Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice Review

 

I am so thrilled to share The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice with all of you today! This epic Asian fantasy novel will be available on October 5th, but for now, read on to check out my review of this amazing novel.

 The Orchid Farmer’s Sacrifice is the first book in Fred Yu’s Red Crest Series. This book is a plot-driven Asian fantasy and Martial Arts epic that I promise you are not going to want to miss! Once you start reading this book you are not going to want to put it down. The author quickly swept me away into ancient China to follow the journey of a general’s young son as he is hunted across the country because of a birth mark known as the Red Crest. Feng has lived a life of luxury and training to improve his military genius, but everything is about to be turned upside down in the blink of an eye. As each piece of the puzzle falls into place, Feng will come to realize just how high the stakes are and who the true players really are.

The Orchid Farmer’s Sacrifice is the first book that I have read by Fred Yu, but it won’t be the last. My curiosity was immediately piqued when I read the blurb for this book, and let me just say...I was not disappointed in the least. I was immediately swept away in the first few chapters as Feng and his friends leave a village after a night of drinking. On their way home, they are surrounded and attacked. All of Feng’s friends are killed. The brutality of the attack quickly had me questioning --- why? Why do this? The intent was not to steal, so why? It’s not long before Feng learns that chaos is threatening to tear the entire country apart. His sister has been abducted, his father has left the country, and innocents are being slaughtered.

Page after page of drama unfolds in this book. There were multiple moments where my eyes nearly popped out of my head from shock and surprise. I was suspicious of certain moments in the story and of certain characters, but the author keeps me guessing as to who can be trusted and who can’t. The characters are so engaging and I love how each of the relationships is so unique. I like the romance angle that the author writes in this story. It’s light enough to not distract Feng from the ultimate goal/agenda that his path is set upon, but sweet enough to be revisited at the right moment later on in the book.

I’ll be the first to admit, I wondered when the title would come into play in this book. Be patient, it takes a while to get there, but it’s worth it when it does. I recommend that when you get to the chapter with the orchid farmer...grab a few tissues. You’re going to need them. When I read “he sacrifices himself and his entire family to keep our hero alive” my mind went off in multiple directions trying to guess what the author intended. What happens --- I couldn’t have seen coming. While the scenes that play out are heartbreaking and tragic, the family’s strength in their final moments...is profound.

The author truly shows Feng’s growth and development throughout this book. When this book began, I thought Feng was a good but untried member of the military. Brace yourself...he’s not that good. So many characters point out his ineptness so many times it must be true! LOL! But while they point out his weaknesses, they also acknowledge his strengths. Several also work to help him improve and show him that truly is a prodigy in the making. Now, he just has to outsmart the enemy, learn from his mistakes and stay alive.

If you read the word “fantasy” are hoping for something mythical to happen in this book like true creatures of fantasy worlds, you’ll be disappointed to find out that there are none. But that shouldn’t be a reason to turn away from this book! It’s fantastic without all of that. This book is plot-driven, but the characters are another aspect of that driving force. They capture you and keep you page-turning in the hopes that they will succeed and live to see another day. The twists buried throughout this book will keep you digging for the secrets hidden deep within.

This book easily claims 5 out of 5 stars. The Orchid Farmer’s Sacrifice is an amazing story that will keep you coming back for more and eager for the next in this series. You will feel a range of emotions from beginning to end, and even after you’ve finished reading this book will stick with you long after you’re done. This book is definitely one of the top 10 novels of this year that I have read and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Feng has a tough road ahead of him. Grab this book, you won’t be disappointed in this author’s dynamic creation.  

My thanks to the author, Fred Yu, and R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

Available October 5th!

International Giveaway: Paperback copy of the book

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The Redcrest Prequel

About the Author

As a lifelong student of martial arts, and growing up watching martial arts flicks in the 80s and 90s, Yu decided early on that he would write in this genre. Inspired by George RR Martin’s work, he decided he would write a series in English in this centuries-old Asian genre. Yu has written three previous novels, The Legend of Snow Wolf, Haute Tea Cuisine and Yin Yang Blades. Yu has a BFA Film and Television from NYU Tisch School of Arts. He was born in Guangzhou, China, but presently lives in New York City.

Fred Yu  

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The Color of Rain Book Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for romantic historical fiction novel, The Colour of Rain: A Kansas Courtship in Letters by author John W. Feist. Read on for details and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card!

