Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Marissa F. Cohen has chosen an unusual way to share her own story, and that of twenty other victims/survivors of sexual abuse, or as she prefers to see them, “warriors,” in Breaking Through the Silence:The Journey to Surviving Sexual Assault. The author weaves the stories of these 20 contributing warriors in and out of her own memoir, simply titled “Author’s Story” to alert readers each time one or more warrior stories ends, and her own resumes. It’s an interesting approach. Furthermore, as each shorter warrior story ends, she includes first person accounts by professionals who work with abuse victims to give readers further insights into aspects and issues raised by the writer of that preceding story. These professionals include police, nurses, social workers, support people, advocates and more, and by the time one finishes reading, it is glaringly apparent how much work must yet go into raising awareness of how and why sexual abuse occurs, and the need to educate children as they grow into puberty. Our young people need to learn how to stand up for, and protect themselves in a society where “boys will be boys” and where parents too often dismiss or refuse to believe what an abused teen tells them.

But it is each warrior’s own approach to coping with their past that will be of greatest support to those who choose to read Breaking Through the Silence. These readers are most likely other victims of abuse, those whose fear, shame, the belief that they are to blame, or who have that hopeless sense that even if a case does go to court, they’ll never win. This is where each warrior’s words have the greatest impact: “Victim mentality…I think that’s the most crippling part of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and rape. Once you take control of it, you are no longer weak and powerless. Take control of your own life, and then every success is a bigger success because you took it into your own hands.”

Or consider the words of this warrior, who chooses to look at blame in a positive way: “The day that I realized that this was my fault was when I realized that I allowed myself to disrespect myself; the men were doing what I was allowing them to do. Once you realize that you have a weakness, you have the power to gain the strength.”

And in light of the current #MeToo campaign, here’s a very powerful statement that force readers to look at the abuse from a completely different angle: “Women can’t do this on our own, because women want to be loved and desired and wanted. In addition to wanting to be respected, they want to be desired.”

How true! And how important that not just women, but men help to turn things around: “You have to have men join you as part of the effort to stop abuse. All it takes is for good people to do something.”

There are good people of all genders out there, just as there are victims of all genders. The twenty warriors who have had the courage to share their stories, along with the author, are part of a rising movement as more and more victims come forward in books, blogs, within private groups and in the media. There cannot be too much of this kind of activity…just too little. Somehow, those who know the truth must break through the silence and tell their stories. Bravo, Marissa F. Cohen, and your warriors for doing so.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins by Robert Crown is an inspiring story that chronicles the author’s journey through the valley of the shadow of death and his emergence. The book is uplifting and will have a positive impact on the lives of readers - even if in some small way - to make it better. They will be able to find something in the book that will help them in their own lives and will help them understand how suffering ends when awakening begins. The book starts with how the author's mother tried to murder him and his sisters when he was eleven years old and how the extreme sense of his mother’s betrayal grew on him and created a pattern of negative thoughts that haunted him for the rest of his life.

This book is an inspiring and powerful read and will encourage readers to look at life with a positive outlook, no matter what they are going through. The author’s sufferings and the lessons he learned to turn his life around and make it positive are motivating and will help everyone look into their lives and see how they can learn from it instead of being broken. The book is about faith, gratitude, hope, healing, and empowerment. The memoir is straightforward and honest and connects well with readers; especially those who have undergone or are undergoing similar traumas. It is a book that will help readers channel their energy from that of negative to positive and to lead a fulfilling and meaningful existence.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

There's Beauty Inside... This Young Lady: Helping Teens Become Beautiful from the Inside Out is written by Ciara Ijames. If you have ever worried about not fitting in because you look or act differently to your peers, then this is the perfect inspirational guidebook for you. Do you ever feel your uniqueness causes you to feel lonely, sad and separated from the crowd? The topics covered include cyber bullying, how not to give in to peer pressure to act in a way that is not fitting to your values, and how to build your self-esteem so you can be motivated to build a good, strong future for yourself. The poems all have strong messages behind them and in a world where young women are forced to abandon their beliefs, this book will encourage you to remain true to yourself and appreciate your beauty from the inside out.

