Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Something of a Tall Tale by Christopher C. Tyler follows Joe, who has some very big shoes to fill after the passing of his jet-setting father, Paul Cvozbo. It turns out that the shoes might be even bigger when, while in pursuit of escapism, Joe meets Biff, a bonafide Bigfoot “In the flesh—or fur I suppose.” Joe is shocked further when, instead of having his memory fried, he accompanies Biff and a Frog-Man named Franky to the American Legends Organization for Restricted Exposure, only to find Joe's father is known to them. Joe's first mission produces more questions than answers and turns up more folkloric beings that run the gamut from thunderbirds and anthropomorphic lizards to water creatures with, literally, bubbly chatter, and even the prospect of aliens. The deeper Joe and Biff dig, the more truth there appears to be in the brazen stories Joe's father shared, as well as who his father truly was.

Christopher C. Tyler wastes no time pulling us directly into Something of a Tall Tale, kicking the adventure off near the start. Joe is a likable character and even though he is totally blind-sided by what he starts to uncover, he never comes across as someone whose motives or authenticity we would question. He is thoroughly developed and a protagonist that we are happy to root for. What I really love is that Tyler gives equal treatment to ancillary characters, and, without turning their backstories into lengthy soliloquies, we walk away feeling as if we know them, even if it was just for that moment. These are often intertwined with the atmosphere of the scene, such as a story about a character who has an encounter with the Devil in the same chapter where Joe stares into a fire much more comforting than the belly of Hell. “A trapped pocket of sap would occasionally pop and send a flurry of embers skyward where they would dim before fading away, guiding Joe’s eye to the swath of stars that stretched across the big Texas sky." Excellent storytelling, plenty of twists, and a fantastic ride. Very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Wellermans' Tale by Samson's Sister is a YA fantasy following siblings Barron and Adeline Wellerman, who are convinced there is truth behind the stories of Davy Jones, his ability to make the impossible happen, and the tattoos that seal his deals. The pair manipulates passage onto a ship, finding themselves surrounded by a crew with identical tattoos. Barron and Adeline brave the journey, wary of ghostly apparitions and intent on their ultimate destination, the Flying Dutchman. Deeper secrets hidden among the crew and their captain cast doubt on Barron and Adeline's full assessment of the circumstances. When it turns out that Davy Jones might not even be the worst thing they could face, the Wellerman siblings are thrust into a world where few come out alive, and nobody is ever the same.

“While up aloft in storm, from her his absence mourn, and firmly pray, arrive the day, he’s never more to roam.” I was in love with The Wellermans' Tale before Samson's Sister gave us a literal siren song, but I married into the series the second it rang in Adeline's ears. Samson's Sister does an excellent job of intermingling folklore, fantasy, and the objectives of the characters. The world-building is spectacular, from the Billy O’Tea with its golden oak wood and shimmering purple sails, and Shell’s Cove, with its towering cliffs and bustling docks, to the actual appearance of the Flying Dutchman and its ghostly crew. The ship's sails flaring offers both the atmosphere and the emotion of each scene. The character arcs run the gamut and press far beyond just the Wellermans. There's one scene with an insane twist that throws all notions of trust into the ocean, and a moment of betrayal that I absolutely did not see coming. Overall, this is a fantastic work, a solid entry into what promises to be a great series, and I look forward to seeing where it goes. In the words of Barron, “This is not how our story ends.” Very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Bernadette Longu for Readers' Favorite

In The Spectacular Life of Benito Martin del Canto by David Towner, it is clear the author has studied the work of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. He then wrote a story about a boy who becomes a man and has the most amazing adventures, both good and bad. The story starts in the year 1952 but in between the reader is transported to the year 2022 or thereabouts into the life of Peter Michaels and his daughter Taryn. Other characters include Principal Kelly, Spanish teacher Alice Loureiro, and Professor Daylet Dominguez, to name a few.

