Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Born This Way by Tammy Ferebee is a heart-wrenching novella about a boy that's not allowed to be who he really is. The son of a pastor in a religious southern American small town, Joseph realized that he was attracted to people of the same sex. This is not a choice that is available to him and he always knew that it was taboo in his family and community. Desperate for acceptance and support, he finds solace on the internet in the person of Bruce, but things do not turn out the way he had always dreamed they would.

Tammy Ferebee's Born This Way is a unique coming of age story that focuses on a highly relevant social issue. Narrated in the first person voice, it is emotionally gripping to the point that it could even feel physically exhausting for sensitive readers. And this is what makes the story unforgettable and one of a kind. What is more disturbing is that Joseph's painful struggles are not that unique really. These are repeated countless times in more ways than one in thousands of communities all over the world.

Tammy Ferebee's commentary on an all-pervasive social issue definitely touches a sensitive nerve and so it should. Melancholic but straight to the point, we follow Joseph's story and it is dark and saddening but through it all, there is always a hint of some kind of hope. Hope that there are friends around you that will accept you, warts and all, and for this acceptance, life is worth living. Born this Way is a gripping short story that will stay in readers' hearts forever.

Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

As Adam balances himself on the icy iron rails of the Golden Gate Bridge, he contemplates the forces that brought him to this point. It isn’t as if he hasn’t thought about suicide before. This day just seems to be a good end to a worthless existence. Because that is all he does. He exists. He doesn’t live, love, or even aspire to either. Just as he counts down his final seconds on Earth, Adam thinks of his mother and realizes that his will to live and his will to die are still in conflict. Maybe today isn’t the day to end it all. His life is devoid of any motivated purpose, but there has to be something else out there. All he wants is what he views in others. Family. Friends. Love. Success. Happiness. Enter Liz, equally as damaged as he is, but with a healing spirit that draws him into a newfound sunshine and the hopeful rumblings of a future. But when Liz loses her own personal battle within herself, Adam cannot face another minute of mere existence.

Love and the Sea and Everything in Between by Brian McBride is the breathtaking account of entering into the darkness that lies on the edge of depression. McBride draws the reader into an unforgiving ride of heartache, first love, spiritual reckoning, and personal blame. McBride’s characters are fully defined and highly relatable. The short chapters keep the reader mesmerized while comfortable narrative provides thought-provoking contemplation. I believe I actually stopped breathing more than once before completing this book. Wow. Just wow. You will be glad you took the time to consume this story. Remarkable!

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Persimmon Takes on Humanity is the first book in The Enlightenment Adventures by Christopher Locke and it is both inspirational and thoughtful, a great story that will undoubtedly be hailed by animal lovers. It awakens a deep sense of compassion in readers for animals that suffer from human cruelty and abuse. Persimmon is a daring, utterly adventurous raccoon who is disillusioned at the way humans treat animals when she first visits the veal farm at the edge of the forest. She gathers a group of friends to help, but they quickly discover that more animals are in similar conditions and, buoyed up with excitement, they decide to fight against this evil. From veal farms to circuses, they are determined to free every victim, but do they know the extent of the fight they are taking on and do they have what it takes to break this cycle of abuse?

In a language that is captivating, with a unique phraseology and witticism that is rare, Christopher Locke takes readers on an adventure of a lifetime with exciting, somewhat quirky characters. It takes skill to imbue a work of this nature with the personification that makes it real, but this author’s ability to anthropomorphize combines with his crisp prose and storytelling skills to create a work that resonates with readers and strikes chords of compassion and sympathy in them. It is poignant, with deep emotional layers, sprinkled with dialogues that reflect the author’s gift for wit and realism in writing. Persimmon Takes on Humanity is hugely exciting and thought-provoking, but it is also a work filled with pathos. The narrative is done in a clear and exciting tone, and the characters are so well developed it will be hard for readers not to feel as though they were also part of the animal world. You’ll have a new way of treating animals — no matter which ones they are. A page-turner you can’t resist; this book left me emotionally rattled and hugely entertained.

Reviewed by Donna Gielow McFarland for Readers' Favorite

Twelve-year-old Malik had to flee when his village in Afghanistan was bombed. Now he lives in a corner of a bombed-out school with other refugees in Kabul. The Shoeshine of Kabul by Zahra Omar Shansab paints a portrait of Malik and his 16-year-old friend Nahim’s lives as they eke out a living shining shoes, earning just enough to buy their daily bread. Life is bleak and Malik has constant flashbacks and daydreams of his former life. And if the trauma he has already experienced isn’t enough, as an orphan Malik is terrified of being kidnapped or, even worse, being killed for his organs. Then one day a chance encounter with a six-year-old boy collecting trash leads to new purpose and a glimmer of hope.

