Gina Lucia
The book in 3 sentences:
West-African-inspired fantasy.
Fresh and inspiring world-building.
Magic, trust, and impossible choices.
My impressions:
Raybearer has to be one of the best examples of world-building I've come across in years. Not to mention the brilliant character development and sweeping plot. This is not a book to pass by.
Raybearer tells the story of Tarisai who was raised in isolation in a secluded home with servants and an absent mother as her only contact. Confused by her neglect and longing for her mother's company, Tarisai is sent to the capital to compete with other children to be anointed onto the Crown Prince's Council. But before she arrives, her mother enacts a magical wish which instructs Tarisai to kill the Crown Prince as soon as she joins the council.
We follow Tarisai as she's forced to make countless difficult choices, some of which are life and death.
Raybearer hooked me with the blurb alone, but what I wasn't expecting was the easy, flowing language. It was a pleasure to read. Everything from the world at large, to minute details, were described with just enough detail to give you a picture, but not enough to make you need to re-read every sentence.
The plot itself was unpredictable and slightly unconventional in the best possible way. At points, I thought I could predict the outcome of certain scenes, but I was frequently proved wrong.
Each character has a backstory even if we aren't gifted with seeing it. It's clear in their complicated actions and frequent hints of emotion in their faces. I love this. It opens up the story for future possibilities, ones we're sure to be shown in future books.
Jordan has done a wonderful job of world-building. Each nation has enough connection to our existing world to make them easily recognisable. They also have enough differences to make them wonderfully unique. We're given small token looks into each one - enough to make them rich and appealing, but not enough to distract from the character-building plot. I have a feeling we'll see more of each nation in future books.
Raybearer is a fantastic read and I'm very much looking forward to reading the sequel, Redemptor.
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The book in 3 sentences:
Honest and vulnerable.
Self-destruction from past trauma.
Bisexual Palestinian-American representation.
My impressions:
I got this book as part of the Books That Matter book box.
The premise of the book itself is fairly simple (although the character development is not). We follow a Palestinian-American woman as she navigates a world in which her relationship with her mother, heritage, and sexual identity constantly clash.
It moves backward and forwards in time as we see the fallout from her actions in the present and the causes of these actions in the past.
This book is a perfect example of how background, upbringing, and most importantly, childhood trauma can determine a person's actions and choices as they grow older.
In fact, it's a great example of something I talked about in my ‘Does reading fiction make us better people?' video - which is how reading can help us exercise empathy because we can see the world from another's perspective.
Essentially this book works as a way to see into someone's past life and their journey battling against the trauma their own personal trauma.
The writing is easy, the jumps in time aren't jarring and the story doesn't take long to work through.
I personally found the book useful and thought-provoking as a straight white woman. Worth a read no matter your background. Although also worth checking for content warnings due to the nature of the story.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.
The book in 3 sentences:
A touch of mythology, a river of magic.
Battles of faith, love, and inner demons.
A world of unreal beauty from a different perspective.
My impressions:
This was one of my most anticipated book releases of 2022, but did it live up to the hype?
Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a retelling inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess. The story follows Xingyin as she discovers her growing powers and has to leave home to avoid being discovered by the Celestial Emperor. As she does so, she's forced to leave her mother behind.
She travels to the Celestial kingdom in disguise, trains alongside the unsuspecting emperor's son, and attempts to save her mother.
This book blends together mythology, adventure, and fantasy. If you're a fan of this combination, you won't be disappointed by Sue Lynn Tan's writing. The book starts off a little slow, but once the story begins to unfold, we're gifted with a sweeping plot and endearing character development.
The book doesn't focus on the story of Xingyin's mother, the moon goddess. Instead, we're invited into the world of her daughter, as she manages the twists, turns, and dangers of hiding who she is.
Sue Lynn Tan has a way with words. Her descriptions of the celestial world are sweeping and beautiful. Although I did have to re-read them a few times to get an accurate picture in my mind. This is not the fault of the author, rather my own lack of specific Chinese cultural knowledge. Especially when it comes to certain items, artefacts, fashion, materials etc.
Regardless, dialogue and action scenes were expertly written. I found myself turning pages fast in these moments and slowing right down when they weren't there. If this was the intention of the author, they did an excellent job.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess is filled with magic, fantasy and romance. Perfect for anyone who loves a combination of all those things.
