Tag: Book Reviews

Book review: ‘Dark Blossom’ by Neel Mullick

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‘Dark Blossom’ is the exciting debut novel by Neel Mullick. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Neel Mullick is the Head of Product and Information Security at a Belgian family-office technology company and has degrees in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon, USA and Business Administration from INSEAD, France. He mentors women entrepreneurs through the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, is involved in raising a generation of digital and socially-aware leaders with the Steering for Greatness Foundation (Nigeria), supports improvement in the quality of life of domestic workers at Emprendedoras del Hogar (Peru) and is helping IIMPACT (India) break the cycle of illiteracy plaguing young girls from socially and economically impoverished communities. In his new book “Dark Blossom,” the lives of Cynthia, a therapist, and Sam, her new client, intertwine in a story that shows a glimpse of what lies under the surface of apparently normal people.

“Dark Blossom” begins as Sam, who is struggling to deal with his son’s death a day before his thirteenth birthday, shows up at Cynthia’s office, seemingly ready to start counseling. His depressed demeanor and volatile mood say another story. Tragically, his son and wife were killed in an automobile accident which cruelly shattered his world. Cynthia has recently restarted her counseling practice after taking half a year to deal with a bitter divorce, so she sees in Sam a sort of kindred spirit who so desperately needs her help. At first she tries to brush off the similarities between them as coincidence, but when he meets her daughter Lilly, the pieces of the puzzle start coming together. Sam knows too much about their personal lives and as it turns out, he as well as Lilly have secrets. She has more to do with the death of Sam’s family than anyone knows and his presence in Cynthia and Lilly’s life is no accident.

Neel Mullick’s debut novel is part thriller/part drama and offers readers an inside view of a therapist’s mind as she deals with patients and how to properly treat them. Told in the first-person point of view of Cynthia, it starts off as a routine trip to a therapist’s office and soon unravels as situations are more complicated than they seem. Sam clearly is resisting Cynthia’s help, but it becomes evident that he has plans of his own. Even though it is a short book, the character development is excellent as it gives the necessary background needed to propel the plot forward. It is well written, with easy to understand language and the author tells the story without any extraneous information. Since this emotional rollercoaster of a novel is fast paced and a page turner, it can easily be read in a few days, but the plot twist and surprise ending will dwell in readers minds for days. To interact with them, the author has created a competition where readers can chime in with their opinions. Details and rules are available online. “Dark Blossom” is a suspenseful novel that packs an emotional punch and is recommended for readers who enjoy getting lost in the inner workings of the mind.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Let Go of Emotional Overeating’ by Arlene B. Englander

emotionalovereatingArlene B. Englander, LCSW, MBA is a Columbia University trained licensed psychotherapist who has created health promotion programs on stress management, emotional overeating and other subjects for hospitals, corporations and law firms. Currently in private practice in North Palm Beach, she specializes in helping emotional overeaters move past their emotional issues to lead happier and healthier lives. “Let Go of Emotional Overeating and Love Your Food: A Five-Point Plan for Success” is her psychologically centered program to help people learn to eat whatever they like and stop just at the point of satisfaction without overeating.

Emotional overeating is “eating neither for enjoyment nor for the satisfaction of hunger, but in a desperate attempt to distract oneself from painful thoughts and feelings.” As a former emotional overeater, the author offers psychologically sound techniques for recognizing the symptoms of overeating and methods for addressing it in effective and enjoyable ways.

“Let Go of Emotional Overeating” begins with an Introduction, where she lists the sobering statistics from a 1999 article in American Demographics that stated that 54% of Americans clean their plates even when they are full and that 19% continue to eat even when they are stuffed. Her main purpose in writing this book is to help readers cope with life’s stressors without using food as a crutch and instead get more enjoyment out of food and life. The book is divided into ten chapters: the first two deal with the difference between truly tasting and savoring food versus using it as a stress reliever and how destructive diets really are; the rest explain how to deal more effectively with stress, how to learn to love exercise and how to eat at parties, vacations and with friends and family.

