Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

The Guardian of Secrets by Jana Petken is a historical fiction that chronicles the ordeals of a recently wedded British woman, Celia Merrill Dobbs, and her family during the Spanish Civil War. In 1912, Celia’s marriage is a dire one when she discovers her husband Joseph is the one who killed her father, and that he used their marriage to get his hands on her father’s prosperous farm in the English countryside. She and her newborn son Peter escape to Spain, where she takes refuge at the Martinéz home, aristocratic landholders in Valencia. Celia falls in love with widower Ernesto Martinéz. Before long, they get married and raise their four children in the middle of increasing political tensions in the country.

Petken does such a good job that easily evokes the elements from the early 20th century, culture, and politics with her complex characters’ development that I effortlessly immersed myself in the story. Her skill certainly resounded with this reader. This is a very compelling historical family drama with a dash of romance. I constantly rooted for Celia, especially when she finds new love, while hoping that her dreadful first husband Joseph won’t ruin everything. The Spanish Civil War serves as a powerful background in The Guardian of Secrets, which is well-written and well-researched. The rich, vivid descriptions of each scene and surroundings, from England to Spain, are excellently portrayed and easy to visualize. All in all, The Guardians of Secrets is a thrilling and engaging read. It will definitely please historical fiction fans.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

In The Blood of the Greeks by Mary D. Brooks is set in the period of World War II. Eva is the daughter of a German commander who has taken the helm of a small Greek town and is “purging” it of Jews. Eva does not accept her father’s views of Jews and does not believe in the injustice of the system inflicted upon her fellow humans. Her heart bleeds and she takes refuge with God to help her come to terms with her life. Zoe lost her family in this mindless war. Her heart is filled with hatred and revenge. When she meets the daughter of the German commander, she wants to claim her life, but soon the two of them bond and form a friendship. Although reluctant at first, soon they soon rely on each other’s strengths to fight the evil within and outside, and win this war against their human nature.

Mary D. Brooks has written a novel that is not only superb, but the plot, the development of the characters, and the setting are perfect. It is an emotional roller coaster ride, but a good one. The story is gripping, the protagonists are amazing and well formed, the setting is realistic, and their friendship is wonderful. Being the first book in a series (promised to be great), the relationship between the two women has not happened yet, but I am absolutely sure that the romance between Eva and Zoe will be affectionate and proper. I loved it! This is one novel that I would love to read again and again.

Reviewed by John Thornton for Readers' Favorite

The Road Home (The Letter Series Book 2) by Kathleen Shoop is a very well written and engaging book. I am a fan of historical novels, and The Road Home is a well-told yarn that held my attention and gave me a wonderful reading experience. Kathleen Shoop can paint vivid pictures with her words. I got the feeling of being immersed in the culture, the times, and the characters’ lives. Emotionally, this book hooked me.

The plot involves twins Katherine and Tommy Arthur but is in no way constrained to just them. The author weaves the tale of their lives and brings in supporting characters as needed to keep the flow of the story moving along at a steady and page turning pace. The opening situation with the twins’ mother is unforgettable, and in a way that dramatic event casts its shadows over the rest of the book. Life in the late nineteenth century and into the early years of the twentieth century was not easy, and those times are well described. So many things done by hand, and so much hard and long work.

The characterization is one of the stronger elements in The Road Home as each characters has his or her own quirks. Some are quite lovable, and some are people I felt like yelling at. Some characters are religious in a good way, some are spiritually abusive to others, and that accurately reflects reality, not only in times a hundred plus years ago, but also today. I found myself thinking about this story as I went about my daily life, more than I usually do with books I read (I read a lot).

The chapters are set up with a date, name, and location. I found this personally meaningful for I live in the areas described (my home is Sioux Falls). The setting and feel for these places rang true. There are 45 chapters. At first glance I felt this might be an issue, keeping track of the changing flow, but the author did a superb job weaving all the threads together to tell a tightly knit story. Dialogue was excellent. Phrasing and idioms sounded real to the era (although I am not a history teacher), and I did not find any anachronisms. The story truly felt like circa 1900. I liked the way the author used some varied points of view (consistent within each chapter) to tell the tale. That was done very effectively.

There are a number of different families, all with their own flavor, and the characters move in and out of the interactions with those families. That plays an important role in the relationships between the characters. This too was effectively done, and none of the people seemed too much like a card-board cutout. Even the minor characters had depth. A well told story, with quality dialogue, vivid descriptions, and an accurate feel for an historical setting.

