Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA by Richard Hill

Release Date: August 17, 2012
Publisher: Createspace, Inc.
Author Website: http://www.dna-testing-adviser.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
When Richard Hill discovered he'd been adopted, it was an accidental slip by an outsider that started his mind wondering about his roots and biological family. When he began his research, there was no internet to aid his search with the click of a button. Being adopted in Michigan also meant that his true identity and biological information was harder to obtain through the usual channels.

As he began to find bits and pieces to his life's puzzle, he also found people who helped him discover more than he could imagine about his roots. Richard discovered much of the truth about his biological parents, but also found more than one man in a particular family could be his father. With humor and dedication he continued to work through the puzzle until all the pieces fit. This book was his journey to the truth.


Review:
Scrolling through the Nonfiction section at NetGalley, I saw the title of this book and it grabbed my attention. I was curious about the author's journey in finding his truths because I too wondered about my own ancestors. While my own discoveries were interesting, the author's road was a lot bumpier and filled with many twists and turns. Finding one's roots was more difficult in decades prior than today. Sites like Ancestry and Familysearch didn't exist, leaving millions of people in the dark about their ancestors. Many state laws concerning adoption created more hurdles for researchers like the author.

Using a mixture of honesty and comedy, the author related the discovery of his own adoption before high school graduation. Though the admission created thousands of questions in his mind, he respected his adoptive parents' decision not to tell him and explained the reasons why within the memoir. Many family members, biological or not, appeared throughout the book and directed the author's search with their revelations. Sometimes he found out a name or a place. Not every tidbit of information brought the right answers, but they helped to shape the picture of his ancestry. Finding his mother's side of the family wasn't very difficult once he began to look. She stayed with his adopted parents while she was pregnant. Getting the answers to his father's identity was a longer, more difficult journey.

Before the onset of the internet, the only way to find out genealogical information was to contact the county clerks in the city or county and fill out petitions, in person or through the mail, for birth certificates, death certificates or other such public information. These petitions often required some proof of relationship in order to be approved. An adoptee looking for such information would have to go above and beyond for such petitions to be granted. Wait times could be anywhere from a few days to months before an answer came in the mail. The author struggled with rejections on several occasions along the way. Once more and more information became available online, the author was able to find more connections at a better pace. Through the DNA testing offered at Ancestry's website, he narrowed down the number of men who could be his father. Of course, that answer also proved to be tricky until advanced DNA testing came out years later.

Throughout the entire story and all its ups and downs, I felt as though I was walking alongside the author. Each discovery, no matter good or bad, brought hope that he would get the answers he longed to know from the moment he knew of his adoption. The author's writing style made it very easy to feel like I knew him for years, and all the people he had contact with became my friends as well. I really liked how he stayed positive and held onto the hope of answers during the darkest moments. It was an eye-opener to realize that not every adoptee's story could end so well. That made me sad, because I feel like everyone should know their roots. Not only was the memoir an enjoyable read, the author used his work to help others in the same situation by providing a section of links and agencies that will help people with their own searches. So, if you're a lover of nonfiction memoirs tinged with comedy or a fellow searcher of roots, this book will make you smile, laugh and sometimes cry, but definitely worth the read.

Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA by Richard Hill is now available online at various retailers in either digital (Kindle) or paperback formats. Below is the book's page at Amazon for your buying convenience.
Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA: by Richard Hill

Too Close To Me by Dave Pelzer

Release Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Rosettabooks
Author Website:  http://www.davepelzer.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Decades after being rescued from an abusive home, Dave Pelzer bravely came forward with the shocking truth about the most horrific accounts of child abuse that California was ever made to face. Time, patience and determination helped him fight many battles of his teen years to become a well-functioning member of society as an adult. But he was from the fairy tale ending that many believed him to possess. Though he worked hard, was married and had children, issues from his past began haunting him whenever doubt or problems arose within his relationships.

Now that his second marriage ended badly, Dave struggled to free himself from the remaining chains originating from his past. Pushing his body and mind to the brink of exhaustion failed to do anything other than make troubles appear worse. That all proved to him where the answers were all along. In order for him to move forward, he must relinquish the hold his past had on him. To do so would mean facing the decisions he made along the way.

Review:
Having read the first two books written by the author, I was excited to receive this book as a prize from a giveaway at Goodreads. Though I was familiar with the author's childhood through his previous works, this book also presented the history of his family and the abuse without reliving the entirety of what he went through as a child. It was revisited in certain sections of the author's story when necessary, but the book wasn't so much about all the details of what he went through. Instead it was about how coming forward and dealing with what happened affected his life, relationships and health as an adult in this world. The author opened the book with his thoughts and feelings about his second marriage failing. By doing things the opposite way he'd done them in his first marriage, his hope was to have a better relationship with his second wife. Unfortunately, the near-ceaseless drive that carried him through most of his life began to wear on him and his marriage.

As the demise of his marriage allowed him the protection of being alone, it also gave him more time than he wanted to explore all the avenues where he'd failed and the dark recesses of his mind where the grip of the past was still very tight. The author was very open and honest about everything that occurred in his life to date, including the failings of himself and others as he viewed them. It was hard to read through the parts of the book where he delved into the past, remembering all the horrible things he endured at the hands of his mother, but they were necessary to understanding how he still had the need to impress and the desire to appease everyone. This also included both his parents, even though each were long gone and each had hurt him in different ways. The weight of all his obligations, both real and imagined, took a toll on his mind and body after so many years. They left him with panic attacks, severe nausea and tremors that frightened him more than anything because he feared that was turning into her.

