Beyond the Mark: Ashes of the Hero by Kevin Gallant

Review by: Samantha M. Siciliano

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Quick Summary:

Beyond the Mark is a dark fantasy adventure novel that follows the journey of two mages, Flynn and Orion. The story kicks off with Flynn engaged in battle alongside three heroes- Basil, Emily, and Maverick- against the Dark Mage. Near the conclusion of the confrontation, Flynn vanishes for 5 years. When he regains consciousness, he finds himself in a mead barrel owned by a ship captain named Orion. Orion is initially wary and distrustful of Flynn, explaining that he is a fugitive with a hefty bounty on his head. Flynn persuades Orion to cooperate by promising her that he will help search for a lost orb if she, in turn, helps him clear his name. The narrative invites readers to accompany Flynn and Orion on their quest to prove Flynn’s innocence, seek knowledge, build camaraderie, and above all, embark on thrilling adventures as they continue their struggle against evil. 

The Review:

Beyond the Mark was an enjoyable, engaging, and quick read. It served as a refreshing change of pace after a heavy historical fiction novel. The experience reminded me of playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends- the story was filled with moments reminiscent of rolling critical fails and sweet natural 20s. It was evident that this first-time author thoroughly enjoyed crafting this work.

I relished the relationship between Orion and Flynn. Their dynamic reminded me of my own long-standing friendship with my best friend, which started off with hesitance but grew into something essential and irreplaceable. Likewise, Fynn and Orion’s relationship blossoms from a tentative connection into a bond where they care for, worry about, and rely on each other. Their witty and sarcastic banter added a lively element to the story and kept me entertained throughout. 

 

As I read, I noticed that the pacing felt very rapid, with events unfolding quickly and without much buildup. It seemed as though everything happened within a span of five days. I believe the author could have devoted more time to developing the world, the magic system, and the backgrounds of the original heroes, as well as the new additions to Flynn’s group. More insight into Flynn’s past and the villain of Silverpeak would have added depth. I am hopeful that future installments will expand on character development and magic-building.

Flynn’s status as a level one mage and fighter after his disappearance was understandable, but I wanted to see more of his growth in basic skills—such as drawing water from a well or using his fire abilities. The prohibition on dark magic limited his capabilities, but the skills he did acquire, like flesh weaving and creating a dark magic vortex, were well-integrated and used effectively at key moments in the book.

The character Winston felt underdeveloped and rushed. Perhaps the author intentionally left gaps in Winston’s backstory to explore his hometown in a future book, allowing readers to learn more later. In contrast, Gemini’s character was well-crafted, with enough backstory and complexity to understand her motivations and see her growth throughout the story. Regarding Victor, I wished for more elaboration on his background and a deeper exploration of his motivations. While his demeanor was convincing and made him an effective antagonist, I wanted to be inside his mind to understand his choices.

One aspect that detracted from the experience was the author’s use of both first and third person narration. Personally, I prefer when an author selects one perspective and maintains it consistently throughout the book. However, I recognize that some readers may not find this bothersome, so this is just a matter of personal preference.

I am eagerly anticipating the release of the second book and plan to be among the first to purchase it. I am excited to see the author’s growth and to discover what happens next to these characters. I hope to see more world-building, character development, and a longer timeline of events in the sequel.

Overall, this novel was exactly what I needed—something mellow, engaging, and enjoyable. I give it a solid 3.7 out of 5.

IN CONCLUSION, READ THE FRACKING BOOK!

Up Next: The Haunted Guide to New Orleans by Rory O’Neill Schmitt, PhD, & Rosary O’ Neill, PhD

The Etruscan by Mika Waltari

Review by: Samantha M. Siciliano

Welcome to the review! Before you read further, I would appreciate it if you could click the blue follow button to the right of this review. Please consider adding your email address to receive updates about future reviews. Finally, please share this piece with a friend you think might enjoy it or post it on your favorite social media platform. Your support means a lot to me!

