Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Motivational Quotes, Self-Help

The Boundary Is You: A guide to creating boundaries in your relationships by loving yourself more by Chany G. Rosengarten|Book review

51l0rk4xf8LAs seen in the New York Times International Edition, USA Today, and featured on iHeartRadio, internationally acclaimed bestselling author Chany Rosengarten gives us the next Brené Brown-esque easy-to-read, self-help book, to give you boundaries in a fast and simple way.
“Chany shares her knowledge and wisdom with so much love and compassion.”
The Boundary Is You will teach you how to create boundaries by becoming the boundary yourself. If you’ve tried making boundaries with others, you already know the process is painful, difficult, or impossible.
Making boundaries leaves you in the vulnerable position of either needing to fight hard for your rights to establish boundaries or be trampled. If the people you need to make boundaries with were the most accommodating people, chances are you wouldn’t need to make boundaries with them at all.
But there’s a better way.
If you are ready to establish boundaries, and you want to do it in an easy, pain-free way, this book is for you.
If you are ready for relationships that respect and support you, this book will be your guide.
You’ll learn how to understand the power you have in every relationship.
You’ll discover how to love and accept yourself even if you’re not perfect or have made mistakes.
You will take back your authority to make important choices in your life.
You will gain a clear method for getting your needs met.
You’ll have direction in your life, knowing what you want and getting it.

Title: The Boundary Is You: A guide to creating boundaries in your relationships by loving yourself more

Author: Chany G. Rosengarten 

Pages: 80

Genre: Self-help

My review

Usually, we all spend some time taking care of our physical health. But often we ignore our mental health. We don’t have any screening for the information or simply the thoughts we consume. We are often challenged and influenced by the people around us. As they say, we are the average of five close relationships in our life. The effects of all these relationships affect our mental health. This book is a detox for the mind.

The author is surprisingly honest throughout the book. I found that very helpful. I was able to connect with many situations narrated in the book because of this. The large chunk of this book is dedicated to building self-love. It is the base of every good relationship. A part of me always hated myself. Every failure in professional and personal life grew this hatred step by step. This self-hatred impacted greatly in my self-esteem. To repair our deep-rooted inhibitions and beliefs, we must challenge ourselves to bring change. This book was a good guide for this herculean task. It is slow-paced and systematic, changing my beliefs one by one.

Every chapter draws inspiration from the author’s life itself. This book teaches how to break, build and push various boundaries in our life. We can fill the widened boundaries with happiness. After all, it is what we all crave for.

Overall this is an excellent guide for self-love and self-care.

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

Office Pool: Orientation by D. L. Blackburne|Book review

41cMuzKUfJLOffice Pool is a coming of age story of an underachieving ink pen named Arthur “Arty” Bickerson. As his unique journey is chronicled as he navigates the ups and downs of “The Office” and it’s complexities. Arty experiences new success, love, peer jealousy, classism, along with high expectations and self doubt.
Office Pool is a fictional world with many layers. With humans set as the backdrop, these common everyday writing utensils deal with universally relatable issues and themes.

Title: Office Pool: Orientation

Author: D. L. Blackburne

Pages: 56

My review

Absolutely creative!

I have rarely come across stories that made me give a standing ovation to the creativity. This story is one of its kind. I never ever saw this kind of witty tale crafted around the everyday writing utensils. Set in the fictional world of Pens, the story has everything a reader hopes for. It has a shy and lighthearted protagonist, a mentor/ father figure, romance, and gripping flashbacks. The story even ends in a cliffhanger. How the author has managed to craft a story like this, I really don’t know.

The story has every element identical to everyday human life. Yet the story has no major role for any humans. But all the characters want only one thing in their life, a purpose. Through fulfilling their purpose they yearn to achieve fame and attention from their owners. They even fear their death, replacement, and uselessness. They all have their own fears to overcome and villains who are dedicated to making others life miserable. This world also welcomes leadership and heroics.

