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 Candy Wolff shares with readers the purpose and hope she found in the wake of loss and grief in the book “Lost and Found in Mexico: A Widow’s Road to Recovery”.
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The Synopsis
In Lost and Found in Mexico, A Widow’s Road to Recovery, delve into the heartfelt narrative of Candy, whose story is an intricate tapestry of love, faith, and resilience. Her romance with Ross is not a fairy tale but a reflection of real-life struggles and triumphs, offering solace and wisdom to those navigating their own relationships.
Candy’s unwavering faith in brighter days ahead serves as a beacon of hope amidst the storm, a testament to her profound love for Ross and his unwavering support. Yet, when tragedy strikes and he is taken from her, Candy’s endurance becomes her most potent weapon as she navigates the emotional tempest that follows.
Through the depths of grief and uncertainty, Candy’s story becomes more than just a narrative-it becomes a lifeline for readers grappling with their own losses. From the tender moments of love to the harrowing depths of grief, Lost and Found in Mexico is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and a source of invaluable insight for those facing similar trials.
The Review
This was a heartfelt and emotional read. The author powerfully brings readers into the heart of her struggles, honing in on the emotional and mental struggles that she faced in those days after her loss. The depth of the author’s writing style allows the reader to feel immersed in these memories and experiences, and the intricate detail the author puts into her writing brings the visceral and shocking realities of loss to light in a very real way.
The author’s book highlights the honesty that the author writes with and the realities of love and relationships. While many people get lost in the fairytale aspect of love, especially in a relationship’s early days, most people realize that true love comes with its struggles, as no one is perfect. The author expertly shares these realities and hones in on the good and bad moments that made up her relationship. The spiritual nature of the author’s journey through grief will resonate with many who turn to faith in times of struggle.
The Verdict
Heartbreaking, thoughtful, and engaging author Candy Wolff’s “Lost and Found in Mexico: A Widow’s Road to Recovery” is a must-read nonfiction memoir meets inspirational book. The relatability of the author’s journey and struggles, the hopeful overtones as the book progresses, and the guidance that her book brings to readers will stay with the audience long after the book finishes. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
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Candy Wolff is a dynamic professional with a diverse background in marketing, sales, event management, writing, and public speaking.
As the CEO and President of “Irreplaceably You,” Candy is dedicated to empowering individuals and families to have open financial conversations, be prepared for the unexpected, and thrive in the face of adversity.
Candy’s approach is unique and pragmatic. She understands that losing a significant other is a very emotional and stressful time, and she helps people deal with it in a practical and compassionate way. Candy is a great listener and has an incredible ability to connect with people on a personal level. Her talks are inspiring and motivating, and she leaves her audience with a sense of hope and renewed energy.
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!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Dolores Reynals goes on an emotional and heartfelt journey of self discovery, finding her true self and living life authentically in the book “The Smallest Wave”.
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The Synopsis
“There is fierceness in the smallest wave, even the tiniest ones that reach the shore do what they do with all their might. They don’t ask for permission, and they don’t care that they are small.”
Dolores Reynals was born with an insatiable curiosity and a longing to explore beyond the confines of her family and a conventional environment, giving her a strong determination to dive into the unknown and grow into her true self away from the influences of her youth.
Her quest leads her from her hometown of Mendoza, Argentina to Spain, London, Los Angeles, and Mexico. Sometimes settling and sometimes wandering, Dolores confronts questions that echo those of her past, contemplating femininity, authenticity, and the elusive meaning of home.
With raw emotion and poetic insight, The Smallest Wave is a woman’s journey to live true to the person she is, even if it means releasing everything else.
The Review
What a compelling and heartfelt memoir. The author does such an elegant job of capturing the sense of adventure and discovery that travel can bring to people. The use of imagery in the author’s writing, as well as a poetic writing style, allowed the reader to feel transported each time the author took a new step towards a new location and a new journey. The writing style was as sophisticated yet honest as an artist with a paintbrush, allowing readers to get lost in the words the author brought to life.
The themes of identity, self-discovery, womanhood, and home all felt very prominent in the author’s memoir. The thoughtfulness and honesty that allowed the author to deliver not only the experiences she had but the lessons she learned and the impact of those decisions on her overall journey made the book flow perfectly. The reader was able to feel like they were growing right along with the author as the trip progressed, and readers could instantly make a connection emotionally with the author as well.
