Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

The Olive Picker: A Memoir by Kathryn Brettell is a great book that will make you believe in strength and courage. Kathi’s life has never been easy, but this hardcore woman has kept her head held high and made sure that she had positives in her life along with the negatives. You will join Kathi on her journey where she fights domestic abuse, rebuilds her confidence, and becomes the person she is today.

Her story is heartbreaking, but her recovery is inspiring and very, very brave. The way she has written the book makes you understand her personality and how she is a fighter. The book is sometimes sad, sometimes happy, and sometimes hysterical. But when you are reading it, you will never ever feel pity for her, and that is because she never feels pity for herself. She is a strong, resilient woman and it shows in her words.

It is written perfectly; you can feel her emotions, feel her fear, and the way she makes up her mind. You can actually imagine her voice reading her words to you. It is very powerful and very dynamic. Reading the book was almost like meeting her in person. I guess some people are just gifted like her. After reading this book, you will learn to appreciate yourself, learn to love yourself for who you are, and never settle for anything less than what you deserve. You will cherish your mind, body, and soul because you will know that it is a gift.

Reviewed by Eduardo Aduna for Readers' Favorite

Five minutes a day for twenty-one days may not seem like much time to do something life-changing, but Derek Doepker shows us in The Healthy Habit Revolution how that could be all it takes to build better habits and obtain positive life goals. A lifestyle is composed of multiple small decisions that a person makes throughout the course of a single day. These small habits, through time, can collectively form a person's identity. The Healthy Habit Revolution expounds on what I would assume each person knows deep down - that one can change their life a small decision at a time. The book breaks down the hurdles that prevent people from identifying the habits they want to have and helps them succeed in building and maintaining these habits.

The challenge with self-help books is that they must tread the thin line between being too overwhelming and inaccessible and being too mundane. Doepker avoids both of these outcomes by writing in an engaging style that is simple and concise, with each sentence giving the reader much to ponder. A single chapter that can be read in ten minutes or less could keep the reader busy pondering for much longer. Ultimately, this book subtly guides the reader to focus on forming habits they want to have, nudging them in the right direction and letting them do things on their own. One of the most brilliant things about The Healthy Habit Revolution is the sheer positivity that emanates as soon as you read the first chapter. Doepker manages to convey the feeling of having a life coach sitting right beside you, supporting and challenging you, and ultimately empowering you to take the steps you need to change your life. There is less hand-holding and more self-reflection, guiding the reader to delve deep and think on what it is that they want to accomplish.

I can see the value of this book when it comes to stopping negative spirals, those times in a person's life when they just lose sense of what they want and when every decision they make seems like a bad one. If there was one book that I would cling to in order to avoid wallowing in a maelstrom of bad and negative habits, it would be The Healthy Habit Revolution, a perfect book to read before and after each day, and whose words can easily become mantras to live by.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Peaceful Daughter's Guide to Separating From A Difficult Mother by Karen C.L. Anderson handles a difficult topic with grace and dignity. The author shares her story with her difficult mother and how she overcame being a victim and stood in her power. The tips, techniques and advice shared by the author are helpful to all those who are looking forward to setting boundaries in their relationship with their mother and also taking care of their emotional, physical, mental and spiritual needs, thereby achieving personal empowerment. The advice can be incorporated into other relationships too, making it a good guide with valuable tools to all those readers who want to improve their life and living.

The author's story is relatable and readers can connect well with the problems and issued faced by her when it came to her mother. Parent/child relationships are very personal and the author helps readers to develop healthy boundaries in relationships. The writing style is simple and easy and reaches out to readers in a good way. The list of messages in the concluding chapter is awesome and are good tools for readers to teach others how to treat you.

The story is raw and powerful and the peace achieved by the author after a troubled relationship with her mother is inspirational and motivational. It's a story of acceptance and healing and also motivates one to strengthen relationships in life.