While the book maintained a fairly steady pace from the opening chapter, there were a few places where I felt it slowed almost to a crawl, but picked up again within a few scenes. Life can often be like that, so it didn't surprise me that the book would follow suit since it was about the author's own life. Though the book as a whole had an impact on me, two scenes really got to me. The first came in the middle of his dealing with the divorce of his second wife. Mr. Pelzer was asked to spend some time with wounded Marines. As he spent time with each one, he had a revelation about himself which allowed him to break some of the bonds the past had on him. The interactions between he and the soldiers were poignant and heart-breaking at the same time. The second moment which stuck out in my mind was near the end of the book when he finally understood what he'd needed to change in order to move forward with his life. It was a major part in his letting go of the past and therefore, somewhat of a spoiler. You'll have to read it to see what happened.

Overall, this book hit home in a few areas. Some of present day issues mirrored my own - the overwhelming need to appease everyone, the fear of being alone though I want to be alone, and the constant need for approval. To see how they weighed on him and drove him from one extreme to another opened my eyes to what could happen in my own life if I kept on the same path. Though our pasts were different, the author and I still needed to resolve similar issues. In a way it was good to see how he went about fixing some of those issues in himself. The book gave off a sense of hope and optimism in the later chapters, making me feel like anyone could break the chains of their childhood, whether similar to the author's or not. This book should be on your TBR list if you have followed Dave Pelzer's life story and want to see another stretch of it or if you need an inspirational book where the author took a real, hard, honest look at his own self to make changes.

Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer is currently available at several retailers, both online and in local stores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or digital (Kindle) versions. Below is the book's page at Amazon.
Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer

Girl in the Dark: A Memoir by Anna Lyndsey

Release Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Doubleday

Rating: 4 out 5 stars.


Synopsis:
Hard-working and fun-loving Anna Lyndsey spent her days working at a fast-paces, high-stressed job, but she loved every moment of it. That was until the moment she began to feel a fire simmering beneath her skin as she worked in front of her computer. As the burning intensified, it also spread from her face to her entire body, causing her to finally confine herself to a blackened room in the house of her boyfriend, Pete.

In her own words Anna recounted the downward spiral as light of any kind became her enemy. The various games, books and mental exercises used to keep her mind sharp fill the long hours when she was trapped inside her dark room during the long periods of time when the slightest bit of light set her entire body aflame. She explored various doctors, natural medicines and even outlandish advice to help ease her illness. Follow her journey through the darkness that has become her world.


Review:
I requested to read this book from the Nonfiction section at NetGalley for a couple of reasons. I was intrigued by the sudden onset of the author's symptoms and the radical changes she and those she loved had to make in order to accommodate her. However, the most important reason I felt intrigued was the simple fact that I felt I could relate with her adaptation to her chronic illness as I also have a chronic illness. Though the illness of the author was (and currently still is) much more extreme than my own, I was still able to empathize with the despair, the darkness inside the soul and the feeling of being a burden upon loved ones and friends.

The book was written in first person point-of-view so that the reader experienced the world through Anna's eyes. Her thoughts, feelings, and desires were written in honest, sometimes harsh, passages as she detailed being in different stages of her illness. A small group of people stayed at her side from the beginning of the illness to present day. Her mother and brother provided whatever was needed from groceries to moral support through spending time with her in the dark room. The main provider of all types of support was her boyfriend, Pete. These people didn't seem like one dimensional caricatures of real people in the author's life. Instead they were well-rounded, flawed and as human on the page as they truly are in person.

Each portion of the book was written in a vignette style. Almost like passages in a diary, the author chronicled her life before the illness, the progression of the illness and the impact that the illness had on her life up to date. Included in these passages are mental games and exercises that the author found which kept her mind from turning to mush, as she called it. Her adventures with Pete were both enduring and comical as they sought to take advantage of each moment in the least amount of life before the darkness needed to swallow her whole once again. Not a very large book, there seemed to be a lot packed into the short passages whether it was emotion, desire, fantasy or simply relaying how the darkness played with one's head.

Overall, I really liked this book. Not only did it seem like someone else out there understood how it felt to be limited in what you can and cannot do, but the people who made up her small circle rallied around her, adapting their lives to hers. Though the book didn't end the way I thought it would, I felt there was still a door or two left open. When dealing with a strange, chronic illness, one never knows exactly what the future holds. Sometimes, it's not the exact future of which one has always dreamed. More often than not, it's the best future possible under the strain of terrible circumstances. This book should be on your to-read list if you're intrigued by rare, interesting illnesses or admire those who persevere despite overwhelming odds.

Girl in the Dark: A Memoir by Anna Lyndsey is currently available online and some local retailers. It can be purchased in hardcover, Kindle and audio-book editions. The following link will take you to the book's page at Amazon.
Girl in the Dark: A Memoir by Anna Lyndsey      
 

She's Not Herself by Linda Appleman Shapiro

Release Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Dream of Things
Author Website: www.applemanshapiro.com/index.html

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
From the outside Linda Appleman Shapiro's life looked like the typical happy, loving childhood that many experienced after the end of WWII. Together with her parents and older brother, they lived in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn where a child could play on the beach for hours in the summer and never grow tired. Her father worked hard to provide everything they needed as her mother tended to the home and children. Simmering under the surface of their happy facade was a dark secret that no one spoke about in the home or otherwise.

Life during WWII was far more difficult for Linda's mother, Miriam, than she was able to reveal. Pushing her worries, feelings and disappointments deep down in order to keep the family running smoothly, Miriam held herself together until her strength faltered. Thus began her spiral into a deep depression which unleashed a number of hidden demons and other elements of mental illnesses. As Linda grew older and discovered her own road to healing, she sought to understand why her mother wasn't herself.

