MORE BOOK REVIEWS

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

Sooo... How Was Your Day? is a witty collection of non-fiction short stories by Brenda Hammon. She recalls numerous unforgettable experiences that transpired and how they impacted her life. In an effort to save money, Brenda and her partner Bud built the barn, hay shed, and other buildings on the farm themselves. Having little experience in construction often leads to unfortunate mishaps. Brenda was the one who frequently had broken body parts, bruises, sprains, and vertigo. Gluing on sexy eyelash extensions was another “blinking” episode that will not be forgotten either. Other mishaps were losing her bikini top while swimming, unaware of the audience’s amusement, including the dolphins. Being thrown by a horse with a temperament to match Brenda’s was not how she wanted to remember the Dressage competition that she finally qualified for.
 

I certainly hope your days have been better than Brenda Hammon’s escapade-filled days. Having read this highly entertaining anthology about the particular situations that actually occurred in the author’s life, I’m relieved that these took place over a period of time. They would be a lot for one person to bear in a short time span. It’s a good thing Brenda Hammon has a terrific sense of humor that helped her weather these events in her life. She balanced these quite nicely with happy times she shared with her family, friends, and her beloved horses and dogs. Her writing is cleverly witty, engaging, and motivational. Each story is very short and includes photos of the author and the special persons and pets in her life. Brenda Hammon knew that one day she would sit back and laugh as she reflected on these memories. Sooo... How Was 'Your' Day?

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

Life experiences, challenges, and celebrations build lasting memories. These can be both positive and negative but it is your reaction to these events that is the most important. Throughout this collection of personal stories, we learn the power of holding a positive mindset through difficult times and using the lessons learned in a beneficial, not harmful way. In Sooo... How Was Your Day? by Brenda Hammon, discover how Brenda was able to gain a clear perspective on seemingly negative situations such as medical problems, a relationship breakdown, and conquering her biggest fears to emerge stronger and wiser. Follow her brave adventures, her comical mishaps, and heartbreaking hurdles and how these events allowed her true strength of character to emerge.
 

Sooo... How Was Your Day? by Brenda Hammon is such a well-written account of true-life experiences. Brenda has the most amazing storytelling ability and the entire book reminded me of friends and family sharing their experiences over the dinner table. There is such a diverse range of subjects covered which evoke many different emotions, from sadness to laughter. Every story includes a powerful life lesson that can be related to our own lives. Brenda inspires us to face our fears, challenges, and obstacles head-on with a positive mindset that a solution is available. She embraces everything with such an adventurous and courageous attitude, even skydiving when she suffers from vertigo. I absolutely adored her relationship with her husband Bud, their personalities complement each other perfectly. Her bravery was perfectly highlighted when she broke her ankle and announced that denial was her friend. I also thought the illustrations at the beginning of each story were excellent, especially the hysterical picture of Brenda in, ' What the hell was I thinking?' Brenda is definitely the type of person everyone needs as a friend to inspire you to become the best version of yourself.

Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

Sooo... How Was Your Day? by Brenda Hammon is a playful and exciting collection of real-life stories that show how even mishaps can be a source of laughter. In the first story, Hammon attends a two-day competition with her striking dark bay gelding. The ride goes wrong from the start. As they approach a show-jump setup, Hammon can detect Arion’s hesitancy since he has always despised the awful jumps. At a height of 16.2 hands and agitated from the start, the gelding by now is performing like a crazed beast. Within seconds, Hammon finds herself thrown off from her saddle. Fortunately, no one notices and she climbs on again and continues the ride. Other stories contain hilarious events including a terrifying ghost prank, near-tragic injuries, frustrating but humorous hospital visits, not-so thrilling snorkeling adventures, and more.
 

Sooo... How Was Your Day? by Brenda Hammon contains hilarious comments included as lessons and hashtags at the end of each story. Imagery is also included such as “it felt like I was in a grueling marathon” and “I felt like I was a monkey as I scurried along the rafters.” The similes paint striking images of the scenes in the book. Other characters in the stories are also humorous such as Hammon’s friend, Jo. The friends share some amusing experiences that leave both of them laughing. Every story is unique and fascinating. Many are terrifying but have funny outcomes. One hilarious account features an energetic donkey named Willy who is charmed by Hammon’s mares. They, however, do not take any special notice of him. Sooo... How Was Your Day? by Brenda Hammon is an endearing, personal collection with light-hearted scenes and unforgettable characters.

Reviewed by Irene Valentine for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

“How we look at life also affects how we handle life.” Sharing stories from her own life, Brenda Hammon delivers a quick, entertaining read in Sooo... How Was Your Day? A beautiful photograph introduces each chapter. Farm adventures in open Canadian landscapes come alive. Interesting characters, animal and human; challenging projects, and her many escapades, which seemed to often result in bodily harm often had me laughing out loud! I could relate to her heart-to-heart chats with her animals, as she explained her expectations of them.
 

