“I cast this burden of resentment on the Christ within, and I go free, to be loving, harmonious and happy.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: manifestation tips, a lot of examples, affirmations, and a great dose of inspiration.

Explore the wisdom of a New Thought classic and master the game of life!

In this classic bestseller, Florence Scovel Shinn helped to define the personal success genre. Written in the new thought tradition, her message is simple yet transformative—we receive back what we put into the world through our actions, energy, and attitudes. Negativity and pessimism are returned in kind, but by switching the script in favor of positive attitudes and affirmations, we are able to manifest success and joy in everything we do.

Life, Shinn tells us, is not a battle of us against the world, but rather a game of giving and receiving. What we give to the world we receive back—whether that be the dark weight of fear and inhibition or the freedom of joy and empowerment. This new edition of The Game of Life and How to Play It combines the text of Shinn’s original edition with a sleek design that will inspire a new generation of readers.

Ooh, I loved this book! I needed a little inspiration and this hit the spot – and of course, I found it at the right time!

It reminded me a lot of “The Secret” because it’s a book that teaches how you can manifest whatever you want in life. It teaches you how to use your thoughts and words in your favor – you just have to follow a set of “rules” to do it harmoniously. And the best part is that the author gives you plenty of examples!

There’s a big connection to religion here, so keep that in mind if you decide to get into this book. There are a lot of biblical references, but I truly believe you can still take the lessons from this book, no matter what your beliefs are.

I took a lot from this book, especially the part where the author talks about asking what you want as long as it’s according to our divine plan. Meaning, that it has to come into our life harmoniously if it’s meant to be ours. That made a lot of sense to me, and it made me reflect on my wishes and how I make them!

Not gonna lie, the writing was a little difficult to understand at times because it was originally published in the 1920s and the writing is a little different. Keep in mind I’m not a native English speaker.

I’ve already recommended this book to a few of my closest friends, and I’m sure they will take something from this book. And to be honest, I’m sure I’ll read this again in the future!

2/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: kidney stones, health insurance, treatments, and symptoms.

THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON TREATING KIDNEY STONES

Living with Kidney Stones is a health resource for anyone who has ever suffered with the pain of kidney stones.

One in 10 individuals will suffer from kidney stones at some point in their life. Composed of hard, painful mineral deposits forming inside the kidneys, these stones are both crippling and potentially chronic. Thankfully, patients can take action to reduce their chances of developing or redeveloping kidney stones by following a good diet, observing proper self-care, and adopting a comprehensive wellness plan.

To that end, Living with Kidney Stones offers the most up-to-date information on this illness, paired with heartfelt insight from an actual kidney stone sufferer.

Living with Kidney Stones also
• Easy-to-understand information on types and causes of kidney stones
• The latest information on kidney stone testing
• Traditional and alternative options for a broad, full-body approach to wellness
• Guidance on self-care techniques for patients, families and caregivers
• Valuable medical and community resources for kidney stone sufferers

Learning to manage your risk factors for kidney stones can seem overwhelming, but by taking everything one day at a time and making sure you’re provided with the care and support you need, you can minimize your risk while maximizing your quality of life. Don’t just live with kidney stones— live well.

I added this book to my TBR because, as the title implies, I thought it was cool that someone who has a history of kidney stones was willing to share their story. I believe we can learn from other people’s experiences and mistakes, so thought this could be an interesting read.

Unfortunately, this didn’t work out for me. The main reason why I didn’t like this book is the fact that it feels too specific, so it’s not relatable to a lot of people. I honestly couldn’t relate to her experience for several different reasons, and I don’t think this book would help anyone to be sincere.

The author talks about symptoms, possible treatments, and her experience was dealing with health insurance and medical professionals. And while this may seem like good information to know about, it seemed to me that there was more complaining done than actual useful and practical advice. Plus, the few facts the book presents (and that matter) are not very complete.

I’m not an American citizen, so all the information about health insurance and the medical system was not useful. I can see some value in the treatments section, but the symptoms, once again, didn’t add value to the book in my humble opinion.

The real question is: at the end of the day, is this book helpful? To be honest, I don’t think this book is going to help everyone who has kidney stones. Maybe it could help some U.S. citizens in the sense that they could kind of understand what the hospital experience would be like, but other than there’s nothing too valuable you can take from this book.

Since this person has a history of having kidney stones, I wish she shared the advice she received from doctors and her own experience of what she learned along the way to prevent stones. That would have been helpful!

I believe there are many great books on the subject, and unfortunately, this is not one of them.