The book catches the reader's interest from the start and with wonderful words and scenes and the most unusual tales, the reader is taken from page to page, meeting the most extraordinary people who make up the life of Benito Martin del Canto. Each tale as it unfolds is more extraordinary and keeps the reader’s attention to carry on to the next one. The author holds the reader riveted from the opening paragraph to the very last line of the book. The twists and turns in the story will make readers envious of the writer who has such a vivid imagination. Readers will long to have the same or similar adventures as the people they meet.

This book piqued my imagination which is why I wanted to read it. It gives hope to aspiring writers with its beautifully written tall tale of adventure. What a delight to read and how inspiring. This was a fun and interesting book and the author knew just when to end so that it leaves a very interesting message. Thank you for an intriguing read and for giving us an insight into the writings and mind of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Anyone who reads widely will know of his most famous book Don Quixote which was translated into English and made into several movies. If I am not mistaken there is an opera as well.

Reviewed by Sheena Monnin for Readers' Favorite

In a Nut’s Hell: Literary Doodles by Jim Wood is a zany, quirky, and utterly unexpected series of humorous stories that will make the reader laugh, roll their eyes in glee at the intentional absurdity of each story, and eagerly turn the pages for more. The author tackles complex topics involving religion, following the rules, writing, success, and many more with ease. He is skilled at taking a mundane scenario and flipping it upside down with the objective of surprising, shocking, and generating laughter in the reader. His perspective and writing style are both unique, and he is a champion of the unpredictable. The names he chooses for his characters, the dialogue, and the lack of context for the stories work beautifully together to meet the author’s end goal: shockingly funny stories for the discerning adult.

In a Nut’s Hell by Jim Wood had me laughing at every page, every scenario, and every character. The author did a fantastic job of diving right into the middle of the action with each short story. He is a master of flash fiction and creates intrigue within the first few sentences. I appreciated the vastness of variety in the topics he explores and brings to light in this book. This is comedy at its best. He skillfully combines dark humor with quirky perspectives and lighthearted banter. I love the combination of subtle messages mixed with in-your-face assertions and comic relief. This book is a fun read and will appeal to adults who appreciate skillful writing, great pacing, and somewhat shocking and utterly hilarious scenarios.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

My Year at the Good Bean Café by EA Luetkemeyer is a work of literary fiction that teases its readers with its synchronicities and coincidences. When Adrian Lomachenko decides to quit the well-paying high life of his financial career in San Francisco and settle down to write in the quaint, quiet, artistic community of Jacksonville, Oregon, his primary task is to come up with a suitable idea for his first novel. As a man who has been the subject of unlikely and inexplicable events in his personal life, he determines that he will write one short story every month of the coming year that deals with the unusual and mysterious events that happen in people’s lives. Using interviews with the many local characters in the region as his inspiration and his muse called Miranda, he sets about putting together this literary work. Basing himself at the local eatery, the Good Bean Café, Adrian will find himself drawn into a tangled web of stories that somehow seem inextricably linked one to the other.

Although My Year at the Good Bean Café is essentially a collection of short stories, due to their coincidences and synchronicities, readers will make correlations that give the work a solidity as a whole that one wouldn’t normally find in a collection. Author EA Luetkemeyer employs several techniques to make one feel a part of Adrian Lomachenko’s exploration of the human condition. His personalizing of the reader is not something I’ve come across before but, as a literary device, it does draw the reader in and make the stories seem like a fireside chat with the characters. Although some of the tales may seem beyond inexplicable and more in the realm of fantasy, the author has an innate ability to convince you that even if these events didn’t happen, the characters themselves are convinced they did occur. As with any collection, there will be personal favorites amongst the twelve tales and, for me, my favorite narrative was November’s Ten Thousand Hours in Shadowland which examines the idea that great talent is sometimes nurtured outside the earthly realms of time and space, before being again released into the world. I found this premise fascinating. All the stories are great though and readers will find themselves chuckling and nodding at some of the mystifying synchronicities that appear. I loved this read and can highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

