Tag: nonfiction

Calm Within Chaos by Paul DeRenzo 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 Paul DeRenzo shares a guide for teenagers and parents alike to help cope with anxiety and empower teens to build lasting relationships in the book “Calm Within Chaos.”

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The Synopsis

Teens growing up in the 21st century are living in a world where social media, new technologies, and rapid spreading of information make them feel more connected than ever before. With this connectedness also comes new social, academic, and personal pressures nobody could have imagined decades ago. It is not surprising that over 70% of teens report feeling stressed on a daily basis, according to a 2024 research report by the American Psychological Association.

Are you a teen caught in the whirlwind of anxiety, stress, or anger, and not knowing what you can do to get out of it? Or are you a parent/caregiver searching for ways to better understand and support your teen through these emotional struggles? In either case, Calm Within Chaos is designed to help you navigate these situations.

This book was inspired by countless conversations with teens – conversations that started with confusion, frustration, and feelings of being misunderstood but ended with clarity and hope. While emotional struggles are an unavoidable part of growing up, having the right tools to manage them makes all the difference. This is more than just an anxiety workbook for teens—it’s a powerful guide to emotional strength and personal growth.

This book isn’t just about learning to control your emotions—it empowers you to live more fully, make better decisions, and build lasting, meaningful relationships. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, improve your mood, or understand your teen’s emotional world, Calm Within Chaos provides the tools you need to create lasting change. It’s ideal for those seeking stress management for teenagers, tools for anxiety relief for teenagers, and even stress relief for high school students facing academic and social pressure.

What you will find in this book.?

  • Science-backed explanations of how we develop and experience emotions, based on insights found in books like The Wisdom of Anxiety and Redefining Anxiety
  • Techniques to address emotional triggers and develop healthy responses, perfect for anyone looking for social anxiety help or seeking a teen anxiety solution
  • Exercises to build skills in identifying emotions, managing stress, and building resilience—similar to a practical anxiety journal for teens
  • 10 interactive challenges, quizzes, and reflections to reinforce your understanding—ideal for parents, caregivers, or therapists looking for a teen stress relief book or health anxiety book that delivers real results


This book is meant to help teens immediately! Each chapter ends with a 7-day long Teen Inner Peace Challenge that will tell teens exactly how to apply the lessons from that chapter in their actual life. This will help them navigate complex relationships with friends and classmates, family members, and even their social media relationships. It’s a valuable resource whether you’re working with emotionally resilient tweens and teens or supporting kids anxiety book readers moving into adolescence.

Parents/caregivers can use these challenges as a guide to help them ask the right questions to their teen and play a part in helping their teen gain healthy control of their emotions. Whether you’re looking for a social anxiety book, a teen anxiety guide, or something akin to a mindfulness for teens with anxiety toolset, this book offers it all.

Don’t let another day pass in emotional turmoil. Grab Calm Within Chaos today, and take the first step toward emotional mastery, resilience, and a calmer, more confident life. Perfect for anyone searching for a teens guide to anxiety, a social anxiety book for adults trying to relate to their teen, or support in helping young adults with anxiety.

The Review

This straightforward and compelling book is a valuable resource for teens and parents alike. The author does an incredible job of speaking directly to the reader, not only by recognizing the emotions teens experience but also by providing tools that empower them to take charge of their own emotional care. The balance the author found in not only identifying the causes of these stresses or anxieties and the steps needed to face them, but also in speaking directly to teens and to the parents or caregivers who need the proper tools to interact with and help teens going through these emotional moments. 

At the heart of this book was a focus on relationships as a whole and an exploration of the pressures and challenges teenagers face in the modern world. As someone who grew up in an age that had only just begun to acknowledge mental health and still grew up around mentalities of just “toughening it out”, it was refreshing to see the honest and compassionate yet interactive way the author dove into the challenges facing teens today, from social media and academic pressure to the sadly uncertain future teens face due to the growing political and social divides that impact everything form relationships to economics and so much more. The way the book encourages teens and parents alike to find common ground and create an atmosphere that fosters emotional growth together was a bonus.

