Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Thirst Trap is a work of romance fiction and interpersonal drama that was penned by author Zachary Ryan. Written from an LGBTQ+ perspective, this highly engaging and eye-opening work is best read by mature teens and adults due to the nature of sexual themes and substance abuse references. A coming of age drama with the emphasis fully on drama, our protagonists are four friends who each have their own deep personal issues to deal with. As Dillon and Jesse both deal with grief and loss, Ivan and Leo try to cover up their individual relationship problems with denial and deflection. So begins an important journey of accepting tragedy and moving forward into a brighter future.

Author Zachary Ryan has crafted a contemporary romantic drama that hits all the right buttons for modern readers. One of the particular strengths of the work is in its characters and the development of their dynamics. The plot is firmly character-led, and Ryan allows us close narrative and strong thought and speech presentation so that we can really get to know the four young leads of the tale. Their issues are represented with emotive scenes that really show their tragedy through thought and deed, rather than just telling us about it. The work is cinematic in its interpersonal scene description, and truly at its best when the characters come together to learn from one another, be that through triumph or tragedy. Overall, I would highly recommend Thirst Trap for romance fans who also want an inspiring dramatic narrative in their reading.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

A Prison In The Sun is a work of mystery fiction with plenty of intrigue and was penned by author Isobel Blackthorn. Forming the third book of the Canary Islands Mysteries series, this installment focuses on the difficulties facing ghostwriter Trevor Moore. Desperate to find his muse, the young writer takes up in a farmhouse in Fuerteventura, but no sooner than he’s landed there, trouble rears its head. After uncovering a huge sack of cash that seems to have no owner, Trevor is sent down the rabbit hole of a story that goes back to the fifties and sixties, where he discovers the ugly truth about the Franco regime, and how the island was used to persecute gay men for nothing other than being themselves.

Author Isobel Blackthorn explores many intelligent themes throughout this fascinating work, which gives a true literary quality to the cozy island mystery genre. As one might expect from a literary title, the story starts slowly and establishes Trevor’s character well, outlining the reasons why he is suddenly on his own and down in the dumps as he seeks solace in a Canary Islands break. Having been to Fuerteventura many times, I loved the description of the island itself and the history surrounding it, and the uncovering of both the prison and mystery elements of the plot was really well constructed and poignant in its presentation. Overall, A Prison In The Sun is an excellent work of mystery fiction for those who want to devour a literary sensation over a longer period.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Building Us by Rick Bettencourt is a compelling romance with an irresistible appeal for LGBTQ fans. Evan and Dillon have been married for five years and their marketing business has been doing well until they find themselves in crisis with marketing proposals not bringing in clients. When a movie company offers to feature their dog Detritus in a film, they welcome the offer, hoping to make some extra money, plus there might be a small part for handsome Dillon, who seems to have the attention of the film’s leading man. With their conflicting personalities, can Evan and Dillon save a marriage that is already threatened with financial constraints when someone famous has his eyes on Dillon?

The prose is gorgeous, just like the characters, and Rick Bettencourt’s gift for plot and character makes this narrative a hard-to-put-down kind of book. The characters have depth and the singularity in their personalities comes out through the narrative. Themes of love, family, and financial success are explored with skill and intelligence. The novel begins with a general, realistic statement that grabs the reader’s attention immediately: “In the truest sense of the word gay, our marriage doesn’t smack of happily ever after. Life reaches forward and slaps you upside the head with what’s important — health, love, friends — and alters your course.” This statement introduces the themes and one of the key characters, Evan. The story is told in the first person narrative and alternating between the key characters, hence allowing readers to enter into dialogue with the characters. The conflict in Building Us is highly emotional and the psychological depth of the story deepens the sense of humanity infused in it. Loved every piece of the story as it moved from one challenging moment to the next.

Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Killing with Kings by Lois Lavrisa is the fourth book in the Georgia Coast Cozy Mysteries and, as with previous books, this can be read as a standalone. Jose thought he had his hands full with the new rookie on the bomb squad, but then a fellow officer dies during a poker game. When his friend is the leading suspect, Jose takes up the investigation for himself to find the truth. With the rookie determined to help and his closest friends eager to lend a hand, Jose knows it's just a matter of time before he finds the killer or before the killer finds him.

The other books don't have to be read in order to be able to understand the plot and you can easily immerse yourself in the mystery. Those who have read previous installments will have fun seeing their favorite characters again and will take note of a few references to previous mysteries. Jose feels like he's leading two lives: one with his closest friends who know everything about him and one as a cop where he constantly keeps a secret. Having only come out to his friends and sisters, Jose is torn between the two sides of himself. Lois Lavrisa weaves Jose's fear of coming out to his fellow officers into his journey as he works through the fear that telling them will change how they view and respect him. His investigation pits him against his fellow officers but he never wavers in his mission to find the truth.

Assisting him along the way are his closest friends who can be recognized as the main sleuths of the previous books: Bezu, Annie Mae, and Cat. They're three supportive and encouraging friends who stick by him through every moment and every part of his life. They also factor into the mystery throughout with each playing a part in some way or another. The dynamic between Jose and the rookie Nowak provides humor as Jose is a more experienced cop and is driven while she's brash and tends to jump the gun. The differences in their personalities tend to create a fun banter between them but Jose takes the place of a role model for her. Killing with Kings is a mystery with charming characters, an endearing voice, plenty of humor, and a journey of self.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Travis (Boys of Brighton Book 6) by M. Tasia is a mesmerizing contemporary romance and a breezy read. Travis Boone has finally found a home in Brighton, Texas. Focused on his work as a cook now, he is quickly forgetting what it felt like to live on the streets and in his car. Now he can afford the things he really wants. But one thing is about to change the life he wants to build for himself and it's the gorgeous cop, Bo Mason, who seems interested in him. Travis isn't sure what to do for deep down he knows that Bo won't want to pursue him if his secrets become known. But Bo isn't a fool and he sees far beyond what Travis thinks.

