Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Addiction & Pestilence by E.M. Kelly is a gripping story with a fascinating post-apocalyptic setting characterized by a gritty struggle against the plague, a narrative with powerful religious themes. A plague is unleashed in New York by the Four Horsemen and it spreads quickly. People are moving and seeking a means of survival. It is against this backdrop that Drew Murphy, an E.M.T. in Boston and a former Marine, undertakes his own journey towards redemption. A man with dark secrets who finds comfort and an escape in his addictions, he sets out to go to his mother who is very sick. The journey is that of transformation as he joins others who have their inner demons to conquer. United by the will to survive and save their families, can they find enough fight in them to trump their addictions and save those they love?

The prose is gripping and E.M. Kelly’s narrative voice is strong, exposing points of views that are clearly defined. The narrative opens with very intriguing lines: “The little black mass appeared out of nowhere. It floated and danced like a butterfly, yet it stayed in the same place.” And the reader wants to know what the floating object is and how it materializes itself. The chapters are short, the paragraph breaks designed for great dramatic effect, and these combine with the use of short sentences to make for an enjoyable read. The pacing is fast, the action intense, and the entire narrative filled with great emotional intelligence. Addiction & Pestilence is a novel with themes of addiction, but curiously, it is addictive. I was hypnotized, transformed, and found myself rooting for the characters. The writing is infused with realism and a fine sense of humanity. The grittiness is real, the psychological elements of the narrative strong, and the character development is expertly handled.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In The Apotheosis by Darrell Lee, when Dr. John Numen’s father dies suddenly he inherits a major stake in a successful pharmaceutical company. Using the company as a cover, John Numen begins his own medical research which could change human life as we know it. As the decades pass, John discovers the meaning of abandonment by those close to him but also true unconditional love. His research and his plan to boost his wealth even further takes him down a morally disturbing path. Following a series of devastating events, he finds himself on the run from the FBI. There is now no turning back and John is determined to see his experiment through, no matter who has to suffer, in the name of progress. Follow John through many decades and continents as he tries to master his life’s work and get his retribution before the FBI can stop him.

This science fiction thriller will hook you from the first page. The suspense throughout this fast-paced plot will always keep you in anticipation. The medical jargon is just enough to understand and enjoy the story but it is clearly very well researched. John Numen is a disturbed character who believes his macabre work is for the benefit of mankind. Whether he is a villain or a misunderstood hero will be for the reader's belief system to decide. The tangled web of deceit and corruption in the story is woven throughout with nail-biting conflict. Not often does a novel make you question your own values but this one did mine. Each of the characters was well created and three-dimensional, especially Irina, a strong-minded fighter with a fierce attitude towards the cold-blooded and callous Roman. The hunt by the FBI at the end had me on the edge of my seat, followed by an excellent twist that was absolutely masterful.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I spent eight years in the military. I was Army Infantry, but a smart infantry soldier can be used anywhere in the army system, so I had a lot of interesting jobs. I worked a lot with the special forces. These guys are different. They are unique, they are, well…special. I love to read military fiction and some of the best stories are about the special forces. The problem is that I have lived and worked with these guys and some writers just don’t get them, or what they do, right. If you want to read a realistic novel of the special forces and other elite people who work for our government, read High Alert by Alex Lukeman. I have served in Asia, where a lot of the action occurs and, let me tell you, that you are getting a very realistic story.

I liked the characters in High Alert more than I appreciated other elements of the novel. Everything was done well. The setting, the writing itself, the plot. High Alert by Alex Lukeman is a well put together novel. It should be. It is the fourteenth book in The Project Series. You don’t get to do it fourteen times if you are doing it wrong. No, the rest of the elements were done well, it’s just that I fell in love with these characters. They reminded me of people I served with. I knew soldiers just like Ronnie Peete and Lamont Cameron. Reading this book made me miss my days of service.

