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.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Night That Changed Our Lives: The Devil Pushed Me In A Pit But God Pulled Me Out by Kelly Garner is the story of what happened to the author one winter’s night and his awakening to life, to gratitude, and to God in an astonishing and wonderful way. His story about discovering a deeper faith in God, the test, the distress and helplessness his family went through is the story of survival. A man who went out one night to help and thought he would never come back after being severely injured and in the freezing cold for 14 hours. Kelly’s story of faith and will power is testimony to his deep faith and determination. Kelly is a living example of how people react when life brings challenges and how they respond to them. Kelly tells readers how the Devil pushed him into a ditch and God pulled him out.

Kelly’s story is an inspiration to all readers and his story of struggles turning into a positive outcome once his rehabilitation period ended is encouraging and uplifting. The narration about the author’s harrowing experiences is palpable to readers but then it is an example of how miracles can happen, and there is no doubting God’s hand, grace, and protection. Kelly’s journey of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual survival, perseverance, and strength to healing and thriving will keep readers astonished. The author is honest and straightforward when it comes to sharing his life and ordeals with readers, and the black and white photographs connect readers with the author and his situation. It is a story that reiterates the power of God and how He will answer prayers if done with faith.

Reviewed by Darin Godby for Readers' Favorite

Author Mandy Lawrence tells of her early life with various dogs that made huge impacts upon her. Later in life, after being married, she got the cutest little dachshund and named him Wilbur Wiggles. Soon the parallel of how Lawrence cares for Wilbur and how God loves and cares for His children is evident in the reading. A nice thought is how a dog is content to lie in their owner's lap, not worrying about what is happening around them; so we as Christians should be able to rest in the lap of God and not worry about the things around us. There is a strong emphasis on how the temptations of the devil blind a believer and make them give in to his wishes. An excellent illustration of the armor of God is used to help the reader better understand the importance of standing for what is right with the correct protection.

Wisdom From Wilbur: How My Dog Has Brought Me Closer To God is a well-written book that helps the reader to see that when we truly want to see God we can. He is always looking at us with tenderness, desiring for us to follow Him before correction should have to come our way. Animal lovers will especially appreciate this book, as one can draw from the warmth and joy of Wilbur. There are great stories and examples of God’s love for His children and how we could learn from such a sweet dog like Wilbur. Many scriptures back up this title's concept, and this would be an excellent gift for dog lovers and Christian readers.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Finding Heaven in the Dark by William L. Ingram is the author's compelling and insightful story of personal struggle filled with nostalgia and faith in God, which makes him believe that God has a plan for everyone. Though each one of us has a different journey to undertake, it is important to submit ourselves to God to experience His unconditional love. The book chronicles Ingram's journey from being born to a black, unwed mother in 1949, the 1960s theme of race relations, political instability, assassinations, and the Vietnam War, and how they all influenced him to change his life from that of self-destruction to that of having a better meaning and purpose.

The political backdrop, coupled with spiritual transformation, makes this memoir different and unique. It is a story of loss, redemption, and faith and how the author’s faith in Christian meditation guides him is interesting. The book is honest and I admire the author’s courage to share the dark phases of his life, his rebellious attitude, and confused state of mind with readers. His discovery of life saving and life affirming principles, and his journey of self-discovery and awakening are enlightening. The book will ignite the curiosity of all those who are striving to find a purpose in their lives, an inner meaning, and also to learn more about themselves and their identity. The book is detailed and descriptive and the author takes readers right into his life and the spiritual transformation undergone by him. I like his perspective on meditation; it is quite interesting yet deep at the same time.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Jesus and Muhammad: Their Messages, Side-by-Side by Louis St Michael is a thorough and painstakingly researched compilation of the lives and statements, as proclaimed in the Christian Bible and the Islamic Q'uran, of two of the world's most historically compelling men: Jesus Christ and the Prophet Muhammad. Presented in a comprehensive, almost textbook format, St Michael gives - literally - a side by side comparison of where the recorded words of these men coincide and deviate from each other. This is done with a scholarly and impartial aspect, without context or opinion, through the use of graphs, charts, outlines, and with unembellished backstory.

Jesus and Muhammad: Their Messages, Side-by-Side by Louis St Michael is almost a marvel, and it's absolutely mind-boggling to imagine how St Michael was able to produce such a work in a clean and concise manner. It's been pigeonholed into the genre of religious and philosophical non-fiction, but truly, Jesus and Muhammad: Their Messages, Side-by-Side reads like an accessible piece of academia. The side-by-side format allows for instant comparison with little more than the flick of a page. I can see this book being very useful to anyone needing a quick, fact-based resource, as well as those with an interest in learning more about the two fastest growing, influential, and relevant religions of the world. That St Michael achieves this without the usual bias found in such works lends further credence to its usefulness in any conversation on the topic. Highly recommended and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life: A Power that Transforms Lives is a non-fiction Christian Worship and Prayer book written by Horace Williams, Jr. Williams had not had much of a relationship with God until he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side and bedridden. While he lay there in agony and fear, he began to call out to God. Others, family and friends, also prayed to God for his recovery, and slowly he began to regain the ability to walk, to speak without slurring, and to write a book. Williams answers many questions in his book, including what prayer is, when and how often should one pray and how forgiveness impacts one's relationship with God. Each chapter in his book addresses a power imparted through and by prayer, starting with the Power of Forgiveness and the Power of Faith and concluding with the Power of Purposeful Prayer. Each chapter contains his thoughts on the subject along with quotes from Scripture, a Power Point that briefly summarizes the topic covered, and a Power-specific prayer.

Horace Williams, Jr.'s non-fiction Christian Worship and Prayer book, Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life: A Power that Transforms Lives, briefly and eloquently explores the benefits of prayer and the richness of having a personal relationship with God. I was moved by his story and appreciated how he shared his own personal experiences throughout the book to help the reader absorb the import of his message. Williams answers a lot of the questions that many have about what prayer actually is, if it works, and why it may seem like God is not listening -- when in fact He really is. The Scriptures Williams quotes work quite well with his topics, and the Power Point summaries are a great way to make sure you've gotten the full message of the chapter. As Williams states, prayer is much more than just repeating Hail Marys or The Lord's Prayer repeatedly. A careful and reflective reading of this work will give the motivated reader a good starting point for establishing their own relationship with God. Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life: A Power that Transforms Lives is most highly recommended.