Reviewed by Marta Tandori for Readers' Favorite

Betrayal of Justice, the taut new legal thriller by Mark M. Bello, is positively chilling in its political acuity. Ronald John, the newly-elected President of the United States and poster boy of white Christians the country over, is about to put into action his campaign rhetoric by deporting all illegals and putting up walls to keep all those unwanted out. In general, he’s about to inflict his bigotry and Islamophobia on the masses, all in the name of bringing back a “pure America”. Keith Blackwell, a white supremacist and grandson of a former Ku Klux Klansman, wholeheartedly supports the President’s agenda and gleefully launches his own clandestine attacks on two unsuspecting Muslim women, before bombing a local mosque with a Molotov cocktail. Arya Khan, a young American woman, watches in fear as all Muslims suddenly come under fire. Seeing seemingly little action by the police department, she decides to take matters into her own hands – only to soon find herself standing over the body of a dead white supremacist, holding the ‘smoking gun’, so to speak. Formally charged and jailed, and with the President actively seeking to deport her immigrant parents, Arya must put her trust in the hands of trial attorney, Zachary Blake…

Few will argue that Betrayal of Justice is art imitating life. However, what really gives this story its substance is the author’s ability to tell it from different points of view. We, as readers, are intimately in the mindset of the characters and, in essence, we learn what makes each character tick, their prejudices and even their frailties. It’s a complex story and Bello would be doing it an injustice if he only presented a one-dimensional viewpoint. There are also a great many moving parts to the story yet the author manages to keep each one going in such a way that the events, as they unfold, compel us to keep reading further. Betrayal of Justice also presents a series of characters from different walks of life. Who they are and what their special skill sets are serve to enhance the story. Although Bello pulls it off with seemingly no effort, it takes skill and research to create key members of a special task force and make every aspect of their jobs sound credible. With solid characterization, crisp dialogue and plenty of action, Bello manages to find the right balance between these three key elements.

Whether we agree with the motivations of the different characters, or whether we hate or love them is not the point. Betrayal of Justice is intended to open our eyes and our minds to the hate and prejudices that lurk in our own backyards. Utterly timely and superbly crafted, this second installment in the Zachary Blake Betrayal legal series is a must-read for legal junkies and political aficionados alike.

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

Espionage, religion, and love collide in the thrilling novel, The Eagle and the Child) The Child Trilogy Book 1 by S. Khubiar. Dr. Phillip Sherrod is an up and coming orthopedic surgeon, with a reputation for his indiscretions. After a year of treating the enigmatic Dr. Shahla Markow for a shoulder injury, he discovers there is far more to her than her government job with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and he is intrigued. When Shahla is stabbed by a prisoner and requests Phillip as her surgeon, his interest takes a more serious turn. Her government job has another layer, and he realizes Shahla is a trained killer; still, her paradoxical life fascinates Phillip even more. He finally convinces her to marry him, but the complexity of their relationship intensifies when Phillip learns she practices and follows the laws of Judaism. Because he loves her, Phillip endeavors to understand and incorporate Shahla's religion into his life, yet the incongruity between her beliefs and her work continues to perplex him. Shahla's history is still a mystery to him, and one evening when she has visitors from her past who attempt to intimidate him, Phillip becomes very upset. Shahla won't explain their presence, and Phillip loses control; he oversteps his moral and physical boundaries. Two days later, without explanation, Shahla disappears. Has he driven Shahla away or has Shahla's past caught up with her?

The Eagle and the Child by S. Khubiar is a scintillating tale about a woman operative's struggles to have an ordinary life, despite her race, religion, and career. In combining Shahla's and Phillip's dissimilar cultures, the story realistically portrays the extreme difficulties existing in combining two diverse backgrounds. Shahla views her place in her home and society in the traditions of her Persian parents, which vary significantly in contrast to Phillip's Protestant upbringing. The polarity of their formative years brings an element of intensity to the plot and an unexpected development in the storyline. This is an enlightening story confronting the issues of hate and prejudice from the viewpoint of those who are the victims of intolerance. Intrigue and subterfuge are the principal elements woven throughout the book, laced with fast-paced action and electrifying fight scenes. These exciting aspects keep the reader mesmerized and entertained until the final page. It is a suspenseful story centered around international government conflicts and building to an exhilarating climax. This riveting novel terminates on an emotional cliffhanger, leaving the reader anxiously awaiting the sequel. This is a brilliant beginning to a saga that reminds me of a modern version of the "Zion Chronicles" by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Discretion is advised as there are bouts of violence, mild sex scenes, and a few mature words.

Reviewed by Caitlin Lyle Farley for Readers' Favorite

Jaw-dropping plot twists combine with thoughtful themes to produce an unforgettable read in Ted Neill’s debut novel, City on a Hill. Religious war turned the world to nuclear dust and desert. The remnants of humanity live in the walled cities of Lysander and Fortinbras. Religion is illegal, a form of insanity, and the root of division and discord. Lindsey and Sabrina have been friends since Sabrina beat up a girl bullying Lindsey on the playground. Now women, Lindsey hopes to study art while Sabrina pursues a career in law enforcement. As part of a routine investigation, Sabrina and her supervisor discover religious pendants in a workshop. Following their only surviving suspect leads Sabrina to an abandoned warehouse filled with cultists, Lindsey among them. Torn between her best friend and her duty, Sabrina is forced onto a path where terrible secrets will shake the foundations of everything she knows.

