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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Book Review - Duck and Moose: Moose Blasts Off!

About the Book

In Duck and Moose: Moose Blasts Off, the second book in the series, you get a laugh-out-loud early graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly! Quiet-loving Moose's life is turned upside down by free-wheeling Duck. The two will need to put their differences aside if they're ever going to be neighbors...or friends!

Moose loves playing astronaut. Imagining his helmet, his seatbelt, and rocketing off into space are his favorite things to do! One day, Moose invites Duck to play with him. But there’s just one problem—Duck doesn’t know how to use his imagination! Moose teaches him but soon becomes frustrated because Duck doesn’t play astronaut the “right” way. How will these friends learn how to work—and imagine—together?

Filled with zany hijinks and slapstick humor, Kirk Reedstrom's Duck and Moose series showcases unlikely friendships and the power of compromise. 

My Take on the Book
What I love about this book is that you get amazing characters, but also the book delves into great concepts of imagination and how people can see things in different ways and still have fun together, especially if you are willing to be flexible and try new things!

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Book Review - Duck and Moose: Duck Moves In!

About the Book

In Duck and Moose Duck Moves In you geta laugh-out-loud early graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly! Quiet-loving Moose's life is turned upside down by free-wheeling Duck. The two will need to put their differences aside if they're ever going to be neighbors...or friends!

Moose loves peace and quiet, relaxing, living alone, and spring! He can't wait for the arrival of sun, flowers, and...a new neighbor?! Duck just landed himself a new home. He loves parties, karaoke, and living with—and on—Moose's head. Moose tries everything he can to send Duck away, but he soon finds that this persistent neighbor might just be the best thing spring could bring.

Filled with zany hijinks and slapstick humor, Kirk Reedstrom's Duck and Moose series showcases unlikely friendships and the power of compromise.  

My Take on the Book

This is a great graphic novel that brings in two great new characters that at first seem like foils but as you read you find that they can also be friends. The characters are so much fun and any young reader will love these characters and the story too! 

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