Tag: non fiction reviews

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Enough, Jessica Rose Williams

‘What is enough? Time enjoyed slowly, choices made intentionally, life lived gracefully’.

In a consumeristic world which markets to us to want more here is Jessica Rose Williams to tell us that we have and are enough.

Jessica takes us on a journey sharing how she has incorporated living a more minimal and intuitive life, ever since her cancer diagnosis at the age of 25, and she teaches us how we can too. Through sharing and reflecting on her own journey she shares her secrets on how to live more simply and sustainably, how we can reclaim our time in a fast paced world and how to discover our true wants and interests as opposed to following the crowd and living to achieve everyone else’s desires.

The book is split into three parts: Enough Things, Enough Space and Enough Within. Enough things focus on decluttering the stuff you own, Enough Space focuses on boundaries with others, and Enough Within focuses on the mindset of enough.  Each section features a mixture of Jessica’s own story, helpful tips and journal prompts to encourage you to reflect on your own life and put what you read into practice.

Whilst there is already some stuff around decluttering and living minimally (think Marie Kondo) please do not be put off by thinking you have heard it all before. Not only was this chapter a great reminder of things which I may have heard or seen before but I have to say I’ve not read much quite like the other two sections of the book, with the ‘Enough Within’ section particularly standing out for me.

Make 2022 the year where you stop falling into what you feel you should be doing and start doing and being your true self. Enough is out 11th January 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Enough.

Categories
Children's Non Fiction

The Pronoun Book, Cassandra Jules Corrigan

The Pronoun book is a fantastic introduction of what pronouns for children. It is factual and free of opinions, yet told in a fun way with beautiful illustrations and with references to characters throughout. At the end of the book there is information for adults, which consists of a variety of ideas and resources for them to help support their children in learning and respecting pronouns particularly when they are different to their own.

Whilst this is intended as a children’s book, I would also like to add that it is perfect for adults ,who may be lacking in understanding and want something bitesize to improve their own knowledge of what pronouns are, why people may choose less common pronouns, and why it is important we use and respect whichever pronouns people choose to use. At the age of 25, I personally learnt about neo-pronouns, which my knowledge of was very minimal, reinforcing the fact that we can all take something from this book.

Overall, a great gift for children (and people of all ages). The only fault is I wish it was around when I was a child.

The Pronoun Book will be published on 21st October 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

A Little Bit of Faith, Katie Piper

A Little Bit of Faith has an affirmation for every day of the year with a paragraph after it which offers a small explanation including how you can implement the affirmation into your day/life.

In terms of the type of quotes, if you are not a fan of clichés or the ‘positive vibes only’ brigade then do not fear. The affirmations are much more thought-provoking than that and acknowledges our range of hardships and challenges and the fact that we as humans feel a whole range of emotions. One thing worth mentioning is that as the title suggests, Katie Piper does touch upon her Christian faith slightly in the book. However if you are not religious or belong to a different religion, then do not let this put you off. At no point does Katie force her beliefs onto you, and I truly believe that we can all take something from some of the values which are digested from some biblical quotes.

I have to say this book really did bring a smile to my face. After having a challenging year in terms of grief and battling with mental health, reading these affirmations and hearing Katie Piper’s perspective really felt like a gift from heaven. I’ve read it all in one go in this sitting but going forward I hope to make the book a part of my morning routine.

The only thing I would say is that if you are considering buying this book, and unsure whether to buy the e-book or the physical copy then I would suggest buying the physical copy. Whilst I’ve read the e-book I would love a physical copy which I could easily pick up and refer to and I can just imagine the actual book being a nice touch to any bed side table or book shelf.

All in all, this book isn’t just a book you read and are done with. This book is a lifestyle change. Five stars.

A Little Bit of Faith will be published on the 16th September. Thank you to NetGalley and SPCK Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Children's Non Fiction

Nature and Me, The School of Life

Nature and Me is a beautifully written book, by The School of Life, about the lessons children can take from nature.

Each chapter has a theme, which is something linked to nature e.g. The Himalayas, and each theme links to a valuable life lesson, such as learning to appreciate time to ourselves, mindfulness, and the power of imagination. The book has a warm and comforting tone, is well laid out and is supported with beautiful illustrations.

What I particularly like about this book is that it doesn’t gloss over life. In an age appropriate manner it tells children that sometimes things don’t go the way we want them to or that sometimes people are mean, but through the valuable lessons it gives through the examples of nature, it really does teach children coping mechanisms for these hardships.

