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Recommend this book:
Wisdom Keeper
My Extraordinary Journey to Unlock the Sacred Within
Chloe Kemp
2024 Finalist
242 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Alex Ndirangu for Readers' Favorite
Is there any truth in the concept of reincarnation or the existence of higher cosmic realms? How may we discover how to harness the strength of this cosmic dimension to reach a higher level of spiritual and mental development? The interesting journey of Chloe Kemp provides answers to these profound questions. She discovers her divine calling, deals with ingrained trauma, abandons a sad lifestyle, and eventually enjoys a more peaceful and healthy life. In her memoir, Wisdom Keeper: My Extraordinary Journey to Unlock the Sacred Within, Chloe Kemp navigates us through her astonishing journey, which is a testament to her unrelenting commitment to exploring new regions of consciousness and to her exceptional capacity for receiving direction from Spirit Guides.
From the first pages of Wisdom Keeper, Chloe Kemp's writing style hooked me. The inventiveness of her work is evidenced by the overall presentation of her conversations. She begins by explaining how she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004 before moving on to discuss how she found consolation in her spiritual life. We can all agree that receiving such a diagnosis is bad for one's mental health. This was not the case for Chloe, who saw this as an opportunity to teach herself some valuable lessons. Her capacity to find light in such a dark situation makes her stand out not only as an emotionally strong person but also as an inspiration to others. I applaud Chloe for selecting the first-person narration method. The discussions and stories are more memorable to the reader when experienced firsthand. Chloe wrote this book in such a way that it provides as many details as possible without becoming weighed down by them. This was my favorite aspect, and I believe it is noteworthy. Anyone yearning for a fresh light in their lives will adore this book.
Is there any truth in the concept of reincarnation or the existence of higher cosmic realms? How may we discover how to harness the strength of this cosmic dimension to reach a higher level of spiritual and mental development? The interesting journey of Chloe Kemp provides answers to these profound questions. She discovers her divine calling, deals with ingrained trauma, abandons a sad lifestyle, and eventually enjoys a more peaceful and healthy life. In her memoir, Wisdom Keeper: My Extraordinary Journey to Unlock the Sacred Within, Chloe Kemp navigates us through her astonishing journey, which is a testament to her unrelenting commitment to exploring new regions of consciousness and to her exceptional capacity for receiving direction from Spirit Guides.
From the first pages of Wisdom Keeper, Chloe Kemp's writing style hooked me. The inventiveness of her work is evidenced by the overall presentation of her conversations. She begins by explaining how she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004 before moving on to discuss how she found consolation in her spiritual life. We can all agree that receiving such a diagnosis is bad for one's mental health. This was not the case for Chloe, who saw this as an opportunity to teach herself some valuable lessons. Her capacity to find light in such a dark situation makes her stand out not only as an emotionally strong person but also as an inspiration to others. I applaud Chloe for selecting the first-person narration method. The discussions and stories are more memorable to the reader when experienced firsthand. Chloe wrote this book in such a way that it provides as many details as possible without becoming weighed down by them. This was my favorite aspect, and I believe it is noteworthy. Anyone yearning for a fresh light in their lives will adore this book.
Recommend this book:
Solo Passage
13 Quests, 13 Questions
Glenda Goodrich
2024 Honorable Mention
244 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Frank Mutuma for Readers' Favorite
Glenda was feeling guilty about her previous life, having abandoned her children to go be with her new lover, Rich. Her life had not been easy, having lost her father to alcoholism at an early age and getting pregnant at the tender age of sixteen. She had decided to keep the baby, which meant marrying Bob Howard at that young age without knowing what it meant to be a wife or a mother. On this quest, she wanted to forgive herself. The wilderness quest was not just for Native Americans; everyone could join in this ritual, connect with Mother Earth, and honor those who came earlier. Anne, the wilderness quest guide, had counseled fasting for four days during the quest and the need to ensure one was well hydrated. To find out how Glenda connects with nature, makes peace with her past, and prepares for the future, get a copy of Solo Passage: 13 Quests, 13 Questions by Glenda Goodrich.
