Category: Book Reviews

Book review: ‘The #PACE Process for Early Career Success’ by Mark Zides

‘The #PACE Process for Early Career Success’ is the new business career guide by Mark Zides. Photo: Amazon

Mark Zides is the founder and CEO of CoreAxis Consulting, an award-winning custom learning and development, professional and leadership development, and talent management firm. CoreAxis partners with companies such as Amazon, Thermo-Fisher Scientific, Netflix, Nestle, and more, to develop innovative immersive learning solutions for their workforce. Over his 30 years advising clients on building future leaders and talent for organizations of all sizes, Mark brings a thoughtful and impactful coaching model to many aspiring trailblazers. Mark is now the bestselling author of “The #PACE Process for Early Career Success.” This book is impacting the lives of young Millennials and Gen Z professionals and helping them thrive in their careers. (Amazon, 2022)

“The #PACE Process for Early Career Success” – With the structure of the workforce changing now more than ever, it pays to shift our views regarding job search and career success. This book is designed to help you unlock the mindset, traits, and techniques needed to Plan, Apply for, Commit to, and Evaluate your ideal career path. In fact, those are the 4 sections of the book: Prepare, Apply, Commit, and Evaluate. Whether you plan to enter the corporate world, join a startup, or start your own business, you will learn how to build a network, master interviewing skills, leverage your personal brand, and even how and when to move on to your next opportunity. With more than twenty years of experience as an entrepreneur, businessman, and CEO, Mark Zides teaches young adults the skills they need to get their feet in the door, climb the ladder, and not stop achieving until they find success. In the Introduction, he makes it a point to introduce himself, his background, and what qualifies him to give the advice in this book. He is from a working class family and knows what it is like to work for a living and his own career path has not been easy. The material covers topics like job hunting, networking, and interviewing skills as well has how to find success in your given career once you get a job.

Career guides are invaluable sources of job search and career advice. “The #PACE Process for Early Career Success” is definitely no exception. Mark Zides uses real life examples, research, and sometimes some tough love to arm workers with the necessary skills to not just survive the modern workforce but to thrive. When looking through job listings, he advises, “….if you don’t like the language used in the ad, respect that feeling. It won’t get better, that much I can assure you.” His tone is approachable and the language used is easy to understand and follow. The chapter layouts makes the information easy to understand. Highlights include Chapter 4 Personal Brand, Résumés, & Cover Letters especially the section Company Red Flags, which describes how to identify what the company is looking for and their culture, and Chapter 7 Once You’re In which explains the importance of reading the contract when being offered a new job and creating a 90 Day Plan once you accept the job offer. The focused demographic is young people starting off their careers, but anyone looking for a career change, or even looking for a job, can benefit from it. Even if you are not currently job searching, the chapters on how to recognize burnout and how to know when it is time to move on are extremely informative. “The #PACE Process for Early Career Success” is the definitive guide for working professionals, both young and old and is a must-read for recent college graduates ready to enter the workforce. It is recommended for readers interested in career guides, books on job hunting and interviewing skills, and those looking for a refresher course in career management.

“…the ability to lead, communicate, adapt to change, and problem-solve when things don’t go your way (without taking it personally) are the most important skills that young professionals need to obtain for their long term success” – Joe Lazarek (Foreword)

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Public Relations Handbook’ by Robert L. Dilenschneider

‘The Public Relations Handbook” – fifth edition, edited by Robert L. Dilenschneider. Photo: Amazon

Robert L. Dilenschneider formed The Dilenschneider Group in October, 1991. Headquartered in New York and Chicago, the Firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media. Experienced in a number of communications disciplines, Mr. Dilenschneider is frequently called upon by the media to provide commentary and strategic public relations insights on major news stories. He has counseled major corporations, professional groups, trade associations and educational institutions, and has assisted clients in dealings with regulatory agencies, labor unions, and consumer groups, among others. He is the editor of “The Public Relations Handbook,” a comprehensive and invaluable guide for public relations practitioners in the 2020s and beyond. (Amazon, 2022)

“The Public Relations Handbook” – nineteen contributing authors navigate the subject of public relations. In this field, it is no longer enough to be able to write an attention grabbing press releases and to establish media contacts. Nowadays, you must also be able to navigate the digital world and be prepared to work with other professionals. The skills needed in today’s public relations include supporting a company’s marketing and sales, handling social media, managing government relations, effectively working with the media, communicating with the investment community, supporting top management during a crisis or scandal, and positively positioning the company’s commitment to environmental, social, and government issues. It is divided into seventeen chapters, including Engaging the Community: Public Relations Is All About People and Working with the Media: They Are Not the Enemy, but Care is Required. The first five revolve around public relations, what it is and how it works. The last six deal with how to navigate public relations in different places, like private families, higher education, and countries like China, Japan, and Canada. Each chapter ends with a ‘Takeaways’ section that summarizes the topics covered.

