Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

“I’ve loaded plenty of guns in video games, but there you just have to walk over the bullets.” This quote from J. Scott Boyd’s young adult mystery/thriller, Black Forest, if properly attended to, will tell you everything you need to know about this perfectly tuned, finely honed, tightly plotted marvel of a book. This is young adult written for today, not some grandparent’s fond reminiscence. Jack and Cash are teenage friends living somewhat removed from city life, but in no way isolated from any of the deviltries caused by contemporary urban angst. Their small mountain town community boasts a host of party drugs, messed-up adults, hot girls, and true survival terror provided by skinheads hooked religiously on Nazi myths. Our two teens are not quite innocent, but they do have younger moments, often humorous, and when pitted against horrific skinhead targeting, Jack and Cash make truly sympathetic heroes.

Black Forest is a thrill ride from the start. J. Scott Boyd makes an excellent choice of using a prologue to set the scene, anticipate the action, and slyly provide an ongoing fulcrum from which to foresee and await some rather gruesome upcoming events. He then employs succinct, elegantly concise, even terse dialogue and narration – perfectly tuned, I might add, to the sound of youth today – to tell an immensely engaging, page-turning story of friendship, survival, strategy, and ultimate revenge. No credibility gaps here. Boyd rides reality’s razor’s edge to keep you fast on board and feeling mighty pleased with the end. Spoiler: Jack does learn how to load his gun.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Witches Protection Program is a work of urban fantasy adventure fiction penned by author Michael Okon. In this quirky magical romp with a crime drama styled twist, we follow our hero Wes Rockville as he tries to climb back up the social ladder after his law enforcement career goes down the tubes. Assigned to protect the secrets of the everyday witches causing trouble in New York City, Wes must protect heiress Morgan Pendragon from her notorious aunt, whilst also unveiling a mystery wrought deep in the heart of the American cosmetics industry. With a mentor on his back and a reputation to rebuild, Wes must throw himself headlong into the adventure.

For readers who seek both cozy mysteries and fantasy escapes, author Michael Okon has produced a read which fulfills those needs with tons of fun. Witches Protection Program is never too deep or too long in a complex scene, but offers a fast-moving and easy to follow plot with plenty of hi-jinks, heart, and even a little romance. The dialogue smacks of that wry, offbeat humor of New York City, poking fun at itself and the adorable, quirky cast of characters on offer. Morgan and Wes lead the way with slightly deeper development, allowing us to get behind their personal struggles as we watch the chaos that develops around them. The plot itself was also fun to unravel, unusually resolved and not at all predictable, which I loved. Overall, Witches Protection Program is a one-hundred percent fun read for fantasy fans everywhere.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Wolf's Head Bay: Journey of the Courageous Eleven by Jeffery Allen Boyd is book one in the series. Jeremy was just having fun camping with his brothers and Lynn when something terrifying happened. It all started when Lynn meets Dylan and brings him into the circle of her friends. Dylan is a cool guy that they all admire and they all have a good time. However, their good times turn into tragedy when they are trapped in a storm of human trafficking and dangerous men. They are caught by some bad people who want to sell them as slaves to the highest bidder. To make matters worse, they uncover a terrifying secret that will shake the American nation to its core. They are desperate to get out of this mess, but it seems like there is no end to their misery. Not when they are fighting against adults who are far more powerful than these youngsters can ever be. What will they do? Is it their fate to be sold? Or some hero will come and save them?

This action-packed story had me sitting on the edge of my seat and holding my breath. The suspense is so thick that I could almost taste it. This group of young adults is smart, they understand their situation and learn to deal with it in the best way possible. Jeremy and Dane were my favorite characters because they had a sense of maturity as well as the wits to keep on moving and staying away from danger. Another thing that I enjoyed about this story is the build-up of the plot. Jeffery Allen Boyd starts the story from a high point and keeps building the tension until breaking point. It was immersive and nail-biting, allowing me to form opinions and choose sides. Wolf's Head Bay would make a great movie, where we have a headstrong hero and a remarkable plot to support him. Eye-opening and entertaining at the same time.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

In Swords of Aerides by Rob Dorsey, science fiction is seamlessly melded with fantasy to feature a young protagonist that readers will love to follow. It is a coming of age story that follows the young Prince Aron of Avinon in the planet of Aerides. His city, Avinon, faces terrible threats from powerful evil creatures and an army that will stop at nothing. As a young prince, he is faced with the task of protecting his people, a mission that seems far bigger than his abilities. The reader follows the young protagonist as he evolves into a clear-headed personality, developing his strength, and learning to trust his own judgment. But can he overcome the challenges that are before him?

