Showing posts with label Inspirational. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspirational. Show all posts

Sunday 29 October 2023

Book Review: The Sunday Story Club by Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

 The Sunday Story Club

by

Doris Brett & Kerry Cue

An anthology of stories from the heart
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 25th June 2019
Genre: Non-Fiction / Anthology
Pages: 272
RRP: $32.99 (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Sunday Story Club

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of stories that have evolved from a real life face-to-face gathering of women where through contemplative questions the group have deep and structured conversations about things that really matter.
 
Doris, a psychologist, author, poet and psychotherapist and Kerry, an author, journalist and mathematician came together to organise a salon at which people could engage in meaningful, in-depth conversations but instead of discussing weighty topics of the day they would discuss their own inner worlds.

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of fifteen questions and ensuing short stories that have been explored at some of their meetings.
I didn't expect to be quite so moved by the stories shared in this book. Each story was unique showing vastly different circumstances but all highlighting resilience, bravery and hard-won wisdom. There are stories included with themes of bullying, dysfunctional families, anorexia, cancer, infertility, depression and self-image; each woman speaks from the heart about her life experiences.

In this busy technical age of emails and texts The Story Book Club is a book to remind us of the power behind real face-to-face conversations to enlighten and heal.

Brett and Cue have also included notes on starting your own story salon and sample questions to steer the conversations.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the authors

Doris Brett is a clinical psychologist as well as multi-award winning author. She his published books in a variety of genres ranging from novels to poetry to memoir, to narrative therapy for children and even a book on bread-baking. She lives in Melbourne with her husband.
 
Kerry Cue is a humourist, mathematician and journalist who has written for every major newspaper in Australia. Kerry is also the maths blogger, Mathspig. She studied Science/Engineering at Melbourne University and taught maths and science for ten years before becoming a bestselling author of twenty humorous and education books.

Wednesday 4 October 2023

Book Review: Undefendable by Sulari Gentill & Sarah Kynaston

 Undefendable

Edited by

Sulari Gentill & Sarah Kynaston

The story of a town under fire
 
Publisher: Clan Destine Press
Publication date: 26th November 2022
Genre: Non Fiction
Pages: 178
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Undefendable: The Story of a Town Under Fire 

As we approach another dry, hot summer who can forget the summer Australia burned.
 
In the summer of 2019/2020 the township of Batlow in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains was declared ‘undefendable’ from the fire megafront. While most evacuated, many stayed to fight. In the end, the undefendable town was saved by volunteers by farmers, teachers, electricians, retirees, and boys barely out of high school.

Sulari Gentill and Sarah Kynaston have delivered a heart-warming collection of poems, recollections and photographs from the very people who were on the ground during the fires of the summer of 2019/2020.

Sulari Gentill is herself a resident of the small close-knit community of Batlow - the town that was declared undefendable against the fires.

With a united front the residents, the Bush Fire Brigade and the Town Brigade banded together to do everything possible to save their town. They took on the fire and they won!

Everyone tells the story of their own personal experiences during that time. Most of the stories are in a conversational tone and told almost two years after the fires the awe and pride the story tellers feel comes through in the prose.
I really enjoyed Edmund Gentill's recollections. His writing is eloquent and with the resilience of youth his words are laced with humour.

Undefendable is a heart-felt anthology that showcases a town united, coming together and surviving when all odds were against them.

My rating 5/ 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the editors
 
Sarah Kyneston is a berry grower, beekeeper and (as Sulari says) the person in Batlow who knows everyone.
Sulari Gentill is also the author of the 10-book Rowland Sinclair mysteries series, The Hero Trilogy (YA); and two standalone crime novels, Crossing the Lines, and The Woman in the Library.
 

Friday 10 February 2023

Book Review: The Journey by James Norbury

The Journey

by

James Norbury

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon 
 
Publisher: Penguin Australia

Imprint: Michael Joseph
 
Publication date: 18th October 2022 
 
Pages: 160
 
RRP: $35.00AU Hardcover
 
Source: Beauty & Lace Book Club
 
The following review appeared first on Beauty & Lace Book Club 
 

My review of The Journey: Big Panda and Tiny Dragon

This is the perfect book if you are having a bit of self doubt or wondering where you are heading in life. James Norbury has used Buddhist philosophies as Big Panda guides Tiny Dragon through some of life's trying moments. Having a friend by your side makes change just that little bit easier.