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The Verdict

Memorable, honest, and engaging, author Paul DeRenzo’s “Calm Within Chaos” is a must-read nonfiction self-help and emotional guide for teens, parents, and everyone in between. The detail and straightforward writing style, along with actual tools and practices teens can use to tackle these emotions head-on, will be perfect for readers to return to time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Your Mindful Moments, PLLC is the driving force behind this

book, dedicated to helping you take control of your emotional well

being. The goal is simple: equip you with practical tools for

managing stress, building resilience, and creating stronger rela

tionships.

Paul DeRenzo, the founder and licensed therapist behind Your

Mindful Moments, PLLC, has over 10 years of experience helping

teens and adults navigate emotional challenges. His approach

blends mindfulness techniques with cognitive-behavioral strategies

to help you develop emotional resilience, manage stress, and thrive

in everyday life.

Through his work, Paul empowers clients to embrace emotional

regulation as a lifelong skill. For more resources, articles, and

personalized consultations, visit yourmindfulmoments.com. Join

the Your Mindful Moments community to continue building

emotional strength and well-being.

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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.

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15 Ways Pets Teach Us Kindness by Kim Lengling 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 Kim Lengling shares the inspiring ways pets shape our lives in the book “15 Ways Pets Teach Us Kindness.”

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The Synopsis

What if your greatest teacher of kindness was sleeping at your feet?

In this uplifting mini-eBook, author Kim Lengling, a veteran, pet lover, and creator of Nuggets of Hope, shares 15 beautiful reflections on how pets gently remind us to slow down, forgive more, love deeper, and be kind to ourselves and those around us.

From tail wags to purring snuggles, our pets offer unconditional love, patience, and a powerful presence that can shift even the hardest days. Each short chapter is paired with a simple kindness prompt to help you carry their lessons into your own life, one paw print at a time.

Whether you’re a lifelong animal lover or simply seeking a little hope and inspiration, this cozy companion will leave you smiling, reflecting, and maybe reaching for your furry friend.

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The Review

This was such a heartfelt and compelling read. While a short book, the author’s words and message pack an emotional punch that any pet parents or animal advocates will instantly understand. The poignant, often introspective yet heartfelt messages of hope that these passages bring to life on the page for readers are both reflective of life as a whole and strike a resonating chord for those of us who have both lost and loved pets throughout our lives.

The themes and messages this story plays with are memorable, from taking the time to live in the moment and utilizing our dog’s ability to stay grounded to remember that, to taking the time to pause what we are doing and take in our surroundings, much like our dogs do when they stare out a window or go on a walk. The author’s ability to offer daily prompts to help promote these ideas, combined with the reflective nature of these passages, will keep readers engaged throughout the book.

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The Verdict

Emotional, heartfelt, and compelling, author Kim Lengling’s “15 Ways Pets Teach Us Kindness” is a must-read nonfiction book of thoughts and motivational inspiration that will keep readers grounded. The important lessons, love for pets and animals in general, and overall connectivity of the book’s themes are perfectly elevated by the book’s ability to draw readers back in time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

As a multi-published author, Kim shares her love of nature, animals, living with PTSD, and her mission of tossing Nuggets of Hope into the world through writing and her podcast, Let Fear Bounce.

She is the lead author and coordinator of a collaborative 3-book series titled When Grace Found Me and two stand-alone anthologies, When Hope Found Me (released November 2022) and Paw Prints on the Couch (released August 2023.)

In addition to writing, she hosts the podcast Let Fear Bounce, spotlighting people who make a positive difference in the world, whether by writing, film production, philanthropy, teaching, founding non-profits, and more.

You can regularly find Kim drinking copious amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog.

https://www.kimlenglingauthor.com/

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Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow by Jeremy P. Boggess 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 Jeremy P. Boggess shares the steps that can be taken to better ourselves and our world by examining the changes already occurring around us in the book “Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow.”

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The Synopsis

In our world today there are monumental and exponential changes occurring. These changes are happening not just in the local, international, or global arenas, but even within ourselves. Let us explore the necessary actions and responsibilities that will help guide us through these changes within ourselves and our world.