“Know your worth, girls. You’re not lucky to be at the party; the party is lucky to have you. Apply as needed to relationships, jobs, and family.” – 4.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: hot pink, cute boys, fashion, runway, a bedazzler, privilege, designer clothes, secrets, paparazzi, new businesses, trauma, ADHD, social media, a lot of partying, heiresses, modeling, catchphrases, and the famous “baby voice”.

A MILLION MEANINGS IN A SINGLE NAME…
Heiress. Party girl. Problem child. Selfie taker. Model. Cover girl. Reality star.
These are labels that have been attached to Paris Hilton by others.

Founder. Entrepreneur. Pop Culture Maker. Innovator. Survivor. Activist. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Mom.
These are roles Paris Hilton embraces now as a fully realized woman.

Paris rose to prominence as an heiress to the Hilton Hotels empire, but cultivated her fame and fortune as the It Girl of the aughts, a time marked by the burgeoning twenty-four-hour entertainment news cycle and the advent of the celebrity blog. Using her celebrity brand, Paris set in motion her innovative business ventures, while being the constant target of tabloid culture that dismissively wrote her off as “famous for being famous.” With tenacity, sharp business acumen, and grit, she built a global empire and, in the process, became a truly modern icon beloved around the world.

Now, with courage, honesty, and humor, Paris Hilton is ready to take stock, place it all in context, and share her story with the world. Separating the creation from the creator, the brand from the ambassador, Paris: The Memoir strips away all we thought we knew about a celebrity icon, taking us back to a privileged childhood lived through the lens of undiagnosed ADHD and teenage rebellion that triggered a panicked–and perilous–decision by her parents. Led to believe they were saving their child’s life, Paris’s mother and father had her kidnapped and sent to a series of “emotional growth boarding schools,” where she survived almost two years of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. In the midst of a hell we now call the “troubled teen industry,” Paris created a beautiful inner world where the ugliness couldn’t touch her. She came out, resolving to trust no one but herself as she transformed that fantasy world into a multibillion-dollar reality.

Recounting her perilous journey through pre-#MeToo sexual politics with grace, dignity, and just the right amount of sass, Paris: The Memoir tracks the evolution of celebrity culture through the story of the figure at its leading edge, full of defining moments and marquee names. Most important, Paris shows us her path to peace while she challenges us to question our role in her story and in our own. Welcome to Paris.

It’s funny to think I kind of judged this book before picking it up, which proves the point she is trying to make. It’s not that I thought this was going to be a bad book, but I think I had a formed idea in my mind of what this book would be – more on the superficial side, to be honest.

I’m very surprised she opened up about her story and the things she went through. Sure, people look at Paris and see a rich party girl always dressed in pink, but even though that’s, in fact, a big part of who she is, she is also extremely intelligent, kind, and a businesswoman at heart. I’m not surprised she’s still friends with Kim Kardashian because they are very similar in this regard! She openly talks about how people are quick to judge her because of the “persona” she created over the last few years. And even though I know she is very smart and was “playing a character” for a very long time, I still thought this book was a product of that character. Well, I was wrong.

But I digress, let’s go back to the book. The book was very easy to read and was well structured. I liked how casual it was, but it was still very well organized – as I reader, I prefer well-structured memoirs because it’s easy to get lost in the timeline of events sometimes. She talks about her family (not in a lot of detail, but enough for you to understand her upbringing), how she started getting famous, all the trouble she caused, and how much she’s grown. She also talks about how she fell in love with her now-husband and how she had trouble getting pregnant. She even mentions how she started her signature phrase “that’s hot”, which I thought was a pretty funny thing to add to her book! But the thing that marked me the most – and I would even say it’s the biggest thing she talks about in the book – was her time spent in a sort of boarding school for troubled teens. Her parents had enough of her and sent her to a very disturbed place that abused kids – well, in their defense, they had no idea what was going on. They just trusted she was going to a good place with psychiatrists and therapists. Paris (and the other kids) were severely traumatized by the years they spent there, and some of them were either killed or took their own lives. It’s insane to know a place like that existed, taking advantage of desperate parents by taking loads of money and promising to “straighten” their kids. It was difficult to read her telling her experience and talking about other kids who were there at the same time with her. Still, I’m glad she brought that to light for people to start a conversation on the subject.

I think people don’t give Paris enough credit. She is not trying to fool anyone – she knows and acknowledges she was very lucky to be born with good looks and to grow up with old money – but I wish people would look over all her privilege and see how hard-working and inspiring she is.

I finished this book wondering if her parents read it. Apparently, her parents had a really hard time when they finally knew what happened to her and she even says she hopes they read her book. I honestly hope they did (or do).

I wasn’t expecting any of this, but I was pleasantly surprised by her honesty and humility. It was a very eye-opening memoir and it made me think of how quickly and easily we judge people we don’t know. She talked about some very serious issues and I’m glad she brought them to light. Very impressed with this one!