Although the author carefully placed humans in the backdrop, he constructed a world of human emotions and struggles with pens as characters. It is a small world, identical to humans inside our everyday life. Highly recommended to everyone who likes to delve into a different kind of story for a change.

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Erotic fiction, Fantacy, Thriller

Chloe After Dark by Elsa Joseph |Book Review

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Moving on from a painful break up with her boyfriend, beautiful Chloe Milano takes a job as a radio host at a steamy late night erotic radio station to pay off her debts and make ends meet. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when she becomes entangled in the salacious fantasies of after-hours callers…

Title: Chloe After Dark

 

Author: Elsa Joseph 

Pages: 275

My review

Chloe After Dark is an erotic romance story revolving around the protagonist Chloe. The story is all about Chloe’s life. It starts with a painful breakup with her boyfriend Daniel. She has been in this relationship for a long time and a sudden split led her to a state almost like a depression. Her boyfriend left her with nothing but huge debt. She was in and out of freelancing gigs. She was in no condition to pay her off this large debt. Seeing that one of her close friends, Blaire offered a job at a radio station to host a midnight show talking about sexual fantasies. She was reluctant at first. But eventually, she decides to step out of her comfort zone and give it a try. Just as predicted by Blaire, she was an overnight success. But just as her publicity grew, she finds herself in turmoil of its aftereffects. The rest of the story is all about how she transforms herself to overcome her vulnerabilities and taking responsibility to change the course of her life.

The story ends as a full circle. Chloe achieves everything she wanted in her life. She was brave enough to capture her opportunity and she worked hard to excel in it. She overcome her inhibitions and gained confidence. We can witness her amazing transformation throughout the story. Although this is a steamy erotic drama, the story adds more layers to it. The author carefully developed a good story with depth around the romance. Besides Chloe, Blaire is a very likable character. The friendship and supportive nature of Blaire is another highlight of the story.

This is not like any other erotic romance you ever read. This story revolves around the character’s emotions and real-life problems. They are real characters going through some hard situations. The author deserves a huge applause for penning down a good story in this genre.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Science Fiction

The Republic of Texas (The Second Civil War) by Eduard Lehr |Book review

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America stands on the edge of a knife. Waves of terrorist attacks have eroded personal freedoms and heated political tensions to a boiling point. Citizen surveillance and gun control have become everyday requirements for safety and security. Captain Travis Kent, an Air National Guard fighter pilot and reluctant Texas oil tycoon, is thrust to the front lines of the fray after killing a terrorist and injuring a woman during an attack.

Roddy Jones, football player-turned legal marijuana salesman, is mistakenly arrested after the attacks and finds himself under constant surveillance in everyday life. He flees and finds himself a part of the militia fighting against the very things that had made his life a living hell. As political tensions begin to boil, violence erupts, shattering any hope for a peaceful reconciliation. Can Texas and the United States come to peace before they start a civil war that threatens to destroy the United States of America?

Title: The Republic of Texas (The Second Civil War) 

Author: Eduard Lehr 

Pages: 373

My review

Great book! In today’s world, this ‘fiction’ doesn’t seem all too far away. The book portrays how devastating a second civil war will be. The story is well constructed and well developed. The author has carefully constructed many parallel plots to merge them at the appropriate point. All the issues explained in one point or another contributes to the cause of civil war. The author has incorporated serious issues such as gun control and monitoring of personal liberties along with internet freedom in the story. These issues are relevant in the current scenario too. Moreover, the story reflects the emotions and mindset of people in the state. Their growing frustrations and how these thoughts will end up fueling the civil war is captured in the plot.

I don’t see any issues mentioned by some of the previous reviews. Perhaps it has been updated?

Highly recommended read to all!

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, short story, Young-Adult

A man in church, a woman in temple: Romance of a couple of different-religious counselors by Dino|Book review

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Here are two man and woman of different religions. Man is Christian and woman is Buddhist. But both of them majored in counseling because they were interested in mind study, and they met at a seminar…
There is a part that they can communicate with each other about their hearts, so the two meet often and become closer, but they can’t ask each other to go out easily. It was because they had different religions, but at some point their minds broke down the barriers of religion and became one. It’s a full-fledged religious romance about how these two man and woman understand each other’s feelings and understand each other’s religions.