Prince Aron is a character that readers will enjoy, destined to rule Avinon, but he lives in a conflict-infested world, a desert that features feudal city-states and autonomies entities that are always ready to invade. The world-building is impeccable and there is a lot to attract the reader, such as the species of humanoids called the Vadan, the immortals who are powerful at war, and many other groups featured in the writing. The attention that readers pay to a protagonist also results from the strength of the antagonist they have to face and the magnitude of challenges thrust at them. Rob Dorsey does an impeccable job in creating a young and flawed protagonist and making him grow up in a world that is unsafe and filled with threats. Themes of loyalty, love, combat, and personal growth are ingeniously explored. The narrative voice is gripping and the scenes are focused. Swords of Aerides is action-packed and fast-paced; it is imaginative and features characters that are memorable and a setting that readers will revel in.

Reviewed by Amanda Rofe for Readers' Favorite

Evergreen by Matthew S. Cox is a young adult science fiction novel about a seventeen-year-old girl called Harper Cody who has been plunged into an apocalyptic scenario caused by a nuclear flash. Her life changes irrevocably. She spends two months, together with her parents and younger sister, hiding out in the basement of the family house in a town called Lakewood. They live on canned food that her father scavenges from nearby. Passing evacuees tell of a haven in the mountains but her father refuses to leave the ostensible safety of their house. Eventually, a dangerous gang of looters finds them and, after a fight, Harper's parents are killed. Despite Harper's prowess in competition shooting, she realizes it has not prepared her for pulling a gun on a real person. The sisters are forced to flee the house with nothing but the clothes they have on.

The unpredictable nature of life in this desolate new world provides an edgy background to the familiar 'the end of the world as we know it' story line. The realistic description of the breakdown of society is explored from Harper's point of view and teenagers will have no trouble identifying with her. In fact, Matthew Cox serves up a great selection of strong and interesting characters in this novel. I couldn't wait to see how Harper and her sister dealt with the loss of their parents and was not disappointed with the way the plot developed. Evergreen is a great introduction to a science fiction dystopian first novel for young adults. Anyone interested in this genre should definitely have this book on their reading list.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

War World: A Novel by Rod C. Spence is a fantastic blend of fantasy, science fiction, and adventure, a novel with a strong appeal for fans of young adult fantasy. The reader is thrust into the world of the author right off the bat, with powerful elements of the setting, a world in which competition in technological development is strong: “Another technology was found that promised even greater rewards.” And then there's a creature whose entire life experience has been inside a cocoon. We are introduced to the key elements of the story from the opening pages, and then thrust into a rollicking adventure that involves killer gnomes, prehistoric monsters, and wizards. It’s a world of the survival of the fittest with different factions colliding. When his planet is threatened, will Jeremy Austin and his friends have what it takes to save it?

Rod C. Spence melds different genres into one and creates a fast-paced, cleverly-plotted story that is packed with action. It is emotionally intense, psychologically exciting, and engaging. Jeremy is a character that readers will root for — the son of famous geneticists who gets attacked by gnome assassins and sets out on a path he never envisioned. The plot is deftly done and is filled with deep layers. The story takes place in a well-imagined world, and the conflict is phenomenal. War World: A Novel features lofty writing. The descriptions are cinematic and the author does an impeccable job with the dialogues. Rod C. Spence is a master storyteller with a unique gift for plot and character. The reader is gripped from the opening pages of the story with no let up until the satisfying denouement.

Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

The Circle: Taken by Sage Sask is an exciting dystopian adventure about survival. Alexia was found on the beach when she was just eleven years old with no memory of anything that came before. She's spent her life since then living under a name given to her by the government and doing what she can to help care for the younger kids at the orphanage. Upon turning sixteen, she goes to get evaluated the way everyone else her age does and that's when everything goes south. She's quickly carted off to train among other teens like herself and gets the opportunity to have a place among them. That is if she can survive their test. And she'll only be able to do that if she can keep her ability to read people's pasts and futures with a single touch from being revealed. The more she trains under the Circle's guidance, the more about her past is revealed but she doesn't know how much is true or who she can trust. Soon her loyalty is tested when she has the chance to have everything she's ever wanted, but only if she's willing to betray those who trust her.

