Six Years
By Harlan Coben
Six Years is an amazing mystery thriller the latest offering from author Harlan Coben. It has so many different layers to it, as a long time fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I have been a fan of his since his Bolitar series and had no problems moving onto his stand alone books, such as this one. In true Harlan Coben fashion, he grabs you the reader right from the first pages of the book. He takes you on a bumpy ride that has a lot of twist and turns, leaving you experiencing the emotions of the main character. Often you think you have it all figured out and that is when he throws another curve ball at you.
The story is centered around a small prestigious college professor named Jake Fisher. He fell in love with an artist named Natalie Avery six years ago. They spent almost three months together in a secret retreat. He is then blind sided, when the love of his life Natalie calls off the relationship. She makes matters worse by getting married to another guy in just a matter of days. This is a guy she has supposedly known for a number of years. Natalie instructs the professor to stay away from the newly married couple and never to try contact her again.
Six years go by, Jake becomes even more successful and also fully recovers from losing Natalie. He never tries to contact her again until the day he reads about the death of her husband. He plans to attend the funeral, hoping to run into Natalie. However, when he arrives at the funeral he is shocked to find that the widow is not the love of his life. It is another woman who already has two children. Jake decides to search for Natalie. Although he runs into many obstacles on his quest, he perseveres and soldiers on to uncover the truth.
Who is Harlan Coben? He is an international bestseller who has authored more than twenty other novels. These include his six #1 New York Times bestselling books such as Hold Tight and Stay Close. Before writing stand alone novels he was involved with the Myron Bolitar series and has since moved on to pen another young adult series that features Mickey Bolitar, a nephew of Myron.This is a series aimed at young adults. He has won many individual awards such as the Edgar award, the Anthony award and the Shamus award. He is based in North Eastern United States, in the Garden State of New Jersey.
This is one of those books that is very hard to put down once you start reading it. Harlan manages to reveal a new surprise in every chapter. This thickens the plot as most of them are unrelated. This I think was the secret ingredient that kept me in suspense all the way through the book. There were a few parts I felt the story was dragging a little and others that were cliche, however overall a great story that is related to us from the point of view of Jake. Harlan also has a great sense of humor, and you will appreciate that too.
Six Years is a very well written book. You will find a little bit of everything from suspense, wit, intrigue and even some romance within the pages of this novel. The author does a great job with the different characters and the super imaginative plot. If you are a mystery and thriller lover, then this one book you must read. It has been a long while since I read, a book with so much suspense. You will definitely enjoy this thrill ride. This novel entertains as well as excites you whilst remaining compelling and gripping too. You most likely will read through this one in one afternoon, from cover to cover.Read More Reviews Here…
The Four Agreements
By Don Miguel Ruiz
There are so many books that have been written that promise to provide happiness in one’s life, I have read quite a few myself. However when it comes to simplicity and practicality none of them are as good as this book ‘The Four Agreements’ written by Don Miguel Ruiz. In this book Don does a brilliant job in providing simple instructions to help guide you on your way to achieving the freedom and happiness you desire from life. Although it was first published in 1997, its message is still very powerful and this has propelled the book to bestseller status for many years.
The Four Agreements is a very short book to read. The author introduces us to his four simple guidelines that you can use to guide you in your life. He does touch a little on the subject of religion, however he does not make this the basis of the book. The ‘Agreements’ are super simple, however very powerful at the same time. If you are able to accept them and incorporate them into your own life you may immediately start to see very positive and freeing changes. Each agreement is broken down and illustrated using examples to guide you on your life path.
Want to know what ‘The Four Agreements’ are? The first one is ‘Be Impeccable With Your Words’. This asks you to use your words in a truthful and loving way. The second one is ‘Don’t Take Anything Personally’ this gives you immunity from the opinions and actions of people around you. The third agreement is ‘Don’t Make Assumptions’. This requires you to ensure that your are being very clear when you communicate with other people, reducing the potential of misunderstandings. The last one is ‘Always Do Your Best’. Don says if you always do your best in any situation, you will never punish yourself by judging yourself or even having regrets.
Who is Don Miguel Ruiz? He is more commonly known to many as a Toltec traditional nagual or shaman. This is actually not a religion, it is more a way of living that accepts and honors spirits as well as spiritual masters who have studied the earth. Don was born in rural Mexico and comes from a family of healers. His grandmother who raised him was a Curandera and his grandfather was a Shaman. Don Miguel began healing in Logan Heights, California with his mother Sarita in the year 1987. He suffered a serious heart attack in 2002, that has limited him physically. As a result he only does a few public speaking engagements every year.
