Reviewed by Ankita Shukla for Readers' Favorite

To say that Emily Calby's sweet sixteen birthday was far from normal would be the understatement of the year. On her sixteenth birthday, she was arrested for carrying an illegal weapon. As she lived anonymously under a fake name, this arrest threatened her true identity being revealed to the world. When a murder charge was added to her original charges, her anonymous life should have been the least of her concerns. Soon, she found herself behind bars in a juvenile prison. Any hope she had of having an easy trial evaporated the moment she came face to face with a vindictive prosecutor hellbent on getting the "little gutter rat" (Emily Calby) thrown into an adult prison for life. The second book in the Emily Calby series, The Girl in Cell 49B by Dorian Box is the gripping tale of a sixteen-year-old who, like a phoenix from the ashes, rises from her anger issues and guilt of the past. But will she survive the law that has many exceptions attached to each rule?

What distinguishes an act of self-defense from a brutal murder? In The Girl in Cell 49B, Dorian Box has woven an engrossing story around this idea. And what a fascinating ride it has been! Emily is the perfect character whose characteristics, like real humans, are quite contradictory. She has the instincts of a killer, yet a substantial part of her nature is that of a savior. Emily cannot stand still and let an injustice unfold in front of her eyes. More often than not, she pays a heavy price for intervening in such situations; however, this quality also helps her win readers' hearts. Even the side characters are crafted with several unique qualities that establish them as memorable and intriguing.

Dorian Box is a skilled storyteller and has infused the plot with several fascinating twists. His remarkable legal knowledge shines through and makes the narration even more authentic. By adding all the right ingredients of emotions, action, corruption, justice, courtroom drama, and gentle romance, Dorian Box has created a potential bestseller. Since the author has included tidbits from the first book, this second book of the series can be very well read as a standalone. The Girl in Cell 49B - Emily Calby Book 2 by Dorian Box is a must-read thriller.

Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers' Favorite

The Mountaineer’s Painting: A Ghost Story by David Francis Curran tells the story of Kevin Frost, who feels compelled to drop everything that he is currently working on to go in search of the artist and anybody who may know something about a painting that he purchased from a yard sale. Kevin hangs the scenic painting in his bedroom and, as he sleeps, he starts to have dreams about a group of mountain climbers and a tragic accident that may not have been an accident at all. Kevin investigates the untimely death of a climber and in the process learns everything he can about mountain climbing, the rest of the climbers who were part of the group when the accident occurred, and the deceased climber's widow.

What a delightful, enjoyable story. David Francis Curran includes images of basic equipment and there is a key to their purpose at the end of the book. The Mountaineer's Painting is well written with many lively characters that we can all relate to, an exciting story, and a compelling plot that is well thought out. This novel is a quick, easy read filled with intrigue and anticipation, all keeping the reader interested from beginning to end. I enjoyed this unusual story and the pictures make a nice change. The author introduces the main character in the beginning so that the reader can create a mental picture of what he would look like. The interwoven twists, turns, and intrigue of people's lives make for a thrilling novel. There are no negative aspects to this story, and with no bad language or erotic scenes, it is suitable for all ages. A well-earned five out of five!

Reviewed by Risah Salazar for Readers' Favorite

With Christmas just around the corner, Courtney Winston, an accountant who sidelines as a writer, definitely feels the pressure – she needs to finish her revisions by the first of January. The problem is, the editor and the publisher are not simply asking her to tweak things; they are completely changing everything! Even with a heavy heart, she follows the advice of her agent and goes on with it. She ditches her family’s Christmas celebration and books a remote cabin where she can be alone to concentrate on her novel. What she doesn’t know is that the peace and quiet she’s asking for is not going to happen – not in this cabin.

Alexandrea Weis’s The Christmas Spirit is a one-of-a-kind paranormal romance story. There’s a good balance between heart-wrenching drama and light comedy. Most of the lines are sure to put a smile on the reader’s face. The fast pace is consistent and the suspense is wild, making the book unputdownable. A few elements in the story are predictable but that’s nothing compared to the whole lot more that will keep everyone guessing. The comforting falling action is a wonderful match to the nerve-racking build-up and climax. There are no loose ends and that twist at the end is just priceless. This is one of those books that can be made into a blockbuster movie. Courtney’s character is fantastic – she is complex but relatable; vulnerable but strong. It’s amazing how she and Peter attract and connect with each other. The excitement of reading this book does not change whether it is read around the Christmas season or not.

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

The Flying Cutterbucks by Kathleen M. Rodgers is a women-centric drama novel that follows three women whose fates irrevocably changed after a traumatic event in their lives. It's 2016. Trudy watches with horror as the man admitting to groping women without their consent on record becomes the President of the United States. The shocking result of the election transports her decades back to that fateful day in 1974 when she was a witness to her thirteen-year-old sister, Georgia, being assaulted by a heinous relative. Trudy, Georgia, and their Aunt Star kept the aftermath of that event a secret for all these decades. However, with the current political climate, the memories came flooding back. Meanwhile, Trudy reunites with her old high school sweetheart, Clay Cordova.

