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Recommend this book:
Mapito
Embrace Yourself
Chani Getter
2025 Gold Medal
236 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Stewart Brian for Readers' Favorite
Mapito: Embrace Yourself by Chani Getter is a well-written book that offers individuals a deeper connection to accepting and loving everything about themselves. This book is divided into five crucial parts. Each part discusses topics that are essential to embracing oneself, which include understanding, knowing, being, feeling, and integrating. The author emphasizes the impact change could have on a person from personal experience. It requires hard work, patience, and kindness to oneself during the process. The book covers grief and how to apply the process of change, to grieve for what no longer works while embracing what is changing. The book further explores the concept of attachment and authenticity, how they compete with each other, and the four kinds of attachment styles, which include secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized attachment.
This book offered me some life-changing tools that have transformed how I see myself for good. I found most of the clients' stories to be very similar to mine, making the writing appeal more deeply to me. I also loved that the author shared from their personal experiences and interactions with clients, which made the writing engaging. The writing is well-organized, detailed, easy to comprehend, and straightforward. The stories featured were excellently paced and full of humor, which proved Chani to be a skilled and intentional writer. This book features themes of self-love, self-acceptance, grief, and more. I loved the reflection section, as it allowed me to carry out self-assessments on the topics discussed. I highly recommend Mapito by Chani Getter to anyone struggling with accepting who they truly are.
Mapito: Embrace Yourself by Chani Getter is a well-written book that offers individuals a deeper connection to accepting and loving everything about themselves. This book is divided into five crucial parts. Each part discusses topics that are essential to embracing oneself, which include understanding, knowing, being, feeling, and integrating. The author emphasizes the impact change could have on a person from personal experience. It requires hard work, patience, and kindness to oneself during the process. The book covers grief and how to apply the process of change, to grieve for what no longer works while embracing what is changing. The book further explores the concept of attachment and authenticity, how they compete with each other, and the four kinds of attachment styles, which include secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized attachment.
This book offered me some life-changing tools that have transformed how I see myself for good. I found most of the clients' stories to be very similar to mine, making the writing appeal more deeply to me. I also loved that the author shared from their personal experiences and interactions with clients, which made the writing engaging. The writing is well-organized, detailed, easy to comprehend, and straightforward. The stories featured were excellently paced and full of humor, which proved Chani to be a skilled and intentional writer. This book features themes of self-love, self-acceptance, grief, and more. I loved the reflection section, as it allowed me to carry out self-assessments on the topics discussed. I highly recommend Mapito by Chani Getter to anyone struggling with accepting who they truly are.
Recommend this book:
, which developed as a response to childhood abuse. With unflinching honesty, Shelton recounts the complexities of managing his multiple personalities, some of whom led lives of their own, as he na...){kind=link}
Memoir of a Mangled Mind
How Concealing My Dissociative Identity Disorder Unleashed Multiple Personalities
Steven Simmons Shelton, MA, JD
2025 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Memoir of a Mangled Mind by Steven Simmons Shelton is a courageous and raw memoir detailing the author's battle with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which developed as a response to childhood abuse. With unflinching honesty, Shelton recounts the complexities of managing his multiple personalities, some of whom led lives of their own, as he navigated adulthood, a legal career, and efforts to conceal his condition. The memoir explores his ethical compromises, the emotional and professional toll of his concealed disorder, and his journey toward healing and redemption, offering a powerful narrative of resilience in the face of trauma.
Author Steven Simmons Shelton crafts a narrative that reads with all the intensity of a psychological thriller while never losing sight of the deeply personal nature of his story. It's one of those books where you sometimes have to step back and take a beat to remember it's all from real life. His writing strikes a remarkable balance between professional insight and raw emotion, drawing readers into the complex reality of living with DID in a way that creates genuine understanding and empathy, yet it never feels off-topic or uncomfortably personal. I was profoundly moved by his ability to examine his past actions and their consequences without self-pity, offering instead a nuanced exploration of survival and healing, but in a narrative that is friendly and welcoming, and never too clinical. The way he describes the influence of his alters and their impact on his life creates an intimate portrait that helped me understand DID in ways that no clinical description ever could. Another outstanding feature is his extraordinary courage in sharing not just the trauma, but also the ethical compromises and mistakes made along his journey, creating a story that feels completely honest and deeply human. Overall, Memoir of a Mangled Mind is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexity of trauma and the profound strength required for healing.
