Sophia Rose is here today with the historical fiction, The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper. Come see why Sophia enjoyed this blend of historical fiction and mystery served with a dash of romance.

The Fossil Hunters
by Tea Cooper
Genres: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:

Buried secrets. An ancient fossil. And one woman’s determination to unravel a nineteenth-century mystery.

Australia, 1847. The last thing Mellie Vale remembers before the fever takes her is sprinting through the bush with a monster at her heels—but no one believes her. In a bid to curb Mellie’s overactive imagination, her benefactors send her to visit a family friend, Anthea Winstanley. Anthea is an amateur paleontologist convinced she will one day find proof that great sea dragons swam in the vast inland sea that covered her property millions of years ago. Mellie is instantly swept up in the dream.

1919. Penelope Jane Martindale arrives home from the battlefields of World War I intent on making peace with her father and commemorating the deaths of her two younger brothers in the trenches. Her reception is disappointing. Desperate for a distraction, she finds a connection between a fossil at London’s Natural History Museum and her brothers’ favorite camping spot—also the last place they were seen before falsifying their ages to join the army. But the gorge has a sinister reputation: seventy years ago, several girls disappeared from the area. So when P. J. uncovers some unexpected remains, the past seems to be reaching into the present. She’s determined to find answers about what happened all those years ago . . . and perhaps some closure on the loss of her brothers.

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Sophia Rose’s Review

Dual Timelines of the past, country Australian setting, a mysterious disappearance, and the hunt for a ‘sea dragon’ make for a compelling historical adventure. New to me author in a favorite genre with the finding of dinosaur bones at the heart of the story had me enthusiastic to try The Fossil Hunter.

Like most dual time line stories, this book flips between the two periods in alternating sections. I enjoyed the fact that the most recent period was still a fascinating historical time.  One time period is Victorian era Australia and the second is Post-WWI England and Australia. 

The author infuses the past story with dramatic overtones as a young girl with chicken pox is taken in by the local doctor’s wife when she is left alone. Mellie doesn’t fit in with the genteel doctor’s daughters or their friends, but she is sent along to Aunt Anthea Winstanley for a summer holiday where Anthea introduces the lonely, picked on Mellie to the world of fossils and the fossil hunting at the Bow Wow ridge. Undercurrents between the girls and later with a situation that arises from Anthea’s past give it a mystery feel. 

Meanwhile, in PJ’s time, she has been an ambulance driver in the war, fallen in love with a charming American ambulance driver, but mourns the loss of her younger brothers who died in the war and the loss of her relationship with a father who inexplicably blames her for their deaths. She ends up catching her brothers’ fossil hunting fever and follows the twisting trail in the past right back to Bow Wow ridge and its secrets.

A blend of historical fiction and mystery with a dash of romance, The Fossil Hunter was well-written, full of rich, colorful descriptions of the time and settings as well as the complex characters. I can’t exactly put my finger on the tone of the writing- not exactly atmospheric and yet, there is something that makes the reader feel something darker is being hinted at under the surface and building in the background.  This sensation is a favorite feeling I have when a story builds so I was excited to get through the pages even when I felt the book got a little slow in spots. The reader is let in on the secrets of Bow Wow Ridge and Miss Baldwin who is there when PJ comes looking for answers about her brothers’ fossil find, but there was still a twist and reveal even while PJ finally gets things resolved with her family’s past and the pain in the present.

All in all, I thought the Fossil Hunter was a fab period piece and I definitely want to read more of Tea Cooper’s historical novels. I enjoyed getting an Aussie author presenting some Aussie history and can definitely recommend this ‘dino’-mite book to other historical fiction fans.

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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/10/the-fossil-hunters-by-tea-cooper%ef%bf%bc.html

No Unpaid Passengers is a collection of poetry expressing your life’s experiences and learning to choose yourself as what matters. Why was this an important collection of poetry for you to write?

