I am an avid reader. I have books everywhere in my house. It has gotten so bad that I have a kindle app on my android tablet - which has masses of books on it - as well as on my phone and pc. I have recently acquired a kobo glo too. I would go so far as to say one of my biggest passions is reading.
I take an awful lot of stick off friends as I have to admit, I love to read romance novels, even Mills And Boon. I have so many of that genre, but I just laugh it all off, I don't really care. As long as the book has a good storyline to it I am not fussed what genre it falls in to.
I do try to read mainly positive stuff though, I hate reading something that is going to upset me, disturb me or disgust me. I don't really like storylines that have very unhappy themes to them, and there is nothing worse than enjoying a book only to have everything fall apart for the characters at the end, unless of course the author plans a sequel.
A while back I made a start on reviewing some of the books I have read, but seem to have got out of the habit of doing that. I have decided to start that up again, choosing what to write up about is proving to be difficult though. I was going to go right into a review of a book I have already read, but then I got to thinking, perhaps it would be better if I read something completely new and then review. I know, I know, it makes more sense to do exactly that, but I sometimes miss the obvious with my enthusiasm
So, my book review- the first one for this year - is:
Brilliant Book Of Calm: Down To Earth Ideas For Finding Inner Peace In A Chaotic World (52 Brilliant Ideas) - Author - Tania Ahsan.
My version was free on kindle.
I love self help books, but I have to admit that I rarely follow up on the advice that they give. The moment I started reading this I actually began to jot down a few of her ideas. One of my favourites was to have a no news day. I have been struggling with positivity for some time now and even when I am doing my best to get a grip on it I would find that the news depressed me. I have a habit of putting the TV on and switching a news channel, muting it, but leaving it on in the background while I go about my business. Even with no sound the images can be very graphic and play on our emotions, bringing our moods down. So the idea of a news ban - even if for just one day - was very appealing to me. I decided to go with a Sunday, initially, as that is the day we do not get a local paper here - I am extremely nosy and did not think I could get by without reading up on what was happening in my local area.
I have to admit this has worked so well for me that I often never put the TV on now unless I am prepared to watch it. If I feel I need it on, I either have a music channel on very low or will have a sports news channel on - I know it's news but it is nowhere near as depressing as death, destruction, disease being broadcast at you 24/7.
Another thing that I really loved about this book is the way the author does not take herself too seriously. I often read self help books and feel as though some of the authors are talking at you rather than giving you tips on how to manage your life. Tania Ahsan made everything sound such fun and easy to do that I felt compelled to try her tips and ideas out immediately. I did not feel like a naughty child being scolded, the book came across like a conversation with a good friend, and for me that is the type of self help bok that will kick me into action.
After each tip Tania follows up with "Here's an idea for you" which is a way to bring that tip into being for yourself. This in turn is followed up by a "defining idea" which is a quote that a famous person has said, and then finally, that is followed up by a question and answer relating to that particular tip; where people have struggled to follow her advice and she gives a different viewpoint on the tip, or on how the person has tried to go about incorporating that tip.
The entire book is so laid back and relaxed you almost forget it is self help. It feels friendly and approachable and is free on kindle right now, so what more could you ask for? This is one self help book I have thoroughly enjoyed and am having no problem with the ideas and tips on how to improve my life. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and cannot recommend it enough.
A must read!
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