Tag: inspirational

Buried Alive by Eric Fisher Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Eric Fisher examines how to tackle life’s struggles using his father’s near-fatal accident years ago in the book “Buried Alive.”

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The Synopsis

In the book, Buried Alive, the author tells of the near-death experience of his father, who almost dies during an expedition to dig up Native American artifacts. The perspectives from all three men involved in the event are examined. Four self-help strategies are linked in practical ways to the scary event that happened on February 12th, 2000, in a rural area of Tennessee.

Through the immersive and daunting story of the near-fatal accident, the author shows how challenging circumstances can shed light on strategies for dealing with life’s challenges. Through an intense story about survival and recovery, you’ll gain practical suggestions that will help you find increased awareness, fortitude, and direction.

The sections discussed in the book are as follows:

1. How to find balance in particular areas, which includes perfectionism, spirituality, toxicity, vulnerability, expectations, self-care, emotions, planning, open-mindedness, comparisons, and trauma.

2. The CIA acronym for personal growth: curiosity, introspection, and agency. The four principles of agency and entropy are described and explained. The importance of understanding how entropy applies to self-development.

3. Learning the different ways of connecting with yourself, others, and a local community. The blocks to connection are explored.

4. The power of the “W” word when it comes to life fulfillment, direction, and taking action.

Each chapter applies the self-help content to the true story being told in a documentary fashion. For each self-help component, practical strategies and techniques are given to the reader. The concluding chapter integrates all the content with practical, real-life scenarios.

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The Review

What a compelling and engaging story and guide. The author did a remarkable job of finding the perfect balance between telling his father’s story and relating it to the lessons life has to offer. The author’s writing style is so unique, moving between honest conversation and insightful dialogue that address issues that can lead to detrimental problems in a person’s life, from toxicity to the impact media has on a person’s mindset, and so much more. 

I loved how the author laid out his father’s and the other two people’s personal experiences of the incident slowly throughout the book. This style allowed the reader to not only consume the story in an almost episodic format but also see how each part of the story applied to the lessons the author imparted, from self-care and confronting trauma to even getting the wife’s perspective, discussing how his mother dealt with the accident, and so much more.

The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and memorable, author Eric Fisher’s “Buried Alive” is a must-read inspirational nonfiction read. The way the author writes in a way that feels almost therapeutic, allowing him to express the feelings and emotions that came from a powerful incident for so many people while also giving readers a guide that gives them the tools to examine their own situations, made this book feel so important and valuable that readers will turn to it time and time again in their lives. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Eric Fisher is a certified counsellor based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has over 13 years of experience working in outpatient and inpatient treatment settings in the US and Canada. Eric is a master practitioner of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), both of which are evidence-based treatments for trauma. Eric’s private practice, Recovery Arts Counselling, serves individuals, couples, and families locally and remotely. He also works as an associate for local clinics in the surrounding area. In the past, Eric has supervised master’s-level graduate students and counsellors early in their careers. Additionally, Eric has a black belt in two martial arts styles: American Kenpo and Wadō-ryū. Eric enjoys hiking and riding his bike outdoors, trying new foods, travelling near and far, and meeting people.

https://www.instagram.com/ericfisherwriter/

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Corporate Coach Approach: A Systematic Guide to Career Development by Nicole Fronek Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Nicole Fronek shares a tested-and-true guide to shaping one’s career path and moving forward in the book “Corporate Coach Approach.”

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The Synopsis

In the modern corporate environment, career advancement does not typically occur by chance, but rather through intentional action. Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development was created to help individuals shape their career path while navigating the complexities of the workplace.

Recent graduates and seasoned professionals alike benefit from real-world experience accompanied by narratives to exemplify the subject at hand. Inclusion of relevant case studies provides readers with insight to the development of the tried-and-tested methods found throughout this book. Topics include areas such as establishing a personal brand, stakeholder engagement, and taking action to drive productivity.

Content presented in a consolidated format is aimed at identifying possibilities to heighten visibility, thereby showcasing capabilities. Each point covered integrates an evaluation of actual scenarios encountered and concludes with a summary reinforcing key concepts. This structure offers a quick yet informative view into the ‘best of the best practices’ and practical strategies for situations frequently found in the work environment.