The Verdict
Adventurous, heartfelt, and engaging author Dolores Reynals’s “The Smallest Wave” is a must-read memoir. The relatability of so many people, especially women who are looking to discover themselves, was remarkable to see a spark to life on the page. The amount of sympathy, heart, and compassion the reader feels for the author and considers the author brings to her own life as each experience teaches her something new will have readers returning to this book time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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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 received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Lori Van Dusen shares the roller coaster that was her rise in the world of Wall Street in the memoir “Running with Grace”.
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The Synopsis
Nothing about Lori Van Dusen’s childhood indicated she’d become one of the nation’s top independent financial advisors. She was born prematurely with a genetic blood disorder. Her parents divorced when she and her twin brother were less than a year old. But her big, boisterous, loving Italian family, led by her beloved grandfather, a first-generation American with only an eighth-grade education, taught her that the only limitations in life are those we impose on ourselves.
As a young person, Lori wanted to sing on Broadway, not manage money on Wall Street. But in 1986, this quiet, serious young woman walked into the rough-and-tumble, eat-what-you-kill world of Shearson Lehman Brothers and never looked back. She fought her way to the top by thinking outside the box and working her ass off despite the jeers, insults, and sideways glances. Her secret weapon? A need to prove herself so strong she could outwork anyone.
But Lori’s trajectory to the top was not a straight, upward line; it was a rollercoaster. She hit the pinnacle of success only to have it ripped away in a legal battle with one of the biggest banks in the world. She was raped by a PhD candidate at Harvard, swindled by a business partner, and battled two life-altering medical diagnoses. None of that, though, would compare to having the two people she loved most in the world taken way too soon.
Despite the fear and pain, Lori remained hopeful and resilient. In this memorable, poignant, and inspiring memoir, she shares her lowest lows and highest highs as well as hard-earned wisdom from her bumpy personal, professional, and spiritual journey. Life was never meant to be fair, she learned, but we must keep running with grace if we are to find purpose and joy in the face of adversity.
The Review
This was a moving and compelling read. The author did an incredible job of layering this narrative and true story with a healthy balance of drama and heart. The author’s personal tale brought the detailed aspects of the financial industry to life, and her experiences while making her way up the corporate ladder were insightful and engaging.
Yet, it was the heart that was poured into this narrative that made the story so gripping. The memoir proved to be more about the trials and tribulations that the author faced both in their personal and professional life rather than a linear tale of the world of Wall Street, and this allowed the reader to connect and fully feel the emotional weight of the author’s life experiences. The tension and heartbreak the author’s life touches upon and how she overcame tragedy to become the person she is today send a sad yet uplifting message that readers can resonate with powerfully.
The Verdict
Remarkable, insightful, and engaging author Lori Van Dusen’s “Running with Grace” is a must-read memoir and business book. The heartfelt delivery of such a personal story and its impact on the author’s life and readers looking to make their mark in the world will keep people invested in this thoughtful and heartening read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Lori Van Dusen, CIMA®, is the Founder and CEO of LVW Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm that serves both wealthy families and individuals, as well as nonprofit institutions throughout the United States. An advocate of client-focused strategies for more than 25 years, she has become the voice of reason for providing comprehensive integrated solutions in a fragmented financial services industry.
Lori began her investment advisory career in 1987 with Shearson Lehman Brothers, which was later acquired by Citigroup Smith Barney. By 2004, she had achieved the title of Managing Director with Citigroup Smith Barney. She founded LVW Advisors in 2011.
A recipient of numerous accolades, Lori was named to Barron’s Financial Advisor Hall of Fame, which recognizes advisors who have appeared in 10 or more of Barron’s annual Top 100 Advisor rankings. Additionally, Lori was ranked #1 in New York – NY State on Forbes’ 2023 and 2022 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors list, and has been ranked for five consecutive years on Forbes’ America’s Top Wealth Advisors list and Forbes’ America’s Top Women Advisors lists. In 2022, she was named CEO of the Year by Institutional Investor’s RIA Intel.
In recognition of her involvement in the Rochester community, Lori was recognized in the Rochester Business Journal’s 2023, 2022, and 2021 Power 100 list and received the 2020 Women of Excellence distinction with the Circle of Excellence honor. The Circle of Excellence recognizes a small group of women each year with longstanding, notable success in the community who are leading the way for other women. Additionally, Lori was inducted into the 2019 Rochester Business Hall of Fame and joins a prestigious list of Rochester business leaders who have been previously inducted. Lori has also been recognized by the Girl Scouts of Western New York as one of the 2019 Women of Distinction.
Lori is passionate about numerous philanthropic causes, serving on several boards focused on urban education, health and wellness and the fine arts, including the Monroe Community College Foundation Board, the University of Rochester Medical Center Board, the F.F. Thompson Health System Board, and the Memorial Art Gallery Board of Managers.