Memoir of a Mangled Mind by Steven Simmons Shelton is a courageous and raw memoir detailing the author's battle with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which developed as a response to childhood abuse. With unflinching honesty, Shelton recounts the complexities of managing his multiple personalities, some of whom led lives of their own, as he navigated adulthood, a legal career, and efforts to conceal his condition. The memoir explores his ethical compromises, the emotional and professional toll of his concealed disorder, and his journey toward healing and redemption, offering a powerful narrative of resilience in the face of trauma.
Author Steven Simmons Shelton crafts a narrative that reads with all the intensity of a psychological thriller while never losing sight of the deeply personal nature of his story. It's one of those books where you sometimes have to step back and take a beat to remember it's all from real life. His writing strikes a remarkable balance between professional insight and raw emotion, drawing readers into the complex reality of living with DID in a way that creates genuine understanding and empathy, yet it never feels off-topic or uncomfortably personal. I was profoundly moved by his ability to examine his past actions and their consequences without self-pity, offering instead a nuanced exploration of survival and healing, but in a narrative that is friendly and welcoming, and never too clinical. The way he describes the influence of his alters and their impact on his life creates an intimate portrait that helped me understand DID in ways that no clinical description ever could. Another outstanding feature is his extraordinary courage in sharing not just the trauma, but also the ethical compromises and mistakes made along his journey, creating a story that feels completely honest and deeply human. Overall, Memoir of a Mangled Mind is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexity of trauma and the profound strength required for healing.
Recommend this book:
Scattershot
My Journey From the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive
Larry Chrysler
2025 Bronze Medal
292 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite
In Scattershot: My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive, nonagenarian bon vivant Larry Chrysler recounts his extraordinarily long and remarkable life adventures. The narrative exudes candor, earthy humor, gratitude, humility, and a rare and unwavering adherence to his firm conviction that angels are among us and magic is everywhere if we choose to believe and accept the gifts we are given. Chrysler’s adventures are jaw-dropping at times in their extravagance and privilege as he recounts his associations with luminaries from the worlds of fashion and entertainment. But they are also heartwarming and refreshingly modest in their sustained notes of wide-eyed wonder.
Scattershot offers spellbinding glimpses of exotic social and professional circles most readers will only have dreamed of while simultaneously rendering the central characters in tender and emotionally connected strokes that color the remembered moments as precious and his messages as timeless. Larry Chrysler’s life may have been epic in its arc and scope, but his easy, conversational storytelling genius invites us to pull up a chair and be both fully welcomed and present in his odyssey of small miracles. Scattershot offers irrefutable evidence that humankind’s greatest achievement is a life well lived. Larry Chrysler has lived well enough to supply the entire world with inspiration and hope. His memories are somehow magically important to us all, reminding us that anything is possible and no dream is out of reach if we can only find within ourselves the courage to reach up. Scattershot is a veritable textbook for dreamers, and Larry Chrysler is a born teacher.
In Scattershot: My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive, nonagenarian bon vivant Larry Chrysler recounts his extraordinarily long and remarkable life adventures. The narrative exudes candor, earthy humor, gratitude, humility, and a rare and unwavering adherence to his firm conviction that angels are among us and magic is everywhere if we choose to believe and accept the gifts we are given. Chrysler’s adventures are jaw-dropping at times in their extravagance and privilege as he recounts his associations with luminaries from the worlds of fashion and entertainment. But they are also heartwarming and refreshingly modest in their sustained notes of wide-eyed wonder.