Whether the aim is to increase confidence, maximize advancement opportunities, or retool an established career, Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development, serves as an ‘all-purpose’ manual for a range of industries and skill levels. Although a cover-to- cover reading is encouraged, each chapter is designed to stand on its own, providing guidance when it matters most – the moment it’s needed.

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The Review

Immediately, I was struck by how organized and detailed the book was. The author’s writing style is clear and pointed, giving readers immediate access to valuable insights that are geared towards career advancement. The fast pacing of the book and what I like to call the re-readability factor of this book, which showcases the knowledge that allows readers to go back time and time again to learn and adapt to new situations using tried strategies, was on full display in the author’s writing and kept readers fully engaged throughout the book.

The balance the author found in thorough guidance through each chapter and the steps found within, with the detailed evidence and tests the author provided to prove how these strategies work, was remarkable. Lessons such as engaging a unique personal brand that allows businesses to perceive you a certain way, to being able to convey specific ideas and knowledge through professional presentations in the workspace and so much more had a significant impact on the reader as the book progressed, and even touching upon how AI can be a helpful tool but is not in any way an answer or solution to a problem added depth to the author’s lessons overall.

The Verdict

Compelling, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Nicole Fronek’s “Corporate Coach Approach” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and career management. A fast-paced yet detailed and profound read, the author does a remarkable job of providing a grounded, deep guide to career growth and excellence that will inspire and educate readers equally. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Known as “The Coach”, Nicole has supported Fortune 100 firms inclusive of CBRE, Chevron, HP, Citigroup, and Marriott International. With two decades of experience in project management and client services, she has built her career on a foundation of helping others achieve their goals.

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Nicole holds a BA in Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and an MSc in Project Management from The University of Liverpool. Publications include Corporate Coach Approach – A Systematic Guide to Career Development.

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Your Happier Life Toolbox: How a Data-Driven Dad Cracked the Code on Happiness (And How You Can Too) by Billy Marshall Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Billy Marshall shares the tools his data-driven mind discovered for a happier mindset in the book “Your Happier Life Toolbox.”

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The Synopsis

What if happiness wasn’t a mystery—but a skill you could master?

At 2 a.m., Billy Marshall—data-driven dad, boat owner, and accidental philosopher—Googled four words that changed everything: how to be happy.

The search didn’t give him an answer. It gave him a project.

Armed with a spreadsheet, two decades of business analytics experience, and a stubborn streak, Billy devoured over 200 episodes of The Happiness Lab podcast, cross-referenced decades of research, and distilled it all into something you can actually use: a complete happiness toolbox.

Inside, you’ll find 42 proven tools to:

  • Rewire your mindset with gratitude, optimism, and resilience
  • Build energizing daily habits for body and mind
  • Create deep, lasting relationships and a stronger community
  • Bust 37 common happiness myths holding you back

Each tool comes with the science behind it, real-life stories (messy attempts included), and action steps you can start today—no guru-speak, no fluff.

Whether you read cover-to-cover or pick a tool that fits your mood, Your Happier Life Toolbox will help you:

  • Feel more in control of your thoughts and emotions
  • Design a life that actually works for you
  • Strengthen your connections with the people who matter most


Happiness isn’t a destination—it’s a daily practice. And with this book, you’ll have everything you need to get started.

If a spreadsheet-obsessed dad from Jersey can do it, so can you.

At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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The Review

What an insightful and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of writing a book that felt both practical and inspiring. The balance the author found between practical tools and the myths he proved false was outstanding to see. The author’s writing style was both honest and straightforward, speaking directly to the reader and conveying a sense of self that allows readers to put these tools into practice and guide their own happiness.

The scientific approach the author took in this self-help and improvement book was the hook that kept me invested in the guide. The way the author explores everything from reframing one’s mind and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle to maintaining relationships through active listening and forgiveness, among other strategies, provides the reader with a distinct, straightforward path to follow and exposes ideas like the notion that material wealth makes a person happy. Even the role genetics plays in a person’s happiness made this book data-driven and insightful. 

The Verdict

Thought-provoking, engaging, and memorable, author Billy Marshall’s “Your Happier Life Toolbox” is a must-read nonfiction book of self-improvement. The detailed, heavy research the author poured into this book, and the tried-and-true methods that came of it, allow the reader to cultivate a happier, calmer mindset in a time when anxiety and chaos run rampant across social media and our lives as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Billy Marshall is the “data-driven dad” who cracked the code on happiness—using science.

