Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Are you over forty and looking for a simpler way of life? Less stress, less fat, less cholesterol? Have you considered making any life changes, like perhaps a change in your diet? As we get older, our bodies change in so many ways. And we have to change along with our bodies, not just to help deal with the everyday stress of living, but also to give our bodies a better chance of coping with illness and the usual wear and tear on the body. Have you considered a vegan diet? One that would eliminate all animal products and by-products in your diet? Or even a partial vegan diet? There are many benefits in eating primarily or solely plant-based foods. You’re protecting animals, protecting the environment (because the animal-based food industry produces a lot of waste that is toxic to the environment), and you’re giving your body less cholesterol, more energy, and so much more.

This vegan diet idea, or perhaps it’s more of an un-diet since it’s not a crash course in weight loss, is the basis for Sandra Sellani and Susan Sellani’s very resourceful and informative book, The 40-Year-Old Vegan: 75 Recipes to Make You Leaner, Cleaner, and Greener in the Second Half of Life, is much more than just a recipe book. Yes, there are lots of recipes, 75 as the title indicates. But there is a wealth of information provided by the authors and other professionals in the area of nutrition and vegan diets. This is a must-have guide to a healthier eating plan. Whether you want to become totally vegan, or just incorporate some vegan ideas into your diet, this is the book to help guide you along. It doesn’t insist on a total conversion. In fact, one of the authors is only partially vegan. And, it points out that any change in diet must be gradual, as our bodies are used to certain foods and the downfall of any rash diet plan is the rebound binge eating. There is a detailed guide included to gradually introducing vegan foods into your diet. And, of course, there are the recipes, complete with clear, concise instructions, suggestions of alternatives to certain ingredients and colorful illustrations to tempt the palate. This book is a must for any health-conscious person.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In a stunningly beautiful new offering by author and chef Olga Petrenko, Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight is a guide through gastronomic heaven. As many at home chefs know, the visual appeal of a cookbook definitely adds to the joy involved in preparing a meal, and this book is beautiful from start to finish. The focus of the work, creating and sharing meals with your partner with a special emphasis on aphrodisiacs, is extremely interesting, and the science behind how foods affect the sexes appears to be sound. The book is divided into easy to use sections, including vegetables, fish, seafood, erotic spices, nuts, fruit, chocolate and love potions, and has easy to follow instructions on preparation as well as information on the potential effects of eating particular foods. The beauty of the photos of the food as it is being prepared is only bested by the beauty of the photos of the finished product.

I loved this cook book. Loved. It. How's that for a review? It's definitely how I felt about Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight. Author Olga Petrenko has done a simply outstanding job in her work on this cookbook, and the information about the food as well as the photos provided are just magnificent. This book would be perfect for anyone who enjoys cooking, is looking to prepare a perfect romantic or Valentine's Day meal, or who is looking to spice up their love life. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight, and I look forward to reading more from this very promising cookbook author as soon as I am able to!

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

The Mastery of You: Toward an Understanding of Self by Renu Persaud is a powerful book that combines personal testimony with insightful writing to offer readers a path to self-discovery and self-mastery. This is one of the best books I have read in the area of personal development, self-awareness, and connection with one’s self. From childhood, we are made to journey more and more away from ourselves, fed lies that do not represent what and who we really are, and most of us grow up believing that we are what we aren’t, thanks to the programming we have received. But this book challenges readers to dare to embrace themselves as they are, to face their reality, and to build a sense of self that is liberating.

This is a timely book for me and one that many people should read because lack of self-image is one of the chronic problems facing contemporary men and women. Renu Persaud combines personal testimony with powerful advice to create a path for readers to travel to themselves, offering tips and strategies that will allow them to develop a strong sense of self, invest in their journey towards self-esteem and self-confidence, and use it as a springboard to create a life of success and happiness. The Mastery of You: Toward an Understanding of Self is written in a beautiful, accessible style, with flawless prose and a voice that is very compelling. The author writes with confidence, a sign that she knows her subject matter very well. Here is a book that will help readers discover the secrets to building self-confidence and navigating the path to happiness.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Eye to the Sky: Storytelling on the Edge of Magic by Bobby Norfolk is literally, as the title suggests, the story of Bobby’s life told in his own words. Eye to the Sky is written in a fairly sequential manner and follows Bobby as he tells of growing up in the pre-Civil Rights movement era in the South in Missouri. He details his daily life as a kid going to school and playing, living with segregation and racial injustice, his struggles with stuttering as a kid and coping with his handicap, his interest and passion for music, the Civil Rights revolution and its influence on him, his spiritual leaning toward philosophy and self-realization, his wife and family, and finally, his art of storytelling itself.