Scattershot offers spellbinding glimpses of exotic social and professional circles most readers will only have dreamed of while simultaneously rendering the central characters in tender and emotionally connected strokes that color the remembered moments as precious and his messages as timeless. Larry Chrysler’s life may have been epic in its arc and scope, but his easy, conversational storytelling genius invites us to pull up a chair and be both fully welcomed and present in his odyssey of small miracles. Scattershot offers irrefutable evidence that humankind’s greatest achievement is a life well lived. Larry Chrysler has lived well enough to supply the entire world with inspiration and hope. His memories are somehow magically important to us all, reminding us that anything is possible and no dream is out of reach if we can only find within ourselves the courage to reach up. Scattershot is a veritable textbook for dreamers, and Larry Chrysler is a born teacher.
Recommend this book:
The Girls
From Golden to Gilmore
Stan Zimmerman
2025 Honorable Mention
238 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Randy B. Lichtman for Readers' Favorite
The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore by Stan Zimmerman is one of the most enjoyable backstage tours of the television and movie industries that I have ever read. Stan is definitely an excellent and entertaining writer who documents his journey from high school in Southfield, Michigan through his professional career, highlighting the ups and downs of the industry. It is a very personal account of his experience as well as the challenges of working as a writer, showrunner, stage director, and playwright, and the many facets that are involved. There are the highs and lows in working with some of the most well-known productions such as the Golden Girls series with some amazing stars; the Gilmore Girls series where he risked his job in speaking with the actors; the Brady Bunch movie where he met his favorite Marcia-Marcia-Marcia actress; and the Rosanne series where he was given a No. 13 T-shirt so that he and others could be fired without getting to know their names.
There are so many interesting stories in The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore about well-known stars and Stan's adventures working with them. So much was happening behind the scenes that the average viewer never could imagine. He also shares special stories about his family (especially his mother) and friends, which are very touching. Stan Zimmerman speaks very candidly about his personal life, having to pitch ideas for shows in the hope that a pilot would be picked up, and sometimes not being sure where the next show would come from. The narrative is told with great description and humor where he grows as a writer and a professional. It is clearly a challenging business but one that he is passionate about. I highly recommend The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore by Stan Zimmerman for anyone interested in the background of the entertainment industry. A very enjoyable read!
The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore by Stan Zimmerman is one of the most enjoyable backstage tours of the television and movie industries that I have ever read. Stan is definitely an excellent and entertaining writer who documents his journey from high school in Southfield, Michigan through his professional career, highlighting the ups and downs of the industry. It is a very personal account of his experience as well as the challenges of working as a writer, showrunner, stage director, and playwright, and the many facets that are involved. There are the highs and lows in working with some of the most well-known productions such as the Golden Girls series with some amazing stars; the Gilmore Girls series where he risked his job in speaking with the actors; the Brady Bunch movie where he met his favorite Marcia-Marcia-Marcia actress; and the Rosanne series where he was given a No. 13 T-shirt so that he and others could be fired without getting to know their names.
There are so many interesting stories in The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore about well-known stars and Stan's adventures working with them. So much was happening behind the scenes that the average viewer never could imagine. He also shares special stories about his family (especially his mother) and friends, which are very touching. Stan Zimmerman speaks very candidly about his personal life, having to pitch ideas for shows in the hope that a pilot would be picked up, and sometimes not being sure where the next show would come from. The narrative is told with great description and humor where he grows as a writer and a professional. It is clearly a challenging business but one that he is passionate about. I highly recommend The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore by Stan Zimmerman for anyone interested in the background of the entertainment industry. A very enjoyable read!
Recommend this book:
Queering Contemplation
Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality
Cassidy Hall
2025 Finalist
170 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite
Can you find genuine safety in a religious space that doesn’t accept things like sexual expression? Can an LGBTQIA+ person be a Christian? Cassidy Hall explores these questions and other similar ones in her riveting philosophical memoir. In Queering Contemplation, Cassidy shares her perspective of being queer and its connection to her view of spirituality. It contains conversations involving those who narrate their stories as immigrants, people of color, queer, and disabled. We follow the author's brilliant anecdotes and tales about her path of enlightenment, from her first panic attack at work in 2011 to her first conference with the International Thomas Merton Society at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Whether she's experiencing the peace and beauty of monasteries or speaking to amazing open-minded individuals, Cassidy's book conveys deep messages and insights that are worth contemplating and sharing with others.
