Sometimes our goals seem like unobtainable fantasies, but the key to success is making motivational thinking part of everyday life. In Get Up & Do It! Beechy and Josephine Colclough explain how to develop a plan to achieve your goals by planning, practising and adopting positive thinking, as well as motivational and other problem-solving skills. With Get Up and Do It! you’ll be able to decide what you want to achieve and why, and then create a ‘can do’ frame of mind. Based on the BBC book of the same name, this audio version is presented by the authors. Beechy and Josephine Colclough are chartered psychotherapists. Beechy is well known for his work with celebrities, including Elton John, Robbie Williams and Caroline Aherne….
It was a nice, condensed book, but I personally didn’t learn anything new. I would say this is more appropriate for people who are starting to get into the self-development world and could use some help with setting new goals and figuring out how to achieve them.
With that said, I still found this book inspiring. Reading this reignited my motivation to achieve my personal goals and do some planning!
It’s a nice book to get some instant motivation and to review some well-known concepts. It has good advice and the audiobook version is short (about 2h), so you’ll listen to it in no time.
“An audience can go back and watch a film any number of times they want. It’s always there for them. For the cast and crew, the relationship with a film is more complex. The magic is in the making, and that process is a discreet unit of time in the past. You can reflect on that unit of time, you can be proud of it, but you can’t revisit it.” – 3.75/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: long trains, amazing performances, perfect roles, child actors, old friendships, rehabilitation centers, a lot of magic and several “breaths of fresh air”.
They called for a break, and Gambon magicked up a cigarette from out of his beard. He and I were often to be found outside the stage door, having ‘a breath of fresh air’, as we referred to it. There would be painters and plasterers and chippies and sparks, and among them all would be me and Dumbledore having a crafty cigarette.
From Borrower to wizard, Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame saw him catapulted into the limelight aged just twelve when he landed the iconic role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films.
Speaking with candour and his own trademark humour, Tom shares his experience of growing up on screen and as part of the wizarding world for the very first time. He tells all about his big break, what filming was really like and the lasting friendships he made during ten years as part of the franchise, as well as the highs and lows of fame and the reality of navigating adult life after filming finished.
Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.
This was a very pleasant reading experience! I truly enjoyed this more than I thought I would and I flew through the pages in no time. In this memoir, Tom Felton takes us through his personal journey, starting from the moment he became a child actor to his most recent struggles with addiction. This book was mostly focused on his work as an actor, but we also get a glimpse of his childhood and the years after the Harry Potter movies were shot. A big part of the book is what we already expected: a lot of Harry Potter set stories and fun moments shared with the rest of the cast. I enjoyed these chapters the most because we get so many fun stories! Tom was born to play Draco. Just like Daniel, Rupert and Emma were perfect for the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione, Tom was a perfect Draco. The casting directors did an amazing job finding kids that acted like their characters! Tom speaks very fondly of his castmates and it was a joy to listen! I came to the conclusion that what makes this memoir so cool – besides all the cool Harry Potter references, of course – is Tom’s honesty. He seems like a very sweet and down-to-Earth person, and he is very appreciative of everyone around him. I had no idea he went to rehab, or even that he had a problem with substance abuse. Fortunately he didn’t give up and he went through the recovery process! He talks about his problems very openly, and I appreciate his honesty as a reader. This is a great book for Harry Potter fans for obvious reasons, but now I have a new respect for Tom. I’m surprised by his talent, honesty and personality. Definitely worth checking out!
“When you make the commitment and take action, The Universe will bend over backwards to help you achieve your goals.” – 3.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: This book contains: Tony Robbins’ courses, lists of goals, beach breaks, ski trips, philanthropy, beautiful views, supporting wives, triathlons in Hawaii, new jobs and new lives.
When you read VisualFestation you will see that it is a guide book telling you how to manifest the life of your dreams. Going beyond other books on the law of attraction, the Author has successfully used these techniques and habits to manifest miracles in his own life. As you read Visualfestation and hear the stories, you will acquire all of the tools you need to bring your vision of a dream life to your reality now.
