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The Last Snow Dragon

Diana Winter

2012 Bronze Medal
216 Pages
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Children - Preteen

2012 Bronze Medal
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Our tale begins long long ago, in a land called the Valley of the Dragon. An evil faerie and her dragon lived on the Mountai of the Dark Shadow. Her name was Drocha, the faerie of nightmares. The Snow Queen was the head of the faeries; she forbade Drocha from bothering the valley people. Drocha was so evil that the other faeries refused to be around her. Dorcha was very angry and rebelled by turning Droch, her dragon, loose on the valley. The dragon would fly through the valley at night capturing and eating the livestock and some of the children. Dorch was turned into a rock when he attacked the Snow Queen and her dragon. Dorcha waited for the opportunity to attain her revenge. At last she had her chance to hurt the Queen by destroying a much loved dragon. Sneachta was badly injured and was left for dead but one special child rescued him. They quickly bonded and Sneachta repaid Dieter’s kindness by protecting him.

"The Last Snow Dragon" by Diana Winter reads like a favorite old fable. This tale, like most good fables, treats good vs. evil. Sneachta and Dieter are delightful characters. There are several important secondary characters who are well-developed and who add depth to the story. This is the type of tale my grandmother would share with me. I would always beg for more. Winter has a unique talent for writing a story and making it feel like a legend passed on by word of mouth. I will be sharing this tale with my grandchildren.

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Lessons in the Journey

Patrick K. Dawson

2012 Bronze Medal
276 Pages
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Fiction - Chick Lit

2012 Bronze Medal
Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite

For pediatric surgeon Elizabeth Finch, life is not always perfect, and throws its punches hard, sometimes because of the choices she makes, but sometimes it just happens. We start following Liz’s story when she finds out that her daughter has been shot. And we continue as she seeks to find help in the journey she is facing as her life keeps unraveling before her eyes. Patrick K. Dawson captures the hearts of his readers in his book “Lessons in the Journey,” a provoking, moving and heartwarming story that will draw you into its pages and won’t let you go until you finish reading. As with all of us facing difficult issues in life, Liz was definitely not ready for what life brought her way, and she seems to ask the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

We get to know Liz through the flashbacks into her life, meeting the important people in her life along the way. I enjoyed reading the story this way since it gave me the overall feeling of what her life was like: the emotions, the fears, and the pain and suffering she went through. And I could feel the struggles Liz had with her faith throughout her life as well, not at all easy for her. We can take many things from this beautifully written story. Having a strong relationship with the Lord, and trusting Him during our difficulties, and learning how He can take the difficult things and make something good out of them are all very valuable lessons. And the fact is that bad things happen to everyone, in similar ways to some, differently to some others. The important thing is how we handle the situations.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. And for me the most fascinating thing about this book is that it is written by a man. You will wonder how he writes a story so beautifully that it captures the hearts of women. This would be a wonderful book for a book club to read and discuss!

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View From the Edge

Michael Kasenow

2012 Finalist
364 Pages
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Fiction - Realistic

2012 Finalist
Reviewed by Stephanie Dagg for Readers' Favorite

"View from the Edge" by Michael Kasenow is the sort of novel that smacks you in the face. It is an immensely powerful book, yet the hero is a gentle, damaged academic, who adores his son, and just wants one adult in his life to love and respect. The recollections of the childhood abuse Josh received from his father, while his mother did nothing to protect him, are painful in the extreme and still haunt him, day and night. And now his wife, Ashley, is treating him appallingly too, although somehow managing to be a good mother to their adored son. But she is on a downward spiral. In parallel with Josh’s recovery from his accident which runs alongside the gradual breakdown of his “train wreck strewn with fears” of a marriage, is the attempt by Josh’s university department to obtain the Mount Sinai Artifacts which brings a lot of media attention their way. His students are indulging in some weird behavior. Oh yes, and someone wants to kill him.

The book is populated by rounded, complicated, flawed characters. The hero/anti-hero Josh patiently sorts out petty and major problems at the university and is an attractive, likeable man. He copes but suffers. Such contradictions run throughout the book. The tone is angry and violent at times, but tender and humorous at others, even romantic. There is despair but optimism, as well as deception and betrayal but also love and loyalty. Kasenow shows great versatility in his writing and conjures up action and emotions that keep the reader hooked. It is moving and shocking at the same time. In short, "View from the Edge" a book you must read.

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The Domino Effect

Andrew Cotto

2012 Silver Medal
238 Pages
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Young Adult - Coming of Age

2012 Silver Medal
Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite

Danny Rorro lived in the neighborhood in Queens where he has lived all his life. Danny made life fun and interesting for himself and enjoyed making others laugh. “The Domino Effect” is the story of Danny’s life and the series of painful defeats that left him scarred and isolated from his neighborhood, his parents and his childhood when he was known as “Domino”. Danny changed schools because of some problems, so he is now in Harden Academy, a boarding school in NJ. In his book “Domino Effect”, Andrew Cotto takes us inside the life of Danny through his high school years. This is a well-written, wonderful, and fast read! I liked Danny from the beginning. He reminds me of my own son. His personality is fun and witty and he is a person people enjoy having around. But life changed for Danny when he was attacked at his old school. Going to boarding school had its own quirks; a lot of issues Danny had to face and some really weren’t due to his fault. The characters in this story are fun and believable and very well developed, and they relate to each other well, keeping the reader glued to their chair because sometimes it is difficult for to take a break from reading. I just had to find out what was going to happen next with Danny!

