Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Enigma by George Mattheson is a novel about the psychology of a schizophrenic character who never liked to study as a child and who never read any books. He confesses that he has never been able to watch the television for more than two hours. But he believes to have a kind of communication with Michael, an Archangel. This is a man who believes the CIA is God and Washington, DC, the Church of God. But can this son of intelligence operatives figure out who Michael actually is? What is the hidden import in his reminiscences and wild assumptions?

George Mattheson has written a psychologically strong novel that allows readers to explore the mind of a schizophrenic individual, understand how reality can be distorted, and what happens when someone lives in their own world. The novel has a deep sense of pathos and from the moment the protagonist — who happens to be the narrator — mentions about being transferred from one psychologist to another, the reader gets a strong idea they won’t be reading anything like in mainstream literature.

This is a unique narrative, breezy and as engaging as it is fast-paced. The quirkiness in the narrative is arresting and the first person voice is so beautifully done that it pulls the reader into the worldview of the protagonist powerfully, irresistibly. From the beginning of the story I wondered if the author could tell an interesting story, but as I read from one engaging page to the next, I understood the story is filled with dread truths and lessons that aren’t obvious. Enigma is a deceptively simple story but it has strong political and religious undertones, uncovering a subconscious that contemporary politicians wouldn’t want readers to awaken. It is utterly gripping, written in gorgeous prose and a strong narrative voice.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Affairytale: A Memoir by C.J. English is a raw and real story of a woman who was living an unsatisfactory married life with a husband she didn’t love. When she got pregnant with her daughter, Dani, C.J. knew that she had to marry Levi for the sake of her daughter. Being married to a man whom she didn’t love was not easy and Levi was not making it easy for her too. She was miserable and there seemed to end to her existence. Soon she was depressed.

She met her brother’s best friend, Grant, one summer. The attraction was instant and undeniable, but they both kept their feelings in check, no matter what. C.J. remained faithful to a husband she didn’t love. Nine years after their first meeting, C.J. and Grant meet again and this time they are unable to contain their emotions and feelings for each other. What happens next would change their lives forever. An extramarital affair can be exciting and thrilling, but when it is true love, it feels right. Is C.J. making the right choice? Is she and Grant meant to be?

Like I said, this was a raw and gritty novel. You cannot help but sympathize with C.J. She did exactly what most women would do for her children and she suffered a great deal for her decision. Grant was such an amazing character. He was strong, a perfect companion, and a shoulder to lean on. He never pushed or prodded C.J. and never, ever made her choose between him and her life. He became her life after he literally stole her heart with his kindness and charm. This is an emotional and heartwarming novel that will make you sigh with happiness. It is a must-read, folks!

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Buccaneer: The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed, Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire by MayCay Beeler is a true crime story about the life of Jack Reed. Jack Reed was a drug smuggler, working as a pilot for Carlos Lehder. Lehder’s partner in crime was Pablo Escobar, the infamous Colombian drug lord of the Medellin Cartel. For the first time, Reed opens up about his life as the pilot, flying from Norman’s Cay off the coast of Florida. He tells of how he ended up as co-defendant on one of the most publicized and longest-running drug trials ever, and of how he became a victim of a mistake in sentencing. Until now, Reed has refused to speak to the media, but now he opens up and what you are about to read will blow your mind.

Buccaneer: The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed, Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire by MayCay Beeler was a bit of a wow for me. I like true crime stories anyway and this was something so completely different it has to be read to be believed. It’s an intriguing tale, full of mystery, twists and turns and one single surprise that turns everything around! An amazingly written and very honest account of Reed’s involvement in drug running and of life working for Escobar. Two stories are nicely woven together into one amazing read. I guarantee that anyone reading this will be eager to know the ending and won’t want to put the book down until it’s over.

Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

Sometimes an author speaks so clearly and so honestly, the reader feels body-punched by the truth. Grant M. Whitus honors us with his gut-pummeling book, Bullet Riddled: The First S.W.A.T. Officer Inside Columbine…and Beyond. The down-to-earth authenticity embedded in his gritty voice starts immediately with his first-hand reliving of the Columbine massacre. This is not some academic “remembering the events at Columbine”, but an in-your-face, moment-to-moment live replay of good people losing lives and precious loved ones to two brutal, sociopathic youths. Whitus brings us back to the humanity – good and bad – involved. It is a powerful start to telling a larger truth about security in our modern world.

When Whitus becomes the number two man on a Colorado S.W.A.T. Team, his obsessive passion for perfection – based on the certainty that being best is the minimum requirement for a S.W.A.T. team to effectively do its job: saving lives – his rigorous demands accomplish two well-served goals: eliminating sub-par performers, and creating a perfectly effective team – one impeccably trained only to succeed.

In Bullet Riddled, Grant M. Whitus makes no apologies either for his strenuous demands or his - until then - unconventional methods, telling a story rife with heart-pounding true life encounters, unencumbered by any need for grandstanding or flattery. His writing is unvarnished, rewarding the reader with a brutally raw account of the truth that echoes: “You want us on that wall; you need us on that wall.” And yet, the power of his message comes less from the machismo of his telling and more from the powerful sense of humanity that motivates it. And, somewhat unexpectedly, what we feel most because of that is gratitude. With perhaps a fist pump in the air.