He spent decades designing technical frameworks and data tools to help business leaders make smart, analytical decisions. But when faced with the messier puzzle of his own well-being—stuck on a question his degrees and decades hadn’t answered despite a loving family and outward success—he realized he needed a new framework for the most important project of all: his own life.

Faced with a 2 a.m. crisis, Billy asked a specific question: What does the science actually say about how to be happy? He wasn’t looking for abstract philosophy, but for evidence-based rules he could count on. He launched an intensive quest, analyzing over 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies and expert interviews. His mission was to find the linchpin—the core principles proven to move the needle on well-being.

The result is Your Happier Life Toolbox, a collection of 42 practical tools derived directly from this extensive research. Billy’s “no-fluff,” evidence-based approach proves that you don’t need a Ph.D. to apply the science of happiness; you just need the right tools.

When he’s not optimizing spreadsheets for joy, Billy can be found cruising the Manasquan River on his pontoon boat, organizing neighborhood cornhole tournaments, or trying (and sometimes failing) at DIY projects. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Suzy, and their energetic golden retriever, Yeti, and is a proud father of five and grandfather of five.

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Shoes That Fit Her Soul Workbook by Shamayne Olivia Review 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Shamayne Olivia offers a guide for women to discover personal transformation using a unique system in the book “Shoes That Fit Her Soul Workbook.”

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The Synopsis

Reclaim your sense of self and create a life filled with purpose with the Shoes That Fit Her Soul Workbook by Shamayne Olivia Kotfas. This empowering guide, designed for women seeking personal transformation, uses a unique eight-step “Shoe Model” to navigate self-discovery. From reconnecting with your core values (Sole/Soul) to healing past patterns (Heel/Heal) and crafting your life’s legacy (Stitching/Journey), each step offers reflective exercises, journaling prompts, and practical tools to align your actions with your authentic self. Learn to trust your intuition, set healthy boundaries, foster meaningful relationships, and embrace resilience through mindfulness and self-compassion. With bonus journaling pages for deeper reflection, this workbook is perfect for women ready to break free from limiting beliefs and live with intention. Whether you’re starting your journey or seeking to redefine your path, this workbook provides the roadmap to a more meaningful, authentic life. Start your transformation today!

  • Ideal for: Women pursuing self-discovery, personal growth, and emotional healing.
  • Features: Interactive exercises, goal-setting frameworks, and mindfulness practices.

The Review

One of the most challenging experiences a person can face in life is the feeling of not being seen or heard. Far too often in life, a person can reach a point where they feel their voice isn’t being listened to and their actions or words are ignored entirely. The contributions this makes to self-esteem and a person’s confidence are detrimental, and being able to find that voice again and make yourself known is so crucial to developing as a person. This is a problem encountered far too often by women, whether in the workplace or in society as a whole, and the authors’ workbook is the perfect guide that helps restore women’s confidence.

The author’s writing style is poignant, detailed, and to the point, and yet speaks in a voice that can relate to women on a personal level. The exploration of a person’s future through these eight steps (or shoes) and utilizing techniques that leverage positive affirmations, journal prompts, and even methods of meditation or self-reflection allows readers to feel a sense of accomplishment and engagement, with the book enabling them to put these steps into use actively. Another aspect of this workbook is the way the reader can return to it time and again, enhancing its readability and serving as a constant guide that can help readers whenever they feel this way.

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The Verdict

Inspiring, highly creative, and motivating, author Shamayne Olivia’s “Shoes That Fit Her Soul Workbook” is a must-read self-help and improvement guide for women and readers everywhere. The book is the perfect jumping-off point for anyone looking to change the direction they are heading in or start anew. The fast-paced narrative and easy-to-follow steps are both insightful and introspective as readers begin their work. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Shamayne Olivia’s transformative and entrepreneurial journey started with a simple question: “Who am I?” Her decades-long quest to reclaim her identity led to profound insights and realizations that are the foundation of her company, Shoes That Fit Her Soul, LLC. Based on her personal experiences with generational trauma, Shamayne’s authentic message guides women towards personal and professional growth and living more meaningful lives filled with passion, purpose, and renewed confidence. Her workshop has empowered countless women with the essential tools to get unstuck and move beyond the behaviors and patterns preventing them from realizing their full potential. Her first book explores these intricacies, removing the layers to uncover the fundamental steps needed to recover one’s identity. Shamayne lives in the Texas Hill Country, near Austin, with her husband and their two cats, Wrigley & Ivy. Living nearby are two of her adult children and three grandchildren, fulfilling her love of spending time with family. In her spare time, she enjoys live music, visiting Major League ballparks, and traveling to the western states to experience nature, especially in the mountains, rivers, and national parks. It is there that she reconnects with her soul and discovers new ways to inspire her clients to become their authentic selves.

