Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Learn to Fly and Become a Pilot! introduces readers to a nonfiction aviation series, The Pilot Career Series, by Vesa Turpeinen, packed with information and guidance for readers with the dream of flying. The author, an experienced pilot and a pilot instructor for a reputable institution, gives readers the guidance they need to discern and make choices when it comes to taking lessons in flying. But there is more to this interesting book than that: he confidently promises readers that they can learn aviation in one year.

In this book, readers learn about the adventure of flying, from small piston airplanes to large passenger transport aircraft, and become enticed by the promise of the experience. The author explains the wonderful benefits of being a pilot and offers tips on choosing the right school to learn the craft. Whether the reader wants this information for themselves, their child, or a loved one, this book has a lot to offer. And the author knows how to captivate readers and keep their attention, letting them know the essentials about piloting and the path they can travel to learn and harness the craft.

While authors writing in the field of their profession tend to offer their services and distract readers with their sales pitches, the author of Learn to Fly and Become a Pilot! dives deep into the meat of the matter and delivers crucial information that readers need to know. The writing is awesome, fluid and accessible. The writing is enriched by the author's vast experience in the field and this experience is deftly woven into the text.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Common Sense Tips for College Student Success by Garrett M. Carter is an informative and insightful book that gives students resources consisting of common sense tips and information that will make their academic journey easier. The book deals with 30 college-related topics spread over six sections, and this read and reflection guide will inform, educate, and entertain readers. The first page has the 'read' which deals with the information and common sense college tips, and the second page has the 'find' which has a word search. There are words underlined from the first page and this activity is helpful when it comes to reinforcing key terms and ideas. Each chapter ends with a 'reflection' space for readers which is useful for recording their thoughts, notes, and takeaways.

This book is engaging and informative, covers diverse topics, and is easy to use, as well as being fun and interesting. The author's experience as a public school teacher and instructor works well when it comes to providing detailed information students need to know. Reading this book will give readers information about 30 topics to help them flourish in a good learning environment. What makes this book fun and interactive are the exercises that run through the text. I like the way the author handles a relevant topic in a different way, making it interesting and interactive instead of sounding preachy. This is definitely a must-read for students pursuing higher education because the resources will help them reach the college finish line.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Private Money Lending: Learn How to Consistently Generate a Passive Income Stream by Gustavo J Gomez, Ph.D. is a groundbreaking book that explores a not-so-well known area of investing — private mortgage lending. In this well-researched and masterfully written book, the author unveils secrets and strategies that will help readers maximize on their investments. This is a book for people who want to consistently generate passive streams of income, people who want to understand what it takes to win in a volatile investment market and people who want to minimize the risk in their investments. The author explains the risks involved in the stock market and how the Federal Reserve policy impacts negatively on investors. But he moves on to provide powerful strategies that will allow readers to make the best choices for their investments.

Gustavo J Gomez, Ph.D. comes across as an expert in the area of generating passive income, an author who puts years of research and information in front of his readers that they need to know. The writing is down-to-earth, a conversational, relaxed style that makes for a delightful read. The reader feels the assurance of reading work from an expert who has invested a lot of time and research in the subject and has uncovered powerful facts and strategies that can help them invest successfully. What I loved so much about this book is the fact that it doesn’t sell a product and the author doesn’t distract readers by inviting them to join some master class. The book itself is a master class. One feels that he has poured all his research into this book in a style that is very accessible to ordinary readers. Private Money Lending: Learn How to Consistently Generate a Passive Income Stream is a priceless gem for those who are interested in transforming their personal finances into streams of passive income.

Reviewed by Charity Tober for Readers' Favorite

Conquering your Stress & Fears: a treatment guide for anxiety and trauma-related disorders by Gustavo Kinrys is an informative guide that is extremely relevant in today's busy world. The book has a very easy to follow format that helps guide readers step-by-step through the healing process. Kinrys encourages readers to utilize natural techniques to overcome stress and fears before turning to conventional medications and treatments. Anxiety, depression and other debilitating mental issues affect millions of people every day. These types of conditions have a huge impact on everyday life and ultimately take the joy out of what could be a very fulfilling life. Kinrys encourages readers to utilize a wide variety of treatment options, including herbs, vitamins and meditation/relaxation techniques. The book provides a clear path and advice for each option offered and the author uses a very encouraging tone to guide readers through each step.

