Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Kat Preston doesn't believe in ghosts. She has to because it’s the only way she could protect herself. A ghost with dark hair and silver eyes had tried to steal her life when she was nine years old. Since then, ghosts are something that Kat Preston actively avoided for years. Disbelief keeps her safe, that is until her junior year at McTernan Academy. As a research project for the eccentric Professor Astor, Kat must investigate a notorious double murder that had happened at Castle Creighton in 1886, located at a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut. Protagonist Kat is restless about her research project. Castle Creighton is a place where ghosts thrive and going there could be her undoing. However, she discovers that two ghosts from her past are connected to the murder mystery, therefore her fear of the ‘unbelievables’ must be put aside. There’s a vital truth that is waiting to be unearthed.

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts, Book 1 from The Unbelievables series by K.C. Tansley, is a YA paranormal that is already compelling with its beautiful cover alone, and credit goes to the cover artist, Creative Paramita. I consider paranormal as well explored by writers, but The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is truly a welcome fresh addition to the genre. As a fan, the premise is a proverbial one for me, but K.C. Tansley has crafted a substantially interesting plot interwoven with ancestral curses, powerful spells, time travel, crime solving and memorable characters (the living and the dead). What we have is a sublime, engaging YA paranormal story that demonstrates the evocative talent of its writer. I truly enjoyed it and look forward to reading more in this series.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

First Impression is the first title in the Shadow Maven Paranormal series written by Pauline Creeden. Chira is 16 and attends a prep school on scholarship. She lives with her mom, a waitress in the local diner, and her very unpleasant step-father. Her best friend, Tasha, suggests that they go along with a group of students who are visiting the Old Schoolhouse at night. It's supposedly haunted, and there are plans to make a video of the outing. The group Chira and Tasha are in actually sees a spectral figure, and Tasha runs out of the building in a panic. Tasha is hit by a car and is placed in a medical coma, and, one by one, the other students who were with Chira have horrible accidents. A new transfer to school, Ben, has made keeping Chira safe his top priority, though she chafes at the constant companionship until she's the last one standing.

Pauline Creedon's young adult paranormal mystery begins with the kind of sentence every writer wishes they had thought of. One that made this reader grin to himself and settle in for a good read. There's a little bit of everything in First Impression: a haunted schoolhouse, an enigmatic transfer student who was raised by monks and has a pet owl, a surly step-father, and the mysterious disappearances of teens from a nearby town. Chira is a strong and compelling character who is fiercely independent and stands tall despite the rumors and nastiness at school regarding her sexual orientation. Creedon writes smoothly and fluently, and her story is hard to put down. First Impression is the first Creedon book I've read, and it made a very good first impression indeed. It's highly recommended.

Reviewed by Gaynor Lincoln for Readers' Favorite

Don’t Forget to Breathe by Cathrina Constantine is a fast paced, punchy murder mystery. Leo is a high school student whose mother was brutally murdered a year before the story begins. The murder remains unsolved. Leo develops a friendship with Henry, the boy who comes to live across the road. But she is romantically interested in Becket, a high school senior, and Henry becomes increasingly jealous of the developing relationship between the two. Henry supports Leo’s drug habit and leads her into situations in which she would rather not find herself. After a small drug tryst with Henry in a cemetery, noises frighten her and she runs. She hears the screams of two drug dealers who are found murdered the next day. Clues lead Detective Dyl to believe whoever murdered the drug dealers also murdered Leo’s mother. As the story develops, multiple characters become reasonable suspects for the murders, including Leo’s alcoholic father. The reader is left hanging as Leo finds herself in dangerous situations with some of the suspects.

Don’t Forget to Breathe is an engaging novel with continual plot development. If I had to put it down, I found I wanted to get back to it. The author has an intense writing style and her use of unusual and vivid verbs fascinated me. Some verbs nailed it and brought sharper meaning. I wouldn’t have thought to use them in the context she had, yet they created strong images of the action taking place. I enjoyed reading this novel, yet I’m 60 years old. I think that says something of the author’s skill to grip a reader.

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

The Silent Deal: The Card Game, Book 1 by Levi Stack tells the story of Victor, an average serf boy, and Romulus, a boy who lives in the forest. Victor has recurring dreams about the 'Brass Art' in his city, graffiti of playing cards. Cards are outlawed; owning one is punished with death, talking about them gets you in big trouble, too. When Victor sees that Romulus owns a special card, he becomes even more interested in the strange boy who lives in the forest and who seems to be able to bear more pain than others. Soon, the two boys become friends and try to find out the secret behind the cards. Why are they forbidden? Why does nobody want to talk about them? And why do people turn up dead once the Leopard finds out that there still is one card out there? And is the old castle really haunted?