At the end of the article, you’ll find a comment box. Please feel free to leave your thoughts. I love learning and discussing books! Please be positive and friendly to our writers! Enjoy!

Quick Summary:

The Etruscan is a historical fiction novel that chronicles the life of Turms, an immortal Etruscan on a quest to discover his identity. The story opens with Turms ready to end his life; however, he is struck by lightning and loses his memory. He then embarks on a long journey of self-discovery. During his soul-searching travels, he becomes a pirate, a man of war, a farmer, and eventually something much more. This book takes place around 480 B.C.E. in ancient Greece and Rome. 

 

The Review:

As a former history educator, I find immense fulfillment in exploring histories from around the world, both during my college years and throughout my teaching career—especially while teaching 7th-grade Ancient History classes. However, one challenge in teaching this subject is not being able to cover every event that occurred in different regions during those times. Mika Waltari’s book does a remarkable job of filling in gaps in my knowledge about events and people from that era. Having some background knowledge about the history, names, and regions featured in the book helped me follow along more easily than with The Adventurer, another work by Waltari.

Waltari’s greatest strength lies in his ability to immerse the reader in the culture and time period of his novels. He consistently excelled in each book I have reviewed; the Egyptian being my personal favorite. I especially appreciate the inclusion of maps, which help me visualize where the characters are throughout their journey. While reading, I could vividly imagine the houses, décor, scents, food, appearances, and the cultural differences among the communities Turms encounters.  The section about the Siccani people was particularly fascinating—their way of life and interactions (or lack thereof) with outsiders took up a significant part of the book. I truly appreciated Waltari’s dedication to researching the Siccani and bringing their culture to life.

Having read three other books by Waltari, I have noticed a recurring issue: his portrayals of women tend to be limited, often casting them as either a harlot or a vestal, with little in between. In The Etruscan, Arsinoe—Turms’ partner—embodies this trend. She is depicted as manipulative, conniving, and unfaithful, making her an untrustworthy character. Arsinoe reminded me of Nefer Nefer Nefer from The Egyptian. Conversely, many young women in the book are described as virgins, which, to be fair, was historically considered an important attribute for young women.

Currently, the United States is experiencing a period of turmoil—people are angry, scared, and saddened by the divisions within the country. This nation has faced division many times throughout its history, and is deeply divided as of September 2025. The book highlights several principles that America was founded upon, and I want to conclude my review with a few quotes that stood out to me:

·       “… I do not believe that it is the gods’ intention that only one man or one nation rule the entire world. Nations keep one another in balance. They grow and progress as a result of mutual competition. All nations are equal and human suffering is the same, no matter whether the person be Etruscan, Greek, or black…”^[1]

 

·       “Intelligence, courage, and integrity suffice for a man. Pity the suffering, support the weak, slap the insolent across the mouth, tear the pouch of the greedy, concede the plowman has plowed land, protect the people from robbers and usurpers.”^[2]

 

·       “The law must protect the weak against the strong. The strong do not need protection.”^[3]

I hope that those in positions of influence and elected leadership in our government will champion these values. Compassion and empathy must shine in America again. Without them, I fear we risk falling into the grips of fascism.

This novel is well written and thoroughly researched, offering a wealth of historical information. I give it a solid 4 out of 5.

IN CONCLUSION, READ THE FRACKING BOOK!

Up Next: Beyond the Mark: Ashes of the Hero by Kevin Gallant

^[1] Waltari, Mika. “The Lucumo.” Story. In The Etruscan , 317–317. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1956. 

^[2] Waltari, Mika. “The Lucumo.” Story. In The Etruscan , 350-350. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1956.

^[3] Waltari, Mika. “The Feast of the Gods.” Story. In The Etruscan , 378-378. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1956.

Attached. The New Science of Adult Attachment and How it can Help You Find- and Keep- Love by Amire Levine M.D. and Rachel S.F. Heller M.A.