The Color of Rain

Publication Date: September 1st, 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction/ Romance/ Based on True Events

Publisher: Winter Wheat Press

Separated by a great distance in the 1890s, can a widower and a schoolteacher overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their love and commitment? John Feist unfolds a true-love story, old-fashioned letter style, in his historical romance novel, The Color of Rain.

Handsome, well-respected local banker, now eligible bachelor, Frank Wilson is nothing less than a hot-ticket item with “the path to [his] home? a pilgrimage for unmarried women bearing casseroles.” He’s not interested in remarriage right away-except for Irene, a schoolteacher living two train connections away. A long-distance courtship commences. The lovers keep to weekly letter-writing since they barely have the chance to see each other, especially when trials and tribulations convolute their individual lives.

“Feist’s rich writing style stitches historical details, providing a seamless flow from letters-writing to narrative sections that capture everyday life’s realities amid unsettling times. A true-love historical romance that will have readers riveted to the page. Highly recommended!” -Chanticleer Reviews, five stars

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Excerpt

Frank could not converse in the carriage Ethan Alton drove behind the green wagon to the railway station for his train home. Frank had brought Allie to the St. Joseph hospital twelve days before she died. Their family doctor had run out of anything meaningful to do or say about whatever it was that put her in bed a week before that. Between visits to her bedside, Frank had talked with the Altons about sickness and mortality until he, too, had run out of meaningful things to say. Today, the Altons did converse but accepted his silence. He looked from one side of the street to the other. A normal day. But the sun-splashed houses, buildings and people he saw were water-colored contrivances not from his world.

The Altons sat with him in the St. Joseph terminal until his train yanked him toward home, toward two sons, their thirty-seven-year-old father now widowed. Their mother would be buried beside two infant siblings in a graveyard which he was later to design as a more formal cemetery. It was now an unshaded patch of hill in the northeastern Kansas town of Horton, founded just ten years before. 

The train crossed the railroad bridge over the Missouri River to the Kansas side and started to speed up its run toward Horton, putting soot into the cloudless sky. The tracks of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway would not pass such a waterway again in their transit of the vast Kansas wheat fields and prairie grasses. But, for the next three hours, Frank’s journey would be only fifty miles across wrinkled hillocks of sorghum, oat and corn fields, and over streams lined with willows and cottonwood trees. Soon farmsteads came into view that he knew by name. He had financed those farmsteads. He was banker to these farmers. Today he saw that his fields of collateral needed rain badly.

Seeing familiar crossroads and steeples brought back thoughts of the girl he fell in love with.  The smile he fell in love with. Allie lived the love commandment. She held a constitutional belief in the goodness of others. She delighted in her encounters with everyone without reservation or exception. Whoever felt her smile felt improved. Frank did so daily. It was not some occasional, wordless expression to signal mood or assent. It was the emblem of her soul.  Her smile was her distinctive song, regular as dawn, constant as breath.

Frank had seen life leave Allie. He had watched the swarm of nurses drift away while he stood stationed at the foot of her bed. A doctor he had never met before declared, unnecessarily, that she had expired. It hurt to hear it. It hurt to smell the still, sultry air. What exactly she died of had not been evident or ever explained. I’ll forever wonder why, he thought. No, please . . . not on the train. He stiffened. His mouth bent downward. He stifled himself. The whistle shrieked.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

John W. Feist is the American author of a series of political thrillers, “Night Rain, Tokyo” (2018), “Blind Trust” (2019), and “Doubt and Debt” (2021), plus a literary novel, “Diamond Mornings” (eLectio Publishing, 2016). He is semiretired from a career in business law in California and government relations advocacy in Washington, D.C. His work experiences planted the seeds for his thrillers with their lawyer-protagonist, observations of Japanese culture, and high-stakes international business deals.

Having inherited from his mother, an Equity actor, a love of drama and literature, Feist has appeared on Washington, D.C.-area stages, and provided live audio descriptions of theatre and opera performances for The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Kansas and a JD from Stanford Law School. Feist lives in Falls Church, Virginia. He has two sons and two grandchildren who live in California.

John W. Feist

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Danger at the Cove Review

Danger at the Cove is the second book in Hannah Dennison’s Island Sisters Mystery series. This cozy mystery takes readers to a beautiful fictional island where the sisters Margot and Evie are working to get the hotel ready for opening, which is quickly approaching. What they (well, at least Evie) expecting is for one of her sister’s friends to be making a “un” expected appearance and to have invited her latest love interest along with for the ride. Prepare for things to get dangerous when one of their workers ends up dead, followed by another victim in a matter of days. This cozy mystery whodunit is one that you’re not going to want to miss.