Title: A man in church, a woman in temple: Romance of a couple of different-religious counselors

Author: Dino

Pages: 19

My review

A man in church, a woman in temple is a short romantic novel filled with emotions. Over the 20 pages, the author narrates a simple story of a man and woman, who are from very different backgrounds but are connected by their mutual love. Peter is a Christian religious counselor and Achara is a Buddhist counselor. They met each other at a religious seminar. Amidst the difference in religions, they are drawn into each other due to their charismatic performance and knowledge of respective religions. Their mutual admiration slowly transformed into affection and then love. As the story progresses, they are trying to understand each other better and exploring their feelings to one another.

This is a simple story on love, the purest human emotion. This story is about understanding each other’s feelings and finding a mutual connection between souls. Although they are from different religions, the author never really included any religious conversations in the story. I think it is because the author is trying to convey the true message of love. Love is beyond boundaries and beyond differences.

Overall this is a nice short novel for every romance lovers.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, non-fiction, Self-Help

The Simple Guide to Postnatal Care for First Time Moms by Jasmine Allen|Book review

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Discover This Shockingly Honest Guide to Postnatal Care for First Time Mommies, and Get Through Those First Postpartum Weeks with Ease!

You’ve just given birth, and despite all the pain and discomfort, you are the happiest person in the world. You can’t wait to get home with your baby and start enjoying your time together. 

But those first few weeks can be tricky. Your body will be going through some weird phases, your baby might not sleep so you’ll be constantly exhausted, and you might start to feel the first signs of postpartum depression. 

That’s why this guide is so precious, especially for first-time mothers. Written by someone who has gone through all those issues herself, this book is full of helpful tips and advice on how to power through this tough period. 

Title: The Simple Guide to Postnatal Care for First Time Moms 

 

Author: Jasmine Allen

Pages: 26

My review

Postnatal care is an extremely difficult and emotionally draining phase for every mom. Proper education and knowledge of healthcare can save new moms from complications and pain. This is an A-Z guide on this subject. The author himself gone through this phase and lack of proper care caused many difficulties in her pregnancy and afterward. From that experience, she has gained practical knowledge to manage various health conditions during postnatal care. This book summarizes everything you have to know about this matter.

The book is divided into 3 sections. The first section is on essential topics such as sleep and breastfeeding. The second section is about mental health. I personally felt that this is one of the critical aspects that every new mom should know of. The bonus is, this chapter includes the author’s personal input and experiences too. The last section deals with the physical therapy for recovery. This chapter includes various exercises with illustrations for a better understanding of this topic.

This short book is an essential read for every new mom to handle this critical phase in their life.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, non-fiction, Self-Help

How To Get A Technical Writing Job: With Little Or No Experience by Loren Robinson|Book review

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Have you ever felt like earning 70k or more was just completely out of reach?
This slim book is not a reference manual. However, it illustrates the skills and education you need to land a job in this well-paying field. According to U.S. News and World Report Annual Rankings. Technical Writing is one of the 50 best jobs in America.

Title: How To Get A Technical Writing Job: With Little Or No Experience

Author: Loren Robinson

Pages: 34

My review

Technical writing is one of the fastest-growing and in-demand jobs. It is less competitive than creative writing jobs. If you are someone who is looking for a career change or starting afresh and considering a technical writing career, then this is the perfect guide, to begin with. Technical writing is not a complex career. But it requires patience and relentless learning to meet its demands.

Over the seven chapters included in this book, the author explains all the details about this job. The book starts with an introduction to technical writing and its cons and pros. We will get a fair idea about this field after this. Then he explains the necessary skills and education for this job. In the last part, he explains how we can find the opportunities and excel in interviews. The book also has details about the online courses and materials we can use for this purpose.