It is important to look beyond isolationism or globalization for the reasons of these changes. Politics, the different governments in the world, and our environment are significant contributing factors, but we must also look at the entire world around us. We must also look at the society where we live, our human behaviors, and all of humanity.

The purpose of this book is to have you ask a variety of engaging questions, both of yourself and about the world around you. I want to help you explore the deeper questions so you can, find answers that will ultimately help you survive these intense upheavals.

The Review

This was such an insightful and engaging read. The author does an incredible job of taking the time to thoughtfully and carefully examine the growing tension and chaos of our world from both a societal and an introspective look. The reader can sense the tension mounting as the author delves into the rapid increase in chaos. This phenomenon is evident in the news and in everyday interactions with people. It was fascinating to see the interconnected way that global, societal, and individual roles influence how people interact with one another come to life on the page.

What struck me as interesting from the outset was how the author addressed the need for flexibility and adaptability. From teaching resources and addressing the teacher-to-student ratio that has disrupted educational services, to exploring how inequality in any society can lead to instabilities within that society, the author emphasizes the need to change how society and individuals process and utilize information, rather than clinging to the ways things used to be. The author did a fantastic job of using an informative yet relatable tone in their writing style to engage readers and explore solutions that could bring a more hopeful future than the one the world is currently facing.

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The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and memorable, author Jeremy P. Boggess’s “Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow” is a must-read nonfiction and philosophical book. The knowledge and balance of fact with vision that the author provides for readers, along with the introspective mindset the reader is left with, which allows them to look inward and explore their own role in this future, will have readers returning time and again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Ever since I was a small child, I have felt that there would be a chain of events set in motion and my task would be to help us through these changes.

I was born in 1971 in the United States of America, where I was raised. I have been in Europe since 2016. In the 2000’s I had hoped in continuing to make contributions in the United States by running to Idaho State Senate several times as an independent. While running for office I self-published my first book of philosophical observations “Thoughts & Responsibilities” in 2008. I do have college and university degrees in business, but I have been since a very young age interested and studied philosophy and sociology.

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The Visible Ops Cybersecurity by Scott Alldridge 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 Scott Alldridge shares the methods for integrating unique cybersecurity programs with business goals in the book “The Visible Ops Cybersecurity.”

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The Synopsis

Scott Alldridge, holds an M.B.A. in Cybersecurity and is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), ITIL Certified expert, and Harvard Certified in Technology and Privacy and is a nationally renowned expert. Scott is a distinguished leader with over 30 years of experience in IT management and cybersecurity, specializing in protecting critical IT systems that businesses rely on today. As the CEO of IP Services, Scott has played a pivotal role in delivering advanced managed IT and cybersecurity solutions across various industries. His strategic use of the TotalControl™ framework aligns technology investments with business goals, ensuring enhanced security, operational excellence, and resilience.

“Cyber-defense is not a thing you buy, or something you learn. It’s an information-driven machine you must design and operate in order to create and manage visibility, changes, and improvement. In VisibleOps Cybersecurity, these foundational elements are brought together with cyberdefense techniques to allow organizations to manage the complexity of cyber risks by building a resilient, effective program of improvement – one that you will need no matter the attacker or threat.”

Tony Sager / Center for Internet Security (CIS)

Senior Vice President and Chief Evangelist

The Review

Instantly, this book distinguishes itself from typical cybersecurity books by being more business-driven than anything else. The author’s clear, direct, and informative writing style immediately delves into how this technology benefits businesses, particularly for small and aspiring entrepreneurs starting a new business in a technological age. Yet the author writes in a way that also cuts through the technical speak, instead worded in a way that companies and owners, from CEOs and board members to small online shops, can understand the technology fueling their businesses.

The world is moving at a rapid pace, and online business has accelerated this speed, making it even quicker. Therefore, developing a business with security in place to protect it is vital. The author clearly outlines the steps that business owners need to take, from the importance of automation to installing compliance frameworks that can improve IT departments’ operations and more. The emphasis it places on business owners is remarkable, and it even outlines what business owners need to ask their IT providers and develop plans and responses to incidents that occur, so that those unfamiliar with the tech scene can understand. 