Public relations has always been an important part of all types of businesses because it facilitates relationships among business professionals. “The Public Relations Handbook” was first published in 1967 and this new fifth edition explains how to deal with a more complex and constantly changing digital world and addresses new challenges in the financial, economic, political, public health and societal sectors. Editor Robert L. Dilenschneider is a communications executive who brings together leading experts in the field to address the specific skill sets, strategies, and execution that public relations practitioners need today. The language is relatively easy to understand and the overall layout of the chapters makes the information clear and accessible to the general reader. Highlights include Chapter 11 Crisis Communications: Not If, but When because it discusses what to do in your organization when a crisis occurs including how to handle the backlash and Chapter 13 Going Forward with China: A Guide to Success because it goes into detail of specific scenarios, for example, at a formal meal in China, ‘it is considered very rude in Chinese culture to eat before the host starts.’ The target audience may be public relations professionals but everyone can benefit from it, especially the chapters dealing with how people outside the United States conduct professional and personal business. “The Public Relations Handbook” is a valuable resource guide for the public relations professional and is recommended for readers who appreciate learning about public relations and business management even if they are not in the business of public relations.

“Public relations professionals must be prepared to deal with a staggering variety of people, issues, and subjects. After all, ‘it takes a village’ – public relations, as we know from its very name, is not done in isolation. It is a collegial endeavor.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Pitch Like Hollywood’ by Peter Desberg and Jeffery Davis

‘Pitch Like Hollywood’ by Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis. Photo: Amazon

Peter Desberg is professor emeritus at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award and Outstanding Professor Award. The author of 23 books, he has been quoted by such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today and The New York Times, and has consulted for companies including Apple, Boeing and Toyota in the areas of pitching and persuasion, corporate presentations, and using storytelling and humor in business presentations. Jeffrey Davis is a professor of screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and served from 2009-2019 as the department chair. As a consultant, his areas have also included writing, pitching, and employing storytelling and humor in business presentations. In their new book “Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn From the High-Stakes Film Industry,” they offer inside tips on how to craft pitches that seal the deal―no matter what industry you work in―and banish presentation anxiety forever. (Amazon, 2022)

“Pitch Like Hollywood” – From impromptu elevator pitches to full-board presentations, sales and marketing professionals face an “audience” daily―often with make-or-break consequences. As the person delivering the performance, you need to know you have a good pitch and are able to maintain composure throughout. There are no better coaches than clinical psychologist Peter Desberg and writer/producer Jeffrey Davis to help you polish both pitch and performance. With experience and insights from both the film industry and the corporate world, they understand the pitch process. Regardless of what business you are in, they explain how to up your game ―by incorporating elements of a classic Hollywood pitch: driving emotion, piquing curiosity, and ultimately winning over decision makers with powerful persuasion and performance. They guide you through the entire process, from defining the fundamentals to designing effective presentation strategies to overcoming stage fright. “Pitch Like Hollywood” is divided into seventeen chapters, including Pitch Basics, The Roots of Pitch Panic, and Creating the Pitch. In Chapter 1, Introduction, they explain that the goal of the book is to help you prepare, practice, and present a pitch because even though you cannot plan for everything, it is always better to be prepared. This way, no matter what happens, you will be able to think on your feet and get through any unforeseen obstacles.

Pitching can be nerve-wrecking and intimidating. Whether speaking to an audience of one or a team, being prepared can make or break your pitch. Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis give insider tips for successful pitching, including what to expect from a pitch meeting to how to deal with setbacks. This book is a master class on giving successful performances at board meetings, sales calls, or whenever else you want to make a case to get the results you want. It empowers and motivates those who are new to pitching as well as seasoned professionals who could use a refresher course. The focus is primarily on what Hollywood executives want and expect from a pitch but this type of advice can be useful when meeting with executives in any industry. The language is down to earth and straightforward and the chapter layouts make the subject matter easy to follow. Highlights include Chapter 15 – Practice Strategies, specifically Distraction Training (distraction exercises) and Practicing Breath Control (breath control exercises) and Chapter 8 The Pitch Panic Cycle, which consists of five stages: Making Predictions, Experiencing Anxiety, Providing Evidence for the Prosecution, Multitasking: Hit or Myth?, and Making Mistakes. “Pitch Like Hollywood” is a resourceful and informative business guide to pitching that is full of advice anyone can use. It may be specific to the entertainment business, but the information it contains is universally helpful regardless of the audience.