Reviewed by Thomas A. Peters for Readers' Favorite

From the outset, Ruby Dorn has only the problems any other fifteen-year-old girl living in a small Minnesota town in the year 1875 might face: her mother recently died in childbirth, her father has been arrested for burning the crops on their farm that had just been repossessed by the bank, and her older sister, Morain, is in hiding for assaulting the man who turned their father in. Events quickly take a turn for the worse when an accident involving a boy trying to force himself on Ruby results in his death. Knowing her younger sister is naïve enough to get herself arrested and likely hanged by the corrupt local judge, Morain comes to Ruby’s rescue and leads her away from their hometown into the wilds of the untamed West.

Immediately after arriving in a remote mining settlement known as Foregone, the sisters nearly fall prey to a purported local lawman, and after having violently escaped his attempt at rape, Ruby finds herself sentenced to death, only to be narrowly rescued by her ferocious, ever-inventive sister. After defeating a neophyte bounty hunter who had thought Ruby would be an easy catch, the sisters plan to take a coach and then ride a train east to Chicago. During the journey, Ruby discovers that she has become a topic of national debate regarding society’s treatment of women following the publication of an article covering her arrest in Foregone featuring a fabricated interview between herself and the article’s writer. As women, now known as “Dornists”, take revenge on their attackers around the country, a new bounty of five thousand dollars is declared for Ruby’s apprehension, and the sisters find themselves confronted at every turn by men who will stop at nothing to either capture or control them. Eventually making their way to Boston, Ruby feels certain they have reached civilization, again only to discover that they are still far from escaping the depravity of humanity.

Paul Wychor’s debut novel, Ruby Dorn, is a fantastically fast-paced historical melodrama that forever keeps the reader wondering as to what new tribulation could possibly befall the protagonists, as the author deftly takes his audience on a wild ride of ever-escalating encounters and escapes. The trash-talking, brutal Morain, so adept at “ferreting out others’ weaknesses” and viciously exploiting them, might not be the sort of person we would enjoy to know in real life, but thanks to Ruby’s perfect and often exasperated narration she is absolutely delectable as a character. The constant conflict between the two sisters, both so different in desires, dress, speech and temperament, is executed beautifully. The first person point-of-view featuring regular internal monologues is integral to the overall charm of the story as Ruby relates her experiences with her overtly intense sibling, honestly stating: “As much as I loathe being forced to live in her world I cannot help but be awed by her brilliance.” Though Morain necessarily takes center stage during most of the action sequences, Ruby is not always relegated to the literary backwaters. Instead, as circumstances dictate, Ruby reluctantly sits in the driver’s seat herself, and as a character she continues to grow throughout the book as she slowly begins to accept her rightful place in a mad world where, time and again, violence seems the only solution to the evils perpetrated by men.

Reviewed by Darryl Greer for Readers' Favorite

Jennifer Chase’s Dead Cold is the sixth of her Emily Stone thrillers, with a seventh in the pipeline. Emily and her partner, Rick Lopez, are ex law enforcement officers who’ve decided that rather than deal with the humdrum of everyday law enforcement, with its highs and lows — thrills and spills one minute, acute boredom the next — they’d ditch the routine and become 24/7 thrill-a-minute good guys, superheroes almost, tracking down villains, solving crimes, leaving the local cops to claim the glory of yet another mysteriously solved felony. In this episode, a Californian community is beset by a disturbing spike in gruesome homicides. There’s a serial killer out there who not only ensnares and tortures victims, but cuts them into neat sections and displays them in a macabre formation for all to see. The local police are flummoxed, with Detective Danny Starr doing his best, but being thwarted at every turn by one of the cleverest killers he has ever come across. Enter Emily Stone and her partner, Rick, and this time they enlist the assistance of a friend, Jordan. Together the intrepid trio sets out to track down the killer. And this time it’s easier said than done.

