Reading Fanatic Reviews
All Nonfiction ReviewsWeight Loss Mastery by Jonathan Green and S. J. Scott
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Weight Loss Mastery*
Good Habits but Some Issues
This book combines several ideas to aid weight loss framed in the form of habits that should be adopted. I’ve seen the concepts in other places but not necessarily together. The book not only contains five habits to cultivate for weight loss but also discusses what they call the six pillars of weight loss mastery, which are mostly about mindset. Within each of the habit sections, the authors list strategies and steps to achieve the habit.
The five habits that are the cornerstone of this book are nothing truly unique. They include things like making better food choices, mindful eating, and moving more. I thought the book started in a way that was perhaps a little shaming of someone who is overweight. Not everyone who is fat is afraid of intimacy, for instance, and to imply that and the other things mentioned, the authors seem to be saying that fat must (or should) equal personal shame for every person who is fat. This isn’t necessarily so, and for those teetering on the edge of self-worth problems because of weight issues, such discussion is more harmful than helpful. The first section also gives links to a bunch of studies about the dangers of obesity. Having studied as a nurse, I would caution against taking any one study’s results to be the be-all, end-all say in any matter.
The book’s subtitle states that this book will help you shed belly fat. “Flat belly” is certainly a buzz phrase at the moment. But in searching the book, I don’t really see where this is specifically about targeting belly fat—which you can’t really do anyway. The only mention of belly fat in the book is in the section on food talking about black beans! This section listed what the authors called “fat-burning” foods but actually gave no evidence or information about why these would be considered “fat burning.” They were just natural, healthy foods. I’d like to see the data on that a fat-burning claim. Despite this, the combination of habit-building techniques is actually pretty decent. There are just some issues with shaming voice, the somewhat disingenuous subtitle, and some of the “facts.”
Travel as Transformation by Gregory V. Diehl
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Smashwords, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Travel as Transformation*
A Very Different, Personal Book About Travel with Call to Action
This book is part manifesto, part travelog, part travel tips, and part call to action to find your truest self through the native-culture-shedding practice of solo travel. The book begins with the manifesto, where the author states plainly why he believes that travel is the key to transformation and understanding of both yourself and the world on levels that may surprise you. He talks briefly about some of his own world travels, which are pretty extensive for a person who is still so relatively young. He branches out into tips like how to approach trials and challenges. He gets almost metaphysical at times, discussing the ways that travel can help you both find your core self but ultimately change it. He definitely advocates for people of all ages to travel, especially alone and without safety nets. That, he says, is how you truly get to better know yourself and discover your possibilities. This is an insightful and intriguing read, especially for anyone who loves to travel or even loves the idea of it. You might find yourself bitten by the travel bug. Interestingly, I read it just a day before the year anniversary of my last foreign travel, and the book has made me want to dig out my passport and see more of the world again.
The Minimalist Babe by Lola R. Marie
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
The Minimalist Babe*
Cut, Tidy, and Declutter Your Life
Minimalism is certainly a trendy topic right now, and in this book, the author shares her own personal journey and insights into returning to her minimalist roots. She states at the beginning that she believes that we are all born minimalist but become more maximalist as we become part of our culture.
The first section addresses why this topic could be important in your life, and then further chapters look at specific aspects of life, like mind, body, soul, environment, and money. Several topics are explored within these aspects (like the Soul part looking at spiritual practices as well as your social circle), and everywhere she encourages you to declutter and simplify all parts of your life. Not everything will relate to everyone. Not everyone is addicted to, say, taking selfies. But she does bring up much food for thought about where you might be over-complicating your life and perhaps causing yourself some distress. Parts of this book felt a little too personal for me. The author does not hesitate to share her own stories and her own minimalist journey. It does make sense in a book like this to share those kinds of details; it is still just mildly uncomfortable. That said, if you’re looking to live your life more minimally, this book could guide you to a more on that approach in several parts of your life.
