I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Terrie Lynn shares a heartfelt and engaging reading experience with audiences to share the reasons and motivations behind women and their decisions throughout relationships in her book “Why Did I Like You Anyway?”.
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The Synopsis
This is a self-help book on relationships. It is not about how to get a man or keep one. Its focus is on why women do what they do and like who they like.
The Review
This was such an engaging read. The author did an amazing job of immediately distinguishing herself and her work by making this book quite clear on what it isn’t and what it is. Shying away from the kind of self-help book on dating that helps people find ways of gaining their perfect person and instead focusing on the ways in which relationships fall apart, to begin with, and what people can do to work on themselves and their own happiness first was an inspiring and motivating choice to move with, and it made for such an amazing reading experience.
The author does a fantastic job of balancing the lessons that the author gained insight from and is passing on to the audience with the personal experiences that led to those revelations. The insights and themes the author touches upon here range from the pitfalls of dating in general and the ways in which dating changes with age, to the more serious subjects like dating while in a toxic relationship and heading into relationships simply to avoid loneliness rather than love itself, and with these subjects the author is able to bring both knowledge and emotional weight to the experiences she shares with the audience herself, making this book so compelling.
The Verdict
Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging, author Terrie Lynn’s “Why Did I Like You Anyway?”, is a must-read nonfiction book on relationships and emotions as a whole. The fast-paced yet nuanced and thought-provoking read will stay with readers long after it’s finished and helps build a more positive and healthy outlook on dating and self-acceptance rather than the lie that society teaches us all, especially young women, that a relationship and marriage are a necessity rather than an honor when and if it happens to you. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Terrie Lynn was born and raised in Akron, Ohio until she went on vacation to Atlanta, GA and stayed for 20 years. Currently living in the D.C. area. She is a graduate from Georgia State University with a major in Communications and a minor in theater. Her passion for writing is not to preach or judge, but to aid in one reflecting on their own behavior.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Authors Maggie and Renee Lovange take readers on an intimate and personal story of the relationship between a mother and her daughter during the daughter’s teen years in an effort to showcase how parents can relate to and parent a teen child through the angst and anxiety that life brings in the book “Dealing with Teen Anxiety: A Simple Guide to Overcoming Anger, Depression, and Low Mood in Young People with CBT”.
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The Synopsis
Do you want to get your teen out of their room and back into your life? If you feel you are losing control, then keep reading.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, up to 44% of students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety.
If you have parented teens, you will know how challenging it can be. Today’s teenagers are experiencing a whole new raft of difficulties, and their anxiety levels are enormous.
This book shows a way through the storm. Using practical examples and a clear description of cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, Maggie has set out the hows and whys of maintaining communication, helping teenagers believe in themselves and successfully overcome anxiety.
Maggie and her daughter, Renée, have written this book from their own experience. A fierce love of her teen and a determination to push through all the difficulties led Maggie to challenge her parenting style, change her approach, and learn about the best psychological method to help both herself and her daughter.
Renée’s contribution throughout the book brings the dialogue to life, giving a valuable perspective.
This book shows how the most difficult relationships between parents and teens are salvageable and can lead to a bright future.
In this book, you will discover:
How to get inside their thoughts to understand their anxiety
Why do teenagers react this way
How the teenage brain works
Application of cognitive behavioural therapy in everyday life
How what makes us feel happy makes us addicted
How to help your child be happy and confident
What are teens think but do not want to share with us?
If you feel everything you do is in vain – punishment, praise, explanation – this is exactly the book that will help you understand why this is no longer working and how to change it without giving up your principles.
Maggie and Renée restored harmony in their family – YOU CAN DO IT TOO. Just scroll up and click the Add to Cart button.
BONUS – downloadable help worksheets
For your convenience, we have made additional pages to this book available for free download so you can print them out.