Personally I am grateful for his wisdom and his clearly positive spiritual being. As I read this book I began to think of the many ways one could avoid the problems and issues they face in life. The Toltec imagery and some of his approaches often had my right eyebrow raised, however I would take a simple deep breath and just allow myself not to judge and learn new things. My favorite Agreement is ‘Be Impeccable With Your Words’ as I know how strong words can be both positively and negatively.
In the book Don Miguel writes that we as individuals have all chosen to believe that which has been told to us to believe. He acknowledges that is is very difficult to change the core beliefs of any person. Therefore he never tries to change your beliefs, he just shows you other ways that you can look at different situations in your life. He challenges you to reevaluate how you interact with people around you, and try to make each interaction a more positive experience. These days I find that I have become more self aware, and it is all because of the lessons I learnt.
Although this book is very short and easy to understand. It is very difficult to do what it challenges you to do. If you are one of those people who is open to new ideas, this book was written for you. This book is an interesting read and it spoke directly to my heart. If you seek a better quality of life, this book can help you change your life. However, you have to be willing to try and allow it to help you live a happier and easier life. I heard there is a follow up to this book called ‘The Fifth Agreements’, I will be reading that one next. Read More Reviews Here…
Lean In
Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
By Sherly Sandberg
There was a lot of buzz surrounding this book, so being interested in professional women, I decided to grab myself a copy. I had watched Sherly Sandberg’s TEDTalk on youtube before and after reading this book it seems to me that Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead is more of an extended version of that. Before I continue with this review, I just want to mention that I personally am not striving to be the next Sheryl. I did however find this to be an excellent book. It is very inspiring and although the title reads ‘Women’ this would be a good read for men too.
In Lean In, the author points out the many barriers that women face when it comes to achieving leadership jobs that are at par with their abilities and education. She states that women are responsible for creating some of these hurdles themselves, mostly because they do not posses self confidence. Sometimes it is due to the fear of coming across as too aggressive in the workplace. She then does a good job at sharing motivational tips to help women win the war against these barriers.
Sheryl goes on to offer a little insight into the most common ways that we as women tend to sabotage our own careers without being aware of what we are actually doing. She gives tips on how to get the most out of your own career.Throughout the book she utilizes simple stories to bring forward her points and then backs it up with well researched data. She also addresses all the different roles that women have to play in their lifetime. Sheryl encourages us to be fully engaged in these roles and always ‘lean in’ be it emotionally, physically or even mentally.
Who is Sheryl Sandberg? She is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook Inc, which she joined in 2008. Before joining the world’s biggest social media site she was Vice President of Global Online Sales & Operations at another internet giant Google Inc. In the past she has been chief of staff at the U.S. Treasury Department during President Bill Clinton’s two terms. Sheryl is 43 years old and lives in Atherton, California. She has Bachelor of Arts and an MBA from Harvard University. She was listed in the tenth position on Forbes List Of Power Women in in 2012.
I found Lean In to be very thought provoking and really enjoyed the fact that it was a short read. I also was pleased to see how honest the author was in terms of her strengths, her faults as well as her privileges. I thank her for giving us a glimpse into Silicon Valley. However I did notice that some of the stories she writes about are the same stories she has retold over and over again in the past.
Personally I did not feel she was claiming to have answers to everything regarding women in the corporate world. This is definitely not a ‘do as I did’ and you will succeed book. She clearly acknowledges that we all find ourselves in different situations, and she considers herself to have been very lucky. When you read her book you can take the lessons from her life and learn from them in order to have a more fulfilling experience.
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead was enlightening for me. I suddenly realized the many ways I had been subconsciously limiting myself. The book is super helpful, very clear, a short read and Sheryl keeps it very simple. She does not sugar coat anything for you. This is a must read for everyone regardless of their age. If you are a career oriented woman, you will gain very useful insights from reading this book. As I have already stated above, even though the book targets women, men can learn a few pointers too.Read More Reviews Here…
To Sell Is Human
The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
By Daniel H. Pink
As a car salesman, I was thrilled when I heard about the latest book by Dan Pink. However, as I read To Sell Is Human, I quickly discovered that this was not a book written only for salespeople. This book is ideal for everyone. Dan has the simple belief that everyone on this planet, has had to sell something to someone at some point or another. Which if you really think about it, is actually very true.
Every businessman knows that with the dawn of the internet, the way we sell has changed. Dan starts of this book by examining some employee trends that resulted in an improvement of sales from one in every nine to one in one. The book is 272 pages long and is divided into three sections. The first section covers the ‘Rebirth Of A Salesman’. Section B is on ‘How To Be one’ and the last section C is all about ‘What To Do’.
Dan brings to the forefront seven pitches that salesman can use. Most of these you may already be familiar with. He also gives us the new ABCs when it comes to selling. He talks about Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Then goes on further to show us how to practically use them. You will now be able to tackle that customer who has researched the product you are trying to sell, and be able to successfully sell the product to them.
