Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

The Model T in Me by Sarah Newberg is a short autobiographical memoir and tribute from a daughter to her father. The Model T in Me revolves around and specifically focuses on Sarah’s experiences growing up with her dad and his passion for cars, and the Model T in particular. This is a short read and begins with an introduction to Sarah’s family living in Everett, Washington state, and continues with a walk down Memory Lane around her father and how he brings home his first Model T. Being a fixer and jack of all trades, he is able to build a car out of spare parts. As the years go by, things change but his love of cars remains the same, even as Sarah grows up, becomes a teenager, and starts her own family. Sarah relates how his passing in 2013 inspired her to become an avid Model T fan. Soon, Sarah herself joins the Model T Club, takes lessons, and carries on her father’s legacy.

The Model T in Me by Sarah Newberg is a touching memoir and tribute from a daughter to her father whom she obviously misses. The book is accompanied by several pictures over the years of Sarah’s family, as well as their beloved Model T’s. I liked looking at the pictures almost as much as reading about them because they truly paint a vivid picture of Sarah’s background and life growing up. The writing is very easy to read in short paragraphs and, although this is an autobiographical/memoir style work, it only covers this specific aspect of the author’s life and love of her father and his hobby of rebuilding old cars. All in all, this is a quick and interesting read.

Reviewed by Robert A. Groves for Readers' Favorite

Proud American: The Migrant, Soldier, and Agent by Sergio Tinoco is a first-person account of three distinct phases of the author’s life. Beginning his senior year in high school, Sergio realizes he wants to be the one to break the cycle of migrant work his family has used for multiple generations to provide their sole means of support. He has bigger dreams for himself and enlists in the United States Army as a vehicle to finally break that cycle. His active duty years encompass the period the nation was involved in Bosnia-Herzegovina. His telling of the horrors he experienced during a deployment there is breathtaking. Following the deployment, Sergio demonstrates remarkable resiliency in battling PTSD symptoms. But, Tinoco’s service to the nation does not end with the military. Perhaps his most important contribution, and one that has the most positive impact, is his years of service with the Border Patrol as an agent on the southern border. Being of Mexican descent, he can relate to immigrants without apology.

Sergio Tinoco’s Proud American: The Migrant, Soldier, and Agent is a story for the present when the topic of immigration is a hot button issue. Sergio’s story is one of the best American dream tales I’ve read. His perseverance to make a better life for himself warms the heart. One will gain a greater sense of tolerance for an under-represented segment of our population – the migrant worker. There were parts of Tinoco’s story that made me smile and clap, some which made me laugh out loud, and yet others which caused tears. He has included it all here. Proud American will empower everyone who yearns for a better life to just do it!

Reviewed by Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite

Ladies, do you feel like you've given as much as you can give? Do your friends, loved ones, and coworkers respect you? Or are you constantly being pulled this way and that, bullied and 'guilted' into doing things you don't want to do or feel incapable of doing? Are you ready for a change? Epic Sexy You by Morgan Field starts a woman on an empowering journey that will, upon completion of this book, change her life. Written for women, by a woman, this book is full of hope, love and amazing insight into life-changing practices. It is all about you! When you change yourself, you change your world. When your world changes around you, the whole world changes. Are you ready to live an epic sexy adventure? Embrace the Epic Sexy You!

Epic Sexy You by Morgan Field is an empowering self-help book. I fell in love with the title. Sexy me? That sounds awesome! It's about time to start feeling good about myself again! Epic? I would settle for slightly sexy! When I first picked up this book, I was both thrilled and relieved to discover that Sexy isn't used in the more offensive "object" meaning, but in the you love yourself, your life, sort of sexy. This book gives the reader all the tools necessary to create a powerful, awesome life, full of happiness and meaning while giving the reader the opportunity to work on her body. The author candidly gives the reader a look into her painful past, riddled with self-neglect, abuse, unhealthy relationships and addictions. As the reader starts her journey to becoming epically sexy, they get to see how far the author has had to come.

This book is an upbeat, empowering workbook, intended to help the reader break patterns and reinvent themselves. I would recommend this book to all women! There are gems for everyone within its pages. Although, I would especially suggest it for the serial dater who can't seem to get herself together, or the girl who bounces from one bad relationship to another and, of course, the constantly needed mother. I believe that even though this book is written more for women, men could benefit from it as well. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

