Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

If ever a book begged to be made into a movie and shown on the big screen, Saving Grapes by author J.T. Lundy is it! This funny, fun and rollicking work of fiction follows our protagonist, 30-year-old Jason Barnes, on a madcap adventure to the French countryside, where he must convince a group of stalwart nuns to allow him to sell the vineyard he has just inherited, or risk losing it all. Jason and his friend Stumpy, along with a memorable cast of minor characters, traverse France, encountering one hilarious conundrum after another, all the while plagued by a deadline and a looming threat of imprisonment (yes, imprisonment) for Jason, if he isn’t able to reach his ultimate goal.

I loved this book. Loved it. It’s billed as a humorous book of fiction, and it certainly is that. But it’s also much, much more. Saving Grapes made me laugh out loud, not just once, but often. And I am not, by any means, what someone would term a ‘laugh out loud’ sort of gal. But more than that, it also warmed my heart. I highly recommend J.T. Lundy’s newest book to any lover of fiction, but especially those looking for a fun, funny read and one that will keep your interest from the start through to the finish. I now cannot wait to get my hands on Mr. Lundy’s first book, Happy Utopia Day, Joe McCarthy, and sincerely hope that he is hard at work on his next novel.

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

What can I say and where do I start? Brain - The Man Who Wrote the Book That Changed the World by Dermot Davis is one of the best books I have read in the last few months. The story is about novelist Daniel, who unfortunately does not write what the market wants. His books are not mainstream enough and very different from something like Twilight. He writes high quality - but nobody seems to want that these days. His agent turns his latest book down and Daniel might even have to pay back the advance he received. These are very bad times for the literally starving author who is months behind in paying his rent. So Daniel decides to find out what the market wants and then he writes. What he intended to be a satire of self-help books, however, turned out to be a huge hit - as a self-help book. People take all the ideas - and very strange ideas they are - seriously and Daniel, under a pseudonym, turns into the most popular author. But will he be able to continue the farce, especially when he has to hold seminars and appear on TV shows?

Brain - The Man Who Wrote the Book That Changed the World by Dermot Davis is an excellent, witty, and entertaining book. It shows everything that is wrong with current trends in the book world and how easy it actually is to make people believe things just because they are written down in a book. If a self-help book tells you to walk backwards all day and not use one half of your body the other day and to soak your head in ice-cold water for four hours - would you do it because the author claims it would improve your life?

Brain is a very clever book and very entertaining, especially if you know what it's like to be in Daniel's shoes or if you sometimes despair about the current state of literature. If you would like to get away from vampires, especially the sparkling ones, self-help books, and books about questionable celebrities, then this book is an excellent choice!

Reviewed by Michael McManus for Readers' Favorite

When we meet Jackie for the first time, we encounter a third-grader who is abused by his father and tormented by his classmates. Diagnosed with Autism, Jackie does not fit into the world correctly and is ultimately pulled out of school to be educated at home. When we are introduced to Jimmie, a child who comes as close as anyone to being a friend to Jackie, we learn that peer pressure forces him to embarrass Jackie with a childish prank, one that Jimmie regrets doing for the rest of his life. Thirteen years pass and Jimmie has become an unmotivated, under-achiever living with his parents and unemployed. Although he did earn a degree in English, his prospects of using that degree to earn a living are limited. After months of a failed job search, his mother pulls some strings and gets him an interview at the county’s Department of Social Services. Jimmie is hired to do interviews with welfare recipients to determine if they are, in fact, eligible and are receiving the services for which the county is paying. One of his interviews leads him to the home of one Jackson (Jackie) Rogers, where he finds a handsome young man who has never developed socially from the odd child he once knew. Through a strange, but understandable, turn of events, Jimmie loses his interviewing job but becomes Jackie’s full-time custodian. That is when Jimmie learns of Jackie’s remarkable gift. Through the next two years, Jimmie works to exploit Jackie’s talent. The results of his efforts are inspiring.

The author of Jackie, Dr. Sam Newsome, does a marvelous job of describing the title character’s disability and his gift. I highly recommend this book. The story line keeps you turning the pages and the characters make you cheer at times and cry at others. It is a wonderful read.

Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite

Happy Utopia Day, Joe McCarthy by J.T. Lundy is a witty, satiric cautionary tale about a ‘James Bond wannabe’ U.S. Customs Officer named Chris Thompson, who is summoned from his mundane job by the President of the United States to serve as a special agent during a state of emergency. Apparently, Mexico and Canada are invading the U.S. with the alleged help of the President’s Chief of Staff, in concert with a clandestine McCarthyesque movement determined to scuttle democracy as we know it, thereby righting unspeakable and innumerable evils born of foreign infiltration. The principal characters in this delightful farce - Thompson, his ever-complaining wife, the President, his Chief of Staff and a host of other two-dimensional denizens of J.T. Lundy’s dystopian world - display a spot-on, collective quirky shallowness worthy of Moliére. Both the dialogue and the action are fast-paced, full of reversals and zingers, and sure to please even the most discriminating, jaded readers of political satire.

