Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

In The Context of Love by Linda K. Sienkiewicz is the story of Angelica Schirrick. The novel opens with Angelica talking about her children and how she is dreading meeting their father, Garrick. After a disastrous marriage, Angelica is trying to find her footing. Her life is not what she thought it was, and things are getting worse. This made her reflect on things, things that were in the back of her mind. She remembered her first true love and how that love is still on her mind and how he still keeps her company at night. Was it her bad decisions or was it just bad luck that lured Angelica away from her true love? No matter what the catalyst was, Angelica wants to rise from the ashes and change her life. She wants to stand tall and proud and create a better life for her children and for herself.

This is one of those novels that inspires you and makes you want to do better. Angelica is the type of protagonist that everyone can relate to. She depicts our fears and our anxieties. The story itself is different and fast paced. The reader gets all the information they need at the moment. There is a fulfilling quality to this novel that makes you feel satisfied, but at the same time it makes you want more. Another thing I noticed was that the novel was written in a very lyrical way. I could sing the dialogues and descriptions if I wanted to. This added a lot more fun to the story line and my reading experience.

Reviewed by Patricia Reding for Readers' Favorite

Rarely does a book come along that so positively mesmerizes me that I read it from start to finish in a single sitting. Yet that is exactly what I did with Embracing the Wild in Your Dog by Bryan Bailey. Bailey opens the story with a reminder that with man’s domestication of the wolf to today’s “dog,” he changed the environment of the creature. Even so, dogs have retained the same base instincts that nature originally provided the wolf. Buttressing his approach to his theory of dog owning and training, Bailey tells of his childhood mentor, a U.S. Army Green Beret. A tough man, he was challenged by his mentor to solve problems on his own, to rise to overcome the stresses that life was sure to put in his path, and to learn from the nature that surrounded him. With heartfelt stories of his mentor woven throughout, Bailey instills upon his readers the same life lessons if they will but hear.

With a daughter involved in the dog training world, I’ve been introduced to a wide variety of training theories, concepts, tools, and approaches. But Bailey reassured me that some of my deepest instincts about our own family pet are completely valid and that I ought to pay careful attention to them. In this way, Embracing the Wild in Your Dog provides pertinent information to all dog owners. In telling his story, it is almost as though Bailey inhabits the body of the creature he teaches us about. He guides readers to an understanding of a dog’s most basic needs, and he explains how our domesticated “wolves” behave in a manner intended to meet those needs.

Bailey used what I would call a “creative non-fiction” approach to the work. That is to say, although his main intent is to provide information, he does it in a way that paints a picture of the world he wants his readers to see. That picture becomes a living, breathing canvas of color, sound, and even feelings. Bailey’s work is truly worthy of the attention of others and, in my estimation, of an award or two! If you are a dog owner, this one is definitely worth your while, so wait no longer to get your copy!

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality is a non-fiction autobiography written by Todd Newton. The author is an Emmy award-winning host who began following his passion when he was a child. Indeed, his first tale describes a classic scene where a plane-flying stunt delighted his fifth-grade classmates and sent his beleaguered teacher into paroxysms of anger. Newton loved interacting with an audience and converted his admiration for the St. Louis DJs he grew up with into a stint at being a DJ himself. To break into the field, he went the route of being an unpaid intern at a commercial station as well as taking the graveyard shift no one wanted at his college. Eventually, the unexpected and virtually unprecedented absence of a DJ one day meant that the intern, who had washed the station's van and did just about every odd job around the station, got to do a show of his own. Newton talks about the DJs who helped him hone his craft and were so inspirational for him. He also discusses how a summer stint hosting a tour of male strippers when he was seventeen introduced him to the "rush of adrenaline" he would experience each time he delivered his words through the sound system. And in those moments, his passion gained direction.