Solo Passage by Glenda Goodrich is a wonderfully written, unique memoir. Glenda vividly describes her emotions and various events in detail. Her description of the wilderness quests was like an adventure without having to leave my couch. This made it entertaining and not just a recitation of her life story. Readers will also appreciate the various themes covered, such as nature, hope, religion, and social issues, all of which are thought-provoking. The flashbacks give us a glimpse into Glenda's past life, and the logical flow of events means there is no confusion for the reader. I also loved the tone and the narration, which are very welcoming. Glenda also used easy-to-understand language, which makes the book accessible to all kinds of readers. I can't wait to read something else by this talented author.
Glenda was feeling guilty about her previous life, having abandoned her children to go be with her new lover, Rich. Her life had not been easy, having lost her father to alcoholism at an early age and getting pregnant at the tender age of sixteen. She had decided to keep the baby, which meant marrying Bob Howard at that young age without knowing what it meant to be a wife or a mother. On this quest, she wanted to forgive herself. The wilderness quest was not just for Native Americans; everyone could join in this ritual, connect with Mother Earth, and honor those who came earlier. Anne, the wilderness quest guide, had counseled fasting for four days during the quest and the need to ensure one was well hydrated. To find out how Glenda connects with nature, makes peace with her past, and prepares for the future, get a copy of Solo Passage: 13 Quests, 13 Questions by Glenda Goodrich.
Solo Passage by Glenda Goodrich is a wonderfully written, unique memoir. Glenda vividly describes her emotions and various events in detail. Her description of the wilderness quests was like an adventure without having to leave my couch. This made it entertaining and not just a recitation of her life story. Readers will also appreciate the various themes covered, such as nature, hope, religion, and social issues, all of which are thought-provoking. The flashbacks give us a glimpse into Glenda's past life, and the logical flow of events means there is no confusion for the reader. I also loved the tone and the narration, which are very welcoming. Glenda also used easy-to-understand language, which makes the book accessible to all kinds of readers. I can't wait to read something else by this talented author.
Recommend this book:
Rise of the Reader
Strategies For Mastering Your Reading Habits and Applying What You Learn
Nick Hutchison
2024 Bronze Medal
287 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Renee Guill for Readers' Favorite
Rise of the Reader: Strategies For Mastering Your Reading Habits and Applying What You Learn by Nick Hutchison is an informative self-help book. He gives you lots of ideas on how to become a better reader and why you need to. He uses his personal experiences to show how his ideas work. He also gives pro tips for each one. There are quotes from other people to help prove his point. The author also uses other self-help books to explain his ideas. He discusses things like what habits to change to help you become a happier person.
I thought that Rise of the Reader was quite interesting and had some fascinating ideas. I have to admit, the title was initially a bit confusing to me. The second half of the book seemed like it was about how to be a better person, not about being a better reader. However, I absolutely loved his "book baby" idea. I will never read books the same way again, so thank you for that, Nick. I liked how he suggested a lot of books. The format was nice, it made it easier to read. I also liked that he gave suggestions on brands to use because it is easier to look up a product that way. I also loved the quotes that Nick Hutchison used; my favorite was from Oprah Winfrey. If you need tips on how to read better or tips on your personal growth, I highly recommend this book. It's also good if you're an entrepreneur because the author has a lot of tips for starting a business too.
Rise of the Reader: Strategies For Mastering Your Reading Habits and Applying What You Learn by Nick Hutchison is an informative self-help book. He gives you lots of ideas on how to become a better reader and why you need to. He uses his personal experiences to show how his ideas work. He also gives pro tips for each one. There are quotes from other people to help prove his point. The author also uses other self-help books to explain his ideas. He discusses things like what habits to change to help you become a happier person.
