Recent Reads: 168 Hours: You Have More Time Thank You Think by Laura Vanderkam

168 Hours: You Have More Time Thank You Think by Laura Vanderkam 
Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC 
Publication Date:  June 16, 2010

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Bought/Own

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

There are 168 hours in a week. This is your guide to getting the most out of them.

It's an unquestioned truth of modern life: we are starved for time. We tell ourselves we'd like to read more, get to the gym regularly, try new hobbies, and accomplish all kinds of goals. But then we give up because there just aren't enough hours to do it all. Or if we don't make excuses, we make sacrifices- taking time out from other things in order to fit it all in.

There has to be a better way...and Laura Vanderkam has found one. After interviewing dozens of successful, happy people, she realized that they allocate their time differently than most of us. Instead of letting the daily grind crowd out the important stuff, they start by making sure there's time for the important stuff. When plans go wrong and they run out of time, only their lesser priorities suffer.

Vanderkam shows that with a little examination and prioritizing, you'll find it is possible to sleep eight hours a night, exercise five days a week, take piano lessons, and write a novel without giving up quality time for work, family, and other things that really matter.

Review: 

A few years ago, I was at a conference for work and Laura Vanderkam was the guest speaker. Since that time I have wanted to read her book in its entirety versus just knowing the pared-down presentation part. This year it came up in a BOGO from Audible and so I grabbed it with a few other professional development titles I was interested in.

168 Hours is about just that ... you have 168 hours in a week. How are you using them? I know that I am wasting about 40 of my hours after having read this book. In the first chapter of the book Laura recommends keeping a log of what you do throughout your day and then accounting for your hours though the week. Although I didn't keep the actual log (I intend to eventually), I know I am wasting a pretty good chunk just by rounding out some numbers. 

Anyhow, this book makes it very clear that you have more time than you realize. The focus on that time log continues through the book and Laura recounts stories of logs she has asked people to keep and how they achieve so much in their weeks. It was very interesting. I liked that she found a way to really track things and I also really enjoyed the stories... so why the three stars? Well some of this book just did not apply to me. I do not have kids, so that was a chapter that I did not resonate with, although I understand why it is there. I also found the book to be not for me in the sense that I am not in a job where I can really make the changes to gain more time for other things... 

Laura's premise is that you can delegate, create your own work hours, etc. She admits that she is privileged  in the first chapter but she really does not address that for the rest of the book and that is problematic. I don't have all sorts of money to just drop everything and chase my dream job, nor can I just set my own schedule and delegate, I work on a team and we are essentially in a 9-5 business. A lot of her suggestions just do not fit with an normal persons trajectory. 

All that said, I will use this for the logging of time planning when I think I need more time. I won't be utilizing much else as far as her suggestions, they are bit impractical for me. 

Recent Reads: The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams

The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams 
Publisher:  Knopf Canada 
Publication Date:  January 5, 2021

 

Format: Hardback and Audible Audiobook
Source: Bought /Own

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

An exhilarating, clever, funny debut novel from a prize-winning talent, chronicling the misadventures of a lovelorn Victorian lexicographer and the young woman who decodes his trail of made-up words a century later. Will enthrall readers of CS Richardson, Helen Simonson's Major Pettigrew and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

Mountweazel n. the phenomenon of false entries within dictionaries and works of reference. Often used as a safeguard against copyright infringement.

Peter Winceworth is a lexicographer in Victorian-era London, toiling away at the letter S for a multi-volume Encyclopaedic Dictionary. Secretly, he begins to insert unauthorized fictitious entries into the dictionary in an attempt to assert some artistic freedom.

In the present day, Mallory is a young intern employed by the same publisher. Her task is to uncover these mountweazels before the dictionary is digitized. She also has to contend with threatening phone calls from an anonymous caller. Why, she wonders, is the change in the definition of marriage so upsetting to the caller? And does the caller really intend for the publisher's staff to burn in hell?

As these two narratives, characters and times entwine, both Winceworth and Mallory discover how they might negotiate the complexities of the nonsensical, relentless, untrustworthy, hoax-strewn and undefinable path we call life. An exhilarating debut from a formidably brilliant young writer, The Liar's Dictionary celebrates the rigidity, fragility, absurdity and joy of language.

