The Future of Leadership in the Age of AI: Preparing Your Leadership Skills for the AI-Shaped Future of Work by Marin Ivezic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

AI is such an important topic to talk about right now. So many jobs will be impacted (positively and negatively) by AI within the next 10-15 years and no one is truly preparing for it. This book will present you with thought provoking data about AI, it’s current and possible future implementations and predictions on where it may go as well. The authors also show all the varied industries that already use AI in their day-to-day operations, such as Finance, Business, Economics, Medical and so on. Rather than having a negative tone however, the book is markedly excited and upbeat about the potentials for AI in the current and new Industries. They also give guidance for the leaders of tomorrow and how they can be better prepared to implement and utilize AI efficiently right now.
The Authors clearly know their material and their audience. The information is easy to understand, and I have read a few books about AI, so this isn’t completely new. However, I believe this book has given me new ideas to ponder about my own leadership role and how I can make a difference in this field. Good Job!


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What I Tell Myself FIRST: Children's Real-World Affirmations of Self Esteem by Michael Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A children’s book based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs might not sound like a good children’s book. But if you take a deeper look inside, you will find that the author took a lot of time detailing the story and outlining a consistent message of hope, self-love and self-worth as well as a great message against bullying. I really loved the page on self-love. Without being able to love yourself, you will not be able to love others truly, nor will they be able to love you, that is such an important message that we need to be teaching our children.
I am reading this often with my 7-year-old as well as my 5-year-old. They are both at an age where they often feel unsecure with themselves, and this book is a good reminder for them in so many ways. The graphics are really nicely done and the writing is easy for young kids to understand.


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I See Things In Blue: Dario by Samuel Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dario suffers from his anxiety and his depression. He also has a strong, persistent urge to please his parents, that forces him to overachieve every day of his life. His parents aren’t very supportive and absent at best. His parents do not give him the acceptance he craves and Dario struggles with feelings of inadequateness and his low level of self-esteem. Dario’s friends try to help him, but its hard to get him to see how awesome he is. Will Dario ever be able to see his self-worth and accept himself for who he is?
As a short book, the ending is left partially open to the readers interpretation. Dario’s situation is very sad, but I do think that there will be many people who can identify with Dario and his daily struggles not just with his parents, but also his struggles at school. Well written and sensitive to the volatile emotions this book will trigger.


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War's Edge: Dead Heroes by Ryan Aslesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Far into the future, the 35th Century to be exact, mankind will have reached the vast spaces of the farthest edges of space and colonies are everywhere. In an attempt to pacify the outer colonies, war rages between governments and corporations in a struggle for ultimate control. Against this backdrop we meet Mark Rizer, a young man who wants to make a difference and with that goal in mind he drops out of college to join the United Systems Alliance Forces as a Marine. As a Marine in the infamous Murder Company, Mark is deployed to Verdant, a jungle moon and dropped into a fight against ghostly foes and the war is brutal, bloody and vicious. Just how far are men willing to go in their pursuit of honor and blind acceptance of orders?
Well written and intriguing, the worldbuilding was very well done. Mark was a great choice for the main characters, he brought an interesting and refreshing POV to the Science Fiction genre.


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Encased In White Clockwork by Christopher Cave
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the vein of Alita, this book is a science fiction/ fantasy mash up where tech, magic, and real world collide in the most curious ways. Elena and Mae, two immensely talented fighters are also lovers. When conspiring forces pit the two against each other as pawns in a deeper game, Elena and Mae will have to decide just how far will they go to protect their love. Will they rise up and riot against those in power? What will happen to their friends and families? Tick Tock the white clock goes, powering all within.
It was a weird book, which can be good and can be bad. I’m on the fence with this one, where the characters were interesting and carried a great deal o the book, the writing was disjointed at times and hard to follow at others. Overall, it’s a good book, but not a light read.


