Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

Captain Doug Chamberlain was "living the dream" as a teacher and coach when he got drafted into the United States Army but instead enlisted into the Marine Corp. in the spring of 1965—which led to an experience he would remember and puzzle over for decades. Betrayed by the system he trusted to protect all those who carried out its missions, Chamberlain had to question his role in the US Marine Corp. In his touching and gripping memoir, Chamberlain leaves it to readers to develop their own opinions regarding a controversial event in the Viet Nam War as he tells the story from his perspective. Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War takes readers through the heat of the Viet Nam War as American soldiers battle with ambushes, biting insects, snakes, substance abuse, and other serious circumstances.

With the skill of an expert storyteller, the patience of a teacher, and the empathy of a war survivor who experienced loss and death on the battlegrounds of the Viet Nam War, Captain Doug Chamberlain reminds us of the value of peace and caring about every single life. Bury Him contains an intricate collection of information for readers who wish to look into some questionable actions carried out by the US Marine Corp. during the war, including news reports, extracts from different books, and conversations with other concerned individuals. I was fully absorbed by the story as I imagined the joy of reaching home by radio, the fear of the soldiers as they dodged bullets and bombs, the thrill of flying aircraft, and other clearly described scenes. This powerful memoir will remain fresh in my mind for a good while, and the lessons are worth remembering for a lifetime. Don't miss it!

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Raising, and Losing, My Remarkable Teenage Mother is a non-fiction memoir written by Stacey Aaronson that chronicles the life of a young mother and her daughter, the author being the daughter. Bree finds herself pregnant just after she turns sixteen, and not long after she and her boyfriend had broken up. Despite not being in love, they marry at the strong urging of their parents. It does not last but Stacey has a loving father and Bree is a mother with an 'anything goes' approach to parenting. From the start, Stacey displays old-soul style thinking and is a beacon of responsibility in an unusual mother-daughter relationship. As Stacey grows up, we see her flourish in this role by accomplishing the unthinkable, such as reaching out to a doctor herself when she suspects a mental health issue and helping her mother find a piece of her past. But it is when Stacey's mother is diagnosed with cancer that Stacey realizes there are some problems in their lives that even she cannot fix.

As someone who was also born to a teenage mother, and whose mother died far too young, I was immediately drawn to Raising, and Losing, My Remarkable Teenage Mother by Stacey Aaronson. My mother died from breast cancer at the extremely young age of forty-three, and it was wonderful to read that Stacey had almost a couple more decades with her mother. As a child of the 70s, I enjoyed a lot of the pop-culture references that a Gen X kid would connect with, like a nod to the movie Uncle Buck, and similarities I could relate to like being confused as sisters, and also sustained us with a “diet of compliments for a few decades...” Bree is a woman who has been dealt some serious life blows, the worst being the diagnosis of two illnesses that are almost impossible to reverse independently, and it is hard not to feel like the universe is lashing out at her. This is the part of the storytelling where Stacey shines. Stacey is strong and self-aware, but so is her mother. She chooses her own path by basically forging a new one, and the bond shared between mother and daughter is beautiful. This is a difficult memoir to read because it does have great loss, but the overriding theme of love makes it worth the tears. Have tissues handy. Very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Iza Grek for Readers' Favorite

Blind Pony: As True A Story As I Can Tell by Samantha Hart is a true story about a young girl who runs away from home and sets out to make it on her own. In her memoir, Samantha invites us to join her in her many adventures which take her to some dark places, including a couple of life-threatening situations. Emerging in one piece, she proves she is made of stronger stuff and continues to confront a range of challenges and crosses paths with a number of characters – most of them unsavory. Her relationship with her mother and her father evolves from the abuse suffered at the hands of her grandfather. While Wild Bill, her father, rises to heroic status in her eyes, the road to reconciliation with her mother is a long and arduous one. In Blind Pony, Samantha Hart is met with an uncanny amount of good and bad luck in equal proportion.

The title Blind Pony reflects the theme of ‘not being good enough’ which is why Samantha Hart constantly tries to prove herself. Although a true story, the plot reads like fiction with twists and turns. She has an incredible knack for talking herself out of tricky situations in a way that serves her self-promotion. Her sexual and drug binges make for interesting reading if only to imagine how she can recall the details of her life under this mind-altering condition. Despite her dependence issues, Samantha secures one job after the other and eventually builds a career. The unexpected outcomes keep you hooked, hoping for Sam’s run of bad luck to end. A real page-turner, Blind Pony delivers vivid characters that evoke strong emotions. She writes beautifully, with rich detail and sensuous word pictures. The expression ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ is true in Blind Pony where some of the experiences are almost unbelievable. It’s an easy read and will provide hours of entertainment for the non-fiction enthusiast.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

You’ll Never Find Us: A Memoir is a work of non-fiction in the autobiography subgenre. It is aimed at mature readers and was penned by author Jeanne Baker Guy. The book follows Jeanne after her ex-husband leaves the country with their children with no intention of returning them to her. When legal avenues fall short in helping her, Jeanne gets caught up in the feminist movement of the 1970s as she discovers her strength and the determination to find her children and take them back. As she prepares herself for what must be done, she reflects on the person she used to be and the marriage that has led to this situation.