Zahra Omar Shansab’s writing is poignant and clear. She writes as someone who has lived through the devastation of war and, in fact, she herself fled Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. In The Shoeshine of Kabul, the reader gets a glimpse of what the Afghanistan war is like for children and it is heartbreaking. The Shoeshine of Kabul would be a powerful book to use as part of a middle school curriculum to enlarge kids’ perspectives and show a picture of life for kids in very different circumstances. Reading this book, I couldn’t imagine what might give Malik hope, but Zahra Omar Shansab achieves hope and purpose in a very believable, even if tragic way. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Sixteen-year-old Hannah Zandana is not a conventional good looker. She has a spotty complexion and wild hair. Her parents also make her feel ugly and constantly criticize her looks. Her father calls her a dirty harlot and her mother always turns her back on Hannah. I Like You Like This: A Novel by Heather Cumiskey is set in 1984 in Connecticut. Hannah wants to change herself and her life. Hannah wants to be appreciated, she wants to have friends, and she tries to be accepted by covering her face with makeup and wearing nice clothes. Things take a turn when she catches the attention of the rich and handsome Deacon Giroux who sells drugs in the school. Deacon is a neglected child and drugs give him power. Hannah gets caught up in Deacon’s dark world when she buys drugs from him.

The story is about rejection, addiction, acceptance, bullying, and attention seeking. It is also about the struggle of a teen and what she undergoes in her quest to be noticed and accepted by everyone around her. Cumiskey takes readers into a world of drugs, addiction, and self harm. What stands out in the story is the physical and mental abuse the two main characters endure in their lives. Hannah and Deacon are well portrayed and they come across as real, and the problems they face are relatable. It is heartrending to see them both go through angst, pain, and rejection in their lives, and how they find comfort and solace together. The romance between Hannah and Deacon, the unexpected ending, and Hannah's transformation make this book a compelling read.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Jellybeaners by Gene Scott is a heartbreaking story of the opioid epidemic, a story that captures the drug plague in the very heart of Appalachia. In this spellbinding story, readers will navigate the pains and peril and the despair that surrounds the use of the opioid. The story features a game of power and money, political corruption, untold misery resulting from drug abuse, and a lot more. In vivid and captivating prose and making compelling historical references, the author leads the reader into a vivid setting, a world cursed by drugs.

The reader is left in no doubt that the author has done his research very well, because he writes like an expert in the field, unveiling facts and scientific truths about the use of the drug that aren’t accessible to the ordinary person. The novel’s plot is very unusual, told in a highly descriptive style; it is focused and purpose-driven. I was drawn in, pulled irresistibly from the start, and having worked in a mental hospital, I could see the same drama I have witnessed in mental patients unfolding within these pages. The story has a realism that forces the reader to take note, to stop and contemplate the insidious events that literally rob millions of people of life and an abiding sense of meaning. The conflict is unique and strong enough to allow the reader to continue from page to page. This is a story that combines history with powerful social commentary to offer an exposé of a dark reality that is woven into the fabric of modern society. Jellybeaners by Gene Scott is a succinct indictment for the lucrative trade of drug trafficking.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Unleash Your Inner Super Powers And Destroy Fear and Self Doubt: Words of Wisdom for Teens Book 3 by Jacqui Letran is an inspiring and encouraging book that will enable teen readers to tap into their potential and discover their peace of mind, self-confidence, and happiness. The tools and tactics in this book will help develop the seven Inner Super Powers, showing readers how to connect to and strengthen the Inner Powers that will eliminate all fear, self-doubt, and insecurity that leave everyone trapped and powerless, and create a meaningful life that is happy and peaceful. The author gives good guidance on understanding the workings of the mind and tapping into it; both the conscious and subconscious.

The book is empowering and is a must-read for all those who are looking to effect transformations and make positive changes in their lives. It is a good guide for both young people as well as adults because reading the book will be helpful when it comes to self-discovery so that they can take charge of themselves and their lives. I like the author’s approach to the topic; she makes it simple, logical, realistic, engaging to readers, and easy to understand. The techniques can be applied in daily life and the worksheets are useful when it comes to reflecting on moments in their lives which have played a role in making them what they are today. Reading this book is a good learning experience that will help readers reconnect with their buried feelings and make progress in the right direction.

