The Chrysalis BREW Project

Books, Reviews, and Everything Written (BREW) for you

ByThe Chrysalis BREW Project

Feb 11, 2024

Books for 2024

 Books / by The Chrysalis BREW Project / 754 views

Are you looking for books to read? Check out this list of recent submissions and let us know what you think?

On love: Demystifying love through rhymes

“Between romance and fantasy, grief and melancholy, between pain, anger, and revenge – delving into the many facets and scenarios of love, a young woman shares her experiences and contemplations of this ever-inspiring emotion. In her poems, love is intertwined with sincerity and innocence, passion and mystery, betrayal and sorrow. It reaches the peaks of lust and sin, before it ends as simply as it began.

What does true love feel like? Is everyone capable of it? Can we love again after being hurt? – These are but a few of the questions entertaining the author’s mind as she’s trying to demystify something we all want to know.

She writes to and for all the lonely souls, dreamers, and lovers. She offers words of comfort and encouragement, she tickles the senses, and invites reflection – all in order to celebrate and inspire the feeling.

In the end, love does make our lives a pinch better. The purpose of this collection is to try to do the same.” 

MIKA

“Books have the power to surprise, to challenge, and to ignite the imagination. Take a leap of faith, turn the first page, and let the story unravel organically. Within the covers of this short book is a story that is waiting to be told.
I invite you to take a leap of faith, to trust in the magic of storytelling without knowing where the path may lead. Let curiosity be your guide and the pages your map as you break into the unknown. Sometimes the most memorable tales are those we uncover with each turn of the page, expect the unexpected waiting at every corner. So without a glimpse into the plot, let the excitement of the unknown be your reason to dive in. Discover the beauty of the unspoiled narrative, and let the words themselves weave a spell around you.” I intentionally made the blurb vague to promote the idea of going in blind. This is a LGBT short story.


You Are There

“Feathery Elliot and squirmy Theodore
are the best of friends. One morning
Theodore mysteriously ‘disappears’.
Follow in Elliot’s tiny footsteps as he
finds out what is special about
Theodore, his green and glowing
friend, in this colourful story of holding
onto hope.” “Emerging author and experienced
illustrator, Felicity Wrangles was born in
England and lived there till the age of 8,
until her and her family moved to the sunny
land of Australia. Felicity likes to challenge
herself by expanding her skills into new
areas of interest, and enjoys creating stories
to give life to her illustrations.”

Descending Into Darkness

  • Jessica Lee Sheppard
  • Jessica Lee Sheppard lives in rural Ontario with her husband and four children. Her debut novel, “The Adventures of Izzy Adams: Descending into Darkness,” draws inspiration from her daughters, Izzy and Rhylynn. Jessica graduated with a degree in Psychology from York University and then obtained a Social Services Worker diploma from Loyalist College. She then went on to obtain a Master’s in Social Work from Windsor University. Her diverse experiences spanning mental health, child welfare, and education infuse her stories with depth and understanding.
  • https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Izzy-Adams-Descending-Darkness/dp/1738028003/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1704421959&sr=8-1
  • Fiction, new adult, paranormal fiction
  • Supernatural elements, dealing with loss and grief, family dynamics, self discovery, and social issues
  • 65,099
  • 978-1-7380280-0-9
  • 11/26/2023

““Descending into Darkness” unfolds the gripping story of Isabelle “Izzy” Adams, a young woman whose life takes a dramatic turn when she is unexpectedly pulled into the spiritual realm. Raised in a family deeply rooted in tradition, Izzy stands at a crossroads, torn between familial duty and her ambitions. Her internal struggle, fueled by a longing to attend university and drive societal change, is compounded by her guilt over her father’s death and the weight of family expectations.

While overwhelmed with emotions one night, Izzy astral projects into the spirit world. In this mystifying and treacherous domain, she encounters malevolent forces drawn to her emotional state and a protective spirit claiming to be her soulmate. Together, they navigate this otherworldly landscape, dodging imminent threats and eluding Izzy’s spirit guide, who is determined to erase her memories and send her back to her ordinary life.