The book in 3 sentences:
Unearthly magic and war.
Battling emotions and trauma.
This one should come with a content warning.
My impressions:
A Court of Silver Flames is the 4th book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. However, this book doesn't follow Fayre, it follows her sister, Nesta.
I read the first few books in quick succession so after taking a brief break, I returned to read the 4th not long after. I had high hopes. The series so far has been action-packed, dark but not too dark, and suitably empowering enough to keep me reading.
A Court of Silver Flames was always going to have a hill to climb because the perspective has completely changed to focus on two different characters, Nesta and Cassian. The author has clearly tried to write Nesta's journey differently from Fayre's because after all, they're two different people. But here's where I feel it falls flat.
Nesta's personality and ultimate trauma have always interested me. Her story had so much potential. But in this book, Nesta is abused both emotionally and physically. Her PTSD is ignored and she's blamed for her behaviour when she should be given help. This reaches such a climax that the one person who is supposed to love her, leaves her to literally almost die before he does anything about it.
This abuse is never addressed and leaves Nesta apologising for all the things she's done and literally nobody else apologises! I'm frustrated that this happened. For such a popular book to teach young people this kind of emotional abuse is okay - well, it's not okay.
Aside from this, it's disappointing that the characters we followed throughout the previous books are pushed a little too far to the sidelines. Fayre especially is done a disservice. Her role in this book is pregnant and painting - that's it. She's hardly in the room for important conversations, which makes no sense considering the journey she was on in the previous books.
Having said all this, I did still enjoy sections of this book (which is why I gave it 3 stars rather than 2). The scenes with Nesta and her friends were particularly enjoyable, especially towards the end of the book. I only wish we had more of that, and less of Cassian honestly.
My general thoughts at the end are that it could have been cut in half. Take out huge swathes of repetitive sex scenes in the middle (and deal with the emotional abuse) and we'd be just fine.
The book in 3 sentences:
- Overcome your creative hurdles and share your work with the world.
- Fear, money, psychology, marketing, and more.
- Accessible, thoughtful, and completely relatable.
My impressions:
Make Your Art No Matter What is one of those books you don't realise is accessible until you start reading.
When I say accessible, I specifically mean the author (Beth Pickens), talks about the world of creativity with money, race, gender, and situation in mind.
I can't tell you how refreshing it is to read books like this. Not only are some key topics included, but they're all done from an open-minded and kind perspective.
Beth herself is an art consultant and has a degree in counselling psychology. She's worked with a wide variety of people and talks about their experiences within the book. Because she has a vast pool to call on, her writing feels comforting. Any of the thoughts or feelings you've had about being a creative person are echoed in her writing and the examples she provides.
The marketing section in particular brought me great comfort.
Of course, not every section of this book will apply to you, but they're all worth reading anyway because Beth does a solid job of blending together experience with psychology to guide you.
For any creative person (not necessarily a ‘traditional' artist), this one is worth a read.
The book in 3 sentences:
- Smashing gender roles and sentient machines.
- Queer representation, fantasy, and a nod to history.
- Mecha, magic, and myth.
My impressions:
When I first saw Iron Widow pop up as a potential book to read, I thought it was some kind of historical retelling for young adults. But that's not what this book is at all.
Iron Widow is a fast-paced adventure that follows Zetian, as she's pulled out of her poverty-stricken home to become a concubine pilot. Essentially, she is enlisted to become a co-pilot in a Neon Genesis Evangelion-style mecha with her male pilot counterpart.
This story focuses on the unequal nature of this relationship. It's honestly one of the most modern and well-represented books I've ever encountered (see my book in 3 sentences above).
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, character development, and world-building by Xiran Jay Zhao. The story though could have easily stretched across 2-3 books. Giving the author more time to delve deeper into the rich world, the characters, and the plot in general.
At times it felt too rushed. I wanted to slow down, step into the world more, and experience it through the author's eyes. I wanted more, I wanted to go deeper.
Having said this, there's clearly set up for a second book. So here's hoping we'll get to experience the world Xiran Jay Zhao has created.
I feel quite let down by this one.
Having read almost all the books by The Minimalists and listened to a good number of their podcasts (although none for the past two years), I'd hoped that this book would be something new. A fresh perspective of sorts. After all, these guys have been at the forefront of lifestyle minimalism for years. They owe it to themselves and their readers to produce something new.
