Book Review - Aliveness Mindset: Lead and Live with More Passion, Purpose, and Joy

About the Book
Jack Craven’s Aliveness Mindset is an invitation for anyone feeling stuck to awaken to a life of renewed passion, greater purpose, and authentic joy.

When did you last feel truly alive? What if you could experience that feeling not just once in a while but every single day?

That is the promise and goal of an Aliveness Mindset. You are fully capable of bringing the best, most vibrantly alive version of yourself into the world day after day. Aliveness is already within you, but you have to define it and find it, guard it and grow it. It must be discovered because you are unique and so is your experience of aliveness.

In Aliveness Mindset, executive coach Jack Craven shares the principles and strategies he has used to lead countless CEOs and high-level business leaders into a more fulfilling, authentic life. His practices are not a series of impersonal steps or a formula to blindly follow but rather an organic process of self-understanding and personal growth.

In Aliveness Mindset, you will:

1. Create your own Aliveness Mindset.
2. Learn the simple yet powerful components of the Circle of Aliveness.
3. Discover the unique way you experience aliveness and how to remain in this “Optimal State” despite the ups and downs of life.
4. Understand the seven components of an Aliveness Mindset and how they work together to power your aliveness journey.
5. Receive practical, proven strategies to restore and expand your experience of aliveness.

My Take on the Book
What I loved about this book is that it allows you to work on yourself on a much deeper level and create a better version of yourself both personally and professionally. The book allows you to see that you cannot always control everything in your life but that there are things that you can do to take control of your mindset to be able to better align all aspects to create a better you. The book is easy to read and the author is very transparent on his own journey and things that have worked well for him as well. The framework is one that you can start implementing right away which makes this book one that I plan to keep using for years to come!  

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers Inheritance: Villains' Realm: Kingdom Keepers Inheritance Book 2

About the Book
The second book in this all new KINGDOM KEEPERS INHERITANCE trilogy follows our young heroes to parks around the world as they work to stop the most villainous villain of all—Ursula—from taking over for good!

In this latest book in the series that has sold over a million copies worldwide, Ridley Pearson expands the Kingdom Keepers world in ways no reader—or Disney Parks fan—could have imagined.

Home from their adventures abroad in book one, Eli and his friends are safe and sound at Epcot with their families—or are they? When Eli learns that the CEO of the Walt Disney Company has mysteriously done a 180 and ordered Villains Realms to be built in every park across the globe, he and his friends know something is amiss. It turns out that Ursula, the baddest of the big bads, has recruited an evil chemist to recreate Walt's magical ink, which would allow the Villains to travel between parks and end Disney magic as we know it.

With the help of Cinderella's very own Fairy Godmother—the notorious FGM as she's known in this world—they set out to stop Ursula—jumping from Epcot to Disneyland to Disneyland Paris, where the ultimate battle between good and evil plays out. Will Eli and his friends prevail, or will the Villains finally have their way?

My Take on the Book
This send book definitely brings back feelings from the first series. In this book you get to see the Overtakers coming back and how the characters have to work together against them. I also liked the character growth that you saw in this book, especially between Eli and Blair. The book had adventure, action, humor and more. The Overtakers were great to see and I was happy to see that we even got a new Overtaker in the mix, Narissa! All-in-all this is a great addition to the trilogy and I cannot wait to get to read book three!

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance The Shimmer

About the Book
The first book in a new Kingdom Keepers series.

In the near future, in the Epcot of Walt Disney's imagination, sixty thousand people live in a CommuniTree surrounding the forward-looking Walt Disney World theme park. Five unique families are among the residents—and some of the parents were once known as the Kingdom Keepers. Their identities are carefully guarded to raise their children without special treatment; most of the Kingdom Keepers work for the Walt Disney Company and have settled into "ordinary" and rewarding lives. When a messenger carrying a secret communication coincides with both a solar eclipse and Eli Whitman's thirteenth birthday—a few "ordinary" kids are thrust into a battle to save Epcot and find their friend who has mysteriously disappeared. With their friend missing and their parents acting strangely, the Kingdom Kids discover they are in possession of unusual powers as they forge a bond to rescue their friend and uncover the truth about how real magic has entered their lives.