Reclaim your sense of self, discover your voice, and step into your light.

https://amzn.to/490k6Ei

Don’t Flush! By Dakarai Larriett Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Dakarai Larriet showcases the struggle and activism his false arrest brought to life in the book “Don’t Flush.”

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The Synopsis

What would you do if you were arrested for a crime you didn’t commit—despite passing every test and proving your innocence?

In Don’t Flush!, activist and Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett recounts the harrowing night in April 2024 when he was wrongfully arrested in Michigan for suspected DUI. Despite testing negative and showing no signs of impairment, he was jailed, humiliated, and thrust into the unforgiving machinery of systemic injustice.

This gripping memoir not only exposes the cracks in our legal and policing systems but also shows the power of one voice refusing to stay silent. Larriett’s $10 million lawsuit against the Michigan State Police, his media campaign fueled by FOIA-released footage, and his push for legislative reform—including a Motorist Bill of Rights and the end of qualified immunity—paint a picture of a man turning trauma into action.

Don’t Flush! is more than a personal story—it’s a rallying cry. Whether you’re an ally, advocate, or just waking up to these injustices, this book demands you do more. Read it. Share it. Join the movement for true accountability.

The Review

This was such a compelling and thought-provoking read. The author expertly weaves a balance of personal storytelling and inspirational and motivational discussion, engaging readers to deliver a powerful look at social justice and the overhaul that the criminal justice system needs in the United States, as well as the many fears and hardships those who struggle with discrimination must face every day. 

The author’s writing was the most powerful aspect of this book. The tension, and almost atmospheric way the author delved into those tense moments of his false arrest, from the hyper awareness of his surroundings as he drove before he spotted the police, to the calm manner he forced himself to stay in when engaging the police, and how these moments connected to the similar struggles of discrimination his grandparents and so many others had made these events feel more elevated and essential, and yet the harsh realities that this book brings to light also serves a hopeful tone, as the author showcases how finding the light in that darkness proved that a path of change does exist, if people are willing to fight for it.

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The Verdict

Engaging, thoughtfully written, and memorable, author Dakarai Larriett’s “Don’t Flush” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that also serves as a valuable resource for social and criminal justice reform. The expertise with which the author crafts this book, slipping from the defining moments of his childhood and his struggles both as a Black man and a Gay man, to the horrors so many face when confronted by false arrests such as this, and the inspiring direction the author takes when making a bid for the US Senate will have readers enthralled with the author’s story and eager to fight for the changes this country sorely needs. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Dakarai Larriett, a proud Alabama native and son of a U.S. Army veteran and public school teacher, is a successful entrepreneur and dedicated community volunteer whose run for the U.S. Senate is motivated by a false arrest in 2024 for which he has yet to receive justice. His upbringing, shaped by his father’s military service, saw him move across various states and even to Germany. After excelling as an honors student and earning a full scholarship to the University of Alabama, Dakarai’s passion for public service grew during his junior year as an exchange student at Howard University. He built a successful career as a corporate leader while managing a pet-care business he started in his garage, ultimately returning to Birmingham in 2021 where he became known for his servant leadership. Engaged in various volunteer activities, he also leads a board representing local families and businesses, expressing his love for Alabama’s culture and community. In his free time, Dakarai enjoys the shooting range and attends First United Methodist Church regularly.

Website: dakarailarriett.com

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The Masterpiece of Nature by Rabei A. Wazzeh Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Rabei A. Wazzeh shares how everyone has a story and a voice that matters in the book “The Masterpiece of Nature.”