The subject of overeating can be hard to navigate but it is helpful to have someone who has been there and understands the struggles involved. This gives Arlene Englander the credibility to write such an insightful book that gives readers hope that they too can successfully manage the issue. Mindfulness has become mainstream lately and that, along with self-awareness, is the breakthrough method of dealing with overeating. She effectively uses her own experiences, case illustrations and humor to relate to her readers. The language is plain and simple to understand without too much medical and psychological terminology. Highlights include Chapter 3, where she explains how readers can spot the symptoms of excessive stress and Chapter 5 which gives readers the RAFT technique she uses to enjoy a meal so that they too can determine when they are full so they can stop eating. Also helpful is Chapter 6, as it gives helpful tips on learning to eat healthier foods. “Let Go of Emotional Overeating” is an incredibly useful resource guide and is recommended for readers who wants to learn how to stop letting food control their lives.

“The beauty of learning to soothe ourselves-on our own, or with the help of others-is that it enables us to seize the power that food once held for us.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: Tug Wyler Mystery series by Andy Siegel

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Andy Siegel is a personal injury lawyer and author of the Tug Wyler Mystery series. 

Andy Siegel is a graduate of Tulane University and Brooklyn Law School and a personal injury and medical malpractice attorney in New York City. His many trial successes have regularly placed those outcomes among the “Top 100 Verdicts” reported in the state annually. After sharing a trial story with a mom at his kids’ baseball game, he was encouraged to write them down, which led to the Tug Wyler Mystery series. The series consists of ‘Suzy’s Case,’ ‘Cookie’s Case,’ which was selected as a Conversations Book Club Top 10 Beach Read, ‘Nelly’s Case,’ ‘Elton’s Case’ and ‘Jenna’s Case.’ At the heart of each is Tug Wyler, a colorful, cocky and self-deprecating personal injury lawyer.

‘Jenna’s Case’ is about Jenna Radcliff, a teenager who is the victim of a cosmetic surgeon willing to put greed above his oath to do no harm. It begins as she is going in to surgery and has flashbacks of how she got there. She is a competitive double-Dutch rope-jumper who is self-conscious about being big-breasted and agrees to a reduction surgery set up by her con-man step-father. Instead, she gets a total breast reduction that leaves Jenna not only physically scarred but a shell of the bright and energetic teenager she used to be. Her scheming step-father will do anything to get the money Jenna has inherited, including putting her life at stake.

The client in ‘Nelly’s Case’ is Nelly Rivera, a young woman who, because of dental anxiety, goes to Dr. Grad, know as the Painless Dentist, who uses general anesthesia. Shortly after being hooked up to the IV, she stops breathing and is rushed to the hospital where she falls into a coma. Eventually she comes out of it, but Dr. Grad insists that it was an unfortunate anaphylactic reaction. Rather than drag litigation out and risk his career and family, he settles out of court but ends up being sued by the city for negligence. The money trail targeted Nelly who was recently set to inherit a large sum of money from her father’s life insurance after he died in a house fire.

‘Elton’s Case’ is the case involving Elton Jerome Cribbs, who was wrongly convicted of a crime. His situation goes from bad to worse when he is injured during a prison transport and left paraplegic. Now in a wheelchair, he is seeking justice for his wrongful imprisonment while rejecting any kind of pity. The City of New York offers him millions to settle but maintains their stance that he is faking his injuries. It turns out they were right and Tug is stuck in the middle, struggling to distinguish the bad guys from the guys and truth from fiction.

Personal injury lawyers tend to get a bad reputation and their efforts to get justice often goes unnoticed, until Tug Wyler came along. This is a fascinating series centered around a flawed, but charming lawyer who frequently admits his mistakes and schemes and simply says “at least I admit it.” His lies frequently catch up to him and he is haunted by his past but in his mind he does what he has to do. He has been kidnapped, assaulted, held in contempt of court and blackmailed into taking cases he does not want. The novels start with ‘The Unfortunate Event’ and are written in the first-person point of view of Tug in plain English and are easy to understand and follow. There is courtroom drama with details of the cases including medical backgrounds and insight into Tug’s mind and analysis of his actions. The characters are well developed and sometimes other cases are mixed in to emphasize how lawyers usually handle more than one case at a time. These page-turners and are recommended for fans of courtroom dramas similar to John Grisham as well as mysteries and medical dramas.