Danger at the Cove is the second in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Trust me, I missed reading the first book, but eagerly dived into this book had no problem engaging with the charismatic characters enclosed in the pages. I loved the relationship between the sisters. While Margot gives off the vibe of that she still clings longingly for Hollywood, she’s not going to go diving off to immerse herself back in it on a whim. Evie is definitely the more grounded sister and the one I can relate to the most. I love how smoothly the storyline flows. The sisters are working to fix up the hotel, but I honestly thought that they owned it. Of course, it’s pointed out through one of the characters, that in fact, they don’t. The way the author writes the necessary facts concerning the characters in the right moments is absolute perfection.

There are so many fascinating aspects to this book! The shipwrecks are engaging, but the secrets the characters are keeping are even more fascinating! LOL! Patty is one exceptional police officer and knows how to get the down and dirty on everyone! Her interrogation techniques had me not knowing which way was up. LOL! But the way that the author keeps you on the edge of your seat is just as on par. The twists and turns kept me completely engaged and page-turning to try and figure out who did what. I was spot on with guessing one aspect, but while my radar was going off concerning another character --- I did not see that twist coming at all. Add in the cat helping with the whole process as well by simply being an “Instagram star” color me impressed. LOL

This book is easily 5 out of 5 stars. I can’t wait to read what happens next with Margot and Evie! Could there be some romance on the horizon? I’m literally crossing my fingers that the answer will be yes. LOL! But if you love a good cozy mystery with thrills, danger, and a healthy dose of drama then you are going to want to grab this book.

More Than the Game Book Tour

Who loves bad-boy, Sport Romance?

We're celebrating the release of Jenni Bara's latest novel, More than the Game! Read on for more details and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card!

More Than the Game (Becoming and Evans #1)

Publication Date: September 14th, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Sport Romance

Trending on social media is her nightmare.

Beth Evans, former Olympic golden girl, known for a national scandal and daughter of a rising political star, is more than happy to stay out of the spotlight, living life as a normal single mom in a small Jersey town. The last thing Beth needs is Twitter’s favorite bad boy–Marc Demoda–walking into her life to stir things up.

Marc lives for the three b’s; baseball, bars, and ball bunnies, until the unthinkable happened. An accident destroys his shoulder and his career, leaving him desperate to get back in the game. Too bad no one hires notorious bad boys to coach. With his reputation on life support, Marc finds his saving grace might be the feisty blonde he can’t get out of his head.

When pictures of Beth and Marc’s chance encounter blow up on Twitter, they strike a deal to avoid further scandals and fix their image. But even in the harsh public spotlight, their fake relationship begins to feel real. Beth’s growing feelings for Marc have her questioning if she can permanently handle the limelight, just as Marc wonders if Beth might mean more than the game.

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Excerpt

Marc walked down the ramp over the dunes in front of his house with his water bottle, cooling off after his evening workout. He took a selfie and sent it to Austin, telling him to post it with a comment about keeping in shape. For fuck’s sake, he wouldn’t let anyone think he was getting fat. He pulled his shirt back on and leaned against the railing overlooking the Jersey coastline.

Who knew getting good media was so hard? When he’d been pitching, even bad press wasn’t that bad. He’d been patient with being called a drunk, a drug addict, a hothead, even a whorish disease-infested sleaze bag, but he drew the line at fat.

His eyes scanned the beach while he sucked in a breath of salt air. He sank into one of the two chairs he’d placed on the wooden planks, watching the runners who dotted the sand this time of night. Nothing caught his eye until he landed on slender, toned legs in a pair of tight Sideline shorts. The woman reached down to tie her shoelace, allowing him to catch a glimpse of her heart-shaped ass.

He swallowed, feeling relieved. For days he’d tried to drudge up interest in the women he met in bars and clubs, but he couldn’t. It had been years since he spent so many consecutive nights alone.

Seeing this woman, watching her bend down, Marc found himself interested. He smiled as he brought the water bottle up to his lips, but it stopped halfway to his mouth when the woman turned around, and he realized it was Beth. Shit. How had he not known this was the same woman he’d spent days uselessly trying to forget? He shook his head in frustration.