Travel as Transformation by Gregory V Diehl is a remarkable book by a remarkably insightful young author. Diehl left the comforts of his Californian home in his late teens with the purpose of travelling the world - gaining cultural insights, shaking off his acquired childhood inherited and limiting cultural belief systems, and expanding, understanding and developing who he really was. This book shows the reader, whatever age, how to do that too. It is not a how to travel guide in the usual sense (although where to go, dealing with different cultures, finding work, visas, languages etc are mentioned). It is more a motivating and enlightening eye-opener for anyone who feels stifled by ordinary life and believes the things that really matter to humanity can be accessed and absorbed only when you step outside of your usual life and experience who you are once you have departed from the known.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gregory V Diehl's Travel as Transformation. It is well-written in an engaging style that will draw in the curious reader from the start. The author describes his own reasons for beginning a travelling lifestyle, and the difference between being a tourist and one who travels with an open mind, ready to personally experience other places. How our innate and childhood acquired beliefs and cultural identities shape and limit us is explained, as is how and why we can lose these and discover our true selves and purposes when we encounter different ways of living. The reader sees how the views we hold (about ourselves, conformities, what is acceptable, and life in general) change once we are away from the influences that keep those views in place. I felt Gregory V Diehl’s insights into how our true selves can then emerge (and develop until we become authentic and truly alive, able to fulfill our potential and purpose) are wise and true.

I especially liked the chapter Approach The Insurmountable or Arriving at the Dark Night of the Soul. And the way the author uses his own experiences, difficulties and challenges to illustrate his theories and discoveries. This is a book that encourages the traveler or seeker to be brave: by giving up conventional ways and views and developing personal truths, and then finding a new way of life that enables them to be authentic. There is a special openness and honesty in the writing. I found many true, memorable and quotable phrases - for example: “Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated,” and “You take a major social risk every time you go against the grain because you threaten the bond of a shared identity.” “Recall what you cared about before anyone told you what to care about.” This book will challenge, encourage and be an eye-opener for anyone ready to lose old stories of themselves, get out of their comfort zone living, discover other lives and cultures – remembering, of course, that the real journey is an inward one of personal growth and enlightenment. Recommended.

Reviewed by Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite

Do you feel exhausted all the time? Do you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day? Are you experiencing burnout? You need to stop! Learn relaxation, mindfulness, and how to enjoy life again. Running On Empty by Shelley Pernot is a humorous self-help book on mindfulness. There is a growing epidemic throughout the United States of America; it's called burnout. Many people are obsessed with their smart devices. They are so busy rushing their kids back and forth that they barely have time to enjoy them. Their lives are constant merry-go-rounds with very little purpose. The more they do, the larger a toll it takes on them. Suddenly, they are experiencing a lack of ambition, depression, low self-esteem, etc. It is time to get off the merry-go-round. By following the simple techniques found within this book, the reader will have the tools to once again enjoy their lives and live consciously. Living a full life is easy; keeping the distractions from pulling one down takes practice. Are you ready to live the life of your dreams? Are you willing to become aware of your greatest treasures?

Running On Empty (The Irreverent Guru's Guide To Filling Up With Mindfulness) by Shelley Pernot tells a unique story of learning how to create a work/home life balance. I really enjoyed the author's humor as she explains the importance of becoming aware of what one does in their everyday lives. Mindfulness is more than just awareness; it is the art of Being. The author covers the basics of mindfulness, then draws the reader into a more "zen" state by giving them a breakdown of the many tools widely available to help relax and restore them. I would highly recommend this book to those that feel like they are in constant need of a vacation or are just ready to start living a life of inner peace and true happiness.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Excellence Habit - How Small Changes In Our Mindset Can Make A Big Difference In Our Lives: For All Who Feel Stuck by Vlad Zachary is a motivational and uplifting book that describes how a small change in mindset can make a big difference in our lives. Ability to change is one of the sources of success and this book guides everyone on how to live with the 'uncomfortable' in their lives instead of avoiding it. The main source of success in our lives is excellence and it depends a lot on our internal circumstances. And the best way to do this by building our own Excellence Habit.

The book is uplifting and the positive tone is useful to readers in drawing success into their lives. It's a well written book and the real life stories are thought provoking and inspirational. The book guides readers to handle rejection gracefully and shows them how to focus and dedicate their lives to success. All the practical ideas and concepts in the book can be incorporated into our lives easily to achieve success. The book also motivates readers to have an honest look at themselves, and change their attitude and outlook towards things that need to be changed in order to progress. Books like this are good for readers to look into themselves and their lives. It's a good guide for all those who are looking for some motivation, especially for young professionals who are starting out in their careers.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Break Through Your BS: Uncover Your Brain's Blind Spots and Unleash Your Inner Greatness by Derek Doepker speaks about the choices one makes, how to change that in a positive way and draw truth, enlightenment, and empowerment into one's life. This insightful book sheds light on the myth of independence and how one's desire for self-sufficiency will hinder empowerment, the common mental traps people fall into, the tricks people use to manipulate others, and much more. The book shows how being compassionate to oneself can make everyone compassionate to others, thereby bringing peace into the world.

The book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery; it helps readers question their beliefs, look at things with a different perspective, and make corrections in life and move forward. The book also encourages readers to accept challenges, embrace the contradictions, and will help them uncover the dark areas of their psyche. The author's inspiring words and the tips and techniques in the book will definitely aid all readers to make positive changes in their lives.

