, awoke to a mottled gray sky and gusty winds. Soon the Camp Fire was upon them, gobbling an acre a second. Less than two hours after the fire ignited, the town was engulfed in flames, the residents trapped in their homes and cars. By the next morning, eighty-five people were dead. In “Paradise,” Johnson documents the unfolding tragedy with empathy and nuance. But she also investigates the root causes, from runaway climate change to a deeply flawed alert system to Pacific Gas and Electric’s decades-long neglect of critical infrastructure. A cautionary tale for a new era of megafires, “Paradise” is the gripping story of a town wiped off the map and the determination of its people to rise again.
History and Biography: “The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women” by Nancy Marie Brown Release date: August 31, 2021 In 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden was actually a woman. “The Real Valkyrie” weaves together archaeology, history, and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined. Nancy Marie Brown uses science to link the Birka warrior, whom she names Hervor, to Viking trading towns and to their great trade route east to Byzantium and beyond. She imagines her life intersecting with larger-than-life but real women, including Queen Gunnhild Mother-of-Kings, the Viking leader known as The Red Girl, and Queen Olga of Kyiv. Hervor’s short, dramatic life shows that much of what we have taken as truth about women in the Viking Age is based not on data, but on nineteenth-century Victorian biases. Rather than holding the household keys, Viking women in history, law, saga, poetry, and myth carry weapons.
Mystery and thriller “A Slow Fire Burning” by Paula Hawkins Release date: August 31, 2021 When a young man is found gruesomely murdered in a London houseboat, it triggers questions about three women who knew him. Laura is the troubled one-night-stand last seen in the victim’s home. Carla is his grief-stricken aunt, already mourning the recent death of yet another family member. And Miriam is the nosy neighbor clearly keeping secrets from the police. Three women with separate connections to the victim. Three women who are – for different reasons – simmering with resentment. Whether they know it or not, they are all burning to right the wrongs done to them. When it comes to revenge, even good people might be capable of terrible deeds. How far might any one of them go to find peace? How long can secrets smolder before they explode into flame?
Science fiction: “Light Chaser” by Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell Release date: August 24, 2021 In Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell’s action-packed sci-fi adventure “Light Chaser,” a love powerful enough to transcend death can bring down an entire empire. Amahle is a Light Chaser – one of a number of explorers, who travel the universe alone (except for their onboard AI), trading trinkets for life stories. But when she listens to the stories sent down through the ages she hears the same voice talking directly to her from different times and on different worlds. She comes to understand that something terrible is happening, and only she is in a position to do anything about it. And it will cost everything to put it right.
Historical fiction: “The Manningtree Witches” by A.K. Blakemore Release date: August 10, 2021 England, 1643. Puritanical fervor has gripped the nation. And in Manningtree, a town depleted of men since the wars began, the hot terror of damnation burns in the hearts of women left to their own devices. Rebecca West, fatherless and husbandless, chafes against the drudgery of her days, livened only occasionally by her infatuation with the handsome young clerk John Edes. But then a newcomer, who identifies himself as the Witchfinder General, arrives. A mysterious, pious figure dressed from head to toe in black, Matthew Hopkins takes over the Thorn Inn and begins to ask questions about what the women on the margins of this diminished community are up to. Dangerous rumors of covens, pacts, and bodily wants have begun to hang over women like Rebecca—and the future is as frightening as it is thrilling.
Fantasy: “The Pariah” (The Covenant of Steel #1) by Anthony Ryan Release date: August 24, 2021 Born into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the freedom of the woods and the comradeship of his fellow thieves. But an act of betrayal sets him on a new path – one of blood and vengeance, which eventually leads him to a soldier’s life in the king’s army. Fighting under the command of Lady Evadine Courlain, a noblewoman beset by visions of a demonic apocalypse, Alwyn must survive war and the deadly intrigues of the nobility if he hopes to claim his vengeance. But as dark forces, both human and arcane, gather to oppose Evadine’s rise, Alwyn faces a choice: can he be a warrior, or will he always be an outlaw?