Todd Newton's non-fiction autobiography, The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality, is told through a series of memoirs about his life, his family, and the marvelous interaction he has had with those excited people who come up on the stage during a game show that he's hosting. His stories are delivered in the first person, and I couldn't shake the feeling that Newton was actually in the room sharing each memory with a smile and a gleam in his eye as he spoke. His writing voice speaks that directly to the reader, and his stories are memorable, authentic, and often had me smiling. The tale entitled, Services Rendered. Pay the Man is a marvelous recreation of his experience when, as a young DJ, he was sent to the grand opening of a live music venue along with a mentor, the classic SOUL 63 DJ, The Real Jr, and it has to be considered one of my favorites in the collection. Tattooed in Hell, an homage to the tattoo artists whose work adorns Newton's body, is a treasure trove of information about tattooing and tattoo devotees, and it includes a classic and hilarious account of the Sailor Jerry Girl tattoos and his awful experience with getting a tattoo on his ribs. I had a grand time reading this collection of memoirs, and by the time I had finished I felt as though I had been listening to the stories of an old friend; one whose conversation is honest, invigorating and brilliant. The Host with the Most: Tales of a Tattooed Television Personality is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Where do I begin? First let me say that this is a good book. It is a snapshot of a time and a place and a life. To me it is fascinating. The Man Called Red by N.B. "Red" Sorensen takes place in another country (Canada). It is a different era than the one I grew up in. The environment, the weather, the climate, everything is different when compared to Alabama…and yet this life feels familiar. The people in it feel familiar and this style of jumping into life head on seems very much like something I would do. Red Sorensen is a unique individual and he writes about his life in a style that is fresh, interesting, and very easy and pleasant to read about. This is not the autobiography of someone at the center of world shattering events, but it is a very moving story about an interesting man.

From the incident where a runaway milk wagon causes the porch roof to come down on his baby carriage, to the terrible time of his wife’s illness, Red Sorensen tells the story of his life in a warm and very approachable manner. In this day and age, we are fond of saying that everyone is beautiful and that all lives are interesting. It seems to me that this devalues the life of someone like Red who has taken the road less traveled for most of his life. I highly recommend this autobiography. You don’t have to be famous to have had a powerful and meaningful life. Great writing and a great story.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

In the Service of Community an Honored Elder: The Honorable Judge Perry Brooks Jackson by Anita P. Jackson Ph.D. is a well written biography about a person who was well respected in the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Community. Judge Perry Jackson set precedents in the legal field and his service to the community, his ability to relate to people from all strata of society, and his fairness and knowledge in handling difficult situations are commendable. His dedication to and involvement in civic organizations helped make the community a better place to live in. The book chronicles the remarkable things he did as a professional, and the challenges he faced during his life.

The book is insightful and throws light on the life and achievement of a great person in a humble way. Readers get to know more about the person, his family, his life, his education, and everything that made him the person he was. Being the first African-American judge in Ohio, his challenges and achievements were noteworthy. Though he faced racial discrimination while growing up, Judge Perry Jackson was concerned about the unfairness shown to African-Americans. The black and white pictures shared in the book help readers relate to the events and the person.

I would recommend this book to youngsters as it will definitely motivate them to rise above the problems they face in life and to make the best use of what they have. The book is well written and well expressed and takes readers down Memory Lane to an era when racial discrimination existed.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Messenger: The True Story of a Boy Caught in the Aftermath of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud by Claude L. Chafin is an engaging biography that revolves around Andrew Lee Chafin who was the link between the elder Hatfield and his sons from the age of nine. The author takes readers on a journey of his family history and the role of his grandfather in the history of the feuding clans of Hatfield and McCoy. The book, written from the perspective of Claude L. Chafin, speaks about Devil Anse, everyday life in West Virginia, and also about the family feud and struggles that left him frightened. The author also recollects his grandfather's dedication and commitment towards his family, and the courage and maturity he displayed to keep the family safe during difficult times.

The author brings the characters and the incidents to life through his detailed yet crisp narration. Readers can connect well with Andrew Lee Chafin, who showed maturity beyond his years while dealing with situations in life. The book is an excellent portrayal of life and incidents that happened in the Tug Valley region of West Virginia and Kentucky. It's a book for all readers who want to know more about the Hatfield-McCoy feud. It exposes Devil Anse as a person and also as a father, the loyalty of family, and the difficulties and struggles faced by a family. The difficult times, the struggles, the innocence, courage, and fear displayed during hardship, and the family feud between the Hatfield and McCoy clans is aptly described for readers.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Longest Trail: A True Story by Roni McFadden is an interesting memoir where the author shares her love for horses and how her love and respect for the animals change her life. Roni's world had turned upside down after her mother's divorce and the only thing that she had left in her life was her horse, Sparol. Her meeting with a cowboy and his guidance shape Roni's evolution from a 14-year-old girl to a strong woman who knows exactly what she wants from life. Set in the 1960s and 1970s in Southern California, the story is filled with adventure, humor, and sadness.

