Simple Living- 30 Days to Less Stuff and More Life, by Lorilee Lippincott

Have you ever wanted to de-clutter your home, your mind, and your life, but just did not know where to start?  Do you start to make progress on something, only to see a million other projects that need attention?  Do you ever feel like instead of owning your stuff, your stuff owns you?  This book lays out simple, daily instructions on how to slowly minimize the clutter in all areas of your life.

I have been going through a phase for a while now where I just want to get rid of all the stuff I do not need or use.  Unfortunately, I end up acquiring more stuff I do not need or use, and it becomes a vicious cycle.  The solutions seems so easy, common sense really, yet so many of us struggle with physical, mental, and emotional clutter.  This book does a great job of breaking down, step by step, strategies for embracing a simple, minimalist lifestyle.

What I liked best about this book is that it is designed to cover a 30 day span.  Each day, there is a new lesson, one that takes just a few minutes to read over, and usually 30-60 minutes to put into action.  Some of the lessons require a bit more work and planning, but when that is the only lesson you are focusing on per day, it is doable.  This structure allows you to tackle small chunks of your life and rid them of anything unnecessary.  All aspects are covered- physical environment, eating habits, spending habits, relationships.  It really does seem like a holistic approach.

Some people may find the book overly simplistic, but I found it to be a great starting place.  Each lesson is adaptable to the needs of the individual reader, so everyone's experience of this book will be unique.  All in all, I found it really helpful.  This would be the perfect book to use for New Year's resolutions!

This book is from my personal library and I am reviewing it of my own volition.

Affiliate Marketing for Newbies, by Rebecca Thomson

Many people are interested in ways to use the internet to make money.  Some deals sound to good to be true (and probably are), but if you are willing to put in real effort, affiliate marketing can help you make extra money online.

When I first started blogging, everyone was talking about using ads to make money.  In the years since then, monetizing your blog has become big business, usually through various types of affiliate marketing.  I never really cared all that much about using my blog to make money, but if I had, I would not have known where to start.  That is where this book steps in.

This book is a basic introduction to what affiliate marketing is, how it can be profitable, and a realistic view of the amount of work necessary to be successful at it.  Keep in mind, this is only an introduction.  It starts from having no knowledge base.  So, do not expect in depth marketing plans, or detailed blueprints for success as a marketer.  I think it would be advisable for the author to write a follow up book for people ready to take the next step.  

All in all, I think, for the price, this is a good, informative introductory booklet that compiles a lot of the basics in one place for people who are considering this type of marketing.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review.

 

How Not to Be a Dick, by Meghan Doherty

There are a lot of dicks in the world; sometimes they are dicks on purpose, and sometimes they simply do not know any better.  Everyone could benefit from this simple, straightforward guide on how to avoid acts of dickery. Sound, solid advice, delivered in a playful, light hearted manner.

I love books that does not take life too seriously, so this book was right up my alley.  Somewhat modeled after the straight-laced etiquette and advice books from the 50s, this book is fun and sassy.  Yet at its very heart, this is a great book with advice that every human should follow.  Imagine how much better our world would be if everyone reduced their dickish behavior by even 15%.

This book caused me to laugh out loud numerous times, not only because the writing is so witty and clever, but also because the commentary on human behavior is so spot on accurate.  The book is perfect for older teens and young adults, because it addresses some situations that may be new to them, such as dickery in the workplace.  

All in all, I thought this was a fun little read, and I would recommend it to anyone who has a sense of humor.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program, in exchange for my honest review.

The Complete Fibromyalgia Health, Diet Guide, and Cookbook, by Dr. Loise McCrindle and Alison Bested

For many years fibromyalgia was treated as a psycho-somatic disorder; in other words, patients were told it was all in their heads.  Continued research has helped us learn that this is a very real health issue, affected my many different factors.  In the same vein, successful treatment of this syndrome involves many different strategies.

This book is so incredible and thorough; I wish I had read it months ago.  This book validates nearly every concern and complaint that a person with fibromyalgia manifests.  Written in a way that is easy for a layman to understand, this book provides incredible information about what fibro is, how to manage the symptoms, different treatment interventions, possible causes or explanations, and a suggested dietary plan that will help fibro patients.

As with any health or self help book, the book can be a little overwhelming, especially the dietary part.  But the key is for users to parse out the information that is most relevent to them, to take small steps towards change/health, and to pay attention to how their bodies react to different interventions.

