NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

'The new freedom is flipping a switch in your mind that makes you happy regardless of the money you have' Title: The New Freedom: Ordinary People Are Living Extraordinary Lives & So Can You!  Author: Rob Cubbon Cubbon's writing is thought provoking and with Covid 19 already having changed the working life for many of use, I'd be surprised of not more and more people are re-thinking the balance and priority between work, family and play; I already have. Is it really money that you want, or is it happiness? Is it possessions you want, or freedom from your attachment to them?  As Cubbon puts it, there are two sides to financial freedom: earning more and spending less.  Location independent work, digital nomads, mindset change, importance of fitness and affirmation, networking and being happy are all part of Cubbons view of the new freedom.  Lots of ideas for anyone who's considering stepping away from the rat race. 

The first book in the Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mystery series Title: Assault and Batting Author: Tess Rothery When her mother Laura dies, Taylor Quinn returns to the family home to step into her shoes including running a quilt shop and look after her teenage sister. The police have written off Laura’s death as an accident fuelled by drinking and slippery shoes, but neither Taylor or her sister Belle think this is the case and to find closure they need to get to the bottom of what actually happened. Throw in a handsome man, a grumpy grandpa with part memory loss, teenagers, racoons and stress of school work, all in a small town (with four (!!) quilt shops all on the High Street) thriving on gossip and you have the bare bones of the story. Not my cup of tea, but... This is the first in Rothery’s Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mystery series and although it was an OK and quick read, it’s the only one I’ll read. There are better researched (including grieving process, legality of child adoption an...

Mr Tall, Dark and Moody Title: Invisible: An Alpha Company Military Romance (The Alpha Company Women Series Book 1)  Author: Beth Abbott Ellen has become an expert at being invisible; she's changed her hair colour to mousey brown, wears brown contact lenses to hide her deep blue eyes and dresses in baggy clothes to hide her figure. She needs to stay invisible, or her life may be at risk.  Suzy, her best friend, is anything but invisible and she's trying to get Ellen to 'live' a little and start enjoying life again.  Luke is desperately trying to find out who killed his twin brother Casey over three years ago. He and his friends at Alpha Company have a few leads but they are desperately looking for a woman and her father, who they are certain have the information they need to clear Casey's name and bring justice “So, you stop, take stock, and then take another path. Sometimes just for a while, sometimes for longer, and you keep trying until you find the path you wan...

"Travel teaches you to see all the angles. To gain something: be it knowledge, perspective, appreciation, or an intense emotion" Title: KILIMANJARO: Into the Self   (Book Two of the 7 Summits to Success Series) Author: Sean Swarner This is the second inspirational self-help book written by adventurer and cancer survivor Seam Swarner, with practical steps outlined by Lance Snow. As I stated in the review of the first book, I read this book after having taken part in one of Swarmer's online talks and Q&A sessions and I really enjoyed finding out more about his journey; and how he already early on in life had the mindset of keeping going and always looking for the positives.  "How do I help others when I have to help myself first? This, I know now, was the question of my trip. I call it the oxygen-mask conundrum. You philosophically and intellectually know that you should put on your mask first, in fact that you must, or else you’ll be hard pressed to help anyone be...

I’m going to do my best to overcome this crappy situation. Some things may be out of my control, but I’m going to do my best to control what I can… my thoughts! Title: EVEREST: Being Unstoppable (Book One of the 7 Summits to Success Series) Author: Sean Swarner Inspirational self-help book written by adventurer and cancer survivor Seam Swarner, with practical steps outlined by Lance Snow.  I read this book after having taken part in one of Swarmer's online talks and Q&A sessions and I really enjoyed finding out more about his journey; and how he already early on in life had the mindset of keeping going and always looking for the positives.  Parts I and II Parts I and II of the book are Swarner's story of his early childhood through to reaching the top of Mount Everest. The book starts with the following quote by Swarner; “We should not worry about dying. We should worry about not living a life that matters.”   Swarner tells a truly inspirational and uplifting st...

'You first need to decide what success is to you and then consider what you need to achieve that' Title:  Passive Income: Secrets - 15 Best, Proven Business Models for Building Financial Freedom in 2018 and Beyond Author: Sean Dollwet What about having the ability to go to sleep and wake up to more money than you had the night before? This is the dream for many and Dollwet gives you 15 ideas in how this could be you!! The ideas are varied and include e.g. drop-shipping, real estate investment, crypto currencies and affiliate marketing.

Logan’s face darkened. “No, Constable, it’s not possible that he wasn’t responsible for killing those boys. I know, because I was there. I saw what he’d done. Title:  A Litter of Bones   Author: JD Kirk The author blurb states that JD Kirk loves the Highlands, crime thrillers, and cats; but after reading the book, the latter is not apparent! DCI Jack Logan is part of Glasgow's Major Investigations Team and when a boy has disappeared in similar way to one of Logan's old cases, he's brought onboard to solve the crime. It is a fast paced story, with clever twists and turns, characters who aren't what they appear to be, stereotypical old school police behaviours and a sense of humour thrown in. The story is definitely not politically correct in language or views (or cats!), but let's face it, neither is life in general. All in all an enjoyable read and I'm pleased to see that the tenth (!!) book in the series was released just last month (Feb 2021) so Kirk may still...

"Living is precious, and is perhaps best appreciated when we live with the end in mind. It’s time to talk about dying."   Title: With the End in Mind: Dying, Death and Wisdom in an Age of Denial Author: Kathryn Mannix I'd put this book in the 'must read' category. It is not an easy or completely enjoyable read, it evokes sad (but also happy) feelings and it left a bit of dread in the bottom of my stomach and a lot of 'I really should...'. Still, I'll encourage family and friends to read it and allow us to be on the same page when approaching the nowadays perceived taboo subject of death. "It’s a truth rarely acknowledged that as we live longer thanks to modern medicine, it is our years of old age that are extended, not our years of youth and vigour." The book is a series of stories told by Mannix based on her experience throughout her medical career. She has written the book to enable people to become familiar with the process of dying, of no...