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

From Fear and Failure - To The Finish Line by Cindy Starke is an inspiring self-help, motivational book for anyone needing the courage to achieve a seemingly unattainable goal. Telling the story of how she prepared for and tackled a strenuous triathlon, coping with setbacks and failure along the way, Dr Starke shares her insights and personal motivational techniques. Tackling fears and finding the root of our fears, planning, dividing tasks into manageable sections, time and patience, staying on track, the importance of good nutrition and getting enough sleep, finding and using the support of others and dealing with failure are all covered in the book. The author also shows how she draws on her personal faith in God and uses biblical quotes to inspire and encourage readers needing strength and confidence.

From Fear and Failure - To the Finish Line will help encourage and motivate anyone wanting to find a way to achieve a personal or life goal. Cindy Starke uses her inspiring example of the way she achieved the commendable Ironman challenge, and her ideas for training or preparing and developing the right mind set can be applied to almost any situation. I liked the combination of her personal story of struggle and achievement mixed with very doable strategies, steps and techniques. The author understands ingrained fears and lack of courage or confidence that can hamper achievements and finding self-fulfilment. She shows us, step by step, a sensible and healthy way to challenge and overcome whatever may be holding us back. What made this book real for me was the author’s willingness to include and explore her own fears and failures – taking these as opportunities for learning, reflection, and inner growth. We see how in the end tribulations can make us stronger and more determined.

Dr Starke shows her Christian faith to be an important and motivating part of her life, and her references and explanations of biblical words encourage the reader to persist and believe we have all we need to accomplish whatever we are meant to do in life: “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world…when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” While life can be challenging, Cindy Starke’s guidance and experiences demonstrate how we can reach our potential, become a doer rather than just a dreamer, make satisfying life-enhancing changes, and even be a beacon to others.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Excellence Habit - How Small Changes In Our Mindset Can Make A Big Difference In Our Lives: For All Who Feel Stuck by Vlad Zachary is a motivational and uplifting book that describes how a small change in mindset can make a big difference in our lives. Ability to change is one of the sources of success and this book guides everyone on how to live with the 'uncomfortable' in their lives instead of avoiding it. The main source of success in our lives is excellence and it depends a lot on our internal circumstances. And the best way to do this by building our own Excellence Habit.

The book is uplifting and the positive tone is useful to readers in drawing success into their lives. It's a well written book and the real life stories are thought provoking and inspirational. The book guides readers to handle rejection gracefully and shows them how to focus and dedicate their lives to success. All the practical ideas and concepts in the book can be incorporated into our lives easily to achieve success. The book also motivates readers to have an honest look at themselves, and change their attitude and outlook towards things that need to be changed in order to progress. Books like this are good for readers to look into themselves and their lives. It's a good guide for all those who are looking for some motivation, especially for young professionals who are starting out in their careers.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I honestly loved The Mommy-Go-Round by Eleanor D. Alspaugh. I have already been through the child raising years, and it confirmed for me that it’s not easy to raise kids, and that the most important things you can bring to the process are love, patience, and perspective. Eleanor D. Alspaugh does a great job of drawing on the lessons and experiences of her own childhood, and those of her time as a mother, to create a wonderful picture of the American family as it should be. This is not a “How to” book or an instruction manual on raising kids, but I think it would make a great gift for young mothers. I think there are a lot of things a young mother or father can learn from this book and it is very entertaining.

The Mommy-Go-Round is well written, well organized, and very humorous. It covers almost every situation a parent will encounter on the long journey called parenthood. I enjoyed the essays on Christmas and other special days the most. These are the times that stick out in my mind when I think about my own childhood or my time as a young parent. I wish The Mommy-Go-Round had been available when my son was born. I would have had a little bit of a heads up on some of the joys and trials that would come, and I could have been a little better and more understanding helper to his mother. I applaud Eleanor D. Alspaugh for writing The Mommy-Go-Round and, looking at all the beautiful pictures of her happy family taken through the years, I can understand why she had to.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

In the Line of Fire: Raising Kids in a Violent World by Jan Arnow is an insightful book on a relevant topic - bringing up kids in a society filled with violence. The book is useful to parents, grandparents, therapists, counselors, and educators as it gives them valuable tips on how to cope with daily violence and give kids a saner and better world to live in. The topics covered range from cyber bullying to sexting to sexual harassment to creating a safe environment for kids to grow where they feel peaceful and secure.

