Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

When Carly Matthews is at the end of her tether with the life she and her brother, Mitchell, are subjected to, she discovers an amazing escape. In the Storm by Karen Metcalf poignantly and heartbreakingly describes the force of Carly’s will as she discovers an alternate universe into which she escapes. In this special place that opens to her after tremendous stress, and is represented by varying degrees of weather and severe thunderstorms, Carly meets Morgan, who is supposed to try to protect her. Unfortunately for Morgan, Carly is too stubborn and finds out more about this different path of reality than she is supposed to know. Torn between protecting her little brother from their drunken, dangerous step-father and enjoying the peace of her special clearing at the base of a tremendous tree, Carly tries to find a way to save the two of them and escape the horrors of home. What happens is a lesson in determination, but is tempered by the whims of fate – knowledge that Carly should not have had.

In merely 86 pages, Karen Metcalf provides a universe full of amazing action, emotion and personal choices. In the Storm gets right to the heart of a teen’s struggle with the horrible reality of her life as she takes responsibility for her 5-year-old brother while she wishes that things could be different. Vivid descriptions of nature provide a stark backdrop to the feelings Carly experiences and heighten the impact of the story. With several amazing twists, the story leaves you breathless, with plenty to think about long after you close the book. Incredible story that is as gripping as a full length saga! It's hard to believe that so much emotion fits into so few pages! This is an amazing read for YA and adult readers who are looking for something different and quite stimulating.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

The Shape of the Atmosphere, the excellent book written by a promising debut author, Jessica Dainty, is a story that I found very difficult to put down once I started reading it. Follow the story of young Gertie MacLarsen, a teenager who has felt ugly and mostly unloved her entire life. Raised by her alcoholic mother and a fairly absent father, Gertie's life has certainly not been easy. When her mother commits her to Willow Estate, a mental institution, on her 16th birthday, and after a devastating family tragedy, it seems likely that her life could only get worse. And in many ways that does happen. Encountering cruelty and difficulties around every corner, Gertie also finds an odd family of sorts amongst those at Willow Estate, and in some ways, finds herself as well.

I found The Shape of the Atmosphere to be a surprising and unique read, especially one coming from an author new to the scene. Author Jessica Dainty has produced a book that belies her newbie status, a sophisticated and poignant read, and does an excellent job in portraying what mental health treatment was likely all about in 1950s America. I feel that almost any reader who enjoys fiction would find this an extremely worthy read, and it is with excitement that I offer this book my very highest recommendation. I feel that author Jessica Dainty is certainly one to watch. With talent as obvious as hers, it is unlikely that she will remain undiscovered for long!

Reviewed by Danielle DeVor for Readers' Favorite

The Roadrunner Café by Jamie Zerndt is a coming-of-age story about a boy who learns to live again after finding his father’s body after an apparent suicide. With his mother’s alcoholism and his sister’s absenteeism, Carson must learn to live for himself. But sometimes it isn’t so easy. There’s that damn tree. Yes, his father had planted a tree for each family member and no one can stop staring at his father’s tree. When his mother decides to have the tree removed, Carson is shocked. And, honestly, it has an effect on the family that no one would ever have expected.

The characterization of Carson is very strong. He is completely believable. I felt Georgie, his sister, could have been a little stronger. But Zerndt does a really good job of showing interpersonal relationships and bringing out conflict in his characters. The mother, however, breaks my heart. Carson used to find her getting drunk funny, but after his father’s death the realities of her alcoholism become blatant. Although it comes out that Carson’s father also cheated on her prior to his suicide, Carson’s mother just doesn’t know how to deal with it. She has no way of holding herself together, let alone being able to help Carson and his sister outside of her grief. This is a solid novel. And an interesting way to spend an afternoon.

Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

The Intersect: When Life Veers off Course, Strangers Find Comfort and Lasting Connection by Brad Graber is a compelling and fascinating story with a powerful political and social setting, a story that explores the links between humans in a fast-paced consumerist culture. Set against the backdrop of Arizona in 2010, this novel explores the lives of different characters, whose paths cross in unusual circumstances. Charlie and Dave are in a relationship and have just bought a home in Phoenix, a deal that almost destroys their relationship when an old lady shows up. They just learn that she hasn’t been aware that her relatives have sold the house. Things escalate pretty fast as secrets come to light and connections are made. Readers will encounter great characters like Anna, who channels the spirits of the dead, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and many others. But how these characters connect is what will blow the reader’s mind.

Brad Graber has crafted a heartwarming, engaging tale in The Intersect, a story that explores elements of romance, human connection, hospitality, and the link between the living and the dead, and what it meant to be gay at the time. The writing is excellent and accessible, and the author offers some excellent social commentaries that will interest readers. I enjoyed the compelling cast of characters. The writing features many dramatic moments and it is punctuated by humorous episodes that will keep the reader entertained. This is a story that rings with originality; it is well-crafted, and exhilarating.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Digger Cartwright welcomes you to the world of online dating in The House of Dark Shadows. On the outside, it appears that Alex Rommel has everything. He has the best of everything, but on the inside, he is just a lonely man. When he meets an old friend, he finds out that his old buddy found love on the internet and is blissful to say the least. Envious and desperate to let go of the past and lost love, Alex ventures into the world of online dating to see what it has in store for him.

