I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A powerful and moving story of the impact toxic masculinity has on those growing up and the way it drives others to become what they fought so hard not to drive author Michael Swerdloff’s “Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters”
The Synopsis
This is a story about a boy who wanted to be kind and loving but was raised by wolves and monsters who taught him to choose violence and aggression. As the boy grew to be a man, he wanted to be a protector of women but ended up being what girls and women needed protection from. He lied, cheated, and scammed his way through life until he couldn’t.
This memoir is his moving account of discovering healthy masculinity from the inside out. His journey has been sensational at times and unbelievable at others, but for many readers, it has been absolutely inspiring. Will the hungry wolves outlast the desire to be loving and beautiful? Can men truly change?
There is hope in witnessing the depth and commitment of a person willing to try to be better without knowing exactly how. This memoir captures one man’s struggle to transcend his past and imagine an entirely new future for himself premised on compassion, care, and advocacy.
We do not have to be what they did to us, but it’s our responsibility to do something about it.
The Review
The author’s story’s raw honesty and emotional impact were refreshing and memorable. The way the author can honestly depict and write out the painful experiences of his childhood, as well as the actions he himself took to continuously perpetuate this harmful lifestyle and the transformative experience of bettering himself, made this such a phenomenal memoir. The imagery found in his writing style and the importance of his ability to hone in on the conversational aspect of his writing, allowing readers to feel as if they have been having a true heart-to-heart with the author, made this an engaging read.
The true heart of this story is both the author’s transformative journey and the theme of toxic masculinity, and the impact toxicity can have on child development as a whole. The heartbreak of the author’s experiences in childhood, primarily his father’s actions, and the role addiction and toxicity played in his life were so poignant. The author never shies away rom the challenging moments, from his lying and cheating to his hospitalization in a mental hospital and the reformative path he found afterward in healing energy and Reiki as a whole.
The Verdict
A remarkable testament to the power of forgiveness and transformation as one man shares his journey to overcome the toxic traits that defined his early life, author Michael Swerdloff’s “Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters” is a must-read nonfiction memoir. The way the author can creatively paint an image of each and every experience he shares and can find a way of bridging the gap between the lessons he grew up with and the path to better-helping others, especially women, after the way he acted in his youth, made this a stunning message of hope and the path of change that hope can provide. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
MICHAEL SWERDLOFF is an Ordained Minister of Natural Healing from The Seminary Training Program and a Reiki Master. His work is Brief Holistic Counseling/Coaching. Michael has received training from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Gottman Institute, and other revered teachers and healers. He has been a counselor, coach, social worker, community organizer, educator, writer, and DJ for more than twenty-five years. Along with his private practice, Michael is the Program Manager at Dance New England, a volunteer-centered non-profit that hosts dance events that cultivate a vibrant multi-generational community. Michael facilitates retreats in New England and globally. He lives by the water in Rhode Island, which is not an island.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author B. Johny shares the transformative journey he undertook during his 8-week trip across India in the book “The Candid Odyssey: Exploring India and the Philosophy of LIfe”.
The Synopsis
The Candid Odyssey is a captivating travel memoir and philosophical journey into self-discovery. Join the author on a transformative eight-week solo trip across India, where he explores diverse landscapes and vibrant cultures while delving into life’s deeper questions about happiness, purpose, and meaning. This unique blend of travel, philosophy, and self-help offers readers a special invitation to journey through both the outer world and the inner self.
Over the course of this adventure, the author traverses more than 50 cities and locations, capturing the essence of India through its tranquil landscapes, historic sites, bustling urban centers, majestic mountains, and more. Memorable and unexpected experiences—including chance encounters at festivals, challenging situations, and being stranded in deserts and foggy hills—add depth and richness to the narrative. With a conversational tone that fosters a personal connection, each chapter is filled with engaging, relatable, and authentic reflections on life.
Whether you’re a travel enthusiast, a philosophy lover, or someone seeking personal growth, The Candid Odyssey encourages you to reflect on your own perspectives and experiences. This memoir is more than a travel record; it’s an authentic journey of self-discovery that inspires readers to explore their own paths and pursue a life of meaning.