I thought that Rise of the Reader was quite interesting and had some fascinating ideas. I have to admit, the title was initially a bit confusing to me. The second half of the book seemed like it was about how to be a better person, not about being a better reader. However, I absolutely loved his "book baby" idea. I will never read books the same way again, so thank you for that, Nick. I liked how he suggested a lot of books. The format was nice, it made it easier to read. I also liked that he gave suggestions on brands to use because it is easier to look up a product that way. I also loved the quotes that Nick Hutchison used; my favorite was from Oprah Winfrey. If you need tips on how to read better or tips on your personal growth, I highly recommend this book. It's also good if you're an entrepreneur because the author has a lot of tips for starting a business too.
Recommend this book:
Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up!
Practical Tools for Personal Transformation
Lynn Lok-Payne
2024 Silver Medal
308 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up! by Lynn Lok-Payne takes a look at how gratitude, joy, and love influence overcoming personal and emotional obstacles. She recounts her experiences with grief, such as the loss of her husband and a house fire, speaking on how gratitude, supported by her support network, facilitated her healing. Lok-Payne leans into practical methods to cultivate gratitude, including affirmations, journaling, and mindfulness, while lifting up visualization and compassion for achieving joy. She talks about the importance of love, both self-love and unconditional love for others, and suggests practices to avoid comparison and self-judgment. By incorporating examples from public figures and spiritual reflections, Lok-Payne illustrates that love and gratitude enhance emotional and spiritual health, advocating for personal responsibility, compassion, and resilience to foster personal growth and well-being.
In Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up!, Lynn Lok-Payne delivers an insightful and empowering guide to transforming one’s life through gratitude, love, and mindfulness. The writing is both eloquent and pragmatic, comfortably integrating personal anecdotes with practical strategies, with each chapter ending with a mixed tape song playlist that's just loads of fun. Lok-Payne’s exploration of self-love and emotional responsibility is a standout to me and I dog-eared the page on how our internal dialogue shapes our reality. As a British/South Asian reader, I am particularly moved by the use of Malala Yousafzai's story as an example of courage and resilience, which came across as extremely relatable. Every piece of advice that Lok-Payne writes is actionable and she tells us what needs to be done, and how. Overall, Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up! is a thoughtful, thought-provoking read that inspires authenticity, compassion, and a proactive stance on personal development. Very highly recommended.
Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up! by Lynn Lok-Payne takes a look at how gratitude, joy, and love influence overcoming personal and emotional obstacles. She recounts her experiences with grief, such as the loss of her husband and a house fire, speaking on how gratitude, supported by her support network, facilitated her healing. Lok-Payne leans into practical methods to cultivate gratitude, including affirmations, journaling, and mindfulness, while lifting up visualization and compassion for achieving joy. She talks about the importance of love, both self-love and unconditional love for others, and suggests practices to avoid comparison and self-judgment. By incorporating examples from public figures and spiritual reflections, Lok-Payne illustrates that love and gratitude enhance emotional and spiritual health, advocating for personal responsibility, compassion, and resilience to foster personal growth and well-being.
In Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up!, Lynn Lok-Payne delivers an insightful and empowering guide to transforming one’s life through gratitude, love, and mindfulness. The writing is both eloquent and pragmatic, comfortably integrating personal anecdotes with practical strategies, with each chapter ending with a mixed tape song playlist that's just loads of fun. Lok-Payne’s exploration of self-love and emotional responsibility is a standout to me and I dog-eared the page on how our internal dialogue shapes our reality. As a British/South Asian reader, I am particularly moved by the use of Malala Yousafzai's story as an example of courage and resilience, which came across as extremely relatable. Every piece of advice that Lok-Payne writes is actionable and she tells us what needs to be done, and how. Overall, Wake Up! Change Up! Rise Up! is a thoughtful, thought-provoking read that inspires authenticity, compassion, and a proactive stance on personal development. Very highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
A Smoke and a Song
A Memoir
Sherry Sidoti
2024 Gold Medal
304 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
A Smoke and a Song is a powerful memoir by Sherry Sidoti, who shares her life from childhood to old age. Along the way, we meet her mother, her sisters, and the men she loves. Her childhood was painful with a single mother who was not always there for her girls, leaving Sherry feeling as if she had to be the responsible adult. Throughout her life and up until her mother’s death, their relationship shifts from happy to sad, to angry and pained. Sherry has two sisters who are very different and they are examined in great detail. They do not seem to see or remember things in the same way, but somehow there is always love and a bond between them. Sherry finds it hard to love and is often in a shaky relationship with the men in her life. Through it all, her son Miles always remains her pride and joy. In time Sherry becomes the owner of a Yoga School offering others a learning tool to handle their trauma through meditation. Sherry takes over as their leader and spiritual trainer and is highly regarded after her 20-year career.