The story is full of action and challenges with training and tests that are about endurance and survival. The mystery is an important aspect of the plot as the enigma of her lost memories and the Circle is what drives Alexia forward. The Circle has its secrets and the more she digs, the more uncertainty she has if she can trust anyone there. Her life before is a blank which her time with the Circle begins to fill in for her but she has to learn if she can trust the ties she's forming or a life she's been told she had. This explores an intriguing mystery that's bigger than Alexia's past and opens up other aspects of a conspiracy that runs deep between two sides. She doesn't get to be a normal teenager, spending every second apprehensive or just surviving, but Sask incorporates a few gentler moments such as dancing. These moments give calmness to Alexia and allow for her to build connections with the others and with agents while also letting you see the characters as teenagers and allowing you to bond with them. The Circle: Taken is a brilliant read with an addictive plot, well-rounded characters, a gritty world, and a journey of survival.

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

People’s obsession with what’s on TV takes on a new level in Losing Normal by Francis Moss. Huge TV screens are installed everywhere in public spaces and everyone is getting one of the new TVs that promises the best and most personalized shows people could wish for. Schools also get screens in every room to help with education and even make the presence of a teacher unnecessary. The majority of the population does not notice that there is something very wrong with the broadcasts from these screens. Alex, however, does. He is autistic and for some reason his brain is able to see something bad coming from the screens. He is also able to influence the broadcast and shut it down – which turns him and people like him into enemy number one of the artificial intelligence behind the broadcasts.

I picked up Losing Normal by Francis Moss because seeing an autistic boy as the hero of a novel in which a supercomputer tries to take over control of the human mind seemed like a very interesting concept. Books that have protagonists with special needs are usually of a completely different type and more focused on “real life”, so it was very nice to see something different, something that shows how autistic kids can indeed be heroes in truly exciting stories. The world needs more books like this, especially when they are well written and engaging like Losing Normal. I know a few autistic people from my work with a charity, so it was nice to see them represented in a positive and realistic light. I had a lot of fun reading this novel and found the pacing of the plot well done.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Wolf Pack by Joshua C. Chadd is the third entry in The Brother's Creed series, a tightly plotted, twist-filled, post-apocalyptic story with mesmerizing characters. The Wolf Pack is finally reunited but they don’t have much time to celebrate their reunion as they quickly discover that they have fallen into a dangerous trap. And there may be no way out. Jezz has Ana and Alexis captured and they are bound in their captivity by unbreakable chains. Can even Uncle Zeke’s training be of any use in a situation as hopeless as theirs? The story is an action-packed tale of brotherhood, courage, and war.

Joshua C. Chadd’s narrative begins in the heart of conflict and in a very intriguing way, leaving readers with questions they want answered. The narrative voice is powerful and the prose tantalizing. I love it when an author has a gift for economy of word and this author doesn’t waste words. The descriptions are apt and cinematic and there is an enjoyable way of getting into the consciousness of the characters. The setting is beautifully written with apocalyptic elements that are vividly captured in the prose. The story is dynamic, if overly descriptive at times, but the attention to detail and the focus will satisfy readers. Wolf Pack has a lot of what readers look for in science fiction — a vividly created world, grit, unusually complex characters, and a setting filled with surprising elements. The conflict moves the plot ahead steadily and the character building is elaborately done. Wolf Pack surely gives the satisfaction and the entertainment value readers want.

Reviewed by Jose Cornelio for Readers' Favorite

Mars Away by Jeff Christopher Leonard is a science fiction story that has a strong appeal to young adult readers. Set in 2050, the story follows Devin Xyear, the youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion of all time. He loves Earth and has no intention of leaving it, but Earth is dying, and plans to start the migration to Mars are underway. Losing his family tragically is a blow that Devin is having a hard time dealing with, and when he runs afoul the law, he is tasked to travel to Mars on a special mission. He is the one person with the driving skills and the speed required to navigate Olympus Mons and set off a bomb that will trigger a geologic reaction needed to make Mars habitable for humans. Can Devin complete this mission and become humanity’s hero or will he get stuck on Mars?

This is an exhilarating ride with a young protagonist that I fell in love with from the very beginning. Mars Away is fast-paced, and I loved the idea behind this novel. It is original and the plot has realistic points, from a dying Earth — a reality that is unfolding before the eyes of contemporary humans — to the inhospitable Mars. The story is written in such a way that I found myself rooting for the protagonist. Jeff Christopher Leonard is a great storyteller and he writes in beautiful prose, bringing alive a world that readers want to navigate. The pacing is fast, the conflict a global one, and the setting skillfully written. While this is an entertaining novel, it is filled with reality and provokes conversation on the survival of the human race.