Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

Inspired by nature in all its grand beauty, The Twelve Gifts from the Garden provides profound life lessons to guide readers of all ages and cultures through their time on earth. The journey of enlightenment that started in 1987 with The Twelve Gifts collection continues in The Twelve Gifts from the Garden with a deep look into Mother Nature and her unique children: trees, birds, butterflies, bees, dogs, humans, flowers, and more. The many insightful ideas in the book touch on different themes, including dreams, imagination, beauty, cancer, marital discord, appreciation, assumption, compassion, and childhood. Charlene Costanzo's encounters with different beautiful living beings—like a berry plant and a cheerful crab spider—holds lessons worth sharing and remembering for a lifetime.

Reading The Twelve Gifts from the Garden was like putting on a pair of glasses that gave me a magical and deeply satisfying view of the world around me. I suddenly felt relaxed when I started reading the book as its vivid descriptions planted in my mind the trees, the flowers, and all the beautiful living beings narrated by Charlene Costanzo. The different heartwarming stories make it even more intriguing, like the one about the zebra finch that appeared to be dying and taught Charlene an important lesson about hope. I appreciated the lessons and found many of these quotable and memorable. An example: "Perhaps another gift is the realization that life gives us guidance and opportunities for lessons every day." Charlene's book reveals the importance of stopping to smell the roses and appreciating the free gifts of life instead of chasing endless desires and destroying the natural world we've been blessed with. What a life-changing and healing experience!

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Exit the Maze by Dr. Donna Marks is a non-fiction self-help book for those battling addiction, the ones who love them enough to help them overcome it, and the professionals brave enough to change their current method to one that actually works. Dr. Marks introduces a three-part sequence with four chapters per step. These fall under One Addiction, One Cause, and finally, One Cure. Within these parts, Dr. Marks delves into taking responsibility, the fallacy of current diagnostic techniques, how an addict becomes an addict, and the power of love in the exiting of an addiction maze, among others. Through experience, Dr. Marks is able to convey the wisdom behind the method and a long-term, sustainable road map to success.

There's a lot to be said about a medical professional with a degree in psychology, a doctorate in education, and perhaps the longest list of certifications I've ever seen, who is able to focus on the stigma of addiction and actually be proactive in doing something about it. I found the section on behavioral modifications and how on their own they don't work to be of particular interest in Exit the Maze, particularly having someone dear to me repeatedly fail at cognitive behavioral therapy. Another is the basic but somehow forgotten principle outlined by Dr. Donna Marks that utilizes not just the power of love, but the power of acceptance and the power of pain as the pivotal points in recovery and rehabilitation. “...at some point, your pain will become so great, it will crack open the shell that has kept you separated from the love inside you.” With the United States in a mass scale opioid crisis and little by way of mental health support to the population's most vulnerable, Exit the Maze should be required reading for those who are genuinely interested in rehabilitating those in need.

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

The Uninformed Voter by Robert Levine is a non-fiction political philosophy and public opinion book that delivers the author's critical assessment on the governing of the United States of America and the voters who put them there. The book is broken down into twelve distinct and interlaced chapters, covering the fragility of democracy in 'the Great Experiment' that is America, its foundational principles and evolution—which resembles a regression over actual progress, corruption in politics that include sexual scandals and harassment alongside financial incentive and lobbyists. This transcends into the ways corruption impacts foreign governments, polarizing both historical and modern partisanship, red tape, bureaucracy, and inefficiency, among many other things.

The Uninformed Voter is an ambitious undertaking that Robert Levine tackles with intensive factual analysis and just enough panache to keep the whole book fascinating. This is not a light read, nor is it meant to be. It reads like an in-depth dissertation modified for public consumption and leaves little doubt that much of what Levine argues has merit. If any reader questions this, the fifty-plus pages of source material and references in the back matter should clear it up immediately. My interest in Levine's direction comes from being a dual UK and US citizen myself and watching one country implode with Brexit, and the other brought to its knees by a self-serving costermonger. Both were the result of short-sighted voters on pitchfork crusades, electing people who work against the best interests of all. I had to restrain a chuckle when the inability of most US citizens to pass the US citizenship test was mentioned in a blip, on account of having had to take it myself and my co-workers having a deer-in-the-headlights look when I quizzed them on it. Levine has a lot to say, and while not everyone will make their way into the fold, he's worth a listen and a read.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

The Ailing Nation: Lessons from the Bedside for America's Leaders by Nate Link, MD makes a bold, startling, yet obvious claim: America is chronically sick and dying. This is an observation that the author doesn’t take lightly, for he demonstrates with historical facts the signs of a crippled economy, America’s weakened ability to influence and shape global events, and the collapse of democratic institutions. In this book, the author shares interesting and thought-provoking stories from patients with diverse backgrounds, unique situations and profiles. and draws lessons from these stories that can be applied to the national healing experience. This is a book by an experienced medical professional, providing tools that can be used to diagnose and systemically cure the chronic illness that plagues contemporary American society.