My granddaughter grabbed this book and read it as soon as it arrived. She loved the enchanting story about Panda and his best friend Dragon.

The Journey is not aimed at one particular age group, its appeal is all-inclusive.

For children it's an exciting adventure story. For adults it is a story of friendship, overcoming adversity, being in the moment, acceptance, gratitude and weathering life's storms.

The Journey is a beautiful book that would make a precious gift for both child and adult. Charmingly presented in hardcover with gold foil features and a ribbon bookmark. The illustrations move from black and white sketches to colour water washes to tie in with the mood of the story.

This is the second book in the Big Panda and Tiny Dragon series and I'm eager to get the first.

My rating 5/5  πŸΌπŸ‰πŸΌπŸ‰πŸΌ

 

 


Monday 12 September 2022

Book Review: The School by Brendan James Murray

 The School: The ups and downs of one year in the classroom
by
Brendan James Murray

One teacher. One school. One year.

 
Imprint: Picador Australia
 
Publication date: 25th May 2021
 
Genre: Non-Fiction / Biography 
 
Pages: 416
 
RRP: $ 34.99AUD
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
My review of The School
 
Brendan James Murray has been a high school teacher for over a decade. In The School he combines students and events from his vast teaching career into one year at a Government high school situated on the Victorian coast.
 
Murray includes moments from his own life as a student filled with self doubt and bullying as the story moves from present day to his own days at school. His obvious affection for his students shines through as he talks about a myriad of students that come and go through his teaching life and the ones that made a lasting impression. 
 
I didn't agree with all of Murray's thoughts on the education system but I must admit I was nodding along to many of his words.
 
Highly recommended reading for all teachers and parents of teenagers. Adolescence is a hard road and for some teens their teachers are the only positive role models they have. It was encouraging to read about a teacher who is so passionate about his role, not only as a teacher but also as a mentor to these children.
 
The School is an insightful and, at times, heart-wrenching account of life in a secondary school. 
 
My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 
About the author
 
Photo credit: Yanni
Brendan James Murray is an award-winning author and teacher. He has twice received National Literary Awards from the Fellowship of Australian Writers for his short stories, and his first book The Drowned Man, was joint winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Best True Crime in 2017. His second book, the critically acclaimed Venom, was featured in the ABC's Conversations program as part of the 'Best of 2018' series. He lives in the Mornington Peninsula with his wife, who is also a teacher.





Monday 14 March 2022

Book Review: The Magical Girl's Guide to Life by Jacque Aye

The Magical Girl's Guide to Life
by
Jacque Aye 
 
Find your inner power, fight everyday evil & save the day with self-care.
 
Publisher: Ulysses Press
 
Publication date: 21st December 2021
 
Genre: Self Help
 
Pages: 192
 
RRP: $17.95US  $24.95CAN
 
Format read: Hardcover
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Pacific & Court Publicity
 
My review
 
The Magical Girl's Guide to Life is a unique pocket sized book aimed at finding your inner magic and dispelling self-doubt. 

I originally thought this was a middle grade book, just going by the manga style cover, however the book is geared toward a young adult and older readership.
 
Jacque Aye uses scenarios from her favourite anime shows, such as Sailor Moon, Winx Club and cardcaptor Sakura, and explains how these magical girls handled different situations.
 
There are lots of fun exercises, journal prompts and personality tests throughout the book and sections on making friends, expelling self-doubt, caring for yourself, finding love and how to survive a broken heart. I found the book helpful to read a bit at a time, having fun with the quizzes, and learning more about my inner power.
 
Author Jacque Aye is an advocate and vocal supporter of mental health awareness and self-care. The Magical Girl's Guide to Life is a fun little book that will be especially loved by followers of anime and manga readers but will also find a special place on the shelf of any girl who wants their life to be a little less boring and a whole lot more magical.
 