Thank you for that description, it’s very accurate! Too often, we forget that we are our own #1 priority – if we’re not taking care of ourselves, healing ourselves, and loving ourselves, it becomes almost impossible to fully show up for others in our community. And also, when we’re not prioritizing our own internal care, it can be difficult to be aware when our needs are not being met in our external relationships. If we don’t love ourselves enough, how can we ever release the people, places, and things that harm us?

This poetry collection reflects a lot of that. Much of what I write is inspired by my own healing journey, from complex family dynamics to religious trauma to racial tension – these are all things I work through with my therapist and inner circle constantly. Each poem in this book was written at a pivotal moment in my healing journey – moments of pain, joy, sorrow, grief, love, friendship, and more can all be found in these pages. It is an important collection that I can’ wait for others to hold in their hands so that they know they are not alone. Healing is possible.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?

The hardest poem to write in this collection by far was “How to Build a House.” It is a poem that details decades of religious trauma, and how I’ve been trying to rebuild myself in the aftermath. The “House” that I speak of has been an ongoing work in progress, and like the poem suggests, it’s very challenging to build a whole new world for yourself when your foundation has been based in very specific, very strict religiosity. But it is possible – my House isn’t complete, but I am working on it.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Oooh – so many. The critics reviews that I’ve received so far for No Unpaid Passengers have all said similar things – this isn’t a poetry collection that is just about religious trauma or family dynamics or divorce or finding love. It’s all of those things. This book seeks to explore the fullness and complexity of the human experience. There can be joy and there can be sorrow, simultaneously. I hope people see themselves in at least one of these themes.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your poetry collection?

If you take one thing from this collection, I hope that it will be that you are not alone. When we go through grief or pain or trauma, it can feel isolating. But we are all more alike than we are different. I hope you find your community and your healing. And I’m grateful if this book can be part of it.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/12/we-are-our-own-1-priority/

Cathy Burnham Martin narrates the true story of her family in this historical fiction. Destiny of Determination: Faith and Family features generations of Gulumians and their perseverance, strength, and hope as immigrants to the United States. In 1916, after witnessing the brutal persecution of the Armenian Christians by the Ottomans and losing their loved ones, the Gulumians set sail to America. Although not without a few obstacles on the way, they settle and build a life for themselves. The story particularly focuses on the youngest Gulumian, Hrant Gulumian, and his evolution from a young boy who spoke no English to an outstanding young man teaching in an American college.

I have to say, I admire how Cathy Burnham Martin eternalizes her family in print. The story conveys the reality of immigrants and their journey to freedom. It also touches on the vital subject of the struggles of immigrant families to retain their culture in a foreign land and create a close-knitted community. The Gulumians story is sad yet inspiring, and adding descriptive photos of the original families further solidifies the story. Although Destiny of Determination: Faith and Family is book 2 of the series regarding the Gulumians,  as the author mentions, it is not necessary to read the first book.

The author’s storytelling technique is unique. However, occasionally the dialogue between the characters sounds unnatural. The author also tells the story of different generations in a concise read, narrated hurriedly like an overview of history. It is a great book to flip through for anyone fascinated by history. It’s very educational, giving insight into the Armenian genocide with facts. On the side, the book also features an interracial romance that is sure to warm the heart of readers.

Destiny of Determination: Faith and Family (The Destiny series Book 2) is a historical fiction novel based on the author’s family. Filled with emotion, inspiration, and even some romance, this is a story that will educate the reader as much as it will entertain.

Pages: 285 | ASIN : B0B6CX1QF8

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/12/destiny-of-determination/

Five-year-old Clara’s deepest wish is to have a pet of her own. Clara’s wish soon comes true as a sweet orange kitten, Mr. Milo, enters her world. With her caring mother by her side, Clara learns about the responsibilities and fun of caring for a pet. From playing and exercising to a visit to the vet, Clara and Mr. Milo share seven adorable adventures in one gorgeously illustrated volume.