Queering Contemplation is the type of book that compels you to constantly pause and reflect on its words since it's filled with many thought-provoking ideas from multiple people. I especially loved Assata de la Cruz's perspective on embracing boredom and rejecting the constant busyness epidemic in today's world. Cassidy Hall's lyrical words complement the book's spiritual topics excellently. I found myself joyfully revisiting her many poetic words, including her description of the inward monastery as "the place within ourselves of our deepest welcome, our clearest belonging." The book has an interesting collection of themes: diversity, religion, mysticism, silence, self-love, self-awareness, and more. Finally, Queering Contemplation is a must-read for all queer people seeking to become more spiritual and to embrace Christianity. I look forward to multiple rereads after enjoying engaging stories from awe-inspiring characters and their views.
Can you find genuine safety in a religious space that doesn’t accept things like sexual expression? Can an LGBTQIA+ person be a Christian? Cassidy Hall explores these questions and other similar ones in her riveting philosophical memoir. In Queering Contemplation, Cassidy shares her perspective of being queer and its connection to her view of spirituality. It contains conversations involving those who narrate their stories as immigrants, people of color, queer, and disabled. We follow the author's brilliant anecdotes and tales about her path of enlightenment, from her first panic attack at work in 2011 to her first conference with the International Thomas Merton Society at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Whether she's experiencing the peace and beauty of monasteries or speaking to amazing open-minded individuals, Cassidy's book conveys deep messages and insights that are worth contemplating and sharing with others.
Queering Contemplation is the type of book that compels you to constantly pause and reflect on its words since it's filled with many thought-provoking ideas from multiple people. I especially loved Assata de la Cruz's perspective on embracing boredom and rejecting the constant busyness epidemic in today's world. Cassidy Hall's lyrical words complement the book's spiritual topics excellently. I found myself joyfully revisiting her many poetic words, including her description of the inward monastery as "the place within ourselves of our deepest welcome, our clearest belonging." The book has an interesting collection of themes: diversity, religion, mysticism, silence, self-love, self-awareness, and more. Finally, Queering Contemplation is a must-read for all queer people seeking to become more spiritual and to embrace Christianity. I look forward to multiple rereads after enjoying engaging stories from awe-inspiring characters and their views.
Recommend this book:
Bent Is Not Broken
MJ Buckman
2024 Gold Medal
359 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Bent Is Not Broken, penned by author MJ Buckman, is a work of non-fiction in the LGBTQ+, social issues, and slice-of-life subgenres. It is best suited to adult readers owing to its topical discussion of abuse, suicide, and suicide attempts. The work is a heartfelt exploration of the LGBTQ+ experience, offering solace and understanding to those who have ever felt alienated, fragile, or out of place. Through a mix of memoirs, interviews, and research, Buckman delves into the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ+ life, highlighting the importance of tolerance, inclusivity, and self-acceptance. From her own experiences thriving in London's gay subculture to reflections on turning sixty and finding belonging, Buckman's narrative is both uplifting and impassioned. By blending personal stories with a deep examination of societal representation, Buckman unveils the resilience of the human spirit and the power of acceptance, reminding readers that despite adversity, we can remain true to ourselves.
Author MJ Buckman has crafted a deeply moving work with a candid exploration of her own journey and the broader LGBTQ+ experience through the ages is both poignant and empowering. As she reflects on her time in London's gay subculture in the 1980s and her search for identity amidst societal pressures, I found myself drawn into her world with a mixture of empathy and admiration. The narrative style is concise and confident, but also teeming with warmth and the tone of a wise friend recounting valuable life lessons to us all. The interviews with LGBTQ+ individuals of all ages add richness and a more well-rounded viewpoint, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of finding one's place in a world that often marginalizes differences. Most important of all, Buckman's message of self-acceptance and resilience shines through every page, offering a beacon of hope for anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or excluded. Overall, Bent Is Not Broken celebrates the strength and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, and I would highly recommend it to fans of heartfelt memoirs and activist writing everywhere.
