Gsmc Book Review Podcast

Sarah speaks with Nuzo Onoh about her horror novel, A Dance For the Dead: "On a moon-lit night, Diké , heir to the Kingdom and leader of the terrifying warrior cult, the Ogwumii, falls asleep inside his bedroom. He wakes up to find himself trapped within the secret shrine of the village deity, a dark cave forbidden to all save the powerful witchdoctors. Overnight, the mighty warrior-prince becomes an Osu— an untouchable and outcast.In disgraced exile in the forbidden shrine, his sole companion is the raging ghost of a murdered slave girl, wrongly sacrificed to the gods on the false prophecy of a lecherous witchdoctor. To break the Osu curse, Diké must find the traitors who orchestrated his downfall and embark on a terrifying journey to the ancestors' realm, a deadly quest that could end his life or return him to full citizenship and glory." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please

Sarah speaks with Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey about the first book in their new techno-thriller series, Enigma Tracer: "Phillip Pliant is the wealthy opportunist plastics dealer, and CEO of Pliant Industries. He’s also a master thief—creating a pervasive threat to the manufacturing infrastructure in the Caribbean islands markets. With the cartel as his stealth client, the naïve city leaders have been seduced, enabling the production of more than 3-dimentional building materials. And set the stage for massive chaos and destruction. Pliant has locked up contracts, assets, and control of any future expansion. His contacts and clients salivate over their probable financial reward—the expected profits are monstrous. Is the R-Group, now led by Gracie and the family heirs, strong enough to win against this predator? Can JJ’s CATS (Cyber Assassin Technology Services) act on the root-cause analysis in time? Will the R-Group and CATS sabotage Pliant’s plan before it’s too late? Can Jeff and Keith use thei

Sarah speaks with Kelle Z. Riley about the two newest books in her Riches and Royals series, Reluctantly Royal: "racie lost her father, her sister's friendship, and her confidence in a single night. Now, her academic research in her sister's new home—the Kingdom of Melesia—gives Gracie a second chance. But when she falls in love with the king's brother, she'll have to risk both her heart and her privacy to join him in his world. Oh, and there’s just a couple of other little things. She must break a promise. Admit to a betrayal. And possibly stand trial for treason. Can love conquer all? Or will Gracie lose her chance to become reluctantly royal?" and Counterfeit Commoner: "When Lady Sophia de Lyons, former fiancé to a king and protected daughter of the aristocracy, masqueraded as an American commoner, she didn't expect to fall in love. She gets more than she bargained for when the man of her dreams turns out to be the tabloid reporter of her nightmares. Can she ever

Sarah speaks with Victory Witherkeigh about her young adult dark fantasy/horror novel, The Girl: "It is the year 1521. A blood-red moon sets the stage on the evening of April twenty-six on the Philippine island of Mactan. This night, famed chief, LapuLapu, and his men discuss the terms given to them by a man, Magellan of Spain, who arrived on a large wooden ship. LapuLapu leads his people in a defeat of the conquistador in battle the following day by asking his village holy man to invoke the goddess of Death at the price of his future generations. The girl is a descendent of this chief who led his men into battle to kill Magellan and the holy man who called upon the goddess of Death." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank o

Sarah speaks to Elisa Bernick about her memoir, Departure Stories: Betty Crocker Made Matzoh Balls (and other lies): "Elisa Bernick grew up "different" (i.e., Jewish) in the white, Christian suburb of New Hope, Minnesota during the 1960s and early 1970s. At the center of her world was her mother, Arlene, who was a foul-mouthed, red-headed, suburban Samson who ultimately shook the walls of their family until it collapsed. Poignant and provocative, Departure Stories peers through the broader lens of Minnesota's recent history to reveal an intergenerational journey through trauma that unraveled the Bernick family and many others. Deftly interweaving reporting, archival material, memoir, jokes, scrapbook fragments, personal commentary, and one very special Waikiki Meatballs recipe, Bernick explores how the invisible baggage of place and memory, Minnesota's uniquely antisemitic history, and the cultural shifts of feminism and changing marital expectations contributed to her family's

Sarah speaks with Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop about her memoir, Daughter of Spies: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies: "s a child, Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop, along with her five brothers, was raised to revere the tribal legends of the Alsop and Roosevelt families. Her parents' marriage, lived in the spotlight of 1950s Washington where the author's father, journalist Stewart Alsop, grew increasingly famous, was not what either of her parents had imagined it would be. Her mother's strict Catholicism and her father's restless ambition collided to create a strangely muted and ominous world, one that mirrored the whispered conversations in the living room as the power brokers of Washington came and went through their side door. Through it all, her mother, trained to keep secrets as a decoding agent with MI5, said very little. In this brave memoir, the author explores who her mother was, why alcohol played such an important role in her mother's life, and why her mother held herself apart from al

Sarah speaks with Roger Leslie about his memoir, Light Come Out of the Closet: Memoir of a Gay Soul: "How do we live with a God, or ourselves, if who we are dooms us to Hell? As a joyful boy who realized I was gay,I fought for my happiness and faith as prejudices of family and religion isolated me from the world. Battered and withdrawn, could I rediscover the God of love I first learned about as a boy? In the process, could being gay be the gift that introduced me to my soul? In the dark night of our soul we find our own light!" If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with us: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https://gsmcpodcast.com/gsmc-book-review-podcast Ap