“…one of the obstacles you’ll face is that people don’t like change. Even if you have a better idea, there’s comfort in the status quo when we know that it works.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Fonchito and The Moon’ by Mario Vargas Llosa

‘Fonchito and The Moon’ by Mario Vargas Llosa. Photo: Amazon

Mario Vargas Llosa was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010 in recognition of his contribution as one of the most important voices in contemporary literature. Born in Arequipa, Peru, he received his doctorate in philosophy and letters in Madrid. His novels include “The Time of the Hero,” “The Feast of the Goat,” and “Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter.” “Fonchito and the Moon” is his first children’s book. It is illustrated by Marta Chicote Juiz.

“Fonchito and the Moon” – This is the story of Fonchito, who falls in love for the very first time and discovers that there is nothing one cannot do for a loved one, even if what they wish for is the moon. Fonchito is a little boy with his heart set on winning the affection of his classmate Nereida. She is beautiful, and all he hopes for is her permission to kiss her on the cheek. But she is shy and agrees under only one condition: that Fonchito bring the moon to her. Bring her the moon? What is Fonchito to do? In that moment his love inspires him to find a way to do the impossible.

One of life’s hardest lesson is finding a way to achieve your heart’s desire even when it seems impossible, especially for young children. This first children’s book by Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the world’s greatest writers, is an enchanting story about the magic in discovering how high you can reach for those you love, even if they ask for the moon. Fonchito has a crush on Nereida, a fellow classmate. All he wants is permission to kiss her on the cheek and he searches high and low for a way to grant her wish. “Fonchito and the Moon” is an inspirational story for children, focusing on finding a way to achieve the impossible and the merits of not giving up. The illustrations by Maria Chicote Juiz are bright and colorful and brilliantly bring the story to life. It is recommended for children ages 6-8 years old in grades in kindergarten through fifth.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘At Heaven’s Door’ by William J. Peters

‘At Heaven’s Door’ is William J. Peters’ new book about shared death experiences and what they can teach us about dying well and living better. Photo: Amazon

William Peters is the founder of the Shared Crossing Project and director of its Research Initiative. Recognized as a global leader in the field of shared death studies, he has spent decades studying end-of-life experiences. Previously, Peters worked as a hospice volunteer with the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco and as a teacher and social worker in Central and South America. A practicing grief and bereavement therapist, he holds degrees from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and UC Berkeley. His work on end-of-life is informed by his therapeutic work with individuals and families, personal experiences with death and dying across cultures, and his family’s own end-of-life journeys. His new book “At Heaven’s Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach About Dying Well and Living Better” is a groundbreaking, authoritative exploration—rich with powerful personal stories and convincing research—of the many ways the living can and do accompany the dying on their journey into the afterlife. (Amazon, 2022)

“At Heaven’s Door” – In 2000, end-of-life therapist William Peters was volunteering at the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco when he had an extraordinary experience as he was reading aloud to a patient: he suddenly felt himself floating in midair, completely out of his body. The patient, who was also aloft, looked at him and smiled. The next moment, Peters felt himself return to his body but the patient never regained consciousness and died. Shocked by what had just happened to him, Peters began searching for other people who had similar experiences. The author defines shared death experiences (SDEs) as events when “a person dies and a loved one, family member, friend, caregiver, or bystander reports that they have shared in the transition from life to death or have experienced the initial stages of entering an afterlife with the dying.” He would spend the next twenty years collecting stories and studying the key patterns and features that they all had in common. These similarities included awe-inspiring visual and sensory effects and powerful emotional after-effects. In “At Heaven’s Door,” he shares what he has learned about SDEs. Long whispered about in the hospice and medical communities, he openly explains and discusses these extraordinary moments of final passage. The book is filled with powerful tales of spouses on departing this earth after decades together and bereaved parents who share their children’s entry into the afterlife. It is divided into thirteen chapters including Comfort, Unexpected Gifts, and Ending the Silence Around the Shared Death Experience.