A Smoke and a Song will have you crying, laughing, and shaking your head in amazement as you follow along and become a part of Sherry’s story as the words draw you into her reality. This memoir will make you pause and think about your own life in terms of where it has been and where it is going. I found it impossible to stop reading and was amazed at the strength, spirit, pain, love, hurt, and healing that one woman was faced with, yet she managed to find peace and a bright ending. This is a must-read for women from all walks of life who are looking for answers to the frequently asked question: Who am I, and what is my purpose? Please do not pass up this book, but put it on the top of your reading list as you will not regret it.
A Smoke and a Song is a powerful memoir by Sherry Sidoti, who shares her life from childhood to old age. Along the way, we meet her mother, her sisters, and the men she loves. Her childhood was painful with a single mother who was not always there for her girls, leaving Sherry feeling as if she had to be the responsible adult. Throughout her life and up until her mother’s death, their relationship shifts from happy to sad, to angry and pained. Sherry has two sisters who are very different and they are examined in great detail. They do not seem to see or remember things in the same way, but somehow there is always love and a bond between them. Sherry finds it hard to love and is often in a shaky relationship with the men in her life. Through it all, her son Miles always remains her pride and joy. In time Sherry becomes the owner of a Yoga School offering others a learning tool to handle their trauma through meditation. Sherry takes over as their leader and spiritual trainer and is highly regarded after her 20-year career.
A Smoke and a Song will have you crying, laughing, and shaking your head in amazement as you follow along and become a part of Sherry’s story as the words draw you into her reality. This memoir will make you pause and think about your own life in terms of where it has been and where it is going. I found it impossible to stop reading and was amazed at the strength, spirit, pain, love, hurt, and healing that one woman was faced with, yet she managed to find peace and a bright ending. This is a must-read for women from all walks of life who are looking for answers to the frequently asked question: Who am I, and what is my purpose? Please do not pass up this book, but put it on the top of your reading list as you will not regret it.
Recommend this book:
Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self
Shobeir Shobeyri
2023 Finalist
227 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Do you feel stuck in your job or station in life? Do you find it difficult to be happy and can't understand why? You can find the answers to these questions and more in Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self by Shobeir Shobeyri. In this book, Shobeyri explores how physical, mental, and spirit realms come together to form the self. According to the author, our place in the universe is not so insignificant, and our imperfections make us perfect. The book shows you how to negate self-destructive behaviors, understand human nature and analyze its relationships with the soul, self, and ego, harness your focus, balance your ego, and much more. Shobeyri also introduces readers to the "Self-Laws" and the five fundamental principles of humanity.
Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self will give you the tools to be full of self-belief and confidence and live the fulfilling life you've always dreamed of. Shobeir Shobeyri masterfully showcases how the value of our minds comes from its gift of consciousness and offers techniques to master the mind and improve upon your knowledge digestion. Using engaging stories and anecdotes, the author provides examples of the practical applications of the relevant topic and gives valuable insights so readers can master these aspects of themselves to better their lives and be happy. Shobeyri also puts forth well-reasoned arguments in favor of religion and God and why they are sorely needed in this increasingly volatile world. I think even the most skeptical of readers will find these arguments compelling. This is one of the most introspective and enlightening books on self I've ever read. I highly recommend it.