Review:
Every so often I go through the Nonfiction titles at NetGalley and discover a book or two which catch my eye. What I read in the description that made me download the book was the author's honesty about the good and bad she experienced as a child. The author didn't use this as an opportunity to besmirch her mother's memory or present the situation in biased light. I felt that she tried to give as much insight into the internal war that her mother was fighting while living through decades in which depression and mental illnesses weren't openly discussed or treated as they are now.

The book was told through Linda's experiences and recollections of her childhood, but other family members and friends added more information and possible reasons behind more than a few of the events that took place throughout the years. Her father and brother had a system in place to deal with Miriam's "episodes" before Linda was born. During this particular decade there wasn't much advancement in the area of mental illness and treatments. It was suggested by her own doctor that Miriam having another baby would help fill her days with enough tasks to keep her from not feeling well, their particular familial code for those times when the depression overwhelmed her. When seeking to alleviate the worst of the episodes, Linda would be sent to her friend's house until her father returned to tell her that Miriam was in the hospital. There the protocol for such illnesses included different medications and electroshock therapy. For awhile these things would work, but ultimately the cycle of good days giving away to bad would begin anew.

As Linda graduated high school and enrolled in college, she enacted strict rules for herself to keep from becoming like her mother. Much of her college years eased the heavy weight she'd felt as a child while living at home until her last year of college when she fell in love with someone who brought out the fears she'd buried. With encouragement from her brother and his wife, Linda sought treatment from several therapists until she found one that helped her to understand what she had been through in her life as well as the various episodes her mother endured. Understanding people was the driving force in Linda going back to school and making a positive mark on the world as well as being open about the stigma that mental illness left on people who endured them or the caretakers who attempted to ease the bad times.

Overall, this memoir was very eye-opening about how the author and her family cared for her mother during some of the worst episodes she remembered from her childhood. With both love and honesty, the author recounted both wonderful memories of her mother and the safe, loving environment that shaped her life and the uneasiness that seeped into their home when the restless nights and mumblings would signal another episode of her mother not feeling well. For a family dealing with these issues in decades and a part of society where talking about depression or mental illness wasn't well received, Linda, her brother and her father did as well as they could to keep their family unit together. It was interesting to see how Linda chose to fight her own depression after coming to terms with the help of therapists and newer, more effective types of treatments. It was easy to feel close to the author and her family while reading the highs and lows of their life, cheering them on during the good times and wanting to comfort them during the rougher moments. If you're an adult child of a parent with mental illness or simply want to know more about the topic, this is definitely a book to be on your need-to-read list.

She's Not Herself by Linda Appleman Shapiro is currently available at many online retailers and various local bookstores. It can be bought in either paperback or Kindle (digital) formats. The following link will provide you with the book's Amazon page.
She's Not Herself by Linda Appleman Shapiro
   

Dragonholder: The Life and Dreams (So Far) of Anne McCaffrey by Todd McCaffrey

Release Date: December 23, 2014
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Author Website: http://pernhome.com/tjm/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Anne McCaffrey thrilled thousands with her tales of adventure and dragons through her many stories and novels. Many of them award-winning, they were her world away from the trappings of normal life - although many times her life wasn't the type of normal everyone expected. From her precocious childhood to the first book sold, the book followed her rise to fame and the thought process behind bringing her dragons to life.

Included in the book were introductions from both Anne and Todd, the most recent written in 2014. Along with highlights from the many stories and books written by Anne, her son related special moments that helped to shape the worlds and characters in her writing. 

Review:
Having grown up reading many of Anne McCaffrey's works, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this novel when offered at NetGalley. Nowadays there are a lot of books which delve into the world of dragons and magic, but back when Anne first began to create the world of Pern and its many inhabitants, there weren't many. Very few Science Fiction writers who created such worlds were women, putting Anne ahead of the game in many respects. This book chronicled much of Anne's life from her parents' beginnings to her childhood to nearly the end of her many mortal years.

While a great deal of the novel's focus was on Anne and her written works, there were moments when her family, friends and even pets shared the spotlight with her. It was easy to forget how small the Science Fiction community was when it first began to gain traction. Many of the big names such as Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, David Gerrold, and others became a family of sorts as they met at various conventions over the years. This second family helped sustain Anne during some of the rough years when the words refused to be put on the pages. Anne's marriage and children were ever present in the book, shaping and molding many of the characters or storylines within her books.

From the first paragraph of the introduction, it was made clear that this book was more of a scrapbook of Anne's life than a cut-and-dry type of biography or memoir. There wasn't a lot of pages in the book, but each page was filled with intimate insights into her life. Pictures helped to put faces to names that were mentioned throughout the entire book. I didn't find a rise or fall to the pacing of the book because it was clear that this was one to have a steady pace from the very beginning of the book. In fact the anecdotes and revealing looks into her home life helped to keep the story moving, whether they were about Anne, her children or a number of different pets they had throughout their lives.

Throughout the entire book, it was plain to see that much of Anne's life could have mirrored that of many struggling writers in the beginning of their careers. To see her go through much of the same ups and downs made her easier to relate to in my eyes. It was also very interesting to see how the Science Fiction community grew on both sides of the pond, especially once Anne moved to Ireland. I liked the little inside jokes and special memories that were also shared in this book. No matter how much or little you know about her written books, this memoir helped to explain the origins and the journey to complete the world of Pern as it's known today. If you're a fan of Anne McCaffrey or a curious fan of Science Fiction writers, this is a delightful memoir that should be on your reading list.

Dragonholder: The Life and Dreams (So Far) of Anne McCaffrey by Todd McCaffrey is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in hardcover, paperwork and Kindle editions. The following link is for the book's page at Amazon.
Dragonholder: The Life and Dreams (So Far) of Anne McCaffrey by Todd McCaffrey

The Undertaker's Daughter by Kate Mayfield

Release Date: January 13, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Author Website: http://www.katemayfield.com/default.html

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Kate Mayfield's childhood was magical but different than most children who grew up in the 1960s-70s. She lived with her parents and siblings in a small town where everyone knew everyone and what they did (or didn't) do. Her father's occupation set her apart from the usual routine of Southern life. He was one of the town's undertakers.