Death is a universal human experience but few people are willing to discuss it. Through rigorous research, Peters examines shared death experiences and their effects on people who have experienced them. Most of the time, they find relief witnessing a loved one finding joy or even feel a sense of reconciliation if the relationship was strained. Highlights include Chapter 12: Ending the Silence Around the Shared Death Experience where he emphasizes that as a culture, we should strive to minimize the stigma surrounding SDEs and that death is the ultimate taboo conversation topic; and Appendix I: The Shared Crossing Research Initiative where he breaks down his finding about SDEs, including Assisting the Dying in Transitioning and Remotely Sensing a Death. The language is easy to understand but some of the stories can be emotional and too much for readers uncomfortable with the subject of death, sickness, and dying. What can shared death experiences teach us? What do these experiences tell us about what lies beyond? And, how can they help take away the sting of death and better prepare us for our own final moments? These questions and more are presented in a compassionate and understanding perspective from someone who has experienced an SDE and knows people who have as well. Whether or not you believe in heaven or even an afterlife, the stories, some of which can be extremely emotional, make the transitioning process between life and death seem less traumatic. “At Heaven’s Door” is a well researched and documented account of shared life experiences and what they can teach us about the dying process. It is recommended for readers interested in grief, bereavement, and shared death experiences or at least open to a different perspective surrounding death and dying.

“Death produces in many of us a great reservoir of emotion, and, for many, a profound sadness. So it has been both profoundly humbling and deeply revelatory to discover that shared life experiences can lead to significant and often lasting comfort.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Heart Medicine’ by Radhule Weininger

‘Heart Medicine: How to Stop Painful Patterns and Find Peace and Freedom – at Last’ by Radhule Weininger, MD, PhD. Photo: Amazon

Radhule Weininger, MD, PhD is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and meditation teacher. She leads weekly and monthly meditation groups in Santa Barbara and leads retreats in the United States and internationally. She is the author of “Heartwork: The Path of Self-Compassion.” In her new book “Heart Medicine: How to Stop Painful Patterns and Find Peace and Freedom – at Last” she helps readers find freedom from life’s painful recurring patterns in 12 simple steps, with guided practices of self-compassion, mindfulness, and embodiment. (Amazon, 2022)

“Heart Medicine” – Do you ever feel trapped by experiencing challenging feelings over and over again–sometimes without realizing it? Or do you find yourself thinking “Why is this happening to me again?” or “Why do I always feel this way?” You are not alone. With “Heart Medicine,” you can learn to identify your emotional and behavioral patterns through the lens of loving awareness–without self-judgment or blame, learning to hold yourself as you would a dear friend, with space and grace. Radhule Weininger has decades of experience as a therapist and meditation teacher and uses it to help readers understand the trauma behind their patterns and offers twelve simple steps to work toward healing. Each chapter includes short practices so readers can begin to put the book’s concepts to work for transformation in their own lives. In the Introduction, the author defines what LRPPs are, Long-standing Recurrent, Painful Patterns of hurt and that this book is about identifying and healing our LRPPs. The book is divided into two parts: Part One: Meet Your Long-Standing, Recurrent, Painful Patterns (LRPPs), where she defines LRPPs and explains why we obsess and repeat and Part Two: Twelve Steps toward Healing and contains chapters such as Being Mindful of Body, Thoughts, and Feelings and Forgiveness. All together, it contains her personal story, case studies, and suggested practices, like mindfulness and breathing exercises as well as journaling, geared towards reducing these painful patterns.

The need for better mental health care has never been more important and there are so many books out there that can help. “Heart Medicine” by Radhule Weininger is one of them. Given that the author herself has gone through her share of rough times and picked up some coping mechanism along the way, it gives the book an authentic voice. She shares her personal struggles, as well as those of others she has helped, in the hope that readers will benefit from them. Her tone is heartfelt and comforting yet professional but never condescending. Highlights, both in Part Two, include Step 1 – Recognizing Your LRPP – because in order to begin healing, “we must first be able to identify when our LRPP is manifesting and the particular characteristics signifying its presence” which include twelve types of indicators, two of which are narrowing awareness and depleted life energy; and Step 12 – Service: Sharing Our Healing Sets Us Free because by sharing, we can restore some of the equilibrium in our bodies that has gone awry. Her combination of psychology and Buddhist principles give readers the tools they need to break through the patterns that can hold them back and in turn begin to live better lives. “Heart Medicine” is an exemplary guide book that can help identify and address emotional and behavior problems and is recommended for readers interested in self help, mental health, Buddhism, and philosophy.