Do you feel stuck in your job or station in life? Do you find it difficult to be happy and can't understand why? You can find the answers to these questions and more in Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self by Shobeir Shobeyri. In this book, Shobeyri explores how physical, mental, and spirit realms come together to form the self. According to the author, our place in the universe is not so insignificant, and our imperfections make us perfect. The book shows you how to negate self-destructive behaviors, understand human nature and analyze its relationships with the soul, self, and ego, harness your focus, balance your ego, and much more. Shobeyri also introduces readers to the "Self-Laws" and the five fundamental principles of humanity.
Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self will give you the tools to be full of self-belief and confidence and live the fulfilling life you've always dreamed of. Shobeir Shobeyri masterfully showcases how the value of our minds comes from its gift of consciousness and offers techniques to master the mind and improve upon your knowledge digestion. Using engaging stories and anecdotes, the author provides examples of the practical applications of the relevant topic and gives valuable insights so readers can master these aspects of themselves to better their lives and be happy. Shobeyri also puts forth well-reasoned arguments in favor of religion and God and why they are sorely needed in this increasingly volatile world. I think even the most skeptical of readers will find these arguments compelling. This is one of the most introspective and enlightening books on self I've ever read. I highly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
Heartspoken
How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire
Elizabeth H Cottrell
2023 Honorable Mention
218 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Maryann Namayi for Readers' Favorite
Heartspoken: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire by Elizabeth H. Cottrell is a nonfiction self-help book that teaches readers how to write notes that connect with others on a deeper level and provide comfort and inspiration. Cottrell offers a comprehensive professional note-writing guide covering everything from business notes to personal letters. She uses the easy-to-remember NOTES formula to facilitate the learning process. This formula provides learners with a structured approach to note writing, enabling them to convey their most sincere emotions and thoughts effectively. Whether writing short notes or letters, her guidance can help readers preserve their heartfelt sentiments while giving them a voice.
Elizabeth H. Cottrell emphasizes the unique value of note writing as a form of communication that goes beyond words to encourage new ideas and connections. She shares her experiences with handwritten notes as powerful tools for building relationships and conveying support, encouragement, love, and gratitude. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Heartspoken also offers insight into the challenges the author faced and overcame. It is an uplifting and engaging read, carefully organized with graphic elements to enhance reader engagement. Each chapter is thoughtfully structured to provide context and understanding. Cottrell’s writing is both informative and inspiring, making this book a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their note-writing skills and build stronger connections through the written word. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking personal or professional growth.
Heartspoken: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire by Elizabeth H. Cottrell is a nonfiction self-help book that teaches readers how to write notes that connect with others on a deeper level and provide comfort and inspiration. Cottrell offers a comprehensive professional note-writing guide covering everything from business notes to personal letters. She uses the easy-to-remember NOTES formula to facilitate the learning process. This formula provides learners with a structured approach to note writing, enabling them to convey their most sincere emotions and thoughts effectively. Whether writing short notes or letters, her guidance can help readers preserve their heartfelt sentiments while giving them a voice.
Elizabeth H. Cottrell emphasizes the unique value of note writing as a form of communication that goes beyond words to encourage new ideas and connections. She shares her experiences with handwritten notes as powerful tools for building relationships and conveying support, encouragement, love, and gratitude. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Heartspoken also offers insight into the challenges the author faced and overcame. It is an uplifting and engaging read, carefully organized with graphic elements to enhance reader engagement. Each chapter is thoughtfully structured to provide context and understanding. Cottrell’s writing is both informative and inspiring, making this book a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their note-writing skills and build stronger connections through the written word. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking personal or professional growth.
Recommend this book:
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Under the Naga Tail
A True Story of Survival, Bravery, and Escape from the Cambodian Genocide
Mae Bunseng Taing, James Taing
2023 Bronze Medal
352 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Under the Naga Tail: A True Story of Survival, Bravery, and Escape from the Cambodian Genocide is a work of non-fiction in the memoir, cultural and psychological subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience for its strong (though non-graphic) content and written by Mae Bunseng Taing with James Taing. As the title suggests, the work conveys the harrowing experience of living through the regime of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, detailing the life of the teenage Mae as he faces wild landscapes to escape his captors. Eventually stranded as a refugee and separated from his family, Mae only has his faith in a brighter tomorrow to help him survive.