Reviewed by Danielle Urban for Readers' Favorite

The Vintner's Daughter by Kristen Harnisch is by far the best historical romance novel that I have read in a while. It centers on a young woman growing up on a farm, whose family sells white wine until the fatal death of her father. Soon life on their farm becomes worse when Sara Thibault's mother chooses to sell the farm to the eldest son of a rival family who marries her eldest daughter. But then violence causes both Sara and her sister to flee their only home. Sara goes about making her life in the world of wine and it is there that everything once more changes. Will fate allow Sara that chance to have her home once more or will it be the death of her?

The Vintner's Daughter by Kristen Harnisch will completely sweep readers off their feet and deep into a historical romance of winemaking. This brilliant piece has everything readers will want in a novel. Danger, suspense, and romance are all wrapped up in a perfect story. A story that leave readers in awe as two young people make their way in the world of winemaking, a fast-paced and exciting world where the main character breaks out of the norm of her time period. Women were to stay in the kitchen, not work in the fields on the farm with the men. The words pop off the pages, making you feel that you are really there. Excellent piece! I loved reading this novel. The author has done wonders in creating such a rich and engaging world that is memorable. I highly recommend this to readers everywhere and rate it a five out of five stars. I look forward to reading more novels by Kristen Harnisch.

Reviewed by Charity Tober for Readers' Favorite

Move over Stephen King and Dean Koontz and make room because The Dark by David C. Cassidy is here! The Dark is everything that horror fiction fans want – scary, unsettling, relentless and so creepy that you will not want to read it at night. The story follows the Lisk family, grieving and unable to get over the loss of the father/husband who was killed in a car accident. The younger son Kelan feels guilty that he survived the accident and cannot get over his father’s death. The rest of the family is not really coping either, but Kelan is having an especially difficult time with it. He ends up pursuing some dangerous activities and meets a new friend (which he thinks is a good thing) but it sets him on a horrific and deadly path with The Dark, a sadistic and predatory ancient evil that wants to consume and twist everything in the most sickening ways. Readers will be turning pages long after bedtime (which is probably not the best time to read horror novels!) just to find out what happens next!

I found The Dark to be a suspenseful, unsettling and horrific read (which I’m sure is a statement that will intrigue horror genre readers). The characters were all interesting, realistic and engaging. It was very heartbreaking to see how the Lisk family members were trying to cope, but unable to come to terms with the tragedy. The Dark was just a freaky and terrible evil and the author did a superb job in describing how The Dark finds its victims and draws them in (unknowingly) and claims them for its own. Fans of horror fiction are sure to find a new favorite author in David C. Cassidy.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Seven Steps to Closure is a chick-lit contemporary novel written by Donna Joy Usher. Tara's still getting over her breakup with her ex, Jake, and she's just survived hitting the big 30. Her mom keeps bringing her psychologically damaged pets from the animal shelter, and her friends are determined to help Tara get over Jake and back into a relationship. One of them has a back issue of Cosmo with an article designed to do just that called Closure in Seven Easy Steps. Tara, dreading the upcoming marriage of Jake and her cousin, agrees to accept the challenge. The first few steps are easy: her friend Elaine's brother is a gifted hairdresser and gives Tara a whole new look, and a shopping expedition for a new wardrobe is a piece of cake. Lower down on that list are the harder steps.

Donna Joy Usher's contemporary humorous novel, The Seven Steps to Closure, is a fast-paced and very entertaining novel. I knew I was in for a different type of chick-lit story from the opening pages where Tara has an argument with Cocky, her pet bird with a filthy vocabulary. Tara and her friends are fresh and funny, and their adventures are inspired. Usher peoples The Seven Steps to Closure with original and, for the most part, sympathetic characters in whom the reader is quickly emotionally invested. I especially enjoyed vicariously sightseeing in India as Matt and Tara take in the sights and do an awful lot of shopping. The Seven Steps to Closure is a lot of fun, even for readers who wouldn't ordinarily read something in the chick-lit category, and it's highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Mom On The Road is a contemporary humorous novel written by Allyson Ochs Primack. The author used her own experiences travelling around the country with a theatrical cast to craft this work. Maggie was old enough to have enjoyed being young and being sexually liberated before the AIDS crisis made sex dangerous. The child of hippies, she enjoyed a childhood that included summer camp and away-from-home college and she continued these experiences with law school. Life was good. Maggie was in her twenties and still single, but her friends were all getting married and having kids. When she met Paul, there was an instant spark, and they were soon married. By the time she was 40, they had 3 kids, and she had somehow lost track of who she was.