The murky world of internet dating brings Hope in his life. Hope is a French journalist and just about everything he ever desired. But she has her own secrets and her past. It appears that something sinister is coming towards him from all directions. His mother is constantly badgering him, his lusting secretary is getting on his nerves, his business is getting more demanding, and Hope is making him suspicious. There are shadows all around him and he cannot decipher if any of them are friendly or all of them are enemies. Can he rescue himself before all is lost and he is destroyed?

Since I started reading this novel, I have been thinking of a word to describe Alex Rommel. The only word I find suitable enough is jaded. The House of Dark Shadows is an amazing psychological thriller and it entices the reader from the get go. The storyline is good and very entertaining. Alex is a little tough to love, but I think that is just a part of his character. Nonetheless the novel was good and deserves to be read again and again.

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

Murder at the Ocean Forest by Robert “Digger” Cartwright is a hauntingly beautiful, sinister tale of malevolent revenge. A group of rare individuals, all touched by the war in Europe, cross paths at the Ocean Forest Resort. Meet the Underwoods - Terence, the arrogant, wealthy womanizer, and Faye, the beautiful southern belle who wears the shroud of the distraught victim, and carries the weight of the world upon her frail shoulders. The unhappy couple returns to their honeymoon hotel, hoping to rekindle the love between them. Or is there another purpose for their return? Preacher Cooper, who is wound up like a two dollar watch, speaks boldly against the atrocities of war. His peculiar outbursts and mannerisms lead the others to believe he is hiding something. Also in their midst is a British wounded war veteran, Lord Ashburn, and his snobbish, yet stunning wife, Lady Jane. Last but not least, Elizabeth Bascomb, a blind, world renowned clairvoyant. A chance meeting it would seem, or could a mysterious, evil force be drawing them together? The mood turns fiendish as the weather turns foul. A hurricane approaches, the storm violently invades the Ocean Forest resort, and with its rain and gale force winds, murder occurs - three deaths in three days. Inspector Feltus La Mont, sets out to find the murderer, whether it be phantom or human.

Robert "Digger” Cartwright’s mystery novel Murder at the Ocean Forest takes the reader into a setting and time when life was simple and complicated, peaceful and warring, and audacious and fragile. A time when wealth was flaunted among the social elite and the lesser folk humbly bowed to their every wish. In the southern landscape of Myrtle Beach, the Ocean Forest Hotel stands erect, never wavering in its decadence. Cartwright sets the stage for murder in an aura of elegant ambiguity. World War II is the compulsory element that drives the plot. Each character feels the painful effects of war. The characterization is wonderfully written. Cartwright is patient and precise in the introduction and portrayal of his characters. Always leaving an air of mystery, their unique qualities and personalities are shadowed reflections, seen but not seen, as the story unfolds. The descriptions are a mixture of the uncanny and the articulate. Cartwright writes figuratively, with a sensory style. As you attempt to decipher what is real or menacing apparition, your senses are enveloped by the vivid and intentionally vague imagery. Twists of fate, veiled characters, and a shocking turn of events make Murder at the Ocean Forest a one of a kind “whodunit” mystery.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Hook by Kathleen Doler is aptly subtitled: Surfing to Survive a Shattered Family, Drugs, Gangs and the FBI. Set in an idyllic surfing town, this book explores the depth of kinship, crime, and justice, while looking at how far a woman can go to keep her brother out of trouble. As teenagers, Shane and Dana developed an incredible bond while surfing. One has the impression that they grew up in water. Now an adult, Shane has a run-in with a ruthless drug lord who is after him, and the FBI has developed a special interest in him. Dana wants to help her brother and, as she explores the issue, she has to come face-to-face with her brother’s illegal ties to a gang and get embroiled in a war she never asked for.

Everything about this book compels the reader to read on. It includes surfing jargon that will help readers who are not used to surfing understand the experience better. The writing leaps majestically off the pages like irresistible music and begs to be read. The story itself is awesome, with just enough backstory to deepen characterization, intense action, and incredible surfing experiences. Kathleen Doler is a very gifted writer with exceptional skills in prose, plot, and setting. Few writers succeed in making the geography within which the story evolves come clearly to life as this writer does. The plot is indeed the very definition of the hook. I was hooked from the beginning by the plot lines and couldn’t stop reading as each chapter read like a promise of more incredible action to follow. The Hook is, indeed, a satisfactory read.

