Managing Anxiety for High Functioning People

 

A person driven to succeed, tries to do everything right, wants to be in charge and has lots of nervous energy. This is the person Dr. Chloe Carmichael’s book is intended for. However, even if you don’t qualify as a super Type A personality some of Dr. Carmichael’s treatment suggestions can be valuable.

Although high energy people who are very successful can appear to have it all under control, they can also suffer from sever anxiety. I thought the author did a good job of illustrating this type of person in the examples she chose. Whether you find yourself in those people, it will give a better understanding of this personality type.

I thought the best part of the book was the treatments described by Dr. Carmichael. She doesn’t focus on just one approach but goes into several treatments. One chapter is devoted to a laundry list of approaches for dealing with OCD type problems. With so many tools, not all will be appropriate for each situation. The author encourages you to look at the spectrum and decide what might work for you.

This is a helpful book for anyone suffering from nervous energy that threatens to control their life leading to OCD like behaviors. The book is very readable and the client descriptions are well done.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Helpful, Readable Book on Memory

 

As we get older one of the scary things is losing our memory. Is it normal aging or the dread onset of Alzheimer's? Lisa Genova, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, gives a very readable account of memory, how memories are stored, how we forget, and the problems of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Some of the interesting things I learned about memory is that memories are not as reliable as we might think and they diminish over time. The fact that we can’t member something from the past is not unusual under these circumstances. Lisa also suggests how to help retain your memory as you age. Diet is important. “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain.” Also doing stimulating work or having hobbies keeps your brain active.

I particularly enjoyed the section on Alzheimer’s. It is a frightening disease, particularly for someone who has it, but it’s not the end of life. She discusses how people are able to live with the disease and keep the core of who they are intact.

I highly recommend this book if you’re getting older, or if you’re interested in how we make and retain memories.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

Teens on the Run

 

McNair Falls is a dying southern town. Evelyn Peters has lived there her whole life. She’d love to run and make a new life but stays to protect her half-sister from her mother’s abusive boyfriend. She’s still mourning her beautiful friend Reid, who wanted to escape but didn’t make it out of the town alive. She’d also like to connect with Ashton Harper, the golden-boy who was Reid’s boyfriend. One tragic night she and Ashton collide in an incident that sends the world up in flames, and they to go on the run.

The book is about the three teens trying to come to terms with the past and who they are. The story is told by Evelyn in the present and Reid, who is now dead. A great deal of the book is taken up with the thoughts of these characters which at times makes it a rather slow read.

The book is billed as a contemporary thriller, but it could equally be a romance. However, neither fully describes the book. It is a character driven story about teens coming to terms with the world and their place in it. I thought it was well done, The ending tied things up although there seemed to be a number of loose ends in the middle.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

Practical Solutions for Injustice in the Workplace

 Anyone who has worked in a corporation or even a small private company has seen instances of injustice, bias, harassment, and bullying. Often we feel unable to address these issues even though we know what’s happening is wrong. In this book, in addition to giving examples of the problem, the author offers practical suggestions.

The examples presented by the author, including her own experiences, give this book a feel of immediacy. I could understand and sympathize with the situations described. Although it’s easy to identify problems and want to do something about them, it isn’t always easy in the real world.

The author goes a step beyond identifying abuses in the workplace, she gives practical suggestions for dealing with the problems. Although not all suggestions will work in a particular situation, there are enough to give you ideas for what to do. Clearly, it will take a long time and many missteps to rectify the problems in the workplace, but this book is a start.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

 

The Effects of Memory on Two Women’s Lives

 

Ev dumpster-dives for treasures to sell at the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market. She has a special talent that is both a gift and a curse. She can feel the emotions or stains left on objects. Good emotions are pleasant to feel, but there are dark memories also. Her family was destroyed by this gift and she fears it will happen again.

Harriet is a hoarder. Her apartment is filled with treasures both bought and found. She feels happy surrounded by her treasures, but her neighbors have a different reaction. They are being made ill by the escaping emotions and they want Harriet to do something about it.

When Harriet and Ev meet, they recognize the potential to help each other. Harriet wants to do something good with her treasures and Ev can help, but there’s always the shadow of a darker problem.

This is an imaginative plot. The story is told from the point-of -view of the two characters. We’re able to hear the thoughts of both women and understand their relationship to things and their fears and hopes. This gives the plot an intimate feeling. We think we can understand both women.