The Review
Immediately, I found myself enthralled with this book. The author did an excellent job of finding the perfect balance between the travel narrative and the journey’s more personal, philosophical, and insightful aspects. The honesty and depth of detail the author conveyed in such a short read were terrific to see come to life.
The author’s narrative choice was the biggest thing that set the book apart from other travel or philosophy books. Thanks to a journal-writing style, the author allowed the reader to experience the journey as he did. The approach to each location was unique, too, for the author could hone in on the spiritual and philosophical side of things rather than the surface touristy stuff that so many others see every day.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, insightful, and meaningful author B. Johny’s “The Candid Odyssey” is a must-read travel-meets-philosophy book. The author’s trials, from a night spent in a train compartment to the near assault he faced and more, as well as the profound lessons on happiness found in accidental moments and the value of authenticity in life as a whole, made this a compelling read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
. B. Johny, born Bibin Johny in Vaikom, Kerala, India, is a writer, philosopher, traveler, musician, and technologist whose diverse experiences shape his work. His debut book, The Candid Odyssey: Exploring India and the Philosophy of Life, is a reflection of his philosophical insights and travel experiences. Johny holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Master’s in Philosophy, and works as a Senior Product Manager. Through his writing and music, Johny encourages others to lead a better life for a better world. Discover more at bjohny. com.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author and entrepreneur Julie Cropp Gareleck shares the story of how she became her own boss in the book “Dare to Become: From the Corner Booth to the Corner Office”.
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The Synopsis
For millions, a major component of the American dream is to start one’s own company and, ultimately, to become one’s own boss.
The question is―just how exactly does one do that?
Every successful entrepreneur has their own story to tell. But the story in Dare to Become is especially intriguing and uplifting because Julie Gareleck didn’t have major venture capital dollars to fall back on, nor does she have an MBA from Harvard.
What she did have, however, was a sense of drive―of grit―and of a burning desire to achieve her dream.
Now in her mid-40s, as the founder and CEO of Junction Creative, one of the nation’s leading marketing firms, Julie started in high school working for her mom and dad in their restaurant in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She did it all there, from waitressing to scrubbing floors. But along the way, she also learned the basics of how to run a company.
As she made her way into the corporate world and was confronted by inscrutable and insensitive bosses, Julie’s dream to start her own company began to form. She finally realized that the time had come to take the leap. Her refreshing, honest, and authentic account details the extraordinary trials and tribulations of Julie’s bold decision to go on her own, starting from the day she quit her job.
Dare to Become provides a unique perspective on how to finance your start-up without going into debt, how much to pay yourself, when to hire an employee, the differences in managing a Gen Z worker as opposed to a baby boomer, and much more. This is the real, everyday gospel of what it’s like to go through the inevitable ups and downs of starting your company. And best of all, Gareleck provides essential advice for the entrepreneur, all learned from her own experiences along the way.
There are many books on entrepreneurs and their start-ups, but this is the rare volume that takes you into the vortex of how to make sure you’re really on the right path to success.
The Review
This was a memorable and thoughtful read. The author’s balance between business-driven engagement and personal memoir-style storytelling made this a well-developed book. The author was able to layer this memoir and business-driven book with emotion and detail, bringing the reader into the author’s life and experiences from a personal perspective.
The honesty and depth that the author poured into this book were refreshing. The humble beginnings of the author and the motivation that began her business highlighted a major turning point in the world of entrepreneurship. Not all successful businesses are begun with major capital and/or business degrees. Instead, it is through experience, hard work, and determination that drives people forward. Finding the balance in work and life, as well as how different generations approach business and work life as a whole, are just a few topics the author masterfully brings to life on the page.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, engaging, and inspiring author Julie Crop Gareleck’s “Dare to Become” is a must-read nonfiction book. The depth and personal investment that the author pours from her own life into the writing and the way readers will be able to relate to the author’s own experiences will help would-be entrepreneurs how to use their own experiences to shape the businesses they want to develop. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Julie is a CEO, Author, and entrepreneur. Julie is a respected and trusted leader in business communities that extend from the Northeast (Philadelphia, New York City, and D.C.) to the Southeast (including the Greater Atlanta region and Charleston, South Carolina.) and that includes CEOs and entrepreneurs of small to midsize businesses as well as the Fortune 1000. In her 25 years career, she has consulted with more than 1000 companies to build sustainable, revenue generating strategies. Her first book Dare to Become, From the Corner Booth to the Corner Office, hit shelves Worldwide on September 1 and details her journey working for her parents’ restaurant to building a successful agency.