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The Synopsis

The Masterpiece of Nature is a quietly powerful exploration of what it means to grow, endure, and live meaningfully in a world that often demands noise over presence, certainty over curiosity, and speed over depth.

Through poetic reflections, real-life stories, and a compassionate voice that meets the reader like a trusted friend, this book reframes resilience not as forceful triumph, but as steady return. Not as perfection, but as honesty. Each chapter is a gentle invitation – to stand inside your own questions, to reimagine courage, to find strength in softness, and to keep moving even when the path disappears beneath your feet.

From the silent determination of Viola Davis to the devoted practice of Kobe Bryant, from the handwritten code of Masako Wakamiya to the return of Diana Nyad to the sea at sixty, this book brings to life the quiet human choices that shape not only our days – but who we become.

You won’t find loud formulas or self-help demands here. What you will find is a steady companion for the in-between spaces – the invisible steps, the tender thresholds, the places where meaning begins.

This is not a guide to becoming extraordinary.

It’s a gentle remembering that you already are.

The Review

This is such a unique and inspiring book. The balance not only in writing style, moving from poetic prose to essays and engaging dialogue with the reader, but also in the use of historical and public figures as examples for each chapter, was spot on in every respect. The emotive and connective way the author writes will leave a lasting impact on readers as the book delves into questions of existence and philosophy with ease. 

The heart of this book, the idea that friendship and connection are nature’s version of a masterpiece, is such a thought-provoking and heartfelt ideal to strive for and to accept in our hearts. The stories range, of course, but each packs a punch that resonates with readers, from the origins of McDonald’s, starting with one single store, showcasing how a forest begins with just a seed. It matters not how early or late in life you start, but that you start to begin with, to the story of a renowned cellist who showed that daily returns, who continues to improve on one’s craft, is not a means of becoming great, but of showing our love and respect for what moves us daily. 

The Verdict

Inspiring, heartfelt, and engaging, author Rabei A. Wazzeh’s “The Masterpiece of Nature” is a must-read book. The inspiring stories don’t leave readers with questions to ponder or steps to follow, but instead engage them on an emotional and philosophical level, allowing the reader to feel the weight of these people’s choices and how one small act can change the world, making everyone not only connected but also proving that everyone truly matters. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Rabei A. Wazzeh writes from the quiet center of a life shaped by listening -not only to people and systems, but to the deeper questions that live beneath both. Though his professional path has led him across boardrooms and ministries, his truest work has always been quieter: noticing what matters, holding space for what’s unfolding, and walking with people through the uncertain middle of change. At heart, he is a humanist -drawn to psychology, to philosophy, and to the soft strength that emerges when presence is given time to speak. His writing does not seek to impress, but to companion. It offers no grand solutions – only a steady hand on the shoulder and a quiet reminder: your life still holds meaning. You are still becoming. The Masterpiece of Nature is not a presentation of what he knows. It is an offering of what he’s still learning about resilience, about tenderness, and about the quiet power of staying close to what is true.

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Palms Up Leadership: Developing Our Future Leaders by Rich Plumery Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Rich Plumery shares a new take on leadership development in the book “Palms Up Leadership: Developing Our Future Leaders.”

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The Synopsis

Palms Up Leadership: Developing Future Leaders is not just another business book—it’s a transformative leadership manifesto designed for today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape.

In this compelling work, Rich Plumery draws from a wealth of experience shaped by real-world adversity, elite performance environments, and high-stakes leadership roles. At its core are the Palms Up tenets—Enable, Engage, and Embrace—a simple yet powerful framework that empowers leaders to navigate complex challenges with authenticity and purpose.

Plumery masterfully integrates principles from servant leadership, project management, sports psychology, elite military team-building, and entrepreneurship to offer a fresh, actionable approach to leadership development. Whether you’re a C-suite executive, a team leader, or an emerging talent, this book equips you with practical strategies to:

  • Cultivate a thriving and resilient workplace culture
  • Empower others through clarity, trust, and collaboration
  • Address pressing challenges like wisdom loss, remote work, and AI disruptions
  • Lead with integrity, purpose, and impact

If you’re ready to lead boldly, build better teams, and shape the next generation of leaders—Palms Up Leadership is your essential guide.