Affiliate Marketing by Ankur Agarwal
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Affiliate Marketing*
Bare Bones Blueprint for Affiliate Marketing
It’s kind of funny, but just the day before this book became available on my favorite book review site, I actually bought access to some software produced by the author. So he does know affiliate marketing from the inside because he actually creates products that affiliates can buy and use, sell, and license. Unfortunately, in this book, he has oversold in the subtitle what he’s going to share. As someone who has done affiliate marketing in the past and is beginning to increase her efforts again, I can tell you that what he offers in this book is a solid, though bare bones, way to approach affiliate marketing in 2019. Everything he talks about in this book is indeed things you need to think about currently if you want to become an affiliate: niches, branding, products, lead pages, bonuses, email lists, social and other marketing, et. But the amount of information he gives in this book is really only just enough to get you started. In some of the areas he discusses, there is not really enough for you to truly get started; it’s more like he’s letting you know the parameters of the game but not giving the game away completely. You would still need to do quite a bit of research to get yourself up and running as an affiliate. I would call this a blueprint for affiliate marketing, but nothing beyond that—not even the rough frame, so to speak, to carry the architect metaphor further. But if you are interested in affiliate marketing, this book will definitely give you insight into what you need to consider if you are thinking about venturing into affiliate marketing.
How to Learn by Jonathan Firth
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
How to Learn*
Excellent Guide About How to Study
I have read a lot of nonfiction books lately where the author just seems to be attempting to cash in on the quick reads the categories on Amazon, producing a book that is light on content or perhaps even just cobbled together from a variety of websites. (I can’t tell you how many of those in particular I’ve seen lately.) So it was an absolute delight to see a nonfiction book, particularly one on learning, that has more steak than sizzle. This book is actually written by an instructor at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland who is also a researcher. So he’s got some bona fides. The book actually does deliver solid information on how to best learn while in university/college courses, much of it backed up by actual scientific studies.
The book follows a logical structure, first looking at flawed learning strategies and exploring what learning is. He even goes into some brain science throughout the book. Then he talks about study habits and ways to make learning last. Surprisingly, one of the chapters is called Focus and Passion, the latter being about emotionally engaging with the subject. Who would ever associate learning with passion? Final chapters look at exam preparation and examining your own learning.
I found one thing highly amusing, as a person who reads a lot of nonfiction aimed at the general public, especially in the self-help field. I’m used to seeing nonfiction book chapters end in a series of questions or tasks to do. But you can tell this guy is a university professor because his questions at the end of the chapter more test your knowledge about what you just read rather than have you act on it! For instance, his review question on the Pomodoro Technique didn’t ask you to use it but rather asked you what it is, how long the study sessions are, and how long the breaks are.
I don’t think the book is accurately titled, though the subtitle is accurate. This really isn’t a book about how to learn. Rather, it is a book about how to study for high school or college/university courses. I think there was one rather large omission. Since this book was so well done, I would have loved to have seen a little discussion about learning and the older student. Having been one who went to college for the first time at the age of 17 and then returned for more education at the age of 42, I know that learning is very different depending on your age, and your study habits have to change in order to accommodate an aging brain (though it appalls me to have to admit that!). All in all, this is a well-written and researched book from which, if you have a need to learn how to study for advanced high school classes, college, or university, you might glean some very beneficial insights.
Daily Guide to Help Rewire Your Brain by Milo Blake
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Daily Guide to Help Rewire Your Brain*
I Don’t Understand the High Reviews
My goodness, where to start with this book? I don’t quite understand how this has gotten so many high reviews here. It is barely a book, especially if you take out the repetitious information. I find the title a bit overblown for what the book is. It is about affirmations. The author just seemed to load the title with popular buzzwords and catchphrases like rewiring your brain, mind hacking, and positive thinking. The author does talk briefly about affirmations and the power of the mind, but honestly, some of it is actually laughable and just dead wrong. For instance, he stated rather boldly at the start of a paragraph in the introductory section that most people suffer from mental illness. I am a nurse, and I would strongly disagree with that statement.
The book is somewhat strangely organized. The bulk of the book, as you might imagine, is taken up with affirmations on typical topics like gratitude, passion, abundance, confidence, etc. But what is bizarre about this very short book is that, for whatever reason, the author lists the affirmations for each topic twice, the second repetition being the same sentences with the words “30 seconds of calm music” in between each affirmation, as if he were talking about a recording of the affirmations. Nowhere in the PDF I got as a review copy showed any links to meditation tracks from the author. What’s odd, too, is that one chapter is full of affirmations on a variety of topics, the ones I mentioned above. The next chapter is just on strength, just as short as those other topics (not expanded, which could make it need its own chapter). Why wasn’t this just included in that chapter, or conversely, why weren’t all those that were listed in the one chapter put out into their own chapters? It’s just rather strange. The affirmations themselves seem fine, but nothing groundbreaking on these topics.