Dare to Become stands out among entrepreneurial literature, offering a unique, real-world perspective on navigating the tumultuous path to business success. It speaks to the power of perseverance and offers a guide for those daring to chase their own entrepreneurial dreams. Without question, this new release is this year’s must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking for a lift of inspiration or those looking to take a leap of faith to invest in themselves.
Excerpt:
Here is a little excerpt from the chapter on managing the Generational Divide:
THE GENERATIONAL DIVIDE While COVID-19 usually gets the blame for the office shakeup and the fight against the return to work, the truth is, the issues with the new adaptive workforce were in play long before COVID-19 began, indicative of an environment now accommodating multiple workforce generations.
We now have baby boomers (born 1946–1964), Generation X (born 1965–1980), millennials (born 1981–1996), and Generation Z (born 1997 and after) all fighting for a seat at the table. It’s dynamic, to say the least, with a lot of noise around adapting to meet the rising demands of the latest generation to enter the workforce. Researchers, polls, and surveys lean toward creating the kind of environment that is expected by the workforce yet offer no solution to bridging this generational divide.
More so in the last five years, it’s become more apparent how far apart we are in so many areas. While I hope that I’ve done a good job navigating the changes, I’ve definitely learned more about how to build a multigenerational team. Unfortunately, as business owners, we find ourselves in unchartered territory with no “one size fits all” approach to accommodating four generations in the office. As we look to narrow the generational divide, while I could write an entire book on the subject, I will share the personal experiences that are helping shape my own perspective. Tales for the ages, pun intended!
YOU SAID, WHAT?
“Oh my gosh, Julie,” one of my younger employees in her early 20s said as she walked into my office. “I am so tired this morning. I met this guy at a bar last night. We ended up back at my place and were up until almost 5am. I hope he calls me today. It’s not like me to have a one-night stand…”
The words continued to roll out of her mouth. I looked up from my computer station and nodded as if I were actively listening.
Rarely, if ever, am I speechless. I muttered something to the effect of “Oh, forgive me, but Susan just Skyped me and she needs to talk to me immediately about a client. Okay?”
“Of course, the last thing you need is to hear about my dating life.”
She smiled as she walked out of my office.
So many emotions and thoughts ran through my mind at one time. Should I know this information? How do I respond? Could I be held liable for not engaging with her? Do I look like her bestie? What kind of person or employee shares this kind of private information with the CEO of the company, as freely as though we are discussing our favorite drink from Starbucks? Is this disrespectful? Does this violate any HR policies? Generation Z or not, this is not an appropriate watercooler conversation.
Generation Z are known as the digital natives, the generation who grew up with access to information at their fingertips and with social platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, among others. No personal conversation is seemingly off-limits and not a detail is spared. Where along the way did we lose the common respect for boundaries in communications, not just with management but also employees?
After I was subjected to her dating story, I overheard her sharing it with other employees, which caused a bit of discomfort among the team. It seemed no one in the office was particularly interested in her sex-capades story, for which I was relieved. As the employer though, I needed to address what was considered acceptable in our workplace and what was not acceptable from a policy perspective.
Looking back, in my early 20s, I was in a long-term relationship with someone who was friendly with my boss and his wife. The four of us were all part of a similar social circle surrounding our work endeavors. My boyfriend and I both made the decision to keep our relationship completely private, ensuring that our personal lives didn’t blend with our professional lives. As a young female in business, I was friendly enough with my co-workers to exchange weekend plans or stories, but under no circumstance would I share information about who I was or was not dating.
I vividly remember when my relationship ended, my boss told me about my former boyfriend’s dating life and travel plans for the following weekend. To avoid blowing my cover, which I had kept intact for nearly two years, I walked to the ladies’ restroom, hid in a stall, and cried. I pulled myself together and walked back to my office, no one the wiser. Outside of a few photos from work events, there wasn’t a digital trace that our relationship even existed. To this day, I wonder if either my boss or his wife ever knew.