“It’s common to diss personal injury lawyers-ambulance chasers they call us. But just remember: anyone, in an instant, can become a victim. Even you.” – Andy Siegel

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Say What You Mean’ by Oren Jay Sofer

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‘Say What You Mean’ is the intriguing new book by Oren Jay Sofer on improving communication skills. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Oren Jay Sofer is the founder and Guiding Teacher of Next Step Dharma, an innovative online course focused on bringing the tools of meditation to daily life, and co-founder of Mindful Healthcare. He holds a degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication and leads mindful communication retreats and workshops throughout the United States. His new book “Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication” is a practical guidebook for having more effective and satisfying conversations.

Communication is an important part of everyday life with speech being one of the most effective and widely used forms of communication. Words have the power to heal or destroy and it is up to the individual to determine what kind of vibe he or she wants to give out to the world. In the Introduction, Oren Jay Sofer writes that during his life’s journey, he has worked to integrate his understanding of Buddhist meditation and Nonviolent communication. The book as a whole is a collection of three distinct streams of practices: mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication and Somatic Experiencing (emphasizes the role of the nervous system regulation in resolving trauma). They are tools for deepening self-understanding and transforming habits of communication. The three steps of communication include: lead with presence, come from curiosity and care and focus on what matters. These steps form the basis of “Say What You Mean” and divide the book into four parts: The first step: lead with presence, The second step: ‘come from curiosity and understanding,’ The third step: ‘focus on what matters’ and ‘bringing it all together.’ Useful indices at the end include Notes by Chapter, Glossary, Resources and Index of Practices by Topic.

There is always room for improvement when it comes to communication. In “Say What You Mean,” Oren Jay Sofer offers the reader a practical and useful guide to improving this often overlooked but vital skill. In today’s volatile environment, it has become more important than ever to be able to communicate clearly and in a non-violent manner to ensure everyone is heard. The author has done an impressive job of laying out the elements of communication in simple and easy to understand terms. Highlights include ‘emotional agility’ in Part Three where it states that defining emotions is a critical part of communication and ‘the flow of dialogue’ in Part Four where the author summarizes the different components of dialogue: speak, listen and rest in presence. The chapters are peppered with practice exercises, Q and A from real people, principles and key points to summarize the material along the way. Especially helpful are the quick reference guides at the end: Summary of Principles and Useful Communication Phrases. “Say What You Mean” is recommended for readers who wish to improve their communications skills as well as their interpersonal skills while getting to know themselves.

“If you take nothing else from this whole book, I hope you will take with you the importance the intention to understand, to come from curiosity and care, has in your interactions.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Atwelle Confession’ by Joel Gordonson

atwelleconfessionJoel Gordonson is a fiction author and international lawyer with degrees from the United States and Cambridge University. His first novel ‘That Boy from Nazareth: The Coming of Age of Jesus of Nazareth,’ a historical fiction adventure story set in biblical times, received critical acclaim. His most recent novel is ‘The Atwelle Confession,’ a historical fiction story of two identical macabre murders five hundred years apart.

‘The Atwelle Confession’ begins with a Prologue set in Atwelle, Norfolk in the year 1532 during the twenty-third reign of Henry VIII, King of England. Two men have just witnessed something heinous and are told by the local priest that they must confess and do penance. This confession is written and sealed and after he mails it off, the priest is killed. In present times in the same town, while restoring an ancient church, architect Don Whitby and young research historian Margeaux Wood discover rare gargoyles mysteriously positioned inside an ancient church. When people in town start dying in a series of bizarre murders, they determine that the gargoyles are predicting these murders. In the past, two families are involved in contesting control of the region and in the middle of these conflicts, the same bizarre murders are being committed. These family disputes resurface five hundred years later and come to a surprising and violent conclusion during All Hallow’s Eve.

