Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Letter to My Dreams for Planet Earth by Pilar Velez is an informative and educational book that will make children realize the importance of protecting the environment using interactive activities and a diary format where readers are the captain of the trip. The magical stories in the diary are real and teach readers to remember, learn, play, be thankful, and see the future. The magic words, hidden worlds, and amazing people in the book make readers see that everything is possible if they set their mind to it. Every person has a different dream and it is imperative that they acknowledge themselves as wonderful people who live on this planet. Let us read this book together and explore the planet where we all live.

This fun and interactive book has a lot of information for readers to learn about planet Earth. I loved Pilar Velez 's approach to the topic. It has been written keeping the child audience in mind, and there are many encouraging messages and concepts for them to stimulate their creativity, critical thinking, and decision making. Letter to My Dreams for Planet Earth can also be looked at as a good tool for creative writing, environmental knowledge and education, and workshops for children. It reaches out to readers of all age groups and develops awareness in readers about the environment they are living in and how they can make changes with their dreams. This is definitely a must-have and must-read because it has wonderful stories that will make young readers think, games and activities, conversations, and other treasures that will leave them enchanted and excited. It can also be used for reference on various topics related to planet Earth.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

What Matters: Lessons Learned from Life by Phil Rainwater is a motivational book that helps readers to focus on the essential, on what really matters. The book is composed of short, insightful thoughts, axioms, and messages that are designed to help readers improve the quality of their life, increase their levels of fulfillment, and connect more intimately with their purpose. Each thought is accomplished by an illustration from a child's artwork, each one illuminating and deeply inspiring.

In this book the author shares lessons of enlightenment, lessons learned through life, and these cover a variety of topics, including personal development, parenting, making a difference, and a lot more. For instance, about creating a quality life, the author says: “Awareness of dying . . . greatly increases the awareness of living.” When it comes to parenting, the author shares the conviction that when we give time to children, then time for other things just fits in. He has also learned that to make a difference one has to be different.

There are many other thoughts and insights that readers get in this slim, yet refreshing book. The thoughts are conveyed in a style that is evocative and simple. In What Matters: Lessons Learned from Life, you will find the wisdom to bring meaning and quality to every day of your life. It would be best for readers to take one thought from this book and to ponder on it for a day. There is a message for everyone in this inspiring work, no matter what their social status or interests in life.

Reviewed by Erin Nicole Cochran for Readers' Favorite

Rental Secrets by Justin Pogue is a godsend for those of us who are renters. Not only does the book divulge tips for the renters themselves, but it also is a good source of reading material for the landlords too as a way to create better relationships with their renters and vice versa. The tone of Rental Secrets is very straightforward and easily understandable. It has a 'friend in your ear' kind of charm that resonates well while reading through the pages. Another invaluable facet was the summary points and questions at the end of each chapter to make the reader really think about what is most important to them in terms of renting a space, and what may not be as important. The questions posed were perfectly assembled.

Justin Pogue’s Rental Secrets really affected me in such a way. I come from a family who rents out a townhouse so the information that was provided throughout really is going to be put to some good use, as there were things we didn’t know relating to pet rent fees in addition to pet deposit fees. Being still somewhat new to the game, even nine years in, the information to us is very valuable. What I loved most about Rental Secrets was that it was so easy to comprehend. I wasn’t left scratching my head at any point while reading it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has ever rented or is considering renting, as well as landlords.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

The Upset: Life (Sports), Death...and the Legacy We Leave in the Middle by Tyler Trent and John Driver is an inspiring story and a powerful testament of faith and love; a young soul's journey towards finding meaning in cancer through selflessness and joyful acceptance. It is the story of Tyler Trent, a young sportswriter and fan who, in 2014, is diagnosed with osteosarcoma. It is the first of his three battles with cancer. The young writer captures the emotion at the time when he got the news. When he knew his days were numbered, he lived his mortality in a spirit of faith, finding a purpose in his illness and selflessly allowing himself to walk a path that would inspire others after his death. In this narrative, one thing clearly stands out: Tyler never wanted his death to be in vain, so he gave up the remaining days of his life to fight for the support of cancer research.