All in all, I think this is a tremendous resource for anyone dealing with fibromyalgia, or who has a loved one dealing with this syndrome.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for my honest review.

The Fast Metabolism Diet, by Haylie Pomroy

We have all known people who were rail thin and able to eat whatever they wanted without gaining a pound.  These people are blessed with a fast metabolism.  Wouldn't it be great if there was an easy way for everyone to speed up their metabolism to that level?  According to this book, there is.  By following a three phase diet each week for 4 weeks, you can repair your metabolism, and coax your body into becoming an efficient fuel burning machine.

I am always kind of skeptical when someone says there is a sure fire, easy way to lose weight, and this book is no exception.  In many ways, the information presented in the book does make a lot of sense, and is similar to other diet plans on the market, eliminating gluten, corn, processed sugar, things like that.  As someone who is gluten intolerant, I have become much more open minded about the idea that certain foods we would think would be good for us simply are not.  So, in that aspect, the information in the book makes a modicum of sense.

However, the concept that calories do not matter at all, and the concept of substantially larger portions for people who need to lose much more weight seem to contradict everything I have ever learned from any doctor or nutritionist.  Personally, I do not think I would be able to follow this plan.  There is a lot of frequent change in the types of foods you can and cannot eat, and I can imagine it would lead to higher grocery bills and a lot of wasted food, even if you do freeze a lot of your leftovers.  It seems really complicated to me, and I am not sure losing 20 pounds in 28 days is even a healthy goal in the first place.

If you are looking for a dietary plan, go talk to a doctor, a health coach, and a nutritionist to make an informed decision.  Do not just follow what is fashionable on a television show or in  a self help book.

I received a review copy courtesy of SheSpeaks in exchange for my honest review.

The Antidote, by Oliver Burkeman

Our culture has been inundated with books, seminars, and self help programs centered around the power of positive thinking.  And while positive thinking surely can help in many situations, if it were really the end all be all, shouldn't the world have a lot less problems than it does?  If the secret to it all really was to positively envision ourselves as wealthy, shouldn't we all be rich by now?  So, given that the power of positive thinking is not all encompassing, perhaps there are other paths to happiness, enlightenment, and success.  And perhaps one of these paths is in the exact last place you would expect it to be, in pursing the things positive thought tells us to avoid.

While I generally consider myself a positive thinker, in all actuality, I am a realist.  Having worked in a corporate culture where I was assured if I wanted the company's version of success bad enough I would get it, I personally hold little stock in the positive thought movement.  No amount of thinking I am going to be a great salesperson is ever going to make me a great salesperson.  I knew this, and accepted it, all the while continuing to do my best.  No amount of arbitrary goal setting (sell enough to buy this car, and as motivation hang a picture of it at your desk!!!) was going to miraculously turn me into a top producer.  Because I was honest about my inadequacy, not only was I failing at my job, in their mind I was failing at being a positive, motivated, goal oriented person (which is total crap).  So, I am glad that someone is finally speaking out about the fact that positive thinking does not always work.

I like that this book points out a lot of the flaws in the whole self help culture.  I found the book to be very well written, each chapter covering a different aspect of the pursuit of happiness.  A lot of psychological and philosophical ideas are discussed throughout the text, making me wish I had a better background in philosophy.  I did find it interesting to learn that apparently my approach to life is in line with Stoicism and the teachings of Albert Ellis.  While I was previously aware of Ellis' teachings, I was not aware of the Stoic school of philosophical thought, so knowing I was following it without even trying to was a bit fascinating.

I personally do not care for most self-help books, so this book was perfect for me.  It is kind of the anti-self help book.  And for people who typically love self help books, I think this book could have profound impact, much more that the plethora of books on their shelves already.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publicist in exchange for an honest review.

How to Find the Right One and Make It Last, by Charles A. Johnson

Most people want to find someone with whom they can share their lives.  There are some very clear dos and don'ts when it comes to dating.  In this book you will find clear cut dating strategies, as well as real world examples of strategies in use.