Ever since that night, when he’d been close to placing his lips on Beth’s, he’d spent most of his waking hours thinking about her. He couldn’t believe how badly he’d messed up by asking her to go out with him. He winced.

But he’d have to think about what that meant later if he wanted to catch up with her now. Marc left the bottle sitting on the chair’s arm and took off down the ramp towards the water.

“Beth,” Marc called, but she didn’t hear him. When he got closer and she still didn’t answer, it became clear she was ignoring him. No one ever ignored him–especially not women. Marc picked up his pace, putting himself in her path, forcing Beth to acknowledge him. Her eyes tracked over him, and his stomach tightened before she glanced away.

 “Marc,” she replied coolly. Her tone clearly showed her annoyance. He’d have to try harder.

“It’s beautiful this time of night,” he said awkwardly.

That was the best he could do?

He shook his head as he moved in step beside her, slowing his long legs to match her shorter strides.

“I usually enjoy it alone.” Her eyes took in anything and everything apart from him.

“Lucky you; now, you don’t have to,” he joked sending her a smile—knowing full well by her body language that she didn’t see it as lucky.

She didn’t even crack a grin back.

“I realize I owe you an apology.” Her glare turned softer as, at last, she snuck a glance at him, so he continued. “Beautiful women make men nervous and we say stupid things.”

“It’s been two weeks, and that’s the best you got?” She shook her head and tried to speed up, but he easily matched her pace.

“I was trying to ask you out for a drink or dinner or something, and it came across like I was trying to get you into bed. That’s not what I meant.” Those words felt strange coming out of his mouth. They were true now, but for most of his life that statement would have been a lie.

“You think I don’t know Marc Demoda’s reputation?” Beth rolled her eyes, but Marc almost missed his footing.

“You know who I am?” He made a poor attempt to keep the shock out of his voice.

“Of course.” Beth stopped suddenly and turned in the opposite direction. “This is where I head back. Enjoy the rest of your run.”

Marc stood frozen after her apparent dismissal.

In hindsight, it was obviously she knew who he was. His father had called her a VIP client, and his sister spoke about Beth as if Glory knew her. On top of that, repeatedly Beth called him Marc without him having to introduce himself.  But he’d assumed as soon as she discovered who he was, she would be falling over him like every other woman he met. She was so different. 

“Beth,” he called, taking off down the beach after her. She seemed not to hear him, or maybe she was ignoring him again, but that didn’t stop him. “Did Steve know too?” He slowed down and matched her stride again.

“Yes.”

“He didn’t care either?” Damn, kids were always impressed with him. She shot him a look that said, Are you kidding me?

“You’re definitely not going to be his pick for a teammate anytime soon.”

“I had an off night.” He couldn’t even blame it on his bad arm; it was her fault. “Normally I’m more impressive.”

“Marc, you flooded my kitchen and played bad baseball. That’s the extent of my impressive experience with you.”

“Then give me a chance to do better."

“I’ve told you I’m not interested,” Beth sighed.

Couldn’t she spend some time getting to know him before she decided he wasn’t worth her time?

“Well, I am,” he huffed. Wow, that was his comeback? Maybe even given a chance, he wouldn’t impress her.  

“Why, Marc?” Beth stopped running and looked at him.

It was a good question, and one that he damn well wished he could answer, but he didn’t know. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. His eyes slid over her sweatshirt and then lingered on her hips. He reached for curl that had fallen out of her ponytail and tucked it behind her ear.

“I can think of a few reasons,” he said, his voice low and throaty. Without consciously deciding to, he’d fallen back into seduction mode.

Instead of backing away, Beth let her hand run down his arm before grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer, so almost no space existed between them. She stood up on her toes and let her mouth move to within a centimeter of his ear. His gut clenched as a jolt shot down his body and he licked his lips in anticipation of what she’d do. He finally had her.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Even as a young child Jenni Bara would conjure up all kinds of tales with her endless imagination. She’s improved her skills since the days of scaring her younger cousins with ghost stories, but her love for books and stories has never changed.

In her everyday life, she is a paralegal for family law writing unhappily ever afters for people every day. So in turn she spends her free time with anything that keeps her laughing including life with her four kids, or five if you count her husband!

All joking aside she is blessed to have not only a very supportive husband but super supportive parents as well as a loving extended family always happy to share their opinions! 

