Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

That Famous Fig Leaf: Uncovering the Holiness of Our Bodies by Chad W. Thompson is a Christian non-fiction book that addresses the sexuality and shame that have consumed our human state of nakedness throughout history. Using a combination of scripture, studies, documented and well-known stories, and common sense, Thompson breaks this guide down into eight succinct chapters that encompass everything from the human disconnect between spirituality and our bodies (“...the mystery of God on the one hand, and the mystery of the human body on the other...”) to the travesty of body ideals that are a wholly social construct (“We measure ourselves not against an ideal of health...but against created icons, fantasies made flesh.”). Throughout, Thompson champions that argument of our bodies being the perfect creation of God and that viewing it in exactly this way would eliminate the overall sexualization of the human body and all that it encompasses.

It might have been written with a Christian foundation, but I think That Famous Fig Leaf has the relevance and weight to sway even the most skeptical of (non-Christian) readers alongside those who will find it perusing for Christian philosophy. Chad W. Thompson is able to deftly balance a witty and engrossing narrative with the facts to back them up. I lost track of the number of “Ah-ha!” moments I had reading this book, as well as the number of times I turned to my wife and said, “Listen to this...!” Thompson is timely in the release of this book as a new generation—one which leans firmly against hashtags that defy the mechanisms behind the sexualized body—is fighting on the forefront to end centuries of conditioning to the contrary. This is a book I'd just as quickly pass on to my grandmother as I would my daughter, and—even more importantly—sit down to discuss and read with a son. Highly, highly recommended.

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 Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Ask older attendees of a memoir writing workshop what the subject of their intended memoir will be, and 90% will reply that, encouraged by their families, their memoirs will be a recollection of the most memorable events, big or small, in their lives. Finding Joe Adams by Joe Field is very much that kind of memoir because, as the author states in his epilogue, he wanted to “...summarize for my new family and my east coast siblings what transpired in my life with Mom and to show that one need not listen to the naysayers who say if you are raised fatherless, you will become a statistic headed nowhere.” What? Wait a minute. So there is more to this memoir than just recalling past vignettes? Oh yes. Finding Joe Adams is the story of the author’s desire to locate the father he never knew, a father it took him over 60 years to find.

It is also a kind of rags to riches story. As the book description accurately depicts, Joe’s early life with a single struggling mother was one of poverty, but despite the deprivations of his childhood, and the lack of a full-time father, Joe grew up to eventually succeed as a lawyer, a husband, and a father. But bit by bit over those years, Joe’s desire to find his own father became his life-fulfilling goal. Google and Facebook searches and ultimately DNA testing brought about a reunion not just with his birth father and his current family, but with his immediate siblings from whom he had been separated as a child. It’s a joyous conclusion to Joe’s memoir, and that’s what memoir readers like best of all.

I can’t leave this review without mentioning one more thing that became increasingly important in Joe’s life: his faith in God. As a child and a younger man, he didn’t have much use for God but when life threatened to defeat him, he prayed. He believes that was the turning point in his life. There will be thousands of readers who will relate to this side of Joe Field’s story. As to Field’s delivery of his life story, one thing is certain: he is a natural story-teller. Some of his anecdotes, like leaving his car parked on the beach and not realizing high tide could carry it out to sea, are hilarious. Readers will find themselves smiling again and again thanks to Joe’s ability to laugh at himself and make readers laugh with him. It’s a winning attitude and a wonderful asset for an author to have. The several photos scattered throughout the memoir add a further dimension to Finding Joe Adams and I’m sure will be most appreciated by the members of his now new and very large extended family. Enjoy!

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Searching for Mom: A Memoir by Sara Easterly is the story of a woman’s journey in realizing that being perfect is not everything. Sara Easterly always lived her life in limbo. As an adopted child, she never felt a connection with her adopted mother. She always had an ideal mother in her mind that her adopted mother never seemed to fit. She had detachment issues and they only progressed as she grew older. But as years went by and Sara became a mother herself, she found out that being a mother was much more than what she expected from her own mother. When her mother passed away, Sara realized she had been a little too harsh on her and her mom had loved her very dearly. With the realization that she might not have been the best daughter to her mom, she found God. Will she ever forgive herself?

