Blog Archives
Blessings Abound: Awaken to the Gifts at Hand
Blessings Abound is a short and sweet guide designed to help us spot the good things in life. Katherine Scherer and Eileen Bodoh wrote this book to help readers wake up to the gifts they already have. The authors break the content down into three main buckets. These are blessings we receive. There are blessings we ignore. And there are blessings wearing masks. The pages are packed with quotes from famous folks like Rumi and Abraham Lincoln. It explores how nature and music and friendship make life rich. The main goal is to shift your mindset from complaining to appreciating. It acts as a roadmap to peace and wonder.
I honestly felt a wave of calm washing over me while reading this. It is not trying to be a hard textbook. It feels like a warm hug. I really liked the way they used so many quotes. It felt like a greatest hits album of wisdom. Sometimes self-help books try too hard. They use big words to sound smart. This one keeps it real. It is simple. That is its superpower. The section on nature really resonated with me. I felt lighter after finishing it. It pushes you to use your heart more than your head.
The authors talk about blessings in disguise. This part made me think. It is hard to see the good when things go wrong. But they make a solid point. They mention people like Edison, who failed but kept going. That was inspiring. I also noticed the book gets pretty spiritual near the end. It talks about God and the Bible. They included Native American prayers, too. It felt like they wanted to welcome everyone. The focus on gratitude as a tool to fix a bad attitude is smart.
I think this book is a solid pick for anyone feeling a bit burnt out. If you need a mental reset. It works well as a coffee table book. You can pick it up and read a page or two. It does not demand a lot of your time. It just asks for an open heart. I would gift this to a friend going through a rough patch. It reminds you that the world is actually pretty cool if you look closely. Give it a shot if you want to smile more. It is a quick read with a long-lasting impact.
Pages: 58 | ASIN : B0FBSTLR27
Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines
Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines tells the story of a childhood shaped by violence, poverty, mental illness, and constant upheaval. The author shares scenes that feel almost too real to read, moments where survival hangs by a thread, and small flashes of love keep her moving. The book follows her from her earliest memories with a schizophrenic and abusive mother, through years of instability, family trauma, homelessness, and danger. It is a memoir that traces pain in sharp detail but also draws a clear line toward resilience and the stubborn spark of hope that refuses to go out.
I felt pulled into the author’s voice in a way that left me raw. Her writing hits hard because she does not hide. She tells everything straight, letting each moment speak for itself. The simplicity of the language works in her favor. It keeps the story grounded. It also makes some scenes feel heavier because the words do not soften them. I kept thinking about how young she was during the worst moments and how she managed to hold on to any sense of self. The honesty in her storytelling is powerful.
I also found myself drawn to the way she describes small joys. A homemade sour treat from her grandmother. A moment of kindness from an aunt. A flash of sunlight during a hopeless day. These little details gave me something to cling to as a reader. They also gave the memoir a sense of rhythm. I appreciated how the author allowed those memories to stand beside the darkness without trying to smooth them together. Life often feels jagged that way. The book captures that unevenness with real heart. I found myself caring deeply about her younger self and feeling frustrated at how many systems failed her at every turn.
The story is heavy, no doubt about it. Still, the author’s insistence on survival leaves a clear message. Pain shapes us, but it does not have to end us. I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate personal stories told without filters, to those who work with vulnerable communities, and to anyone who wants to understand trauma from the inside out.
Pages: 221 | ASIN : B0FHY52WZ2
The Empowerment Revolution
The Empowerment Revolution is a personal-development book that blends memoir, psychology, spirituality, and practical coaching into a clear roadmap for moving from fear and survival into confidence and self-authorship. Dr. Stacey Kevin Frick opens with his own early story of trauma and learned fear, then expands outward into ideas about subconscious programming, emotional survival states, energetic narratives, accountability, and redefining success on your own terms. The book reads like a mix of self-help and narrative psychology, anchored by the author’s belief that empowerment is both a mindset and a lifelong practice of reclaiming your personal agency.