Allyson Ochs Primack's contemporary humorous novel, Mom On The Road, is a funny and totally different type of on-the-road novel, though those who are childless or not women may find a number of cringe-worthy moments sprinkled throughout this women's fiction novel. Maggie, the mommy, often seemed like an alien being or, at best, someone enmired in a domestic purgatory. I imagine some readers who have been contemplating the ticking of their biological clocks may start considering whether quieting those ticking sounds is really worth it. Where this novel shines is when Maggie and her theatrical son, Matt, are on the road. The stories about the different cities they visit and the hi-jinks on the bus are marvelous. Even better is the gradual reawakening of Maggie, the excited and adventurous young woman who somehow had forgotten about her dreams. Mom On The Road is recommended reading.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Trusting the Currents by Lynnda Pollio is an uplifting story about the spiritual journey of self-discovery, faith, forgiveness and courage of the author, and inspires readers to rise above the insecurities and obstacles in their lives and face the fear of darkness and uncertainty head on. The book teaches readers acceptance and also to learn from their experiences in life and make positive changes in their lives. The presence of a mother and her love during ups and downs in life runs through the book. The book is inspirational and encourages readers to look inward and effect the positive transformation that makes life more meaningful.

The narrator's spiritual awakening, her falling in love, her stepfather and cousin Jenny form an integral part of the story that speaks to readers about the author's transformation. The author teaches readers to trust their own hearts and open their eyes to their surroundings. The book also helps to bring inner peace and happiness and it also touches readers in many ways. Many readers will be able to relate to the author's experiences and this book will sow the seeds of hope in their souls. The writing style is powerful, expressive, exquisite and descriptive. All the characters are memorable and will remain in readers' heart for a long time. This timeless story of love, courage and spiritual transformation is definitely worth reading and also owning in one's personal collection.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Soul Retrieval: A Novel by Ann W. Jarvie is an uplifting and touching story of love, loss, redemption, and healing. The story is set in the 1950s and revolves around Henrietta Clayborn, who is living with her family in New Mexico's Medichero Indian Reservation in the doctor's cottage. She is hiding a secret from everyone; her family and her physician husband, Jeff, who is working in a hospital there. She is tortured by the fact she is hiding this secret from her family. It's at that juncture she meets a medicine man, Joe Loco, who understands her dilemma. Henrietta starts confiding in him. Will Joe be able to help Henrietta?

The story is complex and has many dimensions to it which makes it intense and profound. The story is beautiful and it takes readers between South Carolina and New Mexico. The narration is descriptive, making it very palpable and visual to readers. The spiritual journey undertaken by Joe and Henrietta is soulful and captivating, and it transcends the usual human boundaries. All the characters are well sketched, making their individual personalities stand out. There is much richness in the plot, which will open up many discussions in the minds of readers.

It's a well researched book that will help readers understand more about the wounded souls that live on earth and also about healing from loss, pain and trauma that one undergoes in their personal lives. The book is a combination of many emotions that makes it an interesting read. An excellent love story that has many dimensions to it. I enjoyed it thoroughly because there is a lot in the story to think about and understand.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Healing Field: A Young Psychiatrist's Battle with His Anorexic Patient, Her Hunger Strike against God, and Their Journey through the Dark Night by Howard E. Richmond MD is a bold and honest account of the narratives and experiences of a patient and a psychiatrist. Readers get the unique opportunity to take a peek at the confidential file of one woman. It's a story of healing and love, and how the latter can conquer fear and insecurities and give anyone hope to finally get rid of their complexities by replacing fear, anger and shame with courage, love and hope. It's a story of hope, it's a story of trust, it's a story of healing, and it's a story of recovery that will inspire readers to meet the darkest hours in their lives with a different outlook.

The book is profound and insightful and gives a rare view into the world of psychiatry. The author's strategies to save his patient, Lori, from her eating disorder are inspirational and the book gives hope to all those readers who are undergoing eating disorders and emotional struggles in their lives. The book also captures the turmoil and struggle of Lori intimately. The story shows the universal power of love and its healing ability, and the author's support to all those who search for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being. The story will motivate readers to make changes in their lives, teaching them to love and trust again.