cover image So Much More: A Poignant Memoir About Finding Love, Fighting Adversity, and Defining Love on My Own Terms in Spirit’s Presence

So Much More: A Poignant Memoir About Finding Love, Fighting Adversity, and Defining Love on My Own Terms in Spirit’s Presence

Zulema Arroyo Farley. Atria, $26 (244p) ISBN 978-1-5011-8805-3

In her inspiring debut memoir, Farley, a psychic known as the Latina Medium, shares her tumultuous story of enduring a lifetime of health challenges and embracing her spiritual gift. Born in 1973 in Puerto Rico with pyloric stenosis, Farley underwent two surgeries before she was two months old, and her father died when she was 16 months old, but, she writes, her mother instilled in her a sense of “strength and determination.” Throughout her adult life, she suffered a host of serious health issues, including irritable bowel syndrome and lupus, and underwent a hysterectomy—all of which she conveys without self-pity. In 2015, Farley was diagnosed with anal cancer and had surgery to remove the tumor—“a pivotal moment that changed my perspective, shifted my priorities, and gave me purpose in life.” She eventually founded the nonprofit Artz Cure Sarcoma to raise awareness about the disease. It is not until toward the end of the book that Farley tells of her lifelong psychic connection to the spiritual world and of her work as a medium. Fans of Farley hoping for insight into her work with the spirit world won’t find much here, but readers looking for inspiration will discover a sympathetic voice. (Sept.)