Review: 

This book was another book club pick and I am so glad that it was. This has probably be my favorite book that I have read so far for book club. 

Reading this book is an experience and if you are a lover of words I HIGHLY recommend it. The book begins with a swoon-worthy prologue and then follows with an immersive story that changes POV from modern time to a time when a dictionary was being written. 

I have to say that aside from this story, I learned a lot about words and dictionaries from this book, although it is a work of fiction. It was very cool to learn about words and fake words and really get in the reasons for the author using certain words with my book club. 

The Prologue really got me... I HAD to read this whole book after reading it online. It was poetic and worthy of a read-aloud moment, it was everything I want out of writing. It got in my head in all the right ways. 

The story itself follows Mallory in the modern day working for a beyond their prime publishing company that once was the publish of a dictionary. In her role, Mallory is dealing with more than one issue, first she is the last of the employees aside from the owner, there are strange and threatening phone calls coming in, and the building is pretty much in disrepair. Now she also has the task of searching through the whole dictionary for fake words, or Mountweazels. 

In the past times POV, we follow Peter Winceworth, a lexographer, in all his awkwardness as he helps write the S section of a new dictionary. Winceworth is the perfect name for this man, he is bored, awkward, and very shy. He is trying to make his existence more interesting but that is difficult when you write about words for a living. 

This book was laugh-out-loud funny, educational, pretty short, and overall a delight to sit and read...and I will be re-reading it. It was such a wonderful piece of writing. You will read a lot of word for the color orange/yellow, you will wrestle a pelican, be in an accident, and learn a lot about fake words. 

Recent Reads: Agnes's Place by Marit Larsen

Agnes's Place by  Marit Larsen

Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids

 Publication Date: March 1 

Reading Ages: 4-8

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Free from First Selections with Amazon Prime in February 2021

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Agnes knows she is at home before she even opens her eyes in the morning. The sounds and smells and people swirl around her—she always knows what everyone is up to in the tight-knit apartment building where she lives. But she also knows what it is like to be the only child in a place full of adults who never have time.

So when a little girl moves in to the building, Agnes is excited and sends her a subtle message. But the girl doesn’t respond. Then things start to change around Agnes’s place—and Agnes knows exactly who is to blame. It seems like the girl is interested in everyone except for Agnes!

Will Agnes and the new girl ever meet? And what secrets does the new girl hold? First published in Norway, this is a lovely story about home and belonging and how one person can transform our world.

Review: 

This children's book was about a young girl that is feeling alone. She lives on the third floor of her building and the rest of it's occupants are adults. She has some routines which keep her busy but she is lonely and hopes for the day that a friend comes along. 

One day, another child moves in, Agnes tries to contact her to come and play but the girl doesn't come, nor does she come the day after...of the day after that. Soon Agnes feels like the new girl is not just avoiding her but also befriending all of her friends in the building. Eventually they come together and all is wonderful, the world is anew and everything is special again. Agnes feels less lonely and has a new friend.

This was a cute story about loneliness and feelings of belonging. I think that Agnes is a very realistic character, how she is excited and then hurt, and once everything comes together she is full of wonder. It is very good at understanding those emotions and expressing them in the writing and images throughout. The illustrations were very detailed and beautiful and I think kids will really enjoy reading this book.

Early Reader Review: Delicates by Brenna Thummler

Source:  From Oni Press in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Delicates by Brenna Thummler 

Series: Sheets #2
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: March 16, 2021  

 

Format: Ebook

Rating: 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Following the events of the bestselling graphic novel, Sheets, Delicates brings Brenna Thummler’s beloved characters, artwork, and charm back to life.

Marjorie Glatt’s life hasn’t been the same ever since she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. Wendell, who died young and now must wander Earth as a ghost with nothing more than a sheet for a body, soon became one of Marjorie’s only friends. But when Marjorie finally gets accepted by the popular kids at school, she begins to worry that if anyone learns about her secret ghost friends, she’ll be labeled as a freak who sees dead people. With Marjorie’s insistence on keeping Wendell’s ghost identity a secret from her new friends, Wendell begins to feel even more invisible than he already is.

Eliza Duncan feels invisible too. She’s an avid photographer, and her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as “different” by all the other kids in school. Constantly feeling on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself. Marjorie must soon come to terms with the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids. Is it worth losing her friend, Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures?