My Take on the Book
I really enjoyed the original series and was excited to see what they would do with this new rendition of the series. You get brand new characters that are the fun, but you also get new Overtakers (along with the old ones as well). You can tell in this first book that the author is setting up the premise for the books to come. You get to see and learn about the creator of the Overtakers and his grandson and you can easily tell that he will be bad news in the future. While this book did not have a lot of Disney characters within it, I know that things will continue to progress in the future and in the end I am really looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series. 

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers VII: The Insider

About the Book
The final title in the original KINGDOM KEEPERS series is back with an all-new look and new content!

The Kingdom Keepers’ senior year in high school is almost over. For more than three years, things have been quiet. Their battles are long behind them, they agree, the threat to the Disney realm silenced–albeit at great cost. But inside the catacombs of the Aztec temple where Finn Whitman faced down his nemesis, the monstrous Chernabog, a new threat brews.

Deception and betrayal rock the Kingdom Keepers as the merciless group of Disney villains known as the Overtakers stage an unexpected comeback. But a discovery by the Keepers provides them with one hope of victory—a lost icon. It was believed to be gone forever. The Keepers have one last chance to preserve the heart of the Kingdom—Disneyland—from a terrifying destruction decades in the making.

My Take on the Book
I have been a big fan of the Kingdom Keepers since the series began. In this book, you see the original characters, still rocking from the loss of their friend, Duncan, come back together as villains of the parks continue their attacks and, this time, take their attacks to the next level. One of the things that I love about the book is that, as a fan of the parks, you get to relive some of your own experiences in the parks and intersperse things that you did not know about too. In this book, I loved how the characters all have to work together to bring all of the work they have done throughout all of the books together to keep the parks safe and to allow the parks to be the shining gems that are.


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Book Review - Fate Be Changed: A Twisted Tale

About the Book
What if the witch gave Merida a different spell? This New York Times best-selling series twists Disney•Pixar's Brave into a fast-paced story in which Merida is sent back in time.

If you could change your fate, would you? Merida understands that as princess of Clan DunBroch, she has certain obligations—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it. Especially when one of those obligations means losing her freedom by becoming betrothed to a man she has never met. Merida balks at this tradition, but her mother Queen Elinor insists that Merida must do this to embrace her role as future queen.

Determined to chart her own path, Merida follows magical wisps to a witch’s cottage, where she is given a magic pastry and promised it will incite “a great transformation” in her mother. But instead of feeding Elinor the pastry, Merida eats it herself.

Merida awakens in the past, a now-teenage Elinor holding a knife to her throat and accusing her of espionage. She’s been transported to a time when the Clans MacCameron and DunBroch are bitter enemies. And it just so happens that the timing of Merida’s arrival has kept Elinor and Fergus from meeting.

Will Merida be able to bridge the rival clans, help her parents fall in love, and change her own fate?

My Take on the Book
I love these twisted tales and in reading this, this is no different. I loved how this book brought forth the story of Merida in a whole new way. The story had a ton of twists and turns and makes you keep guessing about what might happen until the very end. The book is a ton of fun and Merida gets to learn so much more about herself, her parents and the clans too. All-in-all this is a great book that keeps brings you back for more!

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Book Review - Beach Bummer (A Little Bruce Book)

About the Book
#1 New York Times best-selling author Ryan T. Higgins celebrates the delights of summer in this bite-sized Little Bruce Book perfect for fans of Mother Bruce.

It’s beach day in Soggy Hollow! Everyone is enjoying fun in the sun – everyone, that is, except for Bruce. It's too hot, too sandy, and too windy! Bruce’s favorite thing about summer? Doing nothing. In the shade. Where it’s cool. Bruce’s second favorite thing about summer? When it turns to fall.

My Take on the Book
This very cute book brings our Bruce and his friends in all their glory for a summer day. I love how Bruce always get dragged along to things and things do not work out (per usual) and instead Bruce ends up stepping up in the end to be a good friend to his friends (even though what they may be doing is not always his cup of tea). Bruce is a great character and I love seeing what will come next in your life!

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Book Review - Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightning Thief Deluxe Collector's Edition

About the Book
This gorgeous foiled edition of THE LIGHTNING THIEF with new interior art is the perfect accompaniment to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

The son of a sea god has never looked so good! Rick Riordan's classic first novel, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, has been dressed up in a deluxe edition with a foiled cover, stained edges, a marker ribbon, ten pages of new interior illustrations, and notes from Rick. This unabridged hardcover comes in a foiled slipcase with shrink-wrapping. Not only will it beautify any book collector's shelf, but it can also be enjoyed along with the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on Disney+.