An absorbing story about sisterhood and trauma, The Flying Cutterbucks is full of heart, humor, romance, and much more. Author Kathleen M. Rodgers doesn't shy away from delving into some sensitive topics that have become increasingly relevant in our era. Issues such as child abuse, trauma, and incompetent and corrupt people in positions of power are seamlessly woven into the narrative, adding a sense of depth to the story that makes it all the more captivating to read. The plot is non-linear as the narrative switches timelines between 1974 and 2016. I found the characters genuine and authentic. Their distinct traits and idiosyncracies charm their way into your heart and make you root for them. If you love women-centric character dramas, The Flying Cutterbucks is the book for you.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Shortly after her loving Aunt Hilary’s funeral, Heather faced a challenge at her job. At the State Library in Victoria, Australia, she was assigned the task of assessing a one-hundred box collection donated by the late Professor Foyle. She was a professor of religious studies, with a strong interest in Alternative Spiritualities, often called New Age. Heather soon became engrossed in the professor’s writings, and how her own belief system was affected by the study of this collection is a fascinating aspect of this book. Author Isobel Blackthorn has crafted a thought-provoking, insightful book in The Unlikely Occultist: A Biographical Novel of Alice A. Bailey. The journey of Alice is told in a chronological format, including both her personal life and her work in the spiritual realm.

This biographical novel is written in an easy-to-read, flowing manner. It describes the facts of Alice Bailey's life – the early years of strong Christian beliefs; her commitment to service; the expansion of her spiritual beliefs; the telepathic connection with several Masters; her marriages and mothering three daughters. It also includes how some spiritualists accepted and others vilified her prolific writings and presentations. How Isobel Blackthorn interweaves the life of Alice of the last century and the life of Heather at the present time is truly masterful. This book provides a context for anyone interested in Alice’s teachings and books, the Arcane School, or organizations she or her followers founded. A novel based on historical facts, The Unlikely Occultist is truly an exceptional read.

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

As the first book in The Biogenesis War series, The Chiral Agent is a provocative science fiction thriller novel with intelligent ideas. L.L. Richman’s hero is Captain Jonathan Micah Case of the Alliance Navy, an innocent man on the run. Set in the far future where humanity has reached the stars, Case had been previously thought dead. He regains consciousness with no memory of his past and with a voice talking inside his head. On top of that, the military that he served is tracking him down. With the aid of Doctor Samantha Travis, Case discovers who he really is. They have stolen his identity through chiral cloning. Jonathan and Micah have become two physical personas, where one is a mere extraction of the original’s biomatter. Micah must turn the tables on those running against him to get his life back, for they will not stop until they obtain the research, steal the samples, and destroy everything else.

The tension comes from the novel's cat and mouse game premise. Either Micah is hunted down, or he gets to them first. He is automatically placed at a great disadvantage upon waking up with memory loss, and he tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together with the help of some morally-driven individuals and that annoying voice inside his head. Hats off to L.L. Richman, who chooses to dabble in ideas in a genre that is saturated by robots and aliens. In a time when we read about cloning and gene editing, the science in The Chiral Agent is theoretically possible, as well as the moral implications that go with it. Richman’s writing makes it even larger and more encompassing, as the author writes with bold and evocative strokes, and you don't mind reading the technical explanations within the dialogues because it keeps you in the zone. This is a tense and entertaining science fiction series that would be a shame to miss.

Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

Evocatively reminiscent of Michael Chrichton’s best techno-thrillers, The Fossil by Joshua T. Calvert shares the old master’s skill at handling a complexity of multiple, intertwined plotlines told with crystal clarity, at a breathless pace of development that keeps the pages turning, and by way of many well-sketched characters – all believable and personally engaging – leading us eagerly through a highly nuanced, wonderfully imagined, brain-satisfying, near-future adventure in a familiar if extrapolated world. In science fiction, credibility and continuity are king. The reader must believe the storyline is possible, perhaps probable, but at the same time, incredible. And any explanation of its development must be seamlessly embedded in the plot, not simply patched on like some overlying writing band-aid. Fans of the genre will understand.

Joshua T. Calvert scores a major hit with The Fossil, his first book in a planned trilogy. The only surviving member of a Mars exploration team is compelled to know why their craft crashed on its return to Earth, why she cannot remember vital details of the mission, and most importantly, what in hell did they bring back on board? In parallel quests, a beleaguered scientist attempts to prove that ancient astronauts, or aliens, or original humans built that enormous pyramid in Antarctica, and a pair of counter-terrorist agents are tasked against the Sons of Terra, Earth-devoted fanatics who seek to expose and destroy The Enemy – a closeted but supposedly supreme alien master. Like I said, a complex scenario of multiple, intertwined plotlines. As told by a new master of this genre with consummate skill, clarity, and gusto.