Sarah speaks with Kirsty Loehr about her book A Short History of Queer Women: "No, they weren’t ‘just friends’! Queer women have been written out of history since, well, forever. ‘But historians famously care about women!’, said no one. From Anne Bonny and Mary Read who sailed the seas together disguised as pirates, to US football captain Megan Rapinoe declaring ‘You can’t win a championship without gays on your team’, via countless literary salons and tuxedos, A Short History of Queer Women sets the record straight on women who have loved other women through the ages. Who says lesbians can’t be funny?" If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with us: https://gsmcpodcast.com/adve

Sarah speaks with D.A. Mucci about the second book in his Ignatius series, Ignatius and the Battle of Dinas Affaraon: "The sweat pours from his brow…as Iggy forges a sword from a meteorite. Will it be the weapon to save them? As the evil and obsessed Emperor Mallak plans to kill Iggy for his crystal amulet, Iggy is distracted by Raraesa. His crush makes it hard to focus, but he’s becoming a master smith. With that comes the muscles that will make him a great fighter, too. There’s just one problem. A dark wizard, a Death Knight, and five thousand soldiers have been tasked with hunting him down. Where will he hide? The mysteries of the Nostaw Warrior still haunt Iggy. There must be a reason he was given the sword and he prays it will help him return to his place and time, but Pennsylvania seems far off. Is the answer on the Island of Cambria?" If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Pleas

Sarah speaks with Carla Damron about her suspens, crime fiction novel, The Orchid Tattoo: "Social worker Georgia Thayer can balance her own mental illness with the demands of an impossible job. Mostly. But when her sister vanishes in the dead of night, her desperate quest to find Peyton takes her into the tentacles of a human trafficking network-where she encounters a young victim called "Kitten." Kitten is determined to escape. She won't be trapped like the others. She won't sell her soul like Lillian, victim-turned-madam, feeding the dark appetites of international business moguls and government leaders. But the Estate won't let her out of its lethal grip, and her attempts at freedom threaten her very life. Aided by Kitten and, at times, by the voices in her head, Georgia maneuvers to bring down the kingpin of Estate and expose its dark secrets, but her efforts place her-and the few people she allows to get close-in grave danger." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and

Sarah speaks with Patty Mechael about her Middle Grade book, The Antidotes: Pollution Solution: "Just when a group of fifth-grade friends is returning to normal life and to school after a global pandemic, the waters of the Chesapeake Bay have become polluted by a plastic-eating bacteria experiment gone wrong—and both fish and kids are getting sick! Izi, Gir, and their friends go to science club and discover a fishy cover-up. The school has to close down again! These climate warriors who call themselves the Antidotes join forces with public health activists to find clean water solutions. The friends use STEM strategies to help save the earth from a potential disaster—they also have secret meetings, do a little spy work, and make some useful discoveries. The Antidotes race against the clock to get out the word to kids around the world about how to stay safe. But—will the Antidotes be able to get enough kids to achieve zero plastic use before it makes any more fish or children sick? Join the Antidotes in

Sarah speaks with David A. Bowles about the most recent book in his Westward Sagas series, Sherriff of Starr County: "When Texas becomes a newly-minted state, good men and women work hard toward progress and peace. Texas Ranger Will Smith travels to the borderlands of the Nueces Strip to become the first Sheriff of Starr County. He’ll do what he must to bring justice to the frontier, including wrangling outlaws, navigating political intrigues, fighting Indians, and keeping the tenuous peace between the Tejano and Anglo residents. He encounters influential statesmen and entrepreneurs of early Texas, assists the US Army, and falls for two very different women." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast N

Sarah speaks with Mazey Eddings about her novel, The Plus One: Some facts are indisputable. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Gravity exists. Indira doesn’t like Jude. Jude doesn’t like Indira. But what happens when these childhood enemies find the only thing they can rely on is each other? On paper, Indira has everything together. An amazing job, a boyfriend, and a car. What more could a late twenty-something ask for? But when she walks in on her boyfriend in an amorous embrace with a stranger, that perfect on paper image goes up in flames. Jude has nothing together. A doctor that’s spent the last three years traveling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend’s wedding has him struggling to readjust. Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding event that’s stressing Jude beyond belief and has Indira seeing her ex and his new girlfriend far more frequently than any human should endure, the duo strike a bargain to be each othe

Sarah speaks with Alison Levy about the second book in her Daemon Collecting series, Blue Flame: "While introducing Leda Morley, last of an ancient line of gatekeepers, to the ins and outs of her daemon-collecting work, Rachel Wilde encounters something far more dangerous than any daemon: a young boy who stands alone against an unseen yet terrifying enemy that has invaded his home—an inhuman creature who, hellbent on revenge for a minor slight, intends to harm the boy’s oblivious family. Meanwhile, Leda’s brother, Simon, is feeling left out of his maternal family legacy but is coping partly by helping Rachel’s friend Bach—a previously homeless man with unusual mental abilities—get his life back on track. In the midst of all of this, Bach unintentionally but serendipitously makes contact with a capable otherworldly being who, with great reluctance, agrees to help Bach and his friends take on the dangerous creature that’s just become their problem to solve. Together, this group of unlikely allies must put