I would recommend Conquering your Stress & Fears to anyone looking for advice on living life to the fullest without all the unnecessary stress and fears that tend to overshadow our everyday existence. The tips and exercises listed in the book by Kinrys are clear and simple and a great way to try out the various methods to see what might work before resorting to traditional medications and treatments from a doctor. Who knows, you just might discover that you have the power inside yourself to combat your own anxieties and demons without medical intervention. I, for one, know that just daily meditation goes a long way in eliminating the negative impact of everyday stress in my own life.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

What is a memoir? Viga Boland puts it quite simply: it’s “a selfie in words.” In this high tech decade of selfie this and selfie that, a popular social media glitch in our society, there isn’t a better way to describe the iconic reality of what a memoir entails. It is, in effect, a story about ME; hence MEmoir; hence Viga Boland’s inspirational and motivational approach in her guide to memoir writing, Don't Write Your MEmoir Without ME!

Memoir author, public speaker, and inspirational memoir mentor, Viga Boland has always felt a powerful bond with the written word. “Words,” she writes, “can build us up or tear us down in seconds. Whichever way they are used, there are lifelong ramifications for all who read or hear them.” Powerful thoughts put into powerful words. So if words have that much power, why put them into the written form? To make our lives, our life stories, to make everything about life count for now and for generations into the future. That’s why memoirs are important. Memoirs teach, they reflect, they inspire, and they motivate. And, as this award winning memoir author points out, “The more personal the memoir, the more universal it is.”

This is a self-help book in many ways. It leads the would-be memoir writer through the process as well as the pros and cons of writing a memoir. It instills in the receptive mind, the importance of ME. After all, what would a MEmoir be without the ME? Viga shares her own insights in a conversational approach, logically presented, and with a dash of humor and reality to entertain. She includes quotes from other authors and memoir writers, as well as an appendix full of memoir examples and reviews she has written about other worthy memoir writing guidebooks. This is not your typical instructional manual. As in her memoirs, and as she frequently insists is a necessary ingredient for all good memoirs, this book both educates and entertains. Well done! As a memoir writer and memoir mentor myself, this book will certainly be referenced many times in the years to come. Thanks for sharing.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I teach English as a second language at a university in China, and I am always reading books that deal with education in my ongoing effort to improve myself, stay current in my field, and in general make my classes more fun and productive. Most of the time the material I read is actually not very useful for the particular circumstances of an ESL class. I keep reading because sooner or later I find a book like Engaging College Students: A Fun And Edgy Guide For Professors by Mike Kowis. I can use this book. I learned a lot from it and I can’t wait to put what I learned into action in my classroom. I already do a lot of the things Mike Kowis talks about in Engaging College Students, and I was happy to learn new ideas about how to make my classes interesting without losing control of them.

I like that Mike Kowis has a clear list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to engaging college students. He then goes on to explain in clear and concise language how you should engage. My big takeaway is that humor is OK, even necessary, to keep students’ attention. I knew this deep down in my subconscious, but have trouble putting it into practice because humor is not a big part of my personality. Engaging College Students: A Fun and Edgy Guide For Professors should be required reading for anyone who wants to step into a classroom and teach college students. It is especially useful to the new teacher and can help him/her develop a style that students will appreciate for years. It is clearly written and very well organized and I was very happy to find a book that I can put into immediate practical use.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Incision Decisions: A Guide to Getting Through Surgery, Recovery, and Your Hospital Stay by Kaye Newton is a helpful guide for readers who are planning to undergo surgery or recovering from it. Planning to undergo surgery is a daunting task and in this book there are many useful and practical tips that one can implement to prepare well and educate themselves about their operation and recuperation. Reading this book will give one the feeling that they are in control and will enable them to make better decisions about their medical care. The author lays to rest the many doubts that linger in the minds of patients before their first major surgery.

The tips and suggestions are simple and based on the issues the author has faced during her surgical experiences and the operations of her family members, along with some discussions with medical professionals, fellow patients, and reviews of accredited hospital websites. The author has done excellent research on the topic and handles it methodically and extensively, making it a beneficial guide to all those who are planning to have major surgery; especially if it is their first one. The topic is relevant yet not written about much, and that makes this book a must-read. The book is informative, educational, and also deals with the emotional and psychological angle of what a patient goes through while in the hospital for a surgical procedure and after one. The book will help readers understand the importance of being actively involved in their medical care.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

It might surprise Pokemon Go fanatics to learn that the man who created the original Pokemon game, Mr. Satoshi Tajiri, has confirmed that he has Asperger's Syndrome, one of the types of autism. In fact, it most likely would surprise many people to realize that some of the most brilliant and famous people in history, like Einstein and Mozart, are thought to have had autism. How terribly sad then to realize, as Jonathan Alderson points out in Challenging the Myths of Autism, that for decades now great numbers of children and adults with autism have been diagnosed as mentally retarded, socially inept and/or reclusive, incapable of showing affection, of having low IQ's, and lacking in imagination and creativity. How important then for someone like Jonathan Alderson to come along and separate the facts from the fiction surrounding autism.