Wow, I loved this book, and I loved Danny. I was heartbroken for him each time he had to face the difficult issues and situations that came his way. But he ended up being the hero, with his dad supporting him all the way. I think anyone would enjoy reading this fun-loving story. Why not grab a copy to read and enjoy for yourself?

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The Professor Googol Flying Time Machine and Atomic Space Capsule Math Primer

Samuel W. Valenza, Jr.

2012 Gold Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic

2012 Gold Medal
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

"Professor Googols Flying Time Machine and Space Capsule Math Primer" by Samuel W. Valenza, Jr., is the answer to the dreaded MathPhobia! Valenza is a genius; he makes learning math fun and easy. Kids love comic and graphic books. This one fits both descriptions. This book has 9 chapters and 144 pages with an extra 29 pages for the math instructor. The focus of this book is to demonstrate the numberline. Velenza has included a lot of humor in this book. It can and should take the place of a text book or work book for there are questions and places to record the readers' answers. The tale begins with Sargent Analog receiving the command to line up the numbers and count them without missing any. At first the reader will notice utter chaos because the numbers are jumping around in an unorganized manner. Poor Sarge can't get past the number two. The book continues by introducing readers to Al Nalysis, who helps to get things organized. Concepts taught are whole numbers, rational numbers, and prime numbers. At first the numbers try to be organized by clubs.

I admit I have always had Mathphobia and am mathematically challenged, meaning I have to think through math problems. Math does not come easy to me. My husband can rattle the answers to math problems off the top of his head, but I am careful to think through each one. WHERE WAS THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL? Samuel W. Valenza, Jr.'s illustrations are pen and ink (I think), the characters all look cartoonish and will appeal to most, if not all, students of a wide age range. The "Math Primer" will prepare students for Number Theory and Algebra. The questions at the end of each chapter will reinforce what was taught in the chapter. I applaud Valenza's unique, original and outstanding method of teaching math, making it fun and taking out the intimidation. This book should be a requirement in all math classrooms.

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Discovering the Person of Holy Spirit

Alexys V Wolf

2012 Finalist
548 Pages
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Christian - Non-Fiction

2012 Finalist
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

"Holy Spirit Who: Discovering and Getting to Know the Person of Holy Spirit" by Alexys V. Wolf is a spiritual journey to discover who the Holy Spirit is and the role the Spirit plays in our lives. Much like the author I grew up in a mainstream traditional denomination where the spirit was stifled. We rarely ever discussed the spirit. I grew up very uncomfortable with such talk. I praise God that it is no longer true. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell within us and to be our comforter. He lives within us. This is where the Trinity comes in: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Much of what Mrs. Wolf leads the reader toward is total submission to the will of the Lord. Let's face it: most of us are not sure we want to submit. In fact we know we don't want to submit; it seems to be against our human nature. We want to be independent and self sufficient. What we have forgotten is that God created everything and without Him we would not be here. Wolf defines who the Spirit is and the role it plays in our lives. I particularly enjoyed the section on the Fruit of the Spirit. I was also very interested in Chapter 11: Angels and Demons: Do You Really Believe? “The common Christian has become desensitized about the spirit realm and its validity in today's society.” Wolf points out that Satan has accomplished his task by desensitizing Christians.

Mrs. Wolf's book is well-organized and well-researched. She uses much scripture to back up her thesis. She ends each chapter with a prayer. This book's format is a reference guide.I can see many uses for this book. First the average Christian would greatly benefit from the knowledge between the front and back cover. Secondly, pastors and teachers would find this book a great resource for their lessons. Mrs. Wolf obviously spent much time in research and definitely knows her subject. This is one book Christians do not want to miss.

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The Accidental Anarchist

From the Diaries of Jacob Marteck
Bryna Kranzler

2012 Gold Medal
351 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Historical

2012 Gold Medal
Reviewed by Alice DiNizo for Readers' Favorite

Author Bryna Kranzler writes of her remarkable grandfather's life as a young man in "The Accidental Anarchist: From the Diaries of Jacob Marateck". In the early years of the last century, a young Jew, Jacob Marateck, goes from his yeshiva onto enlisting in the Russian army. Jacob has tried a few trades, arranged by his father, but he is absolutely no good at any of them. Growing up in poverty in Vichogrod, a town in Poland or Prussia back then, Jacob has few options and on September 15 of 1902, he is due to be conscripted into the Czar's army with other young men who have reached a certain age. Jacob's older brother, Mordecai, is already in the Russian army and tells Jacobi to stop being a "Polack Jew", for Jacob is not one to stay away from issues. When he tried working, he ended up organizing the workers to demand that working hours be dropped from twenty per day to twelve. Now in the Russian army as a corporal, Jacob gets into a fight with Russian officers, is defended by the Czar's cousin, and is sent to Siberia. So where does Jacob go from here?