As I moved through the book, I found myself reacting as if in conversation with someone who’s lived the work they’re teaching. Frick’s stories of childhood fear and misaligned beliefs aren’t told for shock value. They serve as the emotional doorway into his central point: most of us inherit limiting stories long before we know we’re allowed to question them. His description of being suffocated as a toddler by his father hit me hard, not because of the event itself, but because of how clearly he connects it to the beliefs he carried into adulthood, beliefs about danger, abandonment, and worthiness. The writing is plainspoken at times, but the honesty gives it weight. I liked that he doesn’t try to sound like a guru. Instead, he sounds like someone who’s been in the dark and is willing to say exactly what it took to find the light.
What surprised me most was how often the book invited me to slow down and check in with myself. There’s a whole section about “old energetic narratives” that blend scientific and spiritual language, but the core idea is relatable: your environment shapes you, and if you’re not careful, it keeps shaping you long after you’ve outgrown it. The story of the CEO who still carried his father’s “you’re not good enough” energy despite having every external marker of success made the point better than any metaphor could. Moments like that made me pause and take stock of which beliefs in my own life were inherited rather than chosen. And even when the book leaned a bit mystical, the practical reminders, like checking where your feet are to remind yourself you’re safe, brought everything back down to earth.
By the time Frick gets to empowerment itself, the tone shifts in a good way. It becomes less about uncovering wounds and more about building something new. The chapter on accountability frames it not as a burden but as a reclaiming of your strength, almost like choosing your life rather than reacting to it. I appreciated that. It felt grounded, not preachy. And the distinction he draws between “proving” and “improving” landed with me. One drains you because you’re performing for someone else. The other fills you because you’re growing for yourself.
The Empowerment Revolution feels best suited for readers who enjoy personal-development books that mix introspection with practical coaching. If you like memoir-styled self-help or transformational psychology, you’ll probably connect with it. The book encourages you to look honestly at the beliefs that built your identity, question the ones that hurt more than they help, and choose new ones with intention.
Pages: 130 | ASIN : B0FNY5VM47
Wagon of Worries
Mabel is gathering something in her little red wagon, though it’s hardly the sort of collection that brings comfort. What she piles inside are worries. They appear everywhere, multiplying with ease, and Mabel scoops them up almost without thinking. Soon the wagon swells with these gray tokens of unease, growing so weighty that she can scarcely drag it along. She tries to abandon it, to shake herself free, yet finds she’s somehow bound to it, tethered by forces she doesn’t fully grasp. The question becomes urgent: how can she move forward? A turn toward a higher power may hold the key.
Wagon of Worries, written by Ruthie Godfrey, targets readers roughly ages 4 through 11. While older children may find the message too direct, younger readers are likely to enjoy its vibrant illustrations and the gentle wisdom woven throughout.
Godfrey introduces the idea of anxiety with refreshing creativity. The dull gray coins Mabel gathers function as symbols for the small but persistent stresses that follow us through life, whether we are children learning to navigate the world or adults juggling responsibilities. As those worries accumulate, steering one’s life can feel increasingly difficult. Mabel’s journey demonstrates that seeking help from the divine can offer a release, a way to surrender the heaviest burdens and trust in something beyond oneself. Once she does, her wagon and her path forward grow lighter.
The symbolism may lean toward the obvious, yet the message remains valuable for young readers. Godfrey emphasizes that even those outside the Christian faith can find meaning in the book’s core principle. A “let go, let God” mindset, whether interpreted literally, spiritually, or metaphorically, can help anyone overwhelmed by anxieties regain perspective. In an era where worry feels nearly universal, the book presents a gentle, sensible approach to coping, wrapped in a story children can understand and remember.
Pages: 36 | ASIN : B0F6M8Y7BH
From the Back of a Donkey, Journey of a Lifetime – Second Edition
Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor’s From the Back of a Donkey: Journey of a Lifetime reimagines one of the most familiar stories in the Christian tradition, the birth of Jesus, through the eyes of Mary. The book blends biblical retelling, creative storytelling, and devotional reflection into a narrative that feels both ancient and deeply personal. Each chapter combines Mary’s imagined thoughts and prayers with scriptural passages and reflection questions for the reader, making it part story, part meditation, and part journal. The style is warm, vivid, and grounded in faith, giving life to moments that the Gospel of Luke only hints at.