‘Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Treachery’ by Brian Freeman is the new novel in the Jason Bourne series. Photo: amazon
Brian Freeman is the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including the Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series. His Audible original, “The Deep, Deep Snow,” hit The New York Times audio bestseller list. His novels have won the International Thriller Writers Award and the Macavity Award and been finalists for the Gold Dagger, Edgar, Anthony, and Barry Awards. Robert Ludlum was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a bestseller. There are more than 225 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He was the author of “The Scarlatti Inheritance,” “The Chancellor Manuscript,” and the Jason Bourne series–among other novels. Ludlum passed away in March 2001 and Brian Freeman was named as the official author to continue Ludlum’s famous Jason Bourne franchise. The Jason Bourne series continues with “Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Treachery,” as the world’s most ruthlessly efficient assassin, Jason Bourne, is facing the one force he cannot defeat-his own past. It is a new release available today. Read an excerpt here. (amazon, 2021)
“Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Treachery” – Three years ago, Jason Bourne embarked on a mission in Estonia with his partner and lover, a fiery Treadstone agent code-named Nova. Their job was to rescue a Russian double agent who had been smuggled out of St. Petersburg in the midst of an FSB manhunt. They failed. The Russian died at the hands of a shadowy assassin known only by the nickname Lennon. Now everything has changed for Bourne. Nova is gone, killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas. Bourne is a lone operative, working in the shadows for Treadstone, when he is called in for a new mission in London—to prevent another assassination masterminded by Lennon. Nothing about this mission is what it seems. As Bourne engages in a cat-and-mouse game with Lennon across the British countryside, he discovers that everything he thought he knew about the past was a lie. With the body count rising, he comes to an inevitable conclusion: Some secrets should stay buried.
‘Red Deception’ by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman. Photo: amazon
Masters of international intrigue Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman are back with their latest, timely geopolitical thriller, “Red Deception.” When terrorists bomb bridges across the country and threaten the Hoover Dam, the vulnerability of America’s infrastructure becomes a matter of national security. But Dan Reilly, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, predicted the attacks in a secret State Department report written years earlier – a virtual blueprint for disaster, that was somehow leaked and is now in the hands of foreign operatives. (Gary Grossman, Ed Fuller, 2021)
With Washington distracted by domestic crises, Russian President Nicolai Gorshkov sends troops to the borders of Ukraine and Latvia, ready to reclaim what he feels is Russia’s rightful territory. Tensions in Europe threaten to boil over as a besieged American president balances multiple crises that threaten to upend the geopolitical order. With the U.S. at the mercy of an egomaniacal leader, and reporters and covert agents on his tail, Reilly may be the one man who can connect the dots before an even bigger catastrophe unfolds. Blending career insight with first-hand knowledge of global politics, Fuller and Grossman draw a chilling portrait of the fragile fault lines in Europe and the players poised to seize power.
Ed Fuller is CEO of Laguna Strategic Advisors, a global consortium providing business consulting services worldwide. He has served on business and charitable boards during his 40-year career with Marriott International where he was chief marketing officer followed by 22 years as president and managing director of Marriott International. His book, “You Can’t Lead with Your Feet on the Desk,” has been printed in English, Japanese and Chinese. Fuller served as captain in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany and Vietnam and received the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation medals. He and Gary Grossman are co-authors of the Red Hotel series, including the 2018 thriller “Red Hotel,” “Red Deception,” and soon to be followed by “Red Chaos.”
Gary Grossman is a journalist, newspaper columnist, documentary television producer, reporter, media historian and the author of “Executive Actions,” “Executive Treason,” “Executive Command,” and “Executive Force.” In addition to the bestselling Executive series, Grossman wrote the international award-winning “Old Earth,” a geological thriller. With Ed Fuller, Grossman has collaborated on the globe-hopping Red Hotel series. He served as chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors, and is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association and Military Writers Society of America. Grossman has taught at Emerson College, Boston University, USC, and currently teaches at Loyola Marymount University.
“An in-depth and realistic ground-level view of the type of asymmetric Nation-state sponsored threats faced by the Agencies tasked with protecting the United States both domestically and abroad.”
