It’s All in Your Head: Brain Storms, Gray Matter, and What Makes You You, by Keith Blanchard is a delightfully informative book about the way your brain works and how it helps make you uniquely, you.Buy the Paperback.I read this book in ebook format, which is usually what I prefer, but in this case, I would recommend buying a paperback copy of the book. It’s heavily formatted to accommodate interesting pictures, sidebar information, and graphics that help make the book extremely engaging.The book was never dull.From one topic to the next, I stayed interested and looked forward to learning even more about the way brains work. I thought I knew a lot about the brain, but I found plenty of new (to me) information on every page.  And all of it was encompassed by interesting stories and statistics.One of the things that made this book so special was the author’s unique brand of humor. His personality comes through every page so that you laugh while you learn, rather than feel lectured by a professor.A word of cautionKeep in mind Keith Blanchard is the editor in chief of Maxim magazine, and some of his humor borders on the racy side. Even Read more…

One of the best non-fiction books I’ve read this year is The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction. I was immediately drawn to the idea of simplifying life and reprioritizing my day in a way that I can feel good about. I was sold on the idea. How about the actual execution of it? Was The Common Rule going to present a solution to today’s hurried lifestyle that I can easily implement into my work and family routines?Yes!I could easily relate to the author.Justin Whitmel Earley desired to serve God and his fellow man, and at the same time was driven in both his law career and his family life. That drive led him to an anxiety-filled breakdown. He knew that there had to be a better way. This system of habits was born out of that experience.To call it a system might make it sound stiffening. It is actually something very freeing. Throughout the book, I continued to see that this is really a set of habits combined with grace, rather than legalistic rules. Over and over the author recommends that the reader decides for themselves just how to form these habits.  He offers a Read more…

The Stranger Inside, by Laura Benedict, was a treat to read. This suspense novel gripped me from the beginning. Early on, I was reminded of the film, Pacific Heights. As the story continued, I discovered that the mystery behind the stranger inside of Kimber’s home goes much deeper than a squatter who has taken over.What stood out the most about this book was the complexity of the characters, particularly the main character, Kimber. She isn’t the innocent protagonist who has been deeply wronged. There is much more to her than that. This is precisely why it’s so difficult for her to figure out who could have it out for her—so many possibilities.It is easy to see through her story how guilt and shame can keep you prisoner. Deception truly tangles a complex web that can be difficult to escape.  I loved the development of her character and the transformation of who she was as a person. The dialogue was realistic. I felt like each character had his or her, own voice.The pacing of the book was perfect.Things got moving right away. Just when you think one problem is about to be resolved, another shoe drops. Even though the plot was Read more…