Reading this book, I found myself unexpectedly moved. Minor doesn’t just recount events; she breathes humanity into them. Her Mary isn’t distant or saintly in the untouchable sense; she’s tender, curious, even a little scared, and wholly devoted to God. The writing feels like sitting down with someone who loves to tell stories by firelight, earnest and filled with wonder. There’s something beautiful in the author’s refusal to make Mary flawless. Instead, she lets her faith shimmer through her doubts and daily tasks, through her conversations with Joseph and her cousin Elizabeth. I loved that. It made the sacred story feel reachable, even intimate.
Stylistically, the book reads with a kind of musical rhythm, almost like a prayer. At times, I caught myself pausing just to let a sentence sink in. The writing is rich with sensory detail like the smell of baked bread, the roughness of wood, the brightness of stars, and yet it never drifts into heavy language. The author’s tone feels humble and heartfelt. Occasionally, the abundance of biblical references slows the pace, but it never feels forced; rather, it roots the story in the faith that inspires it. I could tell this book was written not only with literary care but also with devotion.
From the Back of a Donkey draws the reader into reflection, not just about Mary’s journey, but about their own. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to experience the Christmas story in a fresh, contemplative way. It’s perfect for believers who enjoy devotional reading, book clubs that center on faith, or anyone who wants to feel a deeper connection to the humanity behind the divine story.
Pages: 99 | ASIN : B0CP8WMQS4
You Make My Heart Giggle: Dadisms, The Wisdom and Wit of Dad
The book is a heartfelt blend of memoir, wisdom, and history. Brent John Larsen builds each chapter around one of his father’s sayings, what he calls “Dadisms.” These are short, memorable lines that carry lessons about courage, integrity, optimism, and love. Each one is tied to a story from his own life, often connected to his father’s influence, and then matched with an episode from history that reflects the same theme. The book moves from family stories to bigger cultural touchstones like the Apollo moon landing, the Grand Canyon expedition, or D-Day. It’s both intimate and sweeping, mixing tender memories with lessons meant to last.
Reading it stirred me up in ways I didn’t expect. The writing is simple, but that works in its favor. It doesn’t try to be fancy. It feels like sitting on a porch with someone older and wiser, listening to stories that matter. At times, the mix of personal loss and historical grandeur felt heavy, but that weight gave the lessons a kind of permanence. Some chapters hit harder than others. The introduction, where Larsen recalls losing his son and nearly losing his own life, shook me. It made me sit still for a while. I also loved how he wove in his dad’s voice, almost like the man was speaking directly to me. There’s an earnestness here that you don’t find in most books.
Each chapter follows the same rhythm: the saying, the family story, the historical story. I found myself anticipating the turn. Yet the predictability didn’t take away too much because the content itself was strong. What I enjoyed most was how personal moments were stitched to major historical events. That leap from small family wisdom to global history made me feel the depth of these sayings. It reminded me that wisdom can be both ordinary and extraordinary, lived at home and echoed through time.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys family stories, history told in a personal way, or reflections on fatherhood. It would especially resonate with parents, children of loving fathers, or anyone who’s lost someone and still feels their lessons echoing through life. It’s warm, emotional, and rooted in gratitude. For me, it felt like a reminder to look closer at the words my own family repeats and see what truths are hidden inside.
