self improvement

Saddle Up Your Own White Horse


Author: Saundra Pelletier
Publisher: Tilis Publishers
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-09797961-0-4
Pages: 186
Price: $21.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Do you have your sights on that corner office? Plan to start your own business soon? But you have doubts because you’re a woman, and you feel men have a better chance than you do? Saundra Pelletier believes in you, and she wants to show you how to succeed in Saddle Up Your Own White Horse.

This book presents five principles every woman needs to know. First, deliberate creators make their dreams happen. Don’t be a victim or a flatliner – learn how to create your own best outcomes. Second, women possess two unique gifts – multitasking and intuition. Learn how to use both to your own advantage. Third, women must lead in their relationships with men – but don’t ever tell them that! Fourth, no woman is an island. You’ll need to build your own cavalry of support. And fifth, women must master the three C’s – confidence, credit, and comfort with success.

Finally, once you’ve learned these five important principles, the author reminds us to never confuse motion with action. Sometimes being busy hides the fact we’re not really moving in the direction of our biggest goals.

While the author clearly got her message across to women who are determined to climb the corporate ladder, she left out one segment of the female population. Some women feel most successful in having a happy family life and raising children. It would have been nice to see some examples of successful moms using these principles, along with entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Saundra Pelletier was fortunate to have a mother who never let her settle for mediocrity, and always told her she could do what she set her heart on. If you have grand dreams and goals, but you haven’t quite figured out how to create them in your life, this book will be the pep talk you need to get you started. Well-written and inspiring, Saddle Up Your Own White Horse will motivate you to take charge of your own life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Grover’s 10 Terrific Ways to Help Our Wonderful World


Author: Sesame Street
Publisher: Dalmatian Press
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 1-40375-012-2
Pages: 24
Price: $3.50

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Many adults today can be heard saying that we need to save the planet for our children and grandchildren. But if our children don’t learn from our mistakes, how much good have we really done? Sesame Street has come up with a fun way to help kids learn about environmental consciousness.

In this book, Grover presents his top ten list of ways to save energy, throw less stuff away, take care of our natural resources, and recycle. As he presents each idea, Sesame Street characters act this item out in ways kids can relate. The Count turns off lights. Bert turns off the water while he brushes his teeth. Big Bird brings a reusable shopping bag to the supermarket. And of course the book itself is printed on recycled paper.

As kids see these TV icons adopting earth-friendly behaviors, they will start to model these actions in their own lives. Since I’m a strong advocate of the green lifestyle, I’m thrilled to see this book in print. I highly recommend it for every child’s personal library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

The Truth: What You Must Know Before December 21, 2012


Author: Stephen Hawley Martin
Publisher: Oaklea Press
Genre: Body, Mind, Spirit: Inspiration & Personal Growth
ISBN: 978-1-892538-21-5
Pages: 256
Price: $14.95

Author’s website

The Mayan calendar, the I CHING, and a computer program called the Web Bot all predict the world as we know it will end in 2012. This may be as a result of catastrophic disasters or it could be a more positive event, caused by a shift in consciousness. Stephen Hawley Martin believes this shift is coming, and The Truth offers ideas on how to bring it about in your own life.

Delving into the mind and how it works, the author touches on the different stages a person may find himself in his outlook on life. Just as The Secret explained the importance of beliefs, The Truth shows us how they can even affect outcomes of scientific experiments. And prayer is explored in depth, clearly demonstrating how powerful it is by using the results from working with plants.

As one would expect from a book on shifting consciousness, the author encourages us to discover why we’re here, and how to get through the growing pains we can expect to encounter. Clear and simple instructions are provided on how to get in touch with our own intuition to help us make the right decisions.

Stephen Hawley Martin makes a bold claim that this enlightening book could save the world. It certainly could change your life, if you put the ideas into practice for yourself. And if you believe that one person’s changes can impact others, bringing about a bigger shift, then maybe the author is right.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Chameleon Butterfly Dragonfly


Author: Cindy Silbert
Publisher: Bring U to Life, Inc.
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-4196-9910-8
Pages: 170
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Bring U to Life

Buy it at Amazon

In a moment of divine inspiration, Cindy Silbert was led to share the wisdom given by the goddess Hina of Hawaii. After receiving enlightenment about the female archetypes of Chameleon, Butterfly and Dragonfly, she created this book as a guide for women.