We often hear that nature is important and we must protect the planet, but this book shows us exactly how important nature is, particularly for what it teaches us. Whilst, this is a book aimed at children’s, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult. I learnt some things I never knew before, other things I did know before were shaped into a new way of thinking, and I came across reminders of things which I just needed to hear right now.

Overall, Nature and Me is a book which we can all benefit from as it not only points out the beauty of nature, but teaches us lessons of what we can take from it.

Thank you to Netgalley and The School of Life for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

The Book of Hope, Jonny Benjamin & Britt Pflüger

TW: Some people may find some of the themes discussed in this book upsetting.

The Book of Hope shares the stories of 101 individuals, including the likes of Dame Kelly Holmes, Joe Tracini and Martin Seager. All the stories have one thing in common: hope.

The contributors to this book vary from athletes, to psychologists, to actors and musicians. Some are very famous, others not so much, but the value of each story is limitless.

The Book of Hope is broken down into the following chapters Always Hope, Acceptance, Peace, Tool Kit, Compassion, Courage, The Right Words, Inspiration, Resilience, Kindness and Connection. This is really helpful as if you need something specific you can easily jump in and out.

Within each chapter you will find a number of stories. Some of the themes which appear in the contributor’s stories include, but are not limited to, mental health illnesses, loss, homophobia, racism, suicide, violence and sexual assault. Each individual tells us of the dark places they have been to. The stories are very raw (hence the trigger warning) however they also tell us how through these adversities they found hope, which in turn can provide hope for those struggling.

There are three important things I took away from this book. 1. You really are not alone. By just reading this book you will realise that there are at least 101 other people who have been to the dark side of life. 2. Even famous people struggle. In a world infatuated by the mass media and Instagram, not everyone’s lives are as they seem. 3. Nothing lasts forever and hope is the most important thing. I wish I had this book as a teen and even more so wish I was able to gift this book to my sister before she gave in to her demons.

Overall, this is just another example of how Jonny Benjamin continues to break the stigma around mental health, and I would like to thank all the contributors, including Jonny and Britt themselves, for being open and honest, and for trying to do just that. We all need a little hope from time to time, so I would recommend all to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan who kindly gave me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person, Frederick Joseph

In the The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person Frederick Joseph draws upon his personal experiences of growing up as a black child in America. He talks about the stereotypes and hurtful comments people said to him because of the colour of his skin, and reflects on them, explaining why these comments were wrong and discusses how he would react to these differently as a grown up.

Joseph writes from the perspective of a friend. He deals with a very serious issue, in a concise way, with bits of added humour. The book is made up of chapters, each covering a core concept, of which Joseph includes his personal anecdotes, as well as interviews with important voices. At the back, you will find a glossary of all key words and concepts discussed through the book, as well as a list of people/books/movies and songs for you to check out to expand your mind further.

I found this book a real eye-opener. Whilst I could see racism evident in society before reading this book, I did like to think that I did all I could to treat people of colour with equality. However, this book has made me realise that there is more I can do. Whilst, I will never know what it is like to be black and to face the injustices that Joseph has faced in his life, by giving me the gift of this book, I would like to hope that this has given me the confidence to call out injustices in the future.

Overall, this book is a must read for teens and adults, and even if you think you don’t need to read it, trust me when I say it is the gift you never knew you needed.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Why the F*ck Can’t I Change? Dr. Gabija Toleikyte

How many of us want to implement new habits into our lives, but often find them short lived? Whether it is diet related or how we deal with stress change is hard, but Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is here to tell you that it is not as impossible as you may think.

Dr. Gabija Toleikyte is a neuroscientist and behavioural coach, who explains why we form certain habits and behaviours, shows us how we can stop ourselves from repeating mistakes and takes us on an eye-opening journey through the way the human brain works.

Covering topics such as why you should not suddenly stop bad habits, ways to improve your productivity and how to look after your brain health. Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is transformative, inspiring and empowering.

Unlike other self help books I found Why the F*ck Can’t I Change took a more pragmatic approach to guiding us. Dr. Gabija uses a mixture of academic research and case studies to bring her points to life, and she suggests activities throughout so you can put her advice into practice.

I enjoyed the scientist approach this book took as it was useful to know the ‘why’ behind things. Rather than just being told how to change, it was helpful to know why we are a particular way, which the author tells us by going right down to basics, for example our animal instincts.