The Silent Deal: The Card Game, Book 1 by Levi Stack is one of the best books I have read via Readers Favorite so far. When I saw that the book had over 450 pages, I hoped that it would be a really good story because good, long books by new authors seem to be a rarity these days, especially when it's book 1 of a series (books in series are usually short and often rather dull, or have little character development). I am very glad that I discovered Levi Stack's book. The main characters, and even most of the minor characters, are all unique, and very well developed. You care for them, and you really want to know what will happen to each of them, and what kind of part they play in the overall picture.

The plot of The Silent Deal moves along at a perfect pace. It is a long book, so you won't be able to finish it in just one sitting. It is the kind of book you enjoy coming back to at the end of a day or for a little break during the day. It is hard to put down because the story moves on in a way that makes you think that you should read just one more chapter to get one question answered - and then the next question or problem appears. I enjoyed reading this story a lot, and hope there will be more from this author in the future.

Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite

In Unspeakable, the first book in the Freedom series, by Michelle K. Pickett, Willow is beautiful, smart, has awesome friends, and is dating Jaden, captain of the football team and most popular guy in school. It can’t get any better than that, right? Looks can be deceiving. She has kept a horrible secret from everyone and when someone finds out, this person uses it against her and makes her feel like a prisoner. If she doesn’t do what he says, he will tell everyone. Then Brody comes into her life. He affects her in a way she never thought possible. She finds herself falling for him but is scared to take things further and leave Jaden. Now she has to figure out if Brody and the life she could have with him is worth risking it all.

This just became my new favorite book. I’m not exaggerating. And I am officially sleep-deprived because of this book. Staying up until 5 in the morning because I can’t bear the thought of going to sleep without knowing what happens to fictional people is not a consistent habit of mine. I loved Willow. Her obsession with caffeine, her sarcastic T-shirts, and the fact that she’s both tough and vulnerable make her such a unique character that you can’t help but root for her. She is going through the unimaginable at both home and school, and throughout the book, you hope she finds the strength to stand up for herself. And then there’s Brody. Oh, Brody. Before Brody, Willow was just going through the motions, counting down the days to graduation when she could escape, but after meeting him, she begins to feel alive and yearns to truly be happy and feel loved.

I give kudos to Michelle K. Pickett for not only creating such amazing characters, but also for portraying such a realistic relationship. The pace was perfect, and the gradual buildup from annoyance with each other to friendship to something more was flawless. While the story does tackle some serious issues, it goes to show how real this book really is. If you’re anything like me, you’ll smile from ear to ear, cry uncontrollably, practically scream with excitement, and want to do unthinkable physical harm to some characters in the book. Unspeakable is an absolute must-read, and I will be impatiently waiting for the rest of the series. Thank you, Michelle K. Pickett, for writing such an incredible book.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Rising Tide: Dark Innocence: The Maura DeLuca Trilogy, Book 1 is a young adult paranormal coming of age novel written by Claudette Melanson. Maura just couldn’t get why her mom suddenly wanted to drag her off to Vancouver, BC. She was a junior now in high school and had expected to complete her high school experience in Pennsylvania and then go on to college. It wasn’t that she had tons of friends in school -- she actually didn’t have any when her mom sprung the news on her, but her life would be drastically altered by the move. Granted, the cool, cloudy environs would be a welcome change from Pennsylvania’s blazing summer sun, especially for Maura. Unlike the other kids, Maura’s skin had a ghostly pallor, and she was highly intolerant of the sun. That difference from the rest of her peers had marked and shaped her lonely school existence. Direct exposure would not only cause her skin to instantly redden, but she’d feel physically ill from it. Making the upcoming move even harder, however, was her sudden popularity in school. First it was the perky cheerleader, Katie Parker, who had tormented her since they first met in grammar school; then there was Ron who made her world rock.

Claudette Melanson’s young adult paranormal coming of age novel, Rising Tide: Dark Innocence: The Maura DeLuca Trilogy, Book 1, is an entertaining and well-written story about a young woman on the cusp of undreamed of changes. I loved watching as Maura’s world expands from her stifling and introverted existence of study and housekeeping for herself and her controlling mom to a life filled with friends, dating and even an open-house party at a frat house. Melanson leaves plenty of tantalizing clues for the reader to suss out the nature of Maura’s burgeoning transformation, and the tautly dramatic ending of the story had me looking forward to the next book in her Maura DeLuca Trilogy. Rising Tide: Dark Innocence is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Hampton Road is a psychological thriller written by Michael Segedy. When we first meet Billy, he's in some sort of institution and being given medication by an orderly. Billy's not sure why he's there and hates the medicine which makes him tired and mentally confused. He has lost track of time but knows he should be getting ready for his next race. Billy's a motorcycle racer and just got his expert card. He has big dreams, but suddenly they're all put on hold while he's in this place. Every day, Billy goes in to speak with Dr. Phillips, a fat man with thick glasses and rather spooky little eyes, who sits in his swivel chair with his back to the window. Billy sits in a hard plastic chair opposite the doctor with the sun glaring in at him from that window. Billy wonders why Charlie, or his mother, or Praxy, his girlfriend won't come to visit him. Dr. Phillips asks him about Charlie, who's his best friend, but there's a blinding flash every time Billy thinks about Charlie, and he can't even remember what Charlie looks like.