We spend more time at work with our co-workers than with our friends and family. Getting to know each other is part of that social experience. While I hope to foster an environment where we can share personal celebrations like the birth of a child or sympathize in the event of a death, I have learned that setting boundaries between our personal and professional lives is just good business.
It’s also important to note that if an employee is willing to not just cross the boundary but to jump clearly over the line, it says a lot about what impact this individual could have on your team, your clients, and the overall perception of your business. When you do find yourself speechless, find your way out of the conversation. No response is often the best response.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Karl Dunn shares with readers the ways in which his divorce spurred on a journey of self-discovery in the book “How to Burn a Rainbow”.
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The Synopsis
What readers are calling the gay Eat, Pray, Love…
Sometimes, to find yourself, you must first burn everything down.
Karl had it all; a husband, a home in the Los Angeles Hills, success. When his marriage ended suddenly, his perfect life and sense of self were shattered.
His legal battles threatened everything he had, and he soon found himself working non-stop, leading to a downward spiral filled with anxious days and sleepless nights of rage and fear.
Ironically, Karl’s divorce ignited a journey of self-discovery—a quest for identity, love, and acceptance that took him from LA to a mid-divorce crash-landing in Berlin.
This raw and unflinching memoir welcomes readers into the heart of Karl’s transformative journey—burning the scripts written for him by both the gay and straight worlds, facing down his deepest fears, and forging his own path to self-love.
How To Burn A Rainbow is a gripping narrative of resilience and courage that dares to ask the hard questions about love, equality, and the price of happiness.
In the end, Karl’s marriage didn’t make him whole, his divorce did.
The Review
In a heartfelt and compelling book, the author truly presented a relatable and honest account of the experiences he went through. The nuances of marriage, in any relationship, can be difficult to navigate, and adding the extra pressure of societal expectations for those in the LGBTQ community who finally found their right to get married and yet still experienced those pitfalls of any relationship was emotional to read and see unfold in the pages of this book. The insight into the painful process of divorce and the detail the author gives to readers is remarkable to gain insight on.
The author’s use of humor and wit in his writing style, as well as incredible detail and pop culture references, helps add a well-roundedness and sense of self to the author’s story. The almost cinematic nature of the author’s writing style and the raw moments that the author shares with readers help showcase the growth and self-discovery the author finds within himself as the book grows and evolves over time.
The Verdict
Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging author Karl Dunn’s “How to Burn a Rainbow” is a must-read memoir meets relationship and divorce book. The turmoil and heartbreak that the author expresses and the teachable lessons that can be found in this book lead to a meaningful book that showcases that sometimes pain and heartbreak can lead to pivotal moments of self-discovery and brighter futures. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Sign up for Karl’s weekly newsletter “Friends of Karl” on his website – a pop-culture and current affairs mash-up with an LGBTQ+ lens every Tuesday in your inbox.
Karl Dunn was the Global Creative Director on several world-famous brands like MINI Cooper, Levi’s, and ASICS. He spent over two decades as a multi-award winning advertising creative working in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. His career culminated as the Director of Innovation for a powerhouse global advertising network.
Then it all burned to the ground when he told his husband he wanted a divorce. Just a few months later, Karl was sleeping on an air mattress in a former squat in Berlin with no job, visas, or money left. Using his divorce as his crisis of identity, Karl chronicled the whole experience in his book How To Burn A Rainbow, where he gave up chasing everyone else’s dream to find his own.
It’s an Eat Pray Love style, riches-to-rags journey from LA to Berlin; an intimate, honest, and revealing story about divorce and self-love that questions and reframes the entire institution of marriage. As Karl writes in his book, “My marriage didn’t make me whole, my divorce did.”
Karl is a keynote speaker on DEI, self-love, and LGBTQ+ focused Family Law. Living between LA and Berlin, he also works as a freelance advertising consultant to brands.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Candace MacPhie continues to share her journey through a year of travel as she crosses through Eastern Europe in the book “Life Strikes Back”.
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The Synopsis
Ahh—here I am—on my dream backpacking trip overlanding from Russia—through Eastern Europe—to Istanbul with my travel partner, Khadejah. Bring on the sunny days of exotic sightseeing, tasty new food, interesting people, and places I can get lost in to soothe my tattered heart.
But …
It rains most days.
Don’t even get me started on the food.