The book conveys a beautiful message that good always triumphs over bad. Readers will definitely be inspired by Roni's growth from an angry and confused teenager to a mature and confident woman. The book also teaches readers how to love a horse, how to ride, and how to heal oneself. The author's story also has spiritual themes and it is encouraging and inspirational to see her evolution and her growth. The author's writing style is vivid and she pulls readers into the book, making the scenes come alive in front of their eyes. The pictures shared in the book bring readers close to the author and the life she led. Readers will be able to relate to and understand many of Roni's life situations.

Reviewed by Anna Smith for Readers' Favorite

The Sibold Effect: Beyond Science, History, Ghosts, and the Appalachian Supernatural by John David Miller is a memoir about a seemingly random piece of property in the Appalachian Mountains that the author purchased. But as the author began researching the property, he discovered that he had a connection with the property. His historical research, laid out in The Sibold Effect, connected his family and the property with historical figures like George Washington and important iconic battles in the Revolutionary War and the French and Indian War. But it wasn't just history that John David Miller dug up. During the project's remodel, supernatural events occurred that are also chronicled in this chilling memoir. John David Miller asks, was it all a coincidence? Or was he drawn to this property by some supernatural power that wanted to reconnect him with his family and his history.

The Sibold Effect is an interesting memoir because it is part historical non-fiction and part ghost story. On top of that, John David Miller poses an interesting question about coincidence. Could all of the events that came together have been by chance? And if they weren't random, what power brought them all together? John David Miller presents his argument in a strong, engaging way that is easy to believe. Even if you aren't a believer in ghost stories, it is easy to understand John David Miller's argument. He is obviously very passionate about his belief in history, family, and the supernatural powers that bring them all together. For what purpose...still remains to be seen.

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

The middle class makes up the biggest part of the American population. Unfortunately, it is also the most disgruntled group due to the adverse effects of poor government policies that have seen their income continue to decline while expenses continue to go up. Fundamental expenses like education, healthcare, housing and taxes continue to become more and more costly, and in most cases also more inefficient, leaving the lower and middle classes always struggling to afford a decent lifestyle. So is there still any hope for lower and middle-class Americans or is it all downhill from here? In The Middle Class Comeback: Women, Millennials and Technology Leading the Way, Munir Moon puts across a strong argument in favor of positive change coming. America's lower and middle class citizens have been pushed into a tunnel that seems to get darker by the day, but Munir Moon gives clear and detailed points to illustrate that there is a bright ray of light at the end of this tunnel. Changes brought on by female empowerment, technology advancement, and the power of millennials are giving the middle class more strength and a perfect opportunity to make a comeback. The old ways that benefit the few at the expense of the majority are being challenged, paving the way for desperately needed changes.

The Middle Class Comeback: Women, Millennials and Technology Leading the Way by Munir Moon is an insightful, detailed and yet simple read that breaks down the main social and economic challenges Americans are facing, and the new opportunities that are paving a way for the middle class to prevail once again. Americans have had enough and they are now ready to push for changes in policies and systems, and to challenge the status quo. Munir Moon's assessment of the situation is realistic, unbiased, and relevant to the current times. The Middle Class Comeback could not have come out at a better time and it will continue to be relevant for the foreseeable future.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In an inspiring, hopeful and truly wonderful new book steeped in the author's strongly held Christian beliefs, Finding Faith in the Field by author Benjamin Hylden, readers will find a story absolutely worthy of their time. The author recounts his experience as a young star athlete, and the terrible car accident he suffered on the way to his high school prom. He was thrown from the vehicle, badly injured, and found himself alone, freezing, in a desolate field. While many would have thought that their life was about to end, what Ben found was very different. He found the beginning of a new life, a new life through Christ.

I very much enjoyed Finding Faith in the Field. Ben's book is one that will grab readers from the first page and will keep them reading straight through to the end. I so appreciated that he was able to take the story of a difficult and life-changing experience and use it to change his own life, as well as to inspire, change and hopefully improve the lives of the others set in his path. Ben's experiences during and after his accident, his personal experiences with the Lord, and his ability to profess his experiences with a true heart for evangelism, and to provide hope to others have gifted the world with a wonderful message of redemption and hope. I highly recommend this book to any reader looking for a spiritually uplifting read. I also hope that author Benjamin Hylden will continue his work in spreading God's word, perhaps with another book in the future. I, for, one, would certainly be in line to read it!