Here in these pages lies a heartbreaking tale of a woman molded into an accommodating young girl by the patriarchal society of the 1950s having her world turned upside down by a supreme act of selfishness. Jeanne Baker Guy is unflinchingly honest and open about sharing her pain with the reader. Her prose when describing the emotional and personal journey she undertook to understand herself and develop into someone who will defend themselves against injustice is beautiful. The book manages to impress upon the reader the importance of the feminist movement in helping women like Jeanne understand that they had a voice and were entitled to use it; a societal change that is usually hard to understand unless lived through is exposed and explored here as the effects on Jeanne’s life are made clear. Overall, You’ll Never Find Us is an astonishing and personal tale about the hidden power of refusing to accept mistreatment.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Being a parent can be challenging at the best of times. Add the additional factor of a special needs child and the workload multiplies substantially, but, then again, so does the love and the inevitable learning curve that goes along with these needs. Jess was born prematurely; her mother suffering from chickenpox at the time. She was born in an era (the 1980s) that continued to foster the notion that a mother, concerned about certain growth patterns in her child, was actually a hypochondriac. Even though the family lived in a thriving metropolis, the medical professionals appeared to be far behind in the growing numbers of diverse special needs children being born every year. This only added to the difficulties: not knowing why Jess wasn’t developing ‘normally,’ and not knowing how to help her, the parents and grandparents were scrambling to research and determine how best to identify and help Jess’s special needs.

Vickie Rubin’s memoir, Raising Jess: A Story of Hope, is a heartwarming, compassionate story about a mother’s (and father’s) enduring love through difficult and challenging times. The author leads the reader on a journey through Jess’s life, right up to the growing concern of the global pandemic and how it might affect this charming, special needs child-turned-young woman. The story unfolds from the mother’s perspective, including journal entries and medical reports that document the growing concerns and research required to help this special child. The language is pure and to the point, pulling the reader right into this one family’s story; for a story about a special needs child is more than a child’s story, it’s a family’s story. The inclusion of a family photo album, pictures taken over the years, adds to the warmth and revealing love that engulf this story. This story will bring tears to the eyes of readers as they are educated and enraptured by one family’s journey with a special needs child. Thanks for sharing your story.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Remembering Ravensbruck: Holocaust to Healing by Natalie B. Hess encapsulates a journey from childhood to adulthood. She speaks of her experiences as a Holocaust survivor where she gives glimpses of early childhood images related to the horror of the Holocaust, survival in the Jewish ghetto of Piotrow Tribunalski, the cattle train deportations, the treatment in the women's concentration camp of Ravensbruck, and the arrival of the ‘white buses’ in April 1945 which took her to Sweden. Her story is proof of how one can actually succeed in rebuilding life after all the trauma she had experienced. The healing that happens as her life progresses will give hope to many readers who have undergone challenges and adversities in their lives.

Remembering Ravensbruck is heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring, and is about grief, pain, difficulties, resilience, and healing. Natalie B. Hess is very honest while sharing her story and I enjoyed reading about her Americanization and becoming an American girl. Stories of the Holocaust and stories of the survivors are always compelling and poignant, and the story of Natalia Chojnacka will warm the hearts of readers and give them glimpses of the Holocaust and its survivors. Her journey is admirable and encouraging, as well as motivating to watch her rise and grow as a teacher. Written in a conversational format, the author also shares her life stories in Israel and America. She speaks about her happy family which will bring a smile to the faces of readers, knowing that she has come a long way from being a survivor.

Reviewed by Daniel D Staats for Readers' Favorite

Depending on your age, you probably will remember Bob Denver as either Maynard G. Krebs—from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis—or Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island. If you think you know Bob Denver, think again. Bob’s wife of over 25 years (Dreama Denver) has scored a major hit with her personal insights found in her book Gilligan’s Dreams: The Other Side of the Island. You will love reading their love story and see how they remained married through the years of trials. You may think that TV stars are all about money and fame, but you would be wrong. Bob was a loving and caring man. Together, Dreama (Bob called her Dreams) and Bob reared a differently-abled son. Bob was a dedicated father and together Dreama and he cared for their son.