The book is an excellent resource that is helpful in understanding children and how they can be affected by the increasing violence around them. Every chapter has been well presented and has a lot of useful information for readers. We live in violent times now where it's important to protect kids from being abused and manipulated into doing something bad. The book will help to overcome the fears in the minds of parents on how to raise kids in a violent world. Books like these definitely raise awareness in the minds of adults on how to protect kids from feeling insecure while living in a society marred by violence and unrest. The statistics shared by the author are vital and all parents, grandparents, teachers, educators, therapists, and counselors can identify with the topics and the sub topics covered.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Finding the Rainbow by Rachel McGrath is a chronicle of the timing of cycles and waiting for good news, with the hope and excitement of finding out positive results. However, this is followed by the pain and grief of miscarriage, which often leads to starting the same actions all over again. It begins with Rachel’s desire to have a baby and repeated instances of natural abortion. They consult doctors again and, after many instances of heartbreak, the doctors point out to her that she has a serious medical condition that can rule out pregnancy.

Finding the Rainbow by Rachel McGrath is an absorbing story. Rachel’s desire to conceive and the pain she felt can be seen quite clearly in these pages. The emotional stress she was under and the helpful while understanding approach of her husband in enabling her to withstand it is another visible facet that comes out beautifully. In addition, this book shows that she also appreciates sardonic humor. As this is the way the book ends, ‘I also know my own emotions and limits. We are ready to try again, and I know that I will always remain hopeful for what the future may bring,’ I can’t wait for the sequel. This is an excellent read with a moving narrative.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Naked Truth About Men (And Romance) by Kathryn Foster Ph.D. is an engaging book that speaks about the equation between men and women and also teaches them to develop more tolerance and insight into their partners' behaviors. The author discusses the romantic notions we harbor in our minds, the lonely lives we lead, dissatisfaction, expectations from a relationship, divorce, and many other truths that shed light on relationships and romances. The stories from clients, along with the author's research and interactions with clients of both genders on the topic, make this a profound and insightful read and gives a fundamental viewpoint on what one can expect from relationships and how to work on them to make them fulfilling and happy.

I found the book easy and simple to understand, and the author's observations and techniques are practical and easy to implement. It helps all those who are in marriages, romances, and relationships to look into them and see where changes can be made to improve things. The author speaks about the topic extensively and her observations are genuine, logical, and will be helpful to many when it comes to improving the way they handle their relationships.

Male and female hormones are different which, in turn, make men and women think differently too. The author tells readers what to expect from their partners so that they don't become too disappointed in their relationships. The author's approach to the topic is helpful, and is useful in enabling readers to understand their partners better and how to handle their relationships more effectively.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In The Spheres Approach to Happiness and Fulfillment, the great new guide by author Garret Biss, readers will find concrete guidance in areas that almost everyone in our modern day can use; reducing stress, increasing happiness and enjoying life. Boiling down almost every life experience into three ‘spheres’: the Direct sphere, the Indirect sphere and the Action sphere, the author is able to simplify decision making and just life experiences and a person’s reaction to them in an easy to understand format that is sure to help many who give this book a chance. By managing our spheres, author Biss argues, we are able to reduce negative energy and distractions, control our effect on the outside world, and positively influence both ourselves and others. If these aren’t important and necessary life skills in this day and age, I certainly don’t know what are.

I very much enjoyed The Spheres Approach to Happiness and Fulfillment. This short book was long on great advice, things that will make the reader think, and wonderful advice on changing your life in a positive way. Author Garret Biss has clearly done a lot of deep thinking and research into the ills that plague many in today’s society, and he has come up with a simplified and easy way for readers to approach their problems, decisions and worries. Any reader who is looking for guidance in dealing with their moods, attitudes, approach or way of living is sure to find excellent advice and direction from author Garret Biss. I’m pleased to recommend this book, and will certainly be looking for new work from the very promising author in the future!