So who is Daniel H. Pink? He already has written four books, one of them entitled Drive and A Whole New Mind has been on the New York Times bestsellers list for a long time. You can also find his book in as many as 33 different languages from across the globe. He graduated from both Yale Law School and Northwestern University. Two prestigious publications namely Thinkers 50 and the more popular Harvard Business Review named him in 2011 to the list of top 50 business thinkers worldwide. With over a million copies sold in just the United States, Dan Pink is based out of the nations capital Washington, DC.
I really enjoyed how he was able to collect a large amount of data along with anecdotes to go with all the data. He then goes further by intertwining the two seamlessly, ending up with this informative as well entertaining book. The summaries at the end of each chapter as well as sample cases are also a welcome addition to this book. You can expect to run into many different concepts, each one accompanied by an actionable explanation in only a way that Dan can. I personally thought at times his attempts at combining the art of sales with that of persuasion where often exaggerated.
If you could only read one chapter in this book, then head straight to chapter seven. This one chapter by itself is worth more than you will pay for this book. You should enjoy how his writing engages you as you read, sometimes I thought he was reading my mind. Books that include personal experiences are always more credible in my eyes, and Dan has indeed added a few experiences of his own. I think the readers will also appreciate the links to online websites and resources for more information and practice.
Dan Pink has managed to give us an easy to read book that has great insights on how one should approach interaction and communication. I have learnt a lot from reading To Sell Is Human, and have already used some of the lessons with great results! This book teaches the art of persuasion, that should help you become more successful and influential in your everyday life. Your everyday interactions with people around you, will never be the same again. Salesperson or no salesperson, you can enhance your life. Read More Reviews Here…
The Signal and the Noise
Why Most Predictions Fail but Some Don’t
By Nate Silver
If you are one of those people who are searching for the secret on ‘how to predict’ then this book is going to disappoint you. In The Signal and the Noise: Why Most Predictions Fail but Some Don’t the author has made it a point to state that there is no such secret in existence. I on the other hand expected to get a lot of information on his whole prediction process, and was not disappointed at all.
This is a well researched book, that even includes discussions on problems that can be encountered when one tries to predict many different events. Whether it is poker, baseball, politics, chess or even just the weather, there are many potential problems involved. Nate covers the Bayesian thinking basics and provides readers with the guidelines to help you make good predictions. You do not really need to memorize any math formulae, however you it maybe advantageous to have a good grasp of probability and general arithmetic.
You do not have to be statistician to read or enjoy this book. Most people will be able to use it to figure out which events they can predict and those they cannot. You will also be able to tell where problems may arise and how you can circumnavigate these problems before they occur. The whole idea is that all the information available should be considered before any predictions are made. Throughout the book Nate maintains that any amount of data is of no use when it comes to predictions, if it is not used in context.
Who is Nate Silver? He is a statistician and a writer. He also founded the blog FiveThirtyEight.com for the New York Times, which is now one of their political blogs. He is also the developer of the PECOTA system which was purchased by Baseball Prospectus, and is used for predicting the performance of baseball players. In the last couple of years he became famous for being able to handicap the election polls for the both the presidential as well as the senate races. Time magazine included Nate in their list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world. Nate was also able to closely predict the election in 2008.
The way this book is structured makes it easy to read from one chapter to the next without having to go back and review previous chapters. I did however notice that often times he tends to repeat himself throughout the book. Due to the amount of information he shares, most statisticians should be able to duplicate the models discussed in this book. He has included over 56 pages of his notes as well as 20 more pages for the index of the book. Personally, I really enjoyed the chapter on baseball scouts, and how their perceptions add value to the available data.
Overall, this book is very interesting to read. You may find the pace slows down in certain places, as he tries to fully explain his models. Regardless, of whether you are an ordinary reader, an economist or a forecaster you will appreciate the amount of valuable information that Nate Silver shares. The Signal and the Noise is a very informative book, that is well written and loaded with huge amounts of real world data. You may not be able to make your first accurate prediction after you read it, but you will definitely have a better understanding of the whole process. Read More Reviews Here…
Shred
The Revolutionary Diet: 6 Weeks 4 Inches 2 Sizes
By Ian K. Smith
Two weeks ago I was watching my favorite daytime talk show, the Dr Oz Show and he featured Dr Ian Smith the author of Shred: The Revolutionary Diet: 6 Weeks 4 Inches 2 Sizes. Having tried many diets in the past, this one caught my attention. It seemed to be very simple to follow and did not involve any complex foods or meals. On the show Dr Smith said that this diet was perfect for those trying to lose those last pounds, as well as those who want to beat the dreaded plateau.