“Descending into Darkness” is more than a tale of paranormal encounters; it is a journey of personal transformation. Izzy matures from a conflicted individual into a more self-assured person, learning to stand up for herself and let go of her guilt. The narrative powerfully encapsulates themes of self-discovery, the courage to pursue personal dreams, and the strength of spiritual connections. Beyond its mystical elements, the novel addresses profound social issues, including racism, immigration, poverty, and bullying, making it a resonant story of coming of age, family conflict, friendship, and love.”

Venality

  • Vontae Jones
  • “At 23 years old, Vontae has been writing for as long as he can remember. He sheltered his dream throughout his tumultuous upbringing and has honed his skills through countless hours of study and error to bring you his debut novel, VENALITY. Vontae seeks to inspire his peers to follow their dreams no matter what others say and to become enlightened to the power naturally indwelt within us all.”
  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ5S7Z28
  • YA Sci-Fi Thriller
  • Life is taking chances on others
  • 106k
  • 12/28/2023

“Ridgeway is the last place on Earth, and the Matsumotos are one of the billionaire families that dominate the city. That was until the government stormed their estate and assassinated their lineage, except Takara, who escaped with her little brother Riku. But time has run out. Years as an exiled fugitive have depleted Takara’s resources, and it won’t be long before she and Riku starve. Her last hope is joining a team of Ridgeway’s most elite criminals, who promise her all she needs in exchange for her help in a string of daring heists.

What begins as a desperate attempt to survive becomes an opportunity for Takara to make the life she stole from death worth living. But the past is close behind as the team’s crimes uncover a thread to her family’s dark legacy. Her father left countless sins in his wake, and as Takara searches for the truth behind her family’s elimination, she finds that the consequences of his most vile act are alive and slowly reaching for her. Will Takara have the strength to let go of the trauma of her past and accept the reality she is creating for herself, or will she remain an afterimage bound to her father, and learn just how much blood is on the Matsumoto family tree?”


Things To Aim For

  • Rodney Ross
  • “Author Rodney Ross lives, writes and sweats in Southern California.
  • ‘Diversionary Fires’ was a Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA) competition, in the Literary Fiction category.
  • ‘The Cool Part Of His Pillow’, now in its 2nd edition from JMS Books, was the 1st Place Winner in the GLBT Fiction category from both the NIEA and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards; Silver Medalist in the 2013 Global EBook Awards; and Honorable Mention in the 2012 Rainbow Book Awards.
  • Also from JMS Books: ‘O, Christmas T(h)ree’, ‘The Old Man At My Door’; ‘Smoking With Didi’ ; ‘Otis’ ; ‘Bended Knee’; and a non-fiction essay in the ‘The Other Man: Twenty-One Top Writers Speak Candidly About Sex, Love, Infidelity, Heartbreak and Moving On’.
  • Other works include ‘Signing Off’ in the short story collection’ Impact’, from Other World Ink.
  • Past achievements include an optioned screenplay and play, both unproduced. Other screenplays earned Honorable Mentions or runners-up citations in the Monterey County Film Commission, FADE-IN and the LGBT One-In-Ten Screenwriting Competitions. Ross was also cited as ‘Most Creative’ in the Key West Mystery Fest Writing Competition.”
  • https://www.jms-books.com/rodney-ross-c-224_417/things-to-aim-for-box-set-p-4992.html
  • Fiction
  • LGBTQ+
  • 105,387
  • 9781685506797
  • 1/20/2024

“‘Things To Aim For’ accurately summarizes this LGBTQ+ collection by Rodney Ross — previously published by JMS Books, now conjoined.
A Palm Springs Christmas gathering gone awry…a father seeking to euthanize his dead son’s cat…a circuit-party leftover bound for his father’s funeral… a restaurateur who self-sabotages a lucrative Valentine’s Day seating…and an old man who revisits the house he grew up in… characters flail, fail and always prevail with warmth and humor.”