Chronicling her life from childhood unto adulthood, Kate revealed the history behind her father's choice to become an undertaker and the rituals her family observed whenever they "had a body." Living upstairs while a funeral was in process taught her how to be quiet and still, the odd mix of life and death apparent to her at an early age. As she came to terms with the process of running a funeral home through the lessons of her family, she discovered there was much more to learn about her father than simply being an undertaker.

Review:
Every once in a while, I like to step out of my horror or mystery genres to read Nonfiction. As of late, it's been memoirs or biographies that have caught my attention. This particular memoir intrigued me the moment I read the description at NetGalley. Despite the somber book cover, the author portrayed her childhood and the unusual atmosphere of her home with both childlike wonder and adult remembrance. At times the novel was light-hearted, filled with comical depictions of the sleepy town of Jubilee and its residents. There were also many instances were the darker side of life made its presence known, casting a sinister light on an otherwise happy-go-lucky family.

Kate Mayfield and her family relocated to Jubilee as her father brought his undertaking services to the town. First set within the 1960's, the town was divided along racial lines and mandated a strict code of conduct. Reputations were something to be protected at all costs while appearances were meant to be kept at a respectable level. That's a tall order for anyone, but was especially difficult for a child whose father was a friend to death. Throughout the pages of the book, the author gave insight into why her father chose to become an undertaker as well as the rituals surrounding the funerals that he orchestrated. I was given a front row seat to the show that was the Mayfield family, complete with its secrets, joys and moments of sadness. While names were changed to maintain the individual's privacy, I couldn't help but imagine the people with the way they were written in the novel. Little details down to the way the person wore their hair or how they ate their food helped to create each of the individuals vividly in my mind as I read along.

For me this book was a fairly quick read, but it had a sense of slowness about it that matched being set in the South. Much of the South had the same quality in nearly everything about it. From the way the people drew out their words to the lackadaisical way they enjoyed their days, it was all reflected within the pacing of the novel. That's not to say it remained that all the way through the book. During the moments when Kate slipped out of her room at night to see her friends or have a romantic moment with a boy, the excitement and fear of being caught became apparent in the author's choice of words. The mixture of Southern charm and growing up during a turbulent time made Kate's memoir more interesting as the reader could see the progression of change. Though the city was small in terms of population, the changes that swept the nation in the 1970's and later also visited Jubilee. These changes also drove the story forward, making me want to know how people reacted and what Kate's thoughts were on the matter.

All in all, this memoir was as entertaining as it was poignant. Many times I felt the author's words evoke emotions befitting the chapters I read. It became clear early in the book that author sought to understand her father by examining her childhood. She found much of the information she desired, but at a cost. One thing that stuck with me after finishing the book was the notion that no one knows another person completely. We all see a fragment of the person. Sometimes gathering other pieces shocks us because it's not what we expected to find - much like this memoir. If you're looking for an interesting coming-of-age story or a glimpse into the rarely-seen life of an undertaker's family, then this book should be on your TBR list!

The Undertaker's Daughter by Kate Mayfield is currently available at several online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in several formats, including hardcover, paperback and Kindle (digital). The link below will bring up the book's page at Amazon.
The Undertaker's Daughter by Kate Mayfield
   

If Only I Could Sleep: A Survivor's Memoir by Stephanie Henry

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Emerald Book Company

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.


Synopsis:
Stephanie Henry was born into the world as a child who was always searching for something to make her feel complete. After a series of nightmares layered trauma upon trauma, she took what little control she had and forced herself to survive. She made a promise to herself that she would be a better mother to her future children than the parenting she received during her younger years.

But as the tragedies and traumas piled up, Stephanie began to lose faith in herself. Slowly her power slipped away from her and cost her the one thing she swore she'd never lose - her daughter. With grit and determination, she fought back at the demons and monsters that were reluctant to release their hold on her until she was able to finally stand on her own. Writing her story to give a voice to the voiceless, Stephanie Henry has shown that one cannot outrun his or her past. How you deal with it shapes your future.

Review:
I found this book at NetGalley while looking through the Non-Fiction section. Ever curious about the lives of other people, I submitted my request to read and review the title. I knew from the book's description that the book would cover subject matter some might find triggering. To those of my readers who need to turn away, please do so. The book covers a wide range of topics that the author encountered during her younger years including molestation, rape, abuse, neglect and the consequences of her own bad choices as an adult.

Because this book was a memoir, the main character centered around the author herself. As she recounted the memories of her early years, it was apparent that she grew up in a time that was much different than we know today. It's easy to forget that it wasn't so long ago that things like computers and cellphones weren't common. Children were raised in a different fashion than they are today. Subjects that are no longer as taboo such as mental illness and addiction were not openly discussed during the time in which the author was a young child or a young adult. That doesn't excuse the crimes done to the child, but it helped to explain the environment in which such activity was overlooked or outright ignored. No doubt that this type of environment played a huge part in the downward spiral the author experienced in her later years.

The book wasn't very graphic when it came to the traumas inflicted upon her. That helped to keep the focus on the author's survival and recovery from the circumstances instead of shining a spotlight on the monsters that inhabited her life. It also allowed the book to flow from one period of her life to the next. I found the pace of the book to be fairly steady from the beginning until it began to near the end. There was a bit of repetition in some areas that had me skipping ahead a bit. Overall, the message of the book wasn't simply one thing, but several including survival, hope, redemption and acceptance.