The locals are low on smiles.
And I’m drowning in grief.
Then the sun finally comes out. With the help of my friends, George Michael’s music, and laughter we tackle culture shock, wild interactions, changing plans, and uncover gems I never thought I would see with my own eyes.
But the leers, catcalls, and gropes are never-ending. Regardless we persevere … until a vicious and humiliating encounter causes me to question if life on the road will save me or break me.
__________
About the series: Grab your backpack and get ready for an adventure in the ’90s when the Internet was scarce but laughs weren’t. Life Strikes Back is Book Two in the five-part Back in a Year series, a true story of a young woman traveling around the world. Each book can be read independently, but it’s more fun to take the full trip.
__________
Content Warning: Profanity, sexual harassment, sexual assault, consensual sexual content, parental grief, alcohol consumption, smoking, and visits to Holocaust sites.
The Review
This was yet another compelling and engaging read. The adventurous nature of the author’s experiences and the vivid imagery that comes with the descriptive nature of those experiences, including the settings of each chapter. The rich culture of each country and the customs that went into each interaction gave readers insight into each country and their interactions and the era in which this book took place (the 90s).
The balance the author struck between her journey’s big, emotional moments and the more witty, humorous interactions she had made this an enthralling memoir. The bond she shares with her travel partner and the theme of travel being a means of healing from grief spoke to this author’s heart, as well as the connection readers can make with this deeply personal story.
The Verdict
Thoughtfully, deeply engagingly, and incredibly presented, Candace MacPhie’s “Life Strikes Back” is a must-read memoir. The breathtaking imagery the author brings to life on the page and the thought-provoking life lessons the author experiences will keep readers invested as the book comes to a close. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Born in Montreal, Quebec, I spent years backpacking and working around the world. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA, and worked for twenty years on four different continents and now call Calgary, Alberta home.
I got married, had kids, and things got busy. Time was moving by quickly, and my kids were growing up fast. I shifted gears and quit my job to spend time at home. During the COVID lockdown, I had time on my hands, decided to try writing, and started writing the Back in a Year series.
When I’m not at my computer yelling, “Just a few more pages, then I’ll make dinner,” I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains, hot yoga, reading romance novels, and making up new cake recipes. I especially like to laugh and spend time with my husband, the self-proclaimed grumpy motherf*%ker, and my three awesome kids.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
When I went to university in Buenos Aires I first signed up to journalism. Mainly because my family tried to derail me from studying acting, and this was the only other thing I wanted to do. I felt I was going to write, not sure what. Maybe for the travel section of a paper one day, or as a correspondent going away around the world on assignments. I left after one year, to study Drama full-time. I still wrote stories for myself, and I minored in Creative Writing.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I began writing to try to understand what was going on with me at a certain moment. I was very uncomfortable with the expectations placed on me as a woman, being expected to want to get married, to want to change my name, I thought it was outrageous. I was hurting someone I loved with these feelings. At the same time I could not betray myself. I felt alone and wanted to speak to my teenage self, my child self, to figure out my situation, I wondered if there was something very wrong with me. So I wrote a story which now is chapter 5, a day at a wedding when I was a child.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Everyone who connects with the book enough to read it will take their own, I would like to stay out of that. That connection is enough, I just hope they take away something useful for their lives.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
Maybe the introspection I needed. I didn’t mean to write a book or be in a genre. I just wanted to put down a story to make a short film, to talk about the expectations put on me, and then there were more stories that came out because I was in a writing class. After about a year I looked at everything I had written and the short film had been left behind, the book was there plus many more pages to get rid of.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Instagram is the only social media I have, and there are new independent publishers and independent book-shops that showcase writers, new ones and older ones. They make curious and want to get new books.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Joining a writing workshop to work on ideas was very useful to me. I will do it again. Apart from developing skills there, to feel like I am working with other people. Being an actor I am used to working with groups of people. Then there were times when I had to be writing on my own for a long time of course, but writing is such a lonely thing to do, and quite torturous to me, and this way I felt less alone in it for a while.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I am inspired to tell other people´s stories at the moment. I am working on one idea and researching now, I am not sure what shape it will take exactly, but it is already going in a certain direction.
