Reviewed by Marta Tandori for Readers' Favorite

JD Ward is a former farm boy and a former army combat tracker who has some very unique talents. It’s those talents, and a raw determination fueled by the death of his father when he was eleven, that give him the impetus to uproot his wife, Lucy, and their two young children, Karley and Jaxon, in order to move to St. Jude, Ohio, a rough inner city within the city of Cincinnati proper. As a new recruit to the St. Jude Police Force, JD is already making a name for himself and is the apple of his chief’s eye – so much so that Chief Rush promotes him to the lofty heights of detective after JD’s apprehension of a local gang member. However, the course of his life changes dramatically several nights later when JD comes upon two biker gang members attacking a young woman during a sweep of the inner city streets during his midnight shift. High on PCP-laced meth, the two savages attack JD and he is forced to use every ounce of his combat training and strength to kill his attackers before they kill him and the young woman.

Unfortunately, it isn’t until his chief is called in that JD learns the identities of his two assailants; one is Chuck Wholf and the other is his cousin, Lee Maddox. Both are the youngest offspring of the Wholf and Maddox clans, the founding fathers of The Dixie Wholfpack, a brutal motorcycle gang that is the enforcement arm of a nasty organization dealing in drugs, prostitution and guns. Knowing that retaliation by the gang would be both imminent and brutal, JD’s chief and the older colleague on the scene come up with the idea to dress the crime scene with the mark of “the White Wolf”, a lone vigilante, which will hopefully keep the victim, JD, and both of their families safe.

Becoming the Wolf by R.H. Neil is one of those vigilante justice thrillers that makes you want to strap on your Glock and go and hunt down the bad guys! Intense, emotional and passionate, there’s much to like about Becoming the Wolf. Neil has a good grasp of the story line and manages to keep it on track, all the while making it a compelling read. The violence is necessary to the story line, but it’s not so over the top that it alienates its readers. The use of Cincinnati’s long-forgotten underground was also a nice touch, as were the historical references to the speakeasies from the days of Prohibition. A reader cannot help but root for JD as he systematically takes out his enemies. The fact that one of them happens to use a vicious cougar called Freya to finish off his adversaries while another thinks nothing of cold-bloodedly wielding his Louisville Slugger to kill an enemy just serves to underscore Neil’s imagination and determination to make his story stand head and shoulders above others in the vigilante thriller genre.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Time travel and alternate reality stories seem to be very fashionable in movies and on TV these days. I like them when they are done very well and the characters involved are realistically portrayed. It's About Time meets and succeeds my expectations for this kind of story. I really got into Angela Mercy, a.k.a. Angel of Mercy. I like strong female characters. I like soldiers, scientists, and spies. In It’s About Time, author Lyle Howard gave me all this and more. Rich in detail, a variety of cultures and characters, and an intelligent but totally ruthless villain, It’s About Time is a wild adventure that I found difficult to put down. What I liked is that it shows the exciting possibilities and potential for disaster in some of the scientific research being done right now. This can be a little daunting, but something we must learn to control and utilize as a species if we are going to move much further up the evolutionary tree.

Lyle Howard takes us all over the globe as well as back and forth through time in this fast-paced adventure. I like this kind of story. Sometimes Americans are a little too sure that the future will be determined in our country, when in fact there is serious research with paradigm shifting possibilities going on all over the world. It’s About Time shows us some of that. The players are international, the plot is very complicated, and the good guys are my kind of people. I couldn't want more in a story. Great job.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

A Gossamer Lens by M.R. Mathias is the tenth book in the spellbinding and epic fantasy series featuring Vanx Malic, a work of great depth and length in the arena of fantasy that can find a comfortable place alongside the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Readers are introduced to a compelling cast of characters; Vanx and his companions, Gallarael, Chelda, Master Ruuk, Moonsy and Poopsalot, who are on a perilous mission to smash a few gem-seeds, to retrieve the final gem-seed, and bring it to the Great Carpi Ultura. Nothing seems to go as planned, because there are powerful enemies who are determined to protect their own worlds and interests, and they will do anything to thwart the path of Vanx and his friends. Will they succeed this time?