That's not what this book is.
If anything, it's reused and repurposed content. Made to seem new with the odd added paragraph and extra information.
This is all fine if you've never heard of The Minimalists before because you're none the wiser. But if you've read or listened to them before, you won't find much new here.
This book is a rehash of Everything That Remains (a memoire of their lives) with added snippets from their podcasts, stories from other minimalists and a weird how-to section at the end of each chapter.
Honestly, I'm dissapointed.
I had a rollercoaster journey with this book. It started strong with the concept of the overthinking mind narrating daily life and how this has a massive impact on how experience life in general. The author has a way with words and storytelling which allows you to quickly grasp these concepts and helps you relate them to your life.
However I found this and other concepts in the book frustrating because the writer spent so much time explaining and making you aware of this inner voice without nearly as much explanation of how to ‘manage' it.
It's only in the last few pages that he quickly lists some more practical applications of his advice (with meditation and yoga), but it just feels chucked in there.
It's clear that the book is written for someone who is already tuned into spiritual learning because for someone who is more ‘practical', for lack of a better term, understanding an implementing the writer's advice is frustrating to say the least.
I said I was on a rollercoaster though and I'll explain that. I gained so much insight and ‘aha' moments it made my head spin, but this was around every other chapter. Then in an equal number of chapters I felt disconnected and frustrated.
It's like the author wanted to appeal to a wider audience with his storytelling and breakdown of spiritual concepts but then falls back into spiritual jargon and enlightenment within just a few paragraphs.
There's also an air of privilege within the book which surfaces when the author tells you to aim to be happy no matter what life throws at you. While I understand the benefit of this, it's pretty insensitive.
I'm left feeling both frustrated and uplifted by this book, which is why I've given it 3 stars.
What a wild ride. Izel The Black Panther is a wonderful book of adventure, twists, turns and education to boot.
Mahina has done a wonderful job of creating a book filled with relatable characters, emotionally-driven storytelling and a lot of heart.
If you're tuned into environmental issues, have a love of the animal kingdom or enjoy the complexity of good vs evil, this is for you.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Add an extra hour (or more) to your day with the strategies within this book.
As a result, your productivity will also increase.
All so you can either make more money or enjoy your free time.
My impressions:
The Extra Hour reads like a condensed 4-hour Work Week. Its premise is a little more realistic though, to get you one hour back a day.
The book does a good job of taking you through organising your to-do list, removing distractions and giving you some truly helpful and practical strategies to get it done.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
This book would be perfect for anyone who has lost control of their work schedule or simply wants to claw back their time.
What I personally got from the book:
Interestingly enough, I already do a huge chunk of the suggestions in this book. I've developed some very productive and organised habits over the years and they just so happen to be in here. It's well worth a read if you want to know what they are.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Expand your money mindset with debunked myths and self-awareness.
Make more money by truly learning about money.
Give freely both in time, money and value to expand your wealth and purpose in life.
My impressions:
Money was a surprise to me. It's a long book so I expected to need my big brain hat on to absorb everything. I also expected the book to focus more on the technical aspects of making money but I was surprised on both accounts.
Of course, the book is lengthy and it does go into the technical aspects of money management but its main focus is money-mindset. Rob talks about your purpose, how this relates to the work you do and the wealth you create. How to overcome your limiting beliefs around money and he covers topics with intention and empathy.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
No matter if you're employed, starting a business or otherwise, this book will give you the fuel you need to get your mindset and practicals in order.
What I personally got from the book:
Some ‘money concepts' I've always found difficult to fully grasp. This book did an excellent job of solidifying them in my mind so I can get to work implementing. Well worth the time it takes to read (which for me was one long Sunday).
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Increase productivity, creativity and happiness with this book created by the man behind the Google program.
Experience Google work culture and use it within your business and life.
Feel more at ease, in control and excited to utilise the practices within this book.
My impressions:
I wasn't sure what to expect with Search Inside Yourself but I had a feeling the content would be top notch, especially considering it's associated with such a massive brand such as Google.
I wasn't disappointed, Chade-Meng did a brilliant job of introducing and illustrating the benefits of mindfulness, meditation, journaling and more in the workplace and in daily life.