All the suggestions in the book are simple and easy to incorporate into one's life to improve it. The book is honest, the author's words are thought provoking and profound, and will encourage all readers to look into themselves and examine their way of life. The book is interactive and it's all about the choices one can make in life for a better kind of living.

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

From Fear and Failure - To The Finish Line by Cindy Starke is an inspiring self-help, motivational book for anyone needing the courage to achieve a seemingly unattainable goal. Telling the story of how she prepared for and tackled a strenuous triathlon, coping with setbacks and failure along the way, Dr Starke shares her insights and personal motivational techniques. Tackling fears and finding the root of our fears, planning, dividing tasks into manageable sections, time and patience, staying on track, the importance of good nutrition and getting enough sleep, finding and using the support of others and dealing with failure are all covered in the book. The author also shows how she draws on her personal faith in God and uses biblical quotes to inspire and encourage readers needing strength and confidence.

From Fear and Failure - To the Finish Line will help encourage and motivate anyone wanting to find a way to achieve a personal or life goal. Cindy Starke uses her inspiring example of the way she achieved the commendable Ironman challenge, and her ideas for training or preparing and developing the right mind set can be applied to almost any situation. I liked the combination of her personal story of struggle and achievement mixed with very doable strategies, steps and techniques. The author understands ingrained fears and lack of courage or confidence that can hamper achievements and finding self-fulfilment. She shows us, step by step, a sensible and healthy way to challenge and overcome whatever may be holding us back. What made this book real for me was the author’s willingness to include and explore her own fears and failures – taking these as opportunities for learning, reflection, and inner growth. We see how in the end tribulations can make us stronger and more determined.

Dr Starke shows her Christian faith to be an important and motivating part of her life, and her references and explanations of biblical words encourage the reader to persist and believe we have all we need to accomplish whatever we are meant to do in life: “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world…when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” While life can be challenging, Cindy Starke’s guidance and experiences demonstrate how we can reach our potential, become a doer rather than just a dreamer, make satisfying life-enhancing changes, and even be a beacon to others.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Peaceful Daughter's Guide to Separating From A Difficult Mother by Karen C.L. Anderson handles a difficult topic with grace and dignity. The author shares her story with her difficult mother and how she overcame being a victim and stood in her power. The tips, techniques and advice shared by the author are helpful to all those who are looking forward to setting boundaries in their relationship with their mother and also taking care of their emotional, physical, mental and spiritual needs, thereby achieving personal empowerment. The advice can be incorporated into other relationships too, making it a good guide with valuable tools to all those readers who want to improve their life and living.

The author's story is relatable and readers can connect well with the problems and issued faced by her when it came to her mother. Parent/child relationships are very personal and the author helps readers to develop healthy boundaries in relationships. The writing style is simple and easy and reaches out to readers in a good way. The list of messages in the concluding chapter is awesome and are good tools for readers to teach others how to treat you.

The story is raw and powerful and the peace achieved by the author after a troubled relationship with her mother is inspirational and motivational. It's a story of acceptance and healing and also motivates one to strengthen relationships in life.

Reviewed by Eduardo Aduna for Readers' Favorite

Five minutes a day for twenty-one days may not seem like much time to do something life-changing, but Derek Doepker shows us in The Healthy Habit Revolution how that could be all it takes to build better habits and obtain positive life goals. A lifestyle is composed of multiple small decisions that a person makes throughout the course of a single day. These small habits, through time, can collectively form a person's identity. The Healthy Habit Revolution expounds on what I would assume each person knows deep down - that one can change their life a small decision at a time. The book breaks down the hurdles that prevent people from identifying the habits they want to have and helps them succeed in building and maintaining these habits.

The challenge with self-help books is that they must tread the thin line between being too overwhelming and inaccessible and being too mundane. Doepker avoids both of these outcomes by writing in an engaging style that is simple and concise, with each sentence giving the reader much to ponder. A single chapter that can be read in ten minutes or less could keep the reader busy pondering for much longer. Ultimately, this book subtly guides the reader to focus on forming habits they want to have, nudging them in the right direction and letting them do things on their own. One of the most brilliant things about The Healthy Habit Revolution is the sheer positivity that emanates as soon as you read the first chapter. Doepker manages to convey the feeling of having a life coach sitting right beside you, supporting and challenging you, and ultimately empowering you to take the steps you need to change your life. There is less hand-holding and more self-reflection, guiding the reader to delve deep and think on what it is that they want to accomplish.

I can see the value of this book when it comes to stopping negative spirals, those times in a person's life when they just lose sense of what they want and when every decision they make seems like a bad one. If there was one book that I would cling to in order to avoid wallowing in a maelstrom of bad and negative habits, it would be The Healthy Habit Revolution, a perfect book to read before and after each day, and whose words can easily become mantras to live by.