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The Verdict

Thought-provoking, engaging, and insightful, author Scott Alldridge’s “The Visible Ops Cybersecurity” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and technology. The information and the fast-paced nature of the book serve as more than a guide, but a call to action for business owners to take control of their business from a cybersecurity perspective and understand the needs of their IT department, making things run much more smoothly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Scott Alldridge holds an M.B.A. in Cybersecurity and is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), ITIL Certified expert, and Harvard Certified in Technology and Privacy, and is a nationally renowned expert. Scott is a distinguished leader with over 30 years of experience in IT management and cybersecurity, specializing in protecting critical IT systems that businesses rely on today. As the CEO of IP Services, Scott has played a pivotal role in delivering advanced managed IT and cybersecurity solutions across various industries. His strategic use of the TotalControl™ framework aligns technology investments with business goals, ensuring enhanced security, operational excellence, and resilience.

In his role as President of the IT Process Institute (ITPI), Scott co-authored the renowned VisibleOps series, with over 400,000 copies sold globally. His expertise spans IT management, cybersecurity, risk management, regulatory compliance, and cloud computing. Scott is also a recognized thought leader in modern cybersecurity strategies, including Zero Trust and Integrity Management, which are critical to safeguarding today’s complex IT environments.

Through his leadership, Scott has guided organizations in strengthening their security postures and navigating the complexities of today’s threat landscape. His contributions, including white papers, keynote addresses, and innovative frameworks, continue to shape the cybersecurity industry and influence best practices for protecting essential IT systems.

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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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Horny: Sex Without Scruples by Brad Deep 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 Brad Deep explores the way power and control, especially within the confines of sex, have shaped our world and our minds in the book “Horny: Sex Without Scruples.”

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The Synopsis

Brad Deep didn’t just peek into the male sexual psyche—he lived in it, banked it, and sold the tickets.

One day, a young Brad heard Francis Ford Coppola say in a documentary, “If an aspiring filmmaker wants to make a movie, he must do whatever it takes.”

Brad took that literally. He hired a few girls, opened an erotic massage parlor, and planned to use the profits to fund his movie.

What he didn’t plan for was front-row seats to the raw, unfiltered reality of male sexuality—the desires, the lies, the awkward kinks, and the desperate confessions men never make sober… or to their wives.

Horny: Sex Without Scruples is a savage, brutally honest, and laugh-out-loud demolition of dating myths, gender games, and the absurd mating dance we call relationships.

Written by a man who saw it all—the office bosses, the preachers, the boyfriends, the husbands—this isn’t therapy; it’s a strip search of the male libido… with sarcasm as the lube.

With stories you’d never tell your priest, real data that proves just how far the depravity runs, and chapter titles that slap harder than your ex’s mood swings, Horny is the book men pray women never read… and the one women can’t resist picking up.

If you’ve ever wanted to know what men are really like when nobody’s watching—this is your backstage pass.

Just don’t read it at church.

The Review

Honesty is the first word that comes to mind when delving into this book. The author honestly speaks to the raw, often savage, and at times haunting nature of sex and how it impacts men. As someone who has had to witness female family members deal with men through the dating scene over the years, the author does capture the male psyche and their attitudes towards sex and relationships with brutal honesty. The author’s writing style is both creative and savage in nature, characterized by crude, humorous, and visceral elements. It does an excellent job of conjuring powerful imagery as the reader is immersed in this philosophical and psychological exploration of the role sex plays in everyone’s lives.

Yet aside from those hilarious segways or savage take-downs, the author also does a remarkable job of delving into the social commentary aspect of this topic. With brutally honest stories from working a job in the sex industry, the author showcases the horrors and struggles many women, both in and out of the sex industry, must contend with. These stories lean into the author’s commentary on the importance of consent and how men and women are not only hardwired differently, but are taught at a young age far differently than they should be on how men should act and how women should be treated with respect. The need for boundaries and equality has never been more evident, and the author expertly weaves this theme into conversations around workplace behavior, relationships, and so much more.