Challenging the Myths of Autism is a book that should be read by everyone involved with autistic children in any way: teachers, educators, medical researchers, doctors, and especially parents need to read this book. Jonathan addresses the myths surrounding seven key behavioral and intelligence issues of autistic children. He begins each chapter quoting some of the erroneous statements made by those considered experts. Next, he'll share a story of an autistic child with whom he has worked, what the child was like when he first met and observed him or her, and how that child grew, changed and thrived when approached as these children need to be approached: with tons of patience, without judgement, and above all, without preconceived ideas based on erroneous, often unsupported or empirical evidence.

In Challenging the Myths of Autism, Jonathan Alderson points out parents and educators need to change their beliefs about learning. They need to look for evidence that learning is happening. He cautions that we need to focus on what autistic people can do and not what they can't i.e. look for the positives instead of zeroing in on the negatives. Really, how different is what he suggests from what we all know children need: time to grow into their own greatness. It just might take longer for that to happen with autistic children, but it can happen. But it won't happen if the adults involved in their lives remain unenlightened. That's why this is such an important book.

I've personally been involved with parents of autistic children. I know how hard it is on both the parents and the child at times. I've witnessed the screaming and the repetitive behaviors. But I've also seen the love these often exhausted parents show for their children. And I've had the pleasure of seeing a child eventually express his or her love for that parent in a way that brought tears to my eyes. Challenging the Myths of Autism will give hope to parents who are running out of it, and alternative approaches to teachers and therapists to use with autistic children in their care. This book was originally released in 2011 by Random House. If you didn't read it back then, read it now. With 1 in 100 children now being diagnosed with autism, it's high time everyone learned the truth so they can better deal with it. The next child to be diagnosed autistic could be your own.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) by Fiza Pathan is a non-fiction educational book. Classics would appeal most to an audience of adults employed in educationally based or teaching positions, parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, as well as anyone else who is working to get a child to read classic literature. Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) by Fiza Pathan is designed to teach people how to get children to read classic literature and to enjoy it without any negative feeling toward the material.

The first thing I liked about Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) was the title Classics. I liked how it got right to the point of the book without any needless wording. I found the organization of the book very helpful to reading and understanding the book and I felt that Fiza Pathan had a writing style that made everything both easy to understand and interesting to the reader. I was interested in reading Classics because I am an after school counselor who works with elementary aged children. The program I work for has access to quite a bit of children’s classic literature, but none of my children are ever interested in it. Classics by Fiza Pathan provided me with all sorts of ideas, guidelines, and techniques for getting my kids interested in classic literature. I am so excited to give what I learned a shot as I feel much better prepared to succeed with the help of Fiza Pathan.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Aunt Phil’s Trunk Volume 5: Bringing Alaska’s History Alive by Laurel Downing Bill is a continuation of a historical look at Alaska’s past. In this book we take a look at the years 1960 through to 1984, brought alive in a series of photographs and stories. We look at how the people started their very first government and follow it through 25 years of history. We talk to people who survived the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964, a massive 9.2, and the tsunamis that wreaked havoc afterwards. We look at the discovery of black gold on the northern slopes and how the Natives fought the biggest battle for their own land and won. The settlement they got paved the way for an oil pipeline to be built through the Alaskan wilderness, stretching for 800 miles. And we look at the evil that tainted the 1980s with no less than six mass murderers.

Aunt Phil’s Trunk Volume 5: Bringing Alaska’s History Alive by Laurel Downing Bill is an amazing addition to the series, all of which I have read and would read again, over and over. Alaska is top of my bucket list and this book, covering more recent times, has brought it all the more to life for me. I love the addition of the photos; they add so much to the book, making it more than just a historical narrative. Together with the entertaining stories, you can really feel the emotions coming off the page, the horror of the earthquake and the tsunamis, the joy of winning the settlement, and the terror of the mass murders; it is all brought vividly to life. An amazing book and I would strongly recommend that the entire series is read in order, although you can read this as a stand-alone.