The book is written with a do it yourself attitude. It addresses all the beginners who are interested in this field. Because of that, the book lacks depth in information. Other than that, this is a good information guide for everyone who is considering a career in technical writing.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, supernatural, Thriller, Young-Adult

Deceptions: Book 7 (Whispering Willows) by Diana Dawn|Book review

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Lily is now hiding a secret that she is terrified that Thomas will discover. But with these recent ‘ghost sightings’, will she decide to choose Nate over Thomas? Are the villagers really seeing ghosts from their past, or could it be the witch simply wreaking havoc upon the Willows? And what about the disappearance of their dwarf friend, Ben? ‘Deceptions’ is the seventh book in the Whispering Willows series

Title: Deceptions: Book 7 (Whispering Willows)

Author: Diana Dawn

Pages: 103

My review

Deceptions is the seventh installment of the Whispering Willows series. The sixth book of this series Barn Tales ended in a cliffhanger and this one starts by explaining that ending. I was quite shocked by the climax of Barn Tales and were looking forward to read this book to know the answers. But I must say this is the best book in this series so far. Because the whole storyline is changed from now on. The author has given many clues on mysteries happening in and around Willows in previous books. All these mysteries were solved through this book. The plot is drastically changed in this one.

In all the six books the author has followed the same pattern of narration like, starts with an explanation to the climax of the previous book, a happy middle, and again some shocking revelations towards the end. But this edition has dedicated to reveal all the mysteries. Because of that, the life of people in Willows especially, Snow, Mitch, and Lily’s are so terrible. They are hit by tragedies one after another. They all are trembling by these revelations. Also, the emotional turmoil of these characters is at a peak. They are confused about their own emotions added by the horrors of Margurite and Phillipe. I was really shocked to know who was Philippe all this time.

Lily is caught in between a love triangle with Nate and Thomas. She is now unable to choose one. This love triangle is getting interesting day by day. I’m looking forward to know how things are ended up for Lily.

The author has beautifully captured all the emotional moments in the story through words. All the hurt is felt so real through the words. I really liked this part of the Willows series. This installment is crucial and a true turning point considering the whole plot.

Rating:5/5

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, non-fiction, Self-Help

Interview Strong: An Insider’s View and Player’s Guide by Courtney D. Temple|Book review

516vHa2GMZLDo you want to face your next interview knowing that you have what it takes to WIN the job? And yes, I mean “WIN”! Because interviewing is a competition and you need to prepare as you would for any competition. Interview Strong gives you the game plan and plays to execute so that you shine against other candidates. This book positions you with clear and straightforward steps to “win” your interview and begin a successful new professional journey. If you have ever participated in or watched any type of competition, you know that those in first place did not make it to the winner’s circle by accident. That’s good news for you! Get your copy of Interview Strong and and solidify a successful game day (Interview Day) plan in quick and easy steps to “win” your interview.

Title: Interview Strong: An Insider’s View and Player’s Guide – Easy Steps to Winning the Interview and Getting the Job

Author: Courtney D. Temple

Pages: 50

My review

Interview strong is an A-Z guide to excel every interview in our life. A job is an essential requirement to survive. In these difficult times, with the unemployment rate is growing faster than ever, we have to push our limits to prepare ourselves to acclimatize better with unpredictable circumstances. Usually, the interview is the last stage of hiring a candidate. It is also the most important and most competitive stage. Because you are competing with similar skilled and serious candidates. The only way out to crack this stage is to prepare ourselves to handle every adversity.

Through this book, the author has addressed all questions regarding preparation and cracking interviews. As said in the title of the book, it is an insider’s view and player’s guide. The author has 20+ years of experience as a hiring manager. She has interviewed countless candidates and has vast experience in this field. This wisdom is poured through the pages of this book. The author has a very unique approach to this topic. She compares everything in interview stage with an actual game and treating the candidates as athletes. It is because this book is written to “win” the game, not less. This perspective is so focused on the end goal. The whole book is structured to achieve this end goal. The process begins with tryouts, warm-up, stretching, announcing the player, game time, overtime, and post-game closures, completing the full circle. All the key concepts on preparation and delivering a successful interview are explained with high clarity.

