Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Just, wow! That’s exactly what I thought when I finished reading Mia’s Magic Wand, the new book by author Peter Volkofsky. This story grabbed me from the very start and kept me obsessively reading all the way through until the very end! Follow the story of Mia, a woman who was drugged and raped by philanthropist Tate Wolsey. Tate’s wife provides Mia with an archive of videos that Tate held in reserve for the purposes of blackmailing others. Tate had called these tapes his “magic wand” and suddenly Mia finds herself in possession of them. Many want what she now possesses, and are willing to do just about anything to obtain them. Will Mia be able to use the “magic wand” for what she desperately wants, the return of her daughter, or will she die trying? You’ll need to read this fantastic book to find out!

I loved Mia’s Magic Wand. Loved. It. Author Peter Volkofsky has done a fantastic job in creating an exciting story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, as well as characters that they will connect with, relate to and truly come to care about. If that isn’t a hallmark of a great author, I’m not sure what is. Any reader who loves an exciting and suspenseful work of fiction should absolutely read this book. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Mia’s Magic Wand and look forward to reading more from the obviously talented author, Peter Volkofsky, as soon as I possibly can!

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In an exciting and adventurous new read by author Bjarne Rostaing, Epstein's Pancake: A Political Thriller will take readers down a path they certainly may not have expected. Following the story of Vietnam veteran Rob Price just at the tail end of the Reagan years, readers will find enough intrigue and innuendo in this storyline to fill three books! Rob has just lost his Wall Street job, and has taken a new one at a small government agency. He definitely has a chip on his shoulder, and when he finds that the obscure little agency he's working for isn't quite the way it first appeared, well, that's definitely where the real action begins!

I very much enjoyed Epstein's Pancake. In a unique tale of secret deals, secret manipulations, and secret government agencies, readers will find that they are truly surprised as the story wends this way and that, and will never quite be sure where it will end up. Author Bjarne Rostaing has done a great job in creating interesting and dynamic characters that will stay in a reader's head long after the story is done. If that isn't a hallmark of a great writer, I'm not sure what is. I am pleased to recommend Epstein's Pancake to any reader interested in political thrillers, especially those that they won't be able to figure out from the very start. I certainly hope that author Bjarne Rostaing is already hard at work on his next novel. With his unique voice and talent, any new offering would certainly be a winner!

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

What if you discovered that people were disappearing at an alarming rate? What if those mysterious lights in the sky had something to do with the disappearances? What if the world as you knew it could change in a blink of an eye, a past totally wiped out and re-written? What if you really didn’t have any control over anything in your life?

David (Dave) Reed works for the CIA. He works for the Message Watch Office, monitoring emails that arrive, making sure nothing unusual pops up. He’s also been studying to get his Master’s degree in world history, in the hopes of improving his career options. Dave believes he has his life and career all planned out. But he has this insatiable fascination with UFOs, an interest that has consciously and subconsciously marked his life since a mysterious encounter while serving at the Hummel Airforce Base in Alaska. Recent UFO activity in the small town of Ramps, Virginia, sparks his interest and a weekend camping trip with a co-worker, who’s also interested in UFOs, takes a different direction when the two decide to make Ramps their camping destination. And even their destination of Ramps becomes another anomaly in an already unusual plot.

Bill Higgins’ science fiction novel, Modify Destiny, is full of unexpected and unusual twists and turns. There is something very top secret about these UFOs and only the highest level of command with the highest level of security knows the full truth. As the plot thickens, the reader wonders if this ‘very top secret’ knowledge will, at some point, be revealed. At first glance, the novel is another UFO mystery. But deeper into the plot there is a multitude of characters and interactions that create the illusion of a real life scenario, one that someone involves the assassinated President Kennedy. And where will this mystery lead? This is a fast-action page-turner, with a very believable plot and personable characters. It will certainly make readers want to question the many what if’s of life and what really is the truth.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Just, wow! That's exactly what I thought when I finished reading The First Lie, which is Book One of the Selkie Moon Mystery Series by author Virginia King. This book gripped me from the very first page and kept me obsessively reading it all the way through to the last! Follow the story of Selkie Moon, a woman who has fled the clutches of an abusive husband and a controlling stepmother, uprooted her life from Sydney and moved to Hawaii, in the hopes of finding peace. But when mysterious and scary things begin to happen to her, even in her new environment, Selkie begins to wonder if she truly has made the right choice. The further Selkie goes in trying to find the truth, both of what is occurring now, and the truth of who she truly is, the more twisted and fascinating the tale becomes.