“How can I push him away when all I want is to pull him toward me?” – 4.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: food trucks, skateparks, delicious tacos, house parties, family drama, and personalized skateboards.

She belongs to my brother…

I’ve stood back for years watching Dax repeatedly screw things up with Kennedy, as if he doesn’t think anyone could ever swoop in and steal her away.

Breakup after breakup, they always end up back together, even though I’ve always had a thing for her. I’m tired of waiting. He had his chance.

I want mine.

When Dixie’s Alibi — her Grandmother’s bar — needs a new cook for the food truck, I jump at the opportunity, despite the fact that Kennedy Ward hates me. At least, she pretends she does. We both know she secretly wants me and always has.

One way or another, I will get her to finally admit it, even if it involves losing my brother. I plan to play dirty — real dirty — just like he did.

This time I’m going to beat him at his own game. I wanted her first, and he knew that, but our age kept us apart. Not anymore.

Now, I’m grown and ready to take what should’ve been mine to begin with.

Oh, this was exactly what I needed to get out of my reading slump! I liked this book a lot and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Let me start by saying this is my type of romance. I usually like enemies-to-lovers (I can do friends-to-lovers too, but the first is my favorite), but what I like the most are books with a ton of angst – mixed a little with the forbidden romance trope. And this book fits like a glove!

In this story, we follow a girl named Kennedy, who has a boyfriend named Dax. They are together for a very long time, but they have an on-and-off kind of relationship, and they fight a lot. The fun part is that his younger brother Colson always liked Kennedy and swore to steal her away from his brother Dax because he believed Dax stole her away from him first. They were destined to be together and Dax robbed him of the opportunity to be with her since Colson was younger than them. As you can imagine, they don’t get along very well! And surprise, surprise… Kennedy always liked him as well! It’s a really fun story full of angst and buried passion.

Now, is this the best romance I’ve ever read? Not even close. Was it good? Absolutely! There was something here (that I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is) that made me not give this a 5-star rating. Maybe the stuff with the older brother that seemed a little too over the top for me? And maybe some weird pacing at times. Still, it was very entertaining and I had a good time reading it.

I was surprised to find out this was my first time reading a book from this author. I’m a big romance reader, so I thought I picked up one of her books already, but apparently, this was my first time. If her other books are as good as this one is, I’m down to read them all!

“Trap me? I’d love to be trapped here. You can’t trap someone somewhere if it’s the only place in the world they want to be.” – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: tiny bikinis, fish hooks, car accidents, cotton swabs, new roommates, long hair, a British accent, fortune cookies, private letters, old besties, and Pilates classes.

Dear Bridget,
I’m writing this letter because it’s highly doubtful I’ll ever garner the courage to say this to your face.
So, here goes.
We’re totally wrong for each other. You’re the proper single mum with a good head on your shoulders. I’m just the carefree British doctor passing through town and temporarily living in your converted garage until I head back to England.
But here’s the thing… for some bloody reason, I can’t stop thinking about you in very inappropriate ways.
I want you.
The only reason I’m even admitting all of this to you right now is because I don’t believe it’s one-sided. I notice your eyes when you look at me, too. And as crass as I appear when we’re joking around about sex, my attraction to you is not a joke.
So, what’s the purpose of this note? I guess it’s a reminder that we’re adults, that sex is healthy and natural, and that you can find me just through the door past the kitchen. More specifically, it’s to let you know that I’m leaving said door cracked open from now on in case you’d like to visit me in the middle of the night sometime.
No questions asked.
Think about it.
Or don’t.
Whatever you choose.
It’s doubtful I’ll even end up sliding this letter under your door anyway.
–Simon

This was fun! I was in the mood for something light and fun, so I picked up a random romance from my TBR – and it was this bad boy! This ended up being just an okay romance – not bad, not extraordinary -, but I’m still glad I read it because it got me out of my (small) reading slump!
I liked the characters and I feel like they had some chemistry, but I personally prefer the “enemies-to-lovers” trope more than the “friends-to-lovers” trope, so this didn’t captivate me as much. There’s also a bit of an age gap between them – the girl is 5 years older than the guy. It’s not a super common thing to happen in romances, so I thought that was interesting!
The couple meets in a funny way – the girl has a fish hook on her butt, and the doctor that assists her was none other than the romantic interest. It was definitely an interesting way of starting the book, to say the least!
What’s also interesting about this story is that the girl has a son, so they also have to navigate her being a mother and having her responsibilities. Also, a big part of the story is the guy knowing he can’t get attached (and vice-versa) because he is going to move back to England soon. Also, he mentions several times that he doesn’t want to play a parent role anytime soon, so everyone is very apprehensive about starting an actual relationship. So there are a few interesting obstacles here and there that keep the reader interested in the story.
I keep thinking about why I can’t give this more than just a 3-star rating, and my conclusion is that this was too much of a cliché for me. It just felt… too easy and instalovey to be honest. I think I needed a little more angst to love this one!
Not gonna lie, I’ll probably pick up a few more romances after reading this. As I said, it wasn’t an extraordinary romance, but it made me want to pick up more romances!

