Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

If you’ve read any of Nesly Clerge’s other books…there are five of them, including a trilogy…you know what to expect from The First Conception: Rise of Eris when it comes to riveting, compelling characters, single-minded motivation, a plot that keeps you forever in suspense, and twists you won’t see coming. That’s the magic and skill of Nesly Clerge’s writing. In The First Conception: Rise of Eris, Clerge takes on those men who have an ingrained sense of entitlement when it comes to women i.e. men have the absolute right to women’s bodies, who think they don’t need to ask permission. These men abuse, rape, molest and, in their wake, leave women forever scarred, frightened, suffering from PTSD and unable to tell others what happened to them.

One such woman is Katherine Eris, raped by her stepfather and others, and who, as a child, watched her mother being abused by one man after another. Katherine grows up determined to change the way men treat women. More than that, she is determined to make them suffer as she, her mother and so many others did. With her brilliant mind and medical skills, working in secrecy with hundreds of others like her, she works to pull off the impossible: finding a way for men to give birth while women remain childless for years, meaning ultimately the possible extinction of people on earth! Is she insane? Does this group of motivated women achieve their goal? What is the result? And what is the real story behind Katherine Eris? You have to read to the very end of the book to find the answer to that last question. It’s the twist you never see coming.

The current statistics on sexual abuse of girls and women are unforgivable. No wonder the #MeToo movement has caught on like wildfire and none too soon. Victims of abuse who support that movement will relate to so much of the thinking behind what Katherine Eris and her colleagues hope to achieve and why. Most likely, you won’t be able to put down The First Conception: Rise of Eris. I most certainly couldn’t. Another 5-star brilliant novel from Nesly Clerge. Read it!

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

What was Jesus’ early life like — the missing years of his life as a child? The Transmigrant by Kristi Saare Duarte provides an interesting narrative about the life of Yeshua, starting from AD I in Capernaum, Galilee. Jesus’ sense of the neighbor, his attention to the needs of others and his propensity to serve come across in the narrative as a natural gift. Readers are introduced to a young Yeshua who is awake to the spiritual realities of his people, hungry for an encounter with the Messiah. The reader follows the story of a man in search of his destiny, a man buoyed up by the love of God. But he will suffer the worst form of rejection when he tries to communicate his intimate experience with God, and will be thrown out of the temple. It seems his days are doomed and he’ll spend his entire life as a laborer, consumed by a dream he cannot attain, that of becoming a Rabbi — a teacher. But an encounter with a Buddhist pilgrim will open his eyes and set him on a new course, that of embracing his dream and destiny.

The Transmigrant is a beautiful story, deeply touching and very inspirational. Kristi Saare Duarte creates a compelling portrait of Jesus and allows readers to experience the depths of his humanity. His spiritual heritage and that of his family come out clearly in this narrative. Readers will meet Jesus’ siblings and understand the dynamics of life within a Jewish family. The story is beautifully told and the author creates vivid images of the early life of Jesus and his passage through other cities like Damascus. It is also interesting to note that the Rabbi always talked about the coming of the Messiah and Jesus would listen with rapt attention, hoping to see the Messiah. The use of irony in this narrative is brilliant and readers will enjoy the sense of humor that gives more life to the story. The story is filled with vivid descriptions and emotionally charged passages; the author fills the senses of readers with sounds, sights, and smells, just as in this line: “On top of a wooden pulpit at the front, flickering oil lamps danced in the breeze and the scent of incense filled the snug meeting room with magic.” This is a story that will transport readers to endearing spiritual climates.