Eye to the Sky: Storytelling on the Edge of Magic by Bobby Norfolk is a fun, engaging book where Bobby’s talents as a storyteller come into play. The book is fast paced and Bobby’s voice comes across as genuine and earnest. One can’t help but feel themselves almost a part of Bobby’s life, reliving those important moments. Another thing I greatly appreciated about this book was the first hand perspective on the '60s and '70s era and the Civil Rights movement. Having lived through it before and after, Bobby can truly provide genuine insight and he does. There are also several photos distributed throughout the book that bring these people to life. Overall, this is a fun, engaging read.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

It might surprise Pokemon Go fanatics to learn that the man who created the original Pokemon game, Mr. Satoshi Tajiri, has confirmed that he has Asperger's Syndrome, one of the types of autism. In fact, it most likely would surprise many people to realize that some of the most brilliant and famous people in history, like Einstein and Mozart, are thought to have had autism. How terribly sad then to realize, as Jonathan Alderson points out in Challenging the Myths of Autism, that for decades now great numbers of children and adults with autism have been diagnosed as mentally retarded, socially inept and/or reclusive, incapable of showing affection, of having low IQ's, and lacking in imagination and creativity. How important then for someone like Jonathan Alderson to come along and separate the facts from the fiction surrounding autism.

Challenging the Myths of Autism is a book that should be read by everyone involved with autistic children in any way: teachers, educators, medical researchers, doctors, and especially parents need to read this book. Jonathan addresses the myths surrounding seven key behavioral and intelligence issues of autistic children. He begins each chapter quoting some of the erroneous statements made by those considered experts. Next, he'll share a story of an autistic child with whom he has worked, what the child was like when he first met and observed him or her, and how that child grew, changed and thrived when approached as these children need to be approached: with tons of patience, without judgement, and above all, without preconceived ideas based on erroneous, often unsupported or empirical evidence.

In Challenging the Myths of Autism, Jonathan Alderson points out parents and educators need to change their beliefs about learning. They need to look for evidence that learning is happening. He cautions that we need to focus on what autistic people can do and not what they can't i.e. look for the positives instead of zeroing in on the negatives. Really, how different is what he suggests from what we all know children need: time to grow into their own greatness. It just might take longer for that to happen with autistic children, but it can happen. But it won't happen if the adults involved in their lives remain unenlightened. That's why this is such an important book.

I've personally been involved with parents of autistic children. I know how hard it is on both the parents and the child at times. I've witnessed the screaming and the repetitive behaviors. But I've also seen the love these often exhausted parents show for their children. And I've had the pleasure of seeing a child eventually express his or her love for that parent in a way that brought tears to my eyes. Challenging the Myths of Autism will give hope to parents who are running out of it, and alternative approaches to teachers and therapists to use with autistic children in their care. This book was originally released in 2011 by Random House. If you didn't read it back then, read it now. With 1 in 100 children now being diagnosed with autism, it's high time everyone learned the truth so they can better deal with it. The next child to be diagnosed autistic could be your own.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Spirituality 103 The Forgiveness Code: Finding The Light in Our Shadows by Ivan Figueroa-Otero is a spiritual masterpiece, a self-help book that will help readers to descend to the very core, to the center, and beginning of their being. When I picked this book up, I felt that I would be reading some tips on how to bring ourselves to forgive people who have hurt us in life, but the core of the book is something else. It is about forgiveness, but forgiveness as an essential element in the spiritual journey that restores, heals, and situates us on the right path towards the mission of our life. In language that is very powerful, lyrical, and suffused with symbolism, the author offers compelling and insightful advice on self-discovery and the path towards compassion and reconciliation with ourselves.

There are very beautiful passages in this book and some undeniable facts. I read this book twice and went back to underline some key passages. One of the expressions that hit home was: “Living, if we go about it with selfishness and lack of awareness of our interdependence with the universal laws and other people, turns into a nightmare of suffering, with brief moments of happiness.” But we can change that and re-invent our happiness by walking the path of forgiveness, by understanding how our emotions hurt ourselves. In fact, most of the suffering people experience does not come from outside. It comes from within, when their mind mirrors the hurts and pain they have suffered. But they can set themselves free by choosing to bathe in the light of forgiveness. After reading this book, you’ll never look at yourself in the same way and the world, including those around you, will have a new significance in your life. Spirituality 103 The Forgiveness Code: Finding The Light in Our Shadows was the perfect gift I needed.

Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

In a fun guide with lots of good information, The Two Week Wait Challenge: The Sassy Girl's Guide to Surviving the TWW, author Lindsay Fischer has done a great job of providing an easy to read and humorous perspective on what can be a very trying and emotional time for many people. Giving advice on what women and couples can do to keep themselves occupied and, let's face it, sane during the two weeks from when one might have conceived until being able to test for a pregnancy, this guide might just be a life-saver for those dealing with difficulty in conceiving. This book includes areas for readers to record their own thoughts, positive affirmations to focus on, and advice for supporting partners, all of which is quite invaluable.

I very much enjoyed The Two Week Wait Challenge: The Sassy Girl's Guide to Surviving the TWW. Author Lindsay Fischer has done a great job in creating something that her readers will treasure and find themselves coming back to, time and again, in a very difficult period of their lives. The humor and 'sassiness' is a much needed relief to the stress that many find with the conception process, and the glossary and explanation of terms will also be extremely useful to any who are new to the world of fertility issues. I highly recommend The Two Week Wait Challenge: The Sassy Girl's Guide to Surviving the TWW to any reader who is dealing with the frustrating dance that fertility can sometimes be, and I certainly hope to see more on this topic from the obviously talented and insightful author, Lindsay Fischer, in the very near future!

