Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Scrooge and Marley by Karl F. Hollenbach is a follow-up story to Charles Dickens' novel, A Christmas Carol. The book builds on the story of Ebenezer Scrooge who had made amends for his mean-spirited ways after an encounter with the ghost of his dead business partner, Marley. Scrooge had spent the last 12 months of his life a very happy man; he had completely changed his attitude towards people and life in general and everyone was happy to be around him. Then on Christmas Eve, he returned home to find Marley's ghost in his fireplace. Through Scrooge's recent good deed, Marley was having a much more pleasant time, having crossed from darkness to the shadows, but he needed Scrooge's help to make the final transformation from the shadows to the light. He presented a number of tasks to Scrooge through which he would help Marley make amends for his past mistakes. Marley's last request was the strangest and most illogical of all his requests, but it also turned out to the most life changing for the two men.

Scrooge and Marley by Karl F. Hollenbach is a very compelling story about life, family, business ethics, making amends, and reincarnation. The story keeps you completely engrossed as you discover the ghost's end game and how it will affect the living. The story has a perfect mix of drama and intrigue and enough bizarre events to keep you glued to the pages until the very end. By creating a continuation of a story written by such a great author, Karl F. Hollenbach took a very big chance at attempting to step into the very big shoes of the great Charles Dickens, but he pulled the story off so perfectly and I think Charles Dickens would have been proud.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Woman of Flames by Kim Stokely is a well written historical fiction which will enthrall readers with its imagery, passion, and story line. Deborah is a gifted child and from childhood she has this task of convincing people around her that she is special and it is God's will that she is the spiritual leader of Israel. She grows in stature and power and the only person who stands in her way is the General of the Canaanite army, Sisera. He succeeds in capturing Deborah and finds himself drawn to her beauty and power. Will Deborah be able to resist the temptation and be able to save her country and set her people free?

The compelling theme that revolves around a biblical character is not boring; instead it will draw readers with its bold depiction of the triumphs and terrors in the ancient world. The characters are well defined and their relationships with each other are also portrayed strongly and with a lot of clarity. The story will excite readers on many levels. The battle stories, life in Israel in those days, the everyday life, their food habits and culture, and the relevant characters are fascinating and keep readers glued to the book until the end.

The imagery is wonderful. The author has masterfully written the physical battles and the emotional battles inside Deborah and woven them together, making it more dramatic metaphorically. Readers who like historical characters, The Old Testament stories, and Biblical women will love this book. This compelling historical fiction will keep you riveted with its powerful story line, wonderful imagery, and rich passion.

Reviewed by Samantha Rivera for Readers' Favorite

Liddie is a farm girl who’s never wanted to stay there. She’s always wanted to explore the world and she’s finally gotten the opportunity. But then things change at home and she is forced to change her plans. When her luck turns around yet again, Liddie is determined to make the most of the opportunity. Escaping her farm is more wonderful than she could have dreamed, but at the same time Liddie isn’t sure what she wants to do with her new-found freedom. Being a seamstress is everything she could have imagined, but there’s much more to living in the city than just the job that she wants. Go Away Home is the perfect story of coming home.

If you’ve ever had bigger dreams than your current circumstances allow then you know exactly how Liddie feels living on a farm and dreaming of the big city. I could definitely relate to her and that made it even better reading her story. There’s so much happening for her and each time you think it’s over there’s more. Poor Liddie goes through a lot in her life, but that’s nothing compared to what her friends and family go through. After all, there’s danger and problems in everyone’s life. I couldn’t get enough of Go Away Home by Carol Bodensteiner. This was an amazing story and I will be recommending it to all of my friends. Excellent characters and an extremely realistic plot made this a great book that I know I will be reading again.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte by Ruth Hull Chatlien tells the true story of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, better known as Betsy. She was the daughter of a Baltimore merchant, William Patterson, and was the first wife of Jérôme Bonaparte and sister-in-law of Emperor Napoleon I of France. I enjoyed learning about Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Bonaparte as my knowledge about her is almost non-existent. Getting to know one of the historical figures famously known as the ‘Notorious Belle of Baltimore’ through this novelized fact-based book is pleasant and enlightening at the same time. Betsy attended Madame Lacomb's Academy and studied history, culture, mathematics and French – knowledge that would later serve her well.

I personally think that Odette, Madame Lacomb’s slave, was an important catalyst for choices that Betsy made in her life – regardless whether Odette’s prophecy was legit or not in the first place. It still amazes me what we can learn from someone back in the past. Betsy’s determination transcends time because she was a strong-minded woman who shaped her own destiny, despite the obligatory limitations that society and her family tried to impose on her. Her choice to be with the man she loved, her fight for her marriage, plus her daring French fashion sense showcased her strength, charisma and wit. This is a laudable work from Chatlien. Her writing resonates with elegance, yet is simple and clear. It is easy to become absorbed in this well-written historical novel. The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte will appeal to all avid readers of the genre.