Blog Archives
Reality Check: Making the Best of the Situation
Reality Check, by Mike Sorrentino, known to many as “The Situation” from MTV’s Jersey Shore, is an intimate and raw memoir that chronicles his tumultuous journey from stardom to rock bottom and ultimately to redemption. The book details Sorrentino’s struggles with addiction, legal battles, and personal growth, offering readers a candid look at the highs and lows of his life. Written with the help of Andy Symonds, Sorrentino’s story is not just about overcoming addiction but also about finding inner peace and purpose.
One of the most compelling aspects of Reality Check is its unflinching honesty. Sorrentino does not shy away from revealing the darkest moments of his life, including his dependency on prescription drugs and his legal troubles. He recounts how his addiction spiraled out of control, affecting his career and personal relationships. For instance, he describes the moment he contemplated trying heroin, a significant low point that underscores the severity of his addiction. This level of transparency makes his eventual recovery all the more inspiring.
The writing is engaging and conversational, making it feel as though Sorrentino is speaking directly to the reader. This approach helps to humanize him, transforming “The Situation” from a reality TV persona into a relatable individual facing real-world challenges. The narrative is peppered with moments of humor and humility, providing a balanced portrayal of Sorrentino’s personality. His transformation from a self-destructive celebrity to a dedicated advocate for sobriety is compelling and offers hope to those facing similar struggles.
A notable strength of the book is its focus on the practical steps Sorrentino took to achieve and maintain sobriety. Sorrentino also shares valuable lessons from his experiences, such as the significance of accountability and the power of making positive choices daily. His advice on “running the tape” to foresee the consequences of one’s actions is particularly insightful and applicable beyond the realm of addiction recovery.
Reality Check is an inspiring and heartfelt memoir that offers a powerful message of resilience and redemption. Sorrentino’s journey is a testament to the fact that it is never too late to turn one’s life around. This book is a must-read for fans of Jersey Shore, individuals struggling with addiction, and anyone in need of a story about personal growth and transformation. Through his candid storytelling, Sorrentino provides not only an inside look at his life but also a roadmap for others seeking to overcome their own challenges.
Pages: 243 | ASIN : B0CKY7LV6W
Enough Is Enough: An Addict’s Guide to Self In-Power-Ment
Angelica Stevenson’s Enough Is Enough is a compelling memoir detailing her journey of healing from addiction to crack and cigarettes. The book vividly portrays the author’s internal struggles and the tools she utilized to overcome her addictions. Central to Angelica’s recovery was her deep connection with God, which she shares through personal testimonies, Bible passages, and uplifting messages aimed at supporting others in their battles with addiction.
In this brilliant memoir, readers will discover the profound power of words and the transformative effects of accountability and self-awareness. Angelica explores the nature of addiction, identifying twelve critical areas of life it impacts, and delves into the importance of spiritual awareness. Her story is both intensely enlightening and concisely presented, making for an engaging read.
Enough Is Enough serves as a valuable resource for those grappling with addiction or striving to be more accountable in their lives. Despite its straightforward language and concise format, Angelica’s insights are profound, reflecting her decades-long struggle with addiction. One particularly impactful lesson is the power of positive affirmations: “Any words you say after ‘I’ correlate to you and your life with the consequence of manifesting and becoming real in your life.” This powerful insight has encouraged me to be more mindful of my words, a sentiment likely to resonate with many readers. The book is filled with wisdom worth bookmarking and revisiting regularly. The narrative is both enlightening and captivating, enriched with educational insights about addiction. For instance, Angelica explains the difficulty of quitting smoking due to nicotine’s impact on the brain. The book also introduces memorable characters, such as a “smoking buddy” who brings his young daughter along, highlighting the far-reaching effects of addiction.
Angelica’s journey is inspiring, illustrating the consequences of neglecting spiritual and personal growth. This memoir is ideal for readers with personal experiences of addiction and those seeking to take control of their life’s direction. The blend of affirmative messages, biblical references, introspective questions, and practical guidelines makes Enough Is Enough a must-read. I highly recommend it!
Pages: 118
The Rarest of the Rare
The Silent Paralyzer: A Decade of Life Disrupted shares your journey with being diagnosed with a rare disease, how it has impacted your life, and your determination not to let it stop you from living your best life. Why was this an important book for you to write?
While I have had migraies in my youth, it wasn’t until my early 30s when I had my first experience with hemiplegic migraine. It was at that time when I first relized just how serious migraines can be. Since then, I’ve learned that there are over 10 types of migraines with hemiplegic migraine being the rarest of the rare – specifically, out of a billion people world wide who suffer from migraines, only 0.01% of this billion-person figure have what I have.
Going through this, no one episode is the same. Some attacks leave me more alert than others – but the one constant is that after each attack, I am left to relearn how to walk, talk, dress and feed myself all over again. On the surface, it looks as though the person is recovering from a stroke time and time again but without the physical damage that strokes leave in the brain, though it definitely leaves you mentally strained and depleted.
To add to this challenge, it is something that is without a cure and can only be managed. Many a time the medication and treatments provided come with side effects. There is still so much that the medical community don’t know about migraines which makes hemiplegic migraines that much more frustrating and terrifying.
