Reviewed by Barbara Oliverio for Readers' Favorite

The lives of three intergenerational women entwine in the seaside village of Cape May in The Sound of Wings by Suzanne Simonetti. Superficially, these three seem to lack any association, but as the story unfolds, we uncover their relationships. Quirky Goldie has spent her seven decades as a talented potter whose works are in demand by tourists and locals alike. Buried in her past, however, is a marriage, and the one joy remaining from that time is her love for beautiful Monarch butterflies. Writer Jocelyn is in a custody battle with the father of her son, which contributes to a crippling writer's block. Yet, she is buoyed up by her steadfast new husband. She is sustained by reading a journal she discovers belonging to her husband's mother. Stunningly beautiful yet insecure, twenty-something Krystal has qualms about whether her mega-millionaire husband truly loves her for herself, and others wrongly judge her as a stereotypical trophy wife.

The premise of The Sound of Wings is intriguing, and the narrative that ties the three together evolves agreeably. I was genuinely interested in the characters and felt their emotions as the story unfolded. As the background to every character was revealed, and as their interconnection became apparent, the story advanced toward a satisfying conclusion. Suzanne Simonetti effectively captures each woman's voice, and I found myself rooting for them in their growth and self-acceptance. The metaphor of the sound and shimmer of butterflies, both abstract and concrete, is apt in each of their journeys.

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

"Jacob Martin’s life is not going well. His marriage is falling apart, his job is on the border of legal and illegal, and he’s living in what could generously be described as a dump. Now Dad, whose memory and mental faculties aren’t exactly what they once were, has decided to drive across the country for a visit. Forced into an unplanned road trip, Jacob finds love, enlightenment, and ultimately himself along the way. "

I left the synopsis portion of this review just as the author wrote it. That could be labeled borderline plagiarism perhaps, but certainly no more so than Jacob’s clients in his school paper writing business. I’m a big fan of commercial/genre fiction. Most of my literary fiction reads were required and read during English Lit classes. Dad by Bob Seay is clearly literary, with just enough commercialism to straddle the borders and make the read popular for lovers of both. Seay’s writing style is comfortable, witty, and fitting for his characters, all of whom are believable, likable, and/or as empathetic as any I’ve met in fiction. Dad and Jacob are especially well defined and carry the main storyline. Not to be marginalized, however, are the supporting characters that fill their roles perfectly, especially Jacob’s brother, sister, and spouses that include Jacob’s estranged wife, Brooke, and, last but not least, the exceptional “Beast.”

In his second novel, Bob Seay has crafted a story about a family that is at once poignant and wryly humorous with unforgettable characters and several memorable concepts concerning family relationships, dealing with a parent suffering dementia/Alzheimer's, love, and the simple things in life that mean so much. I can’t emphasize or praise this novel and Bob Seay’s writing style enough, but I’ll give it a go—it would not surprise me to read Bob Seay’s name on a Nobel Literature prize in the near future.

Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

Surrogacy. It’s a hot topic in our world, opening a multitude of attached debates. The laws vary from state to state. The stigma stains every incident differently. When Maggie finds herself drowning in bills and unfulfilled as the unmarried mother of infant Wyatt, she is introduced to the idea of profiting as a surrogate to Chip and Donovan, a gay couple on the other side of the country. After giving birth to fraternal twins, Maggie and her family will reap the benefits of a sizeable payoff. Maggie can now afford a coveted college degree. She and Nick can get married. Wyatt’s future will be financially secure. Maggie is prepared to hand over the babies. As a result of artificial insemination, they are not her sons. Or are they?

He Gets That From Me by Jacqueline Friedland is a moving story that evokes a multitude of debatable emotions: LBGTQ rights, religious views on adoption, adoption legalities, and plain out human decency. Author Friedland tackles this controversial story with a passion that will resonate with readers for days after the final page is turned. Realistic narration dually told from the viewpoints of Maggie and Donovan adds an additional and necessary caveat to the flow of the plot. I like that this format balances character emotions, although it occasionally requires the reader to confirm the point of view. An impressive amount of author research is evident as Jacqueline Friedland exhibits knowledge of surrogacy laws and fascinating gestational facts. I didn’t know where to place my sympathy while reading He Gets That From Me: the children, the biological parents, or the adopting parents.

Reviewed by Risah Salazar for Readers' Favorite

It was the spring of 1822 and Doctor Aubrey Waycross was called to Lawrenceville, Georgia. The mayor personally wrote to him about a case of rabies and was afraid that it might spread in his town. Waycross spent most of his money just to get there, only to find out that he had been tricked. There wasn't a case of rabies, at least not yet. Aside from this fraud, he gets more upset when he discovers that the people of Lawrenceville believe more in the Winter Sisters, who allegedly practice witchcraft, than in his scientific methods when it comes to curing their ailments. The Winter Sisters by Tim Westover may have been set in the 1800s but with the themes it tackles, I'd say it's still relevant today.