The Ailing Nation is practical and filled with common-sense solutions, and readers will enjoy how the author discusses the concepts of “just culture” and “evidence-based decision making” and how to use them in leadership to address the problems America faces today. In this book, readers understand what makes a great leader. Nate Link defines a systematic approach to resolving problems and illustrates why it is important to face the facts of the diagnosis, execute a plan, and respect the truth. The book explores the place of compassion, acceptance, and coalescence in the kind of leadership that is capable of restoring the nation’s health. But what is most important is how to set the pace for full recovery, complete healing, and prosperity.

The lessons are evident in the author’s work while treating different kinds of patients and readers will find powerful lessons in stories of patients like Juan riddled with AIDS, Gerry the accountant with memory problems, and Thomas. The Ailing Nation: Lessons from the Bedside for America's Leaders proposes a path to healing and recovery that should not only be read but studied and discussed. It is illuminating, packed with insights, and has the potential to transform America into something better.

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Taking The Cape Off: How to Lead Through Mental Illness, Unimaginable Grief and Loss by Patrick J. Kenny is a powerful self-help book for leaders who need help navigating the dark waters of grief and loss. Fire Chief Pat Kenny had his identity wrapped up in being a leader. He was strong, a protector, and felt he could handle anything life dealt him. But when his son Sean took his own life after years of fighting mental illness, his position as leader of a fire department became clouded. He was a failure in his own eyes. This book is more than a memoir of loss; it's a guide for others--perhaps you're one of them--who need help moving through the darkness and into the light. The book is designed for leaders, but anyone can benefit.

Kenny honestly and bravely shares his personal journey and shows leaders how they can use professionals and their own faith to confront the social stigma surrounding mental illness in a variety of settings, from community, to home, to work, and elsewhere. Communication is a key component to being a leader, and the author shows you how to improve communication skills when dealing with a personal crisis. Kenny also covers how to maintain a healthy connection to your lost loved one's memory, how to be more affective, and how to serve others. I admire the openness that the author uses and his thorough approach to the subject matter. Mental health is still a taboo topic in some circles. It's easier for some to talk about it than others, but the fact that Kenny was bold enough to expose his private life, thoughts, and process is a testament to his leadership skills and helping attitude. You don't have to be the head of a fire department to learn from this book. Taking The Cape Off by Patrick J. Kenny is for anyone who needs to hear that it's okay to take your cape off and accept help.

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope by Fred Guttenberg is a memoir penned from the depths of grief to help readers see what we might be able to overcome, even when it feels impossible. In this profoundly honest and raw work, Guttenberg shares his experiences with loss. The first and most poignant is the loss of his daughter Jaime, who was murdered during a school-shooting rampage while a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She was fourteen. Four months prior, Guttenberg lost his 50-year-old brother to pancreatic cancer that came in the aftermath and was a direct result of 9/11 debris particles at Ground Zero. Now an activist, Guttenberg has channeled his anger, his grief, and his loss into a selfless mission, one where he is committed to fighting for the legacy and protection of those who are no longer here to protect themselves, and those who might not be with us in the future—unless there is meaningful, quantifiable change. “...I can’t even imagine the courage it takes to do what you do, but thank you for turning that grief into safety for other people.” - Speaker Pelosi to author Fred Guttenberg

As a British man who had always viewed the United States from the safe distance of a country where only 11 people died by gun violence during the same year that America lost tens of thousands, I did not quite understand the severity of American gun violence until I married an American woman. The first time I visited her family in Seattle, I watched her niece try to balance while standing on a toilet seat. She said it was what she had just been taught to do if there was an active shooter at the school and she was hiding in a bathroom. She was four years old. Fred Guttenberg took me even further and allowed me into the heart of a father and a brother who has suffered unimaginable pain. The writing is flawless and the journey is engrossing in a way that most memoirs are not. Equally moving is Guttenberg's push in seeing laws are written, such as the path to “Jaime's Law”. Then, there are the moments of fury I felt as a reader where Guttenberg describes politicking and intentionally placed roadblocks. The politicians who say things like “I understand” and a one-term POTUS who used a State of the Union speech to advance racism over the true national emergency: gun violence. It is beyond comprehension that this is a conversation that even needs to be had, but I am so grateful for courageous individuals like Guttenberg for continuing to fight the good fight. I am also grateful for Find the Helpers and would give it a whole bucket full of stars if I could.

