Reviewed by Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite

Pants Optional by Carol Steingreaber is a humorous memoir about life, motherhood, and the comical situations that develop when living in a large family. Carol is the youngest in a family of eight, until her little sister is born. Her little sister is not only a surprise baby, but she is also the one who seizes Carol's role as Queen of the Family. This book follows Carol as she finds her place in her family, and years later, as a mother of her own children. Each story has a beautiful and underlying theme; it is imperative in life to keep a keen sense of humor! As suggested by the title, Carol has found herself in laugh-out-loud ridiculous situations that take a special person to see just how absurd life can be. This book will speak to any mother out there that, like Carol, sometimes struggles to fit within the norm, and doesn't mind it one bit when she doesn't!

Pants Optional by Carol Steingreaber is a comical look on life, highlighting motherhood's more humorous moments. I loved reading this book! I couldn't stop laughing! Having come from a slightly smaller family than Carol's, I felt her sibling angst. As she related her motherhood experiences, I laughed myself to tears! It felt great to know that I wasn't the only "kooky" mother out there that may have taken things to extremes as a new parent. I loved her recollections of family moments. Her Unconventional Tips truly do have their merits. I believe that my favorite story was her first mammogram. It was so hilarious; I had to share it with my mom. This book is perfect for any mother, young or old, new or experienced; everyone will find something entertaining within its pages!

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Where do I begin? First let me say that this is a good book. It is a snapshot of a time and a place and a life. To me it is fascinating. The Man Called Red by N.B. "Red" Sorensen takes place in another country (Canada). It is a different era than the one I grew up in. The environment, the weather, the climate, everything is different when compared to Alabama…and yet this life feels familiar. The people in it feel familiar and this style of jumping into life head on seems very much like something I would do. Red Sorensen is a unique individual and he writes about his life in a style that is fresh, interesting, and very easy and pleasant to read about. This is not the autobiography of someone at the center of world shattering events, but it is a very moving story about an interesting man.

From the incident where a runaway milk wagon causes the porch roof to come down on his baby carriage, to the terrible time of his wife’s illness, Red Sorensen tells the story of his life in a warm and very approachable manner. In this day and age, we are fond of saying that everyone is beautiful and that all lives are interesting. It seems to me that this devalues the life of someone like Red who has taken the road less traveled for most of his life. I highly recommend this autobiography. You don’t have to be famous to have had a powerful and meaningful life. Great writing and a great story.

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Gathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey through Adoption, Adversity, and a Reading Disability by T.A. McMullin is the author's incredible memoir describing her journey, the endless challenges she had to face, and the people that touched her life along the way. Terry was adopted by a family that never made her feel fully loved or accepted. When she was just nine and they discovered that she had learning challenges, they sent her off to a foster home instead of showing her support. Without anyone she could fully count on to be there for her unconditionally, she learned to turn to God at a very early age and to be self-reliant. But no matter how many misfortunes and challenges she faced, which were endless, she never gave up on her dreams. With a few acts of kindness offered to her along the way, Terry went on to travel one of the most inspiring life journeys.

Gathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey through Adoption, Adversity, and a Reading Disability by T.A. McMullin is a deeply touching read meant to inspire all those who are going through tough times. There are many lessons to be learned from Terry's struggles and her never-give-up attitude. Her journey sends a strong message; no matter how many times life beats you down, get up and fight back; yes, the tough times will keep coming but as long as you have not given up, you have not lost the fight. And always turn to God and trust Him to guide you through even your darkest hour. Her story also honors the selfless heroes that open their hearts and touch the lives of others; your kindness is not in vain and Terry's story is true testimony to this. Gathering Courage is a truly moving read that will touch many hearts and positively inspire them to touch the lives of others.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality is a non-fiction autobiography written by Todd Newton. The author is an Emmy award-winning host who began following his passion when he was a child. Indeed, his first tale describes a classic scene where a plane-flying stunt delighted his fifth-grade classmates and sent his beleaguered teacher into paroxysms of anger. Newton loved interacting with an audience and converted his admiration for the St. Louis DJs he grew up with into a stint at being a DJ himself. To break into the field, he went the route of being an unpaid intern at a commercial station as well as taking the graveyard shift no one wanted at his college. Eventually, the unexpected and virtually unprecedented absence of a DJ one day meant that the intern, who had washed the station's van and did just about every odd job around the station, got to do a show of his own. Newton talks about the DJs who helped him hone his craft and were so inspirational for him. He also discusses how a summer stint hosting a tour of male strippers when he was seventeen introduced him to the "rush of adrenaline" he would experience each time he delivered his words through the sound system. And in those moments, his passion gained direction.