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

Espionage, religion, and love collide in the thrilling novel, The Eagle and the Child) The Child Trilogy Book 1 by S. Khubiar. Dr. Phillip Sherrod is an up and coming orthopedic surgeon, with a reputation for his indiscretions. After a year of treating the enigmatic Dr. Shahla Markow for a shoulder injury, he discovers there is far more to her than her government job with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and he is intrigued. When Shahla is stabbed by a prisoner and requests Phillip as her surgeon, his interest takes a more serious turn. Her government job has another layer, and he realizes Shahla is a trained killer; still, her paradoxical life fascinates Phillip even more. He finally convinces her to marry him, but the complexity of their relationship intensifies when Phillip learns she practices and follows the laws of Judaism. Because he loves her, Phillip endeavors to understand and incorporate Shahla's religion into his life, yet the incongruity between her beliefs and her work continues to perplex him. Shahla's history is still a mystery to him, and one evening when she has visitors from her past who attempt to intimidate him, Phillip becomes very upset. Shahla won't explain their presence, and Phillip loses control; he oversteps his moral and physical boundaries. Two days later, without explanation, Shahla disappears. Has he driven Shahla away or has Shahla's past caught up with her?

The Eagle and the Child by S. Khubiar is a scintillating tale about a woman operative's struggles to have an ordinary life, despite her race, religion, and career. In combining Shahla's and Phillip's dissimilar cultures, the story realistically portrays the extreme difficulties existing in combining two diverse backgrounds. Shahla views her place in her home and society in the traditions of her Persian parents, which vary significantly in contrast to Phillip's Protestant upbringing. The polarity of their formative years brings an element of intensity to the plot and an unexpected development in the storyline. This is an enlightening story confronting the issues of hate and prejudice from the viewpoint of those who are the victims of intolerance. Intrigue and subterfuge are the principal elements woven throughout the book, laced with fast-paced action and electrifying fight scenes. These exciting aspects keep the reader mesmerized and entertained until the final page. It is a suspenseful story centered around international government conflicts and building to an exhilarating climax. This riveting novel terminates on an emotional cliffhanger, leaving the reader anxiously awaiting the sequel. This is a brilliant beginning to a saga that reminds me of a modern version of the "Zion Chronicles" by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Discretion is advised as there are bouts of violence, mild sex scenes, and a few mature words.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Joy, sorrow, suffering, tragedy, loss – the entire spectrum of human emotions can envelop a person for either good or evil. Nothing expresses the magnitude and infinitesimally emotional power of music and art than the story surrounding the lives that both created them and those that nurtured and enjoyed them. Music and art are the very essence of being human. So, the story that follows music and art creates a powerful life force of its own. A story wrought with the joy of giving, the agony of having the gift removed, the guilt that follows the one who took the gift, and the violence that both frightened and expunged the beauty of life itself, making the beauty of the painting and the music dull in comparison.

We’re talking about a painting of a garden with a violinist playing off in the corner. The painting is by a famous Impressionist artist, Claude Monet. He painted the violinist into his garden scene and then gifted the painting to the violinist. A treasured gift that held prominence in the Jewish home for years captured the eye of a Nazi soldier after the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The violinist and his family were sent to Auschwitz, the painting was hidden in the Imperial crypt of the Hapsburgs in Vienna, and the Nazi thief lived the remainder of his days in fear of being brought to trial for his war crimes and with regret for what he had done. But there’s another twist to this story, a mystery about the painting itself. Is it the real Monet? Or is it a forgery?

Very seldom does a story capture my emotions as deeply as this one did. Like the 1998 movie, The Red Violin, Gabriel Farago’s The Forgotten Painting: A Historical Mystery Novella takes the reader on a journey led by a painting and the music it represented. This is a story about a painting, but it is so much more. It’s a narrative, complex and intricate in its presentation, that traces a drama from the early 1920s, through the horrors of the Second World War and projecting a connection to a monastery in the outback of Australia and a young boy, Jack Rogan, a celebrated writer, a passionate storyteller, who will follow the clues that lead back to the hidden painting. Powerful writing. A mystery within a mystery.

Reviewed by Donna Gielow McFarland for Readers' Favorite

The Librarian: A First Contact Story is a short sci-fi tale told by M.N. Arzú. Jane Logan is deciding on an evening snack while she awaits the return of her husband, Nick, who went hiking alone for the day. There’s a knock on her door, but instead of her husband, Jane is greeted by a very imposing US General Mitchell who whisks her away to his base. He tells her they’re holding an impostor who is impersonating Nick. Nothing makes any sense, and it makes even less sense when Jane arrives and meets the man who looks like Nick, but his image on the video monitor shows him made entirely of light, an alien being. And, he's radioactive. Jane wants to flee, but the alien insists on talking to her and the General insists that she listen. But where is Nick?

