Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Road to the Cross is a work of non-fiction in the style of a collection of poetry and was penned by author Susan Mouw. Working with inspirational and religious themes, the author presents an exploration of the Christian faith and her own life in Christ, and how that journey came about following the many different influences of her life to date. Spanning decades of life experience, we journey with her from the hedonistic days of youth through her feelings of emptiness, and into the loving acceptance that she has found through God and God’s word. What results is a devoted and autobiographical collection of the power of faith.

Christians and those seeking to deepen their faith in God are certain to adore the thematic content of this book, which presents every angle, question, doubt, and difficulty and answers them all in the way that author Susan Mouw experienced them. One of the things I especially enjoyed was the raw and honest quality of the work, which admits questions of faith and expresses the journey to a life in Christ overall, rather than just the results. This makes the ending section all the more evocative because we have seen the roots of its growth. The poetic talents of the author also display a lot of technical skill and a great sense of atmosphere, and some of my favorites included Baby Steps and Please Be Patient. Overall, The Road to the Cross is definitely recommended to Christian readers as an excellent and expressive collection of verse.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In The Weight of Birds by Amanda Lewis, when Cecelia loses her husband Charlie to a brain aneurysm at just 25 years of age, her entire world falls apart. Her trust in God and goodness had disappeared and its place was grief and anger. Cecelia and Charlie's dream of an art gallery was gone and a fresh start away from all the painful memories seems the only solution. Cecelia moves to New York to open an art gallery, where she meets Peter, a charming and mysterious Swedish art curator. His ice-blue eyes and kindness immediately draw Cecelia toward him. As their relationship continues, Cecelia wonders if Peter will be the person that can heal her heart and soothe the painful memories of Charlie. But when they take a trip to his hometown of Gothenburg and she meets his bohemian artist brother Mattias, her whole life is turned upside down. Cecelia has a difficult choice to make which could lead her to lose them both. Is there such a thing as love at first sight where souls are connected? What if God is always around you? What if everything happens for a reason and you just need to open your eyes and notice the miracles as they appear?

The Weight of Birds by Amanda Lewis is wonderful and so heartwarming. I loved the message that even though you go through tragedy, there is the chance of future happiness; you just have to place your trust in God. The characters have been carefully thought out, their detailed personality traits brought them completely to life. Cecelia's superb morality and optimism, Peter's strength, and charisma, and Mattias's free spirit and kindness. I really enjoyed following Cecelia and Mattias's personal journey as they both tried to overcome their painful pasts and trust in human kindness once more. The spiritual message fitted perfectly into the plot and I loved the thought that God sits behind a huge desk covered in sticky notes. I also thought the vision of a seagull representing Charlie was a brilliant spiritual detail in the story. Mattias's baptism scene is both emotional and electric. The descriptive narrative was excellent, especially the beautiful landscapes of Gothenburg. There were many obstacles that kept the story moving forward and the ending was truly joyous. A warning before you read the epilogue; it will bring a tear to your eye.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Beauty Queen & The Reporter by Scott Douglas Vaughan is a Christian fiction novella that crisscrosses the lives and romance of two young people on the fringes of love. Vicki Hall is a high school senior in Georgia with the right amount of maturity for her parents to decide she could stay behind when the family moved to Texas and finish out her final year on her own. She initially moves in with the Palmers who offer little more than a bed and little doubt of their expectations before she relocates to the Campbells. Frank Wilcox is a fresh graduate and journalist returning with little fanfare to his parents' home, who is told of Vicki with a wink and a smile, an Acorn County beauty who is also intelligent, fit, and talented. When Frank is sent to cover a beauty pageant that Vicki is participating in, the journey of the pair truly begins.

The Beauty Queen & The Reporter is a good bit of fun and a quick read. Scott Douglas Vaughan brings both teenage hope and real-world dilemmas to the table, each of which is compounded by the same outside forces that influence many relationships. That makes the story relatable and the characters authentic. The writing style can be a little too dense with the narrative, but the dialogue and internal thoughts provided via a third-person point of view do well to make up for it. I liked how Frank first views Vicki through the lens of his camera. It's a heartwarming meet that made me smile, and that same smile broadened when Frank unknowingly flashes Vicki a unique, symbolic wave that can only be attributed to divine will. As a Christian romance, the storyline is clean and Vaughan's novella imparts prayer and devotional references as part of his tale of young love. This is done with the skilled balance of a seasoned writer and even those who aren't Christian will not feel alienated in reading it. I enjoyed this look into Frank and Vicki's world and am certain others will also.