“This book is intended as a medicine for the heart. I hope that we can all find healing and freedom within our distress that has so often kept us from living the lives we wanted to create for ourselves.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Promotions Are SO Yesterday’ by Julie Winkle Giulioni

‘Promotions Are SO Yesterday’ is Julie Winkle Giulioni’s new book on redefining career development. Photo: Amazon

Julie Winkle Giulioni is a champion for workplace growth and development and helps leaders optimize talent and potential within their organizations with consulting, keynote speeches, and training. She is the co-author of the international bestseller “Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Want.” She is a regular columnist for Training Industry magazine and SmartBrief and contributes articles on leadership, career development, and workplace trends to publications including The Economist. Julie’s in-person and virtual keynotes and presentations offer fresh, inspiring, yet actionable strategies for leaders who are interested in their own growth as well as supporting the growth of others. In her new book, “Promotions are SO Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive,” Julie Winkle Giulioni offers readers a new approach for developing their employees’ careers and helping them thrive in a company when promotions are not readily available. (Amazon, 2022)

“Promotions Are SO Yesterday” – The time-honored tradition of defining career development exclusively in terms of promotions, moves, and title changes may be dead, but there are many other ways that employees can, and want to, grow. Many organizations still operate under the idea that promotions are the only option for career development, leaving employees disengaged, managers frustrated, and the business disadvantaged in its efforts to retain talent. The good news is that career development is so much more than promotions alone, and managers are in a powerful position to redefine career development and create positive results for their employees and their organizations in this area. In the Introduction, the author states that the goal of the book is to offer answers that will enable managers to deliver greater employee engagement, satisfaction, and results. It is divided into nine chapters: Chapter 1: Promotions Are Overrated, Chapter 2: Contribution, Chapter 3: Competence, Chapter 4: Connection, Chapter 5: Confidence, Chapter 6: Challenge, Chapter 7: Contentment, Chapter 8: Choice, and Chapter 9: Possibilities Are the New Promotion. Chapters 2 through 8 examine the different frameworks that make up career development and how to use each to help employees grow. Each chapter contains tools, exercises and pro tips and ends with ‘The Final Word’ to summarize topic discussed. There are additional resources for employers to learn more, dig deeper, and get employees engaged in career development.

Career development is and always will be a major component of businesses and organizations. How employers tackle this issue is always changing, especially in a post-COVID environment, where priorities have shifted. “Promotions Are SO Yesterday” contains practical advice, questions to spark reflection and productive dialogue, and tools that managers can use to help employees thrive at work while supporting their organization. Highlights include Chapter 2: Contributions, Make Extracurriculars Go the Extra Mile – which suggests that managers should encourage employees to get involved outside of work as a volunteer in a charity, a non profit, or at a child’s school. This will not only help them give back to the community, but they will bring back to the workplace some valuable lessons and skills. Transferrable skills benefit the organization as a whole. As well as Chapter 4: Connection – it emphasizes the importance of connecting with others at work because this represents “a significant source of professional growth and career development.” Much of what we learn we pick up from others whether it is through coaching apprenticeships, mentoring, or role models. Despite the business subject matter, it is far from dull and long winded. The language is easy to understand and this makes it accessible to anyone. Even though this book is geared towards managers, employees can also benefit from the tools, guidelines, and exercises. “Promotions Are SO Yesterday” is an excellent business guide for management and employees and is recommended for readers who appreciate books on business mentoring, human resources, and business management.

“Helping others enhance their competence may simultaneously be your most selfish and selfless act as a manager. It’s selfless because you’re enabling the development of portable skills that make your employees more marketable. And it’s selfish because of the profound benefits that you and your organization can reap in terms of job satisfaction, engagement, performance, and results.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Still On Fire: A Memoir’ by Renee Linnell

‘Still On Fire: A Memoir’ is Renee Linnell’s new book. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Renee Linnell is a serial entrepreneur who has founded or cofounded five companies and has an MBA from New York University. Having an unorthodox childhood and being surrounded by death at a young age led her on a spiritual quest that took her all over the world, culminating in her ordination as a Buddhist monk. What began as writing for catharsis in 2013—as she struggled to regain her sanity after being brainwashed in a Buddhist cult—turned into her first memoir, “The Burn Zone: A Memoir.” “Still on Fire: A Memoir” is the sequel and a reminder of what happens when we do not listen to our inner voice. Her mission is to remind people Who They Truly Are and to reignite their passion for being alive.