I read this book out of sheer curiosity; I wanted to see what a male's perspective on dating would look like.  Turns out it looks pretty much exactly as I expected.  A lot of the advice given in this book is fairly sound, and common sense.  Don't be late, don't neglect your hygiene, treat your date with respect, use your manners.  These are the kinds of lessons most of us learned in childhood and high school.  However, I found a lot of the information to be a bit dated.  Only a few short pages were devoted to online dating, yet I think the internet, online dating sites, and social media have greatly changed the way dating looks and happens in the 21st century.  Whether people want to admit it or not, new times call for new rules.

I also felt that the book contradicted itself several times, particularly when discussing how women should approach dating.  It states several times that it does not matter how much someone weighs or how someone looks, but it mentions several times that women should try to lose weight and spruce themselves up when looking for a date.  One part, in particular, stated that men rarely complain about a woman having a large behind or chest, so a woman should focus on "creating definition between the two".  I find this to be contradictory, and somewhat demeaning.  

I think that this book does provide some sound advice, but more for those daters who are in their 30s or older.  I think this book would not be useful to younger people looking for dating advice.  And personally, all this book did was make me extra thankful that I never have to worry about dating ever again.

I received a review copy courtesy of Tribute Book Blog Tours, in exchange for my honest review.  Find the rest of the tour here.

How to Create: An Epic Life, by Emily Levenson

For most people, the biggest roadblock to living a truly epic live is yourself.  You are programmed to fear mistakes and failures, to the point where that fear completely hinders you and causes you to never attempt to achieve your heart's desire.  But if ever, for one tiny moment, you felt like you were meant for something bigger, richer, more fulfilling, you will never be the person you want to be unless you try to live an epic life. 

Many times, the information in self help books can be, at its base, common sense.  But see, we people, we are stubborn, and often good at not practicing what we preach.  So while I may have all the common sense in the world to tell someone else how to reach their goals, it takes a pretty amazing person to make me see the light about me achieving my own goals.  I am not at all surprised that Emily Levenson was the perfect amazing person to succeed.  No surprise really, because many of us in the Pittsburgh area and social media community have know for some time that Emily was pretty epic herself.  

For a while now I have been working on making some changes in my life, and doing it better than I had in past attempts.  Perhaps I just wanted it more this time, I thought.  Now that I have read this book, I realize I was already starting to take the steps to make this next year of my life truly epic.

The book, in less than fifty pages, teaches 12 simple concepts to help you on the road to epicness.   The author explains each concept from a theoretical perspective, then shows practical application for each concept, often with a bit of homework attached.  The homework serves a real purpose, pushing the reader to do things that may be a bit uncomfortable.  It helps test how badly you want to achieve your goals.

While the book is short, each concept is really rich, and can have some real emotional impact.  For the purposes of review, I read the book in one sitting, and allowed myself to reflect for a day before reviewing.  For actual practical use, it is probably wise to read and apply one concept at a time, either weekly or monthly.  One a month would take a year, but over that year, tremendous growth can happen.  I can see this book as being a fantastic therapy tool in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy.  I plan on re-reading the book at a slower pace, either weekly or bi-weekly, to really digest each of the 12 concepts.

I think this book will really speak to those seeking motivation and change in their life.  Emily's voice is frank and caring, in a way that will impact many readers.

I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the author.

This ebook can be purchased on Emily Levenson's Website.

Nine Ways God Always Speaks, by Mark Herringshaw and Jennifer Schuchmann

What would you do if someone told you God spoke directly to him or her?  What does it mean for God to speak; is it a feeling, an audible voice, a dream, or a physical presence?  Does God really provide us with signs regarding His will for our lives?  These questions, and many others, are pondered in this book.

I think I anticipated that this book would help me better recognize God speaking in my life.  I am not sure anyone can actually help me in that area, and I think it was naive of me to think that this book would either.  The book talks about ways people perceive God speaking in their lives, but it also does a fair share of casting doubt on the legitimacy of those claims.  I kind of felt there was some double speak, since the book talks about ways God can speak, then seems to raise doubts as to whether those things actually are God speaking.  Is God sending us a sign, or are we merely seeing what we want to see.  I left the book feeling no more or less convinced about God speaking in anyone's life, let alone my own.  A better title, to convey the message of the book, would be Nine Ways God May Speak.

The book has an anecdotal nature.  In some ways this is good, and in some ways it is bad.  It is good when relating actual anecdotes, stories of people who feel or perceive God at work in their lives.  However, the anecdotal nature, when relating biblical stories, does not work for me, and instead comes across as irreverent.  Some people may like this writing style, may feel better able to connect with the scripture that way, but for me, it was distracting.

