Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite

Nothing is more terrifying for a mother than losing her child. Kathleen's 39-year-old son, Chad, took his own life on October 14, 2014. Since that fateful day, Kathleen's life has drastically changed. She spent three horrifying years immersed in intense grief, anger, and guilt. Kathleen was already familiar with difficulties and hardships. She was married to a Vietnam veteran dealing with PTSD. The abusive marriage left her with many scars, and Kathleen found escape in writing and praying to God. In October Will Never Be the Same, Kathleen Janz-Anderson opens her heart and tries to understand what led her beloved son to his untimely death. Kathleen explains how to cope with grief, gives recommendations regarding grief groups, shares her experience with different therapists, and advises concerning medium interference. October Will Never Be the Same is a heartbreaking and inspirational account of grief and bravery for those who suffer the loss of a loved one and readers who want to understand what a grieving parent is going through.

Kathleen Janz-Anderson is a gifted poet; her writing style is lyrical and beautiful. Kathleen shares many amazing, emotional poems in October Will Never Be the Same. They help us understand her traumatic experience and deep pain. It's hard to imagine what courage and inner strength it took for Kathleen to share these deeply personal experiences. From this book, we learn how to support grieving parents who have lost their children. Kathleen describes the stages of grief in her deeply emotional diary entries. She graciously admits that her reactions to triggers, which bring traumatic memories back, could be disturbing for people around her. Her kindness and wisdom are overwhelming. I appreciated Kathleen's thoughts about God, His will, and the power of prayer. She explains with simple words the essence of humans' free will and our relationship with God. October Will Never Be the Same leaves a lasting impression and helps heal even the deepest wounds of those enduring pain, loss, and grief.

Reviewed by Adanna Ora for Readers' Favorite

Raymond Thompson, also known as Li'l Ray, was the most feared and revered drug lord in all of South Florida. He controlled millions of dollars from the sale of hard drugs and other businesses in Miami. He was also one of the most investigated people in Miami at the time and a hard nut for the police to crack. On a fateful day, Raymond was arrested and given a death sentence for the murder of his associates and his connections with other crimes. What led to the downfall of this enigmatic, heavily guarded, and wealthy man? Eric Sande, who had only heard of Raymond Thompson in stories, had the opportunity to meet physically with him while he was still on death row and had the rare privilege of hearing first-hand Ray's life experiences and how his life took an anti-climactic turn. Eric turned these notes on Ray's life into The Real King of Miami. Here, we see Raymond Thompson from different angles: as an astute businessman, a trusting friend, an inspiring leader, and a great family man. We also see the ruthless side of him in his dealings with traitors and snitches. Find out more about the life and times of Raymond Thompson in this amazing book, The Real King of Miami.

One of the things I admired about The Real King of Miami is the organizational structure, where the author begins Ray's story from the end and takes us back to the beginning for a better understanding. I appreciated the ease with which one can read The Real King of Miami. There is a mix of first-person and omniscient points of view, which readers will recognize and connect with. Unlike stories of other criminals, we see Raymond in a different light: as a person who can be vulnerable and has other qualities that the public may not know. Above all, readers learn a great deal from reading this book as people can see the repercussions of involving themselves in illicit ventures and the dangers of associating with the wrong people. The Real King of Miami entertains, educates, and makes people reflect on the impact of their choices. This is a must-read for true crime fans.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Petals From Mars by Judie Dziezak details the author’s personal journey of resilience and triumph over adversity. Dziezak shares her experiences growing up with a mentally ill mother and the emotional abuse she endured, which later shaped her ability to navigate male-dominated professional fields as an adult. Through reflections on power struggles, betrayal, and inner strength, Dziezak’s story is one of self-discovery, compassion, and self-love, offering readers an inspiring look at how adversity can lead to growth and empowerment. Dziezak's memoir is packed with raw emotion, and there’s a graceful balance of bold descriptions of her personal experiences alongside a compassionate tone that means we’re never overwhelmed by the intensity of her struggles.

Judie Dziezak’s voice is both compassionate and honest from cover to cover, making difficult topics like abuse and disempowerment approachable while offering hope and inspiration through a wise and emphatic tone. Her skillful use of gentle reflection transforms the memoir from a simple recounting of personal hardship into an exploration of resilience, healing, and growth that everyone can relate to, giving readers a powerful blueprint for overcoming adversity in their own lives and looking for strength within themselves. I thought the memoir had a strong and accessible structure, blending the after-effects of traumatic life events with the pressure of new professional challenges. This shows how the path from victimhood to self-empowerment is never smooth, but is a process that can be endured and overcome with patience, strength, and time. Overall, Petals From Mars is a highly recommended read for anyone seeking well-penned, inspiring words to bring them strength to overcome life’s struggles.