One of the most delightful aspects of this crazy ride is that the key players seem to be winking at us from the pages, keenly aware of their own incompetence. Early in the game, a chemically compromised President Wright, refusing to relinquish Las Vegas to invaders from Mexico, reveals his misplaced priorities when he declares: “The showgirls at the Flamingo and the buffet at the Bellagio are the only things that keep me going sometimes.” Later, Chris Thompson displays his darkly comic meta-cognitive flair by revealing (after being arrested by campus cops for agitating at a college protest): “We don’t stand a chance. I’m an amateur relying on James Bond movies for inspiration and tactics.” The entire text is peppered with inane Joseph McCarthy quotes (to begin most chapters) and sidesplitting, deadpan neo-Shakespeare asides. This raucous romp truly has something for everyone. At 189 pages, it is also a brisk and entertaining read - perfect bedside fare.

J.T. Lundy’s Happy Utopia Day, Joe McCarthy is a delectable confection of political satire with a healthy dose of prescient real-time insight - a must-read for those who have rationalized the rampant xenophobia that daily threatens to extinguish the American Dream.

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Having missed out on all the fun while growing up due to his Jewish mother's smothering ways, Seth Miller finally got the independence he needed and escaped her constant presence and control. A confirmed bachelor, Seth was living the life and loving it, compensating for all the fun he had missed out on. That is until a call from his mother set in motions events that would bring an end to life as he knew it - apparently he was God's son. After the initial resistance and a phone call from his real father, Seth finally gave in to his new role. He enlisted the help of his disciples, who consisted of his best friend Bob and Maggie - a girl he had just met and was falling in love with - and sets out on a mission to fulfill his duties as the Messiah, a journey filled with confusion and challenges, including fresh doubts about his newly discovered paternity.

The Reluctant Jesus by Duncan Whitehead is a hilarious story and a definite page-turner. Imagine a world with a rambling God who answers to some sort of a committee and his worries include staff turnover in heaven and budget approvals, oh, and he makes phone calls to humans and forgets things. Now add in the fact that he had a son conceived through the Virgin Mary kind of situation, who he forgot about for over thirty years, but now needs that son to be the new messiah. Duncan Whitehead pulled off a brilliantly compelling plot and an amazing cast of characters to produce a comical tale that is full of humor, intrigue, and incredible twists and turns. The Reluctant Jesus is the work of a humorous genius.

Reviewed by Danita Dyess for Readers' Favorite

In the book “Time Warped Travelers” by Robert Westfall, the drama unfolds when Thomas Evans, a self-professed con artist, sees a newspaper ad about a pretty lady, Miss Elizabeth Howard, a cosmetics manager at Woolworth’s. So, the 20 something closes his eyes and pops up in the decade of the 1920s. They meet, get high, drink and have lots of steamy sex. But Elizabeth has a problem: her father has financial problems and her mother is dying. So Thomas “times” back to his modern-day apartment in Ohio equipped with spy cameras. He melts down gold and conspires with G, a dirty cop, Mama Louisa, a crooked pawn shop owner, and Giuseppe, a shady dealer in stolen goods. But Miguel Colidias, his benevolent guardian, warns Thomas about the Clock Watchers, rogue time travelers who threaten to stop Thomas’s efforts to help Elizabeth.

This book is worthy of critical acclaim and literary recognition. “Time Warped Travelers” was truly exceptional. Although there are lessons to be learned, the delivery of the messages through an upbeat, laid-back tone made it a cool thing. The language is graphic; it is part of Westfall’s street smart, humorous style. It is fast-paced. The 1920s slang, e.g., spiffy, apothecary, four bits and skedaddle, brings this piece to life. In his 60s, this is Westfall’s first book. But he is a literary genius who could easily develop a niche by publishing more work in the future. “Time Warped Travelers” is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

“Viva Laughter” by Patrick Shannon is a book that would be ideal as a travel companion or as a book that you read while you wait for food to cook in the oven, for your visitors to arrive or during any other time when you have time to kill. “Viva Laughter” is a collection of short stories that range from very short stories to longer ones. They don't have much of a common theme apart from the fact that they don't take life too seriously and make fun of topics and beliefs that other people take very seriously. There are stories about cats, poodles, famous people, the Bible, made-up people and events in history (that have been “slightly” altered by Patrick Shannon).