The Upset by Tyler Trent and John Driver is beautifully told, allowing different points of view to come out, including the way the young man's parents saw him. The prose is crisp and the tone is upbeat. There are insightful passages that invite readers to reflect on the mystery of life and the place of faith, love, and family in human growth. Tyler writes: "At every turn, the real grace of Jesus for me—and for you—has only required that I keep showing up with my brokenness. When I do, he has promised that he will already be there waiting. Before I was ever a Christ-follower, Christ was a Tyler-chaser." This book brought both tears of sorrow and love to my eyes and I enjoyed the way the humanity of the protagonist is explored. In fact, there is a powerful light flowing through the cracks of his brokenness, a light that points the reader to the essential truth.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Thin, and I: A Memoir is written by Andrijka O. Keller. Keller was fifteen years old when her parents and the school nurse decided that she should go into a rehabilitation program. Her grades were above normal, and her attitudes about school were just fine. Keller, however, was one of the millions of Americans who had an eating disorder. Her father’s discomfort at the idea of a rehab stint was apparent; somehow he had personally failed by producing a daughter who was bulimic. Her mom was supportive but worried. Keller knew she had it all under control. She had successfully lost the weight that had tormented her in grammar school. Being tall and weighing 200 pounds, combined with the braces and thick glasses, meant her fourth-grade self was a prime target for bullies and other mean kids. Even the teachers seemed to overlook her in favor of the pretty girls and the athletic superstars. So Keller made friends with ED, her eating disorder, whom she visualized as a debonair man of business complete with Armani suit and Hermes briefcase. He was her coach, her motivation, her cheering squad. Rehab? ED whispered that they were out to destroy their relationship, but Keller was quite sure they could hold firm against any and all forces.

Andrijka O. Keller’s Thin, and I: A Memoir is an eloquent and moving account of the author’s teen years battling an eating disorder and a medical institution determined to keep her on a cocktail of mind-numbing prescription drugs. Keller’s story is a riveting one. Her descriptions of her time spent in rehab are fascinating, as are the stories she tells about the other patients who came to be her family while she was in treatment. I was stunned and horrified to read about the easy and standard diagnosis of depression she was given and the constant push of her doctors to have her take an increasing number of drugs, and I applauded her decision to protect herself in response. Keller’s a superb writer; one who took a story that could possibly have a limited audience and made it into a memoir with broad appeal. Her writing style is conversational, and her gift for seeing past the persona and perceiving the real people she shares with her readers is impressive indeed. Anyone who’s had food issues will undoubtedly benefit from reading this work, as well as anyone who’s been on the receiving end of the magical potions prescribed by Big Pharma, and the doctors who support it. Thin, and I: A Memoir is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

You Are A Heroine: A Retelling of the Hero's Journey by Susanna Liller is a book for women and is designed to awaken the heroine in every woman. The premise is simple: an ordinary person changes after moving to a new world where she runs into evil and challenging situations that transform her. Now this heroine's experience is something that many women go through when they decide to step out of their comfort zone and face the world. From the heroine's perspective, everyone is on a journey. You start observing things that you had not noticed earlier, the hardships you face will make you a better person, and the journey will help you get past your fears and start afresh.

This book is all about transformation and discovering yourself, and the author begins with her grandmother's story. It is a good book that will encourage women to explore new paths with self-belief and confidence and convert the negatives into positives. The topic is original and it is something that will interest many women. It is something that every woman would like to experience - to make changes, break down barriers and self-limiting thoughts, and transform their lives to a new high. The tools and tips can be easily incorporated and practiced to get the necessary results. I like the way the author gives outlines and techniques to empower women and make them the heroines they are meant to be. Are you ready to take responsibility for your life, make positive transformations, and become a heroine?

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Hindsight: Coming of Age on the Streets of Hollywood is a non-fiction memoir penned by author Sheryl Recinos, who made the journey from being a homeless teenager to becoming an MD. Beginning with her life in a dysfunctional family unit, we go with Sheryl through her recollections of being placed in the foster care system, the effect that the system had on her, and onto her eventual move to living on the streets of Hollywood. Here, the tale takes an even more savage turn into the dark world of survival for those who are a prime target for predators. But through it all, Sheryl’s resilience and instincts help her not only to survive but to thrive and build a new life for herself in the future.

There are many instances of quite terrifying events throughout the earlier portions of this book, and author Sheryl Recinos does a great job at relaying them without graphic detail, but they may still be too disturbing for some readers. That said, her journey is an incredible one against the odds of what life threw at her at such a young age, and the chronology and pacing of her personal storytelling through the highs and the lows was very compelling to read. Recinos is unafraid to be honest in her feelings about the foster system, her own reactions as a young person, and the realities and difficulties of her life, which makes it all the more inspiring to see how she turned it around. Hindsight is an excellent work, certain to inspire others in the same way.

Reviewed by Renee Guill for Readers' Favorite

Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career by Tamara S. Raymond is a guide for anyone starting a new career, but it is mostly geared towards high school and college students. It has a workbook in it to help you out. Tamara S. Raymond discusses ways of getting experience with school activities and such. She talks about how to write resumes and how to handle an interview. She also talks about what to do when you do get the job. She has a lot of tips and questions for you to answer to help as well.