Reviewed by Ann Neville for Readers' Favorite

The Tao of Sudoku - Volume 1, written by Cristina Smith, is a compilation of philosophy and Sudoku puzzles. The puzzles themselves (100) are graded easy to medium in difficulty, but this is not just a puzzle book. Smith encourages readers to consider the art of Sudoku as yoga for the brain. And to promote whole brain health, along with the puzzles, there are uplifting and thought-provoking quotes and facts about how Sudoku originated and its benefits. Think you can't do Sudoku because you're hopeless at maths? Think again. As Smith suggests, solving a Sudoku puzzle doesn't take any maths ability at all - it's all about patterns, not adding, subtracting or calculus. But it does give that satisfying buzz of piecing together the why and how of the particular pattern involved .

I love Sudoku, especially the hard puzzles that challenge me. And I loved The Tao of Sudoku, compiled by Cristina Smith. Not because the puzzles themselves were particularly challenging (being rated as easy to medium they are not very difficult), but because this book challenged me in other ways. It challenged me to consider Sudoku not just as a fun hobby, but to use Sudoku as a meditative tool, too. I now see Sudoku as yoga for the brain. It increases my mental skills and boosts my creativity and is a personal growth tool. The fact that it reduces the risk of early dementia and Alzheimer's can't be dismissed either! At the bottom of every page is a quote, each one of which could be applied to just the Sudoku puzzles. But they also relate to life in general and are food for the soul. Interspersed throughout the puzzles are also snapshots of interesting facts, for example: where Sudoku originated. So I found The Tao of Sudoku is not just another Sudoku book - if you are looking for something that stretches your mind, nourishes your soul, and is entertaining and fun, this is the book for you. I recommend it unreservedly.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Kicking the Bear Out of the Bedroom: Snoring & Sleep Apnea, the Not-So-Silent Killers is a non-fiction health and wellness book written by Steve Wick. Wick never thought of himself as having sleep apnea or even being much of a snorer, that is, until his wife started elbowing him in the ribs to wake him up repeatedly throughout the night. He still didn’t think it was that big a problem. What was bothering him was his Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). He had always suffered with that, and he blamed the less than optimal quality of his sleeping on that problem. When he saw a commercial touting a prescription drug for RLS, he went to his doctor and asked for a prescription. She refused him at first, stating her belief that he had sleep issues. At her orders, he went to see a sleep specialist who scheduled him for a sleep study. To Wick’s surprise, he had severe sleep apnea and was prescribed a CPAP machine. Like many other patients who’ve been fitted with a CPAP, Wick soon found the device was too intrusive and restricting. It was when his wife announced her pregnancy, and his insurance agent refused to write a life insurance policy based on his sleep apnea, that Wick decided to explore the other remedies available to sufferers of this condition.

Steve Wick’s non-fiction health and wellness book, Kicking the Bear Out of the Bedroom: Snoring & Sleep Apnea, the Not-So-Silent Killers, presents the startlingly serious facts and figures about the perils snoring and sleep apnea pose to your health. He writes in a conversational manner, using his own story as illustrative in showing what the disease is, how it can impact your health, and what you can do about it. While I had heard of the CPAP machines and wondered how anyone could actually get used to using one, I was not familiar with the specialized custom mouth guards and surgical options that are available for those with this mostly chronic condition. Wick’s own story details his improved health after having been fitted with a custom device. He also includes a glossary of terms and resources for those readers who would like more information, as well as two tests that can help you determine if you might be at risk for sleep apnea. Kicking the Bear Out of the Bedroom: Snoring & Sleep Apnea, the Not-So-Silent Killers is one of those books you should seriously consider giving to a loved one who snores or has mentioned his/her problems using a CPAP machine. It’s highly recommended.

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

In the 21st century there has been a rise in illnesses and diseases from Alzheimer’s and diabetes to autism. Have you ever wondered why this is so? Galit Goldfarb gives us a clue in The Guerrilla Diet & Lifestyle Program: Wage War on Weight and Learn to Thrive in the Modern Jungle. Galit shows us that, due to our eating and lifestyle habits, diseases are affecting us. Yes, we are living longer, but our quality of life is being quickly being eroded. Now the question is this: is knowing that you can live longer but be unhealthy worth it? I say not.

The Guerrilla Diet & Lifestyle Program is power-packed with researched information to help you better understand and learn how the foods that you eat and how living a sedentary lifestyle affect your well being. Galit offers a 30-day Diet and Lifestyle Program that can benefit you in living a healthier and well-balanced life.

Reading The Guerrilla Diet & Lifestyle Program by Galit Goldfarb was great for me. I had begun to adopt a more vegan and Mediterranean diet. For me, this is not merely a diet in the sense of starting something and then stopping once I have reached my weight goal. Instead, it is a way of eating for the rest of my life. Food does affect us in many ways and we suffer without a balanced lifestyle. Health issues cause rising health care costs due to medications, hospitalization, and surgery. Don’t wait for a health scare to make a diet and lifestyle change. Do it now.