The Review
This was a very well-written and informative read. The authors did such an incredible job of showcasing the balance of knowledge the reader will gain from this book with the emotional weight of the experiences they shared together to get these lessons learned. The way the authors highlight the paths that both a parent and the teenager must take to find one another again and find that understanding between them was such a profound moment to get to in the book.
For me, the heart of the book rests in the author’s presentation of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and the way the authors analyze the reasons behind this change in the relationship and where the anxiety stems from. One of the initial thoughts the author shares really feels profound in its delivery and relatable: your child is no longer your child, but your teen. Almost as if the child you knew has become a completely different person, understanding and accepting this notion really can help the process of finding some common ground and helping the person you care so much for find help in their anxiety and stress. The way the authors outline these CBT techniques with very emotional memories made this a beautiful and educational read.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, captivating, and engaging, authors Maggie and Renee Lovange’s “Dealing with Teen Anxiety” is a must-read nonfiction book on parenting and relationships between parents and their adult teen children. The short yet powerful read, accompanied by helpful worksheets and journals to help work through these techniques, made this such an incredible book, and the unique perspective the authors take as both the parent in the relationship and the former teen in the relationship give this book both legitimacy and honesty that other readers will be able to relate to. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Maggie.
My name is Maggie Lovange, and I am an M.S. in mathematics, graphic designer and author. But what makes me proud are my three wonderful children.
Why my work will be helpful to you
I have experience raising children, not just as a stay-at-home mom but as a working mom. I was a single mother with my first child. I am the parent of a stepson, and of course, I am familiar with the problems when two parents raise children. The experience I gained, the issues I faced and the final result I achieved are helpful.
In today’s informational world, we are overwhelmed by a lot of information. Very often, the information you can find about a problem needs to be more consistent or made up. I am a mathematician, and my logic is very highly developed. On the other hand, I love reading and discovering new concepts and ideas. What I do is find the connections between different scientific studies and explain them in a way that is practical and easy to understand. A great example of this is cognitive behavioural therapy – which is complex. It took me about three months to research it and find different sources to be able to explain it as something utterly applicable in every person’s daily life.
Of course, being an author and a mother is not always easy. There are days when I feel like I am pulled in a million different directions. Seeing the impact that my writing has on others is the most rewarding thing I could ever ask for. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
As my children grow older, I know that new challenges and topics will require my attention as a writer. But I am ready for whatever comes my way. Writing is not just a job or a hobby for me; it’s a calling. It’s a way to connect with others and make a difference in the world.
Writing a book is not easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. And as a mother, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you have positively impacted your child’s life and the lives of others.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Kelly S. Thompson shares a painfully emotional yet moving story of facing the past, rebuilding the bonds of sisterhood, and the love that endures in the face of hardships and struggles between sisters in the book “Still, I Cannot Save You: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Love, and Letting Go”.
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The Synopsis
With honesty, love, and humour, in this moving memoir, Kelly S. Thompson explores her relationship with her older sister, Meghan. Tested by addiction, abuse, and illness, the sisters’ relationship crumbles, only to be rebuilt into an everlasting bond.
Kelly Thompson and her older sister, Meghan, are proof that sisterhood doesn’t always equate to friendship.
Growing up within a military family, the girls were close despite being temperamental opposites–Kelly, anxious and studious, looked to her big sister for comfort, and Meghan, who battled kidney cancer as a toddler, was gregarious and protective. But as she approached adulthood, Meghan spiralled into a cocaine and opioid addiction, and Kelly’s relationship with her sister was torn apart.
Their paths diverge as they live their own lives, and it is only when Meghan becomes a mother that she and Kelly tentatively face past hurts and reexamine what sisterhood really means. But their reunion is threatened when Meghan receives a shocking new diagnosis on a day that should be one for celebration. Now, as the family reels at the prospect of the biggest loss imaginable, Kelly and Meghan must share all that they can in the time that they have, using their mutual sense of humour to chart a course through the darkest of days.