“Still on Fire” – Magic, miracles, travel, and romance–this is where Renee leads you in her long-awaited sequel to “The Burn Zone.” From love affairs with men half her age to being rescued by angels, to getting stranded at 22,000 feet in the Himalayas and being electrocuted in the Maldives, Renee takes you on a wild page-turning adventure, sharing with you soul-soothing wisdom she gained along the way. In the Preface, Renee implores us to unfold their wings and begin a journey of self discovery. Only when we experience authenticity can we begin to realize how we fit into the overall tapestry of life. The book is divided into five parts: Part 1: Decision, Part 2: Wild Ride, Part 3: Spirit, Part 4: Love, and Part 5: Whole. The stories are as varied as her relationships with men, the different adventures she has had around the world, and her traumatic upbringing. In the Epilogue, the author reminds us of the importance of waking up and walking our own authentic path. That we do not have to be like everyone else and if following the masses does not make sense to us, “then it it time to disrupt these paradigms.”

Not everyone gets to travel the world to exotic destinations and have crazy adventures, but Renee Linnell has. She has also experienced the type of trauma and grief that most people have not. Through it all, she has kept her optimism and finds the positive in every situation. Sometimes her stories are relatable, sometimes they are not, but they remind us that life is an adventure worth living and that anything is possible. The chapters are short and to the point and since she uses simple, down to earth language, they are so easy to get through. Highlights include Chapter 22 – Me Being Me, where she is unapologetic for being who she is “Some people will not like me. In fact, some people may hate me…The same way some people curse the sun when it shines too brightly” and Chapter 31 – Giving Away Our Power where she reiterates that every time we care about what someone else thinks of us, we hand that person our power. Overall, “Still On Fire” is an entertaining and worthy read. Some of her stories are funny, some are shocking, but in the end, they are inspiring and remind readers to listen to their inner voice, their Inner Guidance, and live the life they are truly meant to, with no regrets. Most importantly, that life is not perfect and if you fail, you can always, and should, try again. It is recommended for fans of memoirs and self-help books and for readers who appreciate tidbits of wisdom and inspirational stories.

“Now I realize it is up to me to create a life I love. To be me regardless of whom I am dating. To have my own boundaries. To constantly check in with myself and ask, ‘Do I really want this? Is this okay?’”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Excerpt available.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘Roar Like a Goddess’ by Acharya Shunya 

‘Roar Like a Goddess’ by Acharya Shunya. Photo: Amazon

Acharya Shunya is a truth teller who facilitates authenticity, self-remembrance, and Divine Feminine pathways to awakening within. The first female head of her 2,000-year-old Indian spiritual lineage, Shunya reinterprets and recontextualizes ancient teachings for modern times, empowering people everywhere to lead fulfilled, fearless, and enlightened lives. She is president of The Awakened Self Foundation in California and author of “Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom” and “Sovereign Self.” Her new book “Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman’s Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful” is a rallying cry for women everywhere to break free from the shackles of patriarchy and awaken their true nature, brought to life through India’s primary goddess archetypes. (Amazon, 2022)

“Roar Like a Goddess” – In the Prologue, Acharya Shunya starts by defining patriarchy as “a system of beliefs that put men first [and] promotes a society dominated by men: sexually, emotionally, economically, religiously, and of course politically.” It is this type of environment that makes it hard for women to trust their true voice, which she compares to a ‘roar. After centuries of living in patriarchal societies, many women do not realize how powerful they are―or how much they have been enculturated to keep their true nature hidden.’ In this book, she offers an in-depth exploration of the Hindu goddess archetypes to help readers break free of patriarchal conditioning and let go of internalized misogyny. She also focuses on legendary humans, beasts, demons, gods, and the goddess herself in the hopes of transforming lives by giving spiritual insights and psychological tools to help readers “roar with your true voice.” The book is divided into three parts, the three chief goddess manifestations of the Supreme Hindu/Vedic Goddess Shakti: Part I Durga (goddess of power and self-determination), Part II Kakshmi (goddess of abundance and inner contentment), and Part III Saraswati (goddess of wisdom, peace, and self-actualization. Each chapter ends with contemplations/affirmations to summarize the topics discussed.