Delicates tells a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those left on the outside. It shows what it’s like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen. Above all, it is a story of asking for help when all seems dark, and bringing help and light to those who need it most. 

Book 1 Review- 

Click the Cover Image

Review: 

Trigger Warnings: This book includes racism, bullying, and mentions of suicide.

Delicates is the sequel to the Graphic Novel called Sheets, while you can understand this whole new addition without having read the first one, it does put more into context if you have read it. 

Delicates follows Marjorie and her friendly ghost companion Wendell, as she attempts to fit in and be accepted by the cool crowd. Wendell is continually left out and feeling very sad about it. In attempts to be part of the group he keeps following Marjorie and making things more difficult for her. 

We also have an alternate point of view, Eliza is the 'weird kid', a loner, who likes to take photos and believes that there are ghosts that she can capture on film, making her even more of an outcast. 

This book focuses on what is means to fit in and the struggle to fit in or even just be seen at all. It also has themes in dealing with loss. Overall, the plot, while a bit sad, is a good one. It follows a common struggle teens face - fitting in, and concepts of bullying and how to overcome those obstacles and ask for help when you are feeling like things are too much. Both the characters in this book have real emotions and are relatable, the only outlandish thing is Wendell being a ghost, but he also has emotions that are very realistic.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I really enjoyed this one as well. I think it would be alright for Sheets to have been a stand-alone, but this follow up again focuses on important issues with mental health and safety and It might be what someone really needs.  

Recent Reads: The Leaf Detective by Heather Lang

Source: From Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

The Leaf Detective by Heather Lang

Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Publication Date:  February 9th, 2021

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:

Synopsis: 

Meg Lowman was determined to investigate the marvelous, undiscovered world of the rainforest treetops. Meg's perseverance and creativity allowed her to achieve this goal, but when this fantastic ecosystem started to disappear, Meg needed to act quickly.

Meg Lowman was always fascinated by the natural world above her head. The colors, the branches, and, most of all, the leaves and mysterious organisms living there. As a scientist, Meg set out to climb up and investigate the rain forest tree canopies-- and to be the first scientist to do so. But she encountered challenge after challenge. Male teachers would not let her into their classrooms, the high canopy was difficult to get to, and worst of all, people were logging and clearing the forests. Meg never gave up or gave in. She studied, invented, and persevered, not only creating a future for herself as a scientist, but making sure that the rainforests had a future as well. Working closely with Meg Lowman, author Heather Lang and artist Jana Christy beautifully capture Meg's world in the treetops.

Review: 

Whenever I pick up a book geared for younger, youngest audiences, I am always looking for something that either is educational or that has images that really will pull a reader in - this book is both of those things. 

Full disclaimer - I don't have kids, I have younger siblings and my family members have kids, so I have some idea of what both the parents and kids might like but am FAR from an expert. 

All that said, I really enjoyed this book. The Leaf Detective is about Meg Lowman, a real woman, who paved the way for a number of things - female scientists, rainforest ecosystem understanding and conservation efforts. She really is a remarkable woman. The book is about her finding her way and trying different things in order to learn as much as she could about the rainforest and the different ecosystems throughout. 

While this is essentially a picture book, it is a book of non-fiction and it includes so much more than just beautiful images. There are leaf facts and ecosystem notes throughout the pages and the page layouts vary and are interactive and so full of interesting facts. 

In addition to telling Meg's story, the book also includes a wonderful Authors note and a diagram of the rainforest canopy levels and notes about them, along with a search and find for some leaf types. 

Building the Book Pile #339

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Happy Sunday Everyone! 

And we are in March!? Wow this year is flying by... and can you believe that so of us have been working from home for a year now? That is so weird to me still. It feels like forever honestly. 

This week I got a bunch of reviews prepped which felt good. We also prepped the space more for my veggie garden - it is almost done. Need top soil for the boxes the I can put my plant babies in. I am enjoying this Florida weather for that ... warm means more garden time.

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

 

Coming up on the Blog

Recent Reads: The Leaf Detective by Heather Lang (Youth)

Early Reader Review: Delicates (Sheets#2) by Brenna Thummler (MG, GN)

Recent Reads: Agnes's Place by Marit Larsen (Youth)

Recent Reads: The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams (Adult)

Recent Reads: 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam (Adult)

Books Received Recently...