Focusing on the archetypes individually, the author shares characteristics of each, giving examples of famous people who embodied their personalities. Then the reader is led to decide for herself which one is her Eminent Archetype. Once this determination is made, the goal is to embrace that True Self while also working toward balance with the other two archetypes.

I was intrigued by the introduction to this book, knowing that a goddess was directing the process. But once the archetypes were explained, I felt something was missing. The last twenty pages of this book are blank journal pages, and this brief text left me wanting more.

Chameleon Butterfly Dragonfly provides useful information in getting in touch with your own deeper wisdom, but I would have preferred a little more depth. Once I’ve connected with this Eminent Archetype, what’s next? How can I use what I’ve learned to create a better life for myself? For me, these questions were left unanswered.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

dogs, non-fiction

The Sport of Schutzhund


Authors: B.J. & Peter Spanos
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: BJ Spanos Ink
ISBN: 1-884330-09-6
Price: $25.00

Author’s website

The Sport of Schutzhund is a book for dog lovers, but especially for those who have an affinity for German Shepherds. Schutzhund means “protection dog” in the German language, but it also refers to a specific breeding program “aimed at creating the ultimate working dog to serve mankind.” The modern goal of Shutzhund is to develop the German Shepherd breed to its fullest potential through a series of exercises called a trial.

The trial consists of three parts: tracking, obedience, and protection. Those dogs fortunate enough to successfully complete the exercise and obtain the coveted title join a very elite class of breeding animals. Schutzhund is for people of all ages and “offers the opportunity for dog owners to compete with each other for recognition of both the trainer’s ability to train, and the dog’s ability to perform as required.”

The Sport of Schutzhund is not meant to be a training book. Rather, it is an introduction to the sport as it is represented in the United States. Labeled a “photographic essay” the book features full-color images showing dog and trainer in every light. It is as close as you’ll come to the sport without attending the event yourself. Each chapter begins with a brief explanation of its content followed by a series of photographic descriptions. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the images in the book speak volumes.

I highly recommend The Sport of Schutzhund for anyone – especially dog lovers who enjoy good healthy competition.

Reviewer: Gene Berger

self improvement

Living the Law of Attraction


Author: Rich German & Robin Hoch
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Self Improvement
ISBN: 978-0-595-47411-0
Pages: 296
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

You’ve seen The Secret, which tantalized you with its infinite possibilities. You know the Law of Attraction is real, and you want to use it in your own life, but you still have questions or doubts. Maybe you just need to see examples of how it has worked in other people’s lives. Living the Law of Attraction shares these stories with us.

In the true spirit of attracting exactly what they needed, Robin Hoch and Rich German invited those who’ve enjoyed success utilizing this Law to submit the accounts of their experiences. This book is a collection of these stories, grouped into categories: Health and Wellness, Business and Career, Everyday Miracles, Happiness and Relationships.

It’s impossible to read this compilation of truly uplifting stories without being inspired to make positive changes in your own life, using the Law of Attraction. Many of the stories brought me to tears of joy as I delighted in reading about the authors’ successes. I highly recommend this amazing book that shows the Law of Attraction in action.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

teen

Sisters of Misery


Author: Megan Kelley Hall
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2679-2
Pages: 308
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Maddie Crane doesn’t always feel like she fits in with the wealthy girls she hangs out with, but they’ve always been her best friends. And until her cousin Cordelia shows up in town, she doesn’t give it much thought. Cordelia is different – magical, ethereal and unimpressed with the other girls – and she creates instant enemies. But Maddie is drawn to her, and starts to wonder what she sees in her supposed friends.

The Sisters of Misery, as they call themselves, won’t put up with Cordelia’s attitude, and they decide to teach her a lesson on Halloween. When their plans go awry, Maddie is determined to find out what really happened on that fateful evening.

As she digs deeper into the mystery of Cordelia’s fate, she’s drawn into the web of small-town deceptions. But the biggest shock comes when she finds out even her own family is living a lie.

