Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

Luke doesn't think he has a chance with the office manager as she is so beautiful she could have any guy she wanted. However, as clumsy and unattractive as he thinks he is, Mary is secretly thinking similar thoughts about him. Mary can't help but fantasize about the handsome, muscular construction worker with the mysterious tattoo. Luke's jealous co-workers, who begin to notice the attraction between the two, decide to trick him and get him to apply to appear in a publication company's calendar for hot construction workers. Will this dirty trick put an end to a perfect match before it is made? Find out in Work In Progress by Susan Jean Ricci.

Work In Progress keeps readers engaged by neatly combining themes like work, family, infatuation, jealousy, dance, and more into a perfect romantic situation. I liked how no time is wasted as the story starts right away with intriguing scenes and events. I was completely glued from start to finish as I seriously had to find out what would become of the relationship I so much wanted to form between the two dreamers. It's probably because of the intense way the protagonists' desires are portrayed. Plus, Susan Jean Ricci creates a friendly atmosphere with the lovable characters and their fondness for one another. I found it cute that Mary calls her brother Bozo. In fact, I grinned so much while reading the book that I was glad nobody was around. In summary, Work In Progress is a heartwarming, feel-good book perfect for readers who wish to escape into a dreamy love story!

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Blood and Silver is a work of fiction in the historical western and drama sub-genres and was penned by author Vali Benson. Written for young adult audiences, the work is accessible to all readers as it does not contain graphic content. The setting is Arizona, 1880, in a town where a young girl finds herself lacking in options when her drug-addled mother is unable to help her. Wise and plucky, twelve-year-old Carissa Beaumont hatches a plan to help her mother and escape the brothel in which she lives, but it involves making some unlikely friendships that may bring yet more danger that she was not anticipating.

Author Vali Benson has created an accessible and updated take on the western genre which can be enjoyed by young adult readers and nostalgic adults alike. At its center, the story takes on the bond of Carissa and Mai-Lin, an emotional arc that resonates strongly and is well developed in the narrative presentation and dialogue of the characters. Both girls are hardy and quick-witted for the era, which makes for an exciting and nail-biting adventure when they have to find ways to get out of trouble. All of this is set against a fiercely accurate historical backdrop, where it’s clear that Benson has put a lot of work into researching the way of life, the cultural and racial mix of people, and the grim realities of life in the old west. Overall, I would definitely recommend Blood and Silver as an enthralling historical read.

Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers' Favorite

Steadfast is a Christian thriller and the first in America's Last Days series written by David I Telbat. Millions of people are killed and resources are destroyed, including water, food, technology, the economy, and the government. The little that is left ends up in the hands of criminals who loot, steal, and burn what would have survived. Eric manages to stay alive by secluding himself in the mountains of Wyoming, where he survives on whatever he can find that is edible. During a trip to the closest town, Eric discovers that Christians have been persecuted and comes across an elderly woman, Talia Wiseman, captured and left in a prison cell. He rescues her and takes her back home with him. Soon he is joined by more people that he has to care for and protect against a renegade army, including Joyce Adkins and her son Andy - and a criminal.

Steadfast tells the incredible story of Eric Radner, a survivor of the Meridia virus that has devastated America. I’m happy to hear that Steadfast is the first in the series. The story is well written with a smooth flow of information, making it a quick, easy read. The plot is well thought out and keeps the reader’s interest from start to finish, following Eric Radner’s survival techniques and leaving room for a sequel. I particularly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the mountain area and the variety of different characters that Eric encounters, each with their own set of morals and values. Wise old lady Talia Wiseman has a name that suits her, while Joyce Adkins and her son Andy are just what Eric needs. This is such an AWESOME novel.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

"He had hoped that working at a concentration camp would give him a reprieve from graffiti. The guests were normally quiet and respectful while touring the grounds. He had hoped they would respect the memory of the murdered Jews and refrain from leaving graffiti in their wake as they walked through the somber site. He looked at the two words somebody had scratched onto one wall of Barrack Five: Raya Pomnenka." In Barrack Five by Elyse Hoffman, Vilém Rehor is a night guard at an old concentration camp that had been turned into a museum and memorial site. Somehow, under his watch, someone has been etching their name onto the barrack wall. His boss is not happy, and Vilém is determined to catch the perpetrator but his discovery is not what he expected.