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About the Author
Dolores Reynals was born in Mendoza, Argentina. She started out as a radio actress before moving to London to attain her BA (Hons) in Drama from the University of Surrey. Since then she has worked internationally and now lives nowhere in particular, often between Europe and Mexico.
I had an appointment for a breast MRI and biopsy on my husband’s birthday, May 1, 2019. We spent that day at the imaging center. It was a cold, drizzly, gunmetal-gray day out. The rain was just spitting. I spent hours in the imaging machine, holding onto the panic button they give you, earplugs in my ears. I was praying the whole time with my eyes pressed shut: Please, please, please, God. Let me not have breast cancer.
The test was grueling. I was in the MRI machine for hours. They’d numbed my breasts; I could hear the biopsy machine making that whirring, drilling sound, and I was thinking, I cannot wait to get out of this thing. When they rolled me out, my back was killing me—you’re in there for so long with your arms stretched out in front of you. The surgeon who did the biopsy said, “I don’t like to let people wait around with false hope. Lisa, I want you to know that the area I saw had jagged edges around it. It looks like it’s cancer.”
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I could not believe it. I’ve been such a health nut my entire life, and I never thought it would happen to me. I work out a lot—tennis, the gym, ice skating. When she told me it looked like breast cancer, I felt like I was floating over myself and the doctor in the exam room, watching the conversation. All I could think about was dying. I wondered how much time I had.
Fast forward to now. After a lumpectomy and being prescribed a pill I take every day to rid my body of the hormone that fed my cancer, I’ve been cancer free for five years. In that time, without intending to, I’ve become a breast cancer awareness advocate. I appeared in a local television commercial celebrating the milestone anniversary of Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I walked in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser sponsored by the American Cancer Society, wrote a column for a local magazine about my breast cancer journey, and participated in a photographic exhibit of cancer survivors focused on sharing stories of faith and survivorship to encourage the demystification of cancer.
One event I reflect upon the most is a “fireside chat” in which another survivor and I spoke to high school and college students who are doing internships at Dana Farber. I spoke about self-care, how I met the challenges of the disease and the importance of empathy on the part of health care providers. The future health care professionals were engaging, had many questions and indicated that they benefited in their learning process by hearing from us.
Now each May 1st I focus on celebrating my husband’s birthday with him and he celebrates me for attending to my breast heath and advocating for awareness.
Book Summary
Dancing Between the Raindrops: A Daughter’s Reflections on Love and Loss, is a powerful meditation on grief, a deeply personal mosaic of a daughter’s remembrances of beautiful, challenging and heartbreaking moments of life with her family. It speaks to anyone who has lost a loved one and is trying to navigate the world without them while coming to terms with complicated emotions.
Lisa Braxton’s parents died within two years of each other—her mother from ovarian cancer, her father from prostate cancer. While caring for her mother she was stunned to find out that she, herself, had a life-threatening illness—breast cancer.
In this intimate, lyrical memoir-in-essays, Lisa Braxton takes us to the core of her loss and extends a lifeline of comfort to anyone who needs to be reminded that in their grief they are not alone.
Publisher: Sea Crow Press
Print length: 158 pages
Purchase a copy of Dancing Between the Raindrops on
Lisa Braxton is the author of the novel, The Talking Drum, winner of a 2021 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards Gold Medal, overall winner of Shelf Unbound book review magazine’s 2020 Independently Published Book Award, and winner of a 2020 Outstanding Literary Award from the National Association of Black Journalists and a Finalist for the International Book Awards. She is also an Emmy-nominated former television journalist, an essayist, and short story writer.
She is on the executive board of the Writers Room of Boston and a writing instructor at Grub Street Boston, and currently serves as President of the Greater Boston Section of the National Council of Negro Women and is a member of the Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Join us at WOW as we celebrate the launch of Lisa Braxton’s memoir Dancing Between the Raindrops. Read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Emil Rem takes readers on a unique journey through his many travels around the world in the book “Chasing Aphrodite: Stories of Life, Love & Travel”.
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The Synopsis
“Pure gold.” —Tom Dixon—
EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN
Join Emil on his adventures around the world in a series of beautifully written and illustrated stories—heartfelt, and uniquely insightful this book will take you from England to Africa, from Canada to Cypress—all through the author’s skillful storytelling lens…
…“As he gazed out at the revellers on the beach, he was transported to a beach in Africa, where a native boy peered at him from behind a sand dune, much as he had spent his life peering at the alien world around him, trying in vain to understand it, to make it more manageable.
