Today’s task is to add a post on any book that sparks joy in your life! It could be a book that makes you laugh, a book that brings back fond memories, maybe the first book you ever bought on your own salary! 🙂
Write a 1-line description of why you love this book along with the cover image; no word count rules today! Then post the link to your blog or Instagram link in the comments.
For me, this book by Robin Sharma is a favorite read. Love the bite-sized chapters and the mood boost they instantly provide. Its like a prose form of a cup of steaming hot chocolate after a cold winter commute! 🙂 Another lovely part of this book is that it actually belongs to my husband, who introduced me to the beautiful world of self-help books and inspirational authors like Robin Sharma, Brian Tracy and Malcolm Goldwell.
Images of two of my favorite chapters are added below:
Amazing book – I could not put it down, but then reminded myself that I did not want to end up needing a tech detox (like the hero) and finished it on day 2 ! 🙂 Hilarious, satirical and absolutely adorable! The author has taken a contemporary topic like tech addiction and brought a very fresh look at surviving in the 21st century without the help of modern tech. The romantic angle is delightful without seeming forced!
Highly recommend!
Title – Logging Off
Author – Nick Spalding
REVIEW SCORE = 5/5 *****
This is another ARC thanks to #NetGalley. I requested the book without even realizing that the author was a bestseller. Happy to report that I went in with minimal expectations, but the book proves why Nick Spalding is so popular!
I will certainly be buying his other books to read in the future! 🙂
As a digital native myself, I totally relate to the panicky feeling at the thought of being completely cut off and having to rely on my “rusty brain” and personal judgement to navigate the world. We’ve almost forgotten the simple joys of life – like taking a joyride to nowhere, sitting in silence without a meditation app or taking a walk in the park to delight in the sounds of nature. This book reminded me to try those more often.
The book is set in the UK, but readers from any country will find it appealing. Giving too much importance to online “influencers” without vetting them, over-reliance on online reviews, GPS map, preferring meetups to talking to plain old friends, etc. The author weaves all these topics into a coherent and entertaining chronicle. Yet, there are scenes to show that technology and hyper-connectivity can have positive outcomes. I appreciate that the author does not take sides in demonizing technology or glorifying it!
Similar Works:
Books – “Notes from a Big Country” by Bill Bryson. Other books by Nick Spalding – start with “Checking Out” or “Dumped Actually”.
Movies – Late Nights.
TV Series – Stand up series by Jim Gaffigan or Amit Tandon.
Genres – Humor and Satire, Romantic Comedy, British Humor.
Who is not impressed by a rocket scientist? I certainly am, and I’ve also had the privilege to meet a couple retired ones in real life!
But I did not think there was any process to emulate their ability to think about solving problems with no known solutions. So the description of this book captivated me completely.
Title – Think Like a Rocket Scientist
Subtitle – Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life
Author – Ozan Varol
Review Score = 5/5 *****
Compared to bestselling author, Nassem Taleb’s book “Black Swan” is the unlikely event that disrupts industries and bankrupts businesses, like a pandemic or housing bust. This book is the answer to avoid getting hurt badly when such situations, and they will happen at some point or the other, no doubt about it.
Whether you are a student, entrepreneur or mid level executive, this book will help you improve your critical thinking skills. You will emerge with new ways to innovate, see patterns and a fresh burst of creativity. The best way to describe it is as a crash course equivalent to an MBA business strategy class.
Nine brilliant thinking processes that you can use to boost your career.
Side note, the cover and title were so compelling, I only read the recommendations AFTER I put in my #NetGalley advance review request.
Did you know? This book comes recommended by:
a] bestselling authors like Adam Grant (Wharton professor and author of “Originals”) and Daniel Pink (“Drive”) , b] Tech titans I follow, like Satya Nadella and Bill Gates.
Honestly, did not think the request would be accepted, but being a Top Reviewer (see badge on right) seemed to help my case. So I figured I would get to the book ASAP, and also add a review.
In all fairness, my 5* review is 100% honest, and not at all swayed by the amazing other people who have praised this book. My review after all, is for regular readers like you and me, who read for entertainment or learning. Plus, I have read so many non-fiction books in the past that I can decipher (or so I like to believe!) when books are simply rehashing generic concepts or regurgitating content from a hundred other books.
In this book, I was looking for practical strategies to hone my critical thinking skills, and possibly ideas to accelerate my career. The book delivered everything that I expected and a little more! I got some wacky ideas for my website promotion, and early testing seems to show more positive response than I expected.
Brilliant book. 100% recommend to readers in all industries and stages of their career.