The Review

This was a truly insightful and compelling nonfiction book. The author wrote in a way that felt honest and personal while also conveying essential lessons along the way. The impact the author’s late brother had early on in his career, as well as the foundational work that went into his businesses, made the experiences that were put down on the page that much more impactful and meaningful. These lessons included things like making the minimum decision necessary to keep things moving, which was paired with a personal interaction with someone who caused him to rethink how reactive actions can have adverse consequences if not thought through carefully.

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The theme and foundation for both this book and the method of Palms Up leadership that stood out for this reader was the concept of servant leadership. The concept was new to me, but it was so inspiring. The idea of selfless leadership is so unheard of by so many companies these days. Yet, the concept is beneficial both morally and monetarily, allowing employees to feel wanted and appreciated and motivating them to contribute more to the company. Leadership is meant to work with and serve the community, including the one within a business, and the author’s expertise and strategies really do a great job of aligning with that.

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The Verdict

Memorable, insightful, and engaging, author Rich Plumery’s “Palms Up Leadership” is a must-read nonfiction business and leadership book. The fast pacing of the book, the action-driven steps the author lays out to help develop this unique brand of leadership, and the personal nature of the author’s experiences will keep readers invested and connected to the author and the journey this book takes them on. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Rich is a published author, thought leader, and international speaker who presents on various topics, including business recovery, performance management, and his Palm’s Up LeadershipTM brand of servant leadership. Rich has been a founder, investor, and operator in several successful businesses, including one of the first voice-controlled computers, a tactical supply company supporting elite military units (with partners who were some of the plankowners of SEAL Team Six and Red Cell). He also owned and operated a sports performance coaching business that served hundreds of professional athletes across the NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS. He applied what he had learned from his expert coaches and other world-class specialists, such as Greg Roskopf, the man who retooled Bryson DeChambeau, to develop elite corporate coaching skills.

Being an obsessed problem solver, Rich is passionate about developing a new generation of leaders to help us improve our corporate cultures. At this point in our history, we are dealing with many new dynamics, such as pandemics forcing remote work environments, global work sharing, emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, and an aging workforce, which is continually draining our wisdom bank and jeopardizing quality in many of our key industries, including manufacturing, engineering, construction and healthcare.  Rich presents his solutions to these challenges, based on his unique experiences in the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds.

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The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life by Cory McCray Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Cory McCray shares the untapped potential that can be found when taking on apprenticeships in the book “The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life.”

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The Synopsis

“I realized that learning a trade was more than just mastering a skill—it was about gaining control over my future.” 

How an Apprenticeship Saved My Life tells the inspiring story of one man’s journey from Baltimore’s tough streets to a life of purpose, stability, and impact. 

Cory McCray was on a path many young men know all too well—one shaped by struggle and limited opportunity. But when a single decision led him into an apprenticeship program, everything changed. Through hands-on training, grit, and an unshakable commitment to growth, he found a way to rewrite his future. 

In this candid memoir, McCray shares the highs and lows of his journey, illustrating the transformative power of skilled labor and mentorship. Individuals will discover how his experiences as an apprentice shaped not just his career but his life, providing him with the foundation to become a Maryland State Senator dedicated to empowering his community. Alongside these personal stories, How an Apprenticeship Saved My Life delves into the lasting impact apprenticeships can have, particularly for those who might be overlooked by traditional educational paths. 

For anyone who believes in the power of second chances and the untapped potential within every community, How an Apprenticeship Saved My Life is a powerful reminder that sometimes the right opportunity can change everything. Dive into this transformative story and explore how one apprenticeship not only saved a life but sparked a movement.

The Review

The first thing that stood out to me was how genuine and honest the author was in expressing the events of his life that led him to the path he found himself on. The way the author delved into the hardships and struggles of his youth, and both the impact on his community and the lack of available resources, and the social pressures many young men in his community were presented with, could be felt in the author’s writing with an emotional depth that readers could feel.

The balance of nonfiction narrative as the author expands on his life and journey, with the lessons and education he imparts to young readers, is astounding. The straightforward candor of the author’s voice in the writing style was superb and drove the lessons forward with ease. The idea and inspiration this book inspires in young people to embrace change and the unknown and to see for themselves the future they deserve will keep readers inspired and invested as the book progresses.