In the Preface, the author writes that “while the storyline and characters in this novel are fictional, the discovery of rare half demonic-half human wooden figures carved in the ceiling of the parish of St. Clement is a true event” and this is enough to lure fans of historical fiction. The action moves effortlessly back and forth between the past and the present without losing steam and gives the illusion of a story being told in a split screen. His use of descriptive language brings the scenes brilliantly to life, “…he was surprised how dark it was despite the daylight coming through the windows and illuminating the floor far below. Margeaux grimaced at the dust, spider webs, and acrid odor of creosote as Don fiddled with a flashlight…” It is an intriguing and suspenseful novel and the last few chapters are definite page turners. There is not much character development or back story but, in this case, it works because the focus is on the story. In a refreshing twist, the hero and the bad guy are not who he or she seem to be from the beginning. The only off-putting part is the bloody cockfighting and bear baiting in Chapter Five which serves to spotlight the character’s blood lust, but otherwise it is a must-read for fans of the genre.

*A copy of this book was received for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘You Lucky Dog’ by Debra Finerman

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‘You Lucky Dog’ by Debra Finerman is a humorous story of a couple and their beloved dog. 

Debra Finerman is an American author best known for her historical fiction novels ‘Shadow War: The Resistance Fighters’ Literary Club’ and ‘Mademoiselle Victorine’ which has been translated into six languages worldwide. She is a former journalist for Capital Style, The Hollywood Reporter monthly magazine, Beverly Hills Today and Beverly Hills Magazine. Her new book ‘You Lucky Dog’ is a humorous novel for dog and human lovers alike and the unlikely love story of Jake and Emma, a young couple thrown into a very unusual situation.

‘You Lucky Dog’ is the story of Jake and Emma, a young married couple who seem to have everything. They are in love and live with their dog Jake in the leafy suburbs of Los Angeles. One rainy Saturday, Jake the human is on his way to take their West Highland terrier dog Jake to the vet when he gets into a horrible car accident. That event changes everything for him as he is now in the body of the dog and his human body is dead. Chapter One begins with the blunt statement: “I Can’t Believe I’m Dead” so there is never any doubt that he dies and from there he goes back to explain how he got there. At first, he struggles to accept his new life but at his funeral he tells Emma what happened and together they find a way to make it work. Eventually he becomes bored with the simple dog life at home and reaches out to become famous as a dog celebrity. Once he becomes content with being Jake the dog, he stretches out in his doggy bed to take a nap and wakes up a human again.

With her third book, Debra Finerman reaches out to dog lovers everywhere with a love letter to dogs and their owners. This light-hearted romantic comedy is written in the first-person narrative and successfully gives readers insight into what a dog’s life must be like. It is a dog/human version of Freaky Friday without taking itself too seriously. Jake the human was not a bad person in the beginning, but as a dog he not only becomes protective and nurturing but he also learns to appreciate each day as it comes. ‘You Lucky Dog’ is small book and easy to read and the perfect book to pick up for a quick read before the summer ends. It is recommended for dog lovers who appreciate a book for a dog’s point of view. The only complaint is Jake the dog’s uncertain fate at the end.

*A copy of this book was received for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Start a Successful Business’ by Colleen DeBaise

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‘Start a Successful Business’ by Colleen DeBaise gives readers important information on business entrepreneurship. 

Colleen DeBaise is a contributing editor at Inc. and podcast host at The Story Exchange, a media nonprofit devoted to women business owners. She is the founder of Hampton Bee, a media site that provides news and tips for consumers who support small businesses on Long Island’s East End. In 2005, she was the winner of the Newswomen’s Club of New York’s Front Page award for specialized writing. Her book ‘Start a Successful Business: Expert Advice to Take Your Startup from Idea to Empire’ gives expert advice for helping potential entrepreneurs get their business off the ground.

From the editors at Inc. Magazine, ‘Start a Successful Business’ simplifies the business process and includes startup stories made to inspire and spark entrepreneurs into action. Its purpose is to walk readers through the seven crucial stages that it takes to build a successful business from idea to empire. Each chapter makes up one of these steps: Chapter 1: Come Up with a Brilliant Business Idea, Chapter 2: Select the Best Strategy and Structure for Your Startup, Chapter 3: Figure Out Funding, Chapter 4: Get the Word Out – and Get Customers, Chapter 5: Dig Deep to Discover Customer’s Wants and Needs, Chapter 6: Become an Exceptional Leader and Chapter 7: Prepare to Go Global.