I thought The Librarian was a fantastic story with a perfect ending. Arzú’s writing is economical – nothing is wasted and the narrative moves along at a brisk pace. Besides being a fine piece of science fiction, The Librarian is also a very sweet love story. There is not much time to develop Nick and Jane’s relationship and yet we learn everything we need to know. Besides not showing up on video, the alien’s voice also doesn’t show up on recording devices, so a young army private is assigned to type all his words. Private Connors is an enjoyable addition to the story. From start to finish, I loved this book. Recommended for sci-fi fans and romantics alike.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Gracie’s father is awaiting execution on death row for having killed Gracie’s mother. Gracie hasn’t seen him in a decade, but her memories are of a good man, a good father, one of only two men she has ever loved. The other man is Jori, who loves her almost to the point of obsession. With her father’s execution imminent, Gracie decides she must see him. She needs him to tell the truth about the murder. Though he doesn’t want to go, Jori feels compelled to accompany her. And now, as each of them, along with her father, takes turns telling readers what really happened when Jori and Gracie were barely teens, the truth is about as ugly as it gets and we understand why both these kids are so messed up mentally. Yet, in each other’s love, they find sustenance and the strength to survive.

Is incest ever okay? The most natural and usual response is “no way”! But then, a book like The Lies Between Us by Yolanda Olson comes along and gives you pause. In fact, your answer, after reading the story of Gracie and Jori might not be quite what you would have instinctively given. If you can hold off making judgement calls for now, enter the strange, broken lives of these two young adults who cling desperately to each other in a world that has hurt each of them terribly, a world so full of lies they cannot function without each other. For some readers, the details of Jori and Gracie having sex will be too explicit. Skip those pages if you must. But don’t stop reading the rest of the story because The Lies Between Us is absolutely haunting. The events and the characters stay with you long after you put the book down. It’s easy to see why Yolanda Olson is an award-winning author. Jori, Gracie and her father touch parts of us we didn’t know we had or believed we could condone. Don’t be surprised if, when you’re done, you find yourself rethinking your stance on many social issues, including incest. A touching, riveting story that just might be closer to truth than to fiction!

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In Smoke on the Mountains by Sam Knupp, the year is 2018 and a Coalition, including Antifa and Black Lives Matter, has arrived in Timberville, Virginia from Charlottesville. Tensions are high as people have had enough of the uncertainty and feeling that they are not being listened to. The statue of Stonewall Jackson, a brave general killed by his own men, is torn down in a stand against his view on slavery. The Coalition hopes to make America great again. No sooner has the Coalition arrived and set up camp when a child called Pepper Anne disappears while searching for her dog. When one of its high profile and well-respected residents is questioned, the people of Timberville realise everyone is under suspicion and no one can be trusted.

For me, this was a heartwarming look at human nature. I loved each and every character; they were unique to one another and the detail the author has put into each of them was outstanding. I thought Reverend Marvel Goodman was an impressive character, full of wisdom and with a love for his community and everyone that attended his church. The relationship between the residents as the search for Pepper Anne’s killer ensues was a superb example of weaving different plots into each other. I also found the way the writer describes scenes of violence was not graphic; he used his talent for descriptive writing instead. The words of wisdom at the end of each chapter were a great addition and relevant to the story line, my favourite being, ‘the poorest man owns many things. The richest man isn't owned.’ This book had everything for me; an emotional search for a missing child, gripping twists in the plot and an ending that I was not expecting. A fantastic novel and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Two Days at the Asylum: Inspired by True Events is a powerful narrative by clinical psychologist Frederick S. Walborn that explores the perils of asylum politics, a narrative that reflects the author’s wide experience in dealing with severely and chronically mentally ill patients. The story begins with the psychologist, a character named Jesus, and a mosquito, and while they contemplate the sad fate of the mosquito, they discuss the purpose of life and knowledge, with Jesus leaving the psychologist with two powerful insights: books can get in the way of real knowledge and the purpose of life isn’t change but giving.