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The Verdict

Insightful, compelling, and engaging, author Cory McCray’s “The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life” is a must-read nonfiction book. The author did a great job of helping young people through the process of mentorship and becoming apprentices in trades, from working with difficult people to the interview process and so much more, and this is one of those books readers can return to time and time again for guidance and inspiration. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Cory McCray is a journeyman electrician, father of four, and public servant who proudly represents East and Northeast Baltimore in the Maryland State Senate. As the only member of the Maryland General Assembly to have completed a registered apprenticeship, he brings an unwavering commitment to expanding access, uplifting working families, and removing barriers to opportunity.

Raised in Baltimore City, Cory’s life was transformed through an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 24. That experience not only gave him a career, but a calling—and led him to invest in real estate as a tool for stabilizing neighborhoods, win elected office, and pass over 100 pieces of legislation aimed at equity and economic mobility.

His debut book, The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life, is a blueprint for those navigating the “earn-while-you-learn” path and a call to action for educators, policymakers, and mentors to see the potential in every young person.

When he’s not in Annapolis or working in the community, you can find Cory cheering on his daughters at track meets / tennis matches or walking his sons into basketball practice—deeply grounded in family, faith, and the future of Baltimore.

Rise and Thrive Above Cancer by Achim Zinggrebe, M.D. Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Achim Zinggrebe, M.D., shares the experiences and practices that shaped their journey through their cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatments in the book “Rise and Thrive Above Cancer.”

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The Synopsis

A cancer diagnosis changes life in an instant. There is the cancer itself, whose unpredictability triggers fear and feelings of powerlessness. And then there is the seemingly overwhelming medical system, which is often difficult to navigate.

It’s hard not to despair in such an existential situation. Achim Zinggrebe, M.D., a cancer survivor, knows this firsthand. He experienced firsthand how essential it is to take the reins when facing this challenge. Fighting his way out of profound hopelessness, he embraced new approaches and consciously shaped his path to recovery.

From these experiences, he developed a scientifically grounded, holistic, and customizable therapeutic concept. This approach combines alternative healing methods, conventional medical treatments, nutritional and exercise recommendations, and spiritual practices—because it’s not about choosing one or the other. It’s about creating a powerful synergy that addresses the body, mind, and soul as one.

This book is an energizing guide that redefines the meaning of health and the unique path each person can take toward it. A knowledgeable yet deeply compassionate companion for cancer patients and their loved ones, it offers support from the shock of diagnosis to the end of treatment—and far beyond.

The Review

Transformative and insightful, this book does a tremendous job of creating a guide and motivation for those struggling through the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other ailments. The author’s authenticity shines through on every page, with the book balancing the technical aspects of the author’s process of healing with the more personal and insightful experiences from their own life that helped create these guiding steps in the book. The research and detail that the author provided in this book were astounding, as the author’s journey and his revelation of the bleeding edge of cancer research and science were carefully backed up with medical studies, which helped balance out the more spiritual and holistic steps in the author’s process.

That is what made this book stand out from all the other books in this medical nonfiction, motivational style. The author’s interwoven process of both modern medical practices and holistic methods, as well as the role of mentality and spirituality in the entire healing process. The personal nature of this process, including the emotional component of struggling through the diagnosis and the various treatments, and how the author can help readers reclaim their sense of self and gain the strength needed to face this diagnosis, is so motivating and refreshing to see in a holistic, medically-driven book.

The Verdict

Insightful, compelling, and engaging, author Achim Zinggrebe’s “Rise and Thrive Above Cancer” is a must-read nonfiction book. The powerful mental and emotional therapeutic properties of an inspiring book such as this can have a profound impact on those struggling with a similar diagnosis, and the depth of research the author poured into this book gave readers a spark of hope and comfort in their journey of navigating this shocking experience. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Dr. Achim Zinggrebe, a medical doctor turned pharmaceutical professional, reassessed his approach to health after a cancer diagnosis in 2017. Once a staunch advocate of conventional medicine, he embraced a holistic view, integrating body, mind, and soul in healing. Through his Rise and Thrive Above Cancer Pathway, Achim supports cancer patients and their loved ones with scientifically backed methods that blend conventional and alternative medicine, nutrition, exercise, and spirituality. He provides guidance through books, online coaching, and resources to help individuals harness their self-healing potential. He lives with his family, dog, and cats near Weinsberg, Germany.

https://azinggrebemd.com/