This small book is full of great knowledge! If you’re not familiar with the contents of this book, this is essentially a law of attraction/manifestation book – and a good one, if I may add! Personally for me this was more of an inspiring read instead of a learning read, because I’m already familiar with the topics that were mentioned in the book. With that being said, I believe this small book is perfect for everyone who is interested in learning the foundations of manifestation. The author also shares his personal experiences and how he was able to change his life, so I believe this is great motivation for readers. It is always inspiring and interesting to see how other people manifest the amazing things they have in life, and how they decided to inspire others to do the same! I listened to this book in the audiobook format, and this is the format I would recommend if you decide to pick this up! It’s only a 2-hour reading, so it’s definitely worth it!
“One should not make a pet out of a wild beast.” – 4.75/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: damsels, amber eyes, hawks, baby lynxes, falcons, gems, dreams, lost memories, dry meat, secrets, dragons, sweet maids, red hair and glass eyes.
The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.
This book. Wow, what a masterpiece. By far one of my favorite books I’ve read this year!
You would think “what could possibly go wrong with what looks like your typical happy-ending fairy tale?”. Well, in this case, everything goes wrong. “Damsel” is a very dark and twisted novel, with no hint of humor in it.
The book tells the story of a damsel who was rescued by a prince, after he defeated the dragon. She doesn’t remember anything before her rescue, so she trusts the prince and returns home with him to be his bride. The only problem is… she doesn’t want to be his bride. So of course, things get very ugly, very fast. She is controlled, abused, humiliated and she has to follow his orders even if she doesn’t want to. She keeps trying to remember her past and she soon finds out that there are a lot of things the prince hid from her…
The synopsis caught my attention, so I knew I had to pick this up… and I’m really glad I did. I was hooked to the story from the start and I was intrigued to know how it would all end. My favorite thing about it is how the entire book is a giant metaphor! The way the prince tries to tame her, discipline her and make something of her that she isn’t was heartbreaking. The only thing I’m going to say about that, is that this is a true feminist book.
I really liked the characters in this! For the first time ever, I found a book character that I really disliked. I hated Emory with every fiber of my being, and that was very refreshing! I really liked how unlikeable he was. His friend was also trash.
The ONLY thing that I wasn’t a fan of (and what stopped me from giving 5 stars to this book) was the way Emory defeated the dragon (the third weapon situation). I just can’t wrap my head around it and it still doesn’t make sense to me. But I decided to see it also as a metaphor. Still, I was really satisfied with the ending! Kudos to the author.
The book made me feel angry and sad and heartbroken for Ama, but it was completely worth the read. I wouldn’t recommend this to a younger audience/kids because of the heavier topics, such as sexual assault and abuse. But it’s an incredible book for an older audience!
“Some days it’s fine. Others it nearly breaks me. The emptiness of the horizon, and the hunger in my body, and how will we ever survive this if we can’t survive each other? “We’re gonna make it. Tell me we’re gonna make it.” – 3.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: quarantine, black bears, blind eyes, a fresh orange, the Tox, gun shooting, snow, limited food supplies, blonde braids, forbidden kisses, face masks, the woods, a cure and wild girls.
It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.
It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.
But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.
I had very high expectations for this book. The cover is absolutely beautiful and I was so drawn to the synopsis… but it was a flop to me. To be fair, I was really into the beginning and I loved how wild the girls were, but the rest of the story didn’t meet my expectations. I personally didn’t like the course the book took, and the explanation the author gave for their sickness felt off and rushed. And that ending…? That ruined it for me.
I would not classify this a horror novel, but it has some creepy and eerie elements in it. That was definitely my favorite part of the book: the atmosphere. Still, I would like it better if the story was focused solely on the school and woods. Also, I really liked that the story was not focused on romance! That was a breath of fresh air.
