Awaken the Spirit Within

Awaken the Spirit Within: 10 Steps to Ignite Your Life and Fulfill Your Divine Purpose by Rebecca Rosen

I really enjoyed ‘Spiritied," Rosen’s first book. This, her second, is also well done. Rosen gives her reader a lot to reflect upon. Everyone wants to be happy and feel content, but in a fast paced world sometimes it is easy to get lost. Rosen gives inspiration in creating the life one was meant to live.

The Psychopath Test

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson

Another recommend for the scientific/curious reader. I found this to be a good bit interesting!

Amazon.com Description:

“They say one out of every hundred people is a psychopath. You probably passed one on the street today. These are people who have no empathy, who are manipulative, deceitful, charming, seductive, and delusional. The Psychopath Test is the New York Times bestselling exploration of their world and the madness industry. When Jon Ronson is drawn into an elaborate hoax played on some of the world’s top scientists, his investigation leads him, unexpectedly, to psychopaths. He meets an influential psychologist who is convinced that many important business leaders and politicians are in fact high-flying, high-functioning psychopaths, and teaches Ronson how to spot them. Armed with these new abilities, Ronson meets a patient inside an asylum for the criminally insane who insists that he’s sane, a mere run-of-the-mill troubled youth, not a psychopath—a claim that might be only manipulation, and a sign of his psychopathy. He spends time with a death-squad leader institutionalized for mortgage fraud, and with a legendary CEO who took joy in shutting down factories and firing people. He delves into the fascinating history of psychopathy diagnosis and treatments, from LSD-fueled days-long naked therapy sessions in prisons to attempts to understand serial killers. Along the way, Ronson discovers that relatively ordinary people are, more and more, defined by their most insane edges. The Psychopath Test is a fascinating adventure through the minds of madness.”

Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Sometimes I read a book that touches deep emotions and I’m not sure why. This was one of those. I was thinking to myself “do not like this book!” but my emotions were all over the place. McGuire has written a clearly dysfunctional relationship, and rationally I realize that. But I enjoyed it!

I suppose it comes down to the fantasy of having a man who is oblivious to everything but you. What would it be like to have someone who wants you more than anything in the world? Who doesn’t see anyone in a room, except for you? Pretty amazing, I’m thinking!

Psychoanalyzing myself, I’ve never felt I deserved that much devotion. I saw shades of myself in this book. I can be needy…I want it all. And I have also been a sucker for the “bad” boy.

Personal story--Harry (not his real name of course!!)…was the epitome of the bad boy that I’m a sucker for. I had a crush on him for years. He was quite handsome, with this heart-melting smile. Over the years he would start things with me, and then ignore me for months. Then I would chase him and he would be aloof. When I gave up he would chase me again and I would run. After years of this nonsense he finally caught me. Then it fizzled very quickly and that was the end.  Remembering this particular relationship (dysfunctional!) still makes me feel sad. I idolized this guy. I’m not sure why….even now. When he paid attention to me I felt butterflies. I fell for it all-- the attention, the smile, the compliments. I was a total sucker! 

And I can’t help thinking the girl in this book is a sucker too. Sure, it seems all rainbows and puppies at the end…but I’m guessing at some point in the theoretical future things would turn out not so rosy.

The Black Ice

The Black Ice by Michael Connelly

This is the next episode in the Harry Bosch series.

At this point, I haven’t become terribly attached to Bosch, but, I enjoy Connelly’s writing style. He surprised me with the twist in this one. For some reason I just didn’t see it coming. Love it when a suspense shocks me!

Stripped

Stripped by Brian Freeman

This is the second installment in the Jonathan Stride series. I really like Freeman’s style. He has a rare talent in character development.

A new favorite police suspense series. On to the next!

Lover Mine

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Still intrigued by the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This installment tells John Matthew's story...and I loved it. The connection between John Matthew and Xhex is real and raw. Their chemistry is sizzling!

One weird thing is that I had expected more of Rehvenge in this story. He was strangely absent. Especially at the end…I think he should have been there at the end! He and Xhex also have a very strong connection and it was really ignored.

Anxiously waiting for the next one to come up on my list!  

Switch

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Amazon.com Description:

“In a compelling, story-driven narrative, the Heaths bring together decades of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how we can effect transformative change. Switch shows that successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline.”

My thoughts:

A recommend for the scientific/curious reader. I found the research in this book very interesting!