Reviewed by Marta Tandori for Readers' Favorite

Renowned food writer, editor, and publisher of the magazine, Sunshine Trails, Horace Button arrives in Tucson aboard his vintage private railroad car, his small entourage in tow. He’s looking forward to co-hosting the annual Best Chef Tucson Jail-and-Bail gala with his good friend, Bunny Lorillard, but when he arrives at the police station to assume his role as honorary police chief, his presence is met with hostility from a few senior members of the police force. Ever the unwavering optimist, Horace nevertheless launches into the weekend festivities but everything soon comes to an abrupt halt when the honoree of the Best Chef title is found dead. Ironically, an inadvertent error soon has Horace in the actual role of acting police chief, much to the disgust of some members of the Tucson police force who are demanding his immediate resignation. Rather than cave in to their demands, Horace stubbornly decides to use his temporary powers of office to launch an investigation into the chef’s untimely death, convinced that foul play was involved, with little regard for the chaos he’s about to unleash on Tucson’s tight-knit culinary circles.

Eric Peterson has delivered the perfect combination of great storytelling and an irresistible protagonist in his witty whodunit, Sunshine Chief. As far as sequels go, Sunshine Chief nicely holds its own against its predecessor, The Dining Car. The well-thought-out story is made near irresistible, thanks to the lofty likes of Peterson’s main protagonist, Horace Button. Eternal optimist, social critic extraordinaire, Button is a man of many excesses who downs enough wine and spirits daily to put most mortals under the table while unapologetically devouring rich sauces and fatty foods with little care for his heart or his liver. Horace is the epitome of charm or can be as venomous as a snake if provoked, but what makes him so compelling is that he looks at the world just a bit differently than everyone else.

Of course, every good sleuth needs a trusty sidekick and in Horace’s case, he has a small entourage ready to do his bidding. His thirteen-year-old niece, Jane, temporarily suspended from school and along for the weekend with her friend, Florabelle, eagerly carry out Horace’s assignments under the supervision of his manservant, Pierre. Former college football star-turned-biographer, Jack Marshall, is Horace’s right hand, adept at driving or bartending when the situation calls for either one, while Jack’s wife, Wanda, is Horace’s chef, doling out her gastronomic delicacies and sage advice with equal aplomb. Together, they all make a colorful cast of characters that elevate Peterson’s story to the next level. A smart, witty mystery, Sunshine Chief will leave readers eagerly looking for their next fix in what will hopefully become a series starring Peterson’s inimitable protagonist.

Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Strung by Roske is a musical foray that brings to life a world that weaves magic from music, beauty, and the enchanting presence of the Faye. Most people in Iodesh believe the Faye are legends but a few believe in their existence. Lady Lysbeth Haywood receives a Faye that was captured and gifted by a suitor seeking a marriage she doesn't want. Lysbeth has mixed reactions at the discovery of the Faye. She's eager to learn more about their society, has increased anxiety about the forced marriage, and the growing conflict within her society. As she learns more about the Faye's mysteries, revelations open up possibilities beyond anything she ever imagined, and a deep connection forms with an unlikely source.

The story is rooted in the allure of the Fayetales and the fascination Avon society has with them, which begins with the discovery of a being wrapped in silver. This opening creates a catalyst for Lady Lysbeth and society's introduction into this beautiful and magical world. The Faye brought into Lysbeth's society brings mystery, wonder, discovery, and romance into her life. She's introduced to a society that contrasts her own with beauty and magic, where men and women are equal, and enchantment beyond everything she's ever seen. Avon society is the opposite with a double standard where lords can do as they want (as long as its discreet) and ladies are expected to devote their lives giving heirs to their husbands. The Faye are treated as objects and are expected to behave like docile pets.

Music has a significant impact on the tone of the story, seen through the various terms that Roske incorporates and the rhythmic writing style. The writing style has a musical quality which is seen in the formatting and the inclusion of lyrics such as the opening featuring beautiful depictions of giant trees cut into vessels and blue bleeding into their roots. These lyrics provide a stunning background to introducing the world and add a uniqueness to the story that feels that you're stepping into the music itself. Various illustrations are dotted throughout with black and white images adding elegance to the prose and providing visuals. Strung conjures up its enchantment through eloquent prose, a musical tone, a vivid setting, and romance.