Lori was one of the founders of the Association of Professional Investment Consultants (APIC) and Citigroup Institutional Consulting. She holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation, administered by the Investments and Wealth Institute® (formerly IMCA) in conjunction with The Wharton School. Lori received her undergraduate degree from Ithaca College and a Master of Education from Harvard University.
Lori is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book Running with Grace: A Wall Street Insider’s Path to True Leadership, a Purposeful Life, and Joy in the Face of Adversity, published in 2023.
A native of Rochester, New York, Lori is a long-distance runner and an avid yogi, and enjoys decorating and savoring the area’s local music scene. She regularly cooks and hosts large Italian meals for her family and friends.
No compensation was paid to obtain the above awards. LVW Advisors paid a fee for promotional materials related to Forbes and Barron’s awards. Please see our Disclosures page for additional information.
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Interview with Author Lori Van Dusen
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve always had a connection to the page. I believe writing regularly helps me be more creative and also helps flesh out ideas. I’ve been writing regularly since university. I’ve contributed a number of white papers to my industry journals, write out every speech I’ve ever delivered and journal daily as a way to relieve stress and organize my thoughts. I will admit though, I’d never considered myself a writer with a capital W, and certainly never appreciated how hard it was to write a book.
2) What inspired you to write your book, Running with Grace?
I began writing Running with Grace as a personal journal to help with my healing process from the unexpected loss of my husband. When I lost my mom, just a short time later, I wished she had captured her life story for me before she passed away from cancer. I miss her every day, and thought if I had her with me on the page, it would be such a comfort.
I started the project as a way to capture my life’s stories for my sons, and as I shared it with people, including my sons, they all encouraged me to collect the stories into a book to publish them.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Resilience, for sure. I am hoping the book inspires people to find their inner strength and embrace moving through all the things that happen to them, both the good and the horrific. I don’t think you don’t need to go through unspeakable tragedy to be wise, but as I look at my life now, I realize that I am a much wiser and more thoughtful person for going through the loss of my husband and mother.
If my book helps people even get through one day a little lighter, then I think it will have been worthwhile.
It’s been so gratifying to me to see the reviews from people who have read the book. Running with Grace is a Wall Street Journal bestseller and been praised for its “emotional power” by Kirkus Reviews and Readers’ Favorite describes it as “a story of triumphs and defeats inspiring readers to never give up.”
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I never thought I would write a memoir. I had been toying with writing a book of business lessons from a woman in finance and I had even began an outline before my husband died.
After my husband died, I started to believe there had to be a reason all these tragic things had happened to me, and that I wanted to share the lessons that I had learned. It’s such a deeply personal book that the only way I thought to reach people was to write it as a memoir. My individual stories became chapters with the thread of resilience tying them all together.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book (apart from yourself!), what would you ask them and why?
Without a doubt, my grandfather. I have so many questions for him that as a child I would have never thought to ask. I would love to learn more of his story–about his upbringing and how he became the person of such deep integrity. I’d also love to know what it really felt like when as a man in his middle age he became essentially the father to twin babies. I can’t imagine that was easy, but I never felt anything but love and support from him.
6) Has there been a social media site in particular that has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
LinkedIn has been hugely beneficial for me. Not only is it the only social media site I personally spend time on, but I’ve found the connections I’ve made to be richer and more fruitful. LinkedIn recently connected me to a podcast series, that invited me to do a live chat for their subscribers. To support the event, they purchased books as well as interviewed me. LinkedIn hasn’t been overwhelmed by the noise of the other social media platforms, yet. And I am hoping it stays that way.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Find a great editor. No one writes a book alone. The book writing process is much more difficult than I expected. I independently published and invested in professionals to guide me through what feels very much like the wild west process.
I also suggest an aspiring writer assemble a group of trusted beta readers who will give candid feedback. My beta readers were incredibly helpful, especially at identifying some of the business discussions that were too insider baseball for a wider audience. Every writer (and person really) has inherent biases and a diverse group of outside readers can spot them for you. Include people who don’t know you personally to get the most objective feedback.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?
If readers learn anything from the book it is that the old Yiddish adage “Man Plans and God Laughs” is true. It’s futile to control the future. The only thing you can control is your actions in the present. My life has played out in no way that I had ever envisioned and my hope is that this book will introduce me to an audience outside the finance community as the message is really relevant to women and men everywhere.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Gaye Kick shares her story of marrying her musician boyfriend, only to become a young minster’s wife instead and the long path it took to find her own spiritual path that resonated with her in the book “Releasing Religion: A Minster’s Wife Goes Rogue”.
