Reviewed by Cassie Widjaja for Readers' Favorite

The Boy Behind the China Cabinet by Paul LaGreca is a beautiful memoir about one man's journey in coming to terms with himself. Born into a large Italian family living in the Bronx, Paul has been raised the Catholic way all his life. Paul begins the book by recounting his first personal encounter with God as a child, trying to find his way home on a cold night. Whether it's navigating an acting career as a Hollywood star or pursuing the life of a missionary in the Sacred Heart Convent, Paul weaves a memorable story of self-discovery and faith. Filled with engaging stories about the Hollywood elite, meeting Mother Teresa, and persevering in troubled times, this memoir will inspire you.

Memoirs can be pretty hit-or-miss, depending on the author. I am happy to say that Paul LaGreca hit the ball out of the park with The Boy Behind the China Cabinet. His life story is unique, and Paul's charming, genuine voice shines through his storytelling. Paul has a way of conveying the emotions he felt at the time, allowing the reader to connect emotionally to his story. I sympathized with him when he struggled to adjust to life in a convent, separated from his family. When I read this book, I remembered thinking how God could use our worst moments to further His purpose. Because of the pain of watching his brother spiral into drug addiction, Paul grew to deeply love the drug addicts he served at the Queen of Peace soup kitchen. For those still finding their life's purpose, The Boy Behind the China Cabinet is the book is for you!

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

The Angle of Flickering Light by Gina Troisi is a powerfully moving memoir of a woman losing herself, finding herself, and having the insight to put it into perspective. The author recounts what it was like to live with verbal abuse from her father, psychological abuse from her mother, and her father's infidelity. Her pain turned inward, into self-torture involving an eating disorder, physical workouts, and control issues in hopes of disappearing. Her self-destructive attempts at escaping through hallucinogenic mushroom tea and snorting pills were not enough to heal the scars. A positive force in her life was her terminally ill grandfather, a father figure, and she found love with a heroin addict named John. When running from herself took her from the east coast to the west coast, she realized how much she missed John and what he represented to her--home.

Troisi brings us her story that many can connect with--of feeling misused, lost, and yearning for home and true love. Going from pillar to post wasn't satisfying enough, and she deserved more for herself than she realized. It takes a lot of courage to tell a life story honestly, but this one has something more, and it's the author's gift for introspection and storytelling. There are themes of hitting rock bottom and recovering, but it is wrapped in a well-written memoir that reads like a good piece of literary fiction; absorbed like a fine film. The writing is deep and poetic. One of my favorite parts was her relationship with John--complex, deep, and real, in spite of the pitfalls. The Angle of Flickering Light by Gina Troisi is a modern fairytale, and Troisi's carriage ride is bumpy, emotionally satisfying, and inspirational.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family is a non-fiction American history memoir that chronicles the lineage and legacy of author Bettye Kearse's ancestry, a direct descendent, and the four-times great-granddaughter of Founding Father and fourth president of the United States, James Madison. But this is not a story about James Madison. It is something so much better. The book begins with the intimate backstory of Kearse's first known African-born ancestor, a slave named Mandy, whose heart-wrenching and violent subjugation is the maternal thread that weaves the story together. As each layer of delicate fabric is slowly connected, Kearse's pieces are brought to life as her generation's family griotte. She is the keyholder of oral family history that she augments with her own extensive research. And this is her story. “Always remember—you’re a Madison. You come from African slaves and a president.”

It has been way too long since I've had the great fortune to read a book that haunted me for weeks after finishing it. The Other Madisons required time to decompress in my mind, overwhelmed by the phenomenal writing of Bettye Kearse and the unpacking of thoughts around a president I thought I knew a lot about. It turns out, not so much. Kearse and her relationship with her mother, the griotte chosen to hold the sacred story before her, as well as her difficulty reconciling the regard held for her most famous family member and the fact that he owned human beings. What I loved in Kearse's account is that the focus is really on the origins of the enslaved; Mandy and her daughter Coreen, who is both James Madison's half-sister and mother to his enslaved son, Jim. From there the lines of the family tree are firmly drawn, interspersed with Kearse's fact-finding, its emotional toll, and the accounts of all those before who brought her here today. Kearse has written this glorious book and shared it with us, no longer the griotte of her family alone, but one that carries the heritage of a nation flowing through her veins and through the tip of her pen. I would give this book a whole bucket of stars if I could.

Reviewed by Leonard William Smuts for Readers' Favorite

Underwater espionage is not a topic that receives much public attention due to its highly classified nature, so Spies of the Deep will come as a revelation to many readers. W. Craig Reed, himself an experienced submariner and diver, describes a world of intrigue, danger, advanced technology, and events that have the potential to bring about a global nuclear conflict. It was the apparent testing of a secret rocket-powered torpedo that is believed to have led to an incident aboard the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk in August 2000, in which all 118 men on board perished. The book describes in fascinating detail the events that led up to the loss of the Kursk, the attempts to rescue the doomed crew, and the international recriminations that followed. The Kursk had been involved in a large-scale naval exercise, monitored by NATO member submarines, which led to allegations that one of these had inadvertently collided with the Kursk. Either this or a malfunction with the torpedo itself had triggered two massive explosions which destroyed the forward part of the vessel. The reluctance of the Russians to accept Western assistance with rescue attempts is debated, while new, more powerful, and sinister weapons are described. The Kursk incident illustrates the unhealthy rivalry between the superpowers, while the resulting arms race has the potential to destroy the world and its economy.

