Read and Smile!
September is the new January, or at least it’s a warm up for New Year’s
Are you smiling these days? Perhaps you are on the outside- but are you smiling on the inside, too? Is the real ‘you’ hidden by a mask?
There’s a book for that!
Are you sad? Have you felt your positive thoughts to be nothing more than bubbles? One pOp and those bubbles are gone, but none of your troubles have vanished.
There’s a book for that!
Job, goals, ambitions? And what about your health? Who are YOU?
Yep, there’s a book for that, too!
Ready for a September Change?
Time to Get Happy! Spend a happy hour or two with a positive book!
I have read and reviewed all these books and learned so much from each one. Some books are humorous, upbeat, or inspirational. All of them will add something to your life. Enjoy!
JENA’S REVIEW
Whatever You Do, Be Happy: 400 Things to Think Do for a Happy Life by Julia Dellitt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Here’s a sunny-looking book of happiness. The subtitle is “400 things to Think & Do for a Happy Life” and the author encourages us to try a variety of mood-boosters. We can look for happiness no matter where we are. Simply reading this positive and uplifting book will help fill your happiness tank. You may not want to read this book all at once, it’s fun to browse and choose a few ideas each day. Keep this book on your nightstand!
The book presents short topics such as health and mindfulness, but the most fun for me was to browse the short paragraphs and look for good ideas. Here’s what appealed to me;
Be a little Full of Yourself- Confidence Matters
Write your own Elevator Pitch
Watch a Cartoon
Read comics or graphic novels- especially if this is something new for you
Play with a Magnetic Poetry Set
Style a Shelf
Master a New Skill
Wear Pajamas during the day. This is akin to the old-fashioned idea of “changing in to your play clothes.”
As you can see, very little expense is needed to make a happy life. A guide like this helps us to see what is possible. Wouldn’t this book make a nice gift?
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Adams Media. This is my honest review.
How to Go from Broken to Blest by Adele M Gill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In her 2017 memoir, author Adele Gill wrote of her personal journey from “Broken to Blest”,
From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You
In 2020, she sensed that many lives were being challenged and broken and that we needed help, a “how to” book. In these times is it possible to go from broken to blest? Yes! Written in a simple, yet powerful way, the calm conviction of this book will soothe you and encourage you.
Are you struggling? We all have, or we are, or we will be struggling in the future. We are human- it’s part of our condition. And the list of concerns is long: the pandemic, dealing with health issues, mental health concerns, social issues, personal relationship and job problems! What can we do?
The author presents six easy steps. These are the steps that she herself followed. I highlighted most of the words and Bible verses in this book as I read it. Here are a few thoughts that resonated with me.
God is in control.
Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He loves you unconditionally.
Put aside worry and fear. Pray!
Choose to have hope and a positive attitude. Eliminate the “What if’s”.
Take the high road
Let God do His finest work in your life.
This book also contains a 6 Week Small Group Discussion Guide which is brilliant-thorough and well-organized.
This short book will not take you long to read. You will want to read it over and over. You may also want to give this book as a gift to friends and family. You can be strengthened TODAY. I highly recommend this warm and welcoming book.
Adele M. Gill is a retired RD and a certified community Chaplain in outreach to the homeless and those in most need.
My thanks to the author for a review copy. This is my honest review.
Unstoppable in Stilettos: A Girl’s Guide to Living Tall in a Small World by Lauren Ruotolo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The picture of success is on the cover of this enthusiastic and positive memoir. Lauren Tuotolo is our “guide to living tall in a small world.” She has an exciting career at the peak of entertainment PR, and yes, she’s only 4’2”. A small part of her story is that she has a rare genetic disease. The tall part of her tale is she strapped on her stilettos and created an exciting life- and she’s sharing her wisdom and skills with us.
In each chapter of this upbeat and snappy book, the author begins with Lauren’s Lesson and then uses her life to show us how it’s done. Get ready for the “top ten things I find unforgettable”, “refuse to be anyone but yourself”, and “the road might be tough, but that’s no excuse for sitting on the curb.” What’s the most important thing you can do for yourself? Her answer- “love yourself”. Now, Ms. Tuotolo began to figure this all out when she was five!
What a great book to give yourself. You will enjoy the author’s stories and her energy! Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a review copy. This is my honest review.
Dream Big: Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It by Bob Goff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The subtitle of Dream Big is “Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It”. Seems a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it? Well it turns out that the author, Bob Goff, is “a lover of balloons, cake pops, and helping people pursue their big dreams” (that’s what his Amazon bio says.) I will listen to anyone who loves cake pops and it turns out that the author and his book were even better than all the treats he loves.
I will be rereading the book again, very soon. I read it quickly the first time- because his anecdotes are so funny, and comforting and they got my brain to thinking and reconsidering. I couldn’t wait to get to the next story, so I do need to spend more time with the nuts and bolts of the book. And I promise I will dive in to the Reflection Questions and Action Ideas too, which are almost like another book- loaded with more good info. Yes, this is an entertaining and relatable book that really helped me because I usually find self-help books hard to understand.