My Take on the Book
I have been a big fan of the Percy Jackson series for some time, and when I heard about this collector's book, I knew I would love it. You get the first book in the series in all of its glory, but even better, the book is filled with amazing images that just jump off the page. Not only do you get some illustrated versions of the characters in the book, but you also get maps that show you Camp Half Blood and the journey of the three heroes. This book is worth getting, as it really does bring the book alive and in the end, allows you, as a reader, to fully embrace the magic that is in the world around these characters.

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Book Review - A Drop of Venom

About the Book
In A Drop of Venom, Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology, a YA epic fantasy addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.

Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.

Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting the slayer his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

My Take on the Book
WOW, this is a book that captures you from page one to the very end. In this book, you get a tale you thought you knew, but it is completely reimagined through Indian Mythology and through the lens of a great author. The book brings together magic, fantasy, mythology, and more, and you find yourself transfixed and not wanting to put the book down (or at least I didn't). The story is a tragedy, but it is a great story that will not disappoint! Get ready to get to know Medusa in a whole new way! I will warn you that the story does have violence against women within it, as it is from this violence that Medusa arises. I say this to make sure that all are aware, as it could be triggering for some.

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Book Review - Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker

About the Book
In this personal journey, ultra-light backpacker and sought-after speaker Glen Van Peski shares the life lessons he has learned through years of lightening his pack and helping others.

Adventures provide the richness and texture to a life well lived. So remain open. Keep saying yes to life’s opportunities.

Glen Van Peski helped revolutionize backpacking by creating ultralight equipment, allowing people to take less to do more in the wilderness. Over decades of championing ultralight backpacking, Glen became aware that “take less, do more” is more than a hiking slogan. As he reduced his pack weight, he realized that the lessons learned applied to all areas of life. Now, he wants to share the lessons he learned to help others live entire and vibrant lives—lives characterized by purpose, meaning, and joy.

In this book, you will discover transformative life lessons that may go against the grain of popular thought but have been proven to improve lives. You’ll learn that:

• Often, the best strategy for achieving goals is subtracting rather than adding.
• When your first instinct is generosity, the long-term dividends will be greater than if you strive to gain your own advantage.
• Revising your stories about situations will reframe your life and increase gratitude.
• By investing creatively in relationships, you will generate more joy in your life.
• Making friends with failure will cause you to grow and improve.

take less. do more. It’s a revolutionary idea that will transform your life and free your soul to find your purpose—and maybe a little bit of adventure, too.

My Take on the Book
What constitutes a well-lived life? This is something that I have contemplated, especially more recently as I have gotten older. That being said, this author makes you think more deeply about this, but beyond thinking, he also helps you to find ways to have a more fulfilled life in the end. What I found interesting was how he incorporated his experience in backpacking with his philosophy on living life. It was something I had not considered and made me think about my own life in new ways too. So get ready to think deeply about your own life and hold on for the ride, as where the book takes you is very different than where you start.

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Book Review - Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate, and Hope in a Changing World

About the Book
Award-winning journalist and CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir draws on his years of immersive travel and reporting to share the best ideas and stories of hope and positivity from the people and communities around the world who are thriving in the wake of climate change and what we can learn from them to build a more promising future.

While reporting from every state and every continent and filming his acclaimed CNN Original Series The Wonder List, Bill Weir has spent decades telling the stories of unique people, places, cultures, and creatures on the brink of change. As the first Chief Climate Correspondent in network news, he’s immersed in the latest science and breakthroughs on the topic while often on the frontlines of disasters, natural and manmade.

In 2020, Bill began distilling these experiences into a series of Earth Day letters for his then-newborn son to read in 2050 to help him better understand the world he will have grown up in and be better prepared to embrace the future. Bill’s work and letters inspired Life As We Know It (Can Be), which confronts the worry and wonder of climate change with messages and examples of hope for all of us on how a better future can still be written.

Highlighting groundbreaking innovation in fields of clean energy, food and water sources, housing and building materials, and more, and touching on how happiness, resilience, and health and wellness factor into the topic of climate change, Bill’s stories take readers on a global journey, from one community in Florida that took on a hurricane and never lost power, to the Antarctic Peninsula where one species of penguin is showing us the key to survival, to the nuclear fusion labs where scientists are trying to build a star in a box. In these pages, we join a search for ancient wisdom and new ideas.