Reviewed by Marie-Hélène Fasquel for Readers' Favorite

The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed: How to Manage Food, Booze, Stress, Sex, Sleep, and Exercise on Campus by Jill and Dave Henry instantly caught my attention as a mother and teacher. This guide kept its promises: it is comprehensive and engaging. Students need all the support they can get, particularly in these times of crisis when it is hard for them to study in a relaxed way and take care of themselves. This knowledgeable, fun companion explores a wide range of topics, including food, exercise, stress, sleep, and even “booze”! It contains inspirational stories from the authors but also, and maybe more importantly, numerous quotes from actual college students, which make this guide even more relatable and valuable.

The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed is wittily written and extremely entertaining as well as exhaustive, useful, and handy. It is written in a no-nonsense, delightful way. Advice is given but Jill and Dave Henry make sure students understand that they are not giving a “recipe”, a “diet” to be followed blindly, but are sharing sound advice to feel and learn better. First and foremost, the authors explore what students should do to be healthier. I particularly liked the food chapter but they are all important and well-designed. I highly recommend this comprehensive and engaging guide which is bound to help students get on the path of better health as they learn and graduate. Actually a must-read for teachers as well as students.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Motto Effect: Transforming Hashimoto's with 10 Powerful Health and Lifestyle Mottos by Meena Chan is an engaging book that will guide readers through the mind, body, and soul, and gives a lot of information in a simple and easy to understand manner. The author shares her journey which began with her being diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder, after childbirth. The Motto Effect gives hope and belief to readers that recovery is possible from autoimmune disorders. It is all about choosing a mindset and perception that will help develop a personal life-transforming motto; to overcome, to become, and recover from the autoimmune illness similar to the caterpillar. The Motto Effect will help one make conscious right choices and the book explores how to not only reverse but also to protect the immune system and prevent any further illness.

The Motto effect is more of a holistic step-by-step healing approach that helps in health, vibrancy, and vitality. Meena Chan speaks about the eating habits in the West, and her tips, tools, and exercises to reverse the disease are helpful to readers who are suffering from autoimmune disorders. Her writing is simple and neat and she tackles the subject methodically and extensively. The Motto Effect is an eye-opener for all those who are concerned about staying healthy and their wellbeing. The ten powerful health and lifestyle mottos are inspiring and are just not for those who are suffering from auto-immune disorders but also for other readers who want to look at health in a holistic way.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

In the introduction to H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey: Help, Organization, Preparation, and Education for the Road Ahead, Carol B. Amos states: “My brothers and I were devastated when our mother began displaying signs of Alzheimer's disease, also referred to as Alzheimer's. We became part of the estimated ten million unpaid family members caring for a person with Alzheimer's in the United States.” Thus began her journey in search of understanding what comes with the condition, a journey which took her to support groups, workshops, to eventually becoming a CARES Dementia Specialist. This book documents what the author has learned along the way, offering readers and caregivers to patients of Alzheimer’s the knowledge, wisdom, and the tools they need to make the journey less painful and more meaningful.

Carol isn’t just a wise and wonderful person, but also a great communicator, a woman who has learned tons from experience and has amassed a wealth of knowledge. She possesses the gift of communicating that knowledge in language that is accessible and in a voice that is both empathic and compassionate. In this book, readers will find a heart-to-heart conversation with readers looking for help in dealing with patients with Alzheimer’s. The use of the epistolary style in this book also makes its message intimate and more compelling. H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey is a great tool, a handbook that everyone with a parent or a family member having memory problems should read. It’s packed with information, insights, and actionable steps to transform the caregiving experience into one that enriches both the lives of the caregiver and the patient.

Reviewed by Michelle du Plooy for Readers' Favorite

Lisa Smith Molinari just got added to my list of favorite authors. Her writing technique is real, humble, and honest and has that touch of humor that everyone needs. In The Meat and Potatoes of Life, Lisa writes from experience and so you can feel it comes from the heart. Her story is a true-life account of day-to-day life, told as if she were writing a diary every day, just with a touch of humor to lighten even the worst encounters. She tells her story of how she got married to a Navy officer with a big heart but absolutely no sense of being a handyman around the house. Once married, they had three very different children together. She documents her day-to-day encounters, good and bad; how she decided to streamline her life by quitting her full-time job as a litigation attorney to stay home and become a full-time organized mom – or so she thought.

The Meat and Potatoes of Life is for everyone trying to figure out juggling life with a busy and unpredictable family, and a 110-pound dog named Dinghy. Whilst Lisa writes from her perspective, her book guides and teaches along the way, letting you know that life is not a schedule cast in stone, and rules must be bent and broken in order to get back on track and have a well-balanced family. A life tale later, and more than two and a half decades of marriage, parenting, and military life, they are happier than ever. I really love Lisa's style of writing. Her story is well told and uplifting for anyone starting out life as a family or anyone caught in the hubbub of life as it happens and feels that they can't get out of disorganized chaos. A must-read if you need some humor mixed in with your everyday challenges of running a very busy household. I can highly recommend this book.