EVERYTHING ALIENS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX* (*But Were Afraid to Land and Ask)

  • Bruce Golden
  • Bruce Golden’s short stories have been published more than 150 times across a score of countries and 40 anthologies. Asimov’s Science Fiction described his novel Evergreen, “If you can imagine Ursula Le Guin channeling H. Rider Haggard, you’ll have the barest conception of this stirring book, which centers around a mysterious artifact and the people in its thrall.” His latest book, Monster Town, is a satirical send-up of old hard-boiled detective stories featuring movie monsters of the black & white era. It’s currently in development for a TV series.
  • http://tinyurl.com/mr3wnv6v
  • Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, and some
  • Non-fiction
  • Love, lust, and other realms of human desire.
  • 50,000
  • 979-8873456703
  • 1/2/2024

“The perfect gift for that special person in your life. This book features short stories, essays, novel excerpts, and factual reports about love, sex, romance, lust, and the realm of human desire. Inside its pages you’ll find tales both dark and humorous, romantic and passionate, weird and wonderful.
Among the many offerings . . . an ageless devotion that defies both science and logic . . . a drug that heightens the intensity of the human orgasm . . . an animated warrior princess who springs to life out of a television screen . . . a mythical sea maid who guides and protects the first colonists headed for Maryland . . . alien observations of human sexual practices . . . young love so strong it transcends time . . . and the legendary Robin Hood’s encounter with a mystical forest nymph.”

Tentacle Tied

  • Zeina Khalem
  • Pansexual and polyamorous half-deaf immigrant writer and visual artist living in Los Angeles.
  • https://a.co/d/a8pSoLb
  • Fiction (erotica, short story)
  • Chance encounter with a mysterious and sexy monster
  • 4300
  • 9780990629054
  • 10/6/2023

A cabin getaway gives one traveler more than what she bargained for when she finds something lurking in the hot springs nearby…

Harvest Cruise

  • Rebecca Benison
  • A professional storyteller, Rebecca Benison’s weekdays are spent connecting with audiences on behalf of brands, while her nights and weekends are devoted to fiction. Her work has been published in the Workers Write! literary journal, Empyrean Literary Magazine, Newsday, the Long Island Herald, and a host of other publications. Harvest Cruise is her debut novel.
  • https://www.chickenhousepress.ca/bookstore/p/harvest-cruise
  • Fiction Cruise Thriller
  • 80,000
  • B0CP2WGM92
  • 1/28/2024

“Geri is an introverted writer who is most comfortable at home. When her boss-turned-best-friend wins two passes for a single’s cruise, she thinks she’s taking steps towards expanding her circle. What begins as an uncomfortable but enticing foray into a world of awkward flirting and adventure, quickly becomes a fight for survival.

With kidnappings, murder, and conspiracy, Geri finds herself in the middle of a story she never could have imagined writing.”

Werecats Convergent

  • Mark J. Engels
  • “Boyhood interests in trains and electronics fostered Mark’s career as an electrical engineer, designing and commissioning signal and communications systems for railroads and rail transit agencies across the United States. Authoring articles for rail industry trade magazine such as Railway Age and Trains, coupled with long-time participation in anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms, led him to write paranormal sci-fi thrillers featuring the modern-day remnant of an ancient clan of werecats. Growing up in Michigan never far from one of the Great Lakes, Mark and his wife today make their home in Wisconsin with their son and a dog who naps beside him as he writes.
  • Mark is a member of Allied Authors of Wisconsin, one of the state’s oldest writing collectives, and the Furry Writers’ Guild, dedicated to promoting quality anthropomorphic fiction and its creators.”
  • https://www.amazon.com.au/Werecats-Convergent-Forest-Exiles-Saga-ebook/dp/B0CGCCZH6P/
  • Fiction: Urban Fantasy
  • Werecats Convergent and additional Forest Exiles Saga books feature the modern-day remnant of an ancient clan of werecats, torn apart as militaries on three continents vie to exploit their deadly talents. Stories which fans of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson franchise and Brad Magnarella’s Blue Wolf series can sink their teeth into!
  • 76,000
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8988190233
  • 8/22/2023 “Defeated, conflicted, and on the run…