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Memoirs Of The Senator's Wife by S. M. Ford is the story of a forbidden love affair between Estrella Cyrus, a beautiful politician's wife, and her Secret Service agent, Michael Hagar. The story unfolds in the 1950s but spans the 1960s, which is one of the most turbulent times in the history of the United States of America. As an impoverished working student, the beautiful and strong-willed Estella meets Xavier Cyrus, scion of a rich political family. After an unusual and tumultuous courtship, the couple marries and after a difficult few years, she is thrust in a world so unlike her own. Xavier runs for Congress and with the help of his family's wealth and influence, he wins and the family relocates to Washington D.C. Estella proves to be a political asset and she slowly adjusts to the complicated D.C. social scene. Driven by an insatiable ambition, Xavier becomes a member of an ancient secret society that regularly conducts magic sex rituals. Estella is unhappy in her marriage but she has a daughter and a few causes to fill her days until she falls in love with Michael and her world turns upside down.

S.M. Ford's Memoirs of The Senator's Wife is such an interesting read that the reader may need some time to process the various twists and turns of the plot. The main plot, however, is the relationship between Estella and Michael, but it certainly takes a convoluted road to reach the conclusion of the affair. Having said that, the author is able to develop fully the various controversial characters in the story and that makes S.M. Ford a gifted storyteller. It is also fascinating how the author is able to weave together the many subplots flawlessly. From the start of the narrative until its momentous end, this novel will definitely grip the reader's attention in such a way that many other stories can't.

Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

It's the apocalypse! Ash clouds and earthquakes are wreaking havoc everywhere, with people left homeless and resorting to the survival of the fittest for their basic needs. Sixteen-year-old Sera Donner and her crippled twin brother are caught in this horrible mess and have to fight against terrorist groups with the help of the other surviving victims. The Europa Humanitarian Aid promises to help, but they will soon learn of the costly price they ask for in return. As they search for answers, a religious group springs up with claims that Sera finds ridiculous. Even her crush, Micah Abrams, seems to have lost his mind with his religious talk. Could there be some truth in their claims? In The Goliath Code: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller (Book One) by Suzanne Leonhard, the battle for survival has only just begun.

Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if civilization crumbled and people had to survive by any means necessary. Suzanne Leonhard does justice to the apocalyptic and survival-of-the-fittest plot by portraying a desperate and terrifying scenario. It felt so real. I found myself wishing I could tell the protagonist what would help her survive better before I recalled that it's just a story. Be aware that it contains a few curse words and several violent scenes (mostly killings by gunshots). The Goliath Code is fast-paced, suspenseful, and spine-chilling. It would be a fantastic option for readers that love an adventurous end-of-the-world or rapture narrative with some key Christian teachings. I loved every thrilling moment of it.

Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

Troy Forge heads for North Korea on a secret mission that tests his faith and teaches him some valuable lessons. After being stabbed and almost killed at the prison he worked at, Troy knows he must forgive his attacker even though he finds it hard to do. His mission involves a number of interesting characters, both planned and unplanned: Ho Kichun is a secret link to the Christian Underground Church, Dmitri bodyguards a contraband smuggler that wants Troy dead, Laura Zisk is on the run for a hit and run, and Abdul Aziz is an assassin who is sent to kill Ho Kichun. Fury in the Storm: Where Christians Dare, D.I. Telbat's first book of The Leeward Set, depicts how God works in mysterious ways.

Picture pirate ships, raging storms, fistfights, and shootouts. Fury in the Storm is what you will get if you could inject a book with adrenaline. It got my heart racing with excitement from the very first page. Where Christians Dare is recommended to readers that are interested in narratives about sea battles, manhunts, rebellion, redemption, and Christianity; there is no explicit content that could limit the audience. The suspense is thrilling. D.I. Telbat kept me guessing with every subtle, well-timed revelation. One important message is embedded in the fast-paced action: God is bigger than even the wildest storms. Prepare for some heated conversations, hard-to-forget characters, and crystal-clear descriptions. I can't wait to lay hands on the other books in The Leeward Set.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Hidden Saboteur is a work of fiction in the Christian psychological thriller subgenre and was penned by author Charles Besondy. In the first novel in the Clay Austin series, we meet our protagonist Clay when he is at the pinnacle of his career as a founding partner in a marketing agency. Despite his numerous successes and great prospects for the future, Clay is besieged by doubts, fears, and demonic nightmares that are determined to see him crumble. His loyal assistant Sheryl hears the voice of God, asking her to protect Clay and deliver him, and so begins an incredible journey to claim Clay’s soul: either for the light side of Heaven or the darkness of Hell itself.