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The Newton Code by Liam Fialkov
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sir Isaac Newton and his more secretive pursuits of knowledge are at the center of this mystery thriller. Michael is a professor of Investigative Journalism who is sharp as a tack. When all computer activities in the USA are halted for 13 min by a mysterious message and image of an arc, Michael is soon contacted by a man who clearly has his own agenda and likes his secrets. Michaels curiosity is peaked however, and reluctantly agrees to help Mr. Bishop out. Going undercover and joining this fanatics group dedicated to Newton, Michael is quickly drawn into a web of mathematical and religious conspiracies and has to use all his wit to prevent a catastrophe.
Very fast paced and well written, the book is written in the vein of the Davinci code, although this one deals with Newton mainly rather than Jesus. Also, the little tidbits that Michael follows to solve the mystery are intriguing in their ingenuity and can easily be believed to actually have some truth to them.


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Jumping from Helicopters: A Vietnam Memoir by John Stillman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My grandfather served in Vietnam, and I have had a fascination with the era ever since. The author, Lori Stillman has a similar fascination, I think, although the prompt for her is her father who is also the main character in this book. Following John Stillman after he volunteered to join the Army in 1967, the book captures the soaring highs and horrid lows of the Vietnam war from the perspective of a Paratrooper who gets sent into the midst of things. But the book doesn’t stop in Vietnam, the author also takes us though her fathers’ memories of uncertain and hard times after the soldiers return home to a country that is not grateful and at times even hostile to them.
Poignant and moving, this memoir is an eye-opening tale of grit, horror, violence, but also bravery, compassion and perseverance of the human spirit. I think this is a great portrayal of the times and captures the zeitgeist with aplomb. I’m grateful to the author and her father, as my grandfather never spoke of the time he was in Vietnam.


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The Anatomy Of Financial Success: The Key To Building Financial Confidence And Destroying Financial Insecurity by Elijah Bilel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a comprehensive book on Financial Management that will help you understand multiple concepts such as: budgeting, money management strategies, identifying opportunities and gaining financial confidence. Broken down into five sections, covering defining Income, the Income itself, Budgeting, Spending and identifying financial opportunities. The author, Elijah Bilel has many valuable years of experience he brings to the table and to this book. His background in business shows in the confident presentation of the subject matter.
A very good book on financial management. I think would be most beneficial to young adults, or older ones who want to gain a better understanding on concepts that they could never truly grasp. Well rounded and well written, it presents the information in a clear and concise way. I did like the book, even though I am not a financial novice, the section about identifying opportunities was the most interesting and beneficial for me.


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The Orchard's Offspring by Eriksen W. Dickens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book starts off with a hot and muggy summer day at the river, and Michael’s father Jay faints and ends up in the hospital. This event prompts Jay to ask a reporter to come see him so he can tell him a never-before told story. With a gripping entry the book thrusts us into the story of a rural Indiana summer, with best friends who just want to enjoy their time out of school. When one of them increasingly becomes reckless, and a newcomer drifts into town, tensions arise over the summer amidst the friends and culminates in the mysterious disappearance of the Herrick boys.
A great book for young adults, this is a story about friendship, and growing up and how one summer can change your entire life. I liked the story; it was interesting and I did not see the editing errors one reviewer mentioned. Might have been in an earlier edition.


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Whispered Wishes by Sue Lilley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Olivia is not the brightest bulb in the bunch. She might mean well, but her disastrous decisions have led her to make some hasty revisions in her life, including a rushed moved to a little cottage in a small town. Her neighbor tends to be as brash and abrupt as he is handsome and mysterious. Olivia can’t help but be drawn to him. When her past comes back to haunt her in the form of Lucas, a photographer who happens to also have a sordid past with Nathan, her neighbor, things start to get heated and not in the good way.
While the main plot seemed interesting, Olivia was too much of a dislikeable character or me to find much sympathy with her. I understand the point of a bad guy, but most of her woes were from her own bad decisions and judgements. I felt bad for Nathan that he had to deal with her. The writing was decent but not great and I think that the book could have been more coherent.