Born in an ethnic Chicago neighborhood following her family’s escape from Cold War-era Poland, were-lynx Pawly flees underground to protect her loved ones after genetically enhanced soldiers led by rogue scientist and rival werecat Mawro overrun her Navy unit in the Gulf of Oman. Pawly’s family seeks her out in a desperate gambit to return to their ancestral homeland and reconcile with their estranged kinsmen. But when her human lover arrives to thwart Mawro’s plan to weaponize their feral bloodlust, Pawly must face a daunting choice: preserve her family secrets and risk her lover’s life or chance her true nature driving him away forever.” “All three books in my series were published between May and November of this year, and are available in ebook, paperback, and KU.
I am a member of Allied Authors of Wisconsin, one of the state’s oldest writing collectives, and the Furry Writers’ Guild. I’ve been in the anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms for over thirty years. My books are my way of giving back to the fandoms which have brought me great joy. Thank you for your consideration.”

Surf n Turf

  • Jo-Anne Duffett
  • Jo-Anne Duffett is a medical doctor with a passion for reading. She loves travel, photography and running. She hopes this book inspires you to travel to South AFrican and to come enjoy our unique landscapes
  • https://www.amazon.com/Surf-n-Turf-Jo-Anne-Duffett/dp/1528907205
  • Fiction; Romance Sweet / clean romance, travel
  • 62126
  • 978-1528907200
  • 12/8/2023

“Disconcerted by her boyfriend’s hasty marriage proposal, London-born Sarah cycles from Cape Town to the Karoo in search of her heritage, and her heart.
On the way, disaster strikes leaving her lost and confused in an arid landscape. Rescued by a handsome sheep farmer, she has just a locket; a phrase: “”touch the stars”” and a faded map, to navigate her way forward.
As for Luan, one minute he is warm and friendly, the next haunted by pain and so distant.
What has hurt him so deeply? What will it take to melt the ice around his heart? Can Luan help Sarah find what she is looking for?”

Here There Be Monsters: Out of the Shadows Book 1

  • Josh Wright
  • Josh Wright is a fourth-generation Okie and lives in Piedmont, OK with his wife and two children. His head is full of useless information about superheroes, movies, and Scooby Doo but fails to retain more useful things like names of people he’s met more than once and where he put that thing he’s looking all over the house to try and find.
  • https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQV7HYJS?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
  • Fiction, Urban Fantasy Monsters and Human Beings Coexisting in the Modern World and the issues of xenophobia and tension that creates
  • 100619
  • B0CQV7HYJS
  • 12/22/2023

“800 years ago, Witches from another dimension tried to take over the world.

300 years ago, the paranormal beings they left in their wake came out of the shadows to join human society.

Now, a knight cursed with immortality, a mummy with eldritch powers, and a werewolf police captain are on the trail of a serial killer hunting paranormals. The reasons why will lead them deep into a world of corruption where religion mingles with politics, humanity’s xenophobia is on full display, and the monsters aren’t necessarily the ones with claws and fangs.”

Facts Are Stubborn Things

In “Facts Are Stubborn Things,” Chance Cormac takes on a divorce action that brings him into a world of corporate intrigue, international money laundering and corruption, and forces him to confront some hard facts about the law and himself. This book was a finalized for the Best Thriller Book Awards

Emma’s Fury

“After a brutal and unnatural death, Emma is reborn as a Fury, a descendant of the mythological deities who were tasked with the judgment of man. They are tasked with protecting the delicate balance between humans and the paranormal world.
In the world of the Fury there is no room for the frivolity of human nature; no room for compassion or a need for love. To fall victim to such volatile emotions leads only to ruin and suffering.