Her favorites spots all have the best views of the sunsets and she loves to share the views through photos

Jenni Bara | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Vampire's Possesion Review

 

Vampires Possession is the first book in Anna Santos’s Vampire Court series. This book is a paranormal reverse harem romance. This steamy novel revolves around Emily as she finds her life taking a whirlwind turn. She goes from living a mundane life working late hours at a convenience store, to living the life of luxury and relaxation in a mansion with three handsome men. She’s told that they are vampires (except for one) and that she was their sire in a previous life. The clock is ticking on Emily allowing them to fully bring her into their world, but things are about to get extremely chaotic for her.

Vampire’s Possession is packed with steamy moments. While the blurb makes the story sound really engaging and interesting, the actual storyline itself falls a bit flat for me. There isn’t a lot of development that builds up to things. The prologue piques my interest, but the shift doesn’t follow through to it’s full potential. I was expecting the men to woo and romance her, but it’s more of a “jump into bed” type scenario throughout. I don’t mind the steamy situations, but I wanted there to be more growth and development first.

I’ve read books by this author before, and I hate to say it, but this book is a disappointment for me. This book is more sex than storyline. Emily spends more time jumping from guy to guy in this book than anything else. The author says that Emily spends time here and there reading the diary and spending some time in the library with Antoine, but one can hardly say that her time spent there is truly fruitful. The storyline pops up here and there which encouraged me to stick with the story, but I wanted more. This book honestly reads more like an erotica fantasy novel than a paranormal romance reverse harem.

I think that there are some serious missed opportunities throughout. The author could have given readers excerpts from the diary to let readers know what all Victoria was talking about. The threat/danger is presented and then resolved before the story ends, which seems like yet another missed opportunity to take things in a different direction.

For readers who love mostly steamy novels then this book will be one that you’ll want to check out. For readers who want more --- a more storyline focused novel, this book might not be one that you’ll want to check out. I’m rating this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The storyline had potential, but it never manages to get there since it seems that sex was the main focus. It’d have been different if the sex had had a “purpose” i.e. helping her regain memories, but it’s purely enjoyment while the real story happens somewhere off paper. I’m not sure if I’ll continue this series.

Silver Linings Book Blitz

Happy publication day to author Viola Tempest! Check out her new novel Silver Lining, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of this genre-blurring book!

Silver Lining

Publication Date: September 26th (Today🎉)

Genre: Dystopian/ Dark Romance

Tired of one-night stands and failed relationships, Marissa Sinclair sets out to change her luck by creating Silver Lining, a revolutionary contact lens that matches people with their one true love.

Like Marissa, Bethany Rose, among others, is hopeful the lens will help her find the love of her life. But soon, the perfect solution becomes her worst nightmare…

A major malfunction blurs the line between reality and disaster. Bethany, a once bright, beautiful young woman, loses touch with reality. Her life spirals out of control and leads her down a dark tunnel between madness and the consequences of gambling with her love life.

Witnessing the disturbing transformation, Thea is convinced the technology is to blame. The only problem is, no one believes her. With her desperation growing stronger and her desire to pull her friend out of the abyss, she risks everything to let the world know the truth. But will she succeed in her mission, or will the desperate all fall victim to the Zetas?

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Excerpt

Bethany wasn’t safe though. She thought it would be easy to just forget, to just immerse herself in the fantasy world and ignore the real world, because it’s not like she was happy in it anyway. But the façade kept falling apart.

Haven didn’t have a job, so he was around her all the time. She needed space, needed to breathe, needed somebody she didn’t have to babysit or take care of.

And then when he did get a job, she wanted him back in the apartment, back in her life all the time, because they no longer spent any time together. So, he got a part-time job as a waiter, but part of her knew that wasn’t real. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore.

And then when he was at home all the time again, the cycle started all over. And he never called her out on it, just bent to her will. And the more he did, the more the logical part of her brain piped up, saying that this couldn’t be real. She was living in some sort of love-sick nightmare.

“Honey, please stop pushing me away.” Haven looked up at her from the couch. “Let me say this, no matter how much you try and push me away, I will never leave. You can’t argue your way out of this relationship by nitpicking at me. I love you too much for that.”

“But that isn’t healthy! You need to be your own person, not let me walk all over you!” Bethany finally screamed.

She heard a thump somewhere in the background, but when she tried to focus on it, she couldn’t register where it had come from. Bethany looked around herself, and her eyes fell on the remote. She walked over.