I can see that this book could be very helpful and inspirational for those seeking books on spiritual growth.  For me personally, however, it just did not connect.

This book is from my personal library.

Mom's Ultimate Guide to Tween Girl Word, by Nancy Rue

Tweens.  This term never used to exist, but as society pays more attention to child development, it has become clear that there is a distinct difference between adolescent girls and teenage girls, and a period of development different from both.  Thus, the tween label was born.  Tween girls are mysterious creature, one minute neglectful of hygiene and the next minute hyper vigilant.  They crave friends but still seek out the approval of their mother.  They emulate older girls, without really understanding the motive behind their own actions.  This book serves as a guide to moms of tween girls, helping them to understand this unique period of development.

This book piqued my interest because my niece has officially entered the tween stage.  She craves adult interaction, and is quite mature for her age, yet I still see so much little girl in her, and I decided I wanted to understand better what her life at this stage was like.  This has all changed so much since I was 11.  And I thought the book did an excellent job of explaining the tween girl.  I felt like the book did not trivialize what is going on in the young girls' worlds and minds, nor did it seem patronizing.  It is clear that the author has spent time really interacting with tween girls and learning from them about their fears and insecurities.

I liked that the book incorporated little vignettes from tween girls and the author's blog, but I have to say the ebook formatting was terrible.  Hopefully this has since been improved, otherwise I strongly encourage you to go for the print option.  The vignettes were intended to be broken out text, and in the ebook it all runs together, so that a vignette may break into the middle of a block of author's text.  Quite frustrating.

Content wise, I thought this book was excellent, and have already discussed with my sister and mom how a lot of the ideas apply to my niece.  I felt like this book truly did improve my understanding of this unique developmental time (even if I do hate the word tween).

This book is from my personal library.

Cure for the Common Life, by Max Lucado

How many people go through life settling, hating their circumstances, and never reaching their full potential?  How would your life change if you found your true calling, your passion, your niche?  Take the steps to identify your unique gifts and talents, and apply them to your life in order to increase your potential for happiness and fulfillment.

I am a big fan of Max Lucado, so I was a little skewed going into this book.  But honestly, I found this book to be incredibly uplifting, and so helpful.  Who among us has not felt like we were merely going through the motions of life, not really doing what God created us to do?  So many of us have jobs, ones that are merely jobs, a way to pay the bills, and while I understand that a person has to do what a person has to do to survive, I do not understand people staying in jobs or fields that they hate.  This book really solidified the idea that we do not have to continue doing this.  So many people work jobs they hate, have relationships that make them crazy, and then abuse substances in order to cope with their unhappiness.  This book really helps people see that they can break these kinds of cycles and find a much more fulfilling life.

I really felt like I was able to apply a lot of these concepts to my life, and some of them I had already been employing for some time.  While this message and not new or earth shattering, Max is able to deliver it in a way that makes sense, and in a way that allows readers to make measurable changes to the way they approach life.  I felt like the book presented some great resources to implement the main ideas.

I have read other books like this that are written from a sales or self help perspective.  I loved that this book was written instead from a faith perspective.  As I anticipated, Max Lucado delivered yet another valuable book.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher.

The One Day Way, by Chantel Parrish Hobbs

Are you ready to change your life?  Well prepare to do it, one step, one day at a time.  This method of weight loss and lifestyle change allows you the freedom to forget the mistakes you may have made yesterday, and focus on what you can do today to help you advance to your goal weight.  The key is to start by changing the way you think, then changing the way you act.  With words of encouragement, easy sample meal plans, and sample exercises, you have all you need to start the journey to the new you.

I have never read a weight loss book before, so I cannot say if this book is like all the others out there, but I can tell you, in terms of the nutritional and fitness suggestions and aspects of the plan, there is nothing new here.  I think people just look for a magical, easy solution, when it all comes down to burning more calories than you consume.  But that is hard work, which most people do not want to do.

What I did find refreshing and unique was the aspect of faith (not religion, but faith) into the program.  And a lot of the things in the book from a faith perspective were really encouraging.  It is nice to have a plan focus on the fact that no matter what, if you mess up, tomorrow is a new day to try to do better.  The plan does not focus on beating yourself up when you are imperfect.

All in all, a book filled with encouraging words, but not too many fresh ideas in terms of diet and exercise.


I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.