Powerballs by Jimmy Clifton tells the kind of story you are likely to read in the papers or see in the news. Henry Ball is close to being overwhelmed by his personal problems. The opening chapter tells you that he wants his boss dead, and his imagination runs wild on how he would do it. His wife, Rose, is not content with the way things are going with their marriage and financial situation. But Rose has a strong gut feeling—a feeling that made her push Henry to buy a Powerball ticket. This is where the deus ex machina device becomes an integral part of the storyline, as Henry and Rose snag a 1 billion-dollar jackpot—plus change. How they handle their sudden wealth and the financial schemes they get into is what turns the wheel of the storyline. Will it save their marriage? Will they be able to tread the path to further financial growth? What financial schemes will they get into? Are they able to acquire the services of a financial advisor who has their best interests at heart?

Powerballs may be a work of fiction, but it touches on an unusual theme that could happen to anyone who doesn’t have the financial know-how necessary to deal with sudden wealth. It’s the kind of story that you read and think of what possible outcome would have ensued if it happened to you. Jimmy Clifton will catch your attention by creating the kind of image that we all picture ourselves in. I know, because I occasionally play the lottery especially when a huge jackpot is at stake. The plot here is a bit of a stretch, but hey, if you have a truckload of money in your bank account, the thought of something like buying a small country would probably cross your mind. So that makes you easily buy into the idea that you might become an instrument to finance a coup attempt as well. This is the power that Clifton’s narrative has: It is funny and tragic at the same time. You read it to find out what fate befalls our instant Powerball winners, and you secretly imagine what you would do if you were in their shoes.

Reviewed by Geoff Habiger for Readers' Favorite

As an interstellar traveler, I am always loath to come to such backwater worlds as Earth but imagine my surprise upon arriving here and seeing that this apparently insignificant part of the universe had an earth translation of one of the most entertaining accounts of one of the most horrible events in the universe. I refer, of course, to The Incident on Durangoni Space Station. Now, having read the original account of Roy by Puki Horpocket (a literary master without parallel in the universe), I was curious to see whether this Earth-based translator had managed to keep to the purity and essence of Puki’s original, or had managed to muck it up like most Earthlings tend to do. I was not disappointed. Mr. Zachry Wheeler has managed to capture not only the overall story of Roy and The Incident, but he also has picked up on the little nuances that make a Puki Horpocket masterpiece. Let me step back a moment and give a little background. The Incident took place on Durangoni Space Station and very little is known about the events leading up to it, but it created one of the most chaotic and traumatic periods on Durangoni. No small feat when you consider that Durangoni is the universe’s largest space station, home to over a trillion people. What is even more interesting is that the one person who seemed to be at the center of The Incident, a humble plumber by the name of Roy, was going through a major midlife crisis. That Roy today is hailed as a folk hero on Durangoni is a testament to his own status and appeal.

Mr. Wheeler (translating Puki’s work) has managed to capture Roy’s essence. Through a series of interviews with Roy’s friends, co-workers and acquaintances, and by compiling together the many small strands of evidence and the few remaining eyewitness accounts, we better understand both Roy and The Incident. This is a compelling story that reveals itself over time, like the fine layers of a zabarti (I believe you Earthlings have something similar called a parfait). We see who Roy is, from a meek sub-core citizen dejected with his place in the universe to an exalted folk hero (despite all the problems he caused). We meet his friends and see how Roy’s attempt to change his lot in life goes spectacularly awry. Roy is a wonderful bit of storytelling and character development rolled into one with the threads of Roy's story and The Incident neatly coalescing at the end. We not only understand how the events happened, but also come away with a better understanding of Roy the person and not the myth. Now I will unabashedly admit that I am biased in my praise, having had the pleasure of actually meeting Puki Horpocket himself and getting a signed copy of the first edition of his book. But Puki’s story has found a most satisfying champion in Zachry Wheeler who manages to do justice to this most interesting tale. I greatly urge any of you Earthlings who love a ripping yarn about a down-on-his-luck plumber who goes through the most epic and chaotic midlife crisis in the history of the universe to pick up a copy of Roy. You will not be disappointed.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

How the Ə Got Producted: A Love Story is an unusual work of fiction in the humor, alternative thinking, and adventure subgenres. It is aimed at the general adult reading audience, contains moderate usage of explicit language throughout, and some unusual sexual situations. It was penned by author N K Von S. The story follows the exploits of protagonist N. after she is left in emotional ruin by a failed love affair. Throwing herself into her work in Washington D.C., N. enters a world of influence and lobbying surrounding the biomedical technology industry. Here she discovers the Ə, a technology that could change the world forever.