My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Jacque Aye is a therapist-in-training and “Head Magical Girl” of the Adorned by Chi lifestyle brand, Since launching Adorned by Chi in 2015 Jacque has grown her business tremendously, racking in 6-figure sales within the first two years of operation and a development deal within the first five. Adorned by Chi has also worked with the likes of Sanrio, collaborating on a collection for their Small Business, Big Smile initiative. As a leader in the manga and anime space, Jacque has grown her small tight knit community into one that boasts over 100,000 magical beings across social media. She is a vocal supporter of mental health awareness and self care amongst Black women, and advocates for those suffering from social anxiety. In 2020, Adorned by Chi was able to donate $10,000 to the Loveland Foundation. 
 

 
 
 

Wednesday 29 December 2021

Book Review: Christians by Greg Sheridan

 Christians
by
Greg Sheridan
 
The urgent case for Jesus in our world
 
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
 
Publication date: August 2021
 
Genre: Non Fiction / Religion
 
Pages: 384
 
RRP: $32.95 AUD
 
Format read: paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPRMedia
 
About the book
 
From the historical Jesus and his disciples through to the present day, Greg Sheridan has written an impassioned, informed and utterly compelling case for the truth and importance of Christianity in our lives. He presents a strong argument for the historical reliability of the New Testament, meets the living Jesus there, explores the extraordinary personality of Paul, celebrates Mary's activism and examines the magnificent richness of John.

Filled with insights, intelligence, warmth and humor, Greg also introduces us to a range of fascinating Christians today, among them political leaders, and young activists offering the radical Christian interpretation of love to their generation. His book explores the journey of those who have been guided by faith, such as Gemma Sisia, whose school in Tanzania has transformed the lives of thousands of children, and the dynamic Chinese Christians pursuing their beliefs under harsh restrictions. He examines where Jesus can be found in popular culture and talks to Christian leaders - Pentecostal, Catholic, Evangelical and others - in Australia, the US and Britain.
 
My review
 
From the media release: At a time when the chasm of understanding between secularism and faith has never seemed wider, Christians is timely, relevant and convincing. Bill Hayden tells the moving story of his long journey to belief and Peter Cosgrove recounts the experience of prayer and religious belief in the midst of deadly combat.
Christians is a new take on Christianity in popular culture, revealing how people and the New Testament work to powerfully affect lives today. 
 
Christians is a book to learn about the living Jesus. An awe-inspiring look inside the New Testament. Sheridan is not so much trying to convert people but give Christians a fresh look at Christianity and re-invigorate their faith.
Filled with indisputable facts. It does help to know some basics of the bible to understand what Sheridan is explaining about history.
 
Written in a conversational tone Sheridan explores the gospels and uses historical fact to back up his musings. I did find the book hard to read as a novel. It was more a case of picking it up and reading parts of the book to suit my mood.
 
 "Much of the New Testament is sublimely beautiful as literature. Apart from it's religious significance, it justifies reading for aesthetic pleasure as well as literary appreciation and scholarship."
 
Christians was highly entertaining, fascinating reading and thought provoking.
 
My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Greg Sheridan is foreign editor of The Australian and a hugely respected journalist for over 40 years. Greg is fascinated by intellectual, spiritual and human aspects of Christianity, and his previous books include God is Good For You and When We Were Young and Foolish.

Challenges entered: Non Fiction Reading Challenge

                                  Aussie Author Challenge

 

 


 

Thursday 9 September 2021

Book Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master

Exit Through the Gift Shop
by
Maryam Master
Illustrated by Astred Hicks
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Imprint: Pan Australia

Publication date: 27th July 2021

Genre: Children's / Teen

Pages: 216

RRP: $16.99AUD

Format read: paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty & Lace Book Club
 
About the book
 
Anahita Rosalind Ghorban-Galaszczuk (yes, that really is her name but you can call her Ana) is discovering that life is absurd. As if dying of cancer at the age of 12.5 isn't bad enough, she still has to endure daily insults from her nemesis, Alyssa (Queen Mean) Anderson.
 
Ana's on a wild roller-coaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary.
 
And she's got a few things to do before she exits.....
 
My review
 
Exit Through the Gift Shop is Ana’s story. Ana is a 12.5 year old girl with cancer. She writes the book as an English assignment about the last year of her life.

Can I say this is a fun book! Cancer and dying are tough topics but at no time does Maryam Master try to wring the emotion out of her readers.
We follow Ana through what she is told will be her final year of life as she contemplates her own mortality, succumbs to cancer treatments, takes a last hope trip to the USA and faces a ruthless bully.