Unlike other books that make fun of topics that are very serious or even sacred for other people, “Viva Laughter” never comes across as being malicious or degrading. If you have even a tiny bit of humor, there will be many stories in this book that will keep you very entertained. I enjoyed many of the stories and some I found just a little bit too silly but I guess it is really hard to please everyone with every single story in a collection. Some of the stories I would have liked to be longer (because they are so funny like the story in which the cat talks about her pets, i.e. her humans) and others I would have liked to be shorter because they lost their momentum the longer they went on (e.g. 'Dead Fish Scrolls' is funny at the beginning but then becomes a bit boring). Overall, most stories are good, some are excellent and only very few were simply not my kind of story. Obviously an enjoyable book!

Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

"Zen and Sex" is a humorous modern day love story. The main protagonists are Martin, a 24 year old guy, and Frances, aged 38 years. The story begins with Martin's musings about life, love and sex. He hates to admit it, but he is lovesick, at least that is what his room mate Mike tells him. Martin is obviously in search for a meaningful relationship with the opposite sex. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Roxanne invites him to her wedding. Resorting to an internet dating site, Martin starts seeking dates, having been unsuccessful in finding a love interest in the park, at the bank and at work. He starts dating women in Cafe Luna where he meets Frances, who has been a witness to his dating efforts. What follows is a relationship that combines Zen and Sex. With the age difference between them and the Zen principle steering their relationship, can Martin and Frances find happiness together?

Dermot Davis's "Zen and Sex" is a great mix of man-woman relationship content, humor and Zen. It is actually about how far human beings go in trying to find their partners in life or their soul mates. Martin is in the process of learning how to have a meaningful relationship through Frances and her Zen principles on relationships. To my mind, the main focus of the book is how we deal with relationships in our age and time, and at the same time, trying not to lose ourselves. It is told in a humorous way, and it makes it is easy to see myself and my friends in the same situation as the characters in the novel. The story is told in the first person perspective and the narrator is Martin, so we get to look inside the male mind while he goes through this self discovery. As I turn the pages of the book, I cannot help but wonder what goes on in the head of Frances too. This book is a must for all of us who have experienced sadness as well as happiness in our romantic lives!

Reviewed by Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot for Readers' Favorite

"My Life on Craigslist" by Alexandra Ares is a fun read for those stuck in young adulthood in a place which appears unwelcoming and unmotivated to offer assistance on how to begin to move responsibly through life. 25 year old Emily Thompson is living in a small apartment in New York's East Village. Having recently lost her job in an art gallery, she has no way to support her meager needs. Having tried conventional means of obtaining a job, she turns in desperation to becoming an escort. It seems to be a well-paid and easy job, but Emily soon discovers that most of life is not as it seems. She looks for love in all the wrong places and for some time the reader wonders if the woman will ever learn to make appropriate choices. Her choices are those available via Craigslist on the internet and it seems to take the young woman a long time to understand that other choices may exist, choices which would move her to a more mature outlook in life. But, along the way, the reader is treated to fun times, questionable choices and the hard knocks that come with those choices.

Ares is a budding author who has a knack for highlighting the neurotic, maladaptive and vulnerable people in New York's vast cavern of possible characters. Emily is a lovable character in that she appears to learn from her own choices and she begins to move toward promise rather than despair and a sense of helplessness. Many young adults will relate to her needs for freedom which are competing with the need for safety and comfort.

Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

Secrets abound in the tiny neighborhood of Gordonston, an affluent neighborhood outside Savannah. The four members of the Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club have been meeting for the last ten years in the neighboring dog walking park. While their dogs romp and play, they share cocktails and the latest gossip. When one of their members Thelma Miller passes away from throat cancer, we start to see the secrets that the other three members have been hiding. Two members are hot for Thelma's husband, and hope to snag him, while the other one holds a deep hatred for him. In addition to the ladies we also meet several neighbors that use the dog park, and each one has something to hide, whether it is an affair that they don't want revealed or perhaps it is a secret job no one knows about. One thing is for certain: the residents of Gordonston will do anything to protect their secrets even if it means murder!

I loved the way Mr. Whitehead presents this story. In the first chapter he opens with someone digging a hole, which firmly hooked me because I knew a murder was going to be committed. But I couldn't figure out who would be killed or even who the murderer would be. "The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club" provides the reader with an interesting cast of characters, all of whom seem to be honest, upstanding citizens, but once their stories are revealed they are anything but that. Instead we learn of the dirty little secrets that they have kept hidden. Duncan Whitehead creates several interesting characters but does a fantastic job of making each one unique so that I never had to wonder who I was reading about. In addition to well-crafted characters, the author also provides a fast moving plot filled with mystery, suspense and intrigue along with several twists that left me breathless with anticipation as to what might happen next. All I can say about the ending is that I never guessed who would be revealed as the hit man or the Director. A real page turner that is perfect for anyone who enjoys a story filled with secrets, mystery and devious characters. Even though I loved the ending I can only hope that Mr. Whitehead will continue this story with a sequel; after all there are three more jobs to be completed! On a scale of one to five I would give this book a six because it is just that good!