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The Verdict

Memorable, honest, and compelling, author Brad Deep’s “Horny: Sex Without Scruples” is a must-read nonfiction satire and humor book on sex, relationships, and human connection. Readers will be taken aback by the author’s savage take-down of alpha male behavior, and what this reader appreciates is the author’s commitment to donate partial proceeds to organizations supporting survivors of sexual assault. This worthy cause needs more honest and open discussion to end this violence. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Brad Deep doesn’t write to make friends. He writes like he’s swinging a sledgehammer in a library—loud, unapologetic, and bound to piss someone off. His pages drip with the kind of truth most people choke on, served with enough filthy laughs to make a nun sweat.

He lives clean—no booze, no smokes, no drugs—running instead on cycling, weight training, and five-finger solos that would make a drummer jealous.

When it comes to women, he’s old school: natural beauty or nothing. No dye jobs, no Botox, no filler, no bolt-on boobs. Ask if he’d live with a woman again, and he’ll tell you yes—but only if she’s easy on the eyes, smart, and he’s lost his damn mind.

https://www.braddeep.com/

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GOD MOB: A Gritty Glance at the Travesty of Religion by Brad Deep 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 Brad Deep unleashes a fiery satire on readers, exploring the inner workings of religion in the book “GOD MOB.”

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The Synopsis

GOD MOB: When Faith Met Firepower


They told you not to question. Brad Deep says, “Fuck that!”

What happens when a lifelong Catholic kid grows up, kicks open the church doors, and lets every skeleton in the sacristy come marching out?

Brad Deep’s first crack in the stained-glass window came in the first grade, sitting in a wooden box, forced to confess “sins” he didn’t commit to a man in a white robe. If God’s all-knowing, why the hell did He need a middleman?

GOD MOB is the full demolition — 33 chapters of scorched-earth satire, blasphemous truths, and holy hellfire. With the wit of Carlin, the fire of Hitchens, and the fury of a prophet gone rogue, Deep peeks under priestly robes, torches the gods of every religion, and rips the gold-leaf mask off the billion-dollar circus hiding behind the curtain of faith.

And just when you think the sermon’s over, here come the Nine Epilogues of Brad Deep’s Inferno—a final gauntlet of unfiltered, take-no-prisoners religious roasting designed to leave every altar smoking and every pulpit shaking.

One chapter for every year Jesus allegedly wandered the Earth—plus a few bonus chapters, because if everyone’s gonna make shit up, Brad’s cashing in too.

This isn’t theology. This is your Holy Exit—and the doors are wide open.

Read it if you dare. Or better yet… confess it.

The Review

While I have always been open about accepting all belief systems and authors who practice faith on my site, I’ve never hidden the fact that I myself am not religious. As long as no one tries to use my platform to preach, I am open to reviewing books that speak to a particular audience. Yet I’ve always made it known that I am not religious, having been brought up in a Christian faith and, since the age of 12, having distanced myself from that faith. Author Brad Deep hilariously and expertly crafts a book that resonates with me and highlights the particular hypocrisies of organized religion in general, in a way that makes me laugh and prompts me to take a step back to look at situations with a fresh perspective. 

The book begins with a punch, immediately connecting the roles of figures like God and Jesus to a mob family, and quickly pinning the corruption on where it belongs: the people who propagate the faith and use it to gain fortune and power for themselves. The wit and elegance with which the author pierces the veil of these falsehoods and hilariously exposes the human element behind organized religion are incredible. There was a passage about halfway through the book that addressed a point that had always lingered in my mind, namely, how the rest of the population came into being when God only created Adam and Eve. They had sons together, highlighting the troublesome stories that became the foundation of the entire Christian faith. 