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita. Did she have a precursor? She did, indeed she did. In point of fact, there might have been no Lolita at all had I not loved, one summer, an initial girl-child. In a princedom by the sea. Oh when? About as many years before Lolita was born as my age was that summer. You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, exhibit number one is what the seraphs, the misinformed, simple, noble-winged seraphs, envied. Look at this tangle of thorns.” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: innocence, smooth skin, obsession, scholars, deception, desire, and a lot of… preying on children.

Humbert Humbert – scholar, aesthete and romantic – has fallen completely and utterly in love with Dolores Haze, his landlady’s gum-snapping, silky skinned twelve-year-old daughter. Reluctantly agreeing to marry Mrs Haze just to be close to Lolita, Humbert suffers greatly in the pursuit of romance; but when Lo herself starts looking for attention elsewhere, he will carry her off on a desperate cross-country misadventure, all in the name of Love. Hilarious, flamboyant, heart-breaking and full of ingenious word play, Lolita is an immaculate, unforgettable masterpiece of obsession, delusion and lust.

So I finally read “Lolita”. Sure, I was creeped out like I thought I would be, but honestly… it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I heard a lot of people saying this book made them feel super uncomfortable and that it was horrible to read his thoughts – and while they have a point and I agree, maybe I expected something overwhelmingly graphic and horrifying.

And that was exactly my biggest concern going into this book. I was concerned the “physical” scenes were graphic, but fortunately the author kept it “clean” and there were no details during those scenes. I’m super glad the author decided “not to feed” the creeps! It sure made reading a little more… comfortable?

So if you don’t know about this book, this story is about Humbert Humbert – what a stupid name btw -, who is fascinated by what he calls “nymphets” or “lolitas” – also know as… female children. It’s an interesting book because you get to see what a person with no morals or common sense thinks like. He is a repulsive villain who keeps justifying his actions, “falls” in love with these children and preys them.

But is he really in love? Because one thing I found funny while reading this book is how he keeps talking about how in love he is with “Lolita”, and constantly talks about how smooth her skin is and how sweet and innocent she is… but he absolutely hates her personality. It’s comical how his feelings change as soon as she opens her mouth. Is he really in love, or is it physical attraction? As you would expect, his attraction decreases significantly when she starts getting older – still a teen, but older.

As you can probably tell by now, this is obviously not a love story. I would say this is pure obsession and ugly manipulation. The book felt very real. It was disturbing, but I feel like this could be a true representation of a lot of creeps out there. It’s a work of art. A poetic, impactful, ugly and disturbing work of art. But a work of art, nonetheless.

“Guncle Rule number eight: Live your life to the fullest every single day, because every day is a gift. That’s why people die. To teach us the importance of living.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: brunch and lumper, cocktails, Japanese washlets, the tooth fairy, grief, and taking care of family.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

This book was so good, I’m very surprised by how much I liked this!
I admit I never thought much about this book. I’ve seen it a lot in bookstores but I always looked at the cover and kept moving to the next book. It just never caught my full attention, so when I randomly picked it up, I wasn’t expecting it to be this good!
So this story follows GUP, also known as Gay Uncle Patrick. He is a movie star who peaked his career a while ago and spends his days now enjoying his best life. But after his nephews Maisie (9) and Grant (6) become temporarily under his care, his life takes a turn – for the better, of course!
Patrick is an incredibly funny character and since he has no experience dealing with kids, he often treats them as adults – which, as you can imagine, sometimes works… and sometimes it doesn’t. They follow him around everywhere, and for the first time, he’s learning how to be responsible for his nephews instead of focusing only on him and his needs.
I loved this book so much. It was the perfect mixture of sweet and funny, but also a unique breath of fresh air. It’s a story about growth and being there for the family when they need us. It’s also a story about forgiveness and patience. It was great to see that they all became better after spending time together – not only did the kids learn from their uncle, but the uncle also learned valuable lessons from the kids as well. It is wholesomeness galore with this one!
Also, I just found out there is going to be a sequel! I’m super excited to get my hands on it. I definitely recommend this one! Don’t walk past it like I did, give it a fair shot to steal your heart. As a side note, I also highly recommend the audiobook version of this book because the narrator did a great job with this one.