The Reckoning (Unadjusteds #3) by Marisa Noelle - from the Author in exchange for review.

 

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly

Luna Howls at the Moon by Kristen O'Donnell Tubb

Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz and Illustrated by Micah Player

It's Raining Tacos! by Perry Gripp and Illustrated by Peter Emmerich

Chunky by Yehudi Mercado

All from Publicists for review consideration.

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: Curious about Insects by Cathryn Sill (Youth)-5 stars

Recent Reads: Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben Winters (Adult)-3 stars

Early Reader Review: Stanley's Toy Box by William Bee (Youth)-4 stars

Recent Reads: A Murder of Manatees (Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent #2) by Larry Correia (Adult) -2 Star

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia

A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia
Series: Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent #2
Publisher: Audible Studios
Publication Date:  January 2018

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: From Audible Freebies (before they went away and become whatever new thing they are doing now.)

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Further Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent

When half your galaxy is unexpectedly sucked into a black hole - when a hitherto-unknown species of space aliens lays waste to your home planet - when disaster rears its ugly head (or heads) - who can you call for faster-than-light appraisals and best-in-the-multiverse customer service? Just one man - Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent.

In this latest chapter of his interstellar exploits, Tom is about to deliver a crushing performance evaluation to Jimmy the Intern, when the unimaginable happens: the beloved Wendell the Manatee has been kidnapped! Armed with his battle mechs and his elite corps of Junior Associates, can Tom find Wendell before he's canned in oil? And can Jimmy, at long last, channel his inner Agent?

A Murder of Manatees will make you quiver with fear, laugh uncontrollably, and wonder whether your deductibles are too high. 

Review: 

Before Audible got rid of their choose your freebies monthly incentive for subscribers, I picked this one up. The title was interesting, but I had no idea what I was in for and no idea that it was a sequel. 

I will disclaimer by also noting that I still...really have no clue what I just listened to...

It was science fiction, it was political, it was weird, it was funny sometimes but also not really. I guess it was ok, but just ok. I listened to it because it was in my Audible Library and it was shorter. I like to listen to audiobooks while doing chores or the puzzle that is always on my dining room table and this one fit into that category. I started listening and was SO confused. 

Tom Stranger is an insurance agent but covers people, animals, aliens alike across dimensions and in this book there is a missing manatee and the other manatees are very upset about the whole thing. As their insurance agent, Tom must jump into action and save the day, which includes shooting up other animals, a leprechaun that grants wishes, and obviously some manatees. The former president makes a few appearances as well.

It really kind of threw me, the first chapter was a full length rant about how the first books ratings were not all great and why people were dumb for leaving them....way to alienate your audience from the very beginning. It was also not relevant to the story at all and such a waste of time.

I gave it 2 stars because there were some laughable moments, still not sure if those moments were actually funny or I was laughing out of discomfort - it was hard to tell. 

Early Reader Review: Stanley's Toy Box by William Bee

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Stanley's Toy Box by William Bee 
Series: Stanley Series
Publisher: Peachtree
Publication Date:  March 4, 2021 (TODAY!)

 

Format:  Board Book


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Here comes Stanley with his toy box! A simple introduction to toys, play and sharing.

Today Stanley, Little Woo, Sophie and Benjamin are at the park and Stanley has brought his toy box! What toys will they choose play with on the grass? And what about on the hill? And how about at the pond?

Join Sophie, Benjamin and Little Woo as they learn and play with toys in this simple, engaging new board book in the Stanley series.

Don't miss out on these other charming Stanley board books:

Stanley's Lunch Box

Stanley's Toolbox

Stanley's Paintbox

Stanley's Colours

Stanley's Numbers

Stanley's Opposites

Stanley's Shapes 

Review: 

Stanley's Toy Box is a bright and vibrant board book for young readers. It is about a hamster named Stanley and fun things that he and his friends do, in this installment they are on their way to the part and Stanley has brought his toy box. 

This is a cute book about different toys that you can play with in the park and it is also about sharing and playing nicely together. It also has a few pages about cleaning up together at the end of play time. 

The images are full spreads across the 2 pages and are very bright colors and pretty basic shapes, great for the ages the book is written for (2-6). The images reflect what the text is about, which is always appreciated too. It is  a very sturdy little book and I think that parents and kids alike will have a good time with this book. 

