About the Author:

Author-signed copy of The New Rules of Attachment: How to Heal Your Relationships, Reparent Your Inner Child, and Secure Your Life Vision by Dr. Judy Ho (one winner) (USA and Canada) (ends June 20)

The New Rules of Attachment by Dr. Judy Ho Book Review Tour Giveaway

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I'm a firm believer in the branch of positive psychology and neuroplasticity. I haven't read any of Dr. Selk's previous books but I was curious about his latest release. Relentless Solution Focus (RSF) is his three-step process to developing mental strength. In a nutshell, it trains you to 1) Recognize when negative thinking sets in, 2) Replace negative thinking with positive thoughts, and 3) Retrain your mind to be more solution-focused and positive. 

I've read enough books on the subject to know that this is nothing new, however, this book is easy to read and is infused with the authors' own experiences working with elite athletes and business leaders. Therefore, it is very much performance-based and perfect for the target audience of those in competitive environments.

I am the type of person that I love to learn the same subject from different perspectives, and I did enjoy very much the method outlined in this book with the anecdotes that gave me a fresh perspective on my own way of doing things. Furthermore, the keyword is relentless. In other words, consistency in retraining your mind and using your new skill set. This is the growth mindset, striving to improve oneself continuously. I paid particular attention to the section on prioritizing and perfectionist mentality because I know I need to work on these on a regular basis. I realized I need to focus on less so that I can achieve more of what is important to me. I've just got too much going on in my life. 

If you are motivated to make changes in the way you think so that you can clarify and achieve your goals as you strengthen your mind, this book can certainly help you with this. Written in the first-person, the author coaches you along in an easy-going manner, making this a pleasure to read as well. A good resource for all readers with an eagerness for improvement.

Published July 7th 2020 by Purple Dove Press

Buy it on Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ B&N 

Although a short book at only 87 pages, The Language of Deep Forgiveness is the perfect book to clarify and to help one truly understand the meaning of forgiveness. It's a book that makes you get unstuck from not being able to see past the hurt someone has done to us. Forgiveness is about giving ourselves peace of mind and the fortitude to move forward, but this is not so easily done. Even when we think we may have forgiven someone, deep down we may still have resentment and bitterness that can subtly eat at us. 

This book was very eye-opening and enlightening. It has taught me about myself, has made me reflect deeply on how I have forgiven others. This book has made me understand forgiveness through the  language that speaks to the heart in terms that the heart can understand. It was like a light bulb went off in my head! The author has a doctorate in clinical psychology and is also a Christian. His explanations were intelligent, concise and included a spiritual element that most psychology books do not. I will read it again and again because the process can take much reflection. Truly a book that can help us find peace of mind and move forward.

Published April 25, 2020 by The Happiness Center; 1st Edition

Buy it on Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ B&N

This book came at the right time. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with one catastrophe after another: a global pandemic, forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, riots, and the list goes on. The authors wrote and published this book during the first wave of the pandemic this past spring so the information is very relevant. I read it as I was experiencing all the different changes that the lockdown and restrictions brought about and it helped me to cope!

The 7 keys discussed are not new concepts but simple truths that have proven to help in times of crisis, with the authors using examples from the coronavirus pandemic, making this a timely book that we can all relate to. The information can be put to practice immediately. It's a practical guidebook, with each chapter ending with points to ponder, questions to consider, and actions that can be taken. It's easy to read, only 122 pages, and gives us much on which to contemplate. I read a chapter a week and reflected on the wise counsel throughout my days.

If you love books that offer practical insight and help you be a better person, especially when times get tough, this one is a perfect read to get you to stay positive.

Published on January 28, 2020 by Red Feather

Buy it on: Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ B&N

Some of the keys to dealing with tough times is having awareness, initiative, positive attitude and kindness. This is where the Thank Forward Gratitude Action Kit comes in handy. 

It consists of a small box that contains 21 colorful action cards and a 64-page booklet explaining how to use each card. It also includes ideas on how creative you can get with your acts of kindness. 

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I've been a long-time reader of books focusing on wellness based on positivity, so I was attracted to this book with it's minimalist book cover. For the most part, there's nothing new in this book that I have not read elsewhere. However, repetition is key to applying any principles for change and I did not mind the refresher reading.

Wendell Miracle outlines 7 keys to living happy every day. He mixes biblical teachings with the law of attraction. So although I agree with him that being grateful and helping others brings us lasting happiness, I don't fully agree that God or the universe will give us all we desire just because we visualize or celebrate these desires daily. This is because not all that we desire is in line with what God requires of us. 

The author then states that if we experience the opposite of what we are asking, to not get discouraged because "God will often send tests to see how bad you really want it." Not really, since James 1:13 says that when under trial, let no one say: "I am being tried (or tested) by God." The author states that he has been successful in life, telling us he is now a top salesman for a company. Success has many other definitions for me.

This is a small book with 14 lines per page. If typed with fewer spaces this book is actually more of a brochure. It can be read in 2 hours. I think this is good to know for a book that sells for over $17 CDN for print and over $9 for Kindle! It's information you could easily get online for free.

The author is very enthusiastic (lots of exclamation points throughout the text!) as he spouts his views with a few anecdotal testimonies to stress his point. However, if you're looking for a book on how to attain peak happiness, I suggest Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health by Dr. Caroline Leaf. Or if you are often on the go, listen to the free audiobook on Audible Habits for Happiness: 10 Daily Steps for Living Your Happiest Life by Tim Sharp.

