Stella
This was a fun, easy read with some real gems in it. I checked it out from my library and ended up enjoying it more than I expected, so I'll definitely be looking for the author's other two books.
There's a fair bit of pep and encouragement throughout. It's the kind of book you can relax with, underline a few lines, and walk away feeling a little lighter and more inspired.
Not life-changing, but genuinely enjoyable and full of small, useful reminders. And some nice pictures.
This is one of those books you really want to be true.
The premise is comforting and expansive: souls travelling together through multiple lifetimes, changing roles, learning lessons, releasing fear, moving slowly toward love. Through hypnosis, Weiss's patient begins recalling what appear to be past lives, and as these memories surface, her long-held phobias dissolve.
That expereince suggests that life is about learning how to love better and that fear is the root of most suffering. Death, according to the “Masters” who speak through the patient, isn't an ending but a transition. Time isn't linear. There's no punishment, no hell, no judgement, just reflection, learning, and return.
It's a beautiful idea. But...
the evidence is anecdotal and unverifiable, and the conclusions depend largely on whether you trust the source of the revelations (like all reliegions I suppose)
However, whether or not one accepts reincarnation or the literal existence of soul groups, the ethical message something we can all identify with. Live with less fear. Be kinder. Let go of the illusion that control, success, or certainty will save you.
If there is a God in this book, it isn't a figure to obey, fear, or appease, but a field of love to align with. It's certainly not an Abrahamic God, which is good news for everyone.
However, Weiss, who is Jewish, doesn't take this idea very far. Both he and his patients end up folding these experiences back into their existing religious beliefs, which is, frankly, the weakest part of the book.st link in this book.
I found the book thoughtful and rich in insight, though at times it felt longer than it needed to be, with ideas that could have been more tightly distilled. That said, its core concepts are genuinely useful and stay with you. It took me several months to get through, and I wish I'd taken notes along the wa, this is a book that really warrants it.
some key takeaways for me - and I have a lot of learning still to do!
Separate tasks to reduce conflict and resentment. - A key idea is recognising what is your task and what belongs to others. Your responsibility lies in your actions, choices, and value and not in how others react, feel, or judge you. Once you stop carrying other people's tasks, relationships become lighter and clearer.
Let go of the need for approval. - Much of our stress comes from trying to manage how others see us, which is actually their task, not ours. Accepting that you may be disliked, creates freedom to live according to your own principles.
Move from vertical to horizontal relationships. - Adlerian psychology rejects relationships based on hierarchy (superior/inferior, praise/punishment). Instead, it promotes horizontal relationships built on mutual respect, equality, and trust.
Avoid praise and criticism as control tools. - Both praise and criticism place you “above” others and reinforce vertical dynamics. Encouragement, by contrast, recognises effort and existence without judgment, supporting equality rather than dependence.
Do not intrude on others' tasks. - interfering, rescuing, or controllin, even with good intention, undermines others' autonomy. Trusting people to handle their own tasks strengthens genuine connection and personal growth.
True confidence comes from self-acceptance, not comparison. - Horizontal relationships are possible only when we stop measuring ourselves against others. Feeling “good enough” allows us to meet people as equals rather than rivals.
Contribution replaces recognition. - Happiness does not come from being praised or seen as superior, but from feeling useful and connected. When contribution becomes the focus, the need for validation naturally fades.
The “body bully” idea felt very familiar. It made me stop and notice how automatic and normal those thoughts have become.
There are lots of exercises. I haven't done them properly yet, but I can see how they'd be helpful if you're ready to sit with some uncomfortable stuff. The tone is kind and practical, not preachy or unrealistic about suddenly loving your body.
Overall, a thoughtful read that gave me a lot to think about, and one I'll probably come back to when I'm ready to do the exercises.
I've read Matt Haig before and loved his writing (so readable, pulls you right in), though I sometimes couldn't unsee how WEIRD his perspective was — in the sociological sense: Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic. It's a worldview that often ends up speaking for everyone, even though it really reflects a small slice of the world.
This book felt different. It didn't try to represent the whole human experience — it just told its story — and I liked it more for that.
It's deeply relatable for anyone who feels the weight of their regrets. It's gentle and unexpectedly comforting though not very subtle. I don't care. I really enjoyed it.
I highlighted so much to come back to later. It's almost like a self-help book in disguise.
I really enjoyed this book immensely. I don't usually read horror because I rarely find it truly scary, but this one actually was — especially reading it at night! The descriptions were vivid and immersive; I felt completely in the moment.