He backs his findings up with research, experience and stories and writes in a compelling and easy to understand manner.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
This is a good one for the mindful-sceptics. Chade-Meng will change your mind! Literally.
What I personally got from the book:
There were many ah-ha moments within this book which I will be logging away in my brain for later. Similarly, there were many tweaks to my own habits which I will start to implement having read this book.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Create and build good habits with these proven strategies.
Make life-changing habits by starting small.
Master delayed gratification and invest in your future-self with ease.
My impressions:
I've been meaning to read Atomic Habits for what feels like years. Ironically it took a habit-forming reading challenge to push me to actually read it.
Atomic Habits is an international bestseller for a reason. The techniques in this book are not only convincing, but they give you a feeling of control over habits you likely thought were impossible to break.
Not only this, but Atomic Habits also addresses the importance of making sure the habits you create actually align with who you want to be and how the identity you adopt while doing them will help you succeed.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
Anyone who wants to break bad habits and cultivate good ones. Honestly, it's the only book you need to read on this subject (as of the time of writing).
What I personally got from the book:
This book is going to be a permanent fixture on my bookshelf, ready to read whenever I want to start working on a new habit. In particular, I plan on learning German so I'll be using a lot of the techniques in this book to help me do it.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Your purpose and your values will help your business thrive.
How both of these should in some way align with your personal values in order to have harmony.
How to define both of these and follow a key strategy to not just have business success, but a more balanced life too.
My impressions:
Your Stand is Your Brand took me by surprise. I thought the book would brand-focused and although it is, it's actually a more holistic look at business and life.
By combining the values of your brand with your personal values, Patrick clearly reminds us that if we don't have these two in alignment, we'll have some serious problems down the line.
Your Stand is Your Brand is business knowledge combined with minimalism and philosophy. A great combination.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
If you're concerned about the direction your business is going, you feel pulled in too many directions, or you want to make sure your values are present in your business, this book is for you.
What I personally got from the book:
While working on my personal brand, the focus on simplifying and staying true to my values is so important. This was a timely reminder.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
How to make better decisions when you don't have all the information.
Life is more like poker than chess.
How to determine if your good or bad outcomes are due to luck or skill and why this is important.
My impressions:
Thinking in Bets could have been a big hit for me but it lacked one very important aspect that would have solidified the information in my mind easier – it had very few real-world examples.
Annie spends a good portion of the book talking about the concept of thinking in bets which is fascinating and insightful but almost every example given was either a sports reference or a gambling reference. It took until I was about two-thirds of the way through the book to find something relatable which is a shame.
A few more relatable or even personal stories would have made each concept far more enjoyable and easier to absorb.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
Love the strategy of sports, gambling, sales or even the psychology of thinking in bets, this book is for you.
What I personally got from the book:
Although I struggled to read this one. I did get some really valuable information and insight in the last third. Particularly there's a long section on mental time travel and your future-self which I found to be fascinating.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Lessons from a successful businessman who did things his own way.
Put your customers before yourself.
10 years of experience in 1 hour.
My impressions:
This book holds very clear and actionable insight into the business journey of Derek Sivers. It's a short read but is packed full of valuable advice coupled with genuine life stories to back that advice up.
Derek's main focus is for you to create a business that suits you and above all else, benefits your customers and puts them first.
Success is in this achievement, not the money you make or the status you gain.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
Anyone running or starting a business. It's not long so can be read in a day even without a challenge and holds some valuable lessons anyone can take away.
What I personally got from the book:
There are a few key lessons I'm taking away from this book.
Success comes from persistently improving and inventing, not from persistently promoting what's not working.
It's okay to have no vision, mission or master plan. You can still build a business without one.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
How to climb as a woman in business, work and leadership.
How to then lift other women while you climb.
Why this is important.
My impressions:
Lift as You Climb is what it says it is, a feminist book about how to get further in life and business while also thinking about and lifting up the women around you.
It's a matter-of-fact book written by a close friend who isn't afraid to tell you like it is. Lift as You Climb covers everything from networking, to meetings, to competition and more.
It's a pretty good book. It has plenty of practical applications and does serve as a reminder of the good we can individually do. I do however wish it had more case studies, examples and generally more information to make the book a little meatier.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
If you're generally interested in the concept of the book then give it a go. You'll get some good tips that's for sure.