Ana is very down to earth and philosophical. She has accepted her fate and is ready to make the most of the time that she has. She has quite a sense of humour and her story is written in a dramatic (comedic) way with lots of big bold words and sketches on the pages.

There is a best friend, Al, by her side to support and cheer her up. He is also a little bit silly and not worried about what people think of him. And what’s a teen novel without a nemesis! Here, Alyssa takes the cake with relentless bullying which Ana expects to stop when Alyssa finds out she has cancer. Ana has already graciously decided to forgive her. Alyssa would have to be the embodiment of bullying. I think Alyssa's character is over dramatic but isn't that what a teen novel is all about, the drama!

Maryam Master has written an entertaining novel that will be ideal as a school study novel with the inclusion of metaphors, alliteration and exaggeration. Alyssa, the bully, would be a good case study and excellent discussion point.

Recommended for ages 12 – 16 years
 
My rating  4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

 
About the author
 
Maryam Master was born in Iran and moved to Australia when she was nine. She is a screenwriter and playwright who loves creating shows for young audiences.
She began her career in TV, writing for shows like Home and Away, Blinky Bill and the Jim Henson Company's Bambaloo, in 2011 she was selected by Sesame Workshop as the writer for Elmo's tour of Australia.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is her first novel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021
 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21 
 

Sunday 1 August 2021

Book Review: The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock

The Other Side of Beautiful
by
Kim Lock
 
What happens when fate says 'go'?
 
 
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia
 
Imprint: HQ - Fiction

Publication date: 7th July 2021

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 368

RRP: $29.99AUD

Format read: Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher



About the book
 
Meet Mercy Blain, whose house has just burnt down. Unfortunately for Mercy, this goes beyond the disaster it would be for most people: she hasn't been outside that house for two years now.

Flung out into the world she's been studiously ignoring, Mercy goes to the only place she can. Her not-quite-ex-husband Eugene's house. But it turns out she can't stay there, either.

And so begins Mercy's unwilling journey. After the chance purchase of a cult classic campervan (read tiny, old and smelly), with the company of her sausage dog, Wasabi, and a mysterious box of cremated remains, Mercy heads north from Adelaide to Darwin.

On the road, through badly timed breakdowns, gregarious troupes of grey nomads, and run-ins with a rogue adversary, Mercy's carefully constructed walls start crumbling. But what was Mercy hiding from in her house? And why is Eugene desperate to have her back in the city? They say you can't run forever...
 
My review
 
In The Other Side of Beautiful Kim Lock takes the reader on a journey. Not only a vividly described journey by land from Spalding, South Australia to Darwin, Northern Territory (over 3000 kms) but also a journey of self discovery.
The reader takes this eventful ride right along side Mercy and her pet dachshund, Wasabi.
 
Inspired by the author's own experience with acute anxiety Mercy Blain is a true to life character and her crushing fear felt very real.
 
The Other Side of Beautiful shows how a series of tragedies, one after another, can trigger anxiety and lead to a breakdown. How easy would it be to just hide in your house! That's exactly what Mercy has been doing for the last two years and the book opens with Mercy's home burning to the ground.
 
This all sounds a bit depressing but the story isn't at all depressing as Kim Lock has sprinkled the storyline with humour and quite a few scenes had me laughing out loud. We get to cheer Mercy on as she fights her irrational dread and wild imagination and starts a trip, a bit by accident and a bit on purpose, to prove to herself that she is more than her fear.
Along the way she will face quite a few dramas, some mini meltdowns, an old nemesis and make new friends.
 
The Other Side of Beautiful is rich in humour and vivid imagery of outback  Australian roads, towns and landscapes. This is a sensitive, honest, insightful and heartfelt story, not to be missed.
 
5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Credit: Goodreads

Kim Lock is an internationally published author of four novels. Her writing has also appeared in Kill Your Darlings, The Guardian, Daily Life and The Sydney Morning Herald online, among others. She lives in regional South Australia with her family.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021
 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21
 
 
 

Tuesday 13 April 2021

Book Review: As Swallows Fly by L. P. McMahon

 As Swallows Fly
by
L. P. McMahon
 

 
Publisher: Ventura Press
Publication date: 3rd March 2021
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 384
RRP: $29.99AUD
Format read: Paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
About the book
 
When Malika, a young orphan in rural Pakistan, is savagely attacked, her face is left disfigured and her self-esteem destroyed. Haunted by the assault, she hides from the world, finding solace in her mathematical theories. A few years later, her intellectual brilliance is discovered and she leaves conflict-stricken Pakistan for a better education in Melbourne, where she finds herself placed with Kate—a successful plastic surgeon facing emotional insecurities of her own.
 