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

The Pope's Butcher by Joseph C. Gioconda is a thrilling work of fiction inspired by true historical figures and events in the 15th century. The story is not only a hair-raising work of suspense and espionage but an astonishing account of religion and the occult at the beginning of the Inquisition in Germany. Abandoned as a child and raised by the Church, young Sebastian works tirelessly in his pursuit of priesthood. Father Heinrich Institoris, the infamous Grand Inquisitor (a historical figure), recruits the naïve Sebastian, just a few months prior to his ordination, for a mission to travel across Europe compiling information concerning witchcraft; in particular, to find a book/documents that contain all the knowledge and spells of witchcraft and demonology. Sebastian sees this mission as an opportunity of a lifetime and eagerly drops everything to carry out the mission of The Grand Inquisitor himself. What he discovers and how his revelations affect the future of the Inquisition are brought forward with some of the best interweaving of fiction and fact I've ever read.

Joseph C. Gioconda is adept at keeping readers on their toes as he weaves a fictional story through historically documented events. His characters, historical and fictional, come to life under his skillful wordsmithing to provide a sense of reality that often falls by the wayside in fictional works of this nature. In The Pope's Butcher, alternative history, action/adventure, mystery, horror, and romance fill the perfect circle of this enthralling story. His research, as evidenced by the glossary and bibliography at the end of the book, is phenomenal and seamlessly worked into the background of the escalating adventures of Sebastian. The Pope's Butcher is top-notch writing, the best book I've read this year, and I'm looking forward to Joseph C. Gioconda's second novel, Salem's Ropes.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Nicky Covo was an adolescent when he fought the Germans in his homeland of Greece. He had one especially close call when a German soldier aimed a grenade at him. The German died but Nicky was not harmed; it was as if a protective shield materialized. Nicky was Jewish and he believed his parents and siblings died at Auschwitz. Fast forward to 1990, when Nicky, now a psychiatrist in New York City, received a mysterious letter, questioning if a nun in a monastery could possibly be his sister. Nicky no longer considered himself Jewish, as he no longer believed in God. Although Nicky had doubts about having a living sibling, he decided to explore the possibility.

In The Flight of the Veil, crafted by Bruce J. Berger, a compelling story unfolds. This book is informative and thought-provoking in many ways. Nicky had never dealt with his guilt over killing people during the war, nor his belief that he had survived while all his family had died. Over forty years later, his guilt was exacerbated by the death of his wife and his relationships with his children were somewhat distant and complicated. A new relationship with a woman he had known decades earlier affected him in unexpected ways. The challenges to Nicky’s faith, or lack thereof, are also quite intriguing. Although there seem to be numerous storylines, the skillful writing of this author interweaves each of these themes seamlessly. Author Bruce J. Berger has penned an unforgettable novel in The Flight of the Veil. It is truly an exceptional book!

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy by Richard Robbins is a heart-warming, somewhat traumatic journey into the world of spirituality and the human condition. Hana was just a 5-year-old when she watched, in horror, as her parents were murdered by the Guatemalan Army when their village was suspected of harboring rebels against the regime. Running for her life, Hana made it to a nearby town where she was taken into the hearts of the locals and raised as one of their own, learning and displaying immense talent and artistic ability in the local craft of embroidery. When the army returned again to wreak havoc, Hana and her childhood friend, Deisi, decided to make the dangerous and exciting journey across Guatemala, through Mexico, and hopefully to freedom in the U.S. Upon arriving in Texas, Hana is horrified to discover she is pregnant and is sent to the small town of Indiantown in Florida to have her baby daughter in a community of Mayan refugees who take care of one another. Hana’s daughter, Josefa, soon begins to display a powerful spiritual and empathetic nature that endears her to and attracts the interest of the local Mayan spiritual leaders in Indiantown. When Josefa appears to have performed a “miracle”, her fame and notoriety go viral and suddenly Josefa is the center of worldwide attention and finds herself bringing her simple message of love and understanding to an ever-increasing audience desperate for true spirituality.

I was deeply touched by The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy. Author Richard Robbins presents a compelling case for more empathy in this world through his wonderful characters of Hana and Josefa. Hana’s childhood trauma was powerful enough to have broken many women but she was able to put it all behind her and move on in an increasingly violent environment, to create a simple, yet immensely satisfying life for herself and her daughter. The character’s muteness after the trauma served as a constant reminder of the pain and suffering she had experienced, plus it allowed the author to explore the aspects of communication between humans that transcends the spoken word. For me, this was what lifted the story above others in the genre. The descriptive passages especially in the first part of the book were redolent with the beauty and the horror of Hana’s home country of Guatemala. As a reader, I felt instantly transported to the lush Guatemalan rainforests and their immense diversity of flora and fauna. The overarching theme of the narrative is that of love, redemption, and, of course, empathy, and the story absolutely reinforces those qualities through the life of both Hana and Josepha. I particularly was drawn to the concept of the universality of spirituality and that salvation lies not in the hands of any or all religions but actually inside ourselves. This is a beautiful, touching, and redeeming tale that I can highly recommend to everyone. When as a reader you feel better inside for having read a book, you know the author has achieved his or her goal. This is such a book.