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book reviews |
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Multi-volume, non-fiction author, Vince Stevenson introduces us to his book, “Anxiety Quick Wins” about how to thrive in anxiety-filled circumstances: ANXIETY QUICK WINS is an essential guide to health and well-being. Anxiety steals your sense of purpose and turns your focus inwards. It shuts down the neocortex, the logical side of your brain, and takes you hostage. Anxiety manifests in many forms, unique in each case. The best medicine is preventative medicine. Mental health issues now affect 20–25% of the population and with the news that these issues can reduce life expectancy by 15–20 years, it’s a major concern for every individual, family and community. But it’s also a national crisis. In 2019, the Centre for Mental Health indicated that absenteeism cost the economy £35 billion. In the US, 40 million people, 18% of the population, suffer from anxiety. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted underlying health issues in socio-economic groups in both the UK and the US. These vulnerable groups bear the brunt of societal inequalities in terms of income, housing, opportunity and occupation. My suggestion is that whatever group you’re from, making yourself bulletproof should begin straightaway. By that, I mean building your physical strength through nutrition and exercise, as well as introducing mindful activities into your daily life and building resilience. If you need a diagnosis and therapeutic assistance, it may be several months away due to the mental health postcode lottery. Delayed diagnosis exacerbates an already fraught situation, particularly in the young. When the pandemic struck, the first issue in lockdown was making provision for nutrition. The supermarket shelves were emptied day after day. Panic buying left health workers empty-handed and feeling betrayed. For some, this was an assault on their mental health. If you’re going through hard times, it’s sensible to take precautionary measures now. It’s never too late to respect and rebuild your body and begin the healing process that your mental health depends upon.  I wasn’t paying close attention. I expected a self-help book filled with encouraging quotes and familiar platitudes like so many others before. This BOOK is filled with much better stuff. Using the example of climbing to the peak of a mountain, the first section deals with practical and foundational concepts for building personal health. Vince is clear that there are no overnight fixes when a person has not taken care of their physical or mental health. He does offer many suggestions to reach the goal. Start small and build upon success with each step. The second section of the book includes a wealth of ideas and anecdotes for inspiration to continue the journey. There is lots of encouragement to be found in these stories. Vince has a great deal of insight that he freely shares from his personal and professional life. I have utilized many of these suggestions to my personal benefit. You will find them useful also. I award 5 stars to “Anxiety Quick Wins”!  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/ANXIETY-QUICK-WINS-Vince-Stevenson-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-anxiety-quick-wins You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/vincestev https://twitter.com/ttruck1995 https://www.facebook.com/vince.stevenson.5 https://www.linkedin.com/in/collegeofpublicspeaking I reviewed another book by Vince and we had a great interview, here is the link: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-fear-doctor Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
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Multi-volume, multi-genre author G. David Walker introduces us to his latest story in the fantasy genre: The most unrelenting evil of all is the one which believes itself good. An unintended evil stalks the land, gathering countless victims to itself as it extends its reach; an evil born of the noblest intentions gone horribly awry. After it claims his only remaining family, young Kelwyn vows to track it down and end it, no matter the personal cost. With little more than hope and a promise, he sets out on a journey whose end lies shrouded in uncertainty. He knows he cannot win, but he will not, cannot stop. Before his journey is over, he will discover places he’s only heard of from rumor and legend, and face terrors from the past he once thought long gone. From mountain holds to arid deserts, his vow drives him inexorably toward the final confrontation to save his family. But in the end, will the cost be too high?  I loved this story all the way to the end and the ending surprised me. Kelwyn's journey was epic and kept me entranced for the entire length of the book. His desire to save his brothers kept him moving forward all the time through a lot of brutal training and traveling through many different dangers towards his goal. I found myself agreeing with many of Kelwyn's decisions and drive AKA stubbornness. I enjoyed the sidekicks' obstacles and opportunities they provided. I award 4.9 stars to Redemption's Edge!  I reviewed another book by the author and we had a great interview, here is the link: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/jabens-rift-by-g-david-walker
You can buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/Redemptions-Edge-G-David-Walker-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/ebook/-redemption-s-edge https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redemptions-edge-g-david-walker You can connect with the author: https://twitter.com/gdavidwalker https://gdavidwalker.com https://www.facebook.com/Far-Land-Trilogy-Jabens-Rift https://www.facebook.com/gdavidwalker https://www.goodreads.com/G_David_Walker My first review of a book by this author: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/jabens-rift-by-g-david-walker My third review of a book by this author: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/three-blood-prince Fantasy, dark, swords, sorcery, action, quest, family, slavery Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction. Multi-volume, multi-genre author, M. Ainihi introduces us to her volume of short stories in the dark fantasy and horror genres, “The Warning Signs”: Don’t ignore… …the warning signs Something lurks beneath the waves on an island where the sun never sets; a ghost tries to stop an up-and-coming serial killer; a heartless sorceress is thrilled when she finds access to the human realm; a boy tries to win his crush’s heart by challenging a horrifying local legend. Delve deep into the shadowy, unexplored territories of the imagination with these short stories that are sure to frighten and enchant. From misunderstood spirits to encounters with mythical creatures, these twisted tales include run-ins with ghosts, mermaids, werewolves, sorceresses, vampires, murderers, and their victims. (Includes three short stories from the world of Sumir - The Blood Inheritance Quartet)  I really enjoyed these stories. I found them to be intriguing and entertaining. I am not a fan of horror and gore, the more gore the less I enjoy it, a good scare is fun, like a ride on a wild rollercoaster. These tales approach some traditional topics from an unusual perspective which enchanted me quite a bit. There is a werewolf, a vampire, ghosts, sea monsters and more. Some will be familiar and some will not be familiar. I think any fan of horror will enjoy this collection. I award "The Warning Signs" a score of 4.8 stars.  This is the author's avatar You can buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/Warning-Signs-Tales-Horror-Fantasy-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-the-warning-signs https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warning-signs-m-ainihi You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/m_ainihi https://mainihi.wordpress.com I have reviewed three other books in a series by this author, here are the links: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/rise-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/lost-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/endow-a-blood-inheritance-novel-the-blood-inheritance-quartet-book-3-by-m-ainihi Tags: Teen, Young Adult, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy, dark, Horror Copyright © Mark Schultz 2021 except for the author’s introduction |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
January 2023
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