And so he oscillated between the past and the present—the past so dangerously more real…”
The Review
What a memorable and engaging read. The author does a fantastic job of delivering this blend of travelogue meets memoir with a sharp wit and thought-provoking writing style that highlights his adventure and learning experiences during this trip. The detailed descriptions and whimsical yet engaging illustrations before each chapter brought the author’s heart and passion for each location along his journey to life.
The author’s capture of the culture and humanity behind each step on his journey, along with the depth of his experiences along the way, made this a powerful read. The thoughtfulness of delving into what travel is, and whether we make these trips to discover new locations and worlds or find the familiar and our way back home, made the book so inviting and easy to read.
The Verdict
Remarkable, enlightening, and moving author Emil Rem’s “Chasing Aphrodite” is a must-read travelogue meets memoir. This nonfiction book not only brings these locations to life perfectly, but the heart and transportive nature of the author’s writing allowed the reader to immerse themselves in each stop of his journey and showcased ultimately a love story that made the trip that much more impactful. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Emil Rem, an eccentric accountant becomes a writer of eccentric characters, in exotic locales—each chapter taking us on a trip into his fascinating twisted world. Born to a close knit, middle class Muslim East Indian family in Dar-es-Salam, Africa in the 50’s, he is then moved to Maidenhead England at the age of five. The next twenty years are spent shuttling between England and East Africa, wearing a St. Christopher’s cross one minute and attending church, to wearing a green armband and attending Muslim religious classes in Africa the next. Moving to Canada, marrying a woman from the Philippines and having two boys only adds further texture to his stories.
At the age of five, his mother who possessed no education, but held impossible ambitions, divorced his father and moved to England with Emil in tow. The only work she could get was as a trainee nurse but found she could not look after Emil. An English working class family volunteered to take him in until she found a permanent home for him. The initial two weeks turned into 12 years…
His father continued to work for an airline which permitted Emil to travel free(ly) on standby and from the age of 12 he began to travel the world on his own…
“Neither of my parents could afford to come with me. My mother gave me a pittance for my travels—it was all she could afford. I would arrive at London airport with a carry-on bag and a wad of tickets and take whichever airline had space available. I could be in Moscow or Rio de Janeiro, I never knew. Nor did my family.”
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Stephen E. Smith shares a vivid memoir from the mid 60’s that helps cope with the global COVID-19 virus in the book “The Year We Danced”.
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The Synopsis
With the number of Covid cases increasing and the death toll steadily rising, award-winning writer Stephen E. Smith decided it was appropriate — maybe even necessary — to write about happier, less stressful times.
In a box of forgotten files, he rediscovered loose-leaf binders and keepsakes from his first year of college. It had been more than half a century but reading through his course notes, personal observations, and the clippings he’d torn from magazines and newspapers, he pieced together the events, good and bad, tender and tragic, that shaped his freshman year.
Much of what he writes is disarmingly funny, but recalling the Civil Rights Movement, the War in Vietnam, and the complexities of finding himself a stranger in the South forced him to reassess a period of his life he’d long recalled as carefree. In this vivid and poignant mid-60s memoir, readers come to understand how friendship, a love of language and music, and the bittersweet remembrance of lost love can help sustain us through difficult times.
The Review
The biggest takeaway from this incredible memoir is the relatability so many readers will be able to have with it. The honesty and everyman-style of writing really speak to the author’s experiences and life well, and the way the author was able to incorporate humor and showcase the lessons and insights that the author gained during his life made this a compelling book.
The artistic and poetic nature of the author’s vision for this book was evident in every chapter. The author brought readers into these memories and experiences as if they lived through them. The rich and dynamic individuals that the author brings into the book from his life and the absurd humor that keeps the book fun and light while honest and enlightening in other moments make this a great book to get lost in.
The Verdict
Author Stephen E. Smith’s “The Year We Danced” is a humorous, relatable, and engaging memoir. Its unique absurdist writing style, entertaining memories, and heartfelt attention to detail about the era it describes make it a wholly unique read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