"The Accidental Anarchist: From the Diaries of Jacob Marateck" is much more than a granddaughter's loving tribute to her grandfather and his life during those years preceding the Russian Revolution. It is a highly well-written and often humorous account of a brave man who endured walking through the snow without shoes, being imprisoned in chains, fighting in battle after battle during the Manchurian War, and with his friend Pyavka escaping to freedom from Siberia. Jacob Marateck is a man readers will wish they knew. He relies on his wits and backbone. Not a hoodlum, or a terrorist or a bomb thrower, Jacob Marateck survives during a time when the Russian Army was incompetent and storm clouds were brewing. "The Accidental Anarchist" is a book for readers everywhere.

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The Immortality Complex

Dr. Jerome L Schulte, MD

2012 Finalist
298 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting

2012 Finalist
Reviewed by Jean Brickell for Readers' Favorite

In Dr. Jerome Schulte's book, "The Immortality Complex", he lists three things that are the philosophical theorems of his book: the essence of humanness is need, the essence of need is feelings, and the essence of feeling is growth. Need is the continued growth through feelings. He contends that people don't delve into their feelings near enough to the detriment of their selves. He discusses feelings in depth and the need for love and unconditional love and the problems with the lack thereof. Sexuality is vastly important to the self and to the sharing of sex with one that is important to the self. Dr. Jerome Schulte has worked with small children, juveniles, and adults as criminals and potential criminals and has his theories as to why they were bent that way and ways in which help could be accorded.

If you have an interest in psychology or even an interest in people in general, you will be interested in reading "The Immortality Complex" by Dr. Jerome Schulte. The doctor discuses what is necessary to be a mentally healthy human. He also delves into the criminal personality which gets quite interesting. The doctor has 40 years of working with people. To aid them in many problems that they may have, he has studied the psychology of the mentally ill as well as those with a criminal bent, even young children. A spell-binding book!

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The Visitor

A Magical Understanding of Uncertainty
Karen Weaver

2012 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Intrigue

2012 Finalist
Reviewed by Brenda Ballard for Readers' Favorite

Five women, each with their own tribulation, walk through life with their dreams that mean everything to them. The Visitor comes to make changes, to provide each a gem that, if things go well, will be the pivotal point that they yearn for.

The plot twists and the enticement of what the next page may unfold will leave the reader with chores still to be done and dinner uncooked. It is that impossible to put the book down! I loved the uniqueness of the plot; I have never read a story like this before. The author is very skilled at pulling the reader in and does not disappoint. She is a descriptive writer who manages to make the lucky reader feel as though they are right there in the story. Being the mom of four, it is clear that Karen Mc Dermott surely has a lot of opportunity to utilize her fantastic imagination but she doesn't stop at the family: she shares her gift with the world. I went back and re-read a couple of parts just because I enjoyed them so much. I cannot say that I do that often (if at all) normally. The author's name is one that I will look for now and then, just to see what else she has written. While I am really not the groupie type, I will definitely follow this woman's work! I highly recommend "The Visitor" to readers who enjoy this genre. It is that great!

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The Chest of Visions

Secrets of Caperston
Tim Ferguson

2013 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi

2013 Bronze Medal
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

"The Chest of Visions: Secrets of Caperston" by Tim Ferguson is the story of Caperston as told by Mattpaul. Caperston is a planet much smaller than our own and its sun is much smaller than ours. Time is measured by generations that pass rather than years. Their ability to communicate with us is due to Strings technology. Ferguson has chosen the perfect format for this tale. The text reads much like email messages. Each one is dated. On May 2, Mattpaul shares information about Chihaysu. The man told the people about God who oversees the world, treats everyone equally and hears when people pray to him. Chihaysu also told the people stories like the one about a man who needed help, but many people would not stop. Rumors were circulating that Chihaysu prayed for a little girl and she was healed. I found it heartwarming that as Mattpaul shared information about Chihaysu, the Earthlings reading Tim’s blog began to ask questions. Those familiar with scripture and with the life of Jesus Christ will quickly see the parallel between Jesus and Chihaysu.

I find the plot of this book very realistic, for God is bigger than my imagination and who am I to say he did not place life on other planets? Ferguson deftly demonstrates how one person can share the word of God with another and it spreads like dandelions. One seed creates a plant with a thousand seeds and each seed creates another plant with another thousand seeds. This story was written for young adults; however, I enjoyed it very much. Tim Ferguson is very creative and has found a wonderful way to reach youth. Appendix I explains String Theory. Appendix II shares the options for using this book with a youth group and Appendix III shares 8 lessons that correspond with the chapters. I can easily see this book as Sunday School literature or Youth Group literature. Mattpaul has written it in a simple easy to read and understand easily. Ferguson’s light shines in this book. I look forward to more books by Tim Ferguson.