Reviewed by Tanja Jurkovic for Readers' Favorite

Still The Night Call is a novel written by Joshua Senter, whose main character Calem Honeycutt tells the story of his experience growing up and living on a dairy farm in rural Missouri, USA. Calem and his family run one of the last dairy farms standing in the Missouri countryside and their way of life, although seemingly simple to the outsider, becomes endangered by the political and social issues in contemporary America. When their livelihood suddenly becomes a part of the harsh reality of the world they live in, Calem's purpose in life is blurred, and he makes one of the toughest decisions in life to end his suffering.

Still The Night Call is a well-written novel with a contemporary voice echoing the attitudes and troubles of country people, caused by the relentless reality of the dark fate of the farm industry, due to the changes in the country's politics and economy. Author Joshua Senter creates a balance between the subjective point of view of the middle-aged white farmer and the objective view on contemporary politics and economical issues, describing in his own crisp and straightforward style the effect these events have on farm life in America. The bitter reality of our contemporary world comes forth through the equally dark atmosphere that Senter creates while writing. He raises current issues just enough to make the reader wonder, examining them according to one's own perception and point of view. Still The Night Call is an interesting read that questions the political and social problems from a writer's point of view, offering hope for change at its impactful ending.

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

A Kind of Hush by JoDee Neathery is a tale about profound loss that is shrouded in mystery. One of the biggest heartaches that parents can experience is the tragic loss of a child. Matt and Summer married in 2002. They adopted Willa and they added their son Griff the next year. Gabe completed their family in 2005. A heartbreaking accident took the life of their six-year-old Griff. Just as they were beginning to put the pieces of their lives together, another tragedy occurred. During their trip to Zoar Valley Gorge, Matt, Willa, and Summer fall from a cliff. Summer doesn’t survive, and this throws the family into another cycle of grief. Deputy Sheriff Conner Boyle intends to find out if the tragedy is purely an accident or foul play, as Matt and Summer may have made enemies in the past. One name that crops up is a registered sex offender named Victor Kurtz.

A Kind of Hush is a powerful mystery drama with all the usual trimmings of police procedure and the intensity of family relationships in crisis. JoDee Neathery places the story in a plausible world, where the setting pervades your senses and the characters feel like the folks you would typically meet at an outdoor activity. Even as a pedophile, Victor fits into the realm of stark realism. Neathery has a good grasp on the nature of grief and uses it as the dominant emotion to tug at your senses. It is also the novel’s subtext that shows how grief can be leveraged as a coping mechanism when tragedy strikes repeatedly. It is a brilliant story, one that is a must-read for its great plot, character, setting, and theme.

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

Lily doesn’t remember her death or even her reawakening, but she knows this: the sun is to be feared, words are her salvation, and—above all—the bench facing the playground is hers. She is the pin holding the hands of the clock, watching the world move and change around her while she remains fixed, lonely, and unchanged... until a boy takes a seat beside her.

Author R. Raeta's debut novel, Everlong, is remarkable in many ways. Start with the title, a made-up word that was also used as a song title by the band Foo Fighters in the late 1990s that urban dictionaries might loosely define as forever, is the perfect fit for Lily's glove. Follow that with exemplary literary prose that weaves a love story unequaled in a vampire story and you've got a worldwide bestseller in the making. Raeta's writing style is one where every word is weighed and measured in a cadence that demands savoring, like a fine wine or the perfect steak.