Mae Bunseng Taing has partnered wonderfully with his son James Taing to bring this heartfelt and emotionally raw story to life. It encapsulates the life-threatening tension and constant strain in the atmosphere when a person must live under such extreme and fearful conditions. And yet, there’s a beautiful tenderness to the narrative that allows Mae’s bright personality to shine through, offering perspectives of incredible hope and light despite the dark times of his youth and formative years as a young adult especially. This story provides a deeper understanding of the horrifying realities of the Cambodian genocide, allowing privileged readers a better grasp of these incomprehensible horrors. I recommend that people from all walks of life read Under the Naga Tail for its accomplished writing style and to improve their cultural awareness.
Under the Naga Tail: A True Story of Survival, Bravery, and Escape from the Cambodian Genocide is a work of non-fiction in the memoir, cultural and psychological subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience for its strong (though non-graphic) content and written by Mae Bunseng Taing with James Taing. As the title suggests, the work conveys the harrowing experience of living through the regime of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, detailing the life of the teenage Mae as he faces wild landscapes to escape his captors. Eventually stranded as a refugee and separated from his family, Mae only has his faith in a brighter tomorrow to help him survive.
Mae Bunseng Taing has partnered wonderfully with his son James Taing to bring this heartfelt and emotionally raw story to life. It encapsulates the life-threatening tension and constant strain in the atmosphere when a person must live under such extreme and fearful conditions. And yet, there’s a beautiful tenderness to the narrative that allows Mae’s bright personality to shine through, offering perspectives of incredible hope and light despite the dark times of his youth and formative years as a young adult especially. This story provides a deeper understanding of the horrifying realities of the Cambodian genocide, allowing privileged readers a better grasp of these incomprehensible horrors. I recommend that people from all walks of life read Under the Naga Tail for its accomplished writing style and to improve their cultural awareness.
Recommend this book:
A Fraction Stronger
Finding Belief and Possibility in Life’s Impossible Moments
Mark Berridge
2023 Silver Medal
216 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite
A Fraction Stronger: Finding Belief and Possibility in Life’s Impossible Moments is a memoir by Mark Berridge. After sustaining devastating back and bone injuries during a bicycling accident, Mark faced a lengthy hospital stay and nine months in physical rehabilitation. While regaining some of his mobility and navigating through the effects of this sudden disruption to his life, he developed a strategy and philosophy for moving forward in a new direction: “Because it is not about the fall – it is about how we choose to get up.” This well-paced, engagingly written narrative is divided into three topics: Lanterns (seeing possibilities), Angels (moving forward), and Demons (things that could derail us unless we reframe them). Questions after each chapter help the reader focus on a path to recovery.
In A Fraction Stronger, Mark Berridge gives us an inspirational, insightful, and motivational account of his struggle to rebuild not only his physical strength but also his sense of identity and self-worth following a traumatic disruption to the successful career and life path he was on. His advice is phrased in deceptively simple terms: Start by getting through today. Put your heart and soul into the journey. Keep your pathways open. Reach out and in. Face fear. Find moments to help others and yourself. Nurture the “embers” that light your life and give it purpose. Love is a powerful force. I especially liked the definition of bravery: “whatever you need it to be to help you believe.” This is an utterly wonderful read.
A Fraction Stronger: Finding Belief and Possibility in Life’s Impossible Moments is a memoir by Mark Berridge. After sustaining devastating back and bone injuries during a bicycling accident, Mark faced a lengthy hospital stay and nine months in physical rehabilitation. While regaining some of his mobility and navigating through the effects of this sudden disruption to his life, he developed a strategy and philosophy for moving forward in a new direction: “Because it is not about the fall – it is about how we choose to get up.” This well-paced, engagingly written narrative is divided into three topics: Lanterns (seeing possibilities), Angels (moving forward), and Demons (things that could derail us unless we reframe them). Questions after each chapter help the reader focus on a path to recovery.