I love pets, and I love this collection of sweet stories about the special bond between humans and animals. Clara’s journey to find a pet is informative, gently taking young readers through the process of adoption, vaccination, and settling both yourself and a pet into a new routine. Striking a perfect balance between explaining the responsibility of caring for a pet and showcasing the joy a pet can bring, this book has such a beautifully optimistic tone that it touched chords deep within my heart. Pet adoption is an important and relevant topic, and I am impressed by the author’s expert handling of the subject. The illustrations by Lana Lee are bright and joyous, each infinitely adorable picture of Clara and Mr. Milo adding an additional layer of life to an already marvelous collection of stories. The only negative is that we never get to see Clara’s mother’s face. However, this is the tiniest of possible detractions from such an incredibly perfect storybook.

Clara and Mr. Milo’s Adventures: Episodes 1-7 by Clara Donis-Girma contains exceptional storytelling and endearing illustrations. This collection of seven stories is perfectly suited for ages four and up, showing the importance of adoption and the fun of caring for a pet. Wonderful for reading independently or sharing with a large group, these charming tales of Clara’s adventures with her best friend Mr. Milo, is a collection certain to brighten your day and warm your heart.

Pages: 156 | ASIN : B0BB5SVDMC

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/12/clara-mr-milos-adventures/

Black Hertz by Karen A. D’Cruz is an exciting and suspenseful read. It’s the story of Stella Liu and Morton Ho, the perfect, attractive, and successful couple. On the outside, they appear flawless and happy, though behind closed doors, their marriage is a contractual agreement, and both Stella and Morton will do just about anything to become rich. While this arrangement may seem amicable, it quickly devolves into a risky venture when cryptocurrency investments and secret business dealings create a downward spiral where they could lose everything.

I found Black Hertz a suspenseful, engaging story that serves as a cautionary tale about where to draw the line between calculated risk and bad decisions that can lead to a dark place with no return. I found the writer’s style easy to follow, with clear descriptions of the characters, their perception, and their reality. Karen A. D’Cruz does a fantastic job of cranking up the tension as the couple delves into darker, shadier deals and lifestyles that could spell their demise, save them from ruin, and bring them success.

This story has many moving parts, and it’s very descriptive and exciting and keeps the reader on edge throughout the book while weaving so many developments together. Morton and Stella are exciting characters, but also complex and each with their darker sides, which makes them both terrifying and intriguing.

Black Hertz is a suspenseful tale about betrayal and deception. Will Stella and Morton find the life of luxury they both want, or fall into darkness from where they cannot escape? I enjoyed how this book tackles the various angles and perspectives of the couple’s life and how many people can display one image while living a vastly different life.

Pages: 248 | ASIN : B0BCHZ8GTX

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/12/black-hertz/

Manson Digby is suffering from amnesia. He remembers waking up in a cemetery but barely knows his name. He doesn’t have any friends except Father Alvarez and Detective Jones. He sets out to find out what really happened to him as he is plagued by anger and dark thoughts of killing those he runs into. Father Alvarez has him convinced that he is there to help him start over on a path of good. But then there’s Lucy, a dark and evil beauty that Manson just can’t get enough of. Manson begins to question who he really is and if these dark dreams are real? Manson begins to have supernatural experiences and starts to think he may not be crazy after all.

Dark Thoughts by Shawn Van Horn is a chilling horror novel that is intriguing right from the first chapter. The author will have you questioning if Manson really is the victim in this situation or if he is pure evil? The sharp descriptions set the haunting scenes well, with attention to details that create a thick atmosphere that feels like a character in itself. With eerie religious undertones and frightening supernatural elements the story gave me the same feeling the movie End of Days did when I watched it many years ago.

Readers will be immersed in the story and enthralled with the mystery of who Manson is and why he is so drawn to Lucy. I appreciated that the author doesn’t spoon-feed the reader the information; instead, it’s slowly revealed to the reader throughout the story; ensuring the tension and intrigue slowly build; like in Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden novels. The action is intense, and there are scenes of blood and gore, but it doesn’t overpower the thought-provoking core of the novel.

Dark Thoughts is a gripping occult horror novel. Readers will be drawn into the mysterious world that Manson lives in and be taken on a thrilling and suspenseful journey as he discovers the truth about himself and the world around him. I highly recommend this dark and intriguing read, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Pages: 299 | ASIN : B0B94S13F9

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/12/dark-thoughts/