The recent publication of my memoir was written in hopes that it would help raise awareness so that more attention, more funding dollars for research on migraines – specifically for rare disorders like hemiplegic migraines is made to hopefully one day discover a cure.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Through the writing of my memoir, I wanted to give readers a more in-depth experience of what happens during a hemiplegic migraine attack. Most importantly, I wanted people to understand and appreciate that no matter the type, migraines are more than just headaches. Migraines are neurological disorders that wreaks havoc on not only those who suffer from them, but also for those who must be care-givers of those who are forced to endure the debilitating effects of such a condition.
With having such a rare condition that few people know about, what is one thing you want people to know about living with Hemiplegic Migraines?
Through my narrative, I hope readers will also come to realize that those of us who go through this disorder, do so without choice. When migraine attacks come, it is mostly without warning; no matter what is done to help prevent an episode. Once the paralysis and aphasia comes and goes, the sheer will power to even draw in a breath to continue moving forward in life is something that no words are able to describe. It is in my hopes that through my story, I will be able to offer a glimpse of the collective strength needed to battle through the hemiplegia on an iterative basis.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story and how they can help others with chronic illness?
Living with hemiplegic migraines often leaves a loss of self and also loss of control. I hope that my memoir can help readers understand that for those of us with chronic illnesses and conditions, it is a battle every single day. We must fight our internal battles, constantly staving off internal voices that something worse is on the horizon waiting for us; and at the same time, needing to fight the external battles, whether it’s maneuvering through complicated health care systems, trying to find a way to afford the expensive treatments and/or simply trying to convince healthcare providers that what we have is real and that it isn’t something conjured up in our minds.
Empathy, patience and understanding is what I would ask readers to carry with them should they run into someone with hemiplegic migraine or other chronic illnesses. I would ask and plead for them to lend their voice in raising awareness, to relieve the stigma that many migraine sufferers endure, so that there may one day be a cure or a better way to manage such debilitating disorders.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Live Life on Your Own Terms
I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf is the journal of a teenager’s life before a devastating diagnosis leading up to her treatment for liver cancer. Why was it important for you to share your sister’s experience with readers?
While there are many published books about cancer, there isn’t a single story about liver cancer from a teenager who did not survive the disease. My sister Adrienne always wanted to educate people about her cancer and publishing her journals, poetry, and artwork was the best way to do it. Also, all the proceeds benefit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, a national nonprofit organization that I founded in memory of Adrienne.
Adrienne’s journal is quite gripping in its honesty. What was the most difficult part of putting her writing and artwork together for publication?
Well, Adrienne was a notoriously bad speller, so correcting her mistakes was time-consuming. But seriously, the hardest part was going through her artwork and being reminded of how talented she was. The world missed out on an amazing, funny, creative young woman. I don’t know if she would have become a professional artist because she had so many interests and gifts, but her talent is undeniable.
How has sharing your sister’s journey impacted your life?
From the moment she came to live with me, Adrienne gave my life purpose and meaning. She continues to do so beyond her death. I feel like I raised the best kid ever and I’m glad her story is helping others with the devastating disease that ended her life far too young.
What is one thing you hope readers can take away from I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf?
Live life on your own terms and enjoy every freaking minute of it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In her own words, this is the journal of Adrienne Wilson, a teenage artist, poet, and beloved sister. Before her death from liver cancer at the age of fifteen, Adrienne expressed her funny, bright soul in this prolific journal. Her musings on life, relationships, music, love, and the beautiful grime of her adopted hometown of Los Angeles leap off the page; her deep sensitivity and perspective are captured in full-color prints of her award-winning artwork. Steeped in late-90s nostalgia, this artistic journey through a teenage girl’s eyes is moving, often hilarious, and unforgettable.
The Victorious Vagina – How To Beat A Player At His Game & Win At Self Love
Katie Slade’s The Victorious Vagina takes readers on a journey through the highs and lows of modern relationships. Framed as a series of poems preceded by narrative segments, this memoir delves into the emotional rollercoaster experienced by a woman navigating the complexities of love and intimacy in today’s dating landscape. Through her book, Slade underscores the importance of self-love and caution in romantic engagements, offering a candid exploration of her own vulnerabilities and triumphs.
Slade’s writing style is both raw and evocative, adeptly capturing the fervor and despair of her relationships. While the directness of Slade’s language and the rich detail of her personal anecdotes are vivid and engaging, they create an immersive reading experience that vividly brings her emotional journey to life, allowing readers to feel a deep connection with her. The integration of narrative with poetry enriched the text and allowed me to deeply connect with the emotional context behind each poem. The themes are universal, but the execution feels distinctly personal, sometimes bordering on a diary-like confessional.
The Victorious Vagina presents intriguing ideas about gender dynamics, emotional labor, and the societal pressures shaping romantic interactions. I think Slade challenges the reader to reconsider what it means to engage in modern love, pushing against the commodification of intimacy.