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

Silent Voices by Debbie Nau Redmond takes readers into the world of mental illness. Debbie is a teenager, full of life and hope of what high school will bring. She is the youngest child of a very large family. The Nau family is devoted, caring, your average middle class family. Surrounded by the beauty and tranquility of the Colorado Mountains, one would think their life was perfection. However, an unseen disastrous world awaits them. After Debbie’s brother, Ricky, is dishonorably discharged from the Navy, he returns acting very strangely. Ricky’s coming home changes all of their lives forever. Debbie shares the tragedy, the fear, the stigma, the guilt, and the continual uncertainty of living with a brother diagnosed with schizophrenia. This disease not only manipulates the minds of its victims, it leaves a trail of collateral damage in its wake.

Debbie Nau Redmond openly shares her memories in her memoir Silent Voices. This narrative brings awareness to the world of mental illness. It gives a firsthand account of how schizophrenia attacks its victims and the disruption it causes within the family dynamic. My father was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic in the early 1970s. It was very easy for me to relate and empathize with Redmond’s story. She shares pivotal moments in time, as if they were yesterday. But, she also mentions that some memories are blurred due to the trauma. Redmond educates the reader about mental illness. She is bold and candid as she reveals the emotional upheaval of her family. When living with a schizophrenic, everyone suffers. This is an amazing story of family devotion. Silent Voices is an account of tragedy, forgiveness, and restoration. Debbie Nau Redmond honors her family by sharing their story.

Reviewed by Teodora Totorean for Readers' Favorite

Blood on the Stage, 480 B.C. to 1600 A.D.: Milestone Plays of Murder, Mystery and Mayhem, An Annotated Repertoire by Amnon Kabatchnik is an overview of the most important theatrical works on the theme stated in the title, from Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus to Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The book starts with an introduction, where the author presents the plays together with a short synopsis for each, and it continues with a chapter dedicated to each theatrical work presented in chronological order. The author provides for each play: a plot synopsis, when and where the play was seen on the stage, author’s biography, critics’ opinions, awards and notes. Some of the plays from the book are: Antigone by Sophocles, Medea by Euripides, Phaedra by Seneca, and The Tragedy of King Richard the Third by William Shakespeare, to name just a few.

Blood on the Stage, 480 B.C. to 1600 A.D. by Amnon Kabatchnik is a fascinating book for those interested in theatre in general, and for those interested in theatrical works about murder, mystery and mayhem in particular. The book is easy to read and understand, and you don’t have to have previous knowledge of the plays presented in the book. If this is the case, you may want to read the original play or go and see the play after reading each entry. The book is rather complex, demonstrating profound knowledge of the field and extensive research skills. I enjoyed reading this book, as not only did it refresh my knowledge of some of the plays I had read a long time ago, but I also learnt about theatrical works and playwrights which now I want to read and/or view.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Crossing Swords: Mary Baker Eddy vs. Victoria Claflin Woodhull And the Battle for the Soul of Marriage by Cindy Peyser Safronoff begins with an overview of the evolution of culture and marriage laws in America, and from there explores nineteenth-century alternative relationship models. Following closely the lives of Mary Baker Eddy, nicknamed the “Boston Pope” and a pioneer in religious movements, and Victoria Claflin Woodhull, the first female candidate for President of the United States, an activist for women's rights and labor reforms as well as an advocate of free love, Cindy presents an overview of the birth of almost everything related to feminism. The publication of ‘Declaration of Rights and Sentiments,’ a milestone in women’s liberation, finding Christian clergy as women’s worst enemy, slave based culture and its effect on society, and other pioneering efforts by many stalwarts of the feminist movement find description in this book. How the opposing philosophies, the puritanical background of Mary and the unconcerned outlook of Victoria played together in molding the American view of women in society comes alive in these pages.

Crossing Swords: Mary Baker Eddy vs Victoria Claflin Woodhull And the Battle for the Soul of Marriage by Cindy Peyser Safronoff is a thoroughly researched work. Whether it is women's suffrage or traditional value systems or other aspects of the nineteenth century American culture war, the vision of enlightened womanhood as it existed then is presented here, in clear and concise terms, with special attention in giving equal due to the almost opposing views of both the pioneers.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Promising Forecast - A Miracle Rescue at Sea by Daniel David Jones and Arthur J. Higbee is the story of Dave, ‘who never missed a chance to make a dollar’, and how he goes on a deep-sea fishing trip with four other buddies. At least one of them, Joe, is a good fisherman. Their adventure really begins when the sea turns rough and their boat sinks, and continues when the mayday responses by the coast guard fail in locating them, turns into a horrifying experience when they are forced to spent the better part of the night at sea, hanging onto a lobster pot, and thereafter. How they pass the time by taking turns to recite their life stories, the danger of a cargo ship going straight over them, sighting search helicopters that happen to miss them, and many other events and experiences of desperation fill the pages of this book.

