Marianne decides to explore 12 popular self-help books over 12 months at the beginning of one year and discovers that they're not always helpful.

If you're like me you've read a lot of self-help books and occasionally taken a few pieces of advice from them before inertia and time spent doing other things moves you away from the book.  I keep meaning to do a Kondo-esque tidy but it would require more of my energy than I'm willing to devote to it.  I do question if it sparks joy of things I'm putting away and I've removed a few things from my house as I'm asking that question.  (I also remind myself that I deserve better than the things that don't work on my skin or in my life etc.).  I also listen to the excellent By the Book Podcast and often agree with a lot of their points about the ones I've read.

The Books she chooses are: Feel the Fear and do it anyway; Money a love story; The Secret; F**k it: the ultimate spiritual way; Angels with Doreen Virtue; 7 Habits of Highly effective people; Power of Now; Get the Guy; Daring Greatly and You can heal your life.  She strugles with depression and becoming a bit of a self-centred ass for a while and all the time her very Irish mammy trys to steer her on a good path.

Like me she finds things that resonate in books and sometimes she obsesses a bit and I couldn't abandon my life for a year like she did to look inward but by the end she's less broken, mostly by connecting with the people who are real in her life.

See this and all of my reviews at Mystereity Reviews

Third Time's a crime is reality TV in book form! Except in Cold Case at the Castle, the drama wasn't scripted! Set at an old mansion that had operated as a boys home many years in the past, ex-cop Georgia and the nine other contestants are tasked with solving the murder of a girl who disappeared decades ago, to solve the mystery first. But when an employee at the castle is found dead, and another contestant is murdered after he was voted off the show, Georgia knows all the murders are tied together and the killer is still very close to the scene. Can she find a cold blooded killer at the Castle before she's the next victim?

This was recommended to me by a friend, who sent me a copy of the book. (Thanks, Joann!) This was the first book I've read in the Love or Money series, and I really enjoyed it. I don't care for reality shows, so I skipped over a lot of the backstabbing/partnering/cheating sort of reality tv shtick. But at the heart of it, this was an excellent plot, lots of action and suspense with plenty of misdirections and a hint of is-it-or-isn't-it-paranormal to keep you guessing. The satisfying ending tied everything up nicely, and although the book can be read as a standalone, it will definitely suck you right into the series.

I loved the crumbling old mansion setting, very well described and so vivid I felt like it was real. I eagerly followed along as the contestants combed the mansion and gardens, and I love the dumbwaiter scene (I've always wanted to do that!) Combined with the animated characters (especially Bert!) the entire story was dimensional, exciting and totally engrossing.

Overall, Third Time's a Crime is an excellent mystery, and can be read as a standalone or even an entry into the series. I definitely recommend it for cozy mystery and reality tv fans.

“Writing challenges me to discover who I am. Publishing challenges me to remember it.”

“You have to work like crazy, be smart, somehow invest every particle of emotion into the book itself, but then fling it out in the world and be ruthlessly pragmatic about how to sell it.”

Those two quotes (of many that I jotted down) from For Love or Money (Crafting An Indie Author Career) by Susan Kaye Quinn nails how indie authors should go about developing a writing career.

Quinn writes from a philosophical perspective on how indie (I don’t use the term self-published) authors can make a living from their books and how writing for love or money can be beneficial no matter which path a writer takes.

I heard Susan Kaye Quinn on The Creative Penn and Author Strong podcasts recently talking about her career (she is best known for her YA Science Fiction: The Mindjack and Singularity Series) and how she has learned to balance writing for love and money.  Also, she has published romance novels under a penname that gets quite a bit of attention in For Love or Money.

I read this book in one setting and there are plenty of nuggets to digest like Why Do Want To Write, Creating A Mission Statement, Leave Your Biases At The Door If You Are Writing For Money, Being Patient, & Writing Like You Are On Fire.  These are excellent motivational tips that will make a reader dig deeper on how they should craft their career as an indie author.

There are quite a few how-to indie author books on the scene.  However, I believe that For Love or Money stands out from the pack because of its philosophical as well as a practical approach to the ever changing world of Indie Publishing.  I highly recommend For Love or Money as a permanent resource for Indie Authors to keep on their bookshelf or eReader.

For Love or Money was a cute and sweet adult contemporary romance. It was a cheerful and romantic read that is filled with lots of emotions. I found the dialogue entertaining, the writing excellent, the romance sweet and the story engaging.

From the moment I read the prologue I was hooked. It was a great start to the story. It sets the tone for the remainder of the story. This is where we are introduced to Jen Casey a high school English literature teacher. Here we see her with her best friend discussing how the male protagonist, Brent Maddox, was clueless when it came to dating and choosing the right woman. (Now this was coming from someone who has never had a serious relationship). Her friend dared her to email Celebrity Magazine with the hope that they would forward the email to Brent. The purpose of the email was to provide him with some sage dating advice. Now being a woman who was addicted to taking dares, she took the challenge and did just that and oh what an email it was.

"Dear Brent, No doubt it’s the teacher in me, but when I saw the article about you in the June issue of Celebrity Magazine, I had to write. Because, you know, education is my life. That makes it almost impossible for me to turn my back on anyone as desperately in need of remedial instruction as you seem to be. Funny, you’re the last person I’d have expected to need tutoring in this particular subject. When we were classmates at Donnerton High, you earned a perfect 4.0 in romance for four years running. I’m not sure how you dropped so many grade points since then, but I am sure the ABCs and 123s will come back to you with a little help from your friends. So, let’s get started".

Alas, things did not go has planned. Instead of the email being forwarded, it was published. The outcome as a result made for a fun and entertaining read. Many times I found myself laughing out while reading.

It was a joy to read about the characters. They were likeable and relatable. Initially Jen came off as a snob. She was very judgemental when it came to wealthy persons. However, as the story progressed we see her finally accepting that she had been wrong in her perceptions. The chemistry between Jen and Brent was off the charts. Brent was bowled over by Jen. She was unlike any woman he had ever dated.

What I liked about this story was that they took time to know each other before taking their relationship to the next level. If you are one of those readers who love romance stories that contains explicit love scenes then you will be disappointed. However, it should be noted that in spite of this the story is one that can be enjoyed no matter what. This just goes to show sex is not required to make a romance story enjoyable.

This is my first time reading the author’s work and I must say I was impressed with her writing style. The story flowed and was easy to follow. The pace was well balanced and all the scenes blended well together. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

N.B. This is the first book in the Golden States Hearts trilogy and it can be read as a stand-alone. I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.