At once funny and heartbreaking, Still, I Cannot Save You is a story about addiction, abuse, and tragedy, but above all, it is a powerful portrait of an enduring love between sisters.
The Review
This was a powerful, emotional read. The author does a remarkable job of capturing the honesty and hardships of her relationship with not only her sister but her family and loved ones as a whole, delving into the complications that addiction had on the sister’s relationship together with gritty imagery and a tense atmosphere that underscored the mental and emotional scars that addiction can have on everyone involved. The rich dynamics between the author and her whole family not only speak to the complexity of the bonds that are tested between family during times of high stress and impending loss but the chemistry that defines each person’s unique relationships as a whole.
The themes of this book were powerfully felt throughout the entire book. Not only did addiction play an internal role in the breakdown of the bonds between the author and her sister, but the hurdles they overcame to rebuild that relationship and the horrific toll that coming to terms with a loved one’s impending death really hit home for me, as this happened a few years ago with my grandmother and I could feel the overwhelming weight of that pain the author touched upon with their moving writing style.
The Verdict
Passionately written, engaging, and truly moving, author Kelly S. Thompson’s “Still, I Cannot Save You” is a must-read memoir and nonfiction book. The thoughtful approach to the themes of this book and the honest and visceral writing style the author takes in bringing these memories to life will not only resonate with many readers but showcase a depth of emotion that will immediately draw the reader in and show the wealth of humanity residing within these chapters. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Kelly S. Thompson is a retired military officer who holds an MFA and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing, and has been published in Chatelaine, Maclean’s, the Globe and Mail, and more. Her debut memoir, Girls Need Not Apply, was named a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book and was an instant bestseller. She works as a mentor for the University of King’s College MFA in Creative Nonfiction, and lives in Nova Scotia with her military spouse and bull terrier.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I am a career writer. I’ve made my living as a journalist for almost thirty years. I would say, however, that I didn’t really find my voice until I started writing creative nonfiction.
What inspired you to write your book?
In 2018, I went to the University of King’s College in Halifax to start a two-year program in creative nonfiction. I earned my MFA in 2020. The graduate thesis for this program is in fact a book, which we work through with mentors over the course of two years. Ideally, you have your book finished in alignment with the program. I chose to write about heartbreak because it has been such a powerful experience in my life. My story, coupled with a range of more scholarly explorations into the phenomenon of this universal experience, seemed like juicy fodder for a creative nonfiction project.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I think the biggest takeaway I envision for this book is that you’re OK. I’m OK. We’re all OK. If you’re reeling from heartbreak, you needn’t imagine you’re failing society or yourself or anyone at all for your failure to surface according to some perceived timetable. It’s OK to be reeling. It’s OK to hurt and yearn and struggle for a long time. I want people to stop judging themselves for not being OK, and to be kind to themselves in the face of their discomfort and despair. To realize, through my story, that it is entirely natural to hurt for a long time. They are not losers. They are only human.
What drew you into this particular genre?
Creative nonfiction is a natural fit for me. As a journalist, I am deeply concerned with the truth and feel strongly about holding my writing accountable to facts alone. But the *creative* aspect of this approach to writing was a wonderful discovery for me. Here, writers apply the tools and literary devices of creative writing (think: character development, scenes, detailed description, dialogue, etc.) to nonfiction. It elevates factual storytelling to a much more compelling and enjoyable place.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I have launched an Instagram account around this book, and am excited to see where this path takes me. It is my first experience on that platform and I’m hopeful for its reach in terms of attracting readers.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Keep going. It’s hard to write a book. It takes tremendous stick-to-it-iveness and patience. It’s a lot of work and a lot of words. But you need only to take a stroll through a bookstore, electronic or brick-built, to come away encouraged by the number of people who have been able to pull off this enormous undertaking. Have faith in yourself. If all those folks could do it, why not you?
What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?