Book Details:

Book Title: Lighten Your Mental Load by Amy Thornton
Category: Adult non-fiction, 129 pages
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing
Release date: January, 2020
Tour dates: Apr 13 to May 1, 2020
Content Rating: PG: The author uses occasional mild swear words in the book.


Book Description:

Mental labor, or the mental load, involves the many — and extremely varied — tasks that are involved in managing a household and/or workplace. This topic has exploded over the past couple of years, especially for women. As stated in an October 2017 Washington Post article, “The constant stress of trying to stay organized — and to remember to execute so many tasks every single day — is affecting women's relationships with their spouses, children, friends, and colleagues. They are experiencing mental, emotional, and physical fatigue trying to stay on top of it all.”

Lighten Your Mental Load shares real stories of what this load is like for both men and women across the globe and how it originated. It offers practical advice on how to lighten this burden through technology and other methods in the following areas:

• Home
• Shopping and Meals
• Marriage/Partners
• Children
• Pets
• Transportation
• Career
• Birthdays, Celebrations, Holidays, and Vacations
• Volunteering, Church Activities, and Hobbies
• Caregiving
• Retirement

Finally, the book discusses ways to not add to the mental load of others and how we can more evenly distribute the mental labor between both sexes for future generations.
LCR: Welcome to our blog, Amy! Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

AT: Yes, definitely! What helps prevent it in the first place is creating an outline. I’m a bit of an outline freak! But having a guide helps me move easily from sub-topic to sub-topic and not get stuck.

Even with an outline, I encounter moments where my mind just goes blank. That’s my cue to get away from the book for a while and take a walk, read, or do some hoop dancing (dancing with a hula-hoop). Nine times out of ten, by getting away from my iPad/laptop, my brain resets, relaxes, and gives me the inspiration I need! Prayer helps as well.

LCR: What is your next project?

AT: I write a column about the sandwich generation for our local paper. If you’ve never heard of this term, it refers to members of a generation taking care of both their children and their parents. I’ve been taking care of my mom as well as my own family since 2016 and have had numerous “adventures” along the way! I’ve also learned a lot.

My next book will be a compilation of my columns to help millions realize they’re not alone. I’m hoping the book will provide laugher, information, and comfort to sandwich generation members.

LCR: If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?

AT: I’m blessed that my boys are age 19 and 18 and pretty independent. However, they still need me for guidance at times, and of course, I want to enjoy them for as long as they still live at home. I make sure to set everything aside when they want to talk to me, as those moments are rare.

I try to write gradually, a little at a time, to not take away from family or work time.

LCR: Now here's a fun question for you: If you could go back in time, where would you go?

AT: I would go back to any dinner conversation that included my father. He died suddenly in November of 1993 and I would love to see him again.

LCR: Favorite travel spot?

AT: I’m a beach girl! Take me to the Florida Panhandle to enjoy the white, “sugary sand” beaches and I’m a happy camper.

LCR: Thanks for chatting with us!

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca ~ Chapters-Indigo 

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:

For more information, visit everydaylegacy.com, or connect with Shewan on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends March 26, 2020

If you've been reading my blog, you know that I like to feature self-help books that are in line with having a growth mindset. I've discovered this book on anxiety, although I've yet to read it. 

Author: Todd E. Pressman, PhD
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+) (336 pages)
Genre: Self-Help/How-To
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Release date: January 2020
Tour dates: Jan 13 to Feb 7, 2020
Content Rating: PG


Book Description:

In Deconstructing Anxiety, Pressman provides a new and comprehensive understanding of fear's subtlest mechanisms. In this model, anxiety is understood as the wellspring at the source of all problems. Tapping into this source, therefore, holds the clues not only for how to escape fear, but how to release the very causes of suffering, paving the way to a profound sense of peace and satisfaction in life.

With strategically developed exercises, this book offers a unique, integrative approach to healing and growth, based on an understanding of how the psyche organizes itself around anxiety. It provides insights into the architecture of anxiety, introducing the dynamics of the “core fear” (one's fundamental interpretation of danger in the world) and “chief defense” (the primary strategy for protecting oneself from threat). The anxious personality is then built upon this foundation, creating a “three dimensional, multi-sensory hologram” within which one can feel trapped and helpless.

Replete with processes that bring the theoretical background into technicolor, Deconstructing Anxiety provides a clear roadmap to resolving this human dilemma, paving the way to an ultimate and transcendent freedom. Therapists and laypeople alike will find this book essential in helping design a life of meaning, purpose and enduring fulfillment.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:

JONATHAN BAILOR pioneered the field of wellness engineering and is the founder and CEO of one of the world’s fastest-growing permanent weight loss and diabesity treatment companies, SANESolution. He authored the New York Times best-seller The Calorie Myth, has registered over 26 patents, has spoken at Fortune 100 companies and TED conferences for over a decade and served as a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, where he helped to create Nike Kinect Training and Xbox Fitness. His work has been endorsed and implemented by top doctors from Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and UCLA. A summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of DePauw University, Bailor lives outside Seattle with his wife, Angela, and daughter Aavia.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram