Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Two Days at the Asylum: Inspired by True Events is a powerful narrative by clinical psychologist Frederick S. Walborn that explores the perils of asylum politics, a narrative that reflects the author’s wide experience in dealing with severely and chronically mentally ill patients. The story begins with the psychologist, a character named Jesus, and a mosquito, and while they contemplate the sad fate of the mosquito, they discuss the purpose of life and knowledge, with Jesus leaving the psychologist with two powerful insights: books can get in the way of real knowledge and the purpose of life isn’t change but giving.

In a humorous, engaging, and deeply reflective style, Frederick S. Walborn takes readers into the life of the asylum. It is 1969 and the doors of the asylum are opened to those who can afford a small token. While it is a typical asylum, the narrative explores the game of power and the conventional behaviors of administrators, psychiatrists, social workers, and others in the asylum. I worked for two years in an asylum in Cameroon, a home for the mentally handicapped and the homeless, and even though I had no skills in psychotherapy, I have grown to have an affinity for the mentally handicapped. This book touched me powerfully, apart from it being insightful and entertaining.

Two Days at the Asylum: Inspired by True Events is laced with witticism, insightful narrative, and engaging dialogues, a story with characters that are real, a story that castigates the abuse witnessed every day in asylums across the world. In the introduction the author makes a powerful observation: “One-third of the homeless population is suffering from schizophrenia. One in five of prisoners in our expensive prisons are seriously mentally ill.” You’ll be pulled in by the pathos, you’ll love the humor and the realism infused into the narrative. But after reading this compelling work, do click the link to help this author serve severely mentally ill patients on the streets and in prisons.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In Smoke on the Mountains by Sam Knupp, the year is 2018 and a Coalition, including Antifa and Black Lives Matter, has arrived in Timberville, Virginia from Charlottesville. Tensions are high as people have had enough of the uncertainty and feeling that they are not being listened to. The statue of Stonewall Jackson, a brave general killed by his own men, is torn down in a stand against his view on slavery. The Coalition hopes to make America great again. No sooner has the Coalition arrived and set up camp when a child called Pepper Anne disappears while searching for her dog. When one of its high profile and well-respected residents is questioned, the people of Timberville realise everyone is under suspicion and no one can be trusted.

For me, this was a heartwarming look at human nature. I loved each and every character; they were unique to one another and the detail the author has put into each of them was outstanding. I thought Reverend Marvel Goodman was an impressive character, full of wisdom and with a love for his community and everyone that attended his church. The relationship between the residents as the search for Pepper Anne’s killer ensues was a superb example of weaving different plots into each other. I also found the way the writer describes scenes of violence was not graphic; he used his talent for descriptive writing instead. The words of wisdom at the end of each chapter were a great addition and relevant to the story line, my favourite being, ‘the poorest man owns many things. The richest man isn't owned.’ This book had everything for me; an emotional search for a missing child, gripping twists in the plot and an ending that I was not expecting. A fantastic novel and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Pigment: The Limbs of the Mukuyu Tree is a literary fiction thriller written by Renee Topper. Aliyah Scott was born with albinism, and her life in the United States was made challenging by the genetic factor that made her skin white, unlike the rich chocolate tones of her mother and father. But her life was infinitely easier than that of her fellow albinos in parts of Africa, particularly in Tanzania, where witch doctors and hunters preyed upon albino children, and the law did little to protect them. Albinos were considered to be ghosts, not real, live people, so how then could their murderers be charged with killing something that wasn't really alive? Children’s limbs were hacked off while they were alive; their blood drunk as a curative, and sometimes, it would be their own fathers, who would offer up the child for financial gain. Aliyah wanted to be part of the solution to this tragic situation. She felt an intimate involvement in the plights of the children she would be working with at Camp Kivuli. Delila, who had accepted her as a teacher sight unseen, had grave misgivings about Aliyah’s well-being while working in that country. Tanzania was the last place on earth for an American albino to be, no matter how good her intentions. All too soon, Aliyah disappeared, along with Keenan, her Irish friend. Her father, Jalil Scott, who was formerly in the Special Forces and familiar with Africa, if not Tanzania itself, was determined to find his daughter, even as he is told that it was too late, that she was gone. He would find her.

