Author: Ann Frywww.annfry.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos Author Ann Fry gets serious about reinvention, tackling the how, the why, and the where. Where? How about energy-rich Manhattan? She had a good life in Austin, Texas: a lovely network of friends and a beautiful home, but it lacked excitement. Over the years, her work as a psychotherapist had taken her to New York for seminars and speaking engagements and she made a mental note to get to know the place better when given a chance. She decided to take that chance on the heels of her sixtieth birthday. Why? Well…why not. She had her health,... Read More

Author: Sherrie Mathiesonwww.sherriemathieson.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos I love before and after stories, transformations of style and attitude. Sherry Mathieson, a “nationally known style-consultant” creates Steal This Style and voila: transformations galore unfold in a vibrant expose of forward-looking fashion for women over forty. As I grow older I find myself looking for permission to be stylish without being too trendy, to celebrate my figure without appearing youth-obsessed. What\’s a girl to do? Hats off (along with old ill-fitting jeans, and frumpy skirts and shirts) to... Read More

Author: Deanna R. Adamswww.Deannaadams.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos Author Deanna Adams takes a stroll down memory lane and relives her days spent growing up in a catholic household in the Midwest. Although those strolls are, at times, somewhat lengthy, they are entertaining. Her delivery is candid, forthright, and amusing. There are chapters that have a certain appeal, like the one that focuses on Adams’ days working in a biker bar; this experience alone had the makings of a good book. The snapshots preceding each chapter give the reader faces to put with names, and that is quite nice,... Read More

Author: Anne Marie Smith and Michelle Gamble-Riwww.second-bloom.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos Living authentically may take some restructuring and luckily, for women approaching midlife, that restructuring is sure to be underway– like it, or not. With the wanted and unwanted changes there is usually fear and it can be paralyzing, debilitating, and often in great supply. Authors Smith and Gamble-Risely share their stories, and the stories of several other courageous women who have broken patterns of stagnation and taken risks in spite of the fear; as a result they are now celebrating their... Read More

Author: Nancy D. O\’ Reilly, PsyD and Margaret U.www.womenspeak.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos In Feeling Youthful at Any Age the reader can expect to come face-to-face with the fear of aging. Revelations are not sugar-coated, they are realistic and no-nonsense, but they are also optimistic. Clinical psychologist Nancy O\’Reilly and journalist Margaret Castrey endeavor to increase our understanding, awareness, and eventual acceptance of the aging process. They suggest going directly to the section dedicated to your particular age and then reading on to the age you will be entering... Read More

Author: Doris Roper www.witinstitute.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos If there\’s one thing author Doris Roper knows a thing or two about, it\’s how a nagging pattern of instability can stay firmly rooted when the right issues are not addressed. Surviving infidelity more than one time in her life, she clearly understands how unfavorable circumstances will continue to replay and increase in intensity unless change is attempted. This takes clear vision and an open mind. Roper had choices when dealing with her relationship pain: to label herself “victim” and wile away her... Read More

Author: Diana Kirschner, PhDwww.lovein90days.com Reviewed By: Melinda Cianos Research psychologist Helen Schucman states that “every situation, properly perceived, becomes an opportunity.” Author Diana Kirschner, PhD expounds on this idea with her fast-track approach to “finding your own true love.” Carefully crafting a blueprint for securing romance, Kirschner offers Love in 90 Days to women who have given up hope on the dating scene, become skeptical, cynical, and closed off. Individual testimonials of success are interspersed throughout the book lending credibility to techniques that... Read More

Author: Anne Schroeder www.readanneschroeder.com Reviewed By: Georgia Richardson In this surprisingly wonderful and astute memoir, Ordinary Aphrodite, author Anne Schroeder’s writing is anything but “ordinary.” It is a coming of age-coming to terms autobiography, and chapter after chapter delivers a map of her life with each rite of passage from puberty to care giver, delivered with light-weight sarcasm\’s, humor, kindness, and tons of love. I hovered over each story, each “lifecident,” and each person along the way who shaped her womanhood, her joy, and her sorrow.... Read More

Author: Judy Dippel & Debra Whiting Alexanderwww.judydippel.com Reviewed By: Georgia Richardson The Art of Authentic Friendship takes a look at women\’s relationships with one another from the inside out. Nothing is overlooked. With friendships being some of the most important relationships women have in their lives; this book can truly be a catalyst for maintaining healthy, positive relationships while weathering the storms of life, and ultimately once defined, these friendships can stand the test of time. It is a practical woman-to-woman, heart-to-heart guide offering true life... Read More

Author: Chloe Jon Paulwww.maturingmodernwomen.com/aboutauthor.html Reviewed By: Georgia Richardson Easy to read, full—absolutely full—of research, resources and information, Entering the Age of Elegance – A Rite of Passage and Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman, is a book for all baby boomer women who want to live this second part of their life to the max. I honestly couldn\’t put it down. There are plenty of books on aging, but Entering the Age of Elegance stands alone in its completeness. The author doesn\’t just tell you what to do, she tells you how, and... Read More