Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Just, wow! How's that for a review? Well, it's definitely the way I felt about The Second Diary, the absolutely fabulous work by author Ciara Threadgoode. This book will have its readers obsessively turning the pages from the very first words all the way through to the very last, and will have them laughing and even wiping away tears at times. Follow the story of an unexpected find, that of the second, secret diary of one Dorothy Rose Nolte Hughes, discovered by her granddaughter Cherry after Dorothy had passed away. While her first diary contained the mundane details of her life, those that many would expect to find in the diary of an older woman, this one contained the real dirt and this spunky woman's true thoughts about what was going on around her, often with hilarious results!

I loved The Second Diary. Loved. It. How's that for a review? I loved its fun premise, the characters detailed so well and lovingly by author Ciara Threadgoode, and the investigation of one family's life over the course of two generations. I have never read a book quite like this one, and since I am a prolific readers, that is truly saying a great deal. Any reader who loves a fun read of fiction, a story about families, or just a story with a great deal of heart should definitely read this book! I highly recommend The Second Diary, and I absolutely look forward to reading more from the very talented author, Ciara Threadgoode, as soon as I possibly can!

Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

When stay-at-home mother Holly exhausts a seemingly never-ending collection of self-help manuals, she is content to spend her days indulging in long, gossipy, alcohol-infused lunches with her gang of gal pal friends. Every day brings the same challenges and anticlimactic events. That is until she discovers a new challenge. This one makes little to no sense to her, but she is intrigued with the candid ridiculousness of it all. Holly’s quest to find her inner goddess becomes an obsession. One that takes her directly out of her comfort zone while simultaneously offering an irresistible challenge. After committing to a year-long workbook activity of releasing herself from the hold of a rather decadent and shallow lifestyle, Holly follows the rules of the Goddess handbook to reach the surprising and unexpected satisfaction of being a woman of substance.

As the main character in Michelle Colston’s novel, The Undiscovered Goddess, journeys to discover the person she is meant to be, this reviewer greedily devoured each and every word. It is rare to find a story that so completely encompasses all of the positive qualities of the perfect read. Colston’s dialogue is funny, blatantly raw, and unabashedly honest. This is a novel to be read and read again, and to be shared with every woman in search of the key to self-happiness. I love, love, love this book. It hits so many key elements in every woman's spiritual journey. I look forward to purchasing multiple copies to share with the many undiscovered goddesses in my life. I can see myself working through the “workbook” in my own attempt at personal acceptance.

Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

At seventy-five years of age, Alice Williams is still a sharp, spunky character, but she does forget a few things. Her daughter Karen decides she can no longer live alone, and finds a place for her at the Sorrento Retirement Facility. Alice considers this a prison for old people, a place for them to die, and isn't going to stay, but she will look around for a bit. It doesn't take long for Alice to make a few friends, including a young girl named Lily who is doing community hours at the facility. She also meets an orange-haired woman named Ruby and they become fast friends. When a new man, Henry Taylor, joins their group, Alice is drawn to him, but Ruby likes him, too. Will this be the end of their friendship? While all this is going on, a theft occurs and Alice is determined to get to the bottom of it. Can Alice solve the mystery? Read Just Wondering by Jianna Higgins and find out.

The cover of Just Wondering really caught my eye, but the story inside really captured my imagination and wouldn't let go. Ms. Higgins easily grabbed me from the beginning pages with the character of Alice. She was such a funny character, even when she wasn't trying to be. She didn't hesitate to jump in and help a friend when she was being bullied, and I loved the way she didn't let the charge nurse Melanie Moth intimidate her. I really felt like Alice got a new lease on life by going to the Sorrento Retirement Facility, and it truly made me think differently about such places. The friendships that were made were wonderful, especially the friendships Lily made; it was just what she needed to boost her confidence. The character of Ruby Smith was great. I could easily imagine her, and honestly couldn't wait to see what she might say or do next!

There was never a dull moment with the story, and while there were a few serious moments, there were plenty of fun filled scenes. The mystery woven into the story wasn't easy to solve and lent a cozy feel to the story for me. While Just Wondering is the first book I have read by Jianna Higgins, it certainly won't be my last. Her writing style is engaging, her descriptions are very realistic, bringing the characters and setting to life. Anyone who enjoys a well-written, humorous read with strong characters won't be disappointed!

Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

The ancient lore of Camelot meets the fantasy of the future in this incredibly amusing tale of the evil sister of King Arthur as she is transported forward in time to the late 21st century. King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court by Kim Iverson Headlee whisks Queen Morgan away from a dying Arthur to the future, to where she wanted to confront the Connecticut Yankee whom she blames for unacceptable changes to the Kingdom. Loosely based as a follow up to Mark Twain’s famous story, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court takes the infamous Morgan le Fay to the future where she has an unusual effect on American politics as well as the World Baseball Federation with her purchase of the London Knights. With a bit of magic and a lot of queenly determination, Morgan helps create a new path for the president and makes waves in the world of baseball while making more than a few new enemies. Will time travel get Morgan back to her brother or will some other transfer over the centuries create even more distortions in what history has to report?

Full of wit, woman power and clever critiques of the political scene as well as the ‘good old boy’ network of professional sports, King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court by Kim Iverson Headlee is a pleasant read that crosses all types of preconceived ideas about style, substance, time and place. A love story, a quest for revenge, and a change of heart, plus so much more provide plenty of interest, and Headlee’s quick-paced narrative and dialogue keep you eagerly turning the pages. This is an unusual story that makes you glad you took the chance. A unique story that is a lot of fun with plenty of strategic jabs at conventional practices.

Reviewed by Jackie Timmons for Readers' Favorite

Randi M. Sherman’s The Lobby lets readers be a fly on the wall at the prestigious Shipley Hotel in San Francisco. The many intertwined stories take place over 24 hours from 4:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. the next day. The Shipley is hosting both a reunion and a large company conference so there are plenty of interesting individuals, meetings, and possible scandals around every corner. Then there are the tourists: a regimented, bossy husband with his wife who just wants to enjoy her vacation; a couple on their 30th anniversary who are treated to an impromptu wedding; and parents in town dreading their visit with their daughter and her atrocious family. Other fascinating characters also include Oscar Pasternak, a retired actor and longtime resident of the hotel’s upper floors, Mrs. “Bunnie” Rothman who is staying in a six-room suite while her house is under renovations and her husband is away, and a pair of adulterous couples. Add to this mix the many hotel employees including front desk workers, security personnel, the gift shop attendant, the floor polisher, and the florist.

All of these characters and stories equal one highly entertaining book. I enjoyed every moment of The Lobby and was quickly immersed in each of Randi M. Sherman’s characters. I was worried that there would be too many story lines to keep up with, but Sherman paints such vivid pictures and created such intriguing characters that I felt like I was there in the lobby experiencing it all. This book made me laugh, cry and cringe at the various behaviors, chance encounters, and hilarious situations. It was fun to read and now I want to quit my job and go work at the Shipley Hotel! I highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite

In Sucker, a supernatural fiction by Mark Lingane, Van H. Abraham is plunged into a world with a supernatural twist. As soon as he set eyes on the beautiful Mina, his fate was sealed. She requests his services, her man has run off with a skinny blonde thing, and taken all her money to boot. Never one to relinquish a free drink, he agrees to hear her story, but in the end refuses. He needs to make the rent, but there are easier ways than a missing person case. Fate, however, had a different idea, and the very next day he awakes to find a corpse on his doorstep, a skinny blonde thing. He and the police have never been on the best of terms, in fact it seems they will make up any excuse to see him behind bars, so the appearance of the body gives them just the excuse for a night in the slammer. And what a terrifying, earth changing night it turned out to be. The hidden world of vampires and demons is revealed, but they don't want to stay hidden, not any more. Now they are moving to force a change, and it seems it is up to Van to stand in their way.

For the first few chapters of Sucker, I could almost hear the Dick Tracy style voice-over. It brought a familiar touch to a fascinating genre and filled me with nostalgia for those old novels and series. There is certainly no shortage of things to catch one's attention as the initial missing person mission soon becomes a quest for things forgotten in history, and reveals the true nature of the world and its real terrors. The plot is an amalgamation of horror and humour. Whilst the plot is entertaining and the characters are unique with great dialogue, I would have preferred more in the way of character development. The plot itself is unique and puts a new spin on the over saturated vampire and paranormal market. Mark Lingane presents an imaginative tale with some very interesting and unexpected twists. Given the contents, I would recommend it to urban/paranormal adventure fans.

Reviewed by Isabelle Reding for Readers' Favorite

Sunshine Sweet wrote Blue Balls: Parenting is Dirty Business in order to laugh at the things kids say that, unbeknownst to them, are a bit naughty. Although it is made up sexual innuendos and is meant for adults, its content and images appear innocent to children, which is the crux of humor. Parents could even read this book with their kids and their children would wonder why their parents were laughing so hard and the seemingly innocent things they were saying.