What I personally got from the book:
A general reminder of how to put into practice the lifting part of the climb. One to work on!
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Technology is not the root cause of distractions, the problem goes much deeper.
The science behind why we get distracted.
How to overcome and ‘hack' your way to focus.
My impressions:
I love a book with plenty of studies and science to back up its claims and this book has it in abundance. Don't be fooled though, it's also very enjoyable and easy to read.
Indistractable takes you through the psychology of why we get distracted and then gives you the tools you need to overcome it. From your working life to your relationships and even your kids, everything is covered.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
Indistractable focuses most of its attention on the workplace so if you work with others, in an office or even at home, you'll enjoy this. In general, though, anyone could read Indistractable and take some valuable insights away with them.
What I personally got from the book:
The psychological aspect of this book makes it worth reading alone, even if you don't agree with the methods of regaining focus control.
Understanding why we are distracted is so valuable in order to recognise it when it happens. I'm now armed with that knowledge.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Instil the belief of ‘everything is figureoutable' and conquer life.
Train your brain to aid in your success.
Do this by following sage advice from Marie Forleo herself.
My impressions:
I don't know what I expected from Marie's book but boy was I impressed. Marie has a very relatable writing style. The stories she uses to illustrate her lessons are compelling and engaging and incredibly easy to read.
She also utilises psychology, other people's story and humour to help important concepts sink in.
I'm not usually a fan of more overarching books on business and life, but this one contains a lot of gems and Marie has done a wonderful job.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
Especially if you're a woman in business, give this a read. It's like a friend wrote it just for you.
What I personally got from the book:
There are so many gems within this book to take away and implement into life and business. My particular favourite was Marie's technique to help you determine if that gut feeling you have is intuition or fear. I'll be using that one regularly.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
As women, we're conditioned to be perfect.
So for that reason, we have work to do.
Being brave instead of perfect is the solution and this book tells you exactly how.
My impressions:
This book will make you realise that your life so far has conditioned you to seek perfection. As a woman, the choices you make, the way you handle fear and failure is likely a result of your upbringing. Reshma exposes all of this and arms you with the tools and knowledge to set it right. The book is a deep-dive into your inner workings which will help you see how to face your fears, be brave and finally, start pushing towards your goals.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
This book is for any woman who is struggling with fear, perfectionism, people-pleasing and more. It's inclusive, empowering and impactful. If a man were to read it, they'd get some pretty useful insight too.
What I personally got from the book:
I'm definitely still a perfectionist in more ways than one, but I'm now armed with some very specific techniques to help me combat it. You'll have to read the book to find out what those are
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Become more successful as an already successful person.
Do this by improving yourself.
Use this book to analyse, accept and improve the things you don't do so well in leadership.
My impressions:
What Got You Here is 100% a book about leadership and in particular, one about leadership for medium to large organisations.
It's also a book filled with extremely useful, soul-searching, hard-hitting truths about some of the things you could be doing to ruin relationships or stop yourself or your team from progressing. Most of which you might not even realise.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
If you have any kind of team, or you're in any kind of leadership position, this book will guide you.
What I personally got from the book:
While I don't have a team, the lessons within this book have been particularly useful for self-awareness and relationship management.
The book in 3 sentences/summary:
Winning without fighting is possible and preferable.
Be prepared or prepare to fail.
Don't fight on ego or emotion, instead use calm strategy.
My impressions:
Reading The Art of War is like reading anything by Shakespeare. If you've never been taught how to read Shakespeare, then you don't know how to read Shakespeare. The Art of War is no different.
The good news is, The Art of War is short, so take can be used to read and re-read passages to learn how to apply its teachings to your business or life.
However, as a pacifist, the idea of using war tactics in business, made my stomach churn and opened my eyes to the many ways The Art of War has influenced modern-day politics.
Should you read it? (who would benefit from this):
The Art of War would likely bring great benefit to a business person who has a team under them, or someone who is looking to work on their leadership skills.
What I personally got from the book:
Not a lot. I'm not sure how this book applies itself to a modern-day business owner who seeks to create a business built on community and cooperation. However, it would prove useful if I were to expand my team.
Sure there are lessons hidden within its pages, but these lessons would be better served in a modern-day setting. For me anyway.