Reviewed by Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite

Benjamin's Field: Ascent (Benjamin's Field Trilogy Book 2) by J.J. Knights is a young adult story that starts with Jeremy Kyner as a teenager. Because of his clubfoot, he is being bullied by a teacher who wants to have him institutionalized. Many people come to Jeremy's aid against his teacher, including Jeremy's grandfather, his hired hand, a Catholic priest, a Jewish blacksmith, a girl full of courage, a misfit, and a class bully. When the teacher's plans fall apart, she reveals her own dark secret. Around the same time, Randy Bridgewater appears on the scene. Randy is Jeremy's war hero and his deceased father's long lost friend. When he steps out of the past, he brings with him a surprising twist that propels the story into book three and the dramatic conclusion of this intense trilogy.

Ascent is a unique young adult book in the fact that it is the second book of a trilogy that spans 60 years of one family's history. This family saga is full of love, loss, and life lessons that encompass the themes of family loyalty versus individual need, personal liberty, society's expectations, religious prejudice, racism, intolerance, charity, and forgiveness. It is the type of story that will make you laugh on one page and cry on the next. It will stay with you long after you've moved on and read the last page. It is one of those stories I will be thinking about for a long time.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

It’s tough being a teenager. Period. I am middle aged now, but I remember this like it was yesterday. In my writing, I have often advocated having a course on life to teach young people about some of the difficult choices they will have to make in this life. In such a course on life, I would most certainly include Pride: You Can’t Heal If You’re Hiding From Yourself by Ronald Holt, D.O. It is quite simply the best example of helpful, even necessary advice and information for young people who may be struggling with the added layer of complexity that comes with being gay. This book will help them. This book will help their friends, family members, and anyone else who is concerned with their well being help them too.

Pride: You Can’t Heal If You’re Hiding From Yourself is well written. It is well organized and it is in a style that I think will resonate with young people. Ronald Holt is writing from a place of compassion and understanding, and the reader can feel it. Pride: You Can’t Heal If You’re Hiding From Yourself is full of good practical and spiritual advice for young people who may be experiencing one of the most personal and intense episodes in their young lives. This book can help. This book can point them in the right direction, and when you are confused that can be a great start. I liked the message and I liked the purpose and intention. A great book.

Reviewed by Katherine Williams for Readers' Favorite

Blues Harp Green is a young adult novel by Nicole Schubert. The novel’s protagonist, Francie Millis - aka FM - is a 16-year-old girl who lives in LA. Francie’s dream is to become the ultimate tennis player. She tries so hard to focus on tennis and only tennis to distract herself from her father’s drunken ways. One day, Francie injures her knee and her tennis dreams suddenly fly out the window. She seems to lose herself until she finally meets Chet Jones, a charming yet quirky lead singer who makes her happy, just like tennis did. Chet and Francie discover that they have an amazing connection, although this connection can only keep Francie distracted for so long. No matter what she does, Francie learns that things such as a sport or a blossoming relationship ultimately cannot distract her from real life and how she is feeling. Even though that might not always feel right to her, the point is that she does not always have to have her whole life figured out and, honestly, that is okay.

Blues Harp Green is a refreshing young adult novel that will make you feel like a teenager again. Francie Millis is a fun, fresh voice that you will grow to love by the end of the novel. Through the classic young adult exploration of sexuality, alcoholism and even sports, Francie guides you through her life in a way that keeps you on your toes. You will want to give her advice, hug her, and even shake her throughout the novel, and I applaud the fact that the main character is so relatable. I also really enjoyed the fact that Francie was so focused on tennis. I believe the sports aspect is what sets this book apart as she not only deals with her family problems, but she also deals with her tennis problems. The other characters are also fun and well written; Chet and Francie have an undeniable chemistry that will set your heart on fire.

Nicole Schubert's writing is admirable as she does a very good job of creating the novel’s young adult tone. The pacing is quick but in a good way that makes you want to read the book in one sitting. She does a very good job of pulling the many emotions that teenagers go through into her narrative, noting not only the sad and confused moments, but also the happy and proud moments. The writing in this book does a very good job of sucking you in and keeping you focused on these characters’ lives, as well as making you feel attached to them and their stories. I suggest this to book to any teen or adult who is looking for a book about self exploration and discovering who you are. This book teaches you that even though it may seem like life is tough right now, no matter what happens, you will be able to get through it.