I did enjoy this book because the author was refreshingly honest within its pages. She held nothing back when writing about her own bad choices and the thought-process, or lack thereof, when making those choices. I have to give her a lot of respect for putting everything out on the table, good or bad. Her stance and work as a missionary and voice to those who cannot speak out for themselves is admirable. I wish her all the best in her future work. This book should be on your TBR list if you are a lover of nonfiction or simply like to read stories about real people overcoming real obstacles and making the world their own.

If Only I Could Sleep: A Survivor's Memoir by Stephanie Henry is currently available at mainly online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or Kindle formats. Clicking the link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
If Only I Could Sleep: A Survivor's Memoir by Stephanie Henry

Acting My Face: A Memoir by Anthony James

Release Date: March 14, 2014
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
After retiring from acting in 1994, Anthony James toyed with the idea of writing a memoir and finally set pen to paper in this unusual, revealing book. It spans his life from before his career began in 1967 with a part in the movie, "In the Heat of the Night" and ended nearly three decades later. He gives the reader glimpses into his thoughts, dreams and worries during the entire length of his career as well as the life he lead after acting.

Filled with memories and anecdotes, Anthony James introduces his mother to the world and shares the knowledge, love and strength that she imparted to him throughout his life. The memoir reveals much about the kind, gentle person behind some of film and television's most psychotic and insane characters. Come and enjoy the world of Hollywood through his eyes.

Review:
Looking for something out of my mystery/thriller box, I stumbled across this offering at NetGalley. Nonfiction has always been a second favorite of mine, no matter what subject it covered. Now I must admit, I have seen many of the films and television shows in which Mr. James has appeared. I shared those times with beloved family members. Now they're precious memories for me. From the outset of the memoir, it was clear that the book wasn't going to cover the acting career alone.

The memoir covered not only Anthony's life but the life of his mother as well. Both their lives were so intertwined from his birth, it wasn't unexpected to see her beginning included in the book. The story of their lives was more of a rich to rags to rich type of story. Marika, his mother, met his father, George, in Greece when she was a young girl. George waited for more than a decade for her family to give their blessing for them to marry. After their marriage was complete, he whisked her away to South Carolina and showered her with all that being a successful businessman could offer. The addition of James a few years later helped to complete the picture until George's untimely death. Years after being left penniless and without security, both James and his mother took a gamble on his dream to become an actor and moved to Los Angeles in order to make it happen.

Filled with stories from both the happy and sad ends of the spectrum, this memoir gave me a glimpse into how Hollywood worked through Anthony's eyes. It was a quick read, peppered with his experiences with all types of celebrities whether on-set or off. Honestly, this memoir was refreshing for a couple of reasons. It wasn't a scandalous, tell-all filled with tabloid fodder. The pages were filled with his honest reflections and experiences while maintaining a level of positivity. His approach to telling his story was also very easy to relate to, even if the reader wasn't a fellow actor. A blue-collar, hardworking mentality helped him to achieve his dreams in each avenue of art that he chose to pursue including film, television and paintings.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this memoir because it was different than some of the other celebrity memoirs I read in the past. It was nice to have him start off the book by saying that he respected the people in his personal life enough to not include the details of their relationships with him. The tone of the memoir never strayed from that standard, even when it covered instances where he believed that he failed others or himself. Peeking behind the curtain of Hollywood and seeing hints of life backstage was a true treat for me. If you're a lover of memoir or simply enjoy an authentic true life story, this book is one that you must put on your TBR list.

Acting My Face: A Memoir by Anthony James is currently available at all online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or Kindle versions. Below is a link to the book's page at Amazon.
Acting My Face: A Memoir by Anthony James

Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Janet Mock spent much of her life hiding who she truly was. A girl trapped within a boy's body, she tried to free her spirit on several occasions but was shoved back into the box society placed her at birth. The moment she realized her authentic self was the moment when she dared to live her life her way.

Through the obstacles and hard choices, Janet forged a path of her own according to her vision of her true self. She presented her life for all to see, good or bad, in the hopes that her words might inspire another person to see their own true value and live their own authentic life.

Review:
I was always a lover of personal stories, especially when those stories vary from my own path. When I saw this particular book available upon request from NetGalley, I wanted to read it so that I could better understand Janet's journey. I don't think I was really prepared for the level of truth or how deeply Janet had come to terms with herself.

What I found in the pages was a mixture of courage, honesty and a true love for one's self that many aren't able to achieve in their lifetimes. No matter what path a person takes in life, many hide the differences that make them unique, lovable and human because they're outside the box society wants to place everyone. In truth, I had done that a number of times myself because I was uncomfortable about my illness or other things I felt set me apart. Instead of letting society demand obedience, Janet placed herself at the forefront of change, alongside a handful of others who advocate people accepting themselves as they are instead of contorting to fight society's image.

Janet put forth her story from her beginning to her present day. She gave voice to the struggles she faced within herself as she grew up, a girl born into the body of a boy and the social expectations that came with it. Add to that being a child of mixed race in poor living conditions, and she had the perfect storm for bad, desperate decision-making. Yet, she didn't shy away from the parts of her story which she admitted were unwise decisions. In order to give a true story, she wrote them anyway and I was thankful she did.

Knowing her reasons behind some of the paths she chose helped me to understand her better. It also helped to shine a light on the fact that we as a society still have a long way to go in talking the talk and walking the walk. When people who aren't the "norm" are left with little or no alternative to a dangerous path, we need to step up and say enough. People should be allowed to be themselves in this day and age. Overall, this book was truly enlightening for me. I'm very glad to have read it and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Janet's path to womanhood.

Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock is currently available in hardback and Kindle forms. It can be bought at Amazon by clicking the link below.
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womahood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock

Pigs Can't Swim: A Memoir by Helen Peppe

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Writing about one's life can be eventful - especially if you grew up in rural Maine on a farm filled with animals, unruly children and two worn-out parents. Helen Peppe spends her childhood trying to find her place among a brood of nine children, many of whom are years ahead of her. Her inquisitive mind rattles the patience of everyone around her and sets a course for her that she could never have imagined.

Written with honesty and wonder, Helen explores her childhood years in order to better understand what her future may hold. She presents the good, the bad and sometimes the very bad to the reader, bringing her life story to greater clarity. Filled with humor as well as heartache, she shows a side of rural life that many in her generation experienced but few truly understood.

Review:
I found many interesting books available on NetGalley, but few touched my heart with a sense of real honesty. This book was one of those, presenting the many different angles of the author's childhood way of life. From her early years to those confusing teenage years, the author relived the memories that provided life lessons, motivation and sometimes grief to the education she received at school.

There were a number of times that I felt for the author. Her older siblings considered her life to be much easier than the ones they had but the author also acknowledged how hard they and their parents had to work in order to make ends meet. Not only did she write about the darker side of growing up in the country, she also gave the reader a glimpse of how innocent children were back in her generation. In many of her anecdotes, I could see some of my own family members. It made the people within the memoir seem more familiar to me than simple characters within a book.

I cringed when the bad times came into the author's life, wanting more for her to be more than a simple housewife or farmer's wife. When she was placed into a position beyond her understanding, I wanted someone to stand up for her - to protect her innocence. It made me angry that she became the one to blame instead of the perpetrator. Further into the book, I cheered when she realized her worth and was glad that she fought to keep a hold on the one person who could see it as well.

This memoir ran the gamut of emotions, taking me right along with each page I read. The ease in which the author told her story helped to keep the pages turning and made me want to know what was going to happen next. Even if it was something I dreaded to learn, I wanted to read the next page, next chapter. The author didn't try to make herself better than the truth. She wrote about her mistakes as readily as her accomplishments and I believe this made the difference for me. If you're looking for an uplifting, honest and down-to-earth type of memoir, I would put this one at the top of your list.

Pigs Can't Swim: A Memoir by Helen Peppe will be available for purchase in February 2014. You can pre-order a copy in either hardcover or audio-book format from several online retailers. A link to Amazon is provided below.
Pigs Can't Swim: A Memoir by Helen Peppe

Funeral in a Feminine Dress: Depravity Reborn as Virtue by M.J. Burke Sr.

Release Date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Mj Burke Sr

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
During his younger years, M.J. Burke was sure of three things; alcohol and depravity flowed freely, his mother was always punished, and they were poor. From the vantage point of youth, Burke grew up in a world where a child could be left to his own devices below the age of ten and accompanying his parents to bars was routine. He knew something was wrong with the way his mother was treated but felt helpless to intervene.

After interviewing countless family members, friends, business associates and bar buddies, Burke compiled the information into a memoir. He included the obstacles, the triumphs, the bonds and the abandonment that the family endured throughout his parents' lives. Both inspiring and disturbing, the memoir gives a glimpse into one man's beginning, middle and hope for the end.

Review:
This book was a weirdly pleasant surprise. Another book won from a Goodreads giveaway, I was expecting something darker and nothing like the well-rounded book I received. From the start I realized that the author had done more than write his life story and publish it. He talked to as many people as possible about his parents, his brothers, and himself. It became clear that he intended to show the many sides of his parents as he possibly could and not only the darker side.

Not only did the author include his own misdeeds and mistakes, he owned them as well as the consequences. I really enjoyed this level of honesty. The pictures he painted of his life at home were a far cry from the idyllic middle class life shown on television shows of that generation, but for him they were his world. The soft side of his father toward other people and animals made a sharp contrast to the punishing meanness showed toward his mother. Her own duality was presented in the book as well through examples of her sharp wit and inquisitive mind being dulled by the alcohol and various forms of abuse.

At times I forgot that I was reading a memoir. I was glad for the different sections of family photographs throughout the book because they served as reminders that I wasn't reading a work of fiction. The natural progression of the story and the pacing of the writing style allowed for easy reading. I kept telling myself to stop at the end of the chapter but nearly always found my finger turning the next page. My emotions were sent on a roller coaster ride as I kept hoping something would change and the outcome would be different.

A poignant reminder that not everyone lived a charmed, happy American dream life, the author was still able to extract the good times from the rubble of the darker, chaotic times. Coming to terms with his family's legacy was difficult but I was glad to see progress toward the end of the book. Always intrigued by the lives of others, I did enjoy reading the author's story and happy to see him break the mold. There was a lot of wisdom imparted by his mother and others within the pages of the book - hope in the midst of despair, hard work pays off more than having things handed to you. It was the same wisdom I learned from my parents and grandmother. If you're looking for an interesting and uplifting despite the darkness type of memoir, I sincerely recommend this book.

Funeral in a Feminine Dress: Depravity Reborn as Virtue by M.J. Burke Sr. is currently available at various retailers in either paperback or Kindle formats. You can purchase a copy from Amazon by clicking the link provided below.
Funeral in a Feminine Dress: Depravity Reborn as Virtue by M.J. Burke Sr.

Angels in the Fire: The Dramatic True Story of an Impossible Rescue by Dann Stadler

Release Date: July 1, 2013
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
On an early September night in 1989, what should have been a night of celebration became a night of terror for Dann and Tracey Stadler. After leaving dinner with family, they made their way to the home of Tracey's parents. That's where they were staying during their anniversary vacation. A split second later, they were fighting for their lives.