I make my living now as a book editor, but feel strongly that there are more memoirs on my near horizon. I am a mother to four kids who are all young adults now, and I am kicking around ideas for another memoir that delves into this stage of maternal life. But I am so consumed right now with giving “Heartbroken” the birth it deserves, that I don’t want to muddy the waters by thinking too much ahead. I have loved every minute of writing this book and am awfully excited at the prospect of getting it out into the world. Thank you for taking the time for this conversation!
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About the Author
LAURA PRATT is a long-time journalist, writer and editor. She writes for Canadian magazines and edits books. Her first memoir, The Fleeting Years, was published in 2004. She lives in Toronto with whichever of her kids and dogs she can corral to join her. She’s a 2020 graduate of the University of King’s College’s creative nonfiction MFA. She won an honourable mention in Prairie Fire’s 2020 CNF contest and was shortlisted for The Fiddlehead’s 2019 CNF contest. She has served as a judge at the National Magazine Awards for several years.
I received a free copy of this book In exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author and journalist Laura Pratt goes on a personal journey to understand the psychological and emotional impact of heartbreak and how it affects us all in her book “Heartbroken: Field Notes on a Constant Condition”.
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The Synopsis
In this definitive treatise on romantic loss, journalist Laura Pratt exposes the subject of heartbreak with a deep dive into the experience. Her reports chronicle her journey from grief to gratitude, and to perspective and meaning at last.
Heartbroken charts a hard terrain we all know–pocked with rejection, slick with sorrow–but it also offers some light and a map. And hope for arriving–changed, broadened, grateful–on the other side.
When Laura Pratt’s long-distance partner of six years tells her “it’s over” at a busy downtown train station, she is sent reeling, the breakup having come out of the blue. Her partner, meanwhile, closes himself off, refusing to acknowledge Laura and her requests for explanation.
In the following days, months, and then years, Laura struggles to make sense of this loss, alone and filled with questions. She mourns him and takes comfort in whatever reassurances she imagines the universe is sending her, and in identifying value for her ordeal under every rock she flips.
Here, Laura bares her soul as she brings alive the ups and downs of heartbreak–the recalled highs of when the relationship was in full, mutual bloom, and the long-time lows of her solitary vigil for Sam.
Seeking to understand this freefall and how so many before her survived it, she draws on forces across time and form and uncovers literary, philosophical, scientific, and psychological accounts of how we human beings fall in love in the first place, and why, when it ends, some of us take longer to get over it, or never do.
Effortlessly, Laura Pratt weaves this background of cultural history with her own bracing story of heartbreak and loss, and offers the heartbroken some solace in the common experience.
Imbued with Laura’s longing, erudition, and hard-earned wisdom, Heartbroken dares to delve into this most universal of mortal ordeals–perhaps the one that makes us the most human of all.
The Review
What struck me immediately upon reading this book was the profound sense of personal experience that somehow still felt all too relatable and engaging to the reader. The balance the author found in this memoir and relationship-driven book between her own personal heartbreak and the study of heartbreak, in general, was great to see. The pain and tragedy of the author’s experiences help to connect readers to the subject matter, as the emotions that influenced her mentality in those early days of the breakup showcased the power that a strong connection and its sudden loss can have, not unlike the sense of loss that comes with losing a loved one in life.
The artistry and almost poetic way the author wrote this book really became the heart of the story here. The insightful and free-flowing research into the subject and history of heartbreak, romance, and love as a whole in regard to the relationships we form was remarkable to watch unfold on the page, and looking at how history has shown the evolution of our thoughts and feelings on love as a people was incredible to read about.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, emotional, and memorable, author Laura Pratt’s “Heartbroken” is a must-read book of nonfiction memoir and relationship storytelling. The way the author is able to share how love and relationships can influence how we respond to and appreciate things like music and memories as a whole was great to see come to life in the author’s writing, and the cultural and historical research that went into the author’s exploration of her own heartbreak made this a truly compelling read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
LAURA PRATT is a long-time journalist, writer and editor. She writes for Canadian magazines and edits books. Her first memoir, The Fleeting Years, was published in 2004. She lives in Toronto with whichever of her kids and dogs she can corral to join her. She’s a 2020 graduate of the University of King’s College’s creative nonfiction MFA. She won an honourable mention in Prairie Fire’s 2020 CNF contest and was shortlisted for The Fiddlehead’s 2019 CNF contest. She has served as a judge at the National Magazine Awards for several years.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author and counselor Hagai Avisar takes readers on a journey to understand what truly “masculinity” is and how it can be used not to control but to love and care for one’s family in his book “The Good Husband: How to Use Your Masculine Strengths to Benefit Your Family”.