Bent Is Not Broken, penned by author MJ Buckman, is a work of non-fiction in the LGBTQ+, social issues, and slice-of-life subgenres. It is best suited to adult readers owing to its topical discussion of abuse, suicide, and suicide attempts. The work is a heartfelt exploration of the LGBTQ+ experience, offering solace and understanding to those who have ever felt alienated, fragile, or out of place. Through a mix of memoirs, interviews, and research, Buckman delves into the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ+ life, highlighting the importance of tolerance, inclusivity, and self-acceptance. From her own experiences thriving in London's gay subculture to reflections on turning sixty and finding belonging, Buckman's narrative is both uplifting and impassioned. By blending personal stories with a deep examination of societal representation, Buckman unveils the resilience of the human spirit and the power of acceptance, reminding readers that despite adversity, we can remain true to ourselves.
Author MJ Buckman has crafted a deeply moving work with a candid exploration of her own journey and the broader LGBTQ+ experience through the ages is both poignant and empowering. As she reflects on her time in London's gay subculture in the 1980s and her search for identity amidst societal pressures, I found myself drawn into her world with a mixture of empathy and admiration. The narrative style is concise and confident, but also teeming with warmth and the tone of a wise friend recounting valuable life lessons to us all. The interviews with LGBTQ+ individuals of all ages add richness and a more well-rounded viewpoint, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of finding one's place in a world that often marginalizes differences. Most important of all, Buckman's message of self-acceptance and resilience shines through every page, offering a beacon of hope for anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or excluded. Overall, Bent Is Not Broken celebrates the strength and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, and I would highly recommend it to fans of heartfelt memoirs and activist writing everywhere.
Recommend this book:
Collect Call to My Mother
Essays on Love, Grief, and Getting a Good Night's Sleep
Lori Horvitz
2024 Silver Medal
226 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Bernadette Longu for Readers' Favorite
In Collect Call to My Mother: Essays on Love, Grief, and Getting a Good Night's Sleep, author Lori Horvitz has written a very poignant memoir about how relationships affect our lives from the time that we are small children to adulthood. In each essay, the author opens her soul, leaves some of herself in the narrative, and gives the reader a gentle message and guidance to help themselves in this topsy-turvy world we live in. The author takes the reader's hand and gently leads them through the book with laughter, tears, love, anger, and great wonder at how much a soul can take before it breaks. Each story in its own way will give the reader courage, faith, hope, and the energy to continue living and moving forward in this crazy world.
In Collect Call to My Mother, Lori Horvitz shows how fragile relationships can be and how easily they can be broken when only one person is trying. This is a book that the reader will find themselves wandering back to time and again to get inspiration to continue fighting to survive in a world that the human race has created, with all the dos and don’ts of society that are enforced on us whether we approve, accept, or not. The author shows the reader that it is all right to be different. This memoir is a must-read and I enjoyed delving into the stories and the author's life. Thank you, Lori, for a wonderful read.
In Collect Call to My Mother: Essays on Love, Grief, and Getting a Good Night's Sleep, author Lori Horvitz has written a very poignant memoir about how relationships affect our lives from the time that we are small children to adulthood. In each essay, the author opens her soul, leaves some of herself in the narrative, and gives the reader a gentle message and guidance to help themselves in this topsy-turvy world we live in. The author takes the reader's hand and gently leads them through the book with laughter, tears, love, anger, and great wonder at how much a soul can take before it breaks. Each story in its own way will give the reader courage, faith, hope, and the energy to continue living and moving forward in this crazy world.
In Collect Call to My Mother, Lori Horvitz shows how fragile relationships can be and how easily they can be broken when only one person is trying. This is a book that the reader will find themselves wandering back to time and again to get inspiration to continue fighting to survive in a world that the human race has created, with all the dos and don’ts of society that are enforced on us whether we approve, accept, or not. The author shows the reader that it is all right to be different. This memoir is a must-read and I enjoyed delving into the stories and the author's life. Thank you, Lori, for a wonderful read.