Promising Forecast - A Miracle Rescue at Sea is a gripping narrative of a few horrendous moments in the lives of the protagonists. They have shown a remarkable degree of survival instinct in combating the dangers faced, and have lived to tell their tales. The mental, physical and spiritual strength of each one is visible throughout this book, and especially the difficulty faced in admitting the fear of death is described in poignant words. With fast paced action and a very interesting depiction of events, there was many a time I had to remind myself that this is a real life story.

Reviewed by Nathan M. Beauchamp for Readers' Favorite

Keeping Mother's Secrets was both difficult and easy to read. Easy because the story of how Tracy May escaped a past filled with horrific abuse captivated me; difficult because of the subject matter. Written with frank, matter of fact prose, May’s account of her psychotic mother, ineffectual father, and abusive childhood carried me quickly from first page to last. The simplicity of the prose itself serves to heighten not lessen the tension — I felt as though I were right beside an intelligent, admirable young girl quite literally fighting for her life.

Though Keeping Mother's Secrets covers the very grim territory of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, May maintains an upbeat, hopeful perspective. You can’t read this memoir without feeling immense respect for the author. Not just because of her experiences, but because of how she’s chosen to overcome them. May writes in the epilogue that she chose to publish her memoir with the hope it might help others. I have no doubt that it has already done so. In fact, as someone who has experienced some abuse myself, I can say that reading Keeping Mother's Secrets was therapeutic for me.

May embeds historical documents, reports from psychologists that treated her as a child, and transcripts from the court proceedings over her custody case. These provide a factual backbone that gives Keeping Mother's Secrets even greater power. May uses these permanent records of her troubled childhood to great and evocative effect. In a story featuring few heroes and many villains, Indian Joe, the attorney who represented her father’s side of the custody battle to remove May from her abusive mother, is the only shining star aside from May herself.

It’s impossible to read Keeping Mother's Secrets without getting angry. It’s equally impossible to read it without feeling a profound sense of hope. If May can overcome the horror of her childhood and go on to lead a meaningful and valuable life, so too can all who have suffered injustice. Powerful, gripping, and supported by interesting historical documentation, Keeping Mother's Secrets is a worthwhile and compelling read. It stands alongside memoirs like Mary Karr’s The Liar's Club as a profound exploration of the redemptive power of hope.

Reviewed by Kristine Hall for Readers' Favorite

Danuta Pfeiffer's Chiseled: A Memoir of Identity, Duplicity, and Divine Wine is the amazing story of Danuta's life - filled with deception, devastation, and determination - that takes readers on a courageous journey. Told in three parts, Danuta's story begins at her beginning, as a God-fearing child, living a spartan life under a father she revered, despite his abusive hands. Her father's stories of obstacles he'd overcome in the war, in the most brutal of circumstances, carried Danuta through her own travails time and again, even as her father continued to reject her. For readers who remember Danuta (then Soderman) and her mysterious departure from being the co-host of The 700 Club with Pat Robertson, details are revealed of not only her departure, but of how CBN and Robertson operated behind-the-scenes. This provided fascinating insight into the sometimes sordid world of televangelism, and it ultimately led to Danuta's "losing God" for a period of time. As Danuta navigates her life - out of work, married to an addict, and questioning the very existence of God - she always draws strength from her father's challenges and perseveres. When she finally allows friendships into her life and allows herself to focus on her own needs, she finds true love with a winemaker, Robin Pfeiffer. Robin takes Danuta to Poland, where Danuta connects with her father's family, and discovers the truth and lies of her father's past. Chiseled is a masterfully written story of a woman spending a lifetime searching to find peace, love, and acceptance within herself.

What a beautifully written personal story Danuta Pfeiffer has shared. At times, readers will have to remind themselves that Chiseled is a memoir and not fiction. It is unbelievable that any one person endured all of the heartache and challenges that Danuta faced, and even more amazing that she survived it and now lives a healthy, happy life. Many of her sentences are stunning, and the imagery truly takes the story to another level. For example, in talking about her father's decline into depression, Danuta wrote, "His change took place the way a shoelace comes undone, gradually unravelling what was once secure." Or, when she speaks of her time with The 700 Club, she summarizes it by saying, "I had become a spiritual drug dealer imbued with the halo of power and celebrity, associated with the brokers of money and politics." Her characterization was excellent so that readers not only witnessed actions, but understood and felt Danuta's emotions towards the characters who had the most impact on her life. Particularly powerful was the story of Danuta's mother, Patricia, who was truly the hero of Danuta's life. In Patricia's strength and commitment to her family, Danuta found a role model in a time when women were restricted by societal limitations. Throughout Danuta's life, her faith and relationship with God went through many iterations, and it was interesting to see her thought process at all stages and what ultimately led her back to a life of faith.

I highly recommend Chiseled, as Danuta Pfeiffer eloquently shows that truth can be more dramatic and fascinating than fiction. Readers should be prepared to be angry - and possibly shed a few tears - but in the end, feel inspired.