I loved this epic story and the creatures and characters featured in it. M.R. Mathias imagines a setting that will entice readers and lead them, along with his characters, on a breathtaking adventure. They will encounter the fae who will do anything to protect the Great Heart Tree. Beyond the Wildwood, giants wait for them and they are merciless. In the usual signature of the author, A Gossamer Lens features beautiful writing, infused with eye-catching descriptions that capture intense action, explore the thoughts and emotions of the characters, and paint the setting in the minutest detail. The words leap off the pages like magic, and they create a vision in the reader’s mind of the world they evoke. This is a work of great entertainment. I have followed M.R. Mathias’ writings and it is always exciting to read anything from him. Readers will find in these pages a magical place to escape to and interesting friends to keep company with.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Just, wow! That's exactly what I thought when I finished reading the debut book by author Gretchen Jeannette, The Devil Take Tomorrow. This book is a roller coaster ride of a read, full of action, adventure, historical intrigue, and yes, even a bit of romance! Following protagonist Ethan Matlock, a Revolutionary spy bent on helping the cause of the fledgling United States as he infiltrates the highest levels of the British military presence, this story will grab readers by the throat from the very start and won't let them go. Full of excitement, espionage, and the complication of the burgeoning romance between Ethan and the lovely Miss Maddie Graves, readers will find themselves obsessively turning the pages from the start all the way through until the very end.

I loved The Devil Take Tomorrow. Loved. It. How's that for a review? Well, it's definitely how I felt about this gem of a book. As a person who does a great deal of reading in the historical fiction genre, I found the plot believable, authentic, and mired in historical truths. Author Gretchen Jeannette must have truly done her homework in the writing of this novel, and it really shows. Readers of historical fiction should certainly take note of this book, but any others just looking for an excellent story should also pick it up. It is easy for me to give this book my highest recommendation, and I look forward to reading more in this excellent new series as soon as possible!

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Hearing Voices: An Isaac Blaze Thriller by Axel Cruise is the story of a man named Isaac Blaze. Some might call him crazy, some might call him a sociopath, but to himself, he is just Isaac Blaze. He has two voices in his head; one is that of a British man (cool, sexy and very suave) and the other voice is that of a woman (just as unhelpful as you could expect). Needless to say, people think he is trouble and some might even agree with it wholeheartedly. He is trouble and finally a SWAT team has got hold of him. Now what can he do? Can he escape and get away before they actually “break” him? How did they find him in the first place, because the closest relationship he has is with the two voices in his head? What happens next? You will have to join Isaac to learn what happened next.

You know you have hit the cool character jackpot when the first sentence of the book starts with this much action. I love Isaac and his ability to cope. He is very much like a realistic version of Deadpool and there is nothing about him that I don’t love. I love the two voices in his head and I am very partial to his twisted humor. Hearing Voices started with a bang and Axel Cruise kept the momentum going until the very last sentence. This is one of those novels that you are glad you choose and you keep on going back for more again and again. Isaac is definitely an unforgettable character and if you do have the audacity to forget him, he will come back with a vengeance to get your attention once again. I really enjoyed it. Great character creation!

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Just, wow! That's exactly what I thought when I finished reading Hell is Naked by author duo Jean James and Mary James. This story grabbed me from the very start and kept me obsessively reading all the way through to the very end! Follow the story of Warren Roberts, a man used to his role as a tough guy. SWAT team member, all-round macho man, he finds himself in one of the most embarrassing roles of his life, that of an undercover agent as a movie extra. Warren longs to get back to what he loves best, the manly world of real detective work. It takes him only a short time to find the object of his worth, Rainy Wray, although he's not quite sure why anyone would want to find her. It doesn't take him to long to figure out that there's more to Rainy and her situation than meets the eye, and soon he realizes that he just might be fighting for both of their lives. Will they make it through? You'll need to read the book to find out!

I very much enjoyed Hell is Naked. Authors Jean James and Mary James have done a great job in creating characters that their readers will relate to, connect with, and truly come to care about. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. Their writing style is crisp and full of action, and has a great deal of humor as well. Any reader looking for an exciting, action filled and fun new read of fiction should absolutely give this book a chance. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Hell is Naked and look forward to reading more from Jean James and Mary James as soon as I possibly can!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Traffick Stop: An American Assassin's Story (Paladine Political Thriller Series Book 3) by Kenneth Eade is a fast and thought-provoking action-packed thriller that revolves around a retired CIA agent, Robert Garcia, who speaks about the thirsty, wild, hungry, and selfish creature that lurks deep within the libido of each of us. Also known as the Paladine, Robert Garcia was a terminator – a fine-tuned killing machine, the product of intensive training and many years of death-dealing assignments. In this story, readers get to see Garcia wanting to retire from his job as an assassin, but instead he gets pulled into the world of ISIS and Syria. The story deals with human trafficking, terrorism, espionage, and assassination, and makes it a compelling and challenging read.

The plot has many twists and turns that make it fast paced, and the characters are real, relatable, and tangible to readers. Robert Garcia’s character is interesting as he reveals the cruel and vicious side of the world to readers. Garcia comes out of retirement to help Ayisha find her sister who disappeared on a humanitarian mission to Syria. This angle helps readers understand the problem of human and sex trafficking that the world faces. The story is intense and fascinating and keeps readers glued to the very end with its gripping plot, complexity, brutality, twists and turns, suspense, and action. The author handles a relevant topic with expertise and mastery. This book can stand on its own and readers will understand the story without having read the first two books of the series.