Todd Newton's non-fiction autobiography, The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality, is told through a series of memoirs about his life, his family, and the marvelous interaction he has had with those excited people who come up on the stage during a game show that he's hosting. His stories are delivered in the first person, and I couldn't shake the feeling that Newton was actually in the room sharing each memory with a smile and a gleam in his eye as he spoke. His writing voice speaks that directly to the reader, and his stories are memorable, authentic, and often had me smiling. The tale entitled, Services Rendered. Pay the Man is a marvelous recreation of his experience when, as a young DJ, he was sent to the grand opening of a live music venue along with a mentor, the classic SOUL 63 DJ, The Real Jr, and it has to be considered one of my favorites in the collection. Tattooed in Hell, an homage to the tattoo artists whose work adorns Newton's body, is a treasure trove of information about tattooing and tattoo devotees, and it includes a classic and hilarious account of the Sailor Jerry Girl tattoos and his awful experience with getting a tattoo on his ribs. I had a grand time reading this collection of memoirs, and by the time I had finished I felt as though I had been listening to the stories of an old friend; one whose conversation is honest, invigorating and brilliant. The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Anna Smith for Readers' Favorite

Being Selfish: My Journey from Escort to Monk to Grandmother is Sarah Marshank’s memoir about her spiritual and physical journey to find answers to life’s most burning questions. Who is God? What is religion? Is sex an instrument of love? Should it only be shared between two homogeneous people? Or can it be shared with anyone and everyone for the right price? Marshank looks to her background to find the answers to these questions. But she was raised in a middle class family as a conservative Jew and politically liberal. She didn’t feel that her life prepared her for the answers that she needed to make tough decisions. So she chronicled her journey and shared her touching memoir with others to inspire, educate, and start a conversation about the true purpose of a person’s life.

Being Selfish is an inspirational story that tackles important life questions with clarity, sincerity, and an honesty that is refreshing and appreciated. I loved Marshank’s approach and writing style. It was clear and to the point. She tackled tough subject matter with grace, but never sugar coated anything that she had to say. I absolutely loved this book and think others will really fall in love with its honest and refreshing style. The idea that one woman could overcome so much in her life is inspiring! I felt motivated to look deep into my own life and reflect on where I’ve come from and where I’m heading, which I think is one of the missions that this memoir sets out to accomplish. Fantastic job!

Reviewed by Samantha Rivera for Readers' Favorite

The Holocaust is a terrible event in world history that nearly everyone has heard of. It’s a story of betrayal, death, desertion and evil finding a place in the hearts of friends and even family. Children of Terror will show you the way the war and the events that occurred during the German invasion really affected the world of two young children who will never be able to go back to the way things were. Leaving their homes, traveling to concentration camps, and even to America has changed them in ways that were unimaginable to them as small children when the war began. This is a story that will not be easy to forget and it’s one I know I won’t forget. It’s the story of two little girls who grew up long before their time.

Bozenna Gilbride was a young Catholic Polish girl when the Nazis invaded her homeland. Though often not considered when one thinks of the Holocaust, the Polish people were also treated badly and herded into concentration and labor camps as well. Bozenna was one of those unlucky children. Inge’s story is one that we’ve likely heard more about (as a Jewish girl). Both of these girls, however, had their entire world changed by one man, the same man, and they will never be the same again. It’s truly a heart-wrenching story and it’s one that you won’t be able to forget easily. Children of Terror by Inge Auerbacher and Bozenna Urbanowicz Gilbride is a new way of looking at an old story of hatred and evil.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Initiation (A Harem Boy's Saga Book 1) by Bernard Foong is an absolutely fascinating glimpse into the lives of the ultra-rich and jet-setting Saudi Arabians from the point of the view of a young gay boy from Malaysia. Bernard Foong has changed the names of people in the book for confidentiality reasons and he goes by the name of Young in the book. The story starts with a description of Young’s childhood and early years in Malaysia in a well-to-do family, and describes life in a Malaysian household with a loving mother and a distant father. Young soon realizes that he is gay, which creates a further rift from his father. Eventually, Young is sent to an exclusive private boarding school in England for further studies. Once there, he is recruited into a secret underground society called E.R.O.S. that specializes in providing young teenage boys to wealthy Arab households to become a part of their harem in exchange for a lavish lifestyle and expensive gifts. This is the first book in this series and describes Young’s experiences in his first Saudi household, along with his travels and experiences in London, Paris, Venice, etc.