Love is love and it has nothing to do with blood. Searching for Mom is such a heartbreaking tale of a daughter’s journey in which she was chasing the perfect mother without realizing that the one she had was the perfect mother for her. Sara’s journey made me very emotional and I might have cried on at least two occasion. Her adoption circumstances were unique yet other adoptees will find a connection with her story. Sara Easterly poured her heart out, she didn’t hold back any emotions because she wanted you to feel everything she went through. She chose her words very carefully so that they have maximum impact on the reader. She kept the pace just right to make sure the reader remained in the moment with her. Kudos to Sara Easterly for having so much courage in revealing something so precious about her life. Very touching and heartwarming.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

A Song of Love: How Jesus Breathes Life into Destiny by Jan Chapman is an insightful and profound book that chronicles the author's journey and reiterates the power and presence of God. These are stories of love and stories of God, of overcoming and being made new in Christ. The book will make readers understand how everything changes once they follow Christ and how the author was transformed from a caterpillar to a butterfly and started to fly. A Song of Love is about the amazing and unconditional love of God, the joy he gives, and will give hope to readers who are facing adversities and challenges in their lives. The author's story of being hit by a semi-truck and meeting the Lord in the tunnel will leave readers in awe about how the Lord is everywhere.

A Song of Love is inspiring and the author's connection with God will give readers hope and can be related to by many who have experienced bad times and been saved by the Lord's presence in their lives. The author's faith in God and her joy in experiencing his blessings and amazing love are palpable. The journey is an eye-opener to readers about how the true power of prayers work and how God makes miracles happen. Jan Chapman's honesty and straightforwardness when it comes to sharing her story is heartening and gives comfort, peace, and happiness to many readers in dealing with their difficulties and problems. The book is good to use for Bible classes because of the messages it gives and can be read whenever there is doubt in one's mind related to God's workings in everybody's lives.

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Out of the Wild: 7 Years in the New Zealand Wilderness is exactly what the title promises. It is Charlie Paterson’s vivid record of his struggle against everything – poverty, bureaucracy, loneliness, and ill-health – that undermined the roots of his dream to survive as our ancestors must have done. The “wilderness” is within the vast Fiordland National Park and his chosen location is very remote. Out of the Wild comprises the history of this amazing part of New Zealand, with illustrations and maps, but most of all it's a unique story of one man’s determination to survive and his growing faith in God. Nobody who reads it will be left unmoved, or under any illusion that living without everything we take for granted – supermarkets, freezers, easy communication – is “a walk in the park”.

Reading Out of the Wild, I grew to love and hate The Devil’s Trail and its surroundings in equal proportions. Anti-blood-sports, I constantly reminded myself that this was hunting for meat to eat as wild fruits are gathered. The sheer beauty of the wilderness, and it is vividly described, took my breath away. Loneliness was a huge problem for the wannabe hermit, but not totally unrelieved; there was Jane! Charlie Paterson’s views on women, sex, and morality are intriguing. His advice to his daughter, born in later years, about choosing a husband is rock solid, but he confirms his sense of humour with “it helps if he’s rich”. Join Charlie Paterson in his wilderness years. Out of the Wild is a book to treasure and reread.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Little Girl Crying by Belinda Rose is a poignant memoir that follows the pain of the author and her journey towards healing. Hurt deeply and abused at home as a child, bullied in school, and raped by someone she loved and trusted, Belinda found herself pushed to the limit, shutting out the pain in her heart, something that slowly morphed into anorexia nervosa and depression. For many years, her self-esteem was almost shattered and she found herself doing things that would eventually hurt her even more. Her eating disorder became an instrument of self-destruction and left great spiritual, physical, and mental repercussions. In this book, she shares the secrets of how she finally gained inner freedom, beat death and depression, and found a reason to live.

Belinda Rose’s book is a gift for readers who have suffered abuse in any form and those who have lost their sense of dignity due to what others have made them suffer. In this book, she teaches meaningful lessons to readers, including the strength of faith — in God and in self — and how to transition from suicidal thoughts to a healthy experience of self-love. I have always had respect for people who have the courage to look straight into their wounds, but when someone strips their soul before readers, it is an act of courage that can’t be ignored, and Belinda Rose has shown in this writing that she has that courage. She shares a message of hope in a language that is accessible. Little Girl Crying might be the story of one woman, but it reflects the pain that is buried in many souls that suffer in silence. This book will not only encourage readers who have been hurt and abused to embrace healing, but will show them how not to hold themselves responsible for the crimes of others. I just loved it; the book is inspiring and filled with insight.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Love Blue: Amanda's Story by Gwyn Thorn is a heartrending true story of good and bad parenting, the reality and horror of child abuse, and the existence of divinity to make life possible in a good way. It is the story of a couple who wanted to do the right things guided by their faith, along with support from their families. Amanda's story had to be told and also how her existence changed many lives. The book chronicles Amanda's journey and gives readers a peek into her world and the value of her life. Amanda's horrifying experiences of physical and sexual abuse, and then being taken in by parents who loved her unconditionally and took care of her, keeping her physically and emotionally happy, is heartwarming and remarkable.