I usually find present tense narration quite jarring, and it did bother me at first here too, but I got used to it as the story went on. That said, I think it would've worked just as well in past tense.
The author did an excellent job describing the frightening scenes, and I loved how everything came together neatly at the end. I didn't see many of the twists coming, which made it full of surprises and a really enjoyable read overall.
Highly recommended.
I read Where'd You Go, Bernadette? for my book club, and I wasn't sure I'd like it at first. The story is told through a series of emails, letters, and reports, which felt a bit unrealistic to me at the beginning. But before long, I was completely drawn in.
I enjoyed all the characters—even the ones I didn't particularly like. Bernadette herself is a bit of a snob and clearly struggles with depression, but her sudden “my creativity will save me” recovery felt a little too neat to be believable. Still, the idea that a change of place and environment can lift one's mood definitely rings true. Her problems are, admittedly, very first-world, but they were presented in such an entertaining way that I didn't mind.
I really liked the daughter's character, as well as the husband's assistant—all of them were vividly written and interesting, even if not especially likeable. Some people in my book club rated it lower because they didn't like the characters, which I think is a bit crazy. I rate books based on how entertaining and engaging they are—whether they keep me reading—and this one absolutely did.
I absolutely loved the ending, and the fact that I read almost every word (instead of skimming, which I sometimes do) says a lot.
Overall, it's a clever, funny, and surprisingly moving book—I really enjoyed it. And I am hoping to watch the movie soon.
I really enjoyed this book. The premise was what first hooked me, and although it ended up going in a different direction than I expected, it was still really engaging and enjoyable. I think it's part of a series, but it works perfectly well as a standalone.
The super-intelligent character was a bit over the top with his photographic memory and all that — not exactly how that works in real life — but it was still fascinating to follow. The world the author created was intriguing, and the 378 pages went by quickly; it never felt long or slow.
Overall, it was an interesting and immersive read. I'd definitely pick up another book by this author.
Nisam sigurna iz koje knjige ustvari dolazi ova priča o Sinbadu moreplovcu, jer sam je čitala u nekom PDF-u. Ali prevod na bosanski je odličan.
Sedam priča u ovom dijelu ponukalo me da potražim cijelu zbirku 1001 noć za odrasle.
——-
https://bs.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindbad_Moreplovac
Sindbad je lik u knjizi Hiljadu i jedna noć. Postoje dva Sindbada: Sindbad nosač i Sindbad moreplovac koji zajedno čine dio sedam povezanih priča. Priče su bazirane na stvarnim doživljajima mornara ali i na Homerovoj Odiseji i starim perzijskom pripovjetkama. Sindbad je izmišljeni pomorac iz Basre, koji je živio u vrijeme Abasidskog halifata, heroj iz priča porijeklom sa Srednjeg istoka. Tokom svojih putovanja morima istočno od Afrike i južno od Azije, on ima fantastične avanture idući u magična mjesta, susreće čudovišta, i nailazi na natprirodne pojave.
Šeherzada svoje pripovijedanje pročinje pričom o Sindbadu nosaču i Sindbadu moreplovcu. Prva priča počinje pričanjem o Sindbadu nosaču, mladom čovjeku, koji je bio razočaran svojim životom. Jedne prilike zapjevao je pjesmu o svojoj nesreći, te o tome kako ga je “sahvatila gorka i tamna sudba”, kako mu je život bijedan i da to Bog vidi, ali ništa ne poduzima. Sindbad nosač sreće starijeg čovjeka Sindbada moreplovca, koji priča priču o svojim putovanjima. Još kao mlad, živio je lagodnim životom, ali kada mu je sve to dosadilo krenuo je na svoje prvo putovanje. Na tom putovanju sve je bilo uredu dok kapetan broda nije poželio usidriti brod na nekom ostrvu. Putnici su se tu odmorili i teferičili, dok kapetan nije objavio da se nalaze na ležima uspavanog kita. Tada se već grdosija i počela kretati, mnogi su i poginuli dok se Sindbad moreplovac spasio, uz kako on to sam i kaže, Allahovu pomoć. Na tom ostrvu sreće čovjeka koji ga odvede do njihovog kralja Mihradžana. Kralj je zavolio Moreplovca, međutim Sindbadu sva ta pažnja kralja nije ugušila želju za rodnim gradom Bagdadom, ali u tom mjestu niko nije ni znao ni čuo za Bagdad.