Pages: 217 | ASIN : B0FJSPCN3W
Meaningful Work Is Messy Work
Serving the Leftovers shares with readers your journey from a fractured marriage and unfulfilling jobs into a life defined by compassion, chaos, and canine companionship. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I thought I was simply documenting the brutal mathematics of animal rescue—the endless cycle of intake and loss that defines the South’s overpopulation crisis. But somewhere between chronicling emergency calls and heartbreak, I realized I was excavating something deeper: the emotional archaeology of a life rebuilt from scratch. People think we just “like” dogs, but I was drowning in stories I couldn’t tell at dinner parties—stories that revealed I’d been rebuilding myself one rescue at a time, transforming from someone just existing through disappointment into someone living with purpose. The book became my way of honoring both the dogs we’ve saved and the ones we couldn’t, while showing readers that animal rescue isn’t charity work—it’s emergency medicine for a crisis most people never see. It is also proof that transformation can happen to anyone brave enough to follow what calls to them, no matter how impossible it seems.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I realized I’d documented a blueprint for quiet revolution—completely reimagining your life when everything feels impossible. The core message: the life you’re meant to live is already speaking to you. For me, it was that first dog I couldn’t turn away from. Each rescue was the universe saying, “This is your work.” Transformation doesn’t require permission or perfect timing. I started with a fractured marriage—hardly ideal conditions for a life-changing mission. Stop waiting for readiness that never comes. That thing pulling at your heart isn’t a hobby—it’s your next chapter trying to get your attention. Sometimes you have to trust the pull toward something that makes no logical sense.
Ultimately, our vision isn’t too big. Our current life is too small.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?
Untangling the Beautiful Mess
The biggest challenge was trying to impose narrative order on what felt like controlled chaos—how do you create a coherent storyline when one day you’re fielding divorce calls while having an epiphany about purpose? Writing forced me to connect dots I’d been too busy living to notice—that every dog that changed my life had arrived exactly when I needed the lesson they carried, and that I hadn’t just been saving dogs, I’d been saving myself, one rescue at a time, building the person I needed to become to handle the life I was meant to live.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope readers walk away understanding that meaningful work is messy work—and that’s not a bug, it’s a feature. I want readers to stop waiting for a calling that comes without complications. The work that will transform your life isn’t the work that fits neatly into your existing schedule or makes sense to everyone around you. It’s the work that demands you become someone bigger than who you were yesterday—and becoming bigger always involves growing pains. The unglamorous parts aren’t obstacles to your dream—they ARE the dream. The sleepless nights, the impossible decisions, the moments when you’re too emotionally spent to remember why you started—that’s not evidence you’ve chosen wrong. That’s proof you’ve chosen something worth the fight.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Serving the Leftovers: Balancing Service and Sanity in an Uncommon Life of Dog Rescue
Serving the Leftovers is a memoir that blends the grit of animal rescue with the raw edges of personal survival. Alysia Dubriske shares her journey from a fractured marriage and unfulfilling jobs into a life defined by compassion, chaos, and canine companionship. Through stories of Pekingese rescues, barnyard adventures, and late-night emergency vet runs, she invites readers into the messy, heartbreaking, and often hilarious reality of saving “the leftovers,” the unwanted, overlooked, and broken animals who need someone stubborn enough to fight for them. The narrative isn’t just about the dogs, though. It’s about how rescue work transforms the rescuer, forcing them to confront their own scars while tending to the wounds of others.
Reading this book, I felt like I was riding shotgun in Alysia’s truck, driving from one impossible situation to the next, always with a dog (or three) in the back. Her writing is candid and conversational, never dressed up with needless polish, which makes the emotional punches land harder. Some chapters made me laugh, like with the golden retriever too bored to fetch, or the duck-pool competitions, while others left me with a lump in my throat. She doesn’t sugarcoat the burnout, the heartbreak, or the anger at human cruelty. Yet she also never loses sight of the beauty in each small victory. That mix of grit and tenderness stuck with me.
What I admired most was her unflinching honesty about herself. She talks openly about mistakes, moments of doubt, even the selfish thoughts that creep in during hard times. It makes her wins feel earned. At times, the pacing feels like a kitchen table conversation. Stories tumble out with tangents and sudden swerves, but that unpredictability works here. Rescue is chaotic, and so is life, and she captures that without forcing it into a neat box.
I’d recommend Serving the Leftovers to anyone who loves animals, but also to anyone wrestling with the idea of purpose. This isn’t just a book for dog lovers. It’s for people who have been knocked down and gotten back up, and for those still down, who might discover that reaching out to help another soul could be exactly what saves them, too.
Pages: 247 | ASIN : B0DJMXGHJ7
LITERARY TITAN 