The story itself had so much potential to become a really cool book. I’m so sad, I really wanted to love this!
“Every successful person is someone who has failed, but never considered himself a failure.” – 3.25/5 stars!
Attitude can make or break you and the people you lead.
Good attitudes on a team do not guarantee its success, but bad attitudes guarantee its ruin. So says New York Times best-selling author and leadership expert John C. Maxwell in this highly practical primer, Attitude 101. Anyone who has tried to lead people with bad attitudes knows the frustration it can bring.
With this concise and reader-friendly guidebook, you can master attitude issues. Learn to:
Recognize how individuals’ attitudes impact their performance Pinpoint problem feelings, behaviors, and thinking in yourself and others Identify six common attitude problems that undermine teamwork Discover the secret to changing a bad attitude Create new definititons of failure and success that will improve performance Adopt the attitude that helps a leader keep going to the next level Attitude is contagious!
You want to make sure your team is catching the right one!
This small book is perfect for a dose of motivation! It focuses on why we should have a good attitude in order to be successful. Maintaining a good attitude is essential to every area of our lives, and that’s exactly what this book is trying to teach.
The book is packed with great, organized advice. The author gives a lot of examples when a point is being made, so that helped a lot with visualizing what he was trying to say. I would say this is a great book for people who are getting started on the self-development world. For me, it was a good opportunity to remind myself of a few concepts on this subject and check on my overall attitude.
It’s a great book to pick if you want to read something inspirational. It is very easy to read and you’ll get through it quickly! I recommend the audiobook version because the narration is great and it is only about 2 hours long.
“One day I’d like to find the story of my past, and I hope it’s something more magical than being unwanted and abandoned as a baby. I hope it’s a tale filled with wonder, that explains who I am and why I’m different, why I hear the trees whispering secrets, and why I always feel the forest, pulling me in.” – 3.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: maps, magical stories, claw pendants, real friendships, notes, houses with chicken legs, quests, talking animals, war dances, bear caves, curses, enchanted trees, true friendships and… bear legs.
Found abandoned in a bear cave as a baby, 12-year-old Yanka has always felt out of place in her small village. When she wakes up to find that her legs have become bear legs, she sets off into the forest to discover who she is, on a journey that takes her from icy rivers to smouldering mountains, with an ever-growing group of misfits alongside her… Interwoven with traditional stories of bears, princesses and dragons, Yanka’s journey is a gorgeously lyrical adventure from the best-selling author of The House With Chicken Legs.
This was such a cute story! It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Sophie Anderson’s books and whenever a new book comes out, I’m always looking forward to diving into them!
There were a lot of things I enjoyed about this book, but my favorite was definitely the characters. I loved the main character Yanka and her trusty companion, the weasel Mousetrap.! They made the perfect duo and I was rooting for them the entire time. To be honest I liked all the characters – a special mention to Sasha, the Yaga and Elena.
The writing is beautiful and immersive. This story is based in Russian folklore, just like the other books from the same author. I always learn one thing or two by reading these stories! The only thing that I didn’t like that much is that I found it a little too slow-paced for my taste. Somewhere after she left for the forest, the story slowed down and my interest decreased a little.
One thing that surprised me was the crossover with “The House With Chicken Legs” book. I didn’t know there was a crossover, so I’m just glad I picked up the books in the right order! For this reason, if you’re considering picking this up I would highly advise you to pick up “The House With Chicken Legs” first!
It’s an amazing story for every age. It’s not only a story for children, but a story for young adults and adults as well. It’s full of magic and I’m sure your imagination will run free!
The illustrations are beautiful as always. Judging by the art style, I’m assuming the same illustrator is still working with Sophie Anderson! They make a great team to create these amazing stories. I just love how well the story is told with the beautiful pictures… It’s a match made in heaven!I really liked this book, but my favorite from this author is still “The House With Chicken Legs”. If you want to pick a book from her, that would be my recommendation!