Jednog dana je na ostrvo došao kapetan koji je bio prinuđen da ih nekolicinu ostavi na kitu, te ga Sindbad prepoznaje i odlazi s njim u Bagdad.
Nakon svake ispričane priče Sindbad moreplovac daje po sto zlatnika Sindbadu nosaču i šalje ga kući uz napomenu da i sutra dođe da čuje još zanimljiviju priču, toliko zanimljiviju da će prethodnu priču i zaboraviti. Pričanje završava nakon sedam priča kada se Sindbad zadnji put vraća sa svojih putovanja u Bagdad. Tu ga dočekuje kralj koji naredi da se Sindbadova priča zapiše zlatnim slovima, nakon čega se Sindbad vraća kući i porodici.
don't really know what to think about this book—it was relatable and entertaining, but I honestly didn't understand the message. Is it “be okay with being fat” or “go on an extreme diet”? There doesn't seem to be any middle ground. What the author missed (and what people often miss) is that you just can't eat whatever you fancy and call it intuitive eating.
Calories still matter—they always have (keto or otherwise). Sure, you can eat that piece of cake, maybe even two, as long as it fits within your daily calorie allowance—the amount where you neither gain nor lose weight. Everyone has that limit, whether they're fat or thin. Nobody likes to talk about it, but it really is that simple.
The author chose to live with being fat, because the only alternative she saw was some extreme diet where every morsel of food had to be weighed. But it doesn't have to be like that. It's sad, but I see this all-or-nothing attitude everywhere. I'm not even sure what the message of the book was. Intuitive eating made sense in a world where food wasn't available at every corner, all day, every day. Now, we live in a completely different environment. And we have to act accordingly.
I Fell for the Blurb... Again
I can't believe I fell for one of these again—but the blurb got me. It sounded promising, but in the end, this is yet another book that probably could've been a blog post, or maybe even a podcast episode (which I assume it already was).
The book was heavy on personal stories and light on anything new or substantial. There were a few nods to research—but most of it felt like the author just expanding on their “let me” or “let them” theory.
In short, I wouldn't really recommend it unless this was your first ever self-help book.
I've had this book for years—both on my Kindle and in paperback—but I never actually read it. I'd saved quotes from it that float around the internet, and I'd started it a few times, but never really got into it. Now I have—and as usual, books come to us when we're ready.
Reading someone who genuinely enjoys their job is such a treat. I've read a lot of books on writing, but most of them are very practical, full of rules and techniques. This one is mostly about the pure joy of being a writer.
It was weird that this novel seemingly broke all the rules of writing—especially the “show, don't tell” one. It told a lot, and yet somehow, it still works. I'll admit I skimmed parts of it, but overall, it kept my attention.
The whole marriage to Gino had this looming sense of doom right from the start.
Having worked and lived internationally in so-called “developing” countries, I could easily relate to—and recognize—the arrogance of imposing one culture's values on another under the assumption that “theirs is better, more civilized”. The sheer audacity of needing to “rescue” a half-English child from his own father is horrifying, even within a satirical context. Lilia herself never once considered raising her daughter in Italy and was appalled at the idea of any English child being educated there.
Some parts were laugh-out-loud witty such as:
Even in England a dentist is a troublesome creature, whom careful people find difficult to class. He hovers between the professions and the trades; he may be only a little lower than the doctors, or he may be down among the chemists, or even beneath them.
Every one there was asleep, for it was still the hour when only idiots were moving.
Italian is a bad medium for condescension. The patronizing words came out gracious and sincere, and he smiled with pleasure.
I never would've picked up this book on my own—it's just not my usual genre—but I did thanks to my work book club. And I absolutely loved it.
The setting was stunning, the characters felt so alive and real, and everything came together so well in the end.
What really pulled me in was the landscape—you can't even begin to imagine the sheer vastness of the Australian outback. Highly recommended.
I'm definitely keen to read more by Jane Harper and lose myself in a world I knew nothing about until now.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The last third got a bit too much for me—too unrelatable. But I could totally relate to falling in love obsessively (and for no apparent reason) like she did (though I was much younger back then).
I think the explicit sex scenes got a bit repetitive and seemed to be there mostly for shock value.
Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to my book club discussion on this one.
This was an interesting book, and I enjoyed most of it. However, I couldn't help but wonder how it would address the theme of abuse if it were written today, rather than in the 80s. Some aspects felt brushed over or quickly moved past, which I think reflects how these issues were often handled back then.
Also religious fundamentalism absolutely horrifies me.