Dead Cold is not for those with weak hearts or nervous dispositions. Every page will have your heart pumping so much you’ll feel like you’re running a marathon. The story gets off to a cracking start in the prologue with high speed action from the first line. Jennifer Chase introduces us to real, three-dimensional characters, those with whom you can empathise, those you can love, hate, root for. Chapters aren’t numbered but rather they are headed with a date and time, a device which helps to keep up the frenetic pace throughout the story. The writing is visual so, as you flip through the pages, it will feel like you’re watching a movie and as the story is multi-layered, you won’t lose interest. The concept itself is unique. Most American thrillers involve police officers, FBI agents, spies, or private detectives, not people working clandestinely and happy to allow regular law enforcers to take all the credit. So, if you’re an adrenaline junkie, put on your seat belt and start reading. When you get to the end, if you’re not already familiar with this author’s work, you’ll be taking note of her name and reaching for another Emily Stone adventure.

Reviewed by Francine Zane for Readers' Favorite

In How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse by Steven Bereznai, Marty Melon starts off having a bad day. As if killing his lady-love-turned-zombie isn't bad enough, he finds himself fighting for survival with his bitch ex-girlfriend playing her same old underhanded self. With gay-best-friend Gary at his side and his childhood teddy bear, Teddy, giving him advice, he fights to survive both the zombies and the ex from hell.

I loved, loved, loved Marty Melon. You could set him down in the middle of any story and he would be the center of attention. Steven Bereznai has made him into a multi-dimensional good man who had to crawl out of the pit of juvenile dweebdom and recreate himself into a rock star boyfriend with a killer body, a loyal best friend, and just enough of a bad ass zombie killer to keep himself alive. His role in How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse adds just enough humor, compassion, fear, and vulnerability to take the book to a whole different level of entertainment.

Besides the human element, How A Loser Like Me Survived the Zombie Apocalypse provides a steady dose of horror, thrills, and well-thought out speculation as to how a population of zombies would act. The fact that some zombies maintained a degree of their humanity made what Marty and his crew had to do even more disturbing, but to some degree, the whole concept of being stuck in a zombie apocalypse with the one person he hated the most is even more horrific than the monsters outside.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Beyond the Cabin by Dana Ridenour is a terrorist thriller that is skillfully plotted and written to perfection. The head of the Undercover and Sensitive Operations Unit needs an undercover agent who has experience working extremist groups, preferably a southerner, and Lexie Montgomery fits the bill perfectly. She is to investigate the extremist group in South Carolina Lowcountry called Earth Liberation Front. Her undercover gets blown and she finds herself fighting to survive. The bad guys now know who she is. The only problem is that she doesn’t know who they are.

The opening is powerful, starting with a gripping prologue that features the protagonist running from pursuers and lost in an unfamiliar and unfriendly landscape. The last words of this prologue offer readers something of the style of the author, a promise of a suspenseful story and great entertainment: “The harder Lexie struggled against the thick, sludgy pluff mud, the deeper she sank. Weak, bleeding, and up to her knees in unyielding pluff mud, she felt a large hand brutishly grab her shoulder.” The writing is gorgeous and tight, leaving the reader wanting more.

The author does an incredible job in writing focused scenes, exploring the emotions of the characters with great vividness and creating dialogues that sound natural. The narrative is filled with suspense and Dana Ridenour has the gift of arresting the attention of readers and keeping it throughout the narrative. Beyond the Cabin is fast-paced, suspenseful, and delectable, a story with a protagonist readers will stick with and root for.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Imagine, for a moment, an America that has turned inward, disrespected and disregarded the wishes and feelings of the rest of the world (not too hard to do in these times really). This is the premise of Pete Conrad’s novel Survival of the Sparrows. A coalition of forces from Russia, North Korea and the Middle East has invaded the American homeland and is pushing on with its plan to rule the USA. In rural Johnsonville, Georgia, May and Winston Sparrow, a middle-aged African-American couple, are worried the invading forces will pass through their small town on their way to take over Atlanta. Winston has constructed a false wall in his barn where he and May will hide out until the invading army has passed through. Things don’t go quite according to plan for the couple, though, and they are caught, trapped in their wall space as the Generals make May and Winston's smallholding their Southern headquarters.