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The Synopsis
If you feel confused and disempowered in your marriage, with the same arguments over and over, then The Good Husband is tailored for you. It will show you how to be at your best as a husband and father:
Follow a solid roadmap that taps into your masculine strengths. Apply the tools and exercises to start living out the four blueprints (archetypes) of your masculine identity: King, Lover, Magician and Warrior.
Get practical solutions to highly troubling problems such as lack of sex, angry partner, threats of divorce, disempowering your fatherhood and more.
Make your wife feel happier and closer to you by realising what she really needs from you when she raises young kids, and responding wisely to these needs.
Discover how you can get better responses to your important needs for purpose, appreciation, respect, and sex.
Your masculine power is your responsibility, not your privilege. Once you discover how your masculinity is a force for LOVE in your family, you will be inspired to use it confidently to benefit your family.
Written by a highly experienced psychologist and couple therapist, The Good Husband is packed with knowledge, insights, and strategies that are based on research, state-of-the-art marriage counseling, and decades of clinical experience.
The Review
As someone who has always felt a calling towards a more feminist frame of mind, I have always been wary of people who use the term masculinity to hide behind a mindset of control and lack of emotions in relationships. I respect everyone’s own perspective, and in that spirit wanted to delve into the author’s book and experiences with an open mind, and I am glad I did. The author did an incredible job of crafting a book and guide that showcases how a man can hold onto the things that he connects with that he feels make him a “man”, while also finding the balance to understand the feminine perspective as well.
The research and thoughtful approach the author had to this subject was both emotional and well-founded. The way the author not only identified the traits and aspects of masculinity that are important to understand but gave voice to the women’s perspective on these traits and why they are important to maintaining a relationship as both a spouse and parent were wonderful to see illustrated. The way the author was able to not only draw upon these experiences and lessons but show how to implement them into our daily lives made this a very compelling and enthralling reading experience and made for the perfect way to start out 2023 for those looking to improve upon themselves.
The Verdict
As someone who has always hoped to find a way of tearing down old ideas surrounding masculinity and instead finding a way of making masculinity healthy and in balance with femininity, I was pleasantly surprised and inspired by this book. Author Hagai Avisar’s “The Good Husband” is a must-read self-help and relationship-style nonfiction book and the perfect way to start out the New Year. The informative and insightful way the author was able to relay these lessons and the engaging way the author was able to connect readers to these experiences made this a brilliant story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Avisar is an Israeli-born psychologist and couples therapist who has been in practice since 1987. Avisar moved from Israel to Melbourne, Australia with his Aussie wife and two kids in 1997.
With his passion to support young families, Avisar has specialized over the years in helping couples with their relationship issues. As an enthusiastic educator and therapist, he provides unique perspectives and effective solutions through counseling and workshops.
In recent years Avisar has developed an interest in helping men with their relationships. He says “There is an ever-increasing gap between the high expectations from family men and the poor support and empathy they receive from society. Public attacks on masculinity and men certainly don’t help these men”. Responding to this gap Avisar published in 2022 his book The Good Husband in which he offers married men guidance on how to use their masculine strengths to benefit their families.
Avisar has initiated and supported various social projects for parents and families. As an adoptive parent himself, he set up a network for adoptive families who raise children of Ethiopian origin.
Author Anthony Avina's Blog 