Malika and Kate’s lives slowly intertwine as they find within each other what each has lacked alone. At first, Kate’s skills appear to offer a simple solution to Malika’s anguish, but when tragedy strikes, the price of beauty is found to be much higher than either of them could have known.
 
As Swallows Fly is a poignant portrayal of survival, identity and empowerment in a culture dominated by the pursuit of perfection. In a captivating and unforgettable debut, McMahon asks what might be possible if we have the courage to be flawed.
 
My review
 
L. P. McMahon's debut novel As Swallows Fly is poignant and moving. McMahon uses perfection as the driving force behind this story of two women thrown together by circumstance, each finding their new friendship offering the emotional support they lacked.

Kate is a successful plastic surgeon spending her days saving limbs and saving lives. She is overworked and over stressed, always striving for perfection.
The medical procedures and hospital scenes are well described, believable and not overly technical. I wasn't surprised when I later read that the author has an extensive medical background.

Malika, orphaned at the age of 12, is taken to another village and raised as one of their own but when jealousy raises its head and Malika is savagely attacked it is decided she will be safer in Australia to continue her education.

I really enjoyed Malika's part  of the story. Her life in Pakistan was realistically described and I can imagine a village accepting a young orphan into their mix and bringing her up as their own. When Malika started teaching lessons to the other girls she was told to stop by the village elders but they also showed how proud they were of her academic achievements. 

McMahon has included themes of belonging, jealousy, secrets, moving on from the past, the pursuit of perfection and the importance of friendship.

From the life of a young girl in Pakistan to the rooms of the University of Melbourne deciphering theories and equations Malika's story is heart-breaking and awe inspiring.
Together Kate and Malika learn that an unlikely friendship can lead to healing and self acceptance.

5/5     ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author


L. P. McMahon was born in Melbourne. His writing career began as a medical student, and he has since won or been shortlisted for multiple national and regional short story competitions. He has travelled, lectured and published widely in his medical career, living and working in Oxford, Berlin, Pakistan, Newfoundland and New Zealand. He currently directs a busy medical department as Professor of Nephrology at Monash University. As Swallows Fly is his debut novel. 
 
Challenges entered:  Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21


Saturday 6 February 2021

Book Review: Gone to the Woods by Gary Paulsen

Gone to the Woods
by
Gary Paulsen
 
A TRUE STORY OF GROWING UP IN THE WILD

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan  
Imprint: Macmillan Children's Books 
Publication date: 12th January 2021
Genre: Children's / Teenage / Memoir
Pages: 224
RRP: $16.99AUD
Format read: Paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
About the book
 
From the author of the bestselling Hatchet comes a true story of high-stakes wilderness survival!

At the age of five Gary Paulsen escaped from a shocking Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead, finding a powerful respect for nature that would stay with him throughout his life. At the age of thirteen a librarian handed him his first book, and there he found a lasting love of reading. As a teenager he desperately enlisted in the Army, and there amazingly discovered his true calling as a storyteller.

A moving and enthralling story of grit and growing up, Gone to the Woods is perfect for newcomers to the voice and lifelong fans alike, from the acclaimed author at his rawest and realest.
 
My review
 
I'm finding it hard to know where to start with this story. My son, when young, was a huge Hatchet fan. He read the book over and over and talked of it often. This is how I came to know the name Gary Paulsen, so when I heard he had written a memoir of his childhood I jumped at the chance to read it.

Gary Paulsen writes with stark reality, there is no softening around the edges. He writes about life exactly as he lived it and some scenes are quite gruesome. The story contains vivid descriptions of a train load of injured soldiers and also a frenzied shark attack on the passengers of a plane crash. What I found most distressing is that these are actual real events witnessed by Paulsen as a young child.

The story is narrated in third person with Paulsen referring to himself as 'the boy', so it reads more like a fiction novel than the usual memoir with first person narration.