“As I stood there surrounded by three people who had the ability to do just that-crack my chest open to all the disappointment and difficulty and grief-I knew I still wanted it. The risk of the bad stuff was so worth the good stuff. People who would be there for you when you messed up and behaved like a little jerk? They were the good stuff.” – 4/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: waterpark rides, kimchi, instamodels, spontaneous plane rides, food trucks, arrow signs, food competitions, Carrie the musical, pranks, first love, single dads, improbable friendships, Korean-brazilian culture, pasteis, the KoBra, summer jobs, LA and starry nights.
From the author of I Believe in a Thing Called Love, a laugh-out-loud story of love, new friendships, and one unique food truck.
Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?
With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.
Another book where the book cover spoke to my soul… the cover is beautiful! Now, the review of the book itself: this book was adorable! I really liked how Clara’s dad runs a food truck and (surprise surprise) it made me very hungry… constantly. All the food descriptions made me crave everything! Clara’s relationship with Rose was very interesting to watch as well. They started as mortal enemies, and ended as best friends. They made great friends when they got to know each other better, which was nice. I also thought the romance was very cute! The love interest was very nerdy and respectful. Just thought it was insta-love, but it was still cute. I felt like Clara grew a lot this summer, it was nice to watch her develop and become more mature. And I really liked her personality in general, very different from the regular lead girl. She’s incredibly funny and sarcastic and weird, and I love it! It’s a great book for a light summer read! It’s funny and sweet, perfect if you just want to grab something easy and fast to read.
“The easiest way to steal something, is for it to be given willingly.” – 4.75/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: pumpkins, magical hats, loyal maids, dreams, tight corsets, bakeries, riddles, black velvet gloves, red dresses, hedgehogs and flamingos, too much pepper, a three-pointed hat, jabberwocks, madness, disappearing cats, white roses, three little girls in a well, lemon tarts, tricks, rose macarons, golden eyes, black curls, jolly kings, black ravens, cut out heads and a heartless queen.
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
I think my heart is officially shattered. Or maybe it’s just gone now. Which is kind of appropriate given the title.
I knew this book would be in some way tragic since it is the story of how the Queen of Hearts became the way she is. I thought I was mentally prepared for it, but I was wrong, I wasn’t. So many emotions, but most of all, I feel really bad for Catherine (that character development though… yikes!).
I’m so glad I picked the audiobook for this one (even if it was almost 15 hours!). The characters’ accent contributed very positively to the story and all the magical atmosphere was set perfectly. With that said, the book is SO slow-paced! But that didn’t bother me that much to be honest. The story made up for it.
This is an amazing retelling of the Queen of Hearts story, I highly recommend this for Alice in Wonderland lovers!
“Never take anything you haven’t earned, my father used to say. You always end up paying for it one way or another.” – 4/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: detailed elevators, rules, ouroboros, creepy wallpaper, signed book copies, gargoyles, easy money, park benches, missing flyers, lost cell phones, puppies, suicides, guns, dumbwaiters and reset buttons.
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.
I can’t remember the last time I read a good thriller, so I decided to pick this up – it looked promising. This is classified as a thriller and a mystery novel, but for me it was more of a mystery trying to be horror. When the story began, I thought the setup was perfect! The building had a creepy vibe, the gargoyles were eerie, the residents seemed TOO private, the building history was haunting… and then you find out there’s a dumbwaiter in the apartment and now you know for sure you are in for a treat! Well… and I was, just not the way I expected. I feel like I spent the majority of the book wondering why “nothing” was happening… and still, I wasn’t bored. I remember when I read about the first time Jules felt something in her apartment and the time when the first message appeared in her dumbwaiter, I thought the story was going to be about a haunted apartment/building but it was nothing like that. With that said, it was still a great story and I was hooked the entire time! But please note that if you are expecting a paranormal book like I was, this is probably not the book for you.
Sprayed Edges 