This excellent guidebook features every subject that troubles young women in today's society. The poems are thought-provoking and excellently written. I enjoyed each one for different reasons but one of my particular favourites is My Education, as it covers the importance of gaining success, power, knowledge and insight to ensure a good future for yourself. The Young Lady is also a fantastic piece of writing, covering the subject of setting your own goals and striving to be the best, and not giving in to peer pressure. The author has a clear understanding of the social issues of young adults and the life lessons covered in this guide are invaluable. This is the perfect gift for any adolescent girl or young adult. The reading guide questions at the end were just the icing on the cake to make this a superb book.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Walking to Woot: A Photographic Narrative Discovering New Dimensions For Parent/Teen Bonding by Jackie Chase is a true account of a mother-and-daughter’s journey together into Papua New Guinea and all of its accompanying adventures and insights. Walking to Woot starts with Jackie and her teenage daughter, Katherine, embarking on an once-in-a-lifetime journey to Papua New Guinea and into a world still relatively untouched by civilization. Their one-month-long excursion is documented fully as we hear their stories - full of adventure, fun, discomfort, and traveling with the bare necessities - which offer a rare glimpse into the lives and culture of the various tribes that inhabit Papua New Guinea. In the end, Walking to Woot is more than the journey; it also tells the story of how a mother and daughter became a team and formed a new bond as they experienced a new world.

Walking to Woot: A Photographic Narrative Discovering New Dimensions For Parent/Teen Bonding by Jackie Chase is an immensely enjoyable book written superbly by Jackie Chase. I felt that I was able to get a true, unadorned glimpse into the life and society of various tribes that live in Papua New Guinea such as the Dani, and to truly understand a region that may be one of the last untouched places left on earth. I also loved the fact that Jackie truly empathizes with the locals she meets and has a very open, accepting mindset. Her bonding with Katherine is also a great lesson in parenting. All in all, a wonderful read for all travel or parenting enthusiasts.

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

Believe it or not, minorities are experiencing various forms of mental illness and have done so for decades. Mental illnesses tends to sit in the background in silence in minority households. Yassin S. Hall walks us through the shadows of her life as a child growing up with a mom that has mental illness in Journey Untold - My Mother's Struggle with Mental Illness. In Yassin S. Hall’s town within the Virgin Islands, everyone knows your business due to its small community. Her mother's illness created several stigmas that followed Yassin S. Hall wherever she went. It is Yassin S. Hall’s goal to not only tell her story, but to show how this illness can cause harm to loved ones dealing with those affected by mental illness.

Whether it's bipolar, paranoid schizophrenia, or other forms of mental illness, the disease is debilitating for everyone - from the person living with it to their loved ones having to deal with the sickness. Journey Untold - My Mother's Struggle with Mental Illness by Yassin S. Hall says that we will no longer hide this illness affecting our families under the rug; help is needed. Mental illnesses come in various forms from abuse, compulsive disorders and addiction to depression. We need more support groups that speak to the specific needs of people of color. “If I can motivate, empower, and uplift just one woman a day, then that’s my purpose. That is what keeps me going,” says Yassin S. Hall. Journey Untold - My Mother's Struggle with Mental Illness shows that despite your upbringing or your past, you can still have a bright and prosperous future.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage, and Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse by Kathy and Gary Picard is a memoir about Kathy’s childhood years and the impact it had on her life. Kathy describes her childhood and upbringing in some detail, including her early life with her grandparents, moving in with her parents and siblings, and her father’s sexual abuse starting when she just a child all the way into her teens. She describes how any physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse results in long term trauma for the victims, and goes on to describe her jobs, career, marriage, as well as her social activism to create awareness of sexual abuse and to change the stigma and the laws surrounding it.

Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage, and Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse by Kathy and Gary Picard is an inspiring book and one I would highly encourage everyone to read not only for its powerful story, but also as a means of social awareness on how to identify sexual abuse in children and get help. A key thing to know is that many times childhood sexual abuse happens within the family, or through someone known to the family, and a book like this creates greater awareness of this fact. Kathy mostly writes in the first person and her writing is from-the-heart and genuinely engaging. Another wonderful thing about the book is the way Kathy confronts her abuser after all these years and goes to court, which once again may provide motivation for people in similar situations that justice can be served. All in all, a great read!

Reviewed by Carla Trueheart for Readers' Favorite

NAKED TEXT: Email Writing Skills for Teenagers by Gisela Hausmann instructs teenagers on the importance of crafting professional emails and gives them pointers on how to make their emails stand out. Included in the book are tips for writing emails, the seven parts of an email, the best time to send an email, and how to close an email in a unique but professional way. The book also explains how missed details, typos, and misspellings can make your emails look sloppy and even mark you as a careless person. There are also pointers that even an adult can use, such as how to make your topic stand out and how to write a creative greeting.