City on a Hill is a fast-paced read that tackles potentially volatile subject matter in a manner that’s both thoughtful and impartial. While the themes provide much for the reader to contemplate in terms of both religious and atheist zealotry, there’s also plenty of exciting action scenes. This provides a good balance to the narrative. The relationship between Lindsey and Sabrina is as complex as you’d expect from two people with such differing personalities. I loved that Neill kept a tight focus on Lindsey and Sabrina’s friendship, even though there were various opportunities to develop romance between these women and the men in their lives. The plot twists in City on a Hill caught me off guard more than once. Just when you think you understand the bigger picture, Ted Neill peels back the layers to reveal shocking facts that force the reader to reexamine everything.

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

Small Town Roads is a Christian literary fiction novel depicting the lives and reflections of small-town inhabitants. Evelyn, Harry, and Ruby have outlived their spouses and remain in the same homes and neighborhood. They have been friends for many decades. Rachel lost her brother to cancer, her mother to Alzheimer's and then her father passed away, leaving her the only surviving member of her family, outside of her elderly aunt, Ruby. Now, several years later, after Rachel has finished her schooling for her four-year degree in criminology, her aunt Ruby is also gone and has left her home to Rachel. Rachel moves into her aunt's home and takes a job in the local police department. Alone and a newcomer in the area, Rachel befriends her Aunt Ruby's old friends and neighbors, Evelyn and Harry. Taking care of her ill and dying family members had put Rachel's life on hold. With a home of her own, new job and new friends, can life get any better?

Small Town Roads by LB Johnson is an eloquent Christian novel portraying the introspection of a community. This literary work is a lovely depiction of the characters' thoughts and motivations, although there is no action and the story can seem to move slowly. The author has a wonderful grasp of the English language, and her words flow together smoothly, creating a beautifully formed sermon. Rachel's and Evelyn's reminiscences and musings about life and faith are almost poetic. Despite their ages and generations, each of the characters portrayed displays their personal and spiritual growth, providing a thought-provoking and insightful story. It was encouraging to see Rachel's faith progress and blossom. This is a pleasant inspirational novel that will please those who enjoy reading meaningful Christian-based, faith-inspired books.

Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite

An Unexpected Afterlife: An Adventure in the Jewish Resurrection (Dry Bones Society Book 1) by Dan Sofer introduces us to Moshe Karlin, who opens his eyes to find himself naked and alone in the Mount of Olives Cemetery one fine day. Moshe soon finds out from his loved ones that he has been dead for two years. Moshe doesn't intend to let the grass grow under his feet, however; he plans on getting his wife back, but he will run into many more troubles than he ever thought. The world is not like he remembers leaving it, and there are changes and dangers everywhere in the Holy land.

I don't read very many religious mysteries, but I thought this one might be fun when I read the description and I have to say I am very glad that I followed my instincts - this book was an amazing read. On the surface it seems straightforward and even simple, but once you truly dig into the meat of the book, you find yourself trapped in the web of a fantastic and complex story. You will find yourself asking questions about religion, life, death and love right along with Moshe. I am not Jewish so some of the subject matter was likely lost on me, but I still found this book to be deep and thoughtful and just very well written. This is the first book by Dan Sofer that I have read, but I know it won't be the last. He is a masterful story teller who has created a thought provoking book with a multi dimensional character like Moshe.

Reviewed by Ayrial King for Readers' Favorite

An extremist ecological group is set on destroying a field of genetically-modified corn. A rising against and for building a tourist attraction in the forest reserve of a quaint but seemingly-backward little town. A seemingly endless loop of ethnic warfare between gypsies and blacks. This is what Jesus walks into in João Cerqueira’s novel, Jesus and Magdalene. He joins Magdalene, an environmental activist with high hopes for a better world, in navigating the currents of the modern world as it grapples with issues he tried to solve long ago. Their success ultimately hinges on people’s willingness to change their minds, perspectives, or loyalties, and embrace the possibilities – and consequences – of the unknown.

João Cerqueira really took the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” to heart when he wrote Jesus and Magdalene, a recreation of their journey together across unknown land (to him at least) to combat the world’s woes. Magdalene, a proponent of an ecological utopia, travels with Jesus to show him how humans have ruined everything (the environment and themselves) with the hope of reeducating them on how to come back from the brink. Jesus, knowing firsthand the ways and wiles of human nature, joins her as her mostly-silent companion – oftentimes being her sounding board and voice of reason. They and Cerqueira shed light on how the modern world is not so different from the world Jesus knew. The issues of today are just as old if not older than the issues of then – just dressed in different clothes.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

This engaging novel begins on the twenty-first birthday of Ben Steiner, a Jewish student at Columbia University, in May 1975. Living a comfortable life in Beit Yitzhak, or the “B”, a communal house for Jewish students, seemed boring to Ben. He was ready to find some excitement, and hopefully an attractive girlfriend. The title of Part One, “Whatever a Man Soweth….,” lays the groundwork for the fascinating novel, Stainer: A Novel of the ‘Me' Decade, written by Iolanthe Woulff. That evening, Ben met the girl of his dreams, Rebecca Glaser. But, his acquaintance with P.T. Deighland, a student from Princeton, was the beginning of Ben living out the Me Decade. When Becky left for a summer in Israel, Ben explored the wilder life. Deighland was cool, mocking traditional beliefs and Ben’s life; he offered Ben seemingly exciting adventures, including drugs and crazy parties. He also introduced him to a beautiful model named Anthea Montague. It was quite a summer, and his relationship with Becky is challenged when she returns.

The author is an excellent storyteller and has crafted an easy-to-read novel. The reader is uncertain until the last pages as to how Ben will manage the two divergent lifestyles. The way Ms. Woulff captured the decade of the 1970s, through descriptions of fashion, speech, and other details, is amazing. Anyone who lived during that era (especially as a college student or young adult) will be reminded of things they may have forgotten. Also, the characters are realistic and the dialogue is authentic. Author Iolanthe Woulff has written a wonderful book in Stainer: A Novel of the ‘Me' Decade. This is truly a gem!