Review of Hope Rises

[Brianna_MC_griffin97]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hope Rises" by Dr. Randy Ross.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hope Rises by Dr. Randy Ross is an inspirational book that will motivate individuals to hold on to hope. The novel has many relatable topics, such as the 2020 pandemic from the COVID-19 catastrophe. The author thoroughly explains hope, what hope can do, and how to acquire hope. Ross states that hope can be contagious, which seems to be true. Individuals with hope can encourage others to find the path to hope. “Hope is a principle ingredient in happiness, health and well-being.”

To grab his readers' attention, Ross starts with the topic that everyone can relate to - the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains the effect of the global pandemic on businesses, people’s everyday lives, and relationships. During the pandemic, people lost themselves because they had to be isolated from everyone. Being alone can cause deep emotions, such as depression, sadness, and hopelessness. Although we as humans have troublesome times, we can find a way to look forward. Challenges make us stronger. Ross thoroughly explains how hope is the best strategy to live a fulfilling life. He demonstrates the core beliefs of hope and elements of hope. There is also a distinction between hope and optimism. Ross discusses touchy subjects, such as suicide and depression, both of which can be caused by not obtaining grit, gratitude, and optimism.

The element that I like the most is how the author mentions real people’s struggles and what they did to embrace hope. The nonfictional stories will motivate others to find hope. My favorite story is the one about Travis Mills. Travis was critically injured in Afghanistan, losing both of his arms and legs. He fell apart, physically and emotionally. At first, he did not understand and wanted to blame God for what happened to him. However, the warrior inside of him awoke, and he wanted to fight for his future. He accepted the challenge, reimagined his life with a positive perspective, adjusted his sights, and set new goals. Today, Travis Mills is a motivational speaker who travels across the country. His motto is: “Never give up. Never quit.” Travis and his wife created a foundation called The Travis Mills Foundation, which provides benefits to soldiers, such as free vacations to a resort in Maine.

The element that I dislike the most is the repetition of inspirational quotes. I enjoy the sayings, but they are too repetitive. For example, a quote is formatted in a big font in a section by itself, then the same words are repeated in the author’s text. The repetition is too distracting, and I skipped reading the first mention of a quote to not have to read it twice. Other than that, the novel is truly inspirational. I have never read such a motivational piece of literature like this one. “Always be your best self. That is, unless you can be Batman. If you can, then always be Batman!”

Hope Rises deserves a score of 4 out of 4 stars because of the author’s thorough, creative, and inspirational explanation of what having hope can do. The book seemed professionally edited. Therefore, a lower score is not necessary. I like the statement: “Just like Legos, people are meant to snap together.” There are many quotes throughout the entire book that will make a reader think “Wow, that is so true.” I applaud the author for his uniqueness and intelligence. You can tell that Ross researched a lot of topics to make this novel a success. This novel does not contain any profanity, so it is perfect for younger readers. I recommend this type of reading to those who need motivation. Readers who do not like nonfictional literature, may not enjoy this book. However, the real accounts from people who found ways to never give up are truly inspirational.

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Hope Rises
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