Recommend this book:
She Had Been A Tomboy
Raising A Transgender Child, A Mother's Journey
Sandra Bowman
2024 Bronze Medal
300 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
She Had Been a Tomboy: Raising A Transgender Child, A Mother’s Journey by Sandra Bowman is a powerful and moving memoir that offers insight into the challenges and triumphs of raising a transgender child. With raw honesty and a deeply personal touch, Bowman takes readers on a journey through her life and that of her child, revealing the complexities and heartaches of a story that spans over two and a half decades. From the moment her "son" was born in 1987, Bowman found herself navigating uncharted waters. At a time when society's understanding of transgender identities was minimal, Bowman was tasked with deciphering her child's anguish and identity. Her child, perceived as a typical boy in both body and behavior, concealed a secret that would only be understood through years of persistent searching and heartfelt conversations.
Sandra Bowman’s She Had Been a Tomboy is poetic and emotional, capturing the essence of a mother's love and relentless pursuit of answers. The memoir delves into the tumultuous pubescent years, where confusion and misunderstanding often overshadow the reality of a child's true self. It is a narrative marked by uncertainty, fear, and heartache but also one of resilience and eventual recovery. Bowman does not shy away from expressing her struggles, guilt, and determination to "fix" her child, making the story relatable to parents grappling with similar issues. Her journey from confusion to acceptance is portrayed with such authenticity that it resonates deeply with readers, offering a sense of hope and solidarity. This is a book you’ll read cover to cover in one sitting as Bowman offers a beacon for those navigating similar paths into the often misunderstood experiences of transgender individuals and their families.
She Had Been a Tomboy: Raising A Transgender Child, A Mother’s Journey by Sandra Bowman is a powerful and moving memoir that offers insight into the challenges and triumphs of raising a transgender child. With raw honesty and a deeply personal touch, Bowman takes readers on a journey through her life and that of her child, revealing the complexities and heartaches of a story that spans over two and a half decades. From the moment her "son" was born in 1987, Bowman found herself navigating uncharted waters. At a time when society's understanding of transgender identities was minimal, Bowman was tasked with deciphering her child's anguish and identity. Her child, perceived as a typical boy in both body and behavior, concealed a secret that would only be understood through years of persistent searching and heartfelt conversations.
Sandra Bowman’s She Had Been a Tomboy is poetic and emotional, capturing the essence of a mother's love and relentless pursuit of answers. The memoir delves into the tumultuous pubescent years, where confusion and misunderstanding often overshadow the reality of a child's true self. It is a narrative marked by uncertainty, fear, and heartache but also one of resilience and eventual recovery. Bowman does not shy away from expressing her struggles, guilt, and determination to "fix" her child, making the story relatable to parents grappling with similar issues. Her journey from confusion to acceptance is portrayed with such authenticity that it resonates deeply with readers, offering a sense of hope and solidarity. This is a book you’ll read cover to cover in one sitting as Bowman offers a beacon for those navigating similar paths into the often misunderstood experiences of transgender individuals and their families.
Recommend this book:
Late Bloomer
Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife
Melissa Giberson
2024 Honorable Mention
256 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Zahid Sheikh for Readers' Favorite
Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife by Melissa Giberson is a heartfelt and relatable exploration of self-discovery and personal growth during a pivotal phase of life. With honesty and vulnerability, Giberson takes readers on her transformative journey of embracing her true identity and passions later in life. Through candid anecdotes, introspective reflections, and poignant storytelling, the author navigates the complexities of self-acceptance, shedding light on the universal struggle to break free from societal expectations and find genuine fulfillment. Her journey of self-discovery resonates with anyone who has felt the tug between conforming to external norms and pursuing their inner desires. By openly sharing her challenges, doubts, and triumphs, the author invites readers to reflect on their own paths and consider the potential for transformation, no matter their age or circumstances. Her love for her children is an incredible aspect of her memoir.
Giberson's writing is both engaging and poignant, allowing readers to connect deeply with her experiences and emotions. The book's strength lies in its relatability and its emphasis on the power of self-acceptance. Giberson's insights on embracing change, cultivating resilience, and overcoming self-doubt are not only inspiring but also grounded in practical wisdom. The narrative is a testament to the notion that it's never too late to blossom into one's authentic self and pursue passions with vigor and enthusiasm. Late Bloomer is an empowering and thought-provoking read that offers encouragement to those who are navigating midlife or contemplating a shift in their life's direction. Melissa Giberson's ability to articulate the internal struggles and triumphs of her journey makes this book an engaging and comforting companion for anyone seeking to connect with their true selves and embark on a journey of self-discovery later in life.
Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife by Melissa Giberson is a heartfelt and relatable exploration of self-discovery and personal growth during a pivotal phase of life. With honesty and vulnerability, Giberson takes readers on her transformative journey of embracing her true identity and passions later in life. Through candid anecdotes, introspective reflections, and poignant storytelling, the author navigates the complexities of self-acceptance, shedding light on the universal struggle to break free from societal expectations and find genuine fulfillment. Her journey of self-discovery resonates with anyone who has felt the tug between conforming to external norms and pursuing their inner desires. By openly sharing her challenges, doubts, and triumphs, the author invites readers to reflect on their own paths and consider the potential for transformation, no matter their age or circumstances. Her love for her children is an incredible aspect of her memoir.
Giberson's writing is both engaging and poignant, allowing readers to connect deeply with her experiences and emotions. The book's strength lies in its relatability and its emphasis on the power of self-acceptance. Giberson's insights on embracing change, cultivating resilience, and overcoming self-doubt are not only inspiring but also grounded in practical wisdom. The narrative is a testament to the notion that it's never too late to blossom into one's authentic self and pursue passions with vigor and enthusiasm. Late Bloomer is an empowering and thought-provoking read that offers encouragement to those who are navigating midlife or contemplating a shift in their life's direction. Melissa Giberson's ability to articulate the internal struggles and triumphs of her journey makes this book an engaging and comforting companion for anyone seeking to connect with their true selves and embark on a journey of self-discovery later in life.
Recommend this book:
Exodai
A Shockingly Honest Memoir of Love, Obsession and Torture
Elizabeth Hendrick
2024 Finalist
341 Pages
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Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite
Exodai, a memoir by Elizabeth Hendrick, shows how everyone goes through a period of self-discovery, and Elizabeth is no different. Her attraction to other females was evident at a young age. Her daydreams about rescuing the damsel-in-distress turned to fantasies of bondage and torture after seeing a picture in a textbook at school. Her fantasies became a reality when she found pleasure in being dominated. The glee and the laughter in the voice of the woman inflicting the pain on her gave Elizabeth a sense of excitement and love. She also discovered that in some S&M relationships, her needs were not being met because she was doing all the work and not receiving the punishment she craved in return.
Exodai is an unusual kind of memoir that highlights the lifestyle of a different kind of relationship. I enjoyed the way Elizabeth Hendrick chose to explore her own wants and needs in such a bold and deliberate way. This will help readers realize that everyone has different needs in a relationship and that it’s okay to voice these needs and have them met. I also found it courageous of Hendrick to open up and write this book so that others can see that not everything in a relationship has to be based on physical intimacy. This will encourage readers to strive for better communication and understanding, regardless of the desires in the relationship. I recommend Exodai to readers who are interested in exploring their own identity and learning the importance of having a meaningful relationship.
Exodai, a memoir by Elizabeth Hendrick, shows how everyone goes through a period of self-discovery, and Elizabeth is no different. Her attraction to other females was evident at a young age. Her daydreams about rescuing the damsel-in-distress turned to fantasies of bondage and torture after seeing a picture in a textbook at school. Her fantasies became a reality when she found pleasure in being dominated. The glee and the laughter in the voice of the woman inflicting the pain on her gave Elizabeth a sense of excitement and love. She also discovered that in some S&M relationships, her needs were not being met because she was doing all the work and not receiving the punishment she craved in return.
Exodai is an unusual kind of memoir that highlights the lifestyle of a different kind of relationship. I enjoyed the way Elizabeth Hendrick chose to explore her own wants and needs in such a bold and deliberate way. This will help readers realize that everyone has different needs in a relationship and that it’s okay to voice these needs and have them met. I also found it courageous of Hendrick to open up and write this book so that others can see that not everything in a relationship has to be based on physical intimacy. This will encourage readers to strive for better communication and understanding, regardless of the desires in the relationship. I recommend Exodai to readers who are interested in exploring their own identity and learning the importance of having a meaningful relationship.
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