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

A covert operation in a religious compound becomes a nightmare for a former FBI agent in the thrilling suspense novel Wired Rogue (A Paradise Crime Novel) by Toby Neal. FBI Special Agent Sophie Ang has created a computer program named DAVID that is significant in solving cases. When an important case Sophie is working on is pulled because her superior doesn't think they have enough evidence to pursue it, she is upset. Now the FBI has shut DAVID down and has confiscated her personal computers and programs. DAVID was her one link to finding Ghost, the enigmatic vigilante that she is paradoxically intrigued with and has been chasing. She leaves the FBI and joins a security agency in the private sector. Her first assignment is removing two children from a religious commune and returning them to their mother. The extraction was tricky and didn't go as smoothly as planned, leaving Sophie and her partner with minor injuries and her new boss unhappy. However when new information surfaces about possible murders relating to other members of the cult, Sophie goes undercover as a potential recruit. When her cover is blown, Sophie barely escapes alive. Now someone is relentlessly stalking her and endeavoring to eliminate her. Who can she turn to for help and at the same time stay hidden? Without DAVID can Ghost help her or is she all alone in her fight for justice and her right to live?

This riveting, action-packed suspense novel is an exciting story involving undercover operatives and renegade spiritualists. The stimulating pace of the storyline, with the thrilling intrigue of espionage and covert ops, keeps the reader spellbound until the unexpected finale. The vigilante aspect of Ghost and his mysterious identity is a compelling subplot which enhances the cloak and dagger feel of the book and keeps the reader guessing. The gripping plot, the dynamic story, and the captivating characters make this book an outstanding read. I highly recommend it to those who love suspense novels containing action and strategic subterfuge. Some of the fight scenes are a little graphic and are more suitable for those over sixteen. Even though this is one book in a series, it is a great stand alone. This is a fabulous series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book!

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

Drachen by Brendan le Grange is an exciting and fast paced thriller of a story. Brett is on the trail to find the treasure from the ancient wreck of the Drachen, but is pursued by Sam, Roman, and Patrick. Piecing together mysterious clues from different sources, the four dash across Northern Europe in an attempt to locate and find answers and the target before Finnish hit man Kalev and his men, who follow orders from the mad Hiko, can thwart them. The trail takes them through dangerous tunnels and deep waters, and they miraculously and skilfully dodge bullets, manage car chases and escape capture. Meanwhile police investigator Matthys has clues and leads to follow up himself as he perseveres in his pursuit of tracking down and stopping psychopath Hiko and his terrifying vengeful plans.

Drachen is an exhilarating and exciting story. Packed with intrigue and action, it is a wonderful mixture of the mystical, the mystery of ancient legend, modern day villains and a thriller. I loved the ‘flashbacks’ to times of old offering explanations for the origins of the treasures. Brendan le Grange is a brilliant writer who knows how to create a really gripping story. The first chapter hooked me in from the start, and I really couldn’t put the book down. The intricate plot moves at a good pace, taking the reader on a roller-coaster of a journey through thrills, dangers, near disasters, and awesome discoveries. In the end, it all comes to a satisfying and believable end. The characters are excellent – well developed, very believable, and I was rooting for Brett from the start. The motivations for their actions make sense – from the crazy Hiko and his dangerous psychopathic ways to Brett and her determination to finish what she has started, and Sam the ex-soldier wanting to conclude something his grandfather had not been able to. An enjoyable thriller. Recommended.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

ZAP Agent Mathis by C.R. Daems is a wonderful read, a detective novel with strong plot points and countless surprises for readers. Kate Mathis is an intelligent kind of girl who can do just about anything, but who is never certain of what she would like to do. When she answers an ad to join a team to fight against terrorism, she isn’t quite sure of what lies ahead; little does she know about the dangers she’ll have to face. But she is already in, and there is no turning back. Soon she is caught up in a dangerous world where terrorists thrive and where life is infinitely fragile. Joining the team to fight against the bad guys and to save the lives of innocent people might have been a decision Kate took on the spur of the moment, but it seems she was just made for this kind of work.

C.R. Daems is a genius when it comes to creating extraordinary characters that are very believable. Kate Mathis is the kind of protagonist readers will love to see stick around in a series. I hope that ZAP Agent Mathis is a stunning opening to a gripping series that will entertain readers for a very long time. The writing is engaging and the plot is laced with many “wow” moments. The action is intense and electrifying. I was hooked from the very first page of the story and I liked the way the protagonist is portrayed from the beginning. It is hard to think that she could go through the training successfully, but the author allows this character to develop into an icon for the likes of me. This is a book I will recommend for its powerful plot and great writing. You’ll be thrilled as you turn the pages.