hen Claire, a massage therapist in the affluent Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, has begun to use her grandmother’s specially blended Amazonian oil on her clients, neither she nor they have any idea of the euphoric bliss that will result. Claire’s five senior citizen clients suddenly find themselves vividly recalling memories of medieval Spanish ancestors. Cecilia Velástegui, in "Traces of Bliss," expertly weaves together past and present to create historical fiction with fantasy touches that make the story come alive in rich, realistic, and astonishing ways. The novel reminds readers of the past’s value and its influence on our lives. The diverse cast of characters provides insight into class and race issues in California and medieval Spain, while taking readers on a fantastic historical adventure that includes Moorish invasions, Basque Witch trials, duende, prehistoric caves, flamenco dancers and gypsies, cross-dressing seventeenth century military men, mermaids, Sephardic Jews, poets, and shamans, and enough surprising events to fill centuries.

This is a very well written historical, romance set in 1908.

Set in 11th Century Europe, "Blomqvist," by author Michael Hickins, is narrated by the protagonist's devoted amanuensis, faithful standard-bearer, and unrequited lover, Axel Oxensteirna. Axel tells us the story of Blomqvist's search for his betrothed, but in the telling, he also bares his own struggle to find his spiritual footing in a confusing and shifting world. Part historical fiction, part mystical meditation, this Mediterranean odyssey traces the course of human history in matters that are relevant to this day.

Set at the height of World War II, as war-related production demands lure legions of southern blacks to northern defense jobs, transforming key cities into both "Arsenals for Democracy" and cauldrons of racial conflict. "Blood in the Promised Land," by author Eliot Sefrin, chronicles the separate, arduous journeys of two men who, at first glance, could not be any more different. An orphaned, impoverished sharecroppers' son, Roosevelt Turner, is black and uneducated, a manual laborer who owns little more than his visions of a better life. In contrast, Jacob Perlman—an affluent, esteemed physician, married and the father of a teenaged daughter. When their paths unwittingly cross during a violent racial incident in Pittsburgh, their fateful encounter instantly reshapes their lives, permitting them to transcend their differences and exorcise the demons of their pasts.

Death is never far for Angry Wasp. His daughter lost to slavers, his wife immersed in powerful sorcery, and his nation embroiled in Montezuma's bitter war. To regain his family, save his nation from extinction, and protect his very soul from dangers far more perilous than he dares admit, there is only one possible solution: a dance with Death, to the haunting melody of hope and loss. In "Five Dances with Death: Dance One," by author Austin Briggs, power, tragedy, and betrayal weave a desperate song of reckless gambles to gain salvation. Every battle draws Angry Wasp deeper into life-threatening events and crucial choices. One wrong decision and he loses it all. When the music ceases and the dead are counted, will Angry Wasp hold the key to his daughter's freedom? Or will he have led his proud nation to its ultimate collapse?

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com reviews When Stars Align

The Aztec Calendar speaks of The Legend of the Five Suns. What if there had been a Sixth Sun and a Sixth Coming? Join Soyala, whose name means The Time of the Winter Solstice in the Hopi Language, as she seeks to discover the truth behind the self-proclaimed Sun King to the South. In "The Sixth Coming," by author Richard Donahue, mythical and some not so mythical beasts abound, as does mystical intrigue and suspense. Journey back to a time to the dawn of science when magical still was the most powerful force in the land. Join Soyala as she seeks to discover her true heritage and that of her grandfather.

In a series of candid letters, Ellis Brantley, a charismatic young seminary graduate with a gift for preaching. chronicles the merciless march of Sherman's armies from Atlanta to Savannah. His powerful sermons quickly vault him from regimental chaplain to a senior chaplain's post at Sherman's headquarters. There, he must contend with the flinty and unpredictable general, a hostile captain who mocks his beliefs, a church-burning, half-insane soldier and, most dangerous of all, his own conviction that he knows God's will. In "Sherman's Chaplain," by author David Bellin, Brantley's letters reveal the inner conflict that will drive him to a lethal encounter and a profound new truth about his faith and his future.

Based on the taped memoirs Susan Violante received from her Italian immigrant father, "Innocent War" is a boy's adventure during WWII. The account is written as a first person narrative revealing a boy's point of view showing the war's hardships, dangers, and tragedies, combined with humor, innocence, and awakening as he grows up during WWII in Libya and Italy. Join author Susan Violente as she gets to know her father while also finding herself within the family she thought she knew.

While Mordred is the only child of King Arthur most people remember, in the Arthurian legend’s earliest versions, Mordred was only Arthur’s nephew, and some traditions suggest he was not even related to Arthur but a rival king. By contrast, ancient Welsh traditions provide King Arthur with three sons: Gwydre, Llacheu, and Amr, and the latter may be the earliest version of Mordred. While the Welsh legends state these sons all died before Arthur, other medieval traditions suggest Arthur’s descendants outlived him. A significant portion of "King Arthur’s Children" also treats modern novelists’ interpretations of the Arthurian legend—including works by Stephen Lawhead, Elizabeth Wein, and Bernard Cornwell—that provide modern readers with a fresh connecting point to the dream of Camelot. Dr. Tichelaar’s striking conclusions about all these treatments of King Arthur’s children and descendants makes for fascinating reading about the psychological impact King Arthur still has upon the human imagination.