A drunk driver hit their vehicle head-on, going nearly 70 mph and leaving little chance for anyone to survive. It would take a miracle, and one was given. Not only did the couple survive the crash, but they were left with questions of life, faith and forgiveness. Follow both Dan and Tracey as they make their journey from the events of that night to all the experiences that awaited them during their healing.

Review:
I'll be honest. When I entered the Goodreads giveaway for this book, I thought it was going to be about firefighters and their jobs as community servants because I didn't read the descriptive blurb closely. After winning and receiving the book, I quickly found the real story to be just as intriguing and quite a journey. I was glad that I was given a chance to read and review this book.

Right from the beginning, the reader is made aware of two things. One, a horrific accident took place on that September evening in 1989. Two, the couple's faith in God is a major driving force in both their rescue and recovery journey that followed. Their faith is exemplified from the first paragraph where they give the other driver a false name in order to spare his family anymore grief or hurt. That takes a large amount of compassion and forgiveness and isn't often seen in the world today.

This book draws information from many sources including news media, eye witness accounts and the accounts of both Dann and Tracey as well as their family members. If you are a tender-hearted person, I would recommend having a box of tissues nearby as the story of their recovery will give plenty of awe inspiring and praiseworthy moments.

Because the book is written by Dann, one of the survivors of the crash, we're given a lot of glimpses of their lives. I think the open and honest way in which everything is presented allows the reader to feel as though they are there alongside the couple and experiencing everything at the same time. The way the journey is arranged is straightforward, beginning directly before the accident and continuing through their immediate recovery before finishing to present day. While the not stymied in medial jargon or filled with every detail, the record Dann has crafted moves along at a comfortable pace that really allows the reader to absorb everything. From the desperation felt during the frightful moments just after the crash to the triumph of overcoming the adversities through strong wills, gritty determination and a fire-hardened faith, everything is laid out for the reader in a way that is easy to understand.

In the end, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Dann and Tracey Stadler's faith goes beyond words. They live it, breathe it and practice it without hesitation. It was so before the accident and was reaffirmed through their trials and tribulations. Yes, many parts were difficult to read through but I imagine the difficulty was many times worse for those who lived through it. If you are looking for an uplifting, inspiring read, then I suggest you pick up this book.

Angels in the Fire: The Dramatic True Story of an Impossible Rescue by Dann Stadler is currently available at many online retailers in both paperback and Kindle forms. It can be purchased at Amazon by following the link below.
Angels in the Fire: The Dramatic True Story of an Impossible Rescue by Dann Stadler

Buck: A Memoir by M.K. Asante

Release Date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
A fast-paced, gripping memoir, Buck: A Memoir shows us the life of M.K. Asante as he knew it. Growing up on the streets of Philadelphia, he struggled to break free from the box in which his actions and society had put him. The young Malo faces adversity head on with determination and gusto but often finds himself on the wrong side of the deal.

Events push Malo and his loved ones to the breaking point and drive him to make the decision whether to accept the place society holds for him or to become his own man, free of mind and spirit. As he begins to put his plan into action, the results come in waves for both him and those around him.

Review:
I am so glad that I won this book from a Goodreads.com giveaway. It's real, honest, brutal and at the same time, it's heart-warming and endearing. This memoir was much more than just a retelling of M.K. Asante's formative years. It read like an action-packed, urban thriller with the unnerving reality that it held the truth of his life between the lines.

From the very start, the reader is sucked into his world. The reader is given everything they need to feel the experiences alongside Malo and his family, the good and the bad. With its honest portrayal of the people in the neighborhood, one can almost see the words come to life. This allows the reader to become invested in the person's outcome within the book.

As I mentioned before, the memoir reads like a frantic, action-packed thriller in parts because of the things the author experienced. There were some truly authentic and touching moments that slowed the story and delved into the deeper meanings behind some of his actions, thoughts or worries. I think the author did a wonderful job of relaying his world and laying bare his own faults and flaws instead of making himself to be something he wasn't. Very refreshing to see that he doesn't run away from the mistakes he made.

Overall, I have to say that I could not put this book down once I began reading. Each free moment I had was spent reading this book. Very open, honest and a great read for those who want to know more about cultures or people outside their own. If you're looking for all the above and more, I would definitely pick up this book.

Buck: A Memoir by M.K. Asante is now available at several retailers in Kindle, hardback and audio-book editions. It can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking the link below.
Buck: A Memoir by M.K. Asante

Plastic Tulips in the Winter by Denice Vickers

Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Denice Vickers

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Family bonds are tested in the coming-of-age story set in the stormy climate of Alabama during the period of time between the 1950s and present day. For Denice and her sisters, their mother is a constant source of affirmation and strength despite the multiple breakdowns and domestic disturbances she had to endure. Within the strange mix of innocence and violence, the girls learn life lessons that are both exhilarating and frightening.

It is as the girls grown into womanhood that their bonds are tested as they go their separate ways and made stronger by their individual trials and tribulations. Not one to let things keep her down for long, Denice looks past the dark clouds to see the good underneath and shares that positivity with her sisters along the way. Janice offers wisdom beyond her years as well as a constant shoulder to lean on. Pam tries to make everyone smile and sticks up for the others when necessary. Their sisterly love was enough to get them through the darker days of their childhood but will it be enough to keep them in their adult darkness?

Review:
The book began at an early point in the author's childhood, right in the thick of the action. From the very beginning we see that the typical idea of family and home were not what the author, her sisters and her mother experienced. Growing up in the 1950s, things were handled in very different ways and the people who had to deal with them had no other alternative but to weather the storms and make the best of what they had. It was a cycle repeated for the author until her mother felt it would be easier to bear the weight of social stigma than to remain in a place to constantly be beaten emotionally, physically and mentally.