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Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel by Stephen Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A supernatural Thriller set deep in the heart of Vermont’s forests; this book will take you on the hunt. When three hunters become the hunted, things are not always as they at first appear. A sinister plot to flood a small town and implant all the residents with a mind controlling device is interfered with by the Others. Spiritual Beings who have guarded this land for centuries. The ones in charge of the plot, an Executive and a presidential candidate come to the town to oversee the plan and come face to face with their worst nightmares instead of a well-executed plan like they expected. Will they be able to be stopped in time to prevent a catastrophe?
A very good plot that has been executed in a page-turning manner. The story pace increases steadily and even though there are plenty of creepy moments, it is a terrific story to keep you entertained.


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Structural Alpha: Building & Maintaining An Elite Wealth Management Practice by Sal Tiano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a book about building Wealth through proper and astute management. In order to do this, you need to understand the basic principles of wealth management. In this book, Author Sal Tiano takes his considerable years of experience and provides us with a guide that will allow us to grow our own elite wealth management business as well as enable us to build a successful team of people to work with ad for us. Attracting and retaining high end clients will be key in furthering your business and Sal gives pointers in how to become attractive to those types of clients, as well as what not to do. He also gives insights into the right way to track your progress and how the changing industry can affect your career over time.
This book is pretty short, so it’s a fast read even though it packs a punch in regards to the breadth of information offered. I would suggest that you have to be at least a little familiar with the topic otherwise some terms or concepts will be foreign to you and you will have to look them up. Other than that, this is a good book.


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The Traitor's Son by Pedro Urvi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Traitor’s Son is the first in the Path of the Ranger series with three books so far printed and one available for pre-order. This book starts off the series by introducing us to Lasgol, a hardened fifteen-year-old young man who is the son of The Traitor. His father betrayed the kingdom and attempted regicide. Lasgol is never allowed to forget that fact as everyone either ignores him or hates him and pushes him around. Sick of his hard life, Lasgol finally sets out to clear his fathers name since he believes deep in his heart that his father is innocent of the crimes he is accused of. Attending the prestigious School of Rangers, Lasgol knows he will be as reviled there as anywhere else, but he sees it as his only chance at redemption. But will he be able to survive?
A great start to a new series, it has an interesting backstory for our tormented Lasgol to feel sufficiently motivated. The puzzle pieces that are laid out throughout the story are interesting and the worldbuilding was great. Overall, I really liked the book and will more than likely continue the series.


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Looking For Happiness? Look Inside! A Farewell to Anxiety by Alberto Vezendi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A very timely book in these times. I am sure plenty of people are suffering from anxiety and also worrying about what others have instead of focusing on what they themselves have. The author presents us with 2 main issues that prevent people from becoming and staying happy: attachment to objects and people, as well as anxiety over inconsequential things that will never come to pass even though our mind does not see this. In teaching you to let go of your superfluous possessions, the author gives you the chance to experience liberation, a freeing experience that can set you on the path to happiness. The same with anxieties, the author gives you plenty of examples to work through as well as illustrations to demonstrate his points that will help you work through the underlying issues causing the anxiety. Hopefully by following the authors advice you will be able to free yourself and experience happiness.

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The Fear of the Blow: A Young Woman's Gut-Wrenching True Story of Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Alcoholism and Redemption by Jena Parks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is certainly an emotional and hard book to read. The topic of family domestic abuse is tough, and most people shy away from it. And this is exactly why it is so prevalent in our country and is able to go on for so long in many households. What this book does is gives the reader a inside story of someone who grows up in a house where all family members are being terrorized by one, in this book it’s the father. Verbal, emotional, physical, all types of abuse is heaped upon the wife, son and daughter for years before they are able to escape.
Gaining this insight about how this abuse is enabled to go on and on will be effective in helping us all speak out when we see something happening and hopefully this book will be able to save some lives. I really liked the book. I cannot like the story other than that it is an accurate portrayal of what can go on in an abusive household. But it was well written and the resources that are given are great in giving us a reference point in where to go when we need it.