She describes the challenges of how she and Bud built and roofed outbuildings and tackled other farm projects. There was a need, so they made a plan on how to get the thing done, exercising great (not always entirely safe) resourcefulness. Brenda’s spontaneous decision to skydive for a fundraiser, exemplifies her motto - how hard can it be? Without a second thought, never having considered skydiving before, she commits to the cause. When she tells her adult twin daughters, they decide to join her! They successfully raised the funds and completed the jump. Remarkable. She did say this was something she would not be doing again.
 

Brenda Hammon is a passionate communicator helping others find their voice. Each chapter is a story. Reading Sooo... How Was Your Day? will remind you of your own memories. You’ll be inspired to write down some of your crossroads, crises, celebrations, maybe to write your own memoirs. Reviewing your stories will help you gain new insights. Sharing your experiences will help others gain perspective on their stories and help them overcome when they realize they are not alone.

Literary Titan Review – 5 Stars

In Sooo…How was your day? Brenda Hammon invites readers into a series of personal anecdotes that span various facets of her life, including everyday experiences, vacations, horse shows, and even the development of her farm. Hammon’s storytelling is marked by a distinct perspective, offering more than the typical narrative and encouraging readers to see beyond the conventional black and white.

One notable tale involves her Anglo Trakehner gelding, Arion. Hammon’s portrayal of Arion’s personality and their dynamic is both amusing and relatable. She vividly recounts an incident where Arion, seemingly aware of his own charm, reacts to his discontent by flicking his tail to comically smack Hammon in the face. This description is so visually compelling that it provokes a genuine laugh as if the reader were witnessing the scene in person. Another memorable episode occurs during a family vacation to Mexico. Hammon’s first snorkeling experience turns comical as she grapples with her discomfort underwater. Her vivid description of panic and the humorous way she reacts to the sensation of being submerged paints a clear, entertaining picture. The narrative also takes a turn towards the absurd with a story about a neighbor’s donkey named Willy. Hammon’s humorous recounting of her attempts to chase Willy off her property, armed with nothing but a quad bike and a lunge whip, ends in an unexpected and humorous tumble. This story, like the others, unfolds with a sense of immediacy and humor that places the reader right in the midst of the action.   

Sooo…How was your day? stands out not just for its humor but for the way Hammon brings readers into each scene, making them feel like active participants in her adventures. This book is a delightful read for anyone seeking a lighthearted and genuinely funny narrative journey. Brenda Hammon’s skill in weaving humor and vivid storytelling makes this book a refreshing and enjoyable read.

Literary Titan Review – 5 Stars

In Sooo…How was your day? Brenda Hammon invites readers into a series of personal anecdotes that span various facets of her life, including everyday experiences, vacations, horse shows, and even the development of her farm. Hammon’s storytelling is marked by a distinct perspective, offering more than the typical narrative and encouraging readers to see beyond the conventional black and white.

One notable tale involves her Anglo Trakehner gelding, Arion. Hammon’s portrayal of Arion’s personality and their dynamic is both amusing and relatable. She vividly recounts an incident where Arion, seemingly aware of his own charm, reacts to his discontent by flicking his tail to comically smack Hammon in the face. This description is so visually compelling that it provokes a genuine laugh as if the reader were witnessing the scene in person. Another memorable episode occurs during a family vacation to Mexico. Hammon’s first snorkeling experience turns comical as she grapples with her discomfort underwater. Her vivid description of panic and the humorous way she reacts to the sensation of being submerged paints a clear, entertaining picture. The narrative also takes a turn towards the absurd with a story about a neighbor’s donkey named Willy. Hammon’s humorous recounting of her attempts to chase Willy off her property, armed with nothing but a quad bike and a lunge whip, ends in an unexpected and humorous tumble. This story, like the others, unfolds with a sense of immediacy and humor that places the reader right in the midst of the action.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers’ Favorite – 4 Star

Author Brenda Hammon shares her journey of finding her authentic voice in her nonfiction work, Hear Me. Brenda grew up in North Alberta, Canada, on a farm with her parents and three brothers. A hired farm hand, Ted, was the first person to sexually abuse her, at the age of five years old. Several months later, she suffered a horrendous attack by both Ted and a family member. Their threats to kill her parents, if she told, caused her to keep these abuses a secret. Her only escape was riding and caring for her horse, Cocoa. This horse loved her unconditionally, unlike her parents, who did not understand her seemingly unusual behaviors resulting from the traumatic events of her young life. Unfortunately, the abuse continued in her marriage to Alfred. Her love of horses, and the birth and upbringing of her cherished twin daughters, also led to her ability to survive. Her journey of healing, and finding hope, trust and love, is truly memorable.
 