Everlong is an emotional experience lived through Lily and Sam, a most remarkable man, and all the ramifications and beauty of love between a mortal man and an immortal woman. Though the battle with Lily's maker is inevitable, Raeta draws it out until late in the story because, though vital, it's actually the smallest piece of the story. The palpable story of Everlong is one of family, friends, love, life, death, and what it means to live forever in a character-driven, literary style guaranteed to bring even the most emotionless reader to tears... or at least some leaky eyes.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

Floating in the Neversink by Andrea Simon is an extraordinary novel. In the summer of 1955, nine-year-old Amanda Gerber has to say goodbye to her best friend, Francine. She travels from Brooklyn to deep within the Catskill Mountains, where Grandma Sarah lives. Although she is sad to be apart from Francine and worries that her absence will end their friendship, Amanda soon meets her cousin Laura who joins her on an exciting and sometimes dangerous adventure. Amanda also meets some eccentric and colorful members of her extended family. With each summer break spent with Grandma Sarah, Amanda learns that becoming a teenager brings new challenges and responsibilities. She also discovers that sometimes not everyone has good intentions or values. As her family faces tragedy, relationship breakdowns, and dark secrets from the past, Amanda learns the importance of treasuring the relationships with those you love.

Floating in the Neversink by Andrea Simon is a descriptive narrative that will transport you back to the innocence of your childhood. I resonated immediately with the eclectic mix of characters. Each of their backstories was well-detailed, which made their personalities so realistic and vivid. Their reactions to each situation were believable. I feel the sharp and authentic dialogue was the strength of this novel. It powerfully encapsulated the emotions of the characters. I thought the conversation between Amanda and her father around mental illness was particularly poignant. Although I adored Amanda, I also loved Laura and her strong character and sharp sense of humor. Her personality particularly shone through when discussing the origins of snow with Grandma Sarah; her reply was hysterical. The plot explores vital issues that every teenager will face in their lives, such as relationships with the opposite sex, family tensions, peer pressure, and grief. There were also subtle but powerful life lessons entwined throughout the plot, like her father not becoming a doctor. This line from Amanda around qualifying as a doctor was superb: “I guess they didn’t need to know that stuff in the sweater factory.” Many scenes highlight the importance of accepting differences in others, the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, and attempting new challenges. It is a highly engaging coming-of-age novel.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Have you ever started a book, debated continuing, but something the protagonist has said or felt compels you to read on? That’s what happened to me when I began reading Forbidden Woman by Blair Bronwyn. There was something about Lucille, pregnant and abandoned, that spoke to my inner female core...that deep strength, intelligence, and resilience we women know we have, but that men have done their best over the centuries to control. As I followed Lucille’s self-deliverance from heart-hardening poverty and abuse as a prostitute to success, both as an independent woman and business person throughout the war years, I felt proud to be a woman. She learned how to “use” men...for lack of a better word...to regain power and control over her own life.

Blair Bronwyn’s ability to capture Lucille’s emotions, which ranged from shutting out any people, places, or things that deterred her from fulfilling her dreams, to finally opening up her heart again was beautifully done. Along the way, denying herself the need for the love buried deep in all human souls, she deprived herself of a fulfilling relationship with her only daughter. Thankfully, as fate stepped in and took away the only man she ever truly loved, a Christian pastor, she acknowledged how much her pursuit of money and security had cost her. Did her epiphany come in time to salvage the relationship with her daughter and the grandchildren she didn’t know she had? You will need to read Forbidden Woman to find out. The engaging plotline and its characters will ensure you keep turning those pages.

But Forbidden Woman is much more than just a great story. It’s a clever, ongoing commentary on the status of women, not just women of color, but all women. Forbidden Woman gives readers so much to think about. The deeper I got into the story and the themes, the more I felt the urge to do some personal exploration into religion, the American dream, the status of women. For me, that’s the sign of a great piece of writing. Blair Bronwyn tells us Forbidden Woman is the first book of a trilogy. It’ll be interesting to see what she will come up with next.

Reviewed by Teresa Syms for Readers' Favorite

Becoming Olive W.: The Women of Campbell County by S. Lee Fisher tells the story of the youngest daughter of Henderson Westchester. Olive, who was left orphaned at the age of three when her mother died in childbirth, struggles to find her purpose and place as the youngest child in the Westchester family, the business, and the world. She is feisty, dominant and, most times, a rude young girl who grows up and learns the family farming business from the financial side, challenges her father, controls the money and the rest of her large family. Henderson wants Olive to attend finishing school, as most women of the early 1900s did. What Olive wants is to further her education by going to high school and then college, but Henderson will not allow it. Olive fights her family at every turn and the society where she finds herself trapped in the male-dominated times. How will Olive cope with the pressures of life, love, and family while trying to carve out a life for herself? Only time will tell.