I highly recommend this book for every job-seekers. This is the complete guide to bring your “A” game.

Rating:5/5

 

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Author Interview, Book Review, Fiction

An Interview with DL White|Author of Brunch at Ruby’s

Today I’ll be hosting Atlanta based acclaimed women’s fiction and romance author DL White on my blog. Her new book “Brunch at Ruby’s” is available at Amazon.com and her website booksbydlwhite.com for purchase.

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Me: What inspired you to start writing Brunch at Ruby’s?

DL: I was a member of a long-running brunch group (still going, ten years strong) and was so moved and inspired by the women in our group. We are all from different backgrounds, careers, walks of life but always have wisdom and a good word for each other. They are among the women I go to when I need rock-solid guidance and camaraderie. I also took a lot from current events at the time I was writing the book. There was a local scandal that was all over the news and I started to think what if???? And my writer’s brain took over from there.

Me: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

DL: I think I was maybe in grade 3, when we had to do spelling words and use them in a sentence, so the teacher knew we understood the meaning of the word. I would loop my sentences together into one big story. My teacher LOVED that and I discovered that people thought that stuff I was doing to amuse myself was cool so I kept doing it.

Me: How long have you been writing?

DL: I’ve been writing for publication since 2011, but I’m a lifelong writer.

Me: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

DL: Original creation. Forming the story in my mind- some much of it comes to me as I am writing, then putting it on paper and making it sound the way I want it to sound.

Me: What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book?

DL: There was so much that I didn’t know… people who don’t know writing think its really easy. You just sit down and the words come but it’s not like that, and there’s so much more to writing than writing.

Me: Who is your favorite author and why?

DL: I don’t really have a favorite, but I almost always mention Atlanta author Tayari Jones. She and her career are a blessing to me.

Me: What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

DL: Terry McMillan and Eric Jerome Dickey for sure. Down to earth, realistic characters with a distinctive voice.

Me: Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?

DL: It’s super hard to take this advice, but I’m going to offer it anyway: relax. The story will come. Build the habit of showing up to your writing job and the words will meet you.

Me: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

DL: Funny, personable, warm

Me: Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?

DL: Yes! I have a novel that I’m wrapping up now called The Never List, a romantic comedy about a woman who’s got a long list of things she’s never done and the man that wants to help her clear that list.

About the book

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Brunch at Ruby’s is warm, funny southern women’s fiction about finding and keeping love, lifelong friendships with women who are like sisters and the bonds between them that bend but don’t break.

Debra Macklin is the envy of her friends. She has it all: a successful career, a long marriage and a happy child, but she’s hiding an explosive secret that could not only shatter her perfect image but destroy her marriage and career.

Maxine Donovan is self-made, admittedly shallow and unapologetic, having overcome her past to live the life she deserves to live.But despite her success, she’s on a constant quest for Mr. Right. Handsome but aloof Malcolm Brooks could be The One, except his attentions are focused on someone else entirely. Does Maxine fight for him like she fought for everything else?

Renee Gladwell left a life and a handsome boyfriend to return to Atlanta and nurse her father and Gladwell Books back to health. Four years later, she’s struggling with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis and a bookstore that is in no shape to sell. Renee is in limbo, caring for a man who is slowly forgetting his past, including her. When she meets Malcolm Brooks, her life brightens, but is love ever worth risking a friendship?

Brunch at Ruby’s is Book One in a growing series set in the heart of Decatur, Georgia.

Purchase here: https://geni.us/BrunchatRuby

About the Author

6167u9JD+LL._SY600_Atlanta based women’s fiction and romance author DL White began seriously pursuing a writing career in 2011. She harbors a love for coffee and brunch, especially on a patio, but her true obsession is water– lakes, rivers, oceans, waterfalls! On the weekend, you’ll probably find her near water and if she’s lucky, on an ocean beach. When not writing books, she devours them. She blogs reviews and thoughts on writing and books at BooksbyDLWhite.com.