In the shadows, darkness rises, endangering the tightly controlled world of the Fury. Emma must survive an intricate web of deceit and betrayal as the questions mount.

With the aid of her guardian, David, they must find a way to beat back the evil that threatens to devour them.

Will her hope of finding her place in this world be dashed by the insurmountable odds?
Can she control the overwhelming emotions threatening to tear down her carefully constructed walls?” Screenplay adaptations placed at the 2021 Worldfest screenwriters awards

The Butcher and the Bard

“Marai is a mercenary. She is known amongst criminals of the shadows as the Lady Butcher. She lives in a world that abhors magic and punishes all magical folk, forcing Marai to hide her true self. She is half-fae, one of the last of her kind, after her people were savagely massacred.

But when Marai takes a commission from Ruenen, a young bard running from two powerful kingdoms, she is forced to confront the magic she’s tucked away inside herself as darkness spreads across the Continent of Astye.

Marai must protect Ruenen, and get him safely to the mysterious land of Andara, before he falls into the hands of cruel kings, bloodthirsty vampires, vengeful pirates, and mysterious dark magic.

Is Ruenen’s secret worth risking Marai’s own life? Is Marai ready to confront the demons of her past, and embrace her strength within?

“”The Butcher and the Bard”” is the first book in J. E. Harter’s new electrifying Dark Magic Series.” My apologies, my book covers (even photos OF my covers) all exceed 1MB. I attached the cover page because it’s the only thing that would upload. I can send the cover in another way if you decide you’d like to review.

Goyhood

  • Reuven Fenton
  • Reuven Fenton has been covering breaking news for the New York Post since 2007, and has earned national recognition for his exclusive reporting on myriad national stories. He is a graduate of Yeshiva University and Columbia University School of Journalism. Goyhood is his debut novel.
  • https://www.amazon.com/Goyhood-Novel-Reuven-Fenton/dp/1771683686
  • Contemporary adult fiction Jewish, coming-of-age
  • 82,000
  • 1771683686
  • 5/28/2024

A devoutly Orthodox Jewish man discovers in middle age that he’s not, in fact, Jewish, and embarks on a remarkable road trip through America’s Deep South with his estranged ne’er-do-well twin brother to come to grips with his fate. I have blurbs from more than a dozen distinguished authors, including Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Joshua Cohen.

Dreams and Metamorphoses

“A near-death experience.
A machine for sharing dreams.
A sewer mutant searching for a home.
An accidental end-of-the-world cult.
A plant that lets you into other minds.

Dreams and Metamorphoses is an intriguing collection of whimsical stories that takes us on a journey through enchanted realms where the boundaries between dreams and reality blur, and where people turn into other things.

Drawing on magical realism, fantasy and science fiction, and with a kaleidoscopic cast of cats and dogs, devils and dragons, mutants and aliens, polar bears and six-foot talking penises, this eclectic collection invites us to explore different dimensions, from the mystical landscapes of dreams to the transformative moments that redefine our nature, and to ask questions about where we end and others begin, why we change, and why we don’t.”

Your Forgotten Sons

  • Anne Montgomery
  • “Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. Her first TV job came at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter. She finished her on‐camera broadcasting career with a two‐year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. Her previous novels are A Light in the Desert, The Scent of Rain, Wild Horses on the Salt, The Castle, and Wolf Catcher. Montgomery taught communications at South Mountain High School in Phoenix for 20 years. She is a foster mom to three sons and a daughter, and spent 40 years officiating amateur sports, including football, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball. When she can, she indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, theater, and playing her guitar.”
  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CT3JCZ46
  • Historical Fiction/World War II loyalty, sacrifice, loss of innocence
  • 60,668
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CT3JCZ46
  • 6/6/2024

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him? Your Forgotten Sons is inspired by a true story.

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