The Consciousness of Man & The Book of Wisdom by Reginald Gibson

These books were not inspirational per se, but I can see how they would be to some. I personally have a problem with these books because the author comes off as very pushy and preachy to the reader in my opinion. However Others May find his writing pushy in a motivational way which is what I believe the author was trying to convey. I am also disheartened that these books are exclusively written for Christianity believers. I would have probably like the books a bit more if they were a little more inclusive of different worldviews. I'm sure others would really enjoy these books. However they are just not for me personally.

The Dreamer and the Believer by Anthony Dunn

   Another great inspirational. A story about a man who gets incarcerated for a drug charge but released early for good behavior and ends up turning his life around one step at a time. This one started off like The Shawshank Redemption and ended up like Walk the Line. This poor guy man... I felt so sorry for him because it seemed like no matter what he did to better himself and get ahead he got knocked backwards again. Then again, no matter how many times he got knocked down (even in the face of suicide) he got right back up, gave death a great big "fuck you!" and went on with life.

   This book was definitely written for the music lover. Specifically the rockers. The author gave a lovely homage to the greats by making lots of references. He even titled each chapter after a Metallica song which I thought was both fitting and humorous. 

   The book itself was written very well. The author's writing style is very easy to follow and enjoy. He is very direct and to the point in his writing which is good for this type of story. Too much fluff would have taken away from the story. Though I did not cry, I found the overall story very uplifting and heartfelt. The author obviously put a lot of time and thought (not to mention heart) into this book. All-in-all a very well done book for a light, compelling read.

Forty Years of Practice by Tezlyn Reardon

This book is very inspirational piece. This is not a book exclusively for people over forty! The author goes through her trials and tribulations that she encounters through life. It seems that every time she gets on top, she gets knocked right back down again. But through it all, she not only overcame her obstacles but also learned how to use them in order to inspire and even help others.

The book is well written and easy to follow the story as it unfolds. The author takes you from point to point in a well laid out fashion. Her writing style is edgey and even funny at times. She comes across as very down to earth. 

One thing that I didn't particularly care for (but others definitely might) were all the references and details about her sports life. I personally, as a person who doesn't care for sports so much, felt that it was just a bit too much and tended to take away from the overall story the author was trying to tell. I do also understand however that this was a HUGE portion of her life and was centered around one of her largest hurdles. Like I said, others may appreciate it more than me. But as for someone who does not follow sports I found it rather daunting.

All things considered, this was a great little read. Even with the small adjustments I would personally make to the book, I feel that this particular author wrote this book perfectly for her and in her own unique fashion.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good pick-me-up. As inspiration goes this book is great! After all, "Everything happens for a reason" right?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

It's hard to review 2 books at once especially these two books because I feel so differently about both of them. Nevertheless here we go...
I loved the first book. It was very entertaining to read. The tail was written in a manner that was short and to the point and everything was very easy to understand which is good considering the subject matter. All the characters were perfectly described and so were her misadventures.
However, I was not impressed with the second book. Like many, I've been spoiled by movies and TV series (and even books retelling the story). I had certain ideas about the book and it's characters. I was very disappointed to find out the Jabberwocky was merely a poem and never actually makes an appearance in the book. This was one of my favorite characters in a TV rendition that I used to watch as a child so I was very disappointed that he did not make an appearance. The story in the second book was very difficult to follow along with. Things seem to disappear and turn into an altogether different surrounding so frequently that it's very difficult to understand what's going on when. Also characters did not seem to have as much depth as they did in the first book.
I was also surprised at how young Alice truly is in the books. I guess we can blame Disney for me thinking that she was a young teenager when in actuality she is around the age of 5-7 in both books.
All-in-all they were a very interesting read and I can now scratch that off my Bucket TBR List
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Dayton Book Expo

Had a great time at the expo today. Some awesome authors were there. Got a nice book haul. I can't wait to dive into these!
*Reviews to follow...
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Unstoppable Influence: Be You. Be Fearless. Transform Lives. By Natasha Hazlett

This book was written for a Christian audience. It is a self-help and self-motivation book written for the Christian reader. Most of the principles are written to work only with the acceptance of God in your life. This book is not very inclusive if you are not Christian. I found that a bit disheartening as I read.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Good historical reference. A bit dry to read through in it's entirety. Interesting that it came from a teenage girl (age 13 - 15). I think this is one that everyone should read at least once. It's tragic to think that after having endured everything she did that she still passed away very soon after her ordeal was over. She was still FAR too young. And, being the sole survivor of "The Secret Annex", you have to wonder what good their going into hiding did. Just such a tragic time in history. But still a good read.

Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

Ok I know many may disagree but I did not care for this one at all. I just couldn't get in to any of the stories. So disappointing because I so very much wanted to like this book. I got about halfway through the book when I called it quits. Just couldn't do it. 😐 Perhaps the stories we're not interesting to me but could be interesting to others.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me by Ellen Forney

A very accurate portrayal of depression, mania & the struggles accompanying both. As a person who struggles with her own depression, this book really spoke to my heart. It's scary but also refreshing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with mental illness (personality/mood disorders).

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

Is it just me, or does this book just seem to drone on and on. Like someone sitting in front of you and rattling on about something you just don't care about. A very boring read in my opinion. But I guess if you like reading a play-by-play of somebody's boring life this book would be for you.

The Sea Lady by Margaret Drabble

Excruciatingly boring. Could not get into it for the life of me. I bailed on it. Sad because I really did want to like this book. ☹️

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

What a great book! Fantastic story. Really creepy! Great characters. Not the usual cops & robbers tale, which I love. Loved diving into history with the protagonist. Just all-around good writing. I was captivated till the very end. And the end surprised even me which is unusual. I usually have the ending pinned. Some great storytelling here. Highly recommend this book!

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

Ok my opinion of this book is a bit biased & 1 sided simply for the fact that being locked away in a mental institution is my greatest fear. It's literally my idea of hell and damnation. The author writes the story simply and tells it like it is. Interesting how the main character is diagnosed with BPD but later equates her actions as nothing more than adolescent behavior. She even goes on to be released from the institution and leads a normal life after she had been "rehabilitated". Perhaps this book is less about a character with mental illness and more about a wrongly diagnosed teenaged girl.

Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule

Great read! So heartbreaking and tragic to think a person could do such heinous things. And to her own children!!! 😢 Beautifully written. Easy to follow the events as described by the author according to her interviews and accounts. Although the author tends to repeat details a bit, it serves as more of a review of facts rather than a nuisance. Definitely recommend this book especially to True Crime fans ❤️

Depression and Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

I kept on feeling like she was speaking about something very heart felt to her, but that I had to be there to truly appreciate it. I felt left out reading most of the poetry. There was 1 poem however that REALLY touched me and felt like she was talking directly to me. All-in-all it was a good read. The author is very descriptive in an imaginative way. It reminds me a lot of a Tori Amos song. Enjoy!

The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho

Was there a story here? If there was then I missed it. The plot is extremely lacking or (at best) very difficult to decern. The conversations are boring as the characters jabber on about nothing consequential. I'm being generous in giving it even 1 star. Ugh, just not a good book.

Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

Great read! Nice & steamy, bits of drama, hot as hell main man, and a touch of fantasy. Very dangerously close to perfection for this type of book (genre I mean). I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to heat up their nights 😉