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The Synopsis
She was the proverbial good girl, obeying all the rules and expectations of others—until she took control and changed the rules.
Gaye was an optimistic college music major when she agreed to marry her senior music major boyfriend after his graduation. She never expected that before their wedding, he would upend his career and toss her unprepared into the role of a minister’s wife at age eighteen.
But the people-pleaser in Gaye is compelled to stand by his side, even if it means living in a fishbowl where the expectations of others disrupt her sense of self. Gaye walks this path that was never meant to be hers for fifteen years before beginning to realize that only by reclaiming her identity can she unleash her inner power and become the unstoppable force she was meant to be.
In a relatable and moving account of overcoming obstacles, Gaye Kick provides an eye-opening peek into the ups and downs of a clergy wife who yearns for a spiritual path that resonates with her soul. Her story will inspire other seekers to examine beliefs hindering them from living the life they desire so they, too, can go on an incredible journey of breaking free.
Releasing Religion is an honest, heartfelt memoir. If you like engaging narratives, funny self-reflection, and journeys of discovery, then you’ll love Gaye Kick’s uplifting search for freedom and identity.
The Review
This was both informative and engaging for readers. The author did an incredible job of capturing the raw emotion of having to endure a life that never quite felt like the life you imagined yourself living and adding humor and charm to the writing to bring readers into the author’s story. The insight and relatability of the author’s story really help readers resonate with the author on both an emotional and social level.
The thing that drew me into this narrative was the author’s perspective on this topic. As someone who grew up with a religious parent and years spent in religious schools, and having left organized religion; as a result, it was so fascinating to see (or read) from the perspective of someone who married into the religion and spent their childhood with that religion as well. The way the author captured the struggles the faith can bring upon those who live within it so closely was fascinating and heartbreaking to read, yet the author’s story inspires hope within the reader.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, compelling, and engaging author Gaye Kick’s “Releasing Religion” is a must-read memoir and nonfiction read. The memorable story the author’s life became and the knowledge that readers will gain as they see through the eyes of a minister’s wife, as well as the empowering message the author’s story inspires, will keep readers enthralled. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Gaye Kick graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield, where she studied writing under novelist and children’s book author Jaqueline Dougan Jackson. She writes humorous short stories about finding balance and inspiration as she navigates the highway of life. In addition, Gaye is a talented pianist, singer, and songwriter specializing in new thought music. Explore her work at www.gayellenkick.com
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Jamie Andrews takes a witty yet emotional journey into her adolescence in the book “The Brink: A Memoir”.
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The Synopsis
Andrews unblinkingly delivers this tale of her troubled adolescence, detailing her descent into depression, promiscuity, drugs and institutionalization – all before the age of 18. Told from the point of view of a teenage sociopath, The Brink is funny, harrowing, lurid and absolutely true.
A deep, dark look at growing up in 90s suburbia, The Brink is eminently relatable to the ostracized youth of today, those who have been there, and those who enjoy gawking at car wrecks.
Jaime Andrews has been a comedic commentator (TruTV’s World’s Dumbest), an album cover-girl (My Chemical Romance), a columnist (Backstage, New Thinking), a commercial queen, a theater manager and, most recently, an award-winning filmmaker (Division). Way before that, though, she was the big mess you’ll find in these pages.
The Review
What immediately struck me when reading this incredible book was the depth of honesty and the casual tone in which the author wrote. The steady progression from teenage outbursts to more steady streams of depression and the harrowing experiences in institutions allowed the reader to connect with the author and their life.
The way the author organized this memoir was terrific. The book takes readers through her life as she experienced it, allowing the reader to feel the buildup, tension, and shocking events as they unfolded. The emotional weight of these experiences perfectly underscored the witty and direct writing style and speaks to the harsh realities that many young people face every day.
The Verdict
Poignant, concise, yet emotionally compelling and incredibly witty, author Jamie Andrew’s “The Brink” is a must-read memoir. The heart and charm that went into the writing of this story and the inspiring way her story reached out to others who have experienced similar events made this a remarkable story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out this book today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
On the outskirts of popular culture for over 20 years, Jaime Andrews started acting professionally at the age of 12 at Arena Playhouse on Long Island. Best known for her work as a comedic commentator on TruTV’s World’s Dumbest, she has been a billboard model (Stoli), an album cover-girl (My Chemical Romance), a columnist (Backstage, New Thinking), a commercial queen (she shipped her pants for K-mart and has hung out with the Geico gecko and Chester Cheetah, among dozens of others), a theater manager (Sacred Fools) and, most recently, an award-winning filmmaker (Division, now available on several platforms). She was a recurring Guest Star on Good Girls Revolt, whose premature cancellation started an online firestorm at the dawn of the Me Too movement.