Life As We Know It (Can Be) is a celebration of the wonders of our planet, a meditation on the human wants and needs that drive it out of balance, and an inspiration for communities to galvanize around nature and each other as the very best way to best prepare and plan for what’s next.

My Take on the Book
This is a great book from someone who knows his material. I was really interested in seeing the in-depth way in which the author really explores this complex topic and brings out insightful thoughts about the topic, but also well thought out solutions as well. The way in which the author shares the topic lifts us up instead of blaming, and encourages and offers hope instead of doom and gloom which is a nice change! 


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Book Review - Beautiful Rocks and How to Find Them: A Modern Rockhound's Guide

About the Book
New to rockhounding or ready to ramp up your skills? This contemporary guide to rock collecting goes beyond the “where and how” to include info on environmental impact, land stewardship, and building a truly meaningful collection.

Do you love rocks and gems? Are you a geology enthusiast? This informative guidebook by professional lapidary artist and outdoor recreation guide Alison Jean Cole shows you that beautiful rocks can be found anywhere. You’ll be expertly guided through the practice of rockhounding (looking for rocks) while learning how to be gentle on the earth.

Unlike traditional rock guides, which take readers to well-trodden locations in each state, this book can be used anywhere in the United States or Canada. You'll be guided through the process of becoming an adept rockhound, including:

• How to read geologic maps and way-find
• How to consider the ethics of rock collecting
• Developing your personal tastes in rocks and building a collection

Packed with information and fifty-eight accompanying full-color photos, Beautiful Rocks and How to Find Them is perfect for seasoned collectors and beginner rockhounds alike. It also makes a wonderful gift or self-purchase for nature lovers and rock, mineral, and fossil enthusiasts who love looking for and identifying cool rocks in the wild but could use some expertise and guidance.

My Take on the Book
Do you love rocks? If so, this is the book for you! This is a book that will open your eyes to the beauty of the rocks around you but also to how to enter into the world of rock collecting and how to find the rocks you want in your collection. The book really walks you step-by-step into helping you be a rockhound, even if you have never done this in the past. The book also goes into some of the ethics of looking for rocks and how to be gentle with the earth as you search for your collection. All-in-all this book will encourage you to explore high and low for the rocks you want for your new hobby!

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Book Review - National Geographic Bucket List Family Travel: Share the World With Your Kids on 50 Adventures of a Lifetime

About the Book
In this indispensable guide by the mega-popular Bucket List Family, discover expert tips for traveling with kids and 50 not-to-be-missed destination itineraries.

As a family of five, the Bucket List Family has swum with whales in Tonga, slept in castles in Ireland, lived on a houseboat in Amsterdam, eaten breakfast with giraffes in Kenya, spent Halloween in Disneyland, and visited more than 90 countries around the world. Now, Jessica Gee brings her tips and tricks to you in the ultimate expert’s guide to traveling as a family.

This beautifully illustrated guide provides all the know-how to fulfill your own family’s bucket list—including how-tos for picking a destination, packing, budgeting, and even surviving a 12-hour plane ride. Along with personal family anecdotes, Jess offers 50 itineraries for family-friendly destinations and inspiring top-10 lists with destinations for every age. You’ll learn everything you need to know to take a family vacation to:

• South Africa, where you can walk on a beach with penguins
• Utah, where ice castles bring a world of magic to a vacation full of natural wonders
• Berlin, where holidays come to life at beloved Christmas markets
• The Galapagos, where your kids will squeal with joy as they encounter penguins and larger-than-life tortoises
• Alaska, where you’ll feel you’ve gone truly wild in the last frontier
• And so much more!

This insider's guide from one of the world’s most traveled families will inspire you to create new and lasting memories with your family for years to come.

My Take on the Book
My kids have always put together bucket lists, so watching a family that has taken this to the next level was always something that they loved, too. What I love is that the family empowers their kids to live largely, and as a part of this, they are also teaching their kids to live with courage, live their lives through their experiences, and not let anything hold them back. While this family has some ability to be mobile while others who read may not, the concept of having dreams and making them happen is inspirational. The book has many relatable tips about traveling, especially traveling with kids. At the same time, the book also has a section on traveling together as a couple, which was a nice add-in. All-in-all this is a book that offers practical and relatable tips that you can use no matter where you are traveling, but also will give you ideas about your next trip, too!