Paulsen takes moments from his life and weaves a story around that event introducing history and education into the narrative.

The boy, at age 5, after living a life of neglect with his mother, is sent to live with his aunt and uncle on a farm. Here he learns to work hard and to live off the land but mostly he learnt how it felt to  belong. Every sight, sound and smell the boy experiences comes alive on the page. These few years are what set him up to survive life when he was taken back by his mother. What followed  was years of neglect, poverty, bullying and hunger.
The story isn't all bleak as Paulsen interjects humour into even the bleakest events.
 
When he discovers the library and the librarian who gently encourages him to read more and more books that broaden his mind a whole new world of hope is opened up to him.
 
Paulsen's writing starts out soft and gentle when he is a young child naive and fragile, as his life moves on you can feel the writing is more jaded, edgy. Then as a teen, 16 - 17, the writing is angry, disillusioned. I find this type of character change through words and sentence structure unique and engaging.
 
Gone to the Woods is a harrowing and moving true life story of resilience, perseverance and the healing power of books. Narrated with warmth and humour it is touching and informative.

This book is being marketed as middle grade but I would recommend 12+ as there are some quite horrifying and descriptive scenes of war and a shark attack.

5/5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author


Credit: Pan Macmillan

Gary Paulsen has received great acclaim and many awards for his novels written for young people. HATCHET, and its sequel, THE RETURN, are among his best-known works. He has sailed the Pacific and competed in the gruelling 1,049 mile Iditarod dog-sled race across Alaska. He lives with his family in New Mexico, USA.


 
 
 
 
 
Challenge entered: Non Fiction Readers Challenge 
#2021ReadNonFic
 
 

Friday 15 May 2020

Blog Tour Book Review: The Checklist Book by Alexandra Franzen


The Checklist Book
by
Alexandra Franzen

Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day



Publisher: Mango Publishing Group
Publication date: 14th January 2020
Genre: Non-Fiction / Self Help
Pages: 160
Format read: eBook
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Simplicity at its best: The checklist is one of the world’s oldest―and most effective―productivity systems. If anything, author and entrepreneur Alexandra Franzen shares, it is just as valuable now as it was during the days of the Roman Empire. Writing out a simple checklist allows us to tangibly plan our day and set in stone what we want to accomplish.

In the life-changing Checklist Book, learn:

The history of the checklist and why it remains to be relevant and effective today
The science behind the success of checklists, such as the instant satisfaction we feel when we put a check next to a finished task
How to create a basic daily checklist―and checklists for specific situations, like moving to a new city or navigating a divorce


I’ve always been a maker of lists. There is something satisfying about making a list and checking things off, and basking in the glow of accomplishment.

My lists have never gone further than a daily list of things I want to, or must, get done. However The Checklist Book is more than an organisational help book. It’s about making realistic goals and breaking them down to daily, weekly and long term goals. It’s about making the life you wish to live into the life you are actually living.

Alexandra explains the idea of checklists in a fun and informative way. Her checklist concept is broken down step by step so it is easy to start with the basics and build on this to achieve the goals you set for yourself.
This book goes beyond the daily “must do” checklist to things to do simply for well being. Think about what matters most to you each day, simple things, and live them.

Something that was a great help for me was the inclusion of Alexandra’s example checklists that you can tweak to suit your lifestyle and what you love.

There is no hard and fast set of rules. Alexandra understands that not everyone is the same so her personal list may not suit someone else. There is great flexibility throughout the book.




        "It’s not just writing down a bunch of stuff I need to do."


Through The Checklist book I discovered so much more to list making and a way to reduce stress and feel calmer every day.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This review is part of the Non-Fiction reader challenge   #2020ReadNonFic
 
ALEXANDRA FRANZEN is the author of several books, including SO THIS IS THE END: A LOVE STORY (2018), YOU'RE GOING TO SURVIVE (2017) and 50 WAYS TO SAY "YOU'RE AWESOME" (2013).

She has written articles for dozens of sites, including Time, Forbes, Newsweek, HuffPost, The Muse, and Lifehacker. She's been mentioned/quoted in The New York Times Small Business Blog, The Atlantic, USA Today, BuzzFeed, Brit+Co, and Inc.