I loved The First Lie. Loved. It. How's that for a review? Well, it's how I really felt about this excellent start to what promises to be a fantastic new paranormal mystery series by author Virginia King. This story is unique and interesting, the characters, especially Selkie, are vividly drawn and relatable, and the story line is just fantastic. Any reader who enjoys mysteries, paranormal fiction, novels with a strong female protagonist, or just a great read of fiction in general will absolutely love this book. I am so pleased to highly recommend The First Lie and I am very much looking forward to reading more from author Virginia King as soon as I am able to!

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Glossolalia is the opening book in the Agents of the Nevermind series by Tantra Bensko, a psychological thriller narrated around very complex themes, great conflict, and unforgettable characters. It’s a world where nothing is what it seems, with dubious programs created by governments and organizations to control the people, and hide their sinister esoteric and criminal activities while growing their wealth and power. However, one woman dares to expose the devious duplicity of the powers that be. Read on to discover the powerful psyche of Nancy and what happens when it collides with the dark forces of organized crime. Here is a book that has a lot to provide the elements readers seek in thrillers — psychological depth, phenomenal conflict, intense action, suspense, and powerful themes.

Tantra Bensko plunges readers into a political conspiracy bigger than anything they’d imagine in books of this nature. Government mind control programs come across in the story in a startling way and they are at the heart of the conflict. Join the cast of compelling characters as they engage in secret rooms, jittery sex moments, chases, and psychological battles. I enjoyed the protagonist, a courageous woman who follows her instincts and who takes the risk to develop and use her gift to unveil the truth, but can she really withstand a confrontation with the dirty truth and deadly agents? Glossolalia is deftly written and well balanced, with a powerful political, historical, and physical setting. The writing is excellent and readers will be lost in the vivid and engaging descriptions of both scenes and settings, as well as the insightful passages. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Compelled is a private investigator mystery novel written by Inge-Lise Goss. Sidney was fit and healthy, so her sudden attack in the middle of the night came as a total surprise. The agonizing tightness of every muscle in her chest and difficulty in breathing had her convinced she was having a heart attack. Chas, her husband, made the call and the EMS rushed her to the nearest Nassau County, Long Island, hospital, but the doctors found nothing wrong with her heart or any other physical system in her body. No one could explain the pain that remorselessly coursed through her body. Bernice was a medium in Florida whose dreams were nightly punctuated by the screams of a woman who kept on repeating a man’s name. When she was discussing the problem with a friend, she was visited by a woman’s spirit who claimed her husband, Aden, was innocent and told Bernice she needed Sidney to help her. Contacting Sidney, a Nassau County police officer and former CIA agent, was Bernice’s desperate attempt to help her ghostly visitor and get some sleep. Wracked with pain and worry over her health, Sidney’s first inclination was to ignore the pleadings of the strange female caller, but then she discovered that her pain eased when she spoke to Bernice. It seemed like she would have to solve the mystery of Aden and his wife’s murder or be doomed to a lifetime of agonizing pain.

Inge-Lise Goss’s contemporary paranormal sleuth mystery novel, Compelled, is a taut and absorbing story that follows a former CIA agent’s attempt to find the murderer of a San Diego woman. Goss weaves tantalizing traces of the paranormal throughout this well-told tale as Sidney travels to San Diego and tries to piece together a puzzling and complex crime that makes little sense, with the help of Sam, a local private investigator. Aden and Mara were deeply in love and had two children, in spite of their recent crisis and turmoil over his having had a one-night stand with a co-worker while away on business. Even Mara’s parents are certain Aden would not kill his wife. Sidney is a multi-faceted and highly competent sleuth whose combination of brains, ingenuity and superb physical conditioning make her a match for anyone. Goss’s plot includes numerous blind alleys and red herrings for mystery lovers to mull over as they try to figure out the identity of the killer. Compelled is well-written, suspenseful and action-packed, and it’s hard to put down. It’s highly recommended.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Find Me Again by Janet K. Shawgo is the story of two lovers who died a hundred years ago, but their love is kept alive by the later generations of their families. Samuel White died in the arms of his nurse Sarah Bowen. When he died, she promised that she would look for him until they were together once again. A hundred years have passed and it appears that their time has come. Taylor White-Shaw and Jace Bowen are both from opposite sides, but they are on the same quest. Their destinies are intertwined and now they must work together to complete what was started all those years ago.