Some may say that this is more of a textbook, as the author introduces the purpose of each chapter and writes summaries at the end of each chapter. Whilst, for some this may trigger bad school memories, or perhaps feel overly repetitive, I found it really helpful. The chapters were well-structured, the summaries reminded of what I had learnt and are incredibly useful if you wish to refer back to things.

Will you enjoy this book if you are not overly interested in science? Personally, I never particularly enjoyed science at school, but found this book fascinating. I found the author’s explanations easy to understand and no matter how scientific you are or you are not, I believe this is the one neuroscience book we can all get behind. We all have a brain (some may say debatable) so do we not owe it to ourselves to understand how it works?

Overall, a refreshing, well researched and practical self-help book, which not only teaches how but why. Five stars.

Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is out now. Thank you to Thread and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Feel Better, No Matter What, Michael James

We’ve all read self-help books and they all tell us to eat healthy, exercise more and perhaps even to practice gratitude or meditate… right?

So you may be thinking oh no not another self-help book. However, this is much more than your average self-help book. Feel Better, No What holds all the secrets you need to change your mindset. It doesn’t just tell you to do certain practices, it teaches you how to do them!

In this book, Michael James guides us through a 4 week course. He teaches us how to do many techniques, which you may or may not have heard of before, explaining how we can fit these practices into everyday lives.

I didn’t actually do the course, which is why I would give this book 4/5 stars. If I were to follow through and saw an improvement in my life then I would have given it 5 stars. Nevertheless I found this book very helpful and am keen to keep referring to it to put some of the advice into practice.

Overall, a breath of fresh air. A self-help book which is relatable, understandable and practical.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Failosophy, Elizabeth Day

Failosophy is a Elizabeth Day’s handbook on how to cope with failure. Drawing upon experiences from her podcast ‘How to Fail… With Elizabeth Day’, Elizabeth has come up with seven principles of failure, which she explains in this book using real examples and demonstrating how we can use failures as opportunities to learn from.  

This book was a very short read but nevertheless very powerful. You can either read it in one sitting or read the chapters which you feel appropriate to you. With the guide being categorised so clearly, it makes it easy for you to revisit relevant sections in times of need.  

In a time where we are scared to fail (shout out to social media and technology) Failosophy really is a mindset changer and allows you to see failure from a new perspective. I could not stop highlighting things I wanted to take from this book and believe everyone can learn something from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and 4th Estate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Politics

This Land, Owen Jones

This Land is a balanced review of British politics over the last five years, in which Owen Jones discusses the rise and fall of Corybnism.

In 2015, Jeremy Corbyn, found himself in a race he never expected to win. He was a backbencher who was passionate about foreign policy and hated the limelight and adversity hence why he never intended to become leader. He ran for leader to make a point yet accidently found himself leader of the Labour party. Jeremy offered hope and a completely different way of living. After years of austerity, he became popular particularly amongst the younger generation and won people over with his ‘For the many not the few’ campaign, which led to the Labour party getting the highest vote share since 2001 and was the first time the party had gained seats since 1997.

However, Corbyn’s success was short lived and when the next election came around in 2019, Labour faced their biggest defeat since 1935. Owen Jones explores why this was, noting Jeremy’s hatred of facing conflict, the poor handling of allegations of antisemitism within the party, and the poor organisation skills and lack of Communications strategy for the 2019 election. Whilst for those who did support Corbyn this can be hard hitting; through these insights Owen Jones hopes that Labour can learn from these lessons to avoid history repeating itself in future elections.    

Throughout this book I believe Jeremy Corbyn is presented in a fair way. Owen writes in a way which ensures Corbyn’s personality and passions shine through, showing him for the kindhearted and caring person that I believe he is, but Owen is not afraid to discuss his faults. The book is well written, showing both sides of the story.

Overall, I found this a very good insight into politics and what goes on behind the scenes. It showed the importance of everyone getting behind a campaign, and how easily the media can manipulate the public. We don’t always see who the real ‘bad guys’ are, or equally who are the real drivers of a campaign, but Owen picks the past five years apart into so much detail that we can really pinpoint where things went right and wrong. Whilst, parts of this book were tricky to read (I found myself rereading pages to fully comprehend everything), I believe it is a great read for anyone who wants a better understanding of what went wrong for the Labour party in the 2019 election.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.