Blue Balls: Parenting is Dirty Business by Sunshine Sweet is one of the best and funniest books I have read in a long while. It kept my attention, and kept me giggling throughout. The illustrations were incredible, and they showed the innocent, child-like perspective on the double entendre jokes in the book. While I was reading, I was definitely reminded of the title Do You Want To Play With My Balls? by the Cifaldi Brothers. Though Blue Balls does not have a plot or story line like the Cifaldi Brothers’ book, the point of the book was to make adults laugh at the innocent things children say. Sunshine Sweet definitely succeeded in exposing the wonderful humor found in the innocence of children. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that I wanted more of it. I cannot wait to see what genius Sunshine Sweet comes up with next. I await the next book with great anticipation.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Mom On The Road is a contemporary humorous novel written by Allyson Ochs Primack. The author used her own experiences travelling around the country with a theatrical cast to craft this work. Maggie was old enough to have enjoyed being young and being sexually liberated before the AIDS crisis made sex dangerous. The child of hippies, she enjoyed a childhood that included summer camp and away-from-home college and she continued these experiences with law school. Life was good. Maggie was in her twenties and still single, but her friends were all getting married and having kids. When she met Paul, there was an instant spark, and they were soon married. By the time she was 40, they had 3 kids, and she had somehow lost track of who she was.

Allyson Ochs Primack's contemporary humorous novel, Mom On The Road, is a funny and totally different type of on-the-road novel, though those who are childless or not women may find a number of cringe-worthy moments sprinkled throughout this women's fiction novel. Maggie, the mommy, often seemed like an alien being or, at best, someone enmired in a domestic purgatory. I imagine some readers who have been contemplating the ticking of their biological clocks may start considering whether quieting those ticking sounds is really worth it. Where this novel shines is when Maggie and her theatrical son, Matt, are on the road. The stories about the different cities they visit and the hi-jinks on the bus are marvelous. Even better is the gradual reawakening of Maggie, the excited and adventurous young woman who somehow had forgotten about her dreams. Mom On The Road is recommended reading.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Seven Steps to Closure is a chick-lit contemporary novel written by Donna Joy Usher. Tara's still getting over her breakup with her ex, Jake, and she's just survived hitting the big 30. Her mom keeps bringing her psychologically damaged pets from the animal shelter, and her friends are determined to help Tara get over Jake and back into a relationship. One of them has a back issue of Cosmo with an article designed to do just that called Closure in Seven Easy Steps. Tara, dreading the upcoming marriage of Jake and her cousin, agrees to accept the challenge. The first few steps are easy: her friend Elaine's brother is a gifted hairdresser and gives Tara a whole new look, and a shopping expedition for a new wardrobe is a piece of cake. Lower down on that list are the harder steps.

Donna Joy Usher's contemporary humorous novel, The Seven Steps to Closure, is a fast-paced and very entertaining novel. I knew I was in for a different type of chick-lit story from the opening pages where Tara has an argument with Cocky, her pet bird with a filthy vocabulary. Tara and her friends are fresh and funny, and their adventures are inspired. Usher peoples The Seven Steps to Closure with original and, for the most part, sympathetic characters in whom the reader is quickly emotionally invested. I especially enjoyed vicariously sightseeing in India as Matt and Tara take in the sights and do an awful lot of shopping. The Seven Steps to Closure is a lot of fun, even for readers who wouldn't ordinarily read something in the chick-lit category, and it's highly recommended.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Dinosaurs & Cherry Stems by Susan Jean Ricci is the story of Cindy, a vivacious woman who, having a defunct marriage, wants to unleash her emotions. She clandestinely obtains her husband’s paramour’s number, telephones, and suffers the agony of finding her suspicions about her husband’s cheating habits to be true. She starts dating with a vengeance, and initially many turn out to be disastrous, including a few attempts through the internet. She learns lessons and other new things, like the fetishes a few of her ‘victims’ entertained. She also finds courtly and gallant gentlemen, and enjoys their companionship as well.

Dinosaurs & Cherry Stems by Susan Jean Ricci makes the heroine gain our sympathies right from the beginning. In man-woman relationships, the probability of either partner becoming an epitome of defects is more or less the same. This is an interesting book, the unsure nature of the male clearly visible in all the ‘adventures’ Cindy jumps into. This novel is a true reflection of human society, the male-female imbroglio.