Bernard Foong has written a mesmerizing story that almost feels unreal and unbelievable in this modern day and age. However, every part of it is a true story that happened over 40 years ago, and which made me wonder if some of these things still occur in certain parts of the world. I am sure this could not have been an easy story to tell, and full credit goes to Bernard for fearlessly and courageously opening up to the world with a personal and intimate account of his early years. I loved Bernard’s writing style which is extremely engaging and natural, and almost made me feel like I was engaged in a conversation with him instead of reading a book. This is an absolutely fascinating read and I cannot wait to read the remaining books in this series. I would very highly recommend it.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter delivers everything you would expect from its title, and so much more. Doctor A. Avraham Perlmutter has crafted a no-holds-barred account of his life during World War II as an Austrian Jew who witnessed and survived many of the horrors that post-war children, such as myself, have grown up learning about in school. Though he was sent away for his own (albeit relative) safety to live in the Netherlands at the start of the war, Perlmutter recounts the horrific fate that befell almost all of his extended family in the Nazi concentration camps, and his own struggle to evade arrest by the Germans simply for being who he was.

This beautifully crafted tale makes for compelling and exciting reading, even in the protagonist’s post-war struggle, which demonstrates the amazing things he was able to achieve after such a difficult childhood. With incredible visual additions such as genuine photographs and documentation from the wartime and beyond, Determined is a rich and fascinating read for anyone with a passionate interest in history. More than that, though, it’s a story about humanity and, as its title suggests, the basic human determination to survive whatever the odds. Those who are already avid fans of true wartime stories will revel in the meticulous detail that A. Avraham Perlmutter brings to his life story. However, I also think that anyone who wishes to be inspired by the sheer fortitude of the human spirit will come out of this book deeply saddened, but also satisfied that, sometimes at least, hope can prevail over the most unspeakable evils.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Relapse by Jake Anderson begins with an admission that, like a good fisherman, he would have become a proud alcoholic. But before he could become addicted to alcohol, skate boarding became his close companion and his “first addiction.” A horrible accident separates him from skateboarding forever and he gets involved with fishing to save his life from despair. He tells about the tragic loss of his father, and how he gets more into fishing. In that process he becomes an ace in handling such vessels and joins part of a popular TV show, falls in love, and of course, with a few more events to follow on more or less expected lines and some otherwise, these anecdotes are told with élan and make for interesting reading.

Relapse by Jake Anderson is an honest narration of a life unlucky to have had personal tragedies, but lucky enough to be always linked with action. Relapse also is a true reflection of that fast pace, clearly visible in this written picture. The compulsions that haunt the author, thoughts about his inadequacy popping up whenever he is in a pensive mood, his penchant to get involved in action whenever the demand so arose, and other facets of his adventurous life make good reading. With just enough description, honest and fast paced, and mostly sticking to the point, this collection of experiences tells us a lot about the man and his environs.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Readers' Favorite

In I Never Stopped Smiling: The Inspirational Autobiography of Kevin Daley, formerly known as Harlem Globetrotter great ‘Special K,’ author Kevin Daley shares his incredible story in an effort to inspire us all to overcome disappointment and challenges in our own lives, allowing us to become an inspiration to others. Kevin recounts his tumultuous journey to success, starting with his mother’s suicide when he was only 3 years old. “Every New Year’s Eve, I would be out on the court waiting for midnight so I could say I was the first person in the world to make a basket that year.” He overcomes adversity on many levels and becomes a Guinness Book of World Records holder and achieves international fame as the captain of the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters. Today he is a motivational speaker and campaigns against bullying.

Kevin’s writing will grab your heart and make you feel his disappointment and frustration as he sat on the bench during college, and will make you laugh as he describes his first job - dressed in an Easter Bunny costume. I Never Stopped Smiling is written with passion, wit, depth and insight. It is told in a conversational style of writing that makes you feel as if you are sitting in the room with him. And, like any great conversation, you will not want it to stop and will feel that time just flew by when you hit the last page. Kevin Daley’s autobiography is a very enjoyable read and his positive thinking and determination will be an inspiration to all readers.