Katie Slade’s memoir is a passionate call for self-empowerment in the realm of dating and relationships. I recommend it to readers who appreciate a straightforward and heartfelt exploration of personal growth and resilience. Those who enjoy poetic narratives that are deeply personal and anyone navigating the intricate world of modern relationships will find this book particularly resonant.
Pages: 128 | ASIN : B0BQ1JXPVD
Willing to Acknowledge the Pain
Angry Daughter: A Journey from Hatred to Love shares your path of healing and forgiveness through the use of healing prayer. This seems like a very personal story for you. How hard was it to put this story out in the world for people to read?
I never had actually planned to write this story, but the first chapter just popped out one day quite unexpectedly, so I suppose God had other plans. Because part of my story includes the sudden loss of my mom, getting it on paper wasn’t so much hard as it was cathartic for my grieving. I was a little nervous about it being a memoir, mainly because I didn’t want to bring any grief or pain or shame to family. But the responses have been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m grateful that my vulnerability is helping others.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The biggest idea was that there truly is profound freedom in real forgiveness. It radically, unexpectedly, changed everything about my life. Another important idea is that victims of childhood abuse don’t often discuss the mothers who stood by, and this has to be part of the discussion in order for full healing to start. The gravity of fleeting time is also a major idea because we never know if we will have another opportunity to forgive someone. And a final idea is that a traumatic, abusive childhood does not have to define someone’s life and that when we are willing to acknowledge the pain of what happened, then we can start to heal from it.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
I wish I would have learned a long time ago that my value and my worth are well-established in God, regardless of how people treated me or spoke to me. I wasted decades looking for acceptance and validation when God already gave these to me.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
When we choose to recognize that the failures of our parents weren’t intentional as much as they were learned by their own brokenness, it creates space for grace, mercy, and a better understanding of why.
Get your copy of Nanci’s FREE gift, this daily spiritual warfare prayer download here.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Well into her mid-forties, Nanci Lamborn was a critical, angry Christian who carried a consuming hatred of her mom. Frustration, annoyance, and offended contempt were constant companions at every family gathering, and these emotions robbed Nanci of her inner peace for decades. With no concept of the freedom available, she surrendered to heart healing prayer and experienced profound transformation.
From navigating the messy relationship with her dramatic, difficult mom, to surviving traumatic abuse, and finally assuming the role as a caregiver before her mom’s tragic death, Nanci’s story blends gritty, uncomfortable truth with beautiful and tender healing.
Now as an ordained minister of inner healing, Nanci walks with hurting people to introduce them to the supernatural power of forgiveness, repentance, and release of the painful past to Jesus. Angry Daughter is Nanci’s very personal journey down that same path to peace.
Part personal growth, part hilarious memoir, and part self-help, Angry Daughter thematically weaves its way through resentment and grief, to fear and shame, and from trauma to destiny. Nanci paves a clear pathway for those ready to begin their own journey of releasing Mom to the Lord in prayer.
A Testament to Resilience
The Unvarnished Truth: Purpose in the Pain shares your story of surviving abuse and how you were able to finally find peace and healing. Why was it an important book for you to write?
I wrote this book because I strongly believe that it is a story that many persons can relate to. It’s an exploration of a life filled with trauma and emotional turmoil. There are many lessons to be learnt. I share my struggles, my moments of despair, and the darkness that led to two desperate suicide attempts. But more importantly, I reveal how I found the strength within to move forward and ultimately discover peace through forgiveness and acceptance of my situation as it is.
I recognize that every twist and turn, every triumph and setback, has made me into the person I am today. This book is not just a recounting of events; it’s an exploration of the human experience, a testament to resilience in the face of adversity.
I am hoping that this book shows that our individual journeys are pieces of a larger, intricate plan, woven together by shared experiences, emotions, and the quest for meaning and PURPOSE.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I wanted to remove the stigma in regard to Mental health and to show that even the well-to-do and the educated can suffer. May persons suffer in silence. There is always hope.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
Show gratitude. I have learnt that appreciating what one has rather than focusing on what one lacks, is the key to peace of mind, and acceptance. I have learnt to let go of the things I cannot change.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
There are many things but perhaps the key takeaway is that one should never give up on life, no matter the circumstances. Hold on tightly to faith and love and cherish the persons who love and care for you.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon
The narrative takes a poignant turn as the author navigates through a twenty-seven-year-long marriage to a narcissistic partner, enduring oppression and mistreatment. Amidst the turmoil, the birth of her two beloved children brings joy and a ray of hope illuminating the darkest corners of her existence.
The inevitable separation and divorce become a turning point and a catalyst for change, but it also brings unexpected and unimaginable heartbreak that shatters her world.
Through abuse, pain, disrespect, rejection, abandonment and despair, the author finds the strength to rise above her circumstances. Despite two suicide attempts, she emerges as a beacon of hope as she embraces the profound truth that God has been intricately woven into every chapter of her life’s story, serving as a guiding presence and a shield of protection.
Through her poignant prose, the author offers a raw and honest account of these deeply personal experiences, illuminating the complexities of human relationships, the search for healing, and the power of personal growth. This autobiography stands as a testament to her resilience and steadfast determination to inspire and uplift others through the transformative power of storytelling.
LITERARY TITAN 