Politically savvy readers will find much to engage with in the central plot of this highly original and intriguing novel. Author N K Von S packs a surprising amount of detail, critical thinking, and plot points into a concise space, moving the story along at a pace that allows readers to let the details sink in, but also keeps things hurtling along as N. gets more and more deeply involved in the consumerism and competition of it all. There’s much to be said about our modern take on technology so closely integrated into our modern lives, and this novel really homes in on why we feel such a desperate need for “the next big thing” all the time. Overall, How the Ə Got Producted has to be read to be fully understood, and it comes highly recommended to satire fans seeking critical commentary on our world today, as well as those looking for original storytelling with unpredictable new ideas aplenty.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Awful Truth About The Herbert Quarry Affair is a work of fiction in the dark humor subgenre. It is best suited to mature readers owing to the use of strong language throughout and was penned by Denis Shaughnessy, writing as the central character of the book itself, Marco Ocram. In this first novel of The Awful Truth series, Marco finds that he has written himself deep into trouble, thanks to his mentor’s encouragement to write with total freedom and devoid of thought. When his mentor, Herbert Quarry, finds himself caught at the scene of his lover's murder, it’s up to Marco to write them both out of this terrible mess.

This fascinating work of satirical mystery fiction has much to offer those who have grown tired of the many tropes and conventions of the typical murder mystery. Denis Shaughnessy has plenty of tricks up his sleeve writing in the guise of the surreal Marco Ocram. This book breaks just about every taboo that publishers tell new authors to stay miles away from. The book does it so bravely in the narrative style, dialogue, and plot delivery that it cannot fail to bring a brazen smile to the faces of rebellious readers everywhere. I also enjoyed the character development and the mentorship between Herbert and Marco, which was suitably sharp-witted and ridiculous in all the right places. I would recommend The Awful Truth About The Herbert Quarry Affair to fans of convention-breaking and highly engaging mystery tales.

Reviewed by Andrew J Heller for Readers' Favorite

Adventures in Mythopoeia by John Dolan is an epic and endlessly intriguing novel that journeys from the slums of London to the country homes of the wealthy, with stops in between in rural villages, a castle in Wales, the green lawns of Oxford University, and a dozen other places, most of them real, in the United Kingdom. It is filled with action and a cast of characters from every level of society, including a band of petty criminals, mobsters, and the performers in a traveling circus, to the members of a bizarre and ancient secret society, and many others, each a distinctively drawn individual. But this merely skims the surface of this multi-level, well-written novel.

My interest in Adventures in Mythopoeia never flagged (in large part because of the author’s lively, intelligent prose,) despite the fact that I failed to perceive much of the underlying structure, which was based on the Arthurian cycle and classic Greek mythology, particularly Jason and the Argonauts. I would suggest that any reader like myself, whose memories of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology are hazy, and whose knowledge of the Arthurian cycle comes mostly from a Disney movie and the musical Camelot, should either brush up on these topics or read the appendix before starting the novel to be able to fully appreciate Mr. Dolan’s achievement. However, even without any such preparation, Adventures in Mythopoeia can still be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone who likes a good story. John Dolan’s style is engaging, his descriptions of people, places, and things seem to always find the telling detail, and when his characters speak, they do so authentically, whether they are uneducated brawlers from the gutter or absent-minded professors in search of a Theory of Everything. I have only the highest praise for Adventures in Mythopoeia, and I can recommend it without reservation.