The book itself is very short, a mere 12 chapters. The first two chapters provide details on the actual diet. The rest of the book contains your daily meal plans for a six week period. You are introduced to a healthy way to get rid of those excess pounds. This is not a quick fix diet, it is actually a lifestyle change. The book covers everything from the proper way to eat, the timing of your meals, when to snack, how to workout as well as how to boost your metabolism.
You are also introduced to a whole new concept he has termed “Diet Confusion”. This is the secret to boosting your metabolism and your overall weight loss. He accomplishes this by dividing the program into six one week phases, each with its own set of rules. These are the phases you will follow the first phase is called the Prime, the second is the Challenge, the third is the Transformation, the fourth is the Ascend, the fifth is the Cleanse and the sixth phase is called Explode.
Who is Ian K. Smith, M.D.? He has previously authored four other health and lifstyle books for which he is a number one best selling author for each one. You can find his books Extreme Fat Smash Diet, The Fat Smash Diet, The 4 Day Diet, Happy, and The Truth About Men online. He is also attached to daytime television show The Rachael Ray Show, where he contributes on various medical related issues. Dr Ian also hosts the HealthWatch radio show which is now available nationally.
For six seasons of the Celebrity Fit Club on the cable station VH1 he contributed as a health expert. He also created the 50 Million Pound Challenge as well as the Makeover Mile. These are both national health drives. Dr Smith graduated from three prestigious universities which are Harvard, Columbia, as well as the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. The President of The United States, Barack H. Obama also invited him to be part of his Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.
I have personally started the Shred diet and I am now on Day 5. So far so good, my body feels amazing probably because of all the water and fruit I have been eating. As far as the recipes are concerned my favorite one so far has o be the black bean soup. The low calorie snacks are amazing too. I could not believe I was allowed to melt two squares of chocolate, dip half a banana into them and call that a snack.
The book includes many choices for you to choose from, so you have many substitutes for foods you do not like. One thing I wish he had explained a little more would be the correct sizes for portions. I did not have any problem incorporating this diet to my schedule but I know some people who have. The exercise part has also been an issue for some people, who say they do not have the time. Nowadays I am hardly ever hungry, and unlike other diets I have tried in the past the recommended foods are very affordable.
In conclusion, this is an easy to read and well written book. The instructions are easy to follow as they are presented to you on a daily schedule. If you are planning on living a healthier life, that involves you eating the right way, this is the book for you. Your age or the size of your body is not important. This should work for you, granted you follow Dr Ian’s simple instructions. It is indeed a new experience being on a diet and never feeling hungry, I cannot wait to see the final results. Read More Reviews Here…
Fifty Shades Freed
Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
By E.L. James
If you had asked me before I read the first book in this trilogy, I probably would never have said that I enjoy reading this genre of books. However, the first two books got me hooked, I had no option but to read ‘Fifty Shades Of Freed’ which is the last installment in the series. This one had more of a plot and less sex scenes and personal conversations. Everything finally started to make sense. I know many women all over the world, and some men really appreciate the author E.L. James for writing this tantalizing book.
Fifty Shades of Freed begins right where the previous book left off. We get to experience the wedding of Christian and Anna and then they immediately take us all on their honeymoon in Europe. You can expect them to argue, have sex, argue and then have more sex again just the way only the two of them can. Christian also displays more control issues, at one point he even forbids Anna from riding on a Jet Ski alone. In this book, James also introduces new sex toys including the butt plug, the cross and the grid.
The two lovebirds are also very adventurous when it comes to the different places they end up getting intimate with each other. Finally in this book it seems like the couple has everything they ever needed and more. Anna now understands that loving her man is going to be difficult and challenging at times. She has to figure out how to maintain her identity while immersing herself into the extravagant lifestyle of her husband. Be prepared for some sudden twists and turns that really shake up Anna.
Who is E L James? She was a television executive before she became a best selling author. She lives in West London and has two beautiful children. Becoming a famous author has been her dream from her early years. Just like most women around the world, she pressed pause on those dreams so she could look after her family and establish her career. This trilogy consists of the the first three books she wrote, after she finally decided to start writing again.
There are many things that you will read in this book, that you may already have encountered in the first two books. I was happy to experience the new course their lives took after the wedding. I also enjoyed how the author started using flashbacks in Fifty Shades of Greed. What I still have issues with is the many grammar errors, the repetitive sentences as well as her teenager like writing style. Some parts of the book also seemed to drag on longer than they should have. Often times I was left wondering if this book had actually gone through the editing process.
If you are a fan of the first two books, you have to read Fifty Shades of Greed too. I have personally enjoyed the story and all the kink that E.L. James brought to us her readers. She is definitely an expert when it comes to writing sex scenes that sizzle. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster ride. You will cry, you will smile and often times be really excited. You will not want this book to end, even though it does eventually come to the perfect conclusion. If the Fifty Shades trilogy was a cake, this last book is definitely the cherry on top of the cake. Read More Reviews Here…