I liked how Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career by Tamara S. Raymond mentions it is for students starting out in their careers. I think it could also benefit someone older who needs to start a new life, for some reason or other. I loved how she turned it into a workbook so people can write their answers in the book to help them decide on their careers; she gave excellent questions. The interview questions were spot on, and I wish I had known about them when I started out in my career. Tamara S. Raymond even suggests how one should dress for an interview and send thank you cards. I thought that was a great idea; it may seem obvious to some, but not to a teenager. She also had some great tips at the end of each chapter. This is definitely a good checklist to have if you are starting out or starting over in your career.

Reviewed by Sandy Masia for Readers' Favorite

The Search for Mother Missing by Janine Vance tells the story of international trans-racial adoptees Janine and Jenette Vance who grew up, despite the prejudice, believing they were fully American. It’s only at the age of 25 that they discover they have got green cards, not actual US citizenship, despite having lived in the country practically their entire lives. It is this statelessness that brings the issues of their origins to the fore. Previously the twins had avoided the issue, believing it would seem ungrateful or disrespectful to their adoptive parents. They had been told they were found in a box on a street corner in Seoul and nothing more. Now in their early thirties, they journey into the motherland for an international conference of Korean-born adoptees where they hope to learn more about their culture, their background and find their family. It’s here on their trip that they experience the shady dealings of the international adoption agencies and other eye-opening and life-altering experiences.

The Search for Mother Missing has a lot of strengths. Janine Vance went for something more well-rounded. When issues of great pain and suffering are discussed they never come across as overwhelming, as you would expect when issues as serious as these are at the center of a book. This was a brilliant choice; to be informative without being exhausting. It helps a lot that Janine’s writing and her entire organization of this book is so welcoming, easy to follow and heart-warming. She draws you in quickly and you identify with her. It is this sense of effortlessness and the hope of the story that really makes this book gripping.

The Search for Mother Missing answers some question in a very satisfactory, insightful manner that will make you see the world of international adoption differently. Those questions are: what’s it like to be a trans-racial international adoptee? Do the benefits of international adoption outweigh the costs, and vice versa? What rights should the child, biological parents and adoptive parents have? What sort of protections are necessary? When is adoption appropriate? These aren’t easy questions and Janine Vance doesn’t give easy answers either, but they are honest and thoughtful answers nonetheless. I highly recommended this book, if not for its candor, for its uplifting story.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Never Let Me Go hit so close to home it scared me. Not because my own life experience was similar to that of Nicole Lowe's, the author of this memoir, but because how Nicole felt, what she did as a teen, and why she did it reminds me too much of my own teenage granddaughter. As a result, let me begin this review with a strong suggestion that if you are the parent of a child who wanders the streets at night, disappears for a day or two, and never wants to hang with the family at home, read this book! Your child might just be another teenage Nicole Lowe.

By the age of 13, Nicole, in her search for her true self, had allied herself with a group of Goths who believed in a parallel universe, who believed they had already passed over to the other side and were searching for their soul mates in a world where happiness lay in frequent acid trips. Nicole went from a straight A student to a high school dropout. Fellow Goth, Michael, took her under his protection when she suffered constant nightmares after being raped. In time, it was Michael from whom she needed protecting. That protection came with her escape, abetted by Sam, with whom she fell in love. With Sam, her life on the road began. Survival depended on dumpster diving, stealing from shopping markets, panhandling, and eventually selling acid strips. It all came to halt when Nicole got pregnant. Only then did she come to realize the true meaning of a mother’s love.

Is there a positive side to Never Let Me Go? Very definitely. Incredibly, the same teenage runaway that was Nicole Lowe is today a lawyer and the Utah Assistant Attorney General in the Child Protection Division. You will have to read the book to find out how this complete change in Nicole’s thinking, attitudes and career came about. To make this book even more relevant to the current world where there are so many teenage runaways, pregnancies, and suicides, not to mention drug abuse, Lowe opens with an ongoing court case where a young woman, much like the teen that Nicole once was, is in danger of losing both the child she has and the one growing inside her, thanks to her life on the streets, unemployment, and drug use. If anyone can understand how this young woman feels, Nicole does. She’s lived that life. Thanks to her own mother, Nicole was able to turn her life around and keep her child. Will this young woman in court be able to do the same? For some, Never Let Me Go will be a heartbreaking, even depressing read. For others, it is what Nicole Lowe intends: enlightening and hopeful. Above all, it is an important read. Don’t hesitate. This story might be about your daughter or granddaughter.