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Truth Gives Strength To Wings: It’s All in the Journal by Katy Sudano and Ginger Green is the harrowing non-fiction memoir of a girl who, with all odds stacked against her, was able to fly. The book begins with the heartbreaking revelation that young Sydney was being sexually abused, repeatedly, by her step-father. Worse still, her mother was witness to an unconscionable act and through a blend of denial and about-face is somehow able to sweep it under the rug. By all outward appearances, Sydney was living a life of style and luxury. Internally, she was emotionally ravaged in ways that few are able to overcome to survive. Her family and those she thought loved her harbored a secret disgust through flagrant and unapologetic victim-blaming. Her life goes from bad to worse when a volleyball match ends with a violent assault and a future that appears to further a bleak existence as she tries to flee an abusive husband with her toddler son.

First and foremost, Truth Gives Strength to Wings is a story of courage. Katy Sudano has lived fifty lives and survived them all, which is an overwhelming accomplishment on its own. Even more astounding is that she has parlayed her pain into a book that will speak volumes to others who are trapped in similar circumstances, and has devoted her life to advocacy. The writing is engrossing and relatable even when the situations cannot possibly be. The reliance on a secret imaginary friend, Zoryia, to carry her through the worst storms provides an interesting alternate look as Zoryia morphs into an alter-ego and acts as a source of refuge through the darkest moments. This is an incredible book and a truly inspirational journey that will be enjoyed by all those brave enough to pick it up.

Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers' Favorite

Women of the Wind tells a fascinating and heartbreaking true story of neglect, abandonment, abuse, and abduction. Angela Gail Griffin shares her mother's family's childhood memories and tales that she passed down to her. The recollections span three generations of women intertwined with 19th- and 20th-century Georgia history. Mildred May Robinson, Angela's grandmother, was a neglected and unwanted child. When Mildred was a baby, her birth mother, Lula, did something unspeakable to her that no mother should ever do. Fortunately, a loving family rescued and adopted Mildred just in time and loved her as their own. This book is about Mildred's marriage to a horrible, abusive man and their children, who all fought for a better life. It's also about Mildred's birth mother, Lula, her life, and how the ill-treatment affected Mildred as an adult.

In Women of the Wind, Angela Gail Griffin paints a riveting portrait of three generations of remarkable women, packed with thirty-two beautiful photographs. It's a well-researched book and a must-read for everyone. It follows the women through their lives together, through hard times and suffering, revealing their strength and resilience. Angela Gail Griffin has amazingly pieced together personal and thought-provoking stories that will move, shock, and inspire you. By rewriting her great-grandmother's history, the author lets you decide if Lula deserves forgiveness for what she did to Mildred. This book is a masterpiece, showing how some women survived hardships with their humanity intact and excelled in life. I recommend this book to all mothers, as it's also about how a mother's love saved all her daughters.

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

My Life Isn't Perfect, But My Testimony Is... I Don't Look Like What I've Been Through is the personal memoir of Michelle M. Brown. Growing up in North Carolina, Michelle suffers a devastating tragedy at the tender age of three when her mother unexpectedly passes away. Raised by her grandparents, Michelle's childhood was far from being free of turmoil. She was bullied and discriminated against in school because of her skin color and had a brother who had his own share of problems due to a developmental disorder. After graduation from high school, she enrolls in college, where she meets her future husband. However, soon after marriage, he was deployed in Korea, leaving her with her in-laws in Maryland. Throughout those turbulent years, her faith helped her overcome some significant challenges, including a heart condition that she miraculously survived.

A heartbreaking yet inspiring tale showcasing the resilient spirit of humans, My Life Isn't Perfect, But My Testimony Is... I Don't Look Like What I've Been Through is a riveting read from start to finish. Author Michelle M. Brown gives an unflinching account of her life, focusing on significant times where her faith helped her overcome overwhelming odds. She lost two of her most loving and caring paternal figures at a very young age, was subjected to bullying as a child and struggled with health issues most of her adult life. Yet, every step of the way, she persevered with a strong will and unwavering faith that saw her through. If you're looking for an inspirational memoir, this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Parul Sood for Readers' Favorite

Monologues for Young Adults by Mike Kimmel is an important read for those who are interested in the performing arts. Specifically aimed at actors aged 14-22, this book is filled with original and professional monologues that are sure to captivate the attention of any audience. Kimmel has done a fantastic job of creating a diverse range of characters and situations that are relevant and relatable to young adults. The book includes 60 monologues that cover a wide range of emotions, from funny and lighthearted to serious and thought-provoking.