Review by: Samantha M. Siciliano

Hey friends! Before you read further, I would love it if you could push the blue follow button to the right of this review, maybe even add your email address to get updates, and share with a friend you think may enjoy this (or on your social media of choice)! I would greatly appreciate it!

Also, below at the end of the article is a comment box! Feel free to leave comments, let me know what you loved about the book or the review, any questions you might have, or if you have something to add! I love learning and discussing books! Please be positive and friendly to our writers! Thank you for reading, sharing, and becoming a part of this reading community! Enjoy!

Quick Summary:

Another great book recommended to me by my therapist. This book is really well researched and insightful into the three types of attachment styles that adults have in romantic relationships. The three attachment styles are anxious, avoidant, and secure. It is easy to read and understand with plenty of examples throughout the book. If you are looking for why your relationships might be struggling, to understand why your partner reacts to you a certain way, and how you go about communicating in your relationship, I highly recommend this book. I have a better understanding of who I am and how I can work on improving myself for my family. 

The Review:

I am one of the lucky ones who didn’t read this book before being in a relationship and ended up with a stellar husband that has a secure attachment style. Unlike my partner, I have an anxious attachment style. The book highly recommended finding a match with a secure attachment to have a solid relationship. I am lucky to have a partner that can help calm down my anxious attachment quirks by simply being his best self around me. 

Now, I will say that at times while reading I noticed quite a bit of bias. It felt like secure attachments were put on a very high pedestal and they could do no wrong. If they are like my hubs, then secures tend to be very levelheaded, comfortable and happy in their relationship, and a calm reactor. In a couple of examples, the writers did mention that secures could lose their temper (because they are human after all), but it really talked up how great secures were. The book highlighted that anyone with an insecure attachment (anxious or avoidant) should aim to be with a secure. 

I also felt that avoidants were given a bad rap throughout the book and were made to be the worst of the three attachment styles. There were points when I was reading that I felt the book encouraged the other two attachment styles to stay away from avoidants. I’m not an avoidant, but I did feel kind of sad for them because everyone deserves love. The book did explain how to try to combat the natural ways of avoidant tendencies and become better at your relationship. 

As for the anxious, we tend to be portrayed as a victim whenever in a relationship with an avoidant and our behaviors are tied to our anxious ways. Attached. mentioned many times how the anxious group should have grace for themselves. It felt like the anxious attachments had the most to gain in understanding our ways by reading this book. Apparently about 50% of the population has a secure attachment style while avoidants and anxious attachments make up 25% each. If you are unsure which attachment style you are, there is a quiz on page 40-43 to help guide you. If you are trying to figure out what your partner’s attachment style is, check out pages 52-60.

As an anxious, I learned a lot about myself and how to combat my natural tendencies and behaviors. I struggle with understanding why Tim loves me, why he would stay with me when there are plenty of other people who are better in so many ways than I am, I think about my relationships a lot, I’m sensitive to Tim’s moods, I want closeness in a relationship, I worry about rejection, and I have a hard time not making things about myself. This last one is important for me to explain. I think about Tim and how I can be better for him throughout the day. When he is upset in some way, my brain jumps to what did I do to cause it. This book pointed out my insecurities and how to work through that process by talking about what is going on with Tim instead of jumping to conclusions about what I did wrong and assuming the worst. The book mentioned how we should assume the best when thinking about outcomes.

It was crazy to think about when Tim and I started dating (almost 11 years ago!) and how my anxious tendencies were through the roof. To be fair, we were both new to relationships and were young and dumb. There were a couple of times that my attachment style was a problem, and we almost broke up. There were also times that Tim’s immaturity almost drove me to break up with him. But we talked things out and explained what was happening in our heads and learned that communicating was really what we both needed. We were both scared about how the other would react to the choices we were making as individuals instead of a couple. When Tim and I moved in together, my anxious tendencies calmed down because I knew at the end of the day, I would get to spend time with him and have my anxieties calmed. Our relationship started to flourish quickly. I wish I would have read this book while in those early days as it would have saved us both a lot of frustration. I am so lucky and happy that Tim and I were able to work out our quirks and grow together. 