This book gives the reader a glimpse into the personal life of Bob Denver. Dreama Denver was Bob’s fourth wife. In Gilligan’s Dreams: The Other Side of the Island, she shares some details about Bob’s life before he met Dreama, personal stories from his Gilligan days, and how they met. Then she goes on to talk about the charmed life the two of them lived together from their first meeting. After a few years of marriage, they decided to start a family. Together they had a son who was severely differently-abled. He had autism and seizures. Read how together they took care of their son, sacrificing everything for him. The book tells the sad story of Bob’s cancer and death. There is an afterword that talks about Dreama’s life since Bob’s demise and how much progress their son has made. Be sure to have a box of tissues with you if you have an ounce of compassion. You will need them. But also, be ready to laugh until you cry.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

As I read the last few pages of this courageous memoir, A Saint and a Sinner, I was overcome with a profound sadness that a man who’d fought so hard to win control over his various addictions and was helping so many people made one more bad mistake. That slip-up resulted in his dismissal from the Catholic Church. In his honest and raw memoir, Stephen Donnelly shares details of his less than idyllic upbringing that resulted in his decision to become a priest. His great love of God, coupled with his genuine desire to serve God’s people, qualified him for the priesthood but...and it’s a big “but”...he was addicted to cocaine and eventually, alcohol. Worse yet, being celibate wasn’t possible as he was deeply in love with Camilla. Honestly, Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t write a more eye-opening film script.

But A Saint and A Sinner by Stephen Donnelly with Diane O'Bryan is no fiction movie. What Stephen, and other priests like him experience, is a most difficult, sometimes ugly reality: the priesthood is a lonely and demanding vocation. Growing up Catholic, how well I remember being in awe of and just a little afraid of priests. But as an adult, I found it almost preposterous that young men in their prime were denied the right to sexual relationships. Over the years I often wondered how they managed the self-denial. Well, Donnelly’s memoir sheds much light on the real difficulties priests endure. I feel sure that if I were one of his parishioners, seeing all the good he did to help others recover from addictions, the dedication he brought to his duties, and the genuine love he continues to have for his vocation and church, I would forgive him for all those sins. As for what got him dismissed, well, you will have to read A Saint and A Sinner to find out. This memoir is beautifully executed, fast-paced with lots of realistic dialogue, and characters to whom you can readily relate and whom you will not easily forget. What stays with me most is the courage it must have taken to write this memoir. Hats off to you, Father Stephen Donnelly. You’re my kind of saintly sinner and the world could use many more like you.

Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite

Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver by Rachel Michelberg is a memoir that details an important period in her life. After a couple of broken engagements, she got married to David and had two children. Rachel had lost satisfaction in the marriage, but she persevered. A catastrophic plane crash involving her husband years later would disrupt what was left of her family. From seeing David through multiple surgeries to handling the children and holding onto her sanity, there was only so much a person could take. She had to decide concerning the care of her husband, and that put her at odds with his family. Would they ever understand what she had to deal with? How does she care for her husband in his present state, the kids, and balance other areas of her life with her mind intact?

Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver by Rachel Michelberg was an intense and emotional book. I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page. Rachel was so brutally honest, putting down information without bias or pretense. She said her truth and owned it, regardless. It was a constant battlefield of the mind; a war between duty and self-preservation. I was plagued with a ton of thoughts revolving around wedding vows, compassion, more recognition for caregivers, choosing liberation, and more. Caregiving is not a walk in the park, especially when spouses are involved. The mental strain and new family dynamics could have a negative ripple effect, especially in a household of growing children. Hence, Rachel, a strong woman although flawed like all humans, focused on what mattered. Thank you for sharing a part of your life with the world.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family is a non-fiction American history memoir that chronicles the lineage and legacy of author Bettye Kearse's ancestry, a direct descendent, and the four-times great-granddaughter of Founding Father and fourth president of the United States, James Madison. But this is not a story about James Madison. It is something so much better. The book begins with the intimate backstory of Kearse's first known African-born ancestor, a slave named Mandy, whose heart-wrenching and violent subjugation is the maternal thread that weaves the story together. As each layer of delicate fabric is slowly connected, Kearse's pieces are brought to life as her generation's family griotte. She is the keyholder of oral family history that she augments with her own extensive research. And this is her story. “Always remember—you’re a Madison. You come from African slaves and a president.”

It has been way too long since I've had the great fortune to read a book that haunted me for weeks after finishing it. The Other Madisons required time to decompress in my mind, overwhelmed by the phenomenal writing of Bettye Kearse and the unpacking of thoughts around a president I thought I knew a lot about. It turns out, not so much. Kearse and her relationship with her mother, the griotte chosen to hold the sacred story before her, as well as her difficulty reconciling the regard held for her most famous family member and the fact that he owned human beings. What I loved in Kearse's account is that the focus is really on the origins of the enslaved; Mandy and her daughter Coreen, who is both James Madison's half-sister and mother to his enslaved son, Jim. From there the lines of the family tree are firmly drawn, interspersed with Kearse's fact-finding, its emotional toll, and the accounts of all those before who brought her here today. Kearse has written this glorious book and shared it with us, no longer the griotte of her family alone, but one that carries the heritage of a nation flowing through her veins and through the tip of her pen. I would give this book a whole bucket of stars if I could.