The big idea here is how to determine and then achieve your ambitions, big or small. I highlighted so many parts of the book. What really resonated with me on my first read is the idea of being available to people, all the time. That idea had all ready been tickling in my brain, so I am now even more open. Stop by! Here’s another idea- how about quitting something every Thursday? That’s easy to understand, isn’t it? You can quit a task, chore, habit, anything that’s taking up space in the junk drawer of your brain.
This is currently my favorite idea from the book- We shouldn’t be like a baseball umpire. No need to call balls and strikes on each other. Rather, we should be a base coach waving people on as they hustle and round the bases to home. (I hope you remember baseball…)
Enjoy this inspiring, informative and positive book. I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Nelson Book. This is my honest review.
the Escape Place: A Woman’s Guide to Running Away from Home Without Leaving by Lyn Vandebrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Welcome to “A Woman’s Guide to Running Away from Home Without Leaving”. I give this book 5 stars for fun and creativity. In well-written and charming essays, the author presents a variety of different women and their “escape places”. The author also shares her quest for the perfect space, along with practical suggestions for how to build your own getaway.
Yes, we’re talking about “she-sheds” or at least the concept of she-sheds. Whether you are a busy Mom, or adjusting to retirement with your spouse, you’ve probably longed for “Me Time” and your own space. It’s ok to give yourself the gift of renewal.
How do you envision such a dream? Some of the women featured in the book wanted a break from the constant demands of family, while others wanted space to nurture their souls- a writing nook, a craft room or painter’s studio. I enjoyed reading about all the different ways women created their own escape places.
Susanna Wesley (1669-1742), mother of Charles and John, (aka the “Mother of Methodism”) raised 10 children, maintained the farm, milked the cow, led Bible studies. She needed a respite, and the only way she could get it was to raise her apron, cover her head and ignore the world for a bit.
On one side of the spectrum we have an apron as an escape place. The author’s she-shed is definitely on the opposite end. She went for the chichier she-shed and readers will enjoy how she created a modern day one room log cabin in her pony pasture. In between these two examples, we have many other charming stories- a craft room in a bit of a porch, an office in a broom closet, even a cozy area in a
field of bamboo.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these pleasant stories. Thanks to NetGalley and Wordcrafts Press for a review copy. This is my honest review.
The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds Through Others’ Eyes by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For many of us in 2019, Mr. Lewis may seem to be a daunting and iconic towering figure of literature. Although you may know of his works of fantasy, Christian thought, or literary essays, I suspect that many of us today might react to his name with a shrug. “Oh, his work is too deep for me; I can’t understand him.”
I suggest you take some time for yourself, for your soul, and give The Reading Life a try. This is a book to take to your garden. As you enjoy the sun, a light breeze, chirping birds, and pretty flowers, relax and fill yourself with the sublime words of C.S. Lewis.
Mr. Lewis wrote over 30 works and was a literary professor, but most of all, he loved the reading life. This book has two main parts. The first part features essays and excerpts by Mr. Lewis “On the Art and Joy of Reading”. The selected essays are a good introduction to Lewis. The second part features “Short Readings on Reading.” This section features small bites of his pithy prose.
Mr. Lewis tells us that “he grew up in a sea of books.” He makes a case for reading the old classics. By doing this, we are going back to foundational writings, the source, so we can determine the meaning for ourselves. In another essay he gives us a way to determine if we are a true reader. You may be surprised to learn that he approved of reading books for pleasure!
I read the entire book from beginning to end, in preparation for this review. But this is a book I will cherish, and I will enjoy “dipping in” into it to reread parts of it over and over. I recommend that you give yourself the pleasure and delight of getting to know Mr. Lewis. If you already familiar with his works, this book will be like chatting with a good friend. Please consider giving this book to your family and friends who are readers.
Thanks to the editors of this book, David C. Downing, Codirector of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College and Michael G. Maudlin, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, HarperOne. Many thanks to HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers for the lovely hardback book review copy. This is my honest review.
Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family by Mitch Albom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am blessed to have had the opportunity to read this book prior to its release on November 5, 2019. To all the fans of Mitch Albom, and who isn’t a fan-his books have collectively sold more than 40 million copies- I can assure you that this non-fiction book is Mr. Albom at his best.
The book is subtitled “a little girl, an earthquake and the making of a family”. The little girl is Chika, a three year old child who was orphaned in the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010. As a result, Chika came to live in the Haitian orphanage run by the author. “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” Chika’s vibrant and assertive personality made her a favorite. When she was five, she developed some devastating symptoms and so Mr. Albom brought her back to America for treatment.
