Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht: DKNY PR Girl's Career Advice Book MakesUs All Shine

There is something incredibly empowering about reading a book by someone you admire. If it's good, it has the power to inspire you to chase your dreams. Not only do you walk away from a book like that with confidence, but you also feel as if the book spoke to you and fed you the exact information and encouragement you needed at that time in your life.

That's a lot to ask for in two hundred and fifty (give or take) pages but that's exactly what I got from Aliza Licht's much-anticipated book, Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill it in Your Career. Rock Social Media. If you are at all familiar with Twitter, Social Media rock stars and/or fashion you most definitely know Ms. Licht better by her Twitter handle DKNY PR Girl. Who better to write a career advice book than the woman who practically made social media a thing for fashion and spearheaded the social media revolution?



This book is divided into four sections: How to get the job of your dreams, How to have a killer career, How to utilize social media effectively and Everything you need to know about personal branding. Each of these sections has tools, helpful advice and some of Aliza's own personal stories that illustrate each point. There is a lot of information and all of it is useful to anyone in any field and in any stage of their career. Though if this book happens to get into the hands of a college-aged reader, it would certainly put them well ahead of the crowd when it comes to interning and ultimately snagging their first out-of-school job. Also worth noting is that this book is the ultimate affirmation for those looking to change careers, as Aliza notably went from Pre Med to PR. She encourages young people to follow their natural paths and gravitate to what they love doing and a career will bloom out of that.

Aliza hits on a lot of important points such as how to cultivate a reputation that precedes you, how to network even when it's uncomfortable, and the importance of being confident (but never cocky). Many good take-aways, so read with a pen handy for note taking.

Licht, Twitter maven extraordinaire, comes across strongly as the ideal mentor, the perfect mix of personable/approachable/savvy/passionate while still maintaining the aura of superiority that comes from being an innovative leader. You can't help but want to grab a cup of coffee with her and pick her brain for a little while. Her knowledge is indispensable and well worth the price of this book.

Blogger note: I received this book from the publisher as a review copy, however I was in no way compensated for my opinion in the above review.

Ongoingness: The End of a Diary is a Must Read for Anyone Who Has Ever Kept a Diary

We keep diaries for many reasons, but at the core is the central theme of wanting to remember and the wish to leave something behind. I'm fascinated with other people's journals of late, and that is what drew me to Ongoingness: The End of a Diary by Sarah Manguso. It's a small, meditative book of blurbs that resonated with me and I would venture to guess anyone else who has ever kept a journal.

Manguso's book is written snapshots, snippets of her memories about diary-keeping over her life. She states that her goal of diary-keeping was to "end each day with a record of everything that had ever happened". It's a concise little gem of a book that constantly hits home the idea that we are not infinite, and that eventually "in a hundred and fifty years no one alive will have ever known me. Being forgotten like that, entering that great anf ongoing blank, seems more like death than death". Which of course is why the idea of diary-keeping seems so appealing. Being able to chronicle our lives so that we leave a written (or electronic) legacy behind long after we are gone. There is some comfort in believing that something we created will outlive us.

But as we grow, despite not wanting to let go of memories, or more precisely not wanting to miss an opportunity to perfectly capture all the fleeting moments that make up a life, we start to live our lives more fully. To be more ever-present. Instead of recording our memories in our diary, we imprint them into ourselves. And though that means we have to let go, at least a little, of our desire to be immortal through our diaries, it also encourages a bit more living and certainly a lot more to reflect upon.

This book was small but packed a big punch. Pick it up if you've ever kept a diary. It will speak to you.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

In the Age of Social Media, Do you REALLY Know What You Like?

The concept of liking things has become practically synonymous with social media. Whether you are liking a friend's status on Facebook, retweeting a celebrity's hilarious tweet on Twitter or showing some love for a brand's newly uploaded photo on Instagram, liking is a quick way to support or show approval for someone else. But what about the deep down concept of enjoyment? Do we really have a firm grip on what we as individuals truly like in the age of digital liking bombardment?

Go Ahead and Like it

Go Ahead and Like It by Jacqueline Suskin is a little gem of a book that encourages the reader to delve into what makes them tick. Step away from technology for a little while and just focus on your surroundings. Think about your favorite memories. Recall simple pleasures that leave a 500-watt smile on your face. Tune into your likes. Then start making a list. That's all there is to it!

What I like most about this book is that it's very thought-provoking. It made me realize how infrequently I take a honest look at what moves me and brings me joy. This book would make a great gift for anyone who could benefit from a little quiet reflection. And honestly, that is pretty much all of us these days.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

Taking Photos of Your Kids Made Easy: Capture the Moment by SarahWilkerson

I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty confident making the following assumption: Parents want to capture every moment of their child's life. It's just human nature. And what better way to capture all the moments than by photographing them? But most of us aren't experts in how to capture the best shots, we lack the tips that would really give us the most bang for our shutter snap. Solution? Capture the Moment by Sarah Wilkerson (CEO of Clickin Moms).

Capture the Moment by Sarah Wilkerson

I love this book. LOVE it. This book is the perfect companion for any parent/ wanna-be photographer. Why? Because of it's simplicity. We all know that we should embrace all the rules and basics of good photography but sometimes what we want are tips to set up the shot. Ways to get our lighting bolt fast subjects to sit still just long enough to optimize the impact of the photo. This book is just that. Simple tips accompanied by GORGEOUS photos.

This book is for every mom (and dad) who has chased their kids around with a camera for the sake of posterity. Get this. The information is helpful, concise and easy to follow for even the most sleep deprived parent!

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

Lighten Up Y'all: Southern Style Favorites Tweaked for Healthy Eating

Cookbooks are odd to review. It comes down to whether or not you will actually make a fair amount of the recipes, that determines if you like the book or not.

I mention this because most of these recipes in Lighten Up Y'all by Virginia Willis are not typically things I would make more than once or twice, simply to try out. But I don't think that should sway your decision about trying them out or incorporating them into your food repertoire.

Lighten Up Y'All by Virginia Willis

If you like traditional Southern fare, than this book would