This nonfiction work can be difficult to read at times, as it realistically details how abuse can be inflicted. The book also portrays the troubling patterns of secrecy within an abusive family system. Brenda Hammon, in Hear Me, balances these atrocities with her acts of courage and strength. When she shares her road to wholeness, she gives hope to all those who have lived through abuse themselves. Her writing style is one of purpose and clarity, and underneath it is the wish to help others. This is a very important and unforgettable work.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

Brenda Hammon’s memoir is a courageous work that deals with one of the subjects that many people avoid — sexual assault — and it showcases the damaging effects it can have on an individual’s growth, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Brenda suffered immensely over the years because a family member assaulted her sexually, an experience that would follow her as she grew up until she met Alfred, the man she married with the hopes of finding protection and trust. But she was wrong because her husband turned out to be another nightmare, causing her untold suffering through his repeated abuses. Hear Me: No Longer Silent, the first volume in the series, expresses how the protagonist found the courage to break free from the cycle of abuse and to stand up for herself.
 

I enjoyed reading this book and I felt happy at the fact that the protagonist could stand up for herself. This is the story that many abused persons should read because many of them suffer in silence. At times, one just needs to speak out and the wound is tended to. In this memoir, the author explores how devastating the experience can be. Apart from making one lose trust in men, it triggers lack of trust in one’s self and a degrading feeling of shame. Readers will find words of encouragement in these pages and the courage to step up against anyone who violates their dignity. Brenda Hammon writes with simplicity and the paragraphs are laced with emotional insights and thoughts that inspire. Hear Me: No Longer Silent is a story of pain, hope, and redemption, a book that offers powerful insights into the agony lived by many women in the silence of their night.

Reviewed by Marta Tandori for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

Hear Me by author Brenda Hammon is a chilling and poignant account of one woman’s harrowing journey in breaking free from a terrible cycle of abuse. What it lacks in literary polish, it more than makes up for in heartbreaking honesty that will leave readers emotionally torn and angry as hell. Brenda, along with her two brothers and cousin, Nelson, are living a hardscrabble life in northern rural Alberta on a small homestead. Money is scarce and the work plentiful as Brenda’s parents, brothers, her cousin and a farmhand, Ted, all work the land. Brenda is only five and too young to do much of anything except for some basic household chores like clearing the table and drying the dishes. With little in the way of supervision, the situation is ripe for something bad to happen – and one day it does. It’s the day five-year-old Brenda’s innocence is cruelly stripped away when the farmhand, Ted, accosts her while she’s alone in the house. When he’s done with Brenda, he threatens to kill her parents if she tells on him. She believes him and it isn’t long before he has his way with her again. With all her pent-up fear, anger, hurt and betrayal, Brenda is beginning to change. She’s searching for places to hide, to become invisible but no matter where she goes, Ted is able to find her. And one day, he doesn’t come alone. He’s got her cousin, Nelson, with him and they both have their way with her.
 

Some time after their abuse, Ted leaves the homestead, never to be seen again, and Nelson also leaves. Brenda’s relationship with her mother becomes tense, especially when it comes to drying the dishes and helping with the chores. These seem to trigger feelings in her that she can’t understand and Brenda becomes very unhappy with her life as she becomes older and more resentful of her family and the way they treat her, especially her mother. While at summer school in Edmonton, she’s raped by a roommate’s friend and her feelings of insecurity, worthlessness and her belief that she’s somehow flawed have Brenda turning her back on everyone. Tired of everyone nagging at her, calling her a bitch, she reluctantly marries Alfred who everyone thinks is a catch, but she quickly learns Alfred isn’t the man he claims to be. With him yearning to live out his kinky sexual fantasies with her, Brenda realizes she has made a mistake in marrying him, but after giving birth to twin girls and living in a trailer on his parents’ property, she’s powerless to leave him. Her despicable mother-in-law doesn’t make life any easier for Brenda either, as she berates and verbally abuses her every opportunity she gets, which eventually results in Brenda collapsing and being rushed to the hospital, later being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. When her daughters turn eighteen, Brenda decides to leave her abusive marriage and make a fresh start for herself. The only problem is, Alfred isn’t about to let her go…
 

Reading Hear Me, it’s difficult not to feel anger and frustration and wonder how things became as bad as they did and most of all, why no one noticed how much Brenda had changed, especially her parents. Unfortunately, therein lies the rub. As anyone who’s ever farmed in a rural setting will tell you, your daily life is shaped and driven by the needs of your livestock and the weather and the seemingly hundreds of chores you must do. Add to that a no-frills existence with no running water, and you’ve got parents who are working constantly and may not notice the differences in their daughter’s behavior. However, what is particularly upsetting throughout the book is the author’s mother’s spiteful comments and reactions to her daughter’s efforts to confide in her. All are met with scorn and contempt. As children, we seek the approval of our parents and bask in their caring and pride. Even the poorest parents, in a financial sense, can give their children untold riches through thoughtful choices of words or simply through a hug or caring gesture. It is abundantly clear in Hear Me that this was a household where, sadly, kind words weren’t dispensed with any degree of frequency.
 

