Those of you who follow my blog will know that I am running a series where each month I pick a book that is one of my favourites. I am doing this because there are so many self-published books that deserve to be read by a much wider audience, but they are often overlooked in favour of the bestsellers. I have chosen books that can enrich your life in some way, either by entertaining you or educating you, or just making you think about life differently. All the books I've chosen so far have left an impression on me so that I will always remember them. I would love you to also fall in love with them and perhaps spread the word about them, as much as I would love you all to go and buy my books.

So far, I've chosen:

January: by Ami Blackwelder - historical romance




February: by Judy Nichol - murder/mystery




March: by Quentin R. Bufogle - humour




April: by Darcia Helle - paranormal/suspense





May: Various books with a musical theme





My June selection is Beyond My Control: One Man's Struggle with Epilepsy, Seizure Surgery and Beyond by Stuart Ross McCallum




This book is very special to me because it helped me to make a decision in my own life that I now feel was the right one and was one that I may not have been brave enough to do if I hadn't read this book.

This book is about one man's struggle with epilepsy and his road to recovery. It's written by a man who is also a gifted writer, in my opinion. His book is inspirational.

Here's the review I wrote when I first read it:

Wow! This book is a fascinating read of Stuart McCallum's experience with Epilepsy. I must admit that I knew very little about Epilepsy before reading this book, only that it was a condition causing random seizures. This is such an important book because it documents one man's experience of this very cruel condition which will help others who are going through the same or similar problems, and anyone who has a loved one battling against this condition. On a wider scale, it is also a story of great courage, strength of character, faith and determination. The great thing about this little book is that Stuart McCallum is a very ordinary man, he doesn't have any great or mysterious character traits which would set him apart from you or I, and he tells his story in a way that can be understood by everyone. It could be anyone's story; everyone struggles in one way or another in life — we all have our cross to bear. Stuart's story is valuable as a lesson to us all that the human spirit is capable of facing many adversities and surviving. Most of all it is a message to never give in, and to carry on enjoying life, being grateful for what you have. It is not bogged down in medical detail, but does explain the ins and outs of the condition very well. It is written with humour, showing how this courageous soul was able to come out of life threatening surgery and retain a very positive view of life. I really enjoyed reading the book and congratulate Stuart McCallum on writing such an inspirational book about his journey. It was very well written, and even though there were a few editorial issues, these did not distract from the story because it is a very fast paced read.

This book helped me to decide to go ahead with an operation to cure my heart defect (SVT). All operations have their risks, but when I was weighing the pros and cons, I always thought of how brave Stuart Ross McCallum was when he went through his operation. For that reason, this will always be one of my favourite books and very close to my heart.

Look out for my next recommendation in July!