The book starts slowly. We learn about what drives each woman, but it goes on too long. The action doesn’t pick up until the end. I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and reality, but but found the slow pace rather difficult to maintain my interest.

I received this book from Atria Books for this review.

Beautiful Illustrations Showcasing Endangered Species Worldwide

 

The detailed drawings in this exquisite coloring book for adults highlight the species throughout the world that are endangered or vulnerable. Each of the fifty-six drawings has a paragraph at the end of the book giving information about the animals. I found reading about the animals enhanced the enjoyment of looking at the intricate illustrations.

This coloring book can be enjoyed by just looking at the wonderful pictures, but if you feel creative, coloring the pictures adds to the pleasure. In this stressful time of illness and Covid restrictions it’s a good way to escape for awhile, use your creative urges, and in addition learn about these special animals and habitats.

Although all the illustrations are wonderful, my favorite was of the Hooded Grebs from Argentina. I love the way Rosanes builds in an appropriate background in this case flying geese. This book provides a pleasant way to relax and to learn more about our very special world. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

A Beautifully Written Southern Story

 

Lila, her brother Henry, and sister Abigail grew up in Wesleyan, George, a lovely Southern town. Lila and Henry never felt comfortable with the constricted atmosphere, particularly after their beloved father’s death when they were very young. They both headed north. Lila married and moved to an island off the coast of Maine where she remained after her husband’s death. Henry went to New York. Abigail felt differently and stayed to become her rather rigid mother Geneva’s best friend.

When their mother dies suddenly, Lila and Henry reluctantly return home. They’re shocked to find out that their mother died in the muscadine grove with a digging spoon in her hand. As the siblings seek to discover the reason for Geneva’s uncharacteristic behavior they uncover long held secrets that change their perception of their childhood.

This is a beautifully written book. From the descriptions of the small Georgia town to the chill landscape of an island off the coast of Ireland the details are so alive that you feel as if you’ve known these places and want to go back. I hated putting the book down because I missed the vivid atmosphere.

The characters are well written. Each sibling has their own characteristics and demons. They are quite different, but by the end of the book I felt like they were family. I particularly liked Lila. I liked her independence and they way she made her own decisions such as becoming a weaver and remaining in Maine.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

A Strange Lonely Girl Faces Danger in the Near Future

 

In her Seattle apartment, Linda Russel lives in fear of encountering people. She had a strange lonely childhood growing up practically without supervision on a twenty acre estate. She was allowed to run wild until one day she witnessed a terrible scene that sent her scrambling over the wall to get away from the horror.

Living in her apartment, she’s alone until she meets Anvi and her dog Nibbler. Anvi, but particularly Nibbler break through Linda’s shell and they become friends. Anvi introduces Linda to her Virtual Reality (VR) game which changes Linda’s life. She is immediately drawn to it.

Another nightmare happens. Linda’s childhood home burns down. She feels she must go and Anvi drives her. As she returns so do the memories of that time. Linda finds that in spite of the danger, she can no longer hide from the truth about her childhood.

I found the plot and setting for this book very original. The near future builds on the world as we know it, but everything is more advanced. I enjoyed the descriptions of the technology, particularly the VR games.

Linda is an interesting character, but I couldn’t warm up to her, perhaps because she is so withdrawn. I found the brash Anvi more likable. However, Nibbler was my favorite. I love stories where dogs have an important function.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

A Twisted Tale of Love Marriage and Revenge

 

Skye Starling is beautiful, rich, and suffering from OCD, a disease that gives her compulsions she is unable to control. She would love to be married and have a family, but so far her OCD has kept her from a satisfactory love relationship leading to marriage. Then she meets Burke. He’s older and seems able to handle her disability. She’s thrilled when he proposes and quickly immerses herself in wedding plans.

Burke, however, is not what he seems. We learn through an electronic diary he keeps for his therapist that he’s actually happily harried with three children. The problem is that he’s made a lot of past mistakes and when he’s let go from his job in the financial sector, he’s afraid he can’t support his family until he hits on a plan that involves Skye.

The third character in the drama is Heather. We learn about her as a teen dreaming to better her life and get rid of her bad boy boyfriend, Burke. That doesn’t exactly work out and she ends up married to him.

Told from three points of view the novel gives us an in depth look at all three characters. At first the differing time lines and the fact that Burke tells his story through diary entries was a bit confusing, but I got to like it because it made each character come to life.

The first half of the book moved quickly, but after the relationship between the characters was reveled it seemed to slow down. However, I liked the characters and wanted to keep reading to see how their story ended.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.