All include various case studies and last words that summarized the chapter. Chapter 2 includes important basics everyone should know such as how to write a business plan that includes plan templates, components of a business plan, permits and paperwork while Chapter 3 has the all-important subject of business funding and provides funding sources such as credit cards, retirement savings, crowdfunding and professional investors. It also includes ways to calculating startup costs with bootstrapping tips like sharing office services and equipment, lease instead of purchase and negotiate fees and terms with all service providers and suppliers.

‘Start a Successful Business’ gives readers clear and concise information on starting a business from idea to successful business and includes interviews with success stories meant to inspire the everyday person to strive out on his or her own. It is meant to inform and motivate people who want to start a new business but do not know where to start and gives them easy step by step advice. The stand out chapter is Chapter 4 because it has much needed advice on how to get the word out about a new product or service. These ideas include networking, referrals and reviews, affinity groups, cold calling and advertising. Specially geared towards modern advertising is the ‘Social Media 101’ section that has the different social media networks, how they work and which one to use depending on a person’s needs: YouTube for tutorials, Instagram for visual based ideas and Snapchat if target audience is young, as with millennials. The tone is relaxed and easy to understand and follow. It is recommended for those with little to no business knowledge and is full of useful advice, ideas and success stories to motivate anyone who has ever dreamt of being a business owner.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Superhero Ethics’ by Travis Smith

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‘Superhero Ethics’ by Travis Smith is an interesting look at superheroes and the qualities that makes them worthy of emulating. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Travis Smith is an American author who received his PhD from Harvard University and is associate professor of political science at Concordia University. He has been collecting comic books since he bought Uncanny X-Men #207 with his allowance in 1986. His writing has appeared in the Weekly Standard and Convivium Magazine. In his latest book, ‘Superhero Ethics: 10 Comic Book Heroes; 10 Ways to Save the World; Which One Do We Need Most Now?’ he uses superheroes to put the focus on timeless human conditions and examines how people use them to shape their character and face life’s challenges.

‘Superhero Ethics,’ poses the questions: given the choice, which superhero should people follow today? Who is most worthy of admiration? Whose goals are most noble? Whose ethics should people try to emulate? Travis Smith takes ten top superheroes and pits them one against another, chapter by chapter. The hero who better exemplifies how people should live advances to the final round. By the end of the book, a single superhero is declared the winner and is crowned the most exemplary. It is divided into the Introduction, Chapter 1 The Best of the Beastly: The Hulk versus Wolverine, Chapter 2 Beacons of Imagination: Green Lantern versus Iron Man, Chapter 3 Responsibility and the City: Batman versus Spider-Man, Chapter 4 Ideals in Action: Captain America versus Mister Fantastic, Chapter 5 Gods in a Longbox: Thor versus Superman and the Conclusion, where the author reveals the winner.

With superheroes being more popular than ever, Travis Smith uses them to explore the topic of ethics in a more familiar way that is also easy to understand. He takes the childhood argument of who is cooler, Batman or Superman and takes it up a notch depending on what a person’s most important human characteristic. For example, if someone “thinks the biggest problem society faces today is the degree of divisiveness exhibited by its citizens, then Captain America is a good role model to adopt.” Even though in the end he declares a clear winner (no spoilers) by examining every aspect of society and human conditions, he hints at the old cliché that everyone is a winner because they all have their endearing and winning qualities. Since it is an in-depth exploration of the comic book world, ‘Superhero Ethics’ is a must-read for comic books fans interested in ethics and will no-doubt leave readers pondering the different topics long after the last word is read.

“…I have learned a few things from superhero stories: First, if some scientist promises to bring all humankind peace and joy through the application of some technology, it means he’s the bad guy; second, global governance is for supervillains; and third, reboots disappoint.”