I liked that the book showed us how healing can come in many forms. And what matters most is that people believe in whichever source it came from. I learned from this book that ignorance and laziness are a deadly combination. While it's true that people are resistant to change, this resistance shouldn't stop them from going forward in life. My favorite character is Waycross because instead of hating the Winter sisters, he made an effort to confront them and to understand their ways. I liked how the author kept Effie's and their mother's characters a mystery, but I wish there was a big revelation about them. Until the end, they both remained mysterious. I also liked that this book is argumentative in nature because it makes you wonder if it's really your responsibility to cure people when you can or choose to lead a simple life away from nosy followers. Trigger warnings include blindly following, death by fire, and a surgery mistake. The Winter Sisters by Tim Westover is highly recommended to fans of literary fiction.

Reviewed by Amanda Rofe for Readers' Favorite

The Nine by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg is a novel about the Webber family and their experiences with an elite boarding school. Hannah and Edward enroll their talented son in the exclusive Dunning Academy despite the exorbitant cost. The difficulty of keeping up with the fees was not to be their most pressing problem. Hannah does not cope well with Sam living away from home. The more she pushes for contact, the more he pulls away and her obsession with him comes at the expense of her marriage. At the academy, Sam is lured into friendships with teenagers from more privileged backgrounds. Their wealth and an unwritten code of conduct, which comes naturally to them, is something that Hannah is unable to compete with. Sam is asked to join a secret society within the school. Revered and steeped in history, it organizes sophisticated pranks. However, rather more sinister goings-on are afoot which Sam unwittingly uncovers.

The Nine is an absorbing novel with a compelling storyline which exposes the frightening way those in positions of power are easily able to sexually exploit vulnerable children. This is more pronounced with boarding schools that can disenfranchise parents and isolate children in their care. There were a number of engaging characters including Hannah who lost her son's teenage years to the live-in aspect of the boarding school system. The emotions she experienced and her subsequent behavior were intimately described and her pain was palpable. Sam was a self-effacing teenager with a satisfying personality and I felt a tremendous amount of empathy with him. Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg seamlessly blends a mix of coming of age school drama with sinister adult conspiracy and intrigue.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

When I was in high school we had to read a short story titled The Most Dangerous Game. The premise of the story, which suggested that man was the most dangerous animal, is somewhat similar to that presented in The Circle by Stephen J. Galgon. Now, decades later, with a different plot and setting but an equally sinister subject, Calgon re-fired my imagination as I feared and panicked for the protagonist, Doug Goodwin. Doug has been unwillingly recruited into a deadly circle of wealthy people who have a unique and horrible way of keeping themselves amused: hunting down and killing other members of the group before one of them kills you. The opening chapter of The Circle grabs you immediately as you witness a wealthy father killed by a sniper’s bullet while he and his daughter enjoy lunch together in a fancy restaurant. Finding out just who the sniper is, why this man was targeted and how his daughter handled the tragedy won’t become clear till very much later in the story when the new, unwanted life Doug has fallen into intersects with that of the daughter. As he learns, once in, there’s no way out except death.

Can you imagine what it must be like living and watching for your potential killer around every corner, behind every bush, in every crowd of people? Terrifying is putting it mildly. Does Doug survive this most dangerous game and if so, how? Who can he turn to for help when disclosure endangers the lives of family and friends? Doug’s panic is real; keeping one's wits ever on alert is essential and a cool head and clear thinking are paramount. Only the best survive. For a first novel, Stephen J. Galgon checks all the boxes when it comes to creating and keeping the suspense at an all-time high. His characters are captivating. Well-rendered dialogue keeps the pace moving quickly to its logical and deadly conclusion. Readers connect emotionally and mentally with Doug Goodwin, even when the entire situation seems utterly bizarre, even unrealistic. But is it truly unrealistic? Read The Circle and decide for yourself. A real gripper with an intricate and refreshing twist on an old theme.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Destiny is Book III of The Prophecy by Jerena Tobiasen, a historical tale featuring compelling characters and strong themes. The story begins with the birth of Miriam in post-war Amsterdam in 1952, and all that Mina Kota and her mother want is to protect the child and preserve her innocence. But as she grows up, she wants her grandmother, Punita, to teach her how to read tarot cards. The grandmother obliges. Miriam soon meets Hart Lange, born into a family of soldiers; a young man who has learned resilience and the value of loyalty from his family. Hart wants a child and Miriam sees a future with him, so she gives in. Mina has warned Hart never to leave Miriam idle but he quickly forgets. Too late, he remembers the warning when Miriam disappears with the child, Matthew. Can Hart find his wife and son?