The book is emotional, raw, and honest, and it is admirable how her adoptive parents Paul and Jennifer took up the challenge to give Amanda the beautiful life that she deserved. It is the story of a couple who were bent on making her life worthwhile. It is a story of unconditional love, strength, kindness, compassion, hope, belief, and faith. It is also the story of a girl who refused to give up on life and refused to be a victim. Amanda's story will touch the hearts of readers and will make them realize how one person who has been abused so badly can bring joy, cheer, and love to her adoptive family. The memoir is a beautiful tribute to Amanda and her wonderful story is a reminder to all readers of how precious every life is and the power of faith. Amanda's message to the world is inspiring and motivating: Love God, Love People, Smile.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Author Michelle Layer Rahal has brought us a stunningly honest and frank portrayal of the life of a Vietnamese boat person in the 1970’s. In Straining Forward we read the biography of Minh Phuong Towner, as she is caught up in the tumultuous events of the Vietnam War, or the American War, as the Vietnamese called it. Told through the eyes of Minh herself as if an autobiography, it covers the full gamut of Minh’s life. Born into a relatively middle-class environment in Saigon, Minh had all the advantages of wealth and position and in many ways was immune to what was happening outside of Saigon, in the rest of Vietnam. This all changed though on New Year’s Eve, 1968, when the Tet Offensive brought the war directly into her quiet, suburban neighbourhood. Having watched the deaths of her beloved father and several of her siblings at the hands of the North Vietnamese, Minh and her brother make a dash for freedom. This leads them on an horrific journey, including torture, detainment in prison, escape, a dangerous sea journey and finally from a refugee camp in Taiwan to France, Australia, and ultimately the United States. Minh, though, is deeply traumatized by her childhood and this trauma is something she will carry for the rest of her life and it will influence her decisions and behaviour forever.

Although Straining Forward is presented by Michelle Layer Rahal as a spiritual journey, a search for meaning in life and a relationship with God, it would be wrong to dismiss it as just another Christian testimony. There is much more to this book than just its spiritual nature. It is truly an eye-opener on the effect of war on children, on refugees and what childhood trauma can do to a person later in life. I particularly enjoyed the story of Minh’s life in Vietnam after the North’s invasion. She faced the trials that tested her with stoicism and bravery, but what they did was remove her self-belief and her self-esteem. She truly believed that she was unworthy of being loved and gravitated towards safety and security, rather than happiness, as her first objective always. This became apparent much later in life, when she understood that in many ways she had turned into her cold, calculating mother, without her even realizing it.

This is an extremely powerful story and one that both grasps the frailties of the human person and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit over immense challenges. One cannot read Minh Phuong Towner’s story and fail to be moved by the tragedy of her life, but also by her indomitable spirit and her determination to succeed, even in the face of overwhelming odds. This is a story that lingers long in the mind after reading and it is something I can truly recommend to anyone feeling down or depressed. “There, but for the grace of God, go I!”

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

There is a lot of end time literature on the market and it is interesting to notice the inconsistencies in the interpretations of the biblical message of the revelation. In The Message for the Last Days: Biblical and Historical Understanding of End Times by KJ Soze, readers are offered a fresh perspective on how to understand the message of the end times presented in the book of Revelation. The author takes readers through the context of the covenant and explores God's message of the final days in a way that explains the final moments.

In the beginning, the author gives a wonderful explanation, uncovering the missing link between the interpretations offered by other authors and the deeper meaning of the message. “The covenants provide crucial background information for the events that will happen in the future. We also need to understand the physical realm on earth compared to the heavenly realm in order to find the link between these two realms with spirit realm activities bridging them in Revelation.” The author cautions that it is essentially necessary to have an initial placement of the end time prophecies within a realm and to determine the context of the same message in other passages.

The Message for the Last Days: Biblical and Historical Understanding of End Times examines the different messages from Christian culture about end times and shows the errors in these messages while proposing a method that allows readers to place the prophecies in the right context. I found this book to be both objective and enlightening, well written in a language that is easy to understand and fluid. The author writes with the authority of an expert in the field.