In A Fraction Stronger, Mark Berridge gives us an inspirational, insightful, and motivational account of his struggle to rebuild not only his physical strength but also his sense of identity and self-worth following a traumatic disruption to the successful career and life path he was on. His advice is phrased in deceptively simple terms: Start by getting through today. Put your heart and soul into the journey. Keep your pathways open. Reach out and in. Face fear. Find moments to help others and yourself. Nurture the “embers” that light your life and give it purpose. Love is a powerful force. I especially liked the definition of bravery: “whatever you need it to be to help you believe.” This is an utterly wonderful read.
Recommend this book:
Butterfly Awakens
A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief
Meg Nocero
2023 Gold Medal
312 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Inspirational
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
Butterfly Awakens: A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief by Meg Nocero takes you on a transformational journey as she shares her experience of dealing with the tragic loss of her mother, a toxic work environment, and bouts with her own health that involve stress, anxiety, and a somatic nervous disorder. Not another memoir about rising up to life’s challenges, you say? Not another, but an extraordinary one. Nocero takes you beyond grief and makes you understand the work she went through in dealing with the pain of losing a mother and navigating a toxic work environment. This is a story not only of loss but of her journey toward healing as she searches for a lighthouse that manifests in her dreams and ultimately leads to her healing and closure. Like a butterfly that emerges from its chrysalis, you witness Nocero transform into a better version of herself.
In her prologue, Nocero asks you to call her 'butterfly' to represent the symbolism aligning her soul, and I’d be happy to call her that. Her memoir is rich in symbolic meaning and it reminds me of that Trina Paulus storybook, Hope for the Flowers. Nocero achieves individuation through self-searching and abandons the old attitudes that stopped her from spreading her wings. As a memoir, Butterfly Awakens demonstrates how we become vulnerable in our connections to those in our lives who passed away and also makes us vulnerable to the loss of stability as it disrupts our patterns. Nocero writes with raw emotion. Her capacity to cope and creative ability to seek change (including writing this book) is so inspiring that it takes solid footing in the notion that our lives must not stop just because we lost someone dearly beloved. You need to move on, but you should always take the memory of those who touched your life with you. Read it and see if it’s just another one of those memoirs. I dare you.
Butterfly Awakens: A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief by Meg Nocero takes you on a transformational journey as she shares her experience of dealing with the tragic loss of her mother, a toxic work environment, and bouts with her own health that involve stress, anxiety, and a somatic nervous disorder. Not another memoir about rising up to life’s challenges, you say? Not another, but an extraordinary one. Nocero takes you beyond grief and makes you understand the work she went through in dealing with the pain of losing a mother and navigating a toxic work environment. This is a story not only of loss but of her journey toward healing as she searches for a lighthouse that manifests in her dreams and ultimately leads to her healing and closure. Like a butterfly that emerges from its chrysalis, you witness Nocero transform into a better version of herself.
In her prologue, Nocero asks you to call her 'butterfly' to represent the symbolism aligning her soul, and I’d be happy to call her that. Her memoir is rich in symbolic meaning and it reminds me of that Trina Paulus storybook, Hope for the Flowers. Nocero achieves individuation through self-searching and abandons the old attitudes that stopped her from spreading her wings. As a memoir, Butterfly Awakens demonstrates how we become vulnerable in our connections to those in our lives who passed away and also makes us vulnerable to the loss of stability as it disrupts our patterns. Nocero writes with raw emotion. Her capacity to cope and creative ability to seek change (including writing this book) is so inspiring that it takes solid footing in the notion that our lives must not stop just because we lost someone dearly beloved. You need to move on, but you should always take the memory of those who touched your life with you. Read it and see if it’s just another one of those memoirs. I dare you.
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