S. Lee Fisher has created a beautifully written and well-developed story. Becoming Olive W.: The Women of Campbell County highlights the rural life of Olive Westchester and her dysfunctional large farming family. Henderson only tolerates Olive's behavior because she is so like her deceased mother in looks and behavior. Her siblings, spouses, and teachers despise Olive and her abrupt, harsh, and rude mannerisms. However, her brother Fred is her only true champion. The reader will be transported and absorbed in the story as Olive fights for her place. The author provides a clear picture of what rural Pennsylvania life was like in the early 1900s. Fisher’s detail in describing clothing, furnishings, rural life, West Point, and New York City will leave readers with a clear picture of how Olive suffers at the hands of her family. I found it difficult to put the book down. I needed to keep reading to discover what happens to Olive and her family. A well-written story and I look forward to more from this author. A great book.

Reviewed by Jose Cornelio for Readers' Favorite

Slender Notions by Nicholas Antonopoulos is a unique, emotionally intense narrative. The protagonist is Leo, an indifferent and bored twenty-three-year-old man stuck in a small town in Massachusetts. He is a victim of opioid addiction, which brings his life to a standstill. His addiction numbs him, makes him indecisive even when overtaken by the urge to go out and roam in the woods. There is also Cole, a divorced, unhappy Bostonian of middle age. He suffers from regret and experiences spells of rage. In a moment when he is really low, he makes a surprising discovery when he wakes up laughing in the morning. His life might have some direction and purpose after all, and that purpose is in infecting the entire city with joyous laughter. At a poetry reading, Leo and Cole launch what they call the 'laughter challenge' in an effort to create unity. They become popular and are challenged to face their personal struggles.

This is a captivating story that stands out in its originality. The first-person voice pulls the reader into the conscious minds of the characters, inhabited by wild thoughts at times. The lethargy they experience, the depression that tugs at the edges of their hearts, and the overpowering thought of living a meaningless life are conveyed through streams of consciousness and the visible effects of the mental struggles the characters face. Slender Notions tells the story of two misfits with strong psychological issues and the path they take toward liberation. The humor is biting, the imagery very strong, and the narrative voice gripping. The power of shared laughter is beautifully captured and the humanity of the characters is deeply explored in the narrative. Readers are pulled into the inner world of deeply troubled characters and, as they navigate that world, they find echoes of their own broken humanity. It is a hypnotic and hugely entertaining story by Nicholas Antonopoulos.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Best Part of Us is a contemporary literary fiction novel written by Sally Cole-Misch. Beth had always known that her mother, Kate, had expected her kids to follow the roadmaps she had charted for their futures and to see the island everyone else in her family had loved so dearly expunged forever out of their lives. Beth had gotten over losing the island and all it meant to her. It had been where she had always felt most alive until it was torn from their grasp after a massive storm and an even more massive disagreement between the First Nations people and her hot-headed grandfather. Now she faced a decision, the biggest one in her life in so many ways. What would letting the island back into her life mean to them? How could she reconcile the demands of Kate with the needs of her grandfather and her own?

Sally Cole-Misch’s novel is a lush and lovely homage to the natural places where her protagonist grew up. The careful reader won’t fail to hear the haunting cries of the loons in the early morning as Beth and her grandmother row out to catch the day’s fish or feel the sun begin to warm the chilly morning air as she and Dylan set out for that day’s painting adventure. Readers who are into the outdoors, hiking, and nature won’t be able to resist the pull of this remarkable novel, as will, no doubt, many more who’ve never quite seen the outdoors made real and tangible in such a persuasive way before. The author has done a grand job of making Beth, Dylan, Ben and a host of other original and genuine characters come to life. The plot spanning past and present kept me enthralled and engaged throughout my reading of this exceptionally good book. The Best Part of Us is most highly recommended.