Sarah speaks with Catherine Raphael about her debut novel Journey to the Heart Stone: "In the beginning, the Goddess danced the world into existence. Peace reigned for generations through matriarchal rule within the Minca, Dute, and Carroo tribes. But then one man’s lust for power destroyed this balance: Vestor assassinated his sister, Mother of the Minca tribe. His army ravaged the Dute and Carroo tribes. A once-idyllic world was thrust into war, famine, and despair. Yet today, there is hope. Vestor’s niece, Cora, has a vision: if she can convince an emissary from each tribe to rendezvous at the Heart Stone, she can overthrow her evil uncle, take her rightful place as Mother Minca, and restore harmony. But the Dutes have disappeared deep into their mountains. There are rumors that the Carroos are extinct. And Cora must move swiftly—lest Vestor learn that she’s pregnant with the Mincan heir." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app th

Sarah speaks with Mary T. Ford about her novel, Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President: "Tennessee, 1955. Conley Ford learned quickly the world's full of hard knocks. Seeking the wrong kind of excitement, the restless thirteen-year-old falls in with a group of older boys joyriding in stolen Mercury cars... until he is arrested and put on probation. With a harsh father waiting and too embarrassed to face his classmates as a jailbird, the impetuous youth leaves town, making it all the way to New Orleans. No stranger to demanding work from the age he was old enough to walk, Conley uses his wits and street smarts to commandeer a hot dog cart and make some cash. But when a turf war and a near-fatal accident sends him back home, the resourceful teen faces a choice between staying in misery or once more striking out into a dangerous world. Can this troubled young man ever find somewhere he can thrive? Inspired by real events and told through cleverly crafted storytelling, Mary Fo

Sarah speaks with Anthony McGowan about his book Dogs of the Deadlands: "Chernobyl, 1986.Natasha’s world is coming to an end. Forced to evacuate her home in the middle of the night, she must leave her puppy behind and has no idea if she’ll ever return. Some time later, growing up in the shadow of the ruined nuclear power plant, pups Misha and Bratan need to learn how to live wild - and fast. Creatures with sharp teeth, claws and yellow eyes lurk in the overgrown woods. And they’re watching the brothers’ every move..." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with us: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https://gsmcpodcast.com/gsmc-book-review-podcast Apple Podcasts

Sarah speaks with returning guest J.P. McLean about the second book in her Dark Dreams series, Ghost Mark: "Jane’s nightmares are back—and this time, they’ve unleashed a brutal killer. Jane Walker’s nightmares aren’t imaginary—they’re glimpses into the traumatic past; and the past can be dangerous, especially now that Jane’s protective birthmarks are gone. Worse, she’s no longer invisible within her dreams—and learns this the hard way while using her power to incriminate a ruthless killer. Inadvertently revealing her ghost form, she launches him on a relentless hunt to track her down. Even more disturbing, Jane knows this man. She once tried to use her power to save him from injury, but instead set him on a path of violent crime. Now, he’s targeted the man she loves, and Jane must keep one step ahead of this cold-blooded assassin before he gets rid of Ethan permanently. Jane has one last chance to fix the mistake that altered this man’s history, but that means taking her most dangerous dream journey y

Sarah speaks with Kim Taylor Blakemore about her historical fiction novel, The Deception: "New Hampshire, 1877. Maud Price was once a celebrated child medium, a true believer in lifting the veil between the living and the dead. Now penniless, her guiding spirits gone, the so-called “Maid of Light” is desperate to regain her reputation—but doing so means putting her faith in deceiving others. Clementine Watkins, known in spiritualist circles for her bag of tricks and utmost discretion, creates the sort of theatrics that can fill Maud’s parlor again, and with each misdirection, Maud’s fame is restored. But her guilt is a heavy burden. And the ruse has become a risk. Others are plotting to expose the fraud, and Clem can’t allow anyone—even Maud—to jeopardize the fortune the hoax has made her. When the deception hints at a possible murder, Maud realizes how dangerous a game she’s playing. But to return to the light from which she’s strayed, she must first survive the darkness created by Clem’s smoke and mi

Sarah speaks with Susanne Dunlap about her historical fiction novel, The Portraitist: A Novel of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard: "Based on a true story, this is the tale of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard’s fight to take her rightful place in the competitive art world of eighteenth-century Paris. With a beautiful rival who’s better connected and better trained than she is, Adélaïde faces an uphill battle. Her love affair with her young instructor in oil painting gives rise to suspicions that he touches up her work, and her decision to make much-needed money by executing erotic pastels threatens to create as many problems as it solves. Meanwhile, her rival goes from strength to strength, becoming Marie Antoinette’s official portraitist and gaining entrance to the elite Académie Royale at the same time as Adélaïde. When at last Adélaïde earns her own royal appointment and receives a massive commission from a member of the royal family, the timing couldn’t be worse: it’s 1789, and with the fall of the Bastille he