I know that the novel falls in the adventure category, but my inner romantic feels that it should be in the romance category too. I mean, come on, two lovers, long lost and their love is going to be fulfilled after a hundred years? How is that not romantic? This is the first novel I've read by this author and I have to say I’m very intrigued by the way Janet K. Shawgo writes. I am a sucker for writers who have their own quirky way of writing and I have a feeling that I will read a lot more from her. There is something about the way she writes that pulls you right in. You do not have to read the whole series to appreciate her brand of magic; however, I have bought the preceding two novels and completed the first one. And the hint of paranormal did bring out another facet of the novel. It is a wonderful series.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Stories from the Age of Distraction: The Island, Volume 1 is a contemporary literary fiction novel written by Patricia M. Mahon. After growing up to the sound of her author mother's typing on her old IBM and pursuing graduate studies in literature, Morgan Byrnes is now a writer herself, though not exactly as she had intended. She's 35 and works as a corporate speechwriter by day. By night, she still harbors the literary spark which she shares with her best friend, Percy Chadwick. One night, she types a few lines on her Facebook page and is pleased when she receives his response, a continuation of her story prompt. Then she's amazed to see more responses scrolling down her screen and, with each response, her story grows and evolves and becomes alive. The posters are people she's never been in contact with, and they're from all over the world. It's an exciting concept, seeing how they all somehow transcended the impersonal mode of the digital age and became part of that ancient tradition of story-telling. And with that spark of inspiration, Morgan comes up with a plan.

Patricia M. Mahon's contemporary literary fiction work, Stories from the Age of Distraction: The Island, Volume 1, is the stuff of dreams. Her heroes, Morgan and Percy, set out to reclaim oral traditions by venturing into the digital domain. Their quest is an ambitious one, and the only open door is through a former roommate of her brother. I had a marvelous time following these otherworldly dreamers as they reach out into the ether and find kindred spirits -- hundreds of them. The stories that evolve are marvelous and work perfectly with the continuing saga of Morgan and Percy. This work within a work is beautifully scripted with characters who quickly seem like friends and whose quest becomes a universal one. Stories from the Age of Distraction: The Island, Volume 1 is edgy, original and very compelling. It's most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

The Girl in the Glyphs by David C. Edmonds is the story of a Smithsonian specialist in ancient writing who is trying to find a glyph cave in Nicaragua. Jennifer McMullen-Cruz is a Smithsonian specialist who wants to find a glyph cave and she will do whatever it takes to get there and find out what the old civilization was thinking and writing. The situations in Nicaragua are getting worse and a gang of tomb raiders is also looking for the glyph cave. They are dangerous and they want the advantages that the glyphs will bring. Jennifer’s life is in danger, but that will not stop her from finding that glyph cave. A respite comes in the form of a handsome man from the US Embassy. Just when she thought things would be better, her cheating husband wants her back. With all these challenges and distractions in her way, can she keep her eye on the prize?

Fast paced, fun, this is a really good mystery and suspense novel that everyone will love. The story is really cool and you cannot predict what will happen next. I really love suspense/mystery novels where I cannot guess what will happen, no matter how hard I try. The way this book is written makes the reader feel satisfied. There was a constant hum in my body when I was reading it. I could not wait to read till the end to see what happens. It was a complete novel that did not leave me wanting. A very well written suspense novel that I enjoyed very much.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Digger Cartwright welcomes you to the world of online dating in The House of Dark Shadows. On the outside, it appears that Alex Rommel has everything. He has the best of everything, but on the inside, he is just a lonely man. When he meets an old friend, he finds out that his old buddy found love on the internet and is blissful to say the least. Envious and desperate to let go of the past and lost love, Alex ventures into the world of online dating to see what it has in store for him.

The murky world of internet dating brings Hope in his life. Hope is a French journalist and just about everything he ever desired. But she has her own secrets and her past. It appears that something sinister is coming towards him from all directions. His mother is constantly badgering him, his lusting secretary is getting on his nerves, his business is getting more demanding, and Hope is making him suspicious. There are shadows all around him and he cannot decipher if any of them are friendly or all of them are enemies. Can he rescue himself before all is lost and he is destroyed?

Since I started reading this novel, I have been thinking of a word to describe Alex Rommel. The only word I find suitable enough is jaded. The House of Dark Shadows is an amazing psychological thriller and it entices the reader from the get go. The storyline is good and very entertaining. Alex is a little tough to love, but I think that is just a part of his character. Nonetheless the novel was good and deserves to be read again and again.