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Dreamwander by Kildare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cillian Rysgaard is eighty-six-years-old, and he is not surprised to hear he is facing death. When he heads out of his doctor’s office, he finds himself suddenly in a world that is nowhere like earth and he is also decades younger. Thinking he is hallucinating; he agrees to a hazardous quest for a sword powerful enough to kill a dragon, but he is misled and accidentally releases a powerful prisoner who turns out to be a god with world ending powers. Accepting responsibility for his actions, Cillian sets out to stop this God before he has a chance to destroy the universe in his rage and revenge.
This book certainly had great potential. The worldbuilding was detailed and well thought out, the characters made sense (for their world) and the quest the Cillian is set on is grandiose and long winded. However, sometimes too much description is a bad thing. It is a delicate balance an author must strike where they can transport us readers into a story rather than slow the pacing with endless descriptions of what the character is experiencing at any given moment. I think if the book has a good round of editing with a mind to narrow down some scenes, it will appeal to a much greater audience.


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Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids by Jemima Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Snatched up to Heaven for kids is a book that deals with the afterlife, be it heaven or hell in an easy to understand way. This book is especially geared towards children (obviously per the title), and I find that my 7-year-old daughter would be able to understand what is happening in the book. The story follows two girls, Emma and Bella who start having dreams that they are escorted to heaven and later to hell by angels. During their dream journeys, they meet various characters from the bible, including Jesus. Each morning, they relate the dreams to their parents who are at first astonished, but nevertheless gently explain to them the finer points of heaven and hell, angels, Jesus and Satan.
This sis certainly a good book if you have introduced this topic to you children and they have more questions. Sometimes I find presenting a story to my girls that have characters that are undergoing what we talked about helps them visualize and understand the topic better. This was well written and very easy to read.


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Haskell Himself by Gary Seigel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sixteen-year-old Haskell Hodge is a former child star actor who is dealing with a crisis of identity in the worst time possible. Fearing he might be gay, in 1966 when such things were not acceptable, he is resigning himself to a lonely life. Meanwhile, in the neighborhood, bullies have set their sights on him and are relentless in their pursuit of Haskell. In a time of sexual freedom, Haskell learns the harsh lesson that freedom for some does not mean freedom for all. When a career opportunity comes along to play a bully on screen for a major movie, Haskell has to determine if he is willing to play the personal cost for his career success.
Very emotional book. We are taken on the rollercoaster of a lifetime in this book, the physical and emotional highs and lows that will end up shaping Haskell as much as his external environment. The author is able to recreate the feel of the sixties complete with the counterculture and revolution in social norms about clothing, music, drugs, dress, sexuality, formalities, and schooling while still giving us a poignant story about this boy who had to grow up to quick and is in danger of losing himself in the process.


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Stolen Shroud by Daniel Westlund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the most revered and controversial relics of Catholic faith is the shroud of Turin. In history, various scholars and researchers have made scientific claims for and against the authenticity of the shroud. In this book, Professor Mark Eberhart is on of those researchers who has the rare access to the shroud to confirm its authenticity with some new methods. Mark is having a crisis of faith as the shroud is stolen from in front of him by supernatural means as well as reports coming in that the resurrection of Jesus may never have happened.
This is a thriller with a Christian theme setting, taking some of that worlds mysteries and utilizing them to tell a compelling story, a.la The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. A intriguing plot, interesting and complex characters and a race to solve the mystery all comes together in this exciting new book!


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Shattered Lives Broken Dreams: William Cooper and Australian Aborigines Protest Holocaust by Barbara Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a prime example of how history is often rewritten to exclude events that are not wanted to be remembered, by those in power. In the days after the Kristallnacht, William Cooper, a famous aboriginal Civil rights activist, marched on the German Consulate in Melbourne to protest that fateful night that has been credited in setting off WWII. This was the only time William Cooper led a protest, despite his extensive work fighting for aboriginal rights. He was honored later by Jews by including him in the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Israel.
Like her previous book, the author Barbara Miller gives an insightful and interesting view of historic events through the lens of personal accounts and news accounts of the times. Thoroughly researched and well written, this account f the times is harrowing at moments, but it is good to remind oneself, that this book shows us what the human spirit can accomplish in the face of adversity.


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