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Book Review - Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel Destinations

About the Book
Design a truly unique vacation with 100 intriguing alternatives to more predictable, expensive, and overcrowded destinations.

Let’s face it. These days, many of the world’s most beloved places have become expensive and overcrowded, making their celebrated allure that much harder to enjoy. But fear not: Here Not There helps you create a more robust, off-the-beaten-path vacation by revealing 100 alternative destinations to the standard travel playbook—as well as expert tips on when to visit, where to eat, what to see, and where to stay.

In this surprising collection of lively travel itineraries, you’ll find authentic, unexpected, and rewarding destinations of a lifetime to add to your bucket list, including:

• A trip to Quito, Ecuador, instead of Lima, Peru, for iconic architecture and top-notch South American cuisine.
• A road trip along West Virginia’s byways instead of New England’s highways for brilliant autumn colors.
• A romantic rendezvous to Lecce, Italy, instead of mega-touristed Florence for art, wine, and artifacts.
• A hiking excursion in Chile’s Lake District instead of England’s for an unexpected natural wonder.
• A theater-infused visit to Cleveland, Ohio, where the performances match the levels of New York City’s Broadway.
• A tour of Portugal’s Azores, rather than the Hawaiian islands, for flora, fauna, and underwater adventures.
• A water-filled excursion through New York’s Thousand Islands instead of a cruise down Germany’s Rhine River.
• A trip to Detroit to find Art Deco skyscrapers (and even a beach in Motown) that rival those of Miami.

Both surprising and inspiring, Here Not There offers readers a chance to think beyond our typical borders and discover undreamed-of destinations.

My Take on the Book
What was great about this book was that the vacations that you are seeing are ones that are off-the-beaten-path and ones you would not typically consider. Too often in some of these large cities, you gravitate to the large and known locations (and you should in some cases), but this book reminds us that there are a ton of hidden gems that are out there that you should find and explore, as they are worth the search! The book is easy to follow, and while you may not visit everything, I know that for me, I find that this book really opened my eyes to places beyond the places that I have visited in the past, and definitely encouraged me to add new places to my list for the next time I visit and I encourage you to do so too!

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Book Review - RunDisney: The Official Guide to Racing Around the Parks

About the Book
The first-ever official guidebook by RunDisney, the hugely popular road race division of The Walt Disney Company!

With this comprehensive guide, readers will learn:

• The basics of running, while planning a most magical “runcation” to the Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland.
• Which race is the best for themselves or their family.
• What gear is needed for a RunDisney event and what resources are available at the Disney parks.

The must-have guide runDisney: The Official Guide to Racing Around the Parks is written by Scott Douglas, who writes extensively for Runner’s World magazine, and includes a foreword by Olympian and bestselling author Jeff Galloway. Select expert sidebars by Galloway and Olympian Molly Huddle offer additional tips on training, gear, etiquette, and more.

My Take on the Book
If you are someone who has ever dreamed of running Disney, even if you are a newer runner, this is a book you will want to read. The book goes through so much about the races within the parks and what you can do to prepare well for the race. This is a must-have for anyone who wants to run in the races, as there are things I was unaware of that you need to know if you plan to run them; this is a great basic insider guide that will help any aspiring park runner!

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Book Review - Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals

About the Book

In Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals learn to embrace the 3 C's of psychological hardiness to overcome stress and increase personal growth.

Life is full of questions. How you answer these questions can determine which path your life takes. Think about how many questions you are faced with every day. It can be overwhelming. From the mundane to the profound, questions help you navigate everything from your daily routine to your career choices and relationships. Sometimes, asking the right question is just as important as the answer: What do you want out of life? Is it financial success? A loving family? Career achievement? Maybe you are coping with a serious illness. Whatever your goal may be, you have undoubtedly encountered barriers that slow your progress. One of the biggest of these barriers is stress. Scientific research has found that your ability to resist the damaging effects of stress―your hardiness―can reduce stress-related illness and strengthen your ability to thrive under pressure.