Chika’s prognosis was grim, but that is not the real story of this book. The real story is how “Mr. Mitch”, “Miss Janine” and Chika created a family. In his simple, clear, open way, the author shares how the love for a child changed his life for the better. He saw that a family can be created from a variety of materials and God’s love shines through children.
Filled with faith, inspiration, and hope, this lovely book will take you away from your everyday concerns and have you thinking about life, love and the big picture. If you cry easily, this book will wrench you from the start. But I don’t think Chika would want you to be sad. She would want you to live and have fun and tell people that you love them.
Many thanks to NetGalley, and HarperCollins Publishers for a digital review copy. This is my honest review. And thanks to the author for his beautiful spirit. Mr. Albom founded a charity in Detroit that oversees nine full-time charities and in 2010 he began operating a mission and orphanage in Haiti.
Life’s a Banquet by Robin Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Author Robin Bennett’s memoir bases its title on a popular quote from a well-loved movie. Auntie Mame: “Yes! Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!” As Mr. Bennett shows us in his engaging riches to rags to riches story, he has fully partaken in the banquet of life. Good for him and lucky for us that we can learn and laugh from his witty and positive reflections.
Now about age 50, Author Bennett looks back at his life through the frame of how he became successful, in business, and his personal life. He begins his story with a prologue that features a list of helpful Life Tips. Here are a few that resonated with me:
“Always do what needs to be done immediately.” (And its corollary, Never miss an opportunity to go to the loo.)
“Polite and kind always beats clever.”
“There are twenty-four hours in a day: sleep for eight, work for eight and play for eight.”
The author tells us about his growing up years with his loving, but somewhat unusual family. As an American, I know that most American readers will savor his stories of life at British boarding school and university. Although he planned to join the Calvary, he decides not to take this path, and instead has to build an adult life from scratch. At times, things were going badly and then they were going very well. And this pattern continued for him, as it does through life.
Mr. Bennet sums it all up in his modest and amiable way: he was good at making money, starting new businesses, communicating with his “fellow human beings” and being happy. For all the laughs and chuckles in this book, there are moments of sadness, and worry, too. Writing truly feeds Mr. Bennett’s soul and adds to his pleasure, and now he has added to our pleasure by sharing his life with us.
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for a review copy. This is my honest review.
Our Better Angels: Seven Simple Virtues That Will Change Your Life and the World by Jonathan Reckford
Jonathon Reckford is the the CEO of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that “helps people in your community and around the world build or improve a place they can call home.” Habitat for Humanity was found in 1976 in Americus, Ga and I guarantee that today there is a Habitat organization close to your home.
When we think of Habitat, we envision people getting together to build a house. Author Reckford also sees this, but he sees more. He sees the virtues that we gain, those better angels of our nature, by sharing together: kindness, generosity, community, empowerment, respect, joy and service. This book brings these virtues to life by sharing stories of people, whether the owners of a Habitat house, or a volunteer house builder who have changed and grown through Habitat.
These are feel-good, Chicken Soup for the Soul stories. As we “visit” building sites in the US and around the world, we learn that there is power in committed loving and caring. It’s inspiring to learn that an ordinary person with a tool-belt, or a mother who dreams of a better life her family can change the world. My favorite story was about salsa, and Eric, from Immokalee, Florida. The tomato farms of Immokalee produce most of the wintertime tomatoes for America. It’s a poor area. Eric’s family had qualified for a Habitat home. He and his high school classmates like him now had hope and they wanted to do more, something that would honor and help their community. So they came up with the idea of making and selling salsa! You will enjoy reading how this all unfolded and how it led to more dreams being realized.
This book is enjoyable and uplifting and would be a good gift. And who knows? Maybe you’ll want to pick up a hammer and start volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press Essentials for a digital review copy. This is my honest review.
The Life-Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self by Tyler Reagin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You wake up- it’s a work day! Are you excited about the day ahead, or do you grown and hide under the covers? Are you a life giving leader or do you wonder if you even have what it takes to be a leader? Here’s what the Author might say to you- “Let’s live lives we like!”
Tyler Reagin has written a clear and positive book to guide you to give your best, to yourself and others, in the ministry or in the marketplace. Each chapter is filled with concise and meaningful words of power that are easy to remember. He will plant the seeds for you to grow.
He quotes scripture, and Jesus, and also gives us advice from variety or sources- from Downton Abbey and Martin Luther King. The Author has a friendly and exhuberant style and is quite willing to share interesting stories from his own life. (Note to Mr. Reagin- I like the crispy M & M’s, too!)
Are you self-confident? Are you healthy? Do you accept yourself and appreciate that God created you how he wants you to be? Do you like the way you live, work and play? Each chapter teaches and then challenges you to lean in to Jesus and be yourself.
This book inspired me and I took many notes, and marked many pages as I read it. I know I will be referring to it again and again. Learn to be a life giving leader with this life enhancing book. Highly recommend.
Thanks to Waterbrook Press f
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