However, it’s also abundantly clear that Hammon is a survivor and that her strength of character speaks clearly through her prose. And Hear Me is just that: it’s hearing a child’s voice too frightened to cry out for help; it’s hearing a woman speak out and finally, it’s listening to what she has to say. Having lived through everything she has, Brenda Hammon has fought back and survived. In fighting back and hesitantly opening up about her years of abuse, she has slowly mended fences with her family and has found true love with a man who didn’t back down or run away when things got crazy. While not your typical happily ever after, Hear Me certainly has one. Read Hammon’s story and see for yourself.

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers’ Favorite

Hear Me: No Longer Silent (Breaking the Cycle) (Volume 1) is Brenda Hammon’s third book about her personal experience of sexual abuse. The first caused her to forget how to spell words of more than one syllable; she was in the head of a terrified five-year-old. The second took her step further. Hear Me is a bold attempt to help other victims. Brenda, raped by a farmhand, and then her brother, disbelieved by her mother, is isolated, learning to trust only herself, her own determination to survive, and the horses she loves. Brenda marries for protection from her own family. Can she escape her memories, the shame and lack of self-worth, the secrets she’s afraid to tell, and a possessive, unfaithful, husband with a penchant for pornographic magazines?
 

Brenda Hammon’s story of her life, Hear Me: No Longer Silent (Breaking the Cycle) (Volume 1), is a very brave book to publish, and it comes over as an extraordinarily honest account of the effects of abuse on a young child. The most shocking thing about Brenda’s life is the sheer normality of a great deal. Horses were her escape, both mentally and physically, but she was bought horses by her father, who did nothing to protect her from her mother’s mental bullying. Hear Me is targeted at women who have been abused, to reassure them that it is not their fault and the help they need is there if they find the courage to take it. Other readers will no longer turn a blind eye to suspicion; this is a brilliantly-written and powerful guide to children suffering abuse behind "respectable" front doors.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers’ Favorite – 5 Star

I AM: Kicking Down the Walls of Silence About Sexual and Mental Abuse by Brenda Hammon is a powerful memoir about, you guessed it, sexual and mental abuse. The I in I AM is strong. This memoir would not have been anywhere as powerful if told from another point of view. The authority, the passion, and the conviction just wouldn't come through as clearly. The truth of her words just would not have been as compelling. Sometimes we forget the power of I. Brenda Hammon reminds us that these two little words can be one of the most powerful statements in the English language. I have read several books about sexual and emotional abuse. They can be depressing. They can also be a testament to the strength of the human spirit. I AM is clearly a statement that you can’t keep a strong person down. Though what she endured was truly depressing, Brenda Hammon refused to let it determine who she is. She is so much more.
 

The writing in I AM: Kicking Down the Walls of Silence About Sexual and Mental Abuse is clear and concise. It is personal as only a first person point of view can be. Brenda Hammon flips back and forth in time showing us two Brenda's. Kind of like showing a simultaneous before and after picture. It is a good technique and she uses it to fully show her journey and herself. I AM is rich in detail and full of characters from everyday life. These are people like people that we all have in our lives. The good, the bad, and the indifferent. I AM is a powerful story. It is an important story. For some, it will be the most important book they ever read 

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers’ Favorite - 5 Star

Brenda Hammon’s memoir, I AM: Kicking Down the Walls of Silence About Sexual and Mental Abuse, is a fascinating story of a woman’s journey from the obscurity of repeated physical and sexual abuse to the light of freedom, a story that powerfully conveys the message that anyone has the right to reclaim their life and pursue a dream.
 

All her life, Brenda had been abused in horrible ways, and the experience had made her develop a very poor sense of self; she lost a lot of her self-dignity. She’d carried the pain in her heart until the moment she gave birth to her twins. At that very moment, a new form of life took hold of her. She writes: “With calm clarity, I made a decision. For the first time in my life, I had something to live for. I hadn’t gone through all of the crap in my life just to bring in two babies and exit stage left. No. I was not going to die today.” Continuing on, she says, “For me to protect them, though, I had to stay alive.”
 

This is a memoir about finding meaning, an indisputable fact that our happiness depends on how much we consciously decide to love. I AM: Kicking Down the Walls of Silence About Sexual and Mental Abuse is written in very wonderful, clear and accessible prose. The author shows a lot of courage in telling her story, and she shares lessons that will undoubtedly edify millions of readers. Brenda Hammon reflects on a lot of themes, all connected to life, childhood and abuse, negative programming, and the joy of motherhood and love.