In a humorous, engaging, and deeply reflective style, Frederick S. Walborn takes readers into the life of the asylum. It is 1969 and the doors of the asylum are opened to those who can afford a small token. While it is a typical asylum, the narrative explores the game of power and the conventional behaviors of administrators, psychiatrists, social workers, and others in the asylum. I worked for two years in an asylum in Cameroon, a home for the mentally handicapped and the homeless, and even though I had no skills in psychotherapy, I have grown to have an affinity for the mentally handicapped. This book touched me powerfully, apart from it being insightful and entertaining.

Two Days at the Asylum: Inspired by True Events is laced with witticism, insightful narrative, and engaging dialogues, a story with characters that are real, a story that castigates the abuse witnessed every day in asylums across the world. In the introduction the author makes a powerful observation: “One-third of the homeless population is suffering from schizophrenia. One in five of prisoners in our expensive prisons are seriously mentally ill.” You’ll be pulled in by the pathos, you’ll love the humor and the realism infused into the narrative. But after reading this compelling work, do click the link to help this author serve severely mentally ill patients on the streets and in prisons.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Last Road Home by Danny Johnson is set in the deep South in the 50’s and 60’s. Junebug and Fancy become best friends at the age of eight. One is a white orphan, the other, a black sharecropper’s daughter. The story follows them as they grow and their relationship deepens when they come of age. Sex between a white boy and a black girl was a big no-no and it doesn’t take long for them to come to the attention of the KKK. They are threatened with terrible consequences if they don’t end their relationship. Fancy heads to New York, ending up in France, while Junebug becomes a sniper, fighting in Vietnam. They meet again and find that they still are in love with one another, but they cannot stay together. Fancy can't return to the South and goes back to France while Junebug moves to the isolation of the mountains. Will they meet again or will they each take the path they have chosen and ne’er the twain shall meet?

The Last Road Home by Danny Johnson is an evocative and emotional story, delving deep into the issues of race relations in the deep South in the 50’s and 60’s, issues that are, for the most part, non-existent now. It is packed with history, a mixture of tension and tenderness, violence and love, taking us on a journey from childhood to adulthood, through tough decisions and realizations. The characters are brilliantly developed and because we follow them through their lives, we get to know them personally. The story is written in a believable way, with a unique plot and plenty to grab your attention. This is a powerful tale, gritty, dramatic and hard-hitting, not to mention emotional. Great story, I really enjoyed it.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

In The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson, the protagonist, young Faith Winters, finds herself living in a nightmare once she is released from the mental institution to which she was committed after witnessing a real nightmare many years prior: the bloody murders of her beloved sister, her father and several others who had come to celebrate her birthday in the family cabin in the woods.

Now trying to settle back into an apartment in her home town where it all happened, and where she is regarded as a crazy alcoholic, she just wants her physical body to die: she is already dead inside despite therapy and AA rehab. But she is haunted by the face of the man she believes was the killer. When she spots him in a car, she goes berserk trying to get police and others to believe her but it seems no one does. Strange, inexplicable events start to happen around Faith. Again, her sanity is questioned. She knows she’s right and can’t find anyone to help her. And when she finds someone she thinks she can trust, something they say or do unnerves her. As she runs from one horrid situation to another, and more people get their throats slashed, readers will hold their breaths as, like her, they try to find out who is really terrorizing her and why. The answer comes as a complete shock. If you figure out who hates Faith enough to put her through all this and why, you should write psychological thrillers yourself.

It feels good to read a book that lives up to the promise of its cover, the accuracy of the genre in which one finds it, and delivers what the jacket blurb describes. The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson does all that. What a great read for fans of psychological thrillers. Christopher Greyson is a true master of intricate plotting and suspense-filled events. Realistic dialogue, smooth scene transitions, and interesting characters make The Girl Who Lived a must-read!