Fun read just perfect for a rainy day, a beach vacation or a lazy weekend (me!) I’ve been to Key West islands, where this story is set. Hence, I totally agree that this gorgeous location is the perfect backdrop for a sudden romance! The story was amazing too, presenting a family drama without making it too sordid or glum. The primary characters were believable, and even the secondary plots between the heroine and her siblings were interesting enough (something I don’t often see in romance novels), that I read the book from cover to cover.
Title – Island Affair
Author – Priscilla Olivers
REVIEW SCORE = 5/5 *****
This is another ARC thanks to #NetGalley. I requested the book because the cover just called to me, and who doesn’t love an exotic island? Here are some pix from my trip to KeyWest. With such gorgeous vistas, romance is simply humming in the air! ?
Raw, natural pix – the stunning views in KeyWest.
Beaches, greenery and poetic sunrises! Glad the author mentions all these in her book! 🙂
Again, the story was marvelous, and I like that the author put in topics like food disorders, parental pressure and sibling rivalry in the mix. Some books feel like there are too many subplots, but this book had just the right balance and happy endings for all the loose ends.
Lastly, with all the fears and uncertainty from the corona virus pandemic, honestly, we need more books like this which allow readers to escape from our real-life chaos.
Similar Works:
Books – “Head over High Heels” by Lila monroe. “The Stylist takes Manhattan” by Rosie Nixon, “Blitzed” by Alexa Martin. Any Betty Neels book.
Movies – Legally blonde, Beautician and the Beast, Nights at Rodanthe, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle.
Calling all Book Review Bloggers and Bookstagrammers! Participate in our Book Review Blog Challenge and win a $50 Amazon Giftcard! Second prize $20 giftcard and 3 honorary mentions.
The rules are simple – between April 15th and May 18 there will be 8 prompts (words or phrases). Review a book that fits each theme and win points. The blogger with the most points wins!
Blogging is fun and so is reading! This blog challenge combines both and gives you a chance to mingle with other book lovers, while helping you push forward with your annual reading goals! 🙂 Plus, if you own a blog this is a great way to add more links, which is good SEO.
Sign up here to participate. Deadline is Apr 25th, 2020.
Rules of the challenges are posted in details here. FAQs below.
Happy Blogging! 🙂
FAQs – Frequently Asked Qs
How long is the contest?
The contest will run between Apr 15th, 2020 and May 18th, 2020.
I missed the start/ first few themes. Can I participate?
As long as you signed up before Apr 25th using this link, and posted on 3 distinct dates before May 18th, you are eligible for the contest and to win.
You still do have to respond to the earlier posts to win more points.
I love books, but don’t have my own blog. Can I participate?
You can also use your Instagram, Facebook posts or Medium.com articles to create book reviews (min 100 words).
LinkedIn articles and Twitter posts are NOT allowed.
For all the posts please remember to add the link of theme post (the appropriate blog post) and the hashtag #BookReviewBlogChallenge for every response. Then use your bloglink or Instagram story (or other) and post as a comment under our prompt.
Do I have to respond to all 8 prompts?
The minimum is one welcome post and 3 book reviews on distinct days. So technically, you qualify for the prizes even if you miss a theme.
However, more posts = more points. $50 prize will be awarded to person with the most points. So writing more works in your favor.
I found a book that fits the theme, but I have already reviewed the book in an earlier post. Can I reuse the post?
If you reviewed the book for an earlier prompt in this challenge, then the book cannot be reused again.
If you reviewed the book on your own, unrelated to this challenge, then the book is allowed. However, you do need to create a new post explaining why you chose the book. Just link to the earlier post instead of doing the review again. Cross-linking is great for SEO and Google searches!
I don’t live in the Eastern Time Zone (US-NYC). So my post has a different date, even though it fits the time limits for posting. Is my post still eligible?
We use the date/timestamp based on when you commented on our site, not the values on your blog. So we will be able to award you the correct points.
I am working/studying/caregiver and can only work weekends. Is it worth participating?
Absolutely! The challenge prompts will be added on Wednesdays and Saturdays. As long as you posted on 3 distinct days, you will qualify for the prizes.
There are some additional points for posting within 2 days of the prompt. So you should be eligible for those bonus points if you post by Friday (for the Wednesday posts) and early for the Saturday posts.
I am having technical difficulties commenting on your site/ posting on my site/ other . Can I email you my book review?
Yes, email us at [email protected] . However, please note that we will assess this on a case by case basis. Repeat offenders may be disqualified for prizes at the discretion of the challenge hosts.
If you have an instagram account or write on Medium.com, please post there as well, if possible.
If you email us, please send your response as a Word doc ONLY. Plus, the contents should follow all other rules including hyperlinks, images and tag #BookReviewBlogChallenge.