Renee Topper’s literary fiction thriller, Pigment: The Limbs of the Mukuyu Tree, is a gripping and suspenseful story that addresses the plight of albinos worldwide, but particularly in Africa. I was stunned by the ferocity and violence albino infants and children are subjected to in Tanzania, and found myself involved and engaged in Jalil’s quest to find his daughter. Pigment is a glorious read. The setting of the story is stunning. Topper brings the vast open savanna and the complexity of African cultures to the reader in each page of this original and compelling book. Jalil and his daughter are beautifully drawn characters with whom the reader can’t help but get involved. Following as Jalil gets ever closer, despite the obstructions placed before him at every step of the way, is inspirational and exciting. Pigment: The Limbs of the Mukuyu Tree is an extraordinary work about an ongoing societal tragedy. It’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Lie to Me: An Exposé on Sex for Money by Lynda Filler is a spellbinding story that explores the psychology of sex in a way that defies Coelho’s Eleven Minutes. Layla Duncan is a magazine writer, a forty-something woman obsessed with digging into why men sell their bodies for money. Her quest to understand the trade leads her to Puerto Vallarta, a dream world for her, with the affordable cost of living and exciting things to do. But the moment she takes leave from work to have time for herself is when she meets the charismatic young Mexican guy, Mateo, a man whose charm quickly rubs off on Layla. They find themselves in each other’s arms before they are fully aware of what is going on. But what should have been a one night stand soon transforms into frequent hookups that make the professional, opinionated woman question many things she has grown up believing.

Lynda Filler’s novel is character-driven, emotionally intense, and packed with action, a story that explores male psychology regarding sex and a woman’s quest to redefine her identity in a world of twisted morals, where men are driven by the quest for orgasm. The emotional and psychological conflicts are well-explored in this novel and they are at the heart of the plot. The characters are exceptional, written with depth, and a lot of humanity is injected into them. It’s hard not to like the inquisitive and outgoing Layla, but her encounter with the laid-back, easy-going Mateo changes the allure. Lie to Me: An Exposé on Sex for Money is insanely captivating, entertaining and exciting. It’s the kind of book that entertains readers while forcing them to review their sense of reality. A must-read!

Reviewed by Patricia Bell for Readers' Favorite

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins is a heartfelt story of a boy and a girl. For Jake, living on Cutter Island, off the coast of Maine, life is pretty laid back. That is until the summer of ’65 when he meets fifteen-year-old Andi. That was not only the summer Jake fell in love with his “Summer Girl;” it was also the year his heart was torn to pieces. This is a two-part story told from Jake's perspective in the beginning and ending with Andi’s. Although the stories are the same, they are comparatively different. Andi’s story is one of abuse and neglect. One that Jake never knew or understood. Even so, the two of them unknowingly guided each other into adulthood, shaping each other’s lives in the best way possible.

Linda Watkins has effectively taken me on an emotional roller coaster with this book. At times, I was happy, giddy with the feeling of young love, and then my heart was crushed with emotion that sent me reaching for the tissue box. Summer Girl was a beautifully laid out story of a bond created one summer that could never be broken. Without giving away the ending, I just want to say, for the first time in my life, I was rooting for the two lives to collide once again, even at the risk of losing the lives the two of them had independently created. I can’t say enough about this book. It captivated my heart from the beginning to the end. I would love to hear more about Jake and Andi. Beautiful, just beautiful!

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Gracie’s father is awaiting execution on death row for having killed Gracie’s mother. Gracie hasn’t seen him in a decade, but her memories are of a good man, a good father, one of only two men she has ever loved. The other man is Jori, who loves her almost to the point of obsession. With her father’s execution imminent, Gracie decides she must see him. She needs him to tell the truth about the murder. Though he doesn’t want to go, Jori feels compelled to accompany her. And now, as each of them, along with her father, takes turns telling readers what really happened when Jori and Gracie were barely teens, the truth is about as ugly as it gets and we understand why both these kids are so messed up mentally. Yet, in each other’s love, they find sustenance and the strength to survive.

Is incest ever okay? The most natural and usual response is “no way”! But then, a book like The Lies Between Us by Yolanda Olson comes along and gives you pause. In fact, your answer, after reading the story of Gracie and Jori might not be quite what you would have instinctively given. If you can hold off making judgement calls for now, enter the strange, broken lives of these two young adults who cling desperately to each other in a world that has hurt each of them terribly, a world so full of lies they cannot function without each other. For some readers, the details of Jori and Gracie having sex will be too explicit. Skip those pages if you must. But don’t stop reading the rest of the story because The Lies Between Us is absolutely haunting. The events and the characters stay with you long after you put the book down. It’s easy to see why Yolanda Olson is an award-winning author. Jori, Gracie and her father touch parts of us we didn’t know we had or believed we could condone. Don’t be surprised if, when you’re done, you find yourself rethinking your stance on many social issues, including incest. A touching, riveting story that just might be closer to truth than to fiction!

Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

Conflicting Hearts by J.D. Burrows is a story of love, commitment and compassion. Life has been hard for Rachel; she has been the victim of abuse, both as a child and an adult. Conflicting Hearts begins as Rachel is alone with not much to look forward to, feeling sad and lonely on her thirtieth birthday. She is on her way to work, gazing at an accident on the side of the road, and slams into the car in front of her. She immediately senses that this will ruin an already bad day and is preparing herself for the worst. When the tall, handsome man in the very expensive car she has hit knocks on her window, checking to see that she is not hurt, Rachel knows he will soon be suing her for the damages. She is surprised and amazed to find out he is calm and not at all concerned about the condition of his car. She panics when, later in the day, she receives a beautiful bunch of red roses from him and an invitation to dinner. She and Ian soon acknowledge an attraction for each other and begin the dating game. Because of her past, Rachel has trouble with a normal relationship and believing anyone can love her. Ian understands her and is willing to put up with a variety of problems. The story follows their ups and downs and makes for a touching and caring story.

Conflicting Hearts tells the story of an abused woman in a very real way. I could not help but feel Rachel’s pain, hurt and confusion, and laugh and cry along with her. J.D. Burrows presents the facts in a beautiful love story that was impossible to put down. The sex scenes were in good taste without unnecessary graphic descriptions. Conflicting Hearts is a good book for any woman to enjoy, but for someone who has been abused it is a great offering of hope and strength. I highly recommend Conflicting Hearts to all women who enjoy a good romantic novel.

Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

The Intersect: When Life Veers off Course, Strangers Find Comfort and Lasting Connection by Brad Graber is a compelling and fascinating story with a powerful political and social setting, a story that explores the links between humans in a fast-paced consumerist culture. Set against the backdrop of Arizona in 2010, this novel explores the lives of different characters, whose paths cross in unusual circumstances. Charlie and Dave are in a relationship and have just bought a home in Phoenix, a deal that almost destroys their relationship when an old lady shows up. They just learn that she hasn’t been aware that her relatives have sold the house. Things escalate pretty fast as secrets come to light and connections are made. Readers will encounter great characters like Anna, who channels the spirits of the dead, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and many others. But how these characters connect is what will blow the reader’s mind.

Brad Graber has crafted a heartwarming, engaging tale in The Intersect, a story that explores elements of romance, human connection, hospitality, and the link between the living and the dead, and what it meant to be gay at the time. The writing is excellent and accessible, and the author offers some excellent social commentaries that will interest readers. I enjoyed the compelling cast of characters. The writing features many dramatic moments and it is punctuated by humorous episodes that will keep the reader entertained. This is a story that rings with originality; it is well-crafted, and exhilarating.

Reviewed by Danielle DeVor for Readers' Favorite

The Roadrunner Café by Jamie Zerndt is a coming-of-age story about a boy who learns to live again after finding his father’s body after an apparent suicide. With his mother’s alcoholism and his sister’s absenteeism, Carson must learn to live for himself. But sometimes it isn’t so easy. There’s that damn tree. Yes, his father had planted a tree for each family member and no one can stop staring at his father’s tree. When his mother decides to have the tree removed, Carson is shocked. And, honestly, it has an effect on the family that no one would ever have expected.

The characterization of Carson is very strong. He is completely believable. I felt Georgie, his sister, could have been a little stronger. But Zerndt does a really good job of showing interpersonal relationships and bringing out conflict in his characters. The mother, however, breaks my heart. Carson used to find her getting drunk funny, but after his father’s death the realities of her alcoholism become blatant. Although it comes out that Carson’s father also cheated on her prior to his suicide, Carson’s mother just doesn’t know how to deal with it. She has no way of holding herself together, let alone being able to help Carson and his sister outside of her grief. This is a solid novel. And an interesting way to spend an afternoon.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

The Shape of the Atmosphere, the excellent book written by a promising debut author, Jessica Dainty, is a story that I found very difficult to put down once I started reading it. Follow the story of young Gertie MacLarsen, a teenager who has felt ugly and mostly unloved her entire life. Raised by her alcoholic mother and a fairly absent father, Gertie's life has certainly not been easy. When her mother commits her to Willow Estate, a mental institution, on her 16th birthday, and after a devastating family tragedy, it seems likely that her life could only get worse. And in many ways that does happen. Encountering cruelty and difficulties around every corner, Gertie also finds an odd family of sorts amongst those at Willow Estate, and in some ways, finds herself as well.

I found The Shape of the Atmosphere to be a surprising and unique read, especially one coming from an author new to the scene. Author Jessica Dainty has produced a book that belies her newbie status, a sophisticated and poignant read, and does an excellent job in portraying what mental health treatment was likely all about in 1950s America. I feel that almost any reader who enjoys fiction would find this an extremely worthy read, and it is with excitement that I offer this book my very highest recommendation. I feel that author Jessica Dainty is certainly one to watch. With talent as obvious as hers, it is unlikely that she will remain undiscovered for long!