Spell-binding, suspenseful, and shocking, Sisters of Misery will hook you right from the opening scene, and pull you into the drama as Maddie tries to find the answers to her burning questions. And when it seems that Maddie has found out all she needs to know, the last answer will chill you to the bone. Now, finally free of Cordelia and her home-town, Maddie learns that Cordelia isn’t through with her, leaving a whole new set of questions that must be answered in the sequel.

Though at times I found it disturbing in its sheer brutality, Sisters of Misery is an enjoyable and gripping read that will keep you glued to the page. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Scarecrow Finds a Friend


Author: Blume J. Rifkin
Illustrator: Carl W. Wenzel
Publisher: Whirlpool Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9796948-0-6
Pages: 32
Price: $14.95

Buy it at Amazon

Tally is a good witch and loves to grant wishes. When she meets Scarecrow, she grants him a special Halloween wish. But when Scarecrow sees her again at Thanksgiving, something is terribly wrong. Tally is having trouble flying.

Scarecrow is worried about her, so he comes up with a plan to help her regain her ability to fly, involving the wishbone from the family’s Thanksgiving turkey. At this point, I would have liked Tally to find the wishbone for herself. Instead, it falls out of Scarecrow’s sleeve, flying out of his straw when a gust of wind blows. Scarecrow has promised her his plan can’t fail – and he’s right. Tally flies away happily, never to lose her powers again.

Illustrator Carl W. Wenzel brings Tally and Scarecrow to life amidst a colorful background of fall watercolors. A heart-warming story about friends who look out for each other, Scarecrow Finds a Friend would make a nice addition to any child’s library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living


Author: Corrie Woods
Publisher: Morgan James
Genre: Self-help / Inspiration
ISBN: 978-1-60037-395-4
Pages: 179
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

“Wake up! Don’t miss another minute of your life! Live it! Love it!” Corrie Woods writes, in the introduction to The Woman’s Guide to Exceptional Living. If you feel you’ve been sleep-walking through your life, her message is for you.

This delightful book is set up in three sections, which don’t need to be read in any particular order. In the first set of readings, the reader is invited to love and appreciate herself for the unique woman she is. The second part contains exercises in play and self-discovery. And the third group allows her to learn from the past in creating an exciting future.

All of the readings have “field notes” — discovery questions designed to help you get to know yourself better. There is also a study group guide, if you’d like to use this book in a group setting. And bonus materials are available on the author’s website.

Corrie Woods is a Professional Life Coach and Women’s Retreat Leader. The Woman’s Guide to Exceptional Living shares some of her best ideas on how to make your life sizzle with possibility.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance

Suddenly Single


Author: Shana Burton
Publisher: Urban Christian
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60162-953-1
Pages: 354
Price: $14.95

Buy it at Amazon

Finding herself jilted at the altar has left Vashti Hunter depressed and feeling unworthy of love. With her friend Monique’s help, she finally lifts herself out of her funk and attempts to date again, determined to wed within the year. But is she looking for love in all the wrong places?

Throughout her string of failed relationships, one man stands in the wings, watching and waiting for her to come to her senses. Will she ever realize she’s worthy of being treated like a queen, and let this man be her king? Vashti finally makes the decision to let herself be happy and her quest to be married is complete.

Vashti is a troubled lady, getting into situations and relationships she has no business being in. But there is one predicament that causes her the most difficulty, and ultimately leads to her self-destructive path. Although Vashti never tries to defend herself from his actions, I found Pastor White’s behavior immoral, unethical and most likely illegal, and it was sad that no one in the story blamed him for any of it – they simply pointed fingers at his innocent victim.

Suddenly Single is a self-discovery novel about Vashti’s struggles with finding herself and a husband, but I would have enjoyed getting to know the man she ultimately marries a little more. I’d also have liked to see more development throughout the story of their relationship growing and evolving into something more.

A disturbing book in some ways, Suddenly Single clearly shows the ways women mess up their lives, looking for true love, when they’d be better off treating themselves as a precious human being and expecting the same from their men. But at least Vashti is finally able to find happiness in the end.

Reviewer: Alice Berger