Set in the Czech Republic, Barrack Five's narrative is rich and detailed despite it being a short story as the present meets the past through a subtle but compelling paranormal phenomenon. Fascinating but sad and horrifying glimpses into the horrors of World War II result in intriguing clues about the mysterious graffiti that has been bothering the protagonist, Vilém. The Holocaust, or the Shoah, is a stark reminder of the consequences of war and the absence of compassion by its malefactors. Vilém learns about the dark period of history like no other, leaving an indelible knowledge that one cannot experience through books and stories. With Elyse Hoffman's impressive way of combining historical facts and fiction, Barrack Five is a thought-provoking reminder of the past for a better future.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Two Hearts' Christmas Promise is a work of fiction in the romance genre and is the latest installment in the Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance series. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Tamara Ferguson. The book follows the romance of Sean and Alexandra, who first meet as teenagers and then again as adults. Now an Air Force Lieutenant and news correspondent respectively they enjoy a magical Christmas together, culminating in their engagement. But one year later and Alexandra’s experiences in a dangerous war zone have left her scarred and unable to face her love, but Sean is determined to keep their Christmas promise to each other.

I’ve read several romance books now which follow the theme of a wounded soldier returning home and finding love with the woman who rehabilitates them into the world. What a refreshing change of pace it was to see Tamara Ferguson flip that script on its head and give readers an entirely new perspective by having the woman in the couple be the one scarred and in need of healing. It’s a risky strategy to mix up a winning formula so dramatically, but the resulting book is evidence that this author has the skill to make such a move and still produce an engaging and absorbing romance story. Sean is a wonderful romantic lead, and Alexandra’s perspective on returning from a dangerous world wounded and shocked is brilliantly done. Two Hearts' Christmas Promise is a must-read for avid fans of romantic literature. I heartily recommend it to all.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Snapshots: A Collection of Short Stories, written by Eliot Parker, contains a fascinating set of stories. With settings in large cities and small towns, in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, each story is distinctly unique. Some stories are tinged with magical realism, while others are filled with everyday, real-life circumstances. From funeral homes and cemeteries (with some unexplainable, ghostly appearances), to local baseball games and neighbors’ feuds about dogs, to mysterious truck accidents and local prisons, the variation of plots is remarkable. Each one captures the reader’s attention immediately and keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. Some stories may mystify the reader, while others will elicit feelings of wonderment, or sadness; all have gripping elements. Once a story is started, the reader has to finish it immediately.

Skilled short story writing requires clear and concise descriptions and character development. In this book of short stories, this type of writing skill is evident. Within a paragraph or two, the situation has been clearly defined, and many unexpected twists and turns occur throughout the tale until the story has reached its resolution. The development of each main character is also well done. For example, when the parents of the Chillicothe Paints’ baseball pitcher sit down in front of Harvey and Amanda, the personalities of the four spectators are quickly established. How they interact with each other, and how the story ends are the unexpected parts. Author Eliot Parker has masterfully developed a set of captivating stories in Snapshots: A Collection of Short Stories. A thought-provoking and entertaining read!

Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

Walks Through Life is a collection of nine short stories that convey messages about being humane and having empathy. From powerful kingdoms to sea monsters, each story has a memorable setting that is distinct from the others. Divine Ax is about an enemy king who finds himself at the mercy of a mediocre householder. Beyond the Bar of Humanity tells how a village looks for ways to deal with a wild cat that raids every night. Blessing of a Curse is about a male, spiritual and scholastic, and a female sex worker that live next to each other. The other six narratives explore themes of parenthood, religion, gambling, kingship, mischief, and greed. Santhosh Komaraju creates his own folklores from different walks of life in Walks Through Life.

A good way to understand a concept is to see it play out in a lifelike scenario. The tales in Walks Through Life are set in times when guns are yet to be discovered, but the values portrayed are relevant in today's world. Each tale drove me to a core message while arresting my attention with the rich and vibrant backgrounds. Though the stories are short in length, the characters are developed well enough to capture emotions and give readers a sense of familiarity. I loved all of them, but my favorite was King of All: two brothers that are next in line for the throne display some unusual traits for people in competition against each other. Santhosh Komaraju's book gets a big thumbs up from me!

Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

Little did Todd and Mary McGee know as they quietly discussed plans for their retirement that FBI agents were seconds away from cementing their decision? One bullet; that’s all it took for Special Agent Thompson to extinguish the paid assassin known as the Lion. While insisting on the innocence of their father, Mark and Tessa support Mary’s insistence that Todd was a mere investment counselor in charge of the McGee family business. Their father a murderer? Nonsense! With that strength at their backs, Mary and her children disregard the possibility of retirement to forge ahead with their own investigations into a world of discord and national security. With Todd McGee gone, there was neither reason nor desire to abandon a life of dangerous espionage. It’s what they know and what they do.

Pride and Extreme Prejudice: Prequel to Outsourced/Full Disclosure by Eric J. Gates is a gripping story that packs the punch of a fully-fledged novel. Eric J. Gates brings to life a crew of believable characters while exhibiting obvious knowledge of military tactics and contemporary warfare. In this condensed version of what could easily be a series thriller, Gates doesn’t disappoint with this fast-paced story of revenge and government nuances. Vivid descriptions, balanced character development, and realistic settings paint an explosive cinematic backdrop for an intoxicating read. Eric J. Gates makes writing look easy and leaves the reader quick to research further books by him.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow by Kevin A. Kuhn is a collection of short stories, which the author describes as inspired by the original Twilight Zone series. The majority of the stories are either science fiction or unusual happenings in normal life. The author brings us variety from My Little Girl, which explores the concept of parallel worlds and how a mother would deal with her daughter being sucked into one and replaced with an “almost” perfect copy through to a humorous story of a young girl, chosen at random, to be Sally-Ann Queen of the Galaxy – will this pre-teenage earthling be as easy to manipulate as the powers-that-be believe? In between we have a collection of sci-fi and paranormal including Let’s Ride Bikes, where time appears to slow down dramatically for two young friends whenever they go bike-riding; Nana’s Memory Box that allows a young woman to experience the memories of her grandmother and her mother through the magic of some ancient Shaman beads; Teach A Man To Fish, which explores the moral dilemma of killing alien beings for food that may in fact be sentient, just like us; and a number of others.

As a reader, it is nice, sometimes, to put down the long, epic novels and pick up a book of clever, well-written, pithy short stories, often with a message. Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow certainly fulfills that desire. Author Kevin A. Kuhn has done an excellent job of putting together a collection that has enough variety to sustain the reader’s interest and also stays true to his concept of following the Twilight Zone paradigm. Each story was unique, interesting and enjoyable – unlike many collections of this nature, I didn’t feel there was a dud in amongst the ten. When you are reading a collection like this, though, certain stories do jump out and resonate more with you than others. Such was the case with me and my two favorite tales in this collection were For the Hive, in which I felt the author perfectly summed up the dangers to humanity on relying too heavily on AI. Here we have AI whose core programming was to protect humanity at all costs – what this essentially meant was reducing all risks and the result of that, not surprisingly was boredom, lassitude, and a lack of creativity within the population. I thought this was a telling tale, well worth the read. My second favorite story in the collection was The Case Against Humanity which raised some fascinating insights into how humanity could be viewed by superior beings in the universe and how we would fare in comparison to other alien societies. All in all, an excellent collection and one this author should be very proud of.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Sparkles of the Season by Susan Jean Ricci is a short seasonal story. Sonia is facing losing her husband to an early death. Lars plays in the NFL but his wife doesn’t share his passion for the game, left at home with their son while he’s off touring. When she serves him with divorce papers during a game when he gets injured, he starts a battle for the custody of their son, Jeff. After losing her husband, Sonia picks up her camera again and sets up her own business. Hired as Santa’s Helper, she photographs the children as they visit him in his grotto. And that’s when she meets Lars and Jeff. Falling hard for each other, Lars and Sonia find themselves being egged on by their own single parents. With Christmas and the New Year on the way, can the season work its magic? Or will real life get in the way?

Sparkles of the Season by Susan Jean Ricci is a short, sweet story. It’s not just a Christmas romance story; it’s a story about dealing with loss, about learning to grow and about second chances. There are two separate stories that intertwine perfectly, with well-developed characters that are realistic and likable. You will feel the pain, the joy and the love these characters feel as their stories play out in this heartwarming tale. You don’t need to wait for the holiday season to read this; it’s a charming read at any time of the year. It is well-written with a great plot and more than enough action to keep you reading. It deals with loss and grief very well in a story that will stay with you long after you have finished it.