Jaime’s memoir, The Brink – about her tumultuous teen years – will be published in 2023, and she has several projects in the works through her production company, jaimation. She is also working on a graphic novel, Cookie & the Monster, adapted from her play which won best show in the Ensemble Theatre category at the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Terry A. Repak shares the highs and lows of raising children as global citizens, staying in different countries around the world in the book “Circling Home: What I Learned by Living Elsewhere”.
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The Synopsis
When Terry Repak and her husband moved to West Africa with two small children at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, she seized the opportunity to connect with people of other cultures and bear witness to the ravages of the disease. Circling Home chronicles the adventures and challenges of raising children to be global citizens and trying to find home in countries as diverse as Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Switzerland. Her memoir spotlights the complexity, struggles, and profound lessons at the heart of the expat journey.
The Review
This was an incredibly moving and insightful read. The author does an incredible job of balancing the book with both memoir style writing and travel exploration. The imagery and detailed look into these experiences harkens to the author’s work as an investigative reporter, and the honesty for which the author speaks brings the emotional depth of her experiences to life perfectly.
Both the information and heart that went into showcasing the life of an expat and American living abroad and the honest approach to the author’s relationships with her family and their friends that made this story shine. The isolation and loneliness that can come with living abroad in a country not their own, as well as the shocking revelations of witnessing Africa in the height of the AIDS pandemic was quite engaging to me as a reader.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, heartfelt, and engaging, author Terry Repak’s “Circling Home” is a must-read nonfiction book for anyone who enjoys memoirs and travel books. The depth of information, personal writing mixed with great journalistic style, and an emotional connection that readers will resonate with as a family member will make readers eager to dive into this very personal story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Terry Repak has worked as an investigative reporter, an editor, a television producer, a research fellow and a free-lance writer. She has a BS from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Masters degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a PhD in Liberal Arts from Emory University. Her travel articles and research have appeared in newspapers and other publications, including the Seattle Times, Christian Science Monitor, Dar Guide, Geneva Talks, Offshoots, Hello Switzerland, The Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, Gender and Society, and Social Problems. Her most recent book is a memoir, “Circling Home: What I Learned By Living Elsewhere.” Her earlier books are “Waiting on Washington: Central American Workers in the Nation’s Capital” and “Edward Kennedy” (with Murray B. Levin).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young mother struggles as her son, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, disappears, and the community she fought so hard to accept them must rally around her to find the missing boy in author and Dr. Michelle Naguib’s “31 Hours: A Mother’s Story of Hope, Heroes, and Autism”.
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The Synopsis
When her fourteen-year-old son Jimmy goes missing, Michelle is frantic and distraught. As the hours tick by, Michelle’s desperation escalates, her self-doubt intensifies, and the community’s collective efforts to locate Jimmy become increasingly urgent.
In this memoir, Michelle takes us through the emotional journey of losing her son, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome as a young child, and reflects on the circumstances that led to his disappearance, her struggles to find him a place of belonging in the community, and the heroism of this same community in rallying to find Jimmy.
An honest account of a mother’s struggles, a keen insight into living with neurodiversity, and an invocation for understanding, acceptance and change, 31 Hours is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. It is a true story of resilience that is both relatable and riveting.
The Review
This was an emotional, heartfelt, and insightful read. The tension and heartbreak as the author recounts the hours leading up to and following the disappearance of her son was impactful, to say the least, the reader was given insight into the complex web of emotions that can overwhelm any parent, let alone the parent of a child who is neurodivergent. The emotional wellspring that the author taps into to recount her experiences and the thoughtful attention to detail really painted an image in the author’s mind about this experience.
In addition to these tense moments throughout the memoir, the author does an incredible job of not only delving into the details surrounding the work and love that goes into caring for and loving a child who is neurodivergent but also of the efforts that are made to bring your child into a community that supports and cares for them just as much as you do. The impact that faith and community had on any given situation made this a compelling memoir.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, emotional, and authentically written, author and Dr. Michelle Naguib’s “31 Hours” is a must-read memoir for anyone who has experienced the fear of a missing child, the struggles and triumphs of raising a neurodivergent child, or the love of motherhood in general. The engaging way the author addressed the reader while also writing in a way that allowed her to pour her heart into the experiences she was sharing made this a memorable memoir. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Michelle Naguib is a mom, pediatric dentist and author who started writing as a cathartic outlet after her son, who was diagnosed with autism, went missing. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two sons, as well as her beautiful Labrador Retriever, Amber.