Reviewed by Marta Tandori for Readers' Favorite

She Lights Up the Dark is an exciting paranormal read by writer A.M. Manay, and the second book in the November Snow Series. November is now a vampire, thanks to the last-minute ministrations of her maker, Ilyn, the recently-deposed vampire king. There’s one problem, however. November is invisible to all she cares for. They can neither hear her nor see her. In fact, there’s not a single vampire, fairy or werewolf who can receive any communication from her – except with Luka’s permission. Luka is powerful and offers November the world; a world they can rule together, but November wants nothing to do with him. Instead, she sticks close to Ilyn, Gregory, and the others, but things are tricky because they can’t see her. As Luka’s army wreaks havoc on everything they hold dear, the group decides that they’re better off separated. November wants to stick close to Ilyn and, much as Ilyn loves November, he can’t afford to have her close by because it puts her at risk. Instead, he tells her to stay with Gregory so that he can teach her the basics of being a vampire. However, Luka’s presence is everywhere, threatening the lives of those November loves, and she’s determined to stop Luka at all costs…

She Lights Up the Dark has plenty of kick-ass action, lots of twists and turns, and a few “never saw that coming” surprises that keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. What also makes this story so interesting is the fact that there’s such a diverse group of characters, from vampires to werewolves and fairies that aren’t your basic two-dimensional characters hell-bent on destruction and mayhem. Yes, there’s certainly action and violence, to be sure. However, vampires and werewolves don’t exactly have a reputation for emotional and moral values and yet Manay’s characters have them in spades. They also have special abilities such as the ability to heal, to hide and to find. Although the cast of colorful supporting characters provides three-dimensionality and interest to the story, the same cannot always be said about Manay’s main protagonist, November. Although her heart appears to be in the right place, she nevertheless doesn’t always have the emotional maturity, which makes her less effective and, sadly, not always compelling. This notwithstanding, there’s plenty to love about She Lights Up the Dark and with the climactic end, more of the same is sure to follow in the next installment.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Invasion of Heaven is Part One of the Newirth Mythology by Michael B. Koep, a mystery with elements of thriller and the supernatural, a story that features great adventure, betrayal, and insanity. A thirty-seven-year-old psychologist is enduring the toughest time of his life: his mentor is suffering from madness, his client has just committed suicide, and his wife is leaving him. Now, as if all these things were not enough to drive a man over the edge, he has a vision of an Eye that won’t leave his mental gaze, an unfathomable eye that seems to be present in the very center of his life, in everything he sees. And the worst part is that there is a secret, ancient group that will do just about anything to get access to what he knows. There is only one way to unravel the mystery: write down everything and allow his mentor, Doctor Marcus Rearden, to fathom what it all means.

Here is a compelling story that features extraordinary characters, a weird and gifted painter, a six-hundred-year-old swordsman and more. In this riveting work, the author explores the depths of one man’s psyche to unveil a conflict that has existed for ages. As the reader reads about love, the perils of the mind, art, and life beyond the grave, the reader comes into contact with the nagging, eternal, and waking thirst for immortality that permeates the work. Who will master the psychologist’s secret?

The writing is powerful, filled with descriptions that immerse the reader in the action, offer clear and sweeping visuals, and allow the reader to easily get into the beautiful setting. Michael B. Koep is a good storyteller, bringing many elements into his work without losing the interest of the reader. He introduces readers to the conflict right off the first page when the psychologist thinks, amidst sobs: “When a client of yours takes their own life, you’ll want to take yours. You’ll believe that it was your fault. And I assure you, after that, there’s no going back.” This is the kind of book that one finishes and has to take a walk afterward, trying to feel the air, to touch things, to talk to the neighbor, just to ensure one isn’t still in a dream. The Invasion of Heaven is the fruit of genius, of rich imagination, and sheer madness. Readers will love every page of this engaging story.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a tale of suspense. Katerina Mills needs to find $14,000 in two weeks, otherwise she will lose everything – her home, her place in school, and the last of her luck. Then she gets an offer she should refuse but can’t. New York is full of rich, privileged men who have problems that need to be fixed. Katerina’s new job is The Fixer, and all she has to do is get the money and fix their problems – easy, right? Her first job is easy, but the next one isn’t. She needs some help and turns to the handsome thief, Alexander Winter. But things aren’t quite so straightforward and Kat is heading for danger. There are no rules for Fixers and, as Kat is about to learn, there is no getting out. Can Katerina escape with her life intact? Can she fix her own problems or is it all about to go very wrong for her?

The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a book that I would recommend to anyone who wants a good juicy tale of suspense with a bit of humor thrown in for good measure. This is a fast book, moving at a steady pace with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down. The story is an original idea with a well-written plot, one that has been well developed and, with the addition of the obligatory romance, a winning story. The characters have been written perfectly for the story and the development is such that it is easy to identify with them, to feel as though you know them personally, especially Kat, the main protagonist. This has been written in an incredibly engaging style, hard to put down and with an ending that leads neatly on to the second book in the series.