Alexandra is best-known for writing about creativity, productivity, the power of setting tiny goals, how to develop more confidence in your writing skills, and how to stay motivated, keep working towards your personal and professional dreams, and never give up.

She also works as a copywriter, ghostwriter, writing teacher, and consultant. She helps her clients to develop podcasts, videos, websites, speeches, books, and other creative projects.

The Checklist Book is available to purchase online at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or your favourite book retailer.


Please check the other posts on the WOW! Women on Writing blog tour 

Wednesday 5 February 2020

Book Review: Être: Girls, Who Do You Want to Be? by Illana Raia

Être: Girls, Who Do You Want to Be?
by
Illana Raia

Wise Words for World-Changing Girls


Publisher: Être Press 
Publication date: 11th October 2019
Genre: Middle Grade / Young Adult Non Fiction
Pages: 204
RRP: $22.95USD (approx $34AUD)
Format: large format paperback
Source: Courtesy of Smith Publicity


Être means "to be." And girls, middle school is not too young to ask yourself this all-important question: Who do YOU want to be? Think of this book as a smart big sister in your backpack, encouraging you to stick with what you love and helping you springboard your authentic interests into more.
SO . . . WHAT IS ÊTRE? A bold, full color magazine-style collection of articles breaking down big ideas like financial confidence, mentorship, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship for today’s motivated girls. Organized by topic (#BeSmart, #BeWi$e, #BeInnovative), and featuring Insta-inspired graphics, Être offers wise words to world-changing girls . . . at exactly the right time.
WHO’S IN IT? Get ready for empowering quotes and interviews from luminary women alongside input from inspiring girls across the country.
WHO’S IT FOR? Middle and high school girls everywhere . . . and the moms, big sisters, and cool aunts reading over their shoulders.

 
It all starts with the Middle Grade girl aged 8 – 12. These girls are smart thinkers they want to know what’s happening beyond the latest Tiktok and Instagram sensation.
These girls won’t be following the latest trends they will be making them.

This book is for you!
Set out in ten different chapters, each with it’s own motivational hashtag. #BeSmart #BeInnovative #BeWi$e #BeConnected #BeStrong #BeInformed #BeCharitable #BeBrave #BeHappy #BeWellRead.

Etre is a resource and mentorship platform for girls which first started as an online resource and Illana Raia has now put all these ideas into a book that can be referred to time and time again as girls come across different challenges or feel that need for motivation in different areas during their growing years.

This book not only teaches girls to be smart outspoken and well informed but to also offer to help others by being a mentor. Be a role model to younger girls.

Filled with motivational quotes, questions and answers from women who have made a difference and interviews with girls just like the targeted reader. The Être board is made up of young women, teens and pre-teens (aged 10 – 18) who know how the pre-teen mind works.

It teaches girls not to be all out competitive but form a group, work together, study together, help each other out.

Build each other up, instead of tearing each other down’

This is an inspiring book for girls wondering if they are too young to make a difference.

I’m not generally into motivational books but this book has changed my opinion and I would recommend this for all girls aged 8 – 18. This is not a book to be read in one sitting but opened at the appropriate chapter for the time. An election coming up or major news event; read #BeInformed. It’s the start of the sports season; read #BeStrong.

The book concludes with a list of instagramers you really should be following, appropriate E-resources and a list of websites to dig deeper into each chapter.

I was blown away by this book. Highly recommended!
  

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 
 My rating  5/5


Illana is a former Skadden, Arps lawyer, an occasional guest lecturer at Columbia University, and the founder of Être - a mentorship platform for motivated girls.

Illana has contributed to the Huffington Post, Medium, Ellevate and Thrive Global since Être's launch in 2016, breaking down timely topics for the younger set, and was named a Mogul Influencer in 2017. She was featured in The Balance Project Interviews in 2018 and the #WomenWhoRock photo campaign in 2019 and has been a recent guest on podcasts and radio; Illana's journey from attorney to founder was also profiled in Forbes.

Illana graduated with honors from Smith College and received her JD from the University of Chicago, where she was managing editor of the Legal Forum. She lives happily in NYC and at the Jersey Shore with her husband and two children, and is unapologetically nerdy.


This review is part of the Non Fiction Reader Challenge #2020ReadNonFic