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Can Business Save the Earth?’ by Michael Lenox and Aaron Chatterji

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‘Can Business Save the Earth?’ tackles the subject of climate change and how businesses can make a difference.  Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Michael Lenox is the Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. His work has been cited by the New York Times, the Financial Times and the Economist. Aaron Chatterji is Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. His research has also been cited by the New York Times, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist. Together they are the authors of ‘Can Business Save the Earth? Innovating Our Way to Sustainability’ now available everywhere. They share their findings on how multiple sectors can minimize environmental impact while driving economic growth.

‘Can Business Save the Earth?’ begins with a Preface that does not shy away from explaining how climate change poses a threat to humanity’s ability to flourish on this planet. Dealing with this issue will require action by not only business but by scientists, inventors, investors, customers, policy makers and activists. The book’s objective is to figure out how to bring these industries together to create the innovations that will address the current environmental crisis and make a difference. Each group is a chapter, Chapter 1 is Business as Savior, Chapter 2 is Innovator as Genius and so forth, that illustrates how each can help make this a greener planet.

Climate change is at the heart of ‘Can Business Save the Earth?’ and the authors do an impressive job of laying out how to start making a difference. With more than a decade of research in the subject, they conclude that it takes work and dedication from companies and individuals who care enough about the planet. The topic of business might seem boring, but the language is down to earth and easy to understand so that anyone who is interested in climate change, sustainability and green matters can appreciate the content. They notate their research at the end with a Notes section that is divided by chapters. Chapter 2, Innovator as Genius, stands out because it summarizes that even if one person comes up with a solution, it is not enough because it takes everyone from the corporate R & D office to the consumer, to make ultimately save the Earth. It is a must read for anyone who is serious about climate change and honestly wants to learn how the system works in creating greater sustainability.

“We all have the power, in one way or another, to serve as catalyst. The question before us, all of us, is whether we will take the actions today to create the conditions under which the innovation system can thrive.”

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Quietus’ by Vivian Schilling

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‘Quietus’ is a suspenseful thriller by Vivian Schilling.  Courtesy photo used with permission.

Vivian Schilling is an American novelist, screenwriter, actress and independent filmmaker. The award-winning author has written the novels ‘Sacred Prey’ and ‘Quietus,’ both of which take place in a supernatural setting and tackle the themes of immortality, existentialism and religious conflict. ‘Quietus’ is a psychological thriller about a young woman brought back from the brink of death to find the world around her forever altered. It will be reissued on Tuesday February 27, 2018.

At the beginning of ‘Quietus,’ Kylie O’Rourke, her husband Jack, her best friend Amelia Blackwell and her husband Dix Hamilton are aboard a small plane headed for Boston through the White Mountains. The flight is uneventful until the weather takes a turn for the worse and the plane goes down in sub-freezing temperatures. Kylie wakes up in the hospital still groggy from the medication and afterwards starts having memories of the crash and events the other survivors do not remember. Putting all that aside, she returns to her normal life, but the memories, nightmares and visions remain, and she starts questioning the events of that night and her own sanity. As the other survivors start dying from suicide, accidents and other tragic deaths, she becomes increasingly paranoid and desperate to filter the real from the imaginary in a desperate attempt to escape a supernatural force determined to even the scales of fate.

It is difficult to describe exactly what type of novel ‘Quietus’ is. Part psychological thriller, part sci-fi/fantasy, it is a suspenseful tale that grabs the reader and does not let go until the shocking conclusion. The language is easy to understand and at 500-plus pages, the action does not falter. As each character succumbs to the inevitable in the Final Destination-like storyline, it is heart-breaking to see them go. Fans of art history are in for a treat in Book Two, Chapter Eighteen when one of Kylie’s clients, an art connoisseur, starts explaining the background of the statues that have Kylie so intrigued. Beautifully written, the fantasy sequences are incredibly realistic and haunting. The personification of Death as someone from Kylie’s past is genius, and, in the end, Death collects the souls it is due because they were never meant to survive the accident. ‘Quietus’ is recommended for fans of gothic novels who appreciate aspects of fantasy, suspense and psychological thrillers mixed in just to keep things interesting.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.