When I purchased the book from Amazon, I had a few reservations but was intrigued by what was written about the characters in the blurb on the sale page. I truly grew to love the characters toward the middle and end of the book. The beginning was a little difficult to find someone to root for because everyone was floundering under the weight of life and its ceaseless changes. The honest and candid way in which the author writes about her own faults and flaws is refreshing. She is who she is and nothing more than that. Presenting both the good and bad times in her life made the story compelling as well as exciting. It became much more than a simple glimpse into someone's life by the end of the book.

As compelling and wonderful I found the book to be, there were some serious editing issues that distracted me as I was reading. I would have given a much higher rating but the number of punctuation, grammar and spelling mistakes was more than I could overlook. Even taking into account the tone in which the book is written, there were simply too many. It saddens me that such a wonderful story is hampered by that. I believe if the book were given a thorough editing, it would definitely be near the top of my recommendation list.

Overall, it is a real and compelling life story that did keep me turning the pages. If you are a reader of life stories or testimonies of faith beyond measure, this is one book that you'll want to have on your to-be-read list.

Plastic Tulips in the Winter by Denice Vickers is available in paperback or Kindle forms. It can be purchased at Amazon.com by following the link provided below.
Plastic Tulips in the Winter by Denice Vickers

Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown by Ryan Buell, Stefan Petrucha

Release Date: September 21, 2010
Publisher: It Books

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Go behind the scenes of the founding of the Paranormal Research Society (PRS) and the television show that followed with this book written by Ryan Buell and Stefan Petrucha. Ryan takes through much of the thought process in developing PRS while a student at Penn State. He introduces us to the other founding members and reveals some of the first cases that the group investigated before receiving the call to do the show, Paranormal State on the A&E network.

Not only does he explain the way in which PRS does their investigations, Ryan also goes in depth on the cases in the first few seasons. Research the cases and feel the investigations through his words while learning the reasons behind their actions. Cases gone over include many from the first season as well as the most intense, demonic-laced cases they encountered during their investigations.

Review:
I had seen the show several times before a friend of mine let me borrow this book. Always a fan of the paranormal, I did find the way that the group investigated and helped the clients to be a refreshing change with all the paranormal investigation shows on the various channels. Intrigued by the show, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.

The thing that stuck with me was the level of honesty in which the book is written. When there were missteps and mistakes made by either PRS or the production crew, it was noted in the book. Even the times when Ryan was full of doubt and wanted to step away from the show forever were talked about in several chapters. It's refreshing to see accept responsibility for the negative things as much as they accept praise for the positive things. All of the investigators showed different levels of growth as the show progressed and this was also documented in the book.

Whether a person has watched the show or not, there is enough information given in all of the chapters to help lead the reader along at a fairly good pace. The way in which the book is written helps to give each member of the PRS family more depth than the television show was able to do. It was really neat to see them as fun-loving, smiling, open-minded people in place of the completely serious, never smiling group that is often shown in the shows.

It doesn't matter if you truly believe the same things as Ryan or anyone in the group nor does being a skeptic take anything away from the book. All possible explanations are ruled out until there's simply one question left. Is it possible that there's something out there? For those who enjoy the television show or behind-the-scenes accounts, this book is definitely one to be picked up.

Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown by Ryan Buell and Stefan Petrucha is available for purchase at many major retailers including Amazon and others. It can be bought in either paperback or Kindle form. You can purchase a copy by clicking the link to Amazon.com below.
Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown by Ryan Buell, Stefan Petrucha

Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman

Rating:  3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Being born and raised in New York, Craig Jordan Goodman had an advantage on all those dreamers who flocked to the city during the 1990s and early 2000s to make their dreams of stardom come true. He had the musical talent to make his music career dream a definitely reality until he began down the path of becoming heroin junky.

Alongside his good friend, Perry, Goodman follows the dope-bricked road as it leads him further and further into a world of desperation, sacrifice and near-deadly consequences. In his honest and brashly descriptive memoir, he admits his faults, insecurities, and poor decisions. As it was his friend who introduced him to the drug, Perry also helped to lead him away from an almost certain death.

Review:
I fined memoirs to be interesting, moving and often times, truly inspiring. This book fulfilled those qualities and then some as I dove into the world of a city and drug that I had absolutely no idea about. To me, the most refreshing quality of the book was the brash honesty that Goodman puts forth as he writes about everything in his life from his own hypocrisy in drug use, the rise and downfall of his music career and the levels at which he went in order to obtain his fix.

Although there were moments of clarity and amusement, the overall journey with heroin was an intensely dark one for the author. Most disturbing to me was the level of detachment that I felt the author had toward the end of the book. He was not only detached from the severity of his situation in any regard, but he appeared to be detached from any and all human interaction unless it was absolutely necessary. This was a complete 180 degree turn from the beginning of the book where he was closely tied to a wide circle of people. A harrowing portrait of how isolating drug use can become, the story of the author's life serves as a wake-up call to those who are ready to listen.

While I couldn't relate to much of what the author had been through in terms of the drug use and related consequences, the emotions stemming from the isolation and despair came across in such a way that anyone could have empathized with him. It's truly a remarkable turnaround to see that the author is now living the type of life is meant to life and doing something positive with his time and energy by giving abused and abandoned dogs a second chance. The proceeds from his book sales go to help fund programs to help eliminate animal cruelty and homelessness among animals. If you're looking for an honest depiction of life in the midst of addiction, this book gives a truly honest portrayal.

Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman is currently available in both paperback and Kindle form at Amazon.com. A portion of the proceeds does go to help end animal cruelty and homelessness. A sequel to the novel, Needle, is set to be released toward the end of the year. The book can be purchased at Amazon by clicking the link below.
Needle by Craig Jordan Goodman