Life is not always kind to women and sometimes it can be frustrating feeling like you do not have a voice. In her inspiring new book “Roar Like a Goddess,” trailblazing Vedic spiritual teacher Acharya Shunya empowers women everywhere to step into their divine immensity and lead powerful, abundant, and wise lives through her revolutionary revisioning of ancient India’s primary goddess archetypes: Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi, and Goddess Saraswati. At first this might seem like a complicated subject matter, but she expertly explains the background for each archetype and how they relate to modern life. The language is easy to understand and pragmatic, without being condescending to readers who may not be familiar with Hindu beliefs. Some of the highlights include Chapter 2 When Raging Is a Goddess Thing To Do: under Roaring Durgas Existed in Every Culture, where the author lists a sampling of stories of warrior women across history and around the world including warrior women of Mongolia, The Mino, who were an all-female military regiment of the present-day Republic of Benin, and Queen Nzinga Mbande, a powerful seventeenth-century ruler of the Ambundu kingdoms in modern day Angola and Chapter 11: Lakshmi Shows The Path To Generosity where the Vedas suggests five ways to act generously and put the dharma of accommodation and kindness into action, including acting conscientiously towards Mother Nature, acting big heartedly towards the less privileged, and acting gratefully towards the teachers in your life. Overall, “Roar Like a Goddess” is an empowering guide to awakening the many faces of the goddess within that will inspire women to find their voice and stand tall. It is recommended for readers searching for spiritual and emotional guidance and who appreciate books about spiritualism and women’s studies.

“One of the central dharma values is nonviolence, or ahimsa. Ahimsa can be, in a simple way, translated as ‘harmlessness’ – to not wish or do harm to any living creature.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Review: Proxima Bound by Davi Mai

Proxima Bound is an exciting futuristic outer space adventure that puts humans as the prey. Photo: Amazon

Davi Mai is a short story writer focusing on fantasy, science fiction, and transgressive fiction. Proxima Bound is Davi Mai’s latest novella. (Davi Mai, 2022)

Proxima Bound –  Humanity’s last hope rests with the colonists aboard the generational starship Attenborough bound for Proxima Centauri, a thousand years away. Catastrophe strikes when a reactor meltdown cuts off those in the ship’s front from the rear. Two factions must now struggle to survive. With four hundred years still to travel, we join a plucky teenager, “Thief.” She has found a way through the ventilation system, around the radioactive core of the ship, and into the front sections. The story begins as Thief is crawling through the ventilation shaft to access engineering and bring back, or ‘steal’ anything that Johan, the tech wiz of the colonists, can use to keep their section of the ship going. Deep down inside, Johan knows that there must be an AI onboard that can help them get an edge over the colonists at the front of the ship. This time, Thief brings back vital components that might help the rear-dwellers connect to the ship’s computer. For the first time in hundreds of years, there is hope. The colonists not only have to worry about surviving their environment, they have to constantly watch their backs because people are disappearing without a trace. To make matters worse, a new virus is stressing an already overworked makeshift hospital. Now that there is hope of communicating with the AI, Thief needs to crawl through the bowels of the ship, the furthest she has ever been, to retrieve the necessary components and hopefully rescue one of their own who was recently taken.

One of the best things about short stories and novellas is that the story is direct and to the point without unnecessary build up and other distractions. Such is the case with Proxima Bound. Right from the start, readers are introduced to Thief and how important this character is to the colonists’ survival. She is young, and therefore small enough to crawl through small spaces, but old enough to understand the harsh reality of what they are facing and how important her work is. All the action takes place aboard the starship, which makes it that much more exciting. The story is well paced, the language is down to earth, and the characters are relatable due to the main theme being the universal human survival instinct. Despite it being such a short story, the author manages to get readers to care about what happens to these characters, which proves how prolific of a story teller she is. Comic relief comes, ironically, via one of the antagonists, and the humor is sometimes a bit dark. An unnerving moment occurs when the AI, once online again, admits that she was programmed to make sure there are enough survivors to populate the new colony and luckily in this case it was the humans. Since there are still many years left in the voyage, hopefully this will become a series. Proxima Bound is a fascinating and suspenseful tale of human survival and is recommended for readers who enjoy science fiction and outer space adventures with a strong female character.

“Bianca swept through the corridors like a strong breeze. She told herself to slow down and adopt a more dignified poise, but found it hard to control her blood lust; to force down the urges welling up inside her— but prolonging the moment heightened the enjoyment when it came.”

*The author received a copy of this novella for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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