Michael Segedy's young adult thriller, Hampton Road, is suspenseful and compelling. The reader, in many ways, becomes Billy as he tries to piece together what happened to his life and why he's in the institution. Regardless of whether you've ever been on a motorcycle or been interested in races, the descriptions of the motorcycles, the preparation necessary for racing them, and the races themselves bring the sport alive in a manner that's never tedious or over-descriptive. I was spell-bound envisioning the moves the racers made as they competed in the qualifying heat. The school scenes are fun, with the troglodyte history teacher, the intolerant A-students, and the English teacher who seems to have it all together. Charlie, Praxy, and Billy are all great characters, complex and real, and they complement each other so well. Billy is the hero who's larger than life, and the three of them are such stout friends and loyal companions. I loved this book. It's amazingly good and very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite

The sense of adventure is as strong as the salty sea air in Johnathan's Locket by Lorraine Carey. Orphan Jonathan Palmer has waited 15 years for this day. Today, he will sneak out of the Anglican school for boys that has been his home for as long as he can remember, steal away in the night and set off to find his British mother and the truth about his past. All he has left of his mother is a locket that he has been told was hers, containing a single lock of blonde hair. He stows away on one of Britain's Flagships with the help of his friend Peter, hoping to get passage to England so that he might begin his search. The journey is soon plagued by bad omens, including black cats and the old sailor saying of "Red Sky in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning."

Lorraine Carey does a wonderful job of showing you what's happening, rather than just telling. You actually see the blazing sunrise and feel the cool drops of water rising from the sea. The cover was bold, beautiful, and eye-catching. The cover art is a huge deciding factor in many books from children to middle grade to Young Adult range, and this cover is an excellent choice. It's alluring in just the right way and I'm sure kids will want to know more. While the story was short and sweet, it sure didn't lack in the entertainment factor. Nothing quite beats the action and adventure of a dangerous sea voyage and the mysterious quest of a wayward orphan. A wonderful book that I'm sure the younger young adults will eat right up!

Reviewed by Dr. Oliva Dsouza for Readers' Favorite

Dead Dreams (Book 1) by Emma Right is an intriguingly enchanting story that catches your fancy and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Brianna is a regular kid from a family that is caring, loving, and a little over-involved. Wanting to live on her own and test her own strengths, she has a lot to look forward to. Sarah walks into her life as a roommate who has a good deal to hide and flaunt. Is Sarah really who she claims to be? Can she be trusted or is she an innocent victim of her destiny?

Emma Right has nailed this plot like no one else can. Dead Dreams is definitely a book all mystery lovers will want to lay their hands on. Brianna's various dilemmas and her gullible nature really strike a chord and make readers want things to work out for her. The best part is the web Sarah weaves that slowly draws Brianna onto a dangerous path, perhaps bordering on the illegal. How far will Sarah go to make sure her trap is successful is something that no one knows. Is Brianna's brother, Keith, the one person she can reply on in her time of need, or is there a more sinister turn that her dreams and life are going to take? Put on your seat belts and vroom through this book as you will not stop until each page has been devoured and your questions answered. "Waiting for the sequel eagerly" is the state the reader is left in after reading this book.

Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite

“Pepper and Longstreet Mysteries: The Complete Series” by J T Lewis contains every episode of the “Pepper and Longstreet” mystery tales. Very similar to “The Hardy Boys” and “Nancy Drew” mysteries familiar to those of us considered “boomers”, Pepper Jones is a 14 year old High School student who has been successful – and lucky – at solving a number of mysteries around her home town. She has the very helpful assistance of a Civil War era ghost by the name of Jacob Longstreet, who happens to be invisible to everybody except Pepper; that fact gives her a decided advantage at times while working on a case.

There are 11 stories in this very reasonably priced collection, and each of them is an extraordinarily good young adult/pre-teen mystery story. Whether solving just-committed robberies or cracking 40 year old coded messages, when Pepper and Longstreet are on the job, the bad guys don’t stand a chance. These stories aren’t just reminiscent of “The Hardy Boys” and “Nancy Drew”; they are every bit as well written, engaging, and fun to read. J T Lewis writes youth mysteries on par with those two legendary series. Although it is classified as “Young Adult” fiction, I can personally testify that old adults too will enjoy these stories. The author has found his niche, and has the talent to excel in this genre. His characters are as real as your next door neighbor, with a touch of the paranormal thrown in just for fun. He could sell these mysteries individually with no difficulty, but has chosen instead to package them all in one collection, thereby giving the reader an exceptional value for the cost. I highly recommend buying this book for the pre-teen through young adults in your life. I’d guess that at least 90 per cent of them will love these stories.