“Please, don’t hurt yourself with that anymore. You know how you feel when you turn it off,” Haven said.

She glared at him and clicked the button. The smell hit her nostrils, and Bethany screamed, trying to get the crawling bugs off her skin. She needed to turn on the lens again; she couldn’t live like this.

“Miss, open the door,” someone banged on the entrance to her apartment.

“Shit.”

A heavy thump sounded, and a man shoulder-pounded against the door so hard that the lock broke. Bethany clicked the remote on instinct.

She managed to register the police uniform right before her world shifted, and Haven returned. Then, she saw nothing but him, sitting in the middle of the couch, smiling as the sunlight streamed through the open windows.

“What’s wrong with me?” Bethany asked.

She could feel a pressure on her arms, but she had no idea why.

“Relax, honey, you’re okay.” Haven got up and hugged her. His fingers carded through her hair.

“I’m still mad at you.”

“I know, but everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

“Miss, miss, can you hear me?”

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Rising author, Viola Tempest, yearns to find truth in the modern world. She loves to write dystopian fantasy and dark romance novels depicting human reality.

Viola Tempest

Giveaway: Paperback Edition of Silver Lining (Giveaway ends on September 29th)

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Shepherd's Burden Blog Tour

 

Welcome to the book tour for award-winning novel, The Shepherd's Burden by Ryan Young. Read on for more info and a chance to win a signed copy of the book (North America) or a digital edition if you’re international!

The Shepherd’s Burden

Publication Date: June 18th, 2020

Genre: Paranormal Thriller

1st Place Winner, 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards, Paranormal Awards for Supernatural Fiction Category

Staff Sergeant Daniel Jefferies has returned home to upstate NY after nearly being killed in an ambush in Iraq. Plagued by the trauma of war, he struggles to find his place in a world that he no longer recognizes. He feels disconnected from his family and friends. But, none of his burdens are heavier than the terrifying secret that he has kept about a mysterious encounter from his youth. When a suspicious murder occurs, he will discover that he has been chosen for a purpose that transcends life and death, forcing him to confront his past. In order to stop the killer, he will have to make choices that will change the fate of the people he loves the most. Can Daniel summon the strength of mind and body, that he once had as a soldier, to face the most profound and consequential challenge of his life?

Excerpt

Daniel took the main route out of town. It took them through the city center and back to the site of Nella’s murder. As they approached the site, they saw a man and his young son crossing the road with their donkey. The donkey was towing a wooden cart full of produce. There was an open-air market in the city center. People traveled there to sell their goods. For many of them, it was their only source of income. The boy was four or five years old and the cart was fully loaded, so they were moving slowly. Daniel pulled to a complete stop to allow them to cross. 

“Keep an eye out,” Keith yelled up to Aashirya. 

It was always dangerous to be stopped in the middle of a road in Iraq. Instead of the vehicle being a moving target, which could be hard to hit, it became a stationary target, which was much easier to hit. The chances of an ambush greatly increased.

It was Keith’s job to keep his team on alert, but the heightened state of awareness didn’t change his demeanor. He was perfectly calm. He pulled out another cigarette and lit it while they waited for the man and his son to cross the road. He offered one to Daniel, but he turned it down.

“I can’t understand how nothing seems to bother you. I’ve been doing this just as long as you have. No matter how many times I’m out here, I still get nervous. I wish I knew your secret,” Daniel said.

Keith laughed it off.

“There is no secret, Danny. I told you before, nothing lasts forever. Everyone dies at some point. It’s a foregone conclusion. It’s not a question of if, but when. What’s the difference if we die now or fifty years from now? We shouldn’t fear death. We should embrace it.”

“I think you have been out here too long. You are really starting to trip me out. I think you need a long nap and a cold beer. After that, you need to get laid and seriously rethink that no-fear, embrace death bullshit. Personally, I would much rather be afraid and alive than calm and dead.”

Daniel turned his attention back towards the road. The man and his son were now directly in front of the vehicle. The boy stopped walking and turned to look at him. When they made eye contact, Daniel got an eerie feeling that something was wrong. Before he could react, a large explosion went off underneath the Humvee. The blast tossed the vehicle fifteen feet into the air, landing it on its side. 

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About the Author

Ryan Young is a former Army Captain and Iraq War Veteran. He is a lover of all things fantasy and sci-fi. A native of Utica, NY, he now calls New England home.

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