The biggest accomplishment of NAKED TEXT: Email Writing Skills for Teenagers is teaching teenagers and young adults how to make the transition between fun texts and professional looking emails. In a time when teenagers might be seeking colleges, applying for jobs or internships, and dealing with adult responsibilities, the lessons and tools mentioned in the book will be invaluable. The book is written in a straightforward way with little fluff, so it should hold a teen’s attention without sounding preachy. Also, author Gisela Hausmann stresses the importance of writing thank you emails and teaches teenagers that an email should not be about me, me, me, but about what you can do for someone else. This is great advice and should truly make a difference for teenagers entering the professional world. I would recommend the book for teenagers, young adults, college students, and even adults. It would also be a great source to keep in school libraries.

Reviewed by Michael White for Readers' Favorite

Icefall is the true story of Alex Staniforth’s journey to reach the top of Mount Everest. What is remarkable about Alex’s story is that he was only eighteen years old. Alex was also a sick child and suffered from bouts of epilepsy. But because of his struggles with illness, Alex learned a grim determination. He never gave up and struggled hard to succeed, despite many difficult odds. Alex took this grit with him on his journey to Mount Everest’s summit. Icefall documents his journey and the countless struggles and dangers he faced in order to have the chance to achieve his dream at such a remarkable young age. Icefall is an amazing account of one person’s will and determination to achieve a life’s goal, and can be an inspiration to us all.

Even if you are not a mountain climber or never dream of climbing Mount Everest, there are valuable lessons in Icefall by Alex Staniforth. Icefall is so much more than just an adventure story about a teenager who climbs a mountain. It is a well-written narrative with a very personal style that makes it feel as if Alex Staniforth is talking to you directly. I loved the personality that flowed from these pages and really made Alex feel like a friend, especially as he talked about sharing his dream of his ascent. The book is very mature and sometimes I forgot that I was reading the writing of a young person. I also appreciated Alex’s honesty and how he laid his feelings out for the whole world to see.

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

Tails of Sweetbrier by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne is an inspirational and true YA story. Deanie has cerebral palsy and her parents are told she will never be able to walk. But her father has other ideas and, after setting up Sweetbriers riding school, he sets about teaching his young daughter (and her two sisters) how to ride and jump and become prize winning riders. Deanie loves this challenge and begins to ride even before she eventually walks at age four. A wonderful partnership between her own horse, Peach, and herself develops as does the confidence and determination that sees the two of them achieving remarkable things.

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne’s story is one that will inspire young readers to hold on to their dreams and pursue them determinedly, regardless of any apparent setbacks. Beautifully, simply and honestly told, Tails of Sweetbrier is a delightful and uplifting story. I loved the inclusion of illustrations depicting the characters at various stages of the story. I couldn’t help thinking how lucky young Deanie was to have such a positive-thinking and enterprising father – her own determination and outlook so obviously influenced by the upbringing she experienced.

Young readers will fall in love with Little Man and Fleet Nancy (or Peach) – the lovely friendship that grows between Deanie and her four legged friends is conveyed in such a delightfully contagious way. My favorite part of the book is where Deanie and Peach tackle the Oxford Farm competition – they don’t win that day, but neither do they give up in the face of adverse weather conditions! With plenty of fun moments along the way too, Tails of Sweetbriers is an enjoyable book that will make you think, open your mind to possibilities, and challenge you to overcome obstacles or limited thinking.

The final chapter consists of the author’s ‘Pearls of Wisdom’: “Overcoming obstacles can give you the confidence to accomplish amazing things…You have the power to make your dreams come true so reach for them and don’t accept anything less!” The questions for readers at the end of the book make this an ideal story for prompting discussion about confidence and self-belief, as well as understanding others who may have greater difficulties than ourselves. Recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

I Would, But My DAMN MIND Won't Let Me (Words of Wisdom for Teens, Volume 2) is a non-fiction self-help book for young adults written by Jacqui Letran. The author has been working in the field of Adolescent Medicine and Mental Health Care for over fifteen years. She introduces her subject by defining and differentiating the conscious and subconscious parts of the human mind, and examines how each functions. While a person can control what the conscious part of the mind does, the subconscious is an entirely different matter. Letran explains how one's attitudes and outlooks can be altered or perpetuated through modification of one's reactions and thought processes. She also offers a number of case studies of young women who were able to resolve underlying issues through her coaching and counselling.

Jacqui Letran's self-help guide for young adults is an engrossing and highly accessible guide for anyone who'd like to understand why they react to stress and stressors the way they do. I was impressed by the way the author introduces the complex and complicated processes that go on in the human mind and especially appreciated how she's adapted her findings and techniques to work with young women. Her case studies were fascinating and clearly demonstrated how depression and other mental health issues can sometimes be resolved without the use of medicines and traditional therapeutic methods. This is a well-written and informative work that is neither condescending nor patronizing of its target audience, and it is highly recommended.