Hardiness, written by respected clinical and research psychologists, will help develop your psychological hardiness which, in turn, enables you to enjoy more of life’s rewards. Mastering the 3 C’s of hardiness―commitment, control, and challenge―is essential to increasing hardiness and responding effectively to stressful situations. This invaluable guide provides exercises and activities, based on 30 years of research, specifically designed to increase your hardiness in all areas of your personal and professional life. This book will help you:

• Understand how hardiness is assessed to evaluate and improve your response to stress
• Unlock your new potential made possible by a better understanding of hardiness
• Examine real-life examples and case studies of psychological hardiness
• Increase your engagement in the surrounding world
• Capitalize on opportunities for your personal growth

Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals can help you move toward becoming healthier, more self-actualized, and increasingly satisfied with your life and future

My Take on the Book
The book is full of a ton of great data that talks to the reader about stress and how it impacts our lives especially how it shows up in the workplace. I know that personally, there have been numerous times when stress has reeled its' head and challenged me in many ways. That being said the authors of this book really have shared amazing tips and hints about the concept of hardiness and what we can do to lessen the impact of stress in our life and in our work.

I loved how the book broke down the main concepts that the authors share, specifically the components of hardiness: commitment, challenge, and control. I loved how each of these components worked together to create a tangible plan to deal with stress that can arise in someone's life. 

The book has solid research behind it but also practical takeaways that you can start using right away. The authors also talk directly to the reader, which makes the book easy to read and east to put into practice!

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Book Review - Emotional Intelligence For Dummies

About the Book

In Emotional Intelligence For Dummies, get smart about your feelings to achieve success and happiness.

Emotional intelligence (also known as emotional quotient or EQ) is all about perceiving, using, understanding, managing, and handling your emotions and those of others. Develop crucial emotional skills that will help you in your career and in your personal life with Emotional Intelligence For Dummies. Learn to manage your emotions, uncover the power of empathy, and build meaningful relationships. Raise emotionally intelligent kids, become a better leader at work, and land the job you want. Let Dummies be your guide to living your best life!

• Gain emotional awareness that you can use in the workplace and at home
• Engage in practical exercises to develop your emotional intelligence skills
• Apply emotional intelligence in parenting children and teenagers
• Reduce stress and realize greater personal happiness with a higher EQ

This new edition incorporates the latest research on emotional intelligence, the new EQ-i 2.0^® model, and updated exercises. Anyone who wants to get a grip on their emotions and seek success in life will benefit from this fun and practical guide.

My Take on the Book
This was a very practical book that allows you to really gain some great skills that you can put into actions right away. As a leader you do need to make sure that you have a high EQ to be able to connect and support your employees. I was interested to better learn more about where I am as a professional and I could tell that I am deficient in some areas and this book really gave me some great ideas about how to move forward. I can tell this is a book that I will be going back to over and over again!

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Book Review - Force of Nature: A Celebration of Girls and Women Raising Their Voices

About the Book

From the bestselling author-photographer of Strong Is the New Pretty, Force of Nature A Celebration of Girls and Women Raising Their Voices is a collection of Kate Parker’s photographs that celebrates girls and women finding, using, amplifying, and sustaining their voices to empower themselves and the people around them.

Mothers lifting up their daughters. Sisters standing their ground. Classmates lending a helping hand. Here are more than 150 full-color and black-and-white images of girls and women in the process of speaking up and speaking out. Force of Nature, the third installment in the Strong Is the New Pretty series by bestselling author-photographer Kate Parker, is split into four chapters—Find Your Voice, Use Your Voice, Amplify Your Voice, and Sustain Your Voice. The book and its subjects tackle issues big and small with the power and wisdom of their voices and their confidence in themselves. Individually and collectively, these girls and women—and their voices—are a force of nature. Some arrive in the form of urgent whispers while others positively roar off the page. Each photo is accompanied by a quotation from the subject talking about how she has found or used her voice to uplift herself and others. Throughout the four chapters are ten “spotlights” that feature additional photos and extended essays that tell the stories of exceptional girls and women who are navigating the complexities of making change every day. 

My Take on the Book
I know that the description of this book talks about mothers lifting up their daughters, but as a father to daughters I would say that this is an amazing books for dads to read with their daughters too. The book is powerful, not only through the images (which are powerful) but also through the descriptions and being pulled into the stories behind the images themselves. Kate Parker has done a remarkable job capturing the essence of so many girls and it encourages you to empower your own daughters to live their best lives and to achieve the dreams they set before themselves!

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