Author Charles Besondy has crafted a truly compelling read which takes the psychological side of matters of the soul very seriously. Although there is an outright and suitably epic battle between God and the Devil, the story is very much about one man and his internal struggles with darkness and light, which makes the thriller element of the plot all the more realistic and genuinely terrifying in places. One of the things which I particularly admired about the novel is the work that went into character development, not just of Clay but of those around him. I had a special fondness for Sheryl and her (at times) fruitless struggles to help Clay see everything that he's got going for him. Overall, The Hidden Saboteur is a powerful book about battling against hidden iniquity and negativity and is a highly recommended read for Christian thriller fans everywhere.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

The Will to Die: A Novel of Suspense by Joe Pulizzi is the story of a man who returns home after his father dies, only to make a horrifying discovery. Will Pollitt only wants to concentrate on his marketing company and watch it thrive. However, his plans change when he learns his father has suddenly passed away. Will and his sister are baffled by this sudden death and wait for the autopsy to find out what happened to their father. However, the circumstances surrounding their father’s death, the autopsy, and the deaths of other people in the area intrigue Will. Can he find out what happened to his father? Why are his father’s friends dying as well? What is happening in Sandusky, Ohio?

Engaging, fast-paced, and incredibly well-put-together, The Will to Die has everything that a suspense enthusiast wants in a novel. Joe Pulizzi writes a captivating story with a compelling background. Sandusky, Ohio is the perfect setting for the story and the author does a good job of making sure the descriptions are vivid enough to suck the reader into the plot. It is at once believable and entertaining, a combination that you don’t often find in suspense novels. I loved the search for the truth, the suspense, and the mystery behind the deaths. The author leaves little clues in the narrative for readers to find; it increases the interest and enhances the overall story as well. This is a novel that will be enjoyed by readers who enjoy suspense.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

David Lighthouse used to be an investigative reporter once upon a time, but something changed everything for him. Six years ago, his fiancée was brutally murdered and he was the prime suspect. Now he is living peacefully as an assistant pastor in Florida, hoping to live a life that will be free from bloodshed and accusation. However, his old wounds are resurrected when a young parishioner is murdered. His urge to investigate makes a reappearance and soon he realizes that things are far more complicated than what they seem. This murder might be linked to the murder of his fiancée and there seems to be something that connects to his father’s past. The enemy seems to be something far too dangerous and far too sinister to be human. What can David do to protect his name and the people he cares about?

The Oldest Enemy by Michael J Webb is a paranormal thriller that dishes up some pretty amazing action. Saying that I loved this novel would be an understatement. I read this in one go, stayed up way too late (was a little jumpy, to be honest) and I loved every second of it. David is the perfect protagonist for this story. He is determined, reliable, thirsty for answers and not afraid to take steps to get them. His back story is a great setup for the plot; it got me interested and soon I was too invested in the story to even consider backing out. The pace was fast, the flow was great and the character development was just impressive. There is nothing that I would want the author to change about this novel; even the scary parts gave me an adrenaline rush to keep reading on and wanting more.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Anarchy of the Mice is the first novel in the Third Chance Enterprises series by Jeff Bond. Molly McGill is the quintessential single suburban mother of two. She has a PI business that barely stays afloat, but a woman's got to do what she needs to do. So, when Quaid Rafferty, the former governor of Massachusetts, comes knocking on her door to help him and his “muscle” Durwood Oak Jones uncover The Blind Mice, she knows this is an offer she cannot ignore. The Blind Mice are a group of terrorists/hackers who are trying to disrupt society. Molly needs to go undercover and become a part of the Blind Mice to reveal them; however, they are not your usual terrorists. They are smart, they are wicked, and the leader of the group is vicious. It will take all of Molly’s strength and determination to get the job done. Can she infiltrate The Blind Mice, stop them, and make it out alive?

The intricate, smartly woven plot and complex characters are the highlight of Anarchy of the Mice. I love Molly’s character, her sass, and her ability to just charm her way into situations that might be impossible for others made me fall a little in love with her. To be honest, each character has a certain appeal and an element of surprise that turns out to be a game-changer for the story. Even Sue-Ann adds some extra sparkle to the story and makes it more interesting. The plot runs on a very original idea. The concept of The Blind Mice and what they do is terrifying and believable. Jeff Bond paces the story in a way so that it picks up and drops the speed whenever it is important for the story. The narrative is rich, the characters are flawed with redeeming qualities, and the action is relentless. This is an entertaining novel!