Worst Case Scenario Best Life Ever: Stories of Hope and Healing from a World of Chaos

First off, I will admit to personally knowing the author; she is my cousin. Secondly, she is one who seeks the simple goodness in others and then add to those embers. Her book is a reflection of that reality. Her book is a well composed compilation of spirit lifting communal stories. Her writing style is light and free from tenuous sentence structure or archaic words that might slow down the reading. Though I am a slow reader, I was able to enjoy the book in one night 's sitting with a few short breaks to refill my mug of tea. I suggest you put on a pot of coffee or tea one evening set aside for some home-grown inspiration. Think of it as partaking in a pep rally for life. Layla's name means "night" in Arabic, and (as the title of her book might indicate) embers of hope glow brighter in the night.

Honestly, I hadn't expected so much, but this book is a treasure. I am just part way into it, enough to know that I don't want to gorge myself on it, but would do better to come back again and again for some more inspiration. Certainly the author has discovered some wonderful , imaginative and thoughtful people and writes about them wonderfully.. To me it reads like a modern day Lives of the Saints. At the end of each piece, though, she has a a brief paragraph called, I think, "Things to Hold On To" which seems a little didactic. The story alone impresses itself on the mind and imagination with nothing further required. I am so grateful to have heard about this book and hope that more of the same sort will be coming.

In this time of great uncertainty and negativity, this book brings us a different perspective. Using a variety of uplifting stories from a range of people in many walks of life, the author shows us how it is possible (and necessary!) to turn the negative situations in which we find ourselves into something positive for someone else. A much-needed message for this time!