Survival of the Sparrows is a chillingly frightening reminder of just how fragile our world order and peace truly is. Given the current situation in America and the rest of the world, the scenario painted by Pete Conrad is not too far-fetched at all. This book is a fantastic read, with Winston and May lurching from one crisis to another. Fast-paced, with just the right amount of stereotyping and violence, tempered by the true spirit of human kindness and understanding, this is a very enjoyable book. The two main characters, May and Winston, and their travails, trapped inside their tiny wall space, were incredibly easy to identify with and I particularly enjoyed the good ole Southern accent and slang in the dialogue. Intentionally or not, Conrad has hit upon a realistic scenario that was both believable and riveting to read. I truly couldn’t put this book down, even when I knew I should be doing other things. That is probably the best tribute I can give to author Conrad. A real bottler of a read!

Reviewed by Cecil Brewer for Readers' Favorite

Haris Orkin has produced a rip-roaring tale of derring-do by a highly unlikely and slightly eccentric character. You Only Live Once jumps from the pages with sharp, witty writing in an intelligent parody. It is almost like Ian Fleming might have re-crafted Cervantes' Don Quixote with a strong dose of hilarity. James imagines himself to be a "Double-O" and, because of it, lives in a contemporary but pleasant dungeon. He believes it is "headquarters" and begs for a mission. When evil invades it, saving his threatened comrades compels him to launch an irrational operation. And, like the original 007, during his impossible mission he finds ways to overcome hopeless situations (firing heat-seeking rockets is side-splitting), help others to see around their own corners, and all the while maintaining his loony courtly noble outlook. Orkin reproduces the spirit of Agent 007 as he and his reluctant esquire ricochet from one dire situation to another while pursuing a fantasy mission.

Someone important might recognize You Only Live Once one day for its interpretation of two dissimilar classics melded into a charming burlesque. Today, the closest modern expressions of chivalry are action-hero champions that grew from an implausible secret agent who saved the world, or at least some of it. Orkin captures chivalry's essence in a quixotic quest and has saturated his tall tale with it. The twists of this story incorporate several entertaining fictional devices created by Cervantes roughly four hundred years ago and they still work. Haris Orkin has blended cinema's formula for the James Bond franchise with characters conceived in one of literature's greatest works and he makes you laugh. Haris Orkin has written a classic from thoroughly different eras, both engaging in their own right, but hilarious when combined.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Phoenix by Alex Lukeman is a political thriller that features first-class intrigue, betrayal, and a plot structure that echoes the ingenuity of Sidney Sheldon. The narrative begins with the catastrophic collision at sea of a U.S. Navy missile destroyer with a Chinese freighter. Director Elizabeth Harker of the Project is charged by the President to investigate the incident, but unknown to her, someone right inside the White House is setting her up for failure and pulling strings that are deadlier than anyone could imagine. Meanwhile an evil genius is manipulating the world powers — China, Russia, and America — into nuclear confrontation, using a supercomputer with artificial intelligence. The world is poised for nuclear war, and time is fast running out while the Project is headed for inevitable doom. Is there enough time to unmask the bad guys?

You’ll be surprised at the whip-smart plotting, the intelligent building of characters, the ingenious handling of conflict, and the exceptionally good story structure. The story starts in the midst of action — it is intense — and from the very first page, you will be on the edge of your seat. The twists in the plot are not announced and this unpredictability constitutes one of the elements of the narrative that make it irresistible. Alex Lukeman’s writing is top-notch and the descriptive prose reflects the author’s ease and confidence in writing. The story is infused with a rare sense of realism and even when AI computers do battle, it feels real. Phoenix is a stellar thriller with huge potential to entertain fans of the genre. It’s absorbing with the chapters well crafted to literally push readers onto the next page. You won’t be able to resist it.