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The Verdict

Humorous, insightful, and engaging, author Brad Deep’s “God Mob” is a must-read nonfiction satire book on religion. The scorched earth humor and the way it breaks down corruption, human fallacies, and the twisted aspects of organized religion as a whole, as well as its impact on shaping our world, will keep readers invested until the book’s final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Brad Deep doesn’t write to make friends. He writes like he’s swinging a sledgehammer in a library—loud, unapologetic, and bound to piss someone off. His pages drip with the kind of truth most people choke on, served with enough filthy laughs to make a nun sweat.

He lives clean—no booze, no smokes, no drugs—running instead on cycling, weight training, and five-finger solos that would make a drummer jealous.

When it comes to women, he’s old school: natural beauty or nothing. No dye jobs, no Botox, no filler, no bolt-on boobs. Ask if he’d live with a woman again, and he’ll tell you yes—but only if she’s easy on the eyes, smart, and he’s lost his damn mind.

https://www.braddeep.com/

https://amzn.to/3VId13C

Working Fire in East Cleveland by Michael C. Ede Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

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

Author and firefighter Michael C. Ede shares the true stories and harrowing realities of life not only as a firefighter, but as a firefighter working in the struggling city of East Cleveland in the book “Working Fire in East Cleveland.”

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The Synopsis

A career firefighter with a personal commitment that: everyone gets home safe!

26-year firefighter, Michael C. Ede, a career firefighter with a personal commitment that “everyone gets home safe,” shares true stories of emergency calls, working relationships, and life inside and outside of the firehouse in the financially and morally crumbling city of East Cleveland, Ohio.

This book offers readers a unique opportunity to enjoy a completely transparent, start-to-finish 26-year career highlights of a firefighter in a busy urban department. Readers will benefit from an honest appraisal of what a firefighter experiences both, inside the engine house, and at the emergency scene throughout the span of an entire career. The transformation from young, inexperienced rookie, to old, seasoned veteran, is chronicled in a way that keeps readers anticipating each new phase.

There are three unique topics within the book that allow the readers to benefit from a very unusual and special work environment. The fact that the story takes place in a nearly all African-American impoverished city. A black-to-white employee ratio of 50/50 in the fire department, coupled with raw honest story telling, makes this story extremely eye-opening to most readers who have never experienced this type of work and racial makeup within the work force. The contrast of the firefighters is portrayed throughout the book, and the successes, as well as the failures, are brought to the forefront. The work environment is absolutely unique. It answers the questions in a reader’s mind pertaining to how well white and black firefighters work together. Suspenseful, gripping details reveal the answer, and show that when white and black firefighters work together, great things can, and often do, take place.

Reader be warned, there are no cover ups, embellishment, fluff, or exaggeration in this book. Action, hard–hitting humor, & raw honesty tell the story of inner-city career firefighter, Michael C. Ede.

The Review

This was an insightful and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of giving insight and knowledge surrounding life in service to the fire department and the inner workings of life in East Cleveland, OH. The balance the author found in conveying personal experience with the training and education, so few have surrounding fires in general and fighting fires with specific procedures, was engaging, and early stories, such as the one in which the author came close to a near-death experience with a 2-story fire, helped illustrate how firefighting departments learn from these experiences. 

The author not only discussed the educational and experiential factors involved in firefighting, but also the social aspects. The idea of brotherhood among firefighters is unique, and the author’s emphasis on the unique racial harmony found between both black and white firefighters in East Cleveland, which at the time boasted an even 50/50 ratio, was so interesting and well-received, speaking to how living together and facing untold dangers can shed many prejudices and bring people together. The camaraderie and heart that the author poured into these chapters, along with the personal writing style that brought them to life, made for a very engaging reading experience.

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The Verdict

Memorable, insightful, and compelling, author Michael C. Ede’s “Working Fire in East Cleveland” is a must-read nonfiction book on the subject of firefighting. The detail and relatability of the author’s writing style, along with the unique perspective this book offers, will give readers an engaging look into the lives of the unsung heroes who face these blistering fires daily. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Author of the book, Working Fire in East Cleveland, lives in AKron Ohio with his wife, and has two adult children… one of them is a firefighter.

Working Fire in East Cleveland – new firefighter book

https://amzn.to/46ZSRbG

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