Fiction
THE EMBER AND THE ECHOES. AI-Generated.
Episode 12: The Descent The garderobe chute was a vertical tomb of slime and centuries of decay. Kaelen slid, bracing himself with elbows and knees against the slick stone, the stench of ancient waste a tangible presence. The ringing in his ears from Kaelan’s silencing blast began to fade, replaced by the rush of blood and a distant, thunderous roar.
By Akua Anita18 days ago in BookClub
There Is Only One True Unreliable Narrator...
The unreliable narrator: A new trend in the literary fiction world, usually also falling under the category of unlikeable narrator and plotless fiction. I think, in many ways, the tiktok-afication of this term has pulled it away from what it actually means and is often used as a synonym for an unlikeable narrator.
By The Austen Shelf20 days ago in BookClub
This Book Made Me Afraid of My Own Thoughts
I didn’t expect Intercept to stress me out as much as it did. I picked it up thinking it would be a fun, fast sci-fi thriller, something intense but easy to digest. And it is fast, yes—but it’s also the kind of book that quietly messes with your nerves. I noticed halfway through that I kept pausing, not because I was bored, but because my brain needed a second to breathe.
By Rosalina Jane22 days ago in BookClub
Book Review: Nobboi Doshok by Koushik Ranjit
Koushik Ranjit’s Nobboi Doshok (The Nineties) is a reflective and emotionally grounded literary work that revisits one of the most transformative decades in recent social history. Rather than presenting the 1990s as a fixed historical period, the book approaches the decade as a lived experience shaped by memory, emotion, uncertainty, and youthful aspiration. It is both personal and collective in nature, capturing the inner world of a generation that came of age during a time of transition.
By Manish Bhatia23 days ago in BookClub
THE EMBER AND THE ECHOES. AI-Generated.
EPISODE 3: THE VALE OF WHISPERS Leaving the Marches felt like shedding a skin. The loud, bloody chaos faded into a damp, watchful silence as Kaelen entered the Blackwood Vale. The air grew cold and carried the scent of pine and deep, rotten earth. This was Lord Theron Vance’s domain, and his influence was a chill that seeped into the bones.
By Akua Anita23 days ago in BookClub
THE EMBER AND THE ECHOES . AI-Generated.
EPISODE 1: THE DEBT UNPAID The rain on the night of the Severing did not fall; it was a solid, weeping veil that drowned the world. It soaked through the midnight-blue velvet blanket, threatening to silence the weak cries of the infant wrapped within. The man who placed the bundle on the granite steps of the Iron Ridge Orphanage did not linger. He was a silhouette against the storm, tall and straight as a blade, his face a mask of terrible, empty purpose. He drove a dagger through the blanket, pinning it to the wood, the tip stopping a hair’s breadth from the infant’s side. It was not an attempt to kill; it was a punctuation mark. Attached to the hilt was a sodden scroll.
By Akua Anita24 days ago in BookClub
The Necklace of Aphrodite
The Necklace of Aphrodite The Greek gods were supernatural beings of immense power, worshipped by the ancient inhabitants of Greece. They were conceived in human form and symbolized the fears and desires of mankind. They ruled the forces of nature, guided the sky, the earth, the sun, the rivers, the sea, the stars, the wind… and so forth.
By Gladys Isabel24 days ago in BookClub
January is for Rereading Old Favorites
Like many of us, I set a reading goal each year. I typically read between 50 to 55 books, which is a comfortable amount for my lifestyle. I read 53 books in 2025, and I’m feeling great about that number. But, as I scrolled through my Goodreads account to see my progress for the year, I felt a little disappointed that I didn’t spend much time rereading.
By Kera Hollow25 days ago in BookClub
Christmas Crackers and Coming Home
Welcome back to The Chapter Café, where stories are always on the menu and comfort is served by the chapter. I’m your host, Kristen, and today we’re unwrapping a festive, emotionally rich holiday tale that’s as cozy as a wool blanket and as sparkly as a Christmas cracker. On today’s menu? I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss—a story about coming home, facing old wounds, and finding your place in the world, one snow-dusted step at a time.
By Kristen Barenthaler27 days ago in BookClub