W. Craig Reed writes from a position of expert knowledge and describes clandestine submarine missions in a style that is informative and entertaining. The complexities and hazards of deepwater diving are explored, as well as operations in the ice-cold seas of the Arctic region. The Kursk incident raised serious questions about American involvement and the evidence is reviewed, together with the alleged cover-up that followed. The role of the Russian President Vladimir Putin is prominent, along with his stated ambitions of restoring Russian military might to attain global dominance. Spies of the Deep is a masterful dissection of power politics and global trade routes. The comments on the economy are unusual in a military publication and are particularly welcome. Apart from the traditional rivals, China, North Korea, and Iran have joined the mix. Each of these players has nuclear capability and all are flexing their military muscles. For Russia, the economic prize will be control over the mineral, oil, and gas-rich Barents Sea. The meticulous research is documented at the end of the book, which is superbly illustrated with numerous photographs. The insights provide a chilling reminder of the delicate balance of world power and the serious consequences of national ambitions. It is a compelling read and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Bernadette Longu for Readers' Favorite

As Rugged as the Rest: A Young Marine’s Journey to Iwo Jima by Janet Simmelink takes you on a journey through the life of a young man, Joseph Montgomery House Jr. The main characters are Joe Boy and his sisters, Louise, Leveryle, and Gale. His parents are Joseph Snr and Leonora. Assorted aunts and uncles, cousins and nieces, the odd school friend, and army buddies make an appearance throughout the book. It starts when Pearl Harbor is attacked in 1941 and Joe decides that he will serve in the Marines rather than take a deferment as he is a farmer and shares the farm with his father. When the USA enters World War Two, his parents are not keen to let him go and refuse to sign the draft documents. But then the Army lowers the age of consent - one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor - and Joe Boy signs up just before Thanksgiving of 1942. Joe finally gets his call-up papers on the 15th March 1943.

As Rugged as the Rest by Janet Simmelink has been written with humor, tenderness, and respect for all the boys and men who served in World War Two, especially those who lost their lives on the island of Iwo Jima which took a great number of lives on both sides just for an airbase. I found that I got involved with Joe Boy and his life and dreams and each person that enters and leaves his life and the influence they have on him. Through it all, Joe Boy always remains positive and upbeat. The fact that he paid the ultimate sacrifice brings a tear to your eye as you realize exactly what each of the soldiers, whether they were Marines, navy or just foot soldiers paid. Janet Simmelink has woven a beautiful tribute to these brave men and what they had to endure from Basic Training to the end. The use of the letters Joe Boy wrote to family and friends must have been a great source of inspiration as well as inspiration for the investigation into those times that had to be undertaken to bring authenticity to such a personal story. This is a book well worth reading in every sense. In all the time I have read non-fiction, this is the first time I could not put a book down and it was a page-turner from the start to the finish. I really enjoyed it. This is a book well worth reading in every sense.

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

When a distraught man stands on a cliff, contemplating the ineffectiveness of his life, fate steps in, enabling him to change the course of his life in the motivational allegory, The Little Book of Greatness (A Parable About Unlocking Your Destiny) by Ari Gunzburg. Lost in the unceasing, time-sucking bombardment of the media, and feeling inadequate to meet any personal goals, David is at the end of his rope. Out of the darkness, a man approaches and offers David a way to turn his life around. Introducing David to the idea of unlocking his dormant greatness, the stranger gives him the name of the first of five keyholders who help people transform their lives and achieve their dreams. Intrigued, David agrees to meet the first keyholder and returns to his car at the bottom of the hill. The next day, David meets Regina, who guides him to each of the 5 keyholders, and his journey into unlocking his destiny commences.

Illustrating the advantages of spiritual and self-awareness, The Little Book of Greatness (A Parable About Unlocking Your Destiny) by Ari Gunzburg is a profound and eye-opening guide to an empowered and meaningful life. Written as a short allegory, it is an absorbing story that introduces the five keys to greatness and how they have the potential to alter and revolutionize lives. In a step-by-step approach, it teaches the reader how to revise perspectives and attitudes and how to be in the moment, effectively gaining the ability to transform our mindset into a more positive vibration, ultimately promoting the means to living our best lives and achieving our dreams. It is a thought-provoking and motivational book that will inspire everyone who desires to get off the treadmill and attain the life of their dreams. I challenge everyone who wants to be different and to make a difference to read the book, apply its concepts, and change their life!

Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

The rewarding consequence of having read Candice M. Sanderson’s first installment of spiritual messages, The Reluctant Messenger, is the ability to appreciate the evolution of her (and the reader’s) understanding of the higher dimensional messages in her timely sequel, The Reluctant Messenger Returns. As if the revelations in the first volume had time to pervade and settle, thus allowing an expanded capacity for knowledge and guidance as more cogent information appeared. In a satisfying manner, Ms. Sanderson presents the material in a non-sequential but perfectly organized construct designed to mimic or reflect the actual manner in which Earth lessons are applied to spiritual growth. In so doing, she is not embarrassed to co-habit her explanations with both classically potent images (angels, religious figures, mythical entities) and modern scientific models (energetics, medical and psychological rationales.) This adds relevancy for the contemporary reader/student.

Perhaps the best example of Candice M. Sanderson’s escalating spiritual revelations in The Reluctant Messenger Returns, as if one is progressing from high school into college, is her deeper understanding of “The Life Review”, a process described in many books about the transition into death. While most have accepted the reality of this experience, Ms. Sanderson offers a more potent, cogent, and ultimately acceptable spiritual rationale for why it is necessary. It is not a judgment. It performs a vital, tangible operation required for further advancement on the non-physical plane. In the end, with the intelligence and diligence Ms. Sanderson brings to inviting, accepting, and sharing the messages she receives, her books are elevated to mandatory reading for spiritual matriculation.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Sacred Vagina: My Portal into the Soul by F. Sam Gleason is the author's inner mythic quest to become conscious of who he is, and he looks at the sacred vagina as the key symbol for the radical opening of his heart. This is the story of his awakened soul that gave birth to his authentic self, the saga of his challenging midlife transition, and transformation. The author shares the metamorphosis of his soul, hoping readers will be able to discover some of the gifts buried in their souls. The thread of dependency runs through the book beginning with his symbiotic attachment to his family, and he uses the symbol of the umbilical cord to depict his attachments to five women during his adulthood.

The memoir is honest, well-expressed, and personal and the author speaks about various topics such as marriage, divorce, remarriage, romantic love, suffering and transformation, Jung and the divine feminine, midlife crisis, men's anger, wisdom and truth of the soul, unearthing one's authentic self and other interesting themes. F. Sam Gleason speaks of the influence of Carl Jung's philosophy on him and how Jung's map of the soul has helped him experience and understand the shadow, the anima, and the self as parts of himself. The memoir chronicles the most important details of his inner and outer life, expressions, feelings, thoughts, and nighttime dreams that will help readers understand his deeper aspects. The Sacred Vagina knits together the author's healing, spirituality, self-discovery, and psychology in a fascinating way, keeping readers glued till the end. His psycho-spiritual transformation will motivate many readers who find themselves in similar situations. The glossary at the end of the book is helpful to understand the terminology used in the book.

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You by Mark A. Herschberg is an occupational self-help book that every career-minded person needs. The author lays out in one place all the basic skills you need to get started on your career path, or for changing careers, or for professionals looking to add to their knowledge and skills in the world of work. These skills are so basic you may have overlooked them entirely, like how to negotiate effectively and fairly, how to get your points across while scoring points, how to plan a career that is personally as well as financially rewarding. Learning these skills and methods doesn't have to be challenging, but it is if you never knew about them. This book gives you layman's language that anyone can understand, and it provides the information you can start using today.

The Career Toolkit is beneficial for those who may be stuck in a career rut, know they need a change, but aren't sure how to go about it. You don't have to spend time and money on a career course unless you've firmly decided to do so. But before you do, perhaps you should give Herschberg's guide a chance. It will open your eyes to the possibilities that could be in store for you. It's like a booster shot in the arm, and you can personalize a plan to meet your individual needs. The exercises and activities are a bonus to motivate you toward a new way of thinking about success. Suppose you feel confused or overwhelmed when it comes to things like strategizing career goals, deciding which job offer is best for you and how to negotiate the best deal, how to network and hone good management and leadership skills? In that case, you should add The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You by Mark A. Herschberg to your non-fiction library. It would also make a valuable addition to any high school classroom or a gift for a young jobseeker.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

The subtitle of this amazing book, “A True Life Story about an Ordinary Woman who survived Two Extraordinary Near Death Experiences. Her Remarkable Secrets of both Heaven and Hell are finally being revealed!” is a perfect summary of this true-life story. Carrie Kohan, author of The Five Lessons of Life, bravely shares her experiences of dying twice, a year apart. The two NDEs were totally different. The first time was frightening. However, the second time she talked to Jesus, the Council of Men, and other Spirit Beings. Not only did she learn about heaven and hell, but she was taught new perspectives about why we have joyful and painful experiences during our time on earth. More importantly, she was given the five most important lessons that people need to understand, accept and live.

One of the best features of this story is the author’s down-to-earth approach to her fascinating journey. She shares the struggles of addiction, as well as a heart-breaking decision she made in her early 20’s, with honesty. And she shares an incredible synchronicity story, demonstrating how Spirit sends us affirmations when requested. Perhaps, what Carrie has accomplished in her work for child protection in her country is the most astonishing aspect of her life since her NDE experiences. The Five Lessons of Life, written by Carrie Kohan, is unforgettable. Her story contains a great deal of information about the afterlife and the purpose of our lives on earth. It will touch the hearts of everyone who is seeking greater spiritual understanding. A beautiful book!