This sill be a great book to pick up as we gear up for spring and warmer, play-outside, weather and also give kids and parents some ideas of things they could bring to park playtime.

Recent Reads: Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben H. Winters

Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben H. Winters 
Publisher: Audible Original
Publication Date:  April 30th 2020

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Monthly Freebies (from before they changed it to whatever it is now)

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis:  

Three offbeat stories of crime and conundrum, set in the present moment, from The New York Times best-selling, Edgar Award-winning author of Underground Airlines and The Last Policeman.

Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine includes:

The Crimson Parrot

It's not easy masterminding the crime of the century when your whole gang is working from home. A high-stakes tale of larceny, deception, and teleconferencing.

The Cape House

As the world shifts around them, two estranged brothers end up in their childhood home. But it's the memories they unearth that will change them forever.

Stop Motion

With endless time on her hands, an apartment-bound young woman gets to all the hobbies she's neglected—martial arts, playing the sax, photography...and solving a murder?

©2020 Ben H. Winters (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC 

Review: 

It looks like since I picked this up, it is no longer in the Audible options but coming out in April as an Audiobook on CD (if you are interested). 

Inside Jobs was an Audible Original that was offered up, about a year ago, as a monthly freebie option, back when they did that. It was one of the first books that I saw that was specifically about quarantine life and it is a compilation of three short, crime novellas. As they synopsis notes, the three include The Crimson Parrot, The Cape House, and  Stop Motion. All three are crime-related but in different ways which was appreciated. 

The first story seemed to be the most complete and the most funny. It was about what career criminal, mobsters do when everyone is in quarantine but they want to steal something. I found this story to have some really funny and realistic parts -Zoom issues, kids barging in etc, but also found it to be a very interesting take on a different job and how things changed because of the pandemic for them. It was entertaining and I really liked this one. 

The second tale was about two brothers coming together after the death of their father. This one really wasn't too much about quarantine, but about their weird relationship and both of them wanted to live in the house now that dad is gone. I found this one to be a little off the wall for me, it was weird and the brother's relationship isn't one that I related to very well so it was hard to grasp.

The final story was about a your woman that is doing her bucket list since she can't do much else. While she is experimenting with stop motion photography she catches a glimpse of what might be a body part in a box and her mind goes spinning. This was a good story, the build up was very good, but the ending was a bit lack-luster. She was very relatable though and I appreciated that.

Overall, I liked this audiobook, it kept my attention fairly well but I was not jumping at the chance to listen to it either. Luckily it was short and also short stories so it was a quick listen. 

Early Reader Review: Curious About Insects by Cathryn Sill

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Curious About Insects by Cathryn Sill, illustrated by John Sill
Publisher: Peachtree
Publication Date:  March 1, 2021 (TODAY!)

 

Format: Board Book

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Perfect for the littlest bug buffs, this board book offers a first glimpse into the natural world of insects. From the esteemed author and illustrator team of Cathryn and John Sill, it is sure to delight the earliest learners and their parents.

Award-winning educator and author Cathryn Sill introduces very young children to basic facts about insects with the help of beautifully detailed and realistic illustrations from noted wildlife illustrator John Sill.

Simple and clear descriptions of how insects look, where they live, what they eat, and how they move around make this third title in the Discovering Nature series a dependable and informative beginning resource for learning about insects and the wonders of the natural world.

Review: 

Curious about Insects is a board book for young readers about insects and different things about them. it is a simple book with short simple writing that is concise and to the point on each beautifully illustrated page. Each page has its own watercolor-esq drawing of an insect that is wonderfully detailed and so pretty. They also match what the text is saying, i.e. insects have six legs shows insects with six legs and so on. Each page also tells you what kind of bug is there in fine print which I very much appreciated. 

What I really liked about this book is that it takes something kinda icky and makes it both interesting but also very easy to understand for the youth that will be using these board books. It also begins them on a road to not being so scared of bugs as they age, which is always appreciated. Honestly, as an adult, I tend to feel the same way; the more I learn about something, the less frightened I am of it. 

Overall, regardless if you kid likes bugs or not, this is a great little book. It in the end talks about protecting the insects and I liked that message, but it was information and very beautifully illustrated either way.