This book was well written and a great read if you are an anxious or secure person! I will give it a 4/5. However, if you are avoidant, I would search for another book that would explain your tendencies without making you feel like you are the problem. 

IN CONCLUSION, READ THE FRACKING BOOK (if you are secure/anxious)!

Up Next: The Etruscan by Mika Waltari

Haunted French Quarter Hotels by Nicole Beauchamp

Review by: Samantha M. Siciliano

Hey friends! Before you read further, I would love it if you could push the blue follow button to the right of this review, maybe even add your email address to get updates, and share with a friend you think may enjoy this (or on your social media of choice)! I would greatly appreciate it!

Also, below at the end of the article is a comment box! Feel free to leave comments, let me know what you loved about the book or the review, any questions you might have, or if you have something to add! I love learning and discussing books! Please be positive and friendly to our writers! Enjoy!

Thank you for reading, sharing, and becoming a part of this reading community!

Quick Summary:

Are you looking for a fun, eerie book for this spooky season? Look no further than Haunted French Quarter Hotels. This book is a paranormal and historical read about ghostly happenings in New Orleans, Louisiana. America is full of cool history and stories. But New Orleans? That’s where history comes to life because of the ghosts. Don’t believe in them? I dare you to stay several nights at any of these hotels! 

The Review:

Haunted French Quarter Hotels has a little something for everyone! It has paranormal hauntings and historical stories of ownership and culture! It indulges in music history, landmarks, and architecture. Most importantly it includes eyewitness accounts of ghostly encounters which all combines into a unique and fascinating type of read.

I read each chapter with enthusiasm and excitement. I would start by of course googling the place and checking out the outside of the building, rooms, courtyards, and lobby. After investigation, I looked at the pictures of the chapter and read the captions. I LOVE A BOOK WITH PICTURES! It confirmed what I had investigated on my own and made me want to read the chapter more. I indulged in the reading after that, and hung on almost every word, not wanting to miss anything!

My two favorite chapters were the Clean Beds, Dread, and Bloodshed and Bidding Adieu to Little Boy Blue. I am a huge fan of American Horror Story: Coven since it came out. It is probably my favorite season of AHS. When I saw the picture at the end of Clean Beds, I became excited because I wanted to know more about the Axeman since he was so elusive. When I finished that chapter, I realized I was left with quite a few new questions, while some of my old ones were answered. In Bidding Adieu, the picture on page 109 with the chef and the apparition of the little girl was stunning. I stared at that picture for quite some time trying to debunk it. However, I could not with the information given and no actual picture. She is kind of transparent as you can still see what is behind her. She is in period clothing. I don’t know anything of the source that had taken the photo. There is a bit of skepticism, but man is it so cool. 

The chapter that tore my soul out of my heart was Shadows of Suffering. The practice of slavery and the dehumanization of blacks is gut wrenching. I sometimes think of when teaching middle school, I couldn’t go into the depths of how gruesome slavery really was without feeling like I might break my kids. I feel like slavery was glazed over when I was in school and it was something that happened in the past and that’s where it stays. However, it’s not. To really understand American History, we must understand how whites treated Blacks and Black slaves. Blacks and African Americans were tortured, murdered, raped, and had their families torn apart. Some of this history is in this chapter. Even people like the Quakers who believed that Blacks should be free, could not understand the pain that the white community inflicted on a race of people. Because of this treatment in the past, there are racial tensions in America today. 

This book was well written, researched, and quite a great read for this spooky season! I will give it a 5/5. Now I just need to go and purchase the author’s other books!

IN CONCLUSION, READ THE FRACKING BOOK!

I received this from Arcadia Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Up Next: Attached. The New Science of Adult Attachment and How it can Help You Find- and Keep- Love by Amire Levine M.D. and Rachel S.F. Heller M.A.