One of the strengths of Monologues for Young Adults is the attention to detail in each monologue. The characters are well-developed, and the dialogue is authentic and engaging. Mike Kimmel has a great talent for capturing the voices of young adults, and the monologues are written in a way that allows actors to connect with their characters and bring them to life on stage. Another standout feature is the variety of topics covered. From social media and relationships to mental health and identity, there is something for everyone in this book. The monologues are also great for auditioning, with many of them being around two minutes long, making them perfect for showcasing an actor's range and versatility. I highly recommend this book to actors, acting coaches, and drama teachers. It is well-written, engaging, and provides a great resource for young actors looking to improve their craft. The monologues are diverse and nuanced, and provide a great opportunity for performers to explore a range of emotions and characters.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

The Man Who Hacked the World: A Ghostwriter’s Descent into Madness with John McAfee by Alex Cody Foster is a fascinating insight into the world of one of the most notorious and misunderstood software geniuses, John McAfee. The book is neatly split into two halves. The first section tells the story of the author’s descent into madness in his early twenties. Deciding to hitch-hike across America, and while filming a documentary highlighting the plight of the homeless in Los Angeles, he becomes part of the great tide of unwashed wandering the streets of Venice Beach searching for food, companionship, and most importantly searching for purpose. The second half of the story focuses on his recruitment into team McAfee, as he joins the software billionaire in his constant attempts to escape private people and government representatives determined to close him down or terminate him. As McAfee’s ghostwriter, Foster enters a world he could only imagine in his wildest dreams; a world of wealth, power, glamour, and intense paranoia. Alex is determined to write the true story of the McAfee legend but will circumstances and, indeed, McAfee allow him to do so?

The Man Who Hacked the World is, in many ways, a cautionary tale but also a deeply moving and educational journey. Author Alex Cody Foster has already plumbed the depths of despair in his descent into madness and he comes out the other side full of certainty, conviction, and a desire to seek the truth regardless of the potential consequences. This is a powerful narrative that readers will be instantly swept up in and carried along until its somewhat inevitable conclusion. What I particularly appreciated about this work was the author’s sidebar conversations with himself about morality, love, purpose, and life in general. He poses and attempts to answer, through both his and McAfee’s actions, some of the big questions we ask ourselves, especially about selfishness, love, and redemption. As one of the few individuals prepared to stand up to McAfee’s bullying tactics and overwhelming presence, the author sets himself apart from almost all the coterie of sycophants who surrounded McAfee at the time. This gave him the unique opportunity to examine the man in minute detail and reach some rather startling conclusions about McAfee, government, society, and humanity in general. I found this story unforgettable and utterly impossible to put down. I can highly recommend this read.

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Truth Gives Strength To Wings: It’s All in the Journal by Katy Sudano and Ginger Green is the harrowing non-fiction memoir of a girl who, with all odds stacked against her, was able to fly. The book begins with the heartbreaking revelation that young Sydney was being sexually abused, repeatedly, by her step-father. Worse still, her mother was witness to an unconscionable act and through a blend of denial and about-face is somehow able to sweep it under the rug. By all outward appearances, Sydney was living a life of style and luxury. Internally, she was emotionally ravaged in ways that few are able to overcome to survive. Her family and those she thought loved her harbored a secret disgust through flagrant and unapologetic victim-blaming. Her life goes from bad to worse when a volleyball match ends with a violent assault and a future that appears to further a bleak existence as she tries to flee an abusive husband with her toddler son.

First and foremost, Truth Gives Strength to Wings is a story of courage. Katy Sudano has lived fifty lives and survived them all, which is an overwhelming accomplishment on its own. Even more astounding is that she has parlayed her pain into a book that will speak volumes to others who are trapped in similar circumstances, and has devoted her life to advocacy. The writing is engrossing and relatable even when the situations cannot possibly be. The reliance on a secret imaginary friend, Zoryia, to carry her through the worst storms provides an interesting alternate look as Zoryia morphs into an alter-ego and acts as a source of refuge through the darkest moments. This is an incredible book and a truly inspirational journey that will be enjoyed by all those brave enough to pick it up.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Lewis Kempfer’s 120 Seats in a Boiler Room: The Creation of a Courageous Professional Theater is a non-fiction drama that would appeal most to a diverse audience of adults and young adults with an interest in learning about how the Boiler Room Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee, came to exist. Four friends set out to find a location for their theater company and discovered it in a rundown boiler room that they transformed into the “scrappy little theater that could”. Are you ready not only to learn about the Boiler Room Theatre but also the ins and outs of theater management?

Lewis Kempfer’s 120 Seats in a Boiler Room is a well-written account that offers the perfect blend of guide and memoir in one book. I quite enjoyed how the author shared the transformational journey of the theater as well as all sorts of tips on theater management. I found the success of the little theater to be both inspiring and motivating as it showed how hard work can really pay off. I had no idea about everything that was involved in creating and managing a theater. I found the parts on understudies, media relations, and staffing to be the most interesting. I had no idea how vital understudies could be to a theater as I thought they were just wannabe actors. I truly enjoyed this behind-the-scenes tour that the author took me on and after finishing the book, I feel as if the guidance offered could be applied to many small start-ups regardless of their industry.