Edward Bradstreet, Special Agent, Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
‘Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?’ by Bella Mahaya Carter. Photo: amazon
Bella Mahaya Carter is a creative writing teacher, empowerment coach, speaker, and author of an award-winning memoir, “Raw: My Journey from Anxiety to Joy,” and “Secrets of My Sex,” a collection of narrative poems. She has worked with hundreds of writers over the past eleven years and has degrees in literature, film production, and spiritual psychology. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, articles, and interviews have appeared in Mind, Body, Green; The Sun; Lilith; Fearless Soul; Writer’s Bone; Women Writers, Women’s Books; Chic Vegan; Bad Yogi Magazine; Jane Friedman’s Blog; Pick The Brain; Spiritual Medial Blog; Literary Mama; several anthologies, and elsewhere. In her new book “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?: Finding Peace of Mind While You Write, Publish, and Promote Your Book” she shows writers how to use their present circumstances as stepping-stones to a successful and meaningful writing life.
“Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” begins with an Introduction where the author shares her personal experience about how a hammock she received from her husband and daughter for Mother’s Day helped her conclude that peace and happiness come from within. She thought she had placed it in the perfect spot in her backyard but when the neighbor cut down a tree that gave her shade, she was furious about it for a month. It was not until she gave in, relocated it and found another ‘perfect spot,’ that she found that the bliss was not in the hammock itself, but in the permission she “gave myself to let go and be completely present and alive there.” Her goal is that this book will “encourage readers to lean in to their work and their lives with greater freedom, curiosity, and celebration.” It is divided into five parts: Dream (Universal Doubt, Stories That Create Suffering), Nourish (Small Adjustments, Body Breaks), Write (Journal Writing Is Good For Your Writing, The Time It Takes), Publish (Why We Write, The Dream), and Promote (Author Expectations, Hiring a Publicist). Each part stands alone and some chapters end with writing prompts to help readers dig deeper into the subject as it pertains to their lives. Throughout, she also shares her seven major crossroads moments on her path to publication, known as MYHM (move your hammock moment). This must-read resource is meant to give writers inspiration and help authors overwhelmed by the publishing process.
Writing and getting published can be intimidating and there are more than enough books out there dealing with the subject. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” is not only a how-to book, it is also meant to help readers be mentally prepared for the entire process by dealing with fears and feelings of inadequacies and giving them coping skills. The book is brilliantly divided into different stages so that readers can choose what to focus on depending on their needs or just read all the way through. The chapters are short and to the point, without unnecessary ramblings, and the language is easy to understand, true attributes of an educator. Highlights include chapter 38. Craft: Six Ways to Improve Your Writing where the author gives writing tips such as avoiding general terms and writing using your natural speaking voice; chapter 69. Marketing Versus Publicity (marketing is an ongoing process while publicity is a targeted media campaign), and chapter 81. How to Plan a Successful Book Tour. An interesting concept she shares is that “readers want to see their own lives reflected in what they read;” this is why we read and why we write, to connect with others, so we should not be afraid to write about our experiences. It is updated for the modern age with the inclusion of using social media, Facebook and Zoom. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” by Bella Mahaya Carter is an extremely useful and inspiring guide designed to bring out an individual’s creativity. It is recommended for readers looking for ways to improve their writing and tips for how to handle what comes after a book is published.
“Perhaps one of the greatest skills I know in service to dreams is the understanding that growth takes place at the edges of one’s comfort zone.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Shadow’ is the new thriller by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. Photo: amazon
James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett, and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. He also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries, and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. In his new book with co-author Brian Sitts, “The Shadow,” he reimagines one of America’s iconic thriller heroes. Released today, it is now available everywhere books are sold. (amazon, 2021)
“The Shadow” – Only two people know that 1930s society man Lamont Cranston has a secret identity as the Shadow, a crusader for justice. One is his greatest love, Margo Lane, and the other is fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. When Khan ambushes the couple, they must risk everything for the slimmest chance of survival, in the future. A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a knowledge of the legend of the Shadow. Most disturbing, Khan’s power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. And only the Shadow knows that he is the one person who might succeed before more innocent lives are lost.