I haven't read any previous books in the Boys of Brighton series but this entry - that reads so well for a standalone - convinced me of the author's gift for character and plot. The narrative begins with a pacing that is deceptively slow, but the speed increases as the key characters are revealed. I loved the way the characters evolve through the narrative. From the start, Travis seems timid, a character who tends to keep to himself. Bo is intelligent and can read more into Travis's small smiles. The author knows how to explore the hearts of the characters, developing emotions and thoughts that readers can easily relate to. The setting is well developed and the plot, though seemingly simple, is enriched by the author's ability to keep the story real and the emotions intense. The story is told in a compelling tone and in gorgeous prose.

Reviewed by Aimee Carol Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Ending the war is one thing. Becoming queen is another affair entirely. Kitlyn and Oona have come a long way from the young women who successfully ended the war between Lucernia and Evermoor, but their fight is far from over. With the revelation of King Talomir's deception comes a crisis of faith among the people of Lucernia. Between that broken trust, the weakening belief in their god of truth and purity, and the shocking love their princess has for another woman that many still cannot accept, Lucernia is heading quickly for a costly reckoning. Following the advice of her advisors but also her heart, Kitlyn introduces few yet crucial changes to her kingdom upon her coronation. The acceptance of Tenebrea coupled with the successful completion of their marriage rites gain Kitlyn and Oona a much-needed reprieve and a great deal of acceptance from the people they now rule over. And just in time, as Kitlyn and Oona will have to rely upon all of their strength, wits, and magic to survive when a new threat emerges to prey upon the people of Lucernia and Evermoor alike. Led by Oona's faith to the Underholm, what Kitlyn and Oona discover in the dark recesses of the earth will expose secrets long hidden and show just how little the citizens of both kingdoms know about their past. The Cursed Crown, sequel to Matthew S. Cox's The Eldritch Heart, will leave fans guessing until the very end.

The pacing is superb, each event coming along according to its nature, making the entire novel something pleasantly organic. There is always a little concern when going into a sequel; are the characters going to feel the same, will the world be familiar, how much recapping is necessary for the next installment? All these fears and more are set aside within the first few pages of The Cursed Crown. The clear dichotomy of the two main characters holds true in the sequel and gives credence to both sides. Oona grieves for the man she knew as her father and holds Kitlyn’s suffering above all. Kitlyn feels nothing for the man she now knows as her father and finds anger the most ready emotion, but on the behalf of the people of Evermoor and Lucernia who were killed and betrayed by his greed-fueled actions rather than his actions against her personally.

Cox's skill in showcasing each woman's strengths as a queen and as a maturing young woman is paired poignantly with their struggles to return peace to their struggling kingdom, the flip between perspectives actually enhancing the story, with Oona and Kitlyn's very different personalities pulling out details the other wouldn't have if their chapters were switched. Characters old and new populate the unfurling world of The Cursed Crown, packed with the clever and often hilarious dialogue that made The Eldritch Heart so enjoyable. It isn't all political intrigue and games, however. The Cursed Crown tracks through some heavy topics, including suicide, pride, religious differences, and self-sacrifice. The end result is a novel I cannot recommend strongly enough.

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

A.D. Pritchard’s young adult novel, The Pebble Champion, tells the poignant story of fifteen-year-old Chris in the aftermath of surviving the car crash that killed his mother. Sent by Auntie Wendy to live on the Isle of Wight with the father he has never known, Chris takes solace in walks on the beach and an imaginary world where he becomes the pebble hopping champion. But Chris is wracked with grief and confusion that he was to blame for his mother’s death. Hiding his pain from new friends, Thane, Deidre and Evelyn, and his father hinders his healing and relationships. Is his hopelessness and bewilderment at life, love and relationships a normal teenage challenge or is he really condemned (by himself) to an existence of misery?

The Pebble Champion is beautifully and sensitively written and I very much enjoyed reading it. Author A.D. Pritchard really gets inside the minds and emotional states of his characters and conveys this to his readers perceptively and brilliantly. With believable characters, this is a well-structured story with lots of depth and pace, and I found it a page-turner from start to finish. I especially like the method of using flashbacks to very gradually reveal Chris’s past and the build up to the tragic accident. This is more than a story of one boy dealing with profound loss and grief; it is also very much about growing up/coming of age, finding who you really are, your talents, and allowing yourself to be that person. I feel the author captures Chris's inner world perfectly and with empathy - his anger, heartfelt guilt and despair, and fear of further losses.

The imagined “pebble hopping championships” mirror Chris’s real life growing ability to let go of the past as he slowly builds the emotional skills to begin to do this. Chris grows through his pain and eventually realizes that he must also be true to himself to be happy. I liked his friend Evelyn’s gift of an acorn and wise words that no matter how much it may wish to be an apple tree, “it will always be an acorn” (oak). So The Pebble Champion is a story about grief and guilt, empathy and self-compassion/acceptance. As such I’d especially recommend it to teenagers, particularly those struggling with loss, personal identity or other growing up issues. An author and book you'll be glad you discovered.