This is a powerful tale that explores themes of war, love, family, parenting, and heartbreak. It features compelling characters. I particularly enjoyed the way the author writes the character of Miriam. Since her birth, there seem to be external circumstances from which the family wants to protect her. Keeping her innocent is all they want but the involvement with tarot cards spells doom. The Destiny is a twisty tale that is emotionally rich with sophisticated characters. The post-war setting is intelligently depicted and I loved how the author writes the backgrounds of the characters, which makes the reader feel as though they are interacting with real people. The writing is strong and the descriptions are arresting. The story is suspenseful with hints of mystery. I am a fan of Jerena Tobiasen’s gift for storytelling and character.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Best People: A Tale of Trials and Errors by Marc Grossberg is a spellbinding thriller with exceptional characters. The first thing that gripped me and kept me turning the pages is the way the author uses the subplot to create suspense. The narrative builds on two distinct and compelling characters. Paddy Moran is a thirty-six-year-old former cop from Brooklyn, a street-smart and a newly licensed divorce lawyer hankering to create a great reputation in the courtroom. As the narrative begins, he is fired up after witnessing a great win in the courtroom. But after few successes, he faces a moment of choice and must determine if fame is everything about the legal game or if there could be more. Pilar Galt is a smart and beautiful single mother who has had her share of success and pain. Now her path intersects with Paddy. The outcome builds the climax that will have readers savoring every page.

Marc Grossberg has written a captivating story and it feels real as the reader navigates the emotions and the hearts of the characters. The characters are genuinely flawed and easy to identify with. Paddy’s quest for success as an attorney reflects the struggle that many people experience in order to get into the limelight but what is even more interesting about the narrative is how the author unveils the pitfalls in the path of the protagonist. The Best People: A Tale of Trials and Errors is written in beautiful prose, well-plotted, and balanced; a compelling story that invites the reader to reflect on their choices.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

An exciting, delightful, exhilarating tale, A Matter of Time by Steven Craig is a gorgeous meld of time travel and science fiction, a story that follows Nathan Hawke’s adventures in time. Nathan is obsessed with the concept of time. His lifelong dream has always been to conquer time and master its secrets, a dream that has accompanied the exiled and disgraced Quantum Physicist from his youth. He had always “Dreamed of breaking it like a cowboy would a wild bronco that had bucked all who tried to ride it before him.” So when he is offered an opportunity by a mysterious man to research a time travel theory, he isn’t just happy to put aside teaching a high school physics class, but sees it as an opportunity to redeem himself and realize his life’s work.

His work successfully completed, he finds himself in a small Georgia farm in 1862. He is trapped here for three years, three years of waiting for the time splice to reopen, and three years in which he falls in love. When the time comes for him to escape the era that is plagued with war, he is thrust into yet another era. Now he is learning that he has no control of what timeline to exit into. Can it be his dream had been a trap; can he reset time and save history? And how about the woman he loves? Follow this well-imagined and well-developed character in adventures he never signed up for, bounced from one era to another through time and history.

The author did a wonderful job with the setting, taking readers through different historical moments, including the Civil War in the US, the Renaissance period in Italy, and many others. The historical underpinnings of the plot make it a compulsive read and this element of the narrative combines with the sense of adventure that permeates the story to offer readers great satisfaction. The characters are well developed and readers will love to follow Nathan, his despair as real as his moments of excitement. A Matter of Time has a complex, unpredictable plot, which keeps readers turning the pages, guessing where the next adventure will be. The tight spots, the dangers, and the uncertainty that accompany the protagonist’s adventures make this novel hard to put down. This is a stellar work in the genre, a hugely satisfying read.

Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

Guardian of Deceit by William H Coles is an entertaining literary novel with well developed and rock solid characters. Darwin Hastings is an orphan and has been under the care of his aunt until she can’t take care of him any longer. Now, he boards a plane from Pittsburgh to New York to join his cousin, a football star, Luther Pinnelli. But things aren’t what he’d expected to find. His cousin is a self-serving and arrogant guy who lives luxuriously and does everything to make life miserable for Darwin, including cutting his access to an inheritance that is rightfully his. Darwin is determined to win and to pursue his dreams of studying medicine. Read on to find out how he learns to be shrewd, to connect with people that matter, and to get the help he needs to achieve his goals.

William H Coles is a terrific writer and he creates a story in Guardian of Deceit that will both entertain and inspire readers. The characters are believable and readers can easily connect to them. I enjoyed the portrait of Darwin Hastings, a young, energetic, determined, and resourceful personality. The conflict in this story is well developed, and while the reader watches with keen attention as the relationship between the protagonist and his cousin gets tenser, they also enjoy the psychological and personal conflicts in the characters. I loved the writing and the author’s unique signature phraseology. Here is a compelling story woven with great characters, a gripping plot, and a conflict that escalates quickly and with a perfect and satisfying finish.