For the issues mentioned above, I can’t recommend this book. If you are looking for affirmations, you would be better to look at other books or just go onto YouTube and search for the kind of affirmations that you’re looking for.
Negotiate without Negotiating by Aaron Leyshon
Available at Amazon, Kobo, Mondadori, and Angus & Robertson
Negotiation without Negotiating*
Some Good Techniques for Collaborative Negotiation, Introvert or Not
In this book, the author combines two topics, introversion and negotiation. I found his section on introversion to be not wholly correct. I am wondering where he got some of his information from. The section did mention, of course, the Myers-Briggs test and the different types of introversion defined by it as well as something I had never heard of that uses the acronym of STAR (social, thinking, anxious, and restrained types of introversion). About the first third of the book or so discusses introversion in general, not really relating it to negotiation at all.
The negotiation section of the book takes up the bulk of it. I didn’t really find it to be super specific to introverts in negotiation; he just seemed to share some good insights into the process that anyone could use. I found the title to be a bit disingenuous because, of course, the book is actually about negotiation. It is just that the style that he proposes is more collaborative than adversarial, but it is still negotiation. I enjoy nonfiction, and I read a lot of it, but I found myself completely surprised that the author used mild profanity throughout the whole book. I don’t like seeing profanity in fiction, and I don’t particularly appreciate it in nonfiction. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen in a nonfiction book that is about a business topic. I hope it doesn’t become a trend, as it has in some genres of contemporary romance. All in all, the author did share some good techniques for collaborative negotiation.
101 Writing Prompts by Jenn Maxwell
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
101 Writing Prompts*
Nice Collection of Prompts
As the title states, this book has 101 writing prompts. Though the subtitle states that this will help you write your novel, only one chapter of prompts (about plots) specifically deals with things you can do with the characters in your work-in-progress novel. Most of the prompts give either a time or a word-number deadline. The author divides the book into several sections, like memories and the supernatural. Now and again, I enjoy working with writing prompts, and I thought that some of these were good suggestions. In fact, #99 is one of my favorites. Some prompts here, like #100, could inspire variations. Some were surprisingly creative. Somewhere not simple, requiring you to do some research either online or out in the real world. If you enjoy writing prompts, this book may be a good addition to your collection.
The Triple Threat Guided Workouts by Yara Guillard
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Triple Threat Guided Workouts*
Workouts Safe for the Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting
On Amazon, the title and book description state that this book is meant to be an audio book buddy for you to use during a workout. I’m not exactly sure how that works on the Amazon end, but when I got this from my favorite online book review site, it came as just a regular Kindle book. I think something is lost in the translation just looking at the words of an audiobook such as this. The author is a trainer who has created what she believes are effective workouts for her clients who are on the keto diet and use intermittent fasting. She has designed workouts that have three key elements, stretching and flexibility, low-level cardio, and stability exercises. She states that her clients have had very good results with this. The core of this book is essentially 12 different workouts. She wants you to set up a month’s long exercise regimen of three workouts per week, with at least a day off in between, so each of the 12 workouts is for one session. The exercises looked basic and good, appropriate for someone who is putting their body in a stress state. If you are into keto and intermittent fasting and have been wondering what to do for your workouts, this book may be just what you are looking for.
Be a Holistic Healing Heroine by Yara Guillard
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Be a Holistic Healing Heroine*
Good All-Round Keto/IF Guidebook
In this book, fitness trainer Yara Guillard attempts to explain keto and intermittent fasting (what they are, the “science” behind it, and how to implement it) and give hints and tips that will help you live a more keto-friendly life if that’s your diet of choice. While I didn’t necessarily agree with some of her scientific statements—as an RN who has taken a lot of anatomy and physiology—I believe that much of the rest of the information is sound, like how to deal with the keto flu and handle social aspects of having such a restricted diet. Of course, since she is a trainer, the information about exercise is probably spot-on; she did also put out another book at the same time just on keto-friendly workouts. So long as you don’t take the science too seriously, I think this is a worthwhile book if you are following a keto and intermittent fasting plan.
Used To Build My Websites
NetGalley Badges