Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Live to Tell: A Suicide Survivor's Struggle with Depression and Anxiety is a non-fiction self-help/memoir written by Ben Schwipps and Shelia Merkel. On July 18, 2015, Ben decided to end his life. After he pulled the trigger, he described the result as feeling as though his face had been hit with a baseball bat. Fighting dizziness, he managed to call 911 and get help before he collapsed and died. He was one of the approximately 8 million Americans who attempt suicide each year, according to statistics found by the authors. Most don't survive the experience. When Shelia Merkel went to visit him in the hospital, she was stunned by the physical injuries he sustained, but moved by the apparent resilience and spirit her long-time friend and co-worker displayed while lying there. Together, Schwipps and Merkel planned and wrote this book to share his story. They hoped others would be able to recognize the signs of depression and anxiety in those they loved, and that those fellow sufferers might benefit from hearing of Schwipps' experiences. The authors include a List of Resources at the end of their work.

Ben Schwipps and Shelia Merkel's non-fiction self-help/memoir, Live to Tell: A Suicide Survivor's Struggle with Depression and Anxiety, is a compelling and inspirational tale. Ben's voice is strong and filled with reflection and understanding after his traumatic experience and long-term struggle with depression and anxiety. I felt his pain and frustration with the snags his career hit and the subsequent toll it took on his life, family and self-esteem, and was rocked by his account of those moments after he pulled the trigger. Live to Tell reads like a novel, and I'm hoping that Schwipps considers writing one as a future project. His voice is strong and authentic, and his message and purpose here is made very, very clear. As I read this work, I couldn't help but remember a young friend who did not survive his attempt. I'm so thrilled to see stories like this one; stories that show there's a far better way to relieve the suffering and pain. Live to Tell: A Suicide Survivor's Struggle with Depression and Anxiety is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

In a riveting and extremely compelling memoir by author Tracey Brame, Undeterred: KKK Target, KKK Witness, readers will find a story that will grip them completely from the very first pages and won't let them go all the way until the very end! Follow author Brame's story as she details her very sad and terrible experiences with racism, first as a young female cadet at the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point, and then as an up and coming young professional in her home state of Indiana. She was first viciously physically attacked by another cadet after she expressed an interest in entering politics, after which she suffered from a rare and difficult form of dissociative amnesia, preventing her from remembering the attack, as well as post traumatic stress disorder. After her time in the military, she was harassed and targeted by the KKK after wanting to enter the political field in Indiana. This woman's story is one that you will find horrifying on many levels, but at every turn, you will hope that Tracey Brame succeeds. Will she prevail? Read this wonderful memoir to find out.

I so enjoyed Undeterred. I found that author Tracey Brame did a fantastic job in writing her difficult true life story with realism and emotion, enough to truly engage her readers and make them care about her situation. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. This book is one that will keep you up late into the night reading, so I advise that you read it on a day when you can get up late the next day! The only other piece of advice I have to give to readers is to be sure you read this book, and sooner rather than later!

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Not In God's Name: Making Sense of Religious Conflict by Paula Fouce begins with a vivid description of the pandemonium, the aftermath of the killing of Mrs Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India, in 1984. Paula Fouce happened to witness many horrific incidents, of Sikhs being attacked and murdered, looting and arson on a big scale, the president’s (who happened to be a Sikh) car being attacked, and many other scenes of great repugnance. This made her embark upon a long journey through the spiritual essence of India, recollecting the many impressions left by previous visits, as well as letting fresh impressions evolve by making new visits. There is hardly a part of India that she hasn’t visited to experience for herself, especially the spiritual makeup. From the abodes of the yogis, swamis and others in Himalayas, the Jewish synagogues, Buddhism, Jainism and other practices, the influence from other cultures like the Chinese, and the modern challenges from the jihadists, no aspect of violence or the efforts to quell violence in our society is left untouched in her attempt to find an answer.

Not In God's Name: Making Sense of Religious Conflict by Paula Fouce exhorts India to take a prime role in saving human society. Reminding us of the importance Asoka as well as Akbar felt towards religious tolerance and the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, she ends with a quote from the ancient scriptures of India: “The different religions are like lotus flowers. They rise from the murky depths, and when they finally reach the sunlight they bloom. When a lotus opens, it represents spiritual awakening. No two buds are alike, and no one blossom is more beautiful than another. They all celebrate the divine.”

Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite

Our modern world is full of almost as many opinions as there are people to express them. The twenty-first century is truly the age of the individual. This, says Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr., is the seed of our destruction. Our obsession with self, says Mrkvicka, is distancing us from God in ways we will not be able to fully appreciate until we have passed the point of no return. “We all love the thought of a savior who saves us, but we rebel against the thought of a lord who requires discipleship and obedience. Therein lays the crux of the matter.”

The Plot to Kill God by Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr. (with Kelly Mrkvicka) presents a point-by-point, scripturally based, impeccably well-rendered case for returning to God, not just a loving, benevolent protector but also as our Lord and master, who commands worship in absolute terms. This, says Mrkvicka, is problematic for free thinkers: “Americans in particular bristle at the thought of being submissive and putting ourselves second. We have rights. No one can tell us what to do, not even God."

Regardless of their religion or personal values, intelligent people the world over appreciate a carefully considered persuasive argument. Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.’s argument is compelling and reads with the grace and charm of a country Sunday sermon. There is no lecturing; no fire and brimstone; no trace of sulfur in the charismatic air; instead, there is the quiet, caring, urgent plea of a truly compassionate and God-fearing Christian who will not accept less than God’s eternal promise for his fellow human beings.

Remember who made us. Remember what we are here to do: worship … and obey. Come home.

Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.’s The Plot to Kill God offers an earnest, timely treatise for a woebegone and misguided age: “So often in our Christian walk we fail to nod to the power God commands, and lose sight of the true nature of our relationship. We are not His equal and shouldn’t act as if we are. When we do, we relegate God to being as powerless as we are. Conversely, when we obey and worship as commanded, He allows us to share in His power.”

Wonderful tool for reflection and growth.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Small Moments: A Child's Memories of the Civil Rights Movement is a young adult, coming of age creative memoir written by Mary M. Barrow. The family's move from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Trenton, New Jersey, was made in two separate stages. The twins, Michael, Amelia's husband, Peter, and Mary's parents were in the family car for the long trip up north. Mary and her younger brother, Chuck, traveled by train with Amelia. It was a long journey made longer by the fact that they were unable to use the sleeping car that had been purchased by Mary's father, because Amelia was an African American. She sat up during the two-day ride and nestled a child on either side of her as they slept. Mary and Chuck would not have been anywhere else, except for home, and especially not in the car where Michael would be getting punished again. Amelia was comfort and love and strength; she was their world.

Mary M. Barrow's creative memoir for young adults, Small Moments: A Child's Memories of the Civil Rights Movement, is a profound and memorable coming of age story set in the late 1950s and 1960s. Mary sees the Civil Rights Movement in a markedly different way than her racist father or even her more progressive mother does, and she shares that vision with the reader in this oh so moving tribute to the woman who became a mother, mentor and guardian. I loved reading Barrow's collection of memories, especially those concerning the summer on Block Island: Mary's turn to go out into the deep water and learn to master the waves with her mother, and the blackberry hunt with Amelia. Even more poignant were the passages detailing those times spent listening to Amelia as she shared her past memories with her two young charges. As I finished, I felt as if I had gotten to know a very special woman indeed, and I'm privileged to have done so. Small Moments: A Child's Memories of the Civil Rights Movement is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Be prepared: Homeless Hero: Understanding the Soul of Home by Mike Tapscott will forever change your view of the homeless people in our country. This book presents a thorough examination and understanding of a group of people in Phoenix, AZ – these people include the homeless, the staff (from the volunteers to the Directors) of a group of agencies addressing their needs, and even a local police officer. Mike Tapscott’s interviews with these folks do not focus on how the homeless arrived in this place; rather, he focuses on the humanity of each person. Each interview ends with the same three meaningful questions, and the answers given are truly poignant. And he includes his own thoughts and reactions during the interviews, and during his brief immersion as a homeless person.

Mike Tapscott’s book, Homeless Hero: Understanding the Soul of Home, delves deeply into the hearts and souls of the homeless, as well as the people who are committed to ending this distressing phenomenon. It is a well-written, moving account of his experiences. By revealing the human soul of the homeless, we become aware of the similarities between “them and us,” and quickly realize there are no discernible differences between them and us. By acknowledging the human connectedness each of us has to every other person - even the homeless - we learn to grow in compassion and kindness. Mike Tapscott shares his personal journey of understanding and acceptance. Any reader who spends reflective time with this book will also grow in acceptance of the homeless as worthy human beings, and perhaps be called to action in some manner.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

You Are What You Tweet by Germany Kent is a guide to becoming Twitter savvy fast, and is a good reference to pick up the best Twitter etiquette. A very important part of using Twitter as a communication medium, the author tells us in the beginning, is to “Say something worthwhile and people will listen.” A brief discussion on the background of Twitter and a bit more detail on the protocols and manners to be adhered to follow next. The power of Twitter, as the author mentions, is to educate, entertain and to evoke emotion - the specifics of each of these is given due attention in this book. The importance of forming a strategy and how that will depend on the role one would assume in Twitter, as well as the methodology of adding vitality to one's Tweets and related issues are also covered.

You Are What You Tweet by Germany Kent is not just a practical guide. I found it greatly helpful in creating my strategy. The author has provided bulleted lists and other tips with every new introduction of a concept, enabling quick reference and review. A comprehensive Twitter glossary and list of Twitter services that improve one's efficiency, by creating and scheduling your Tweets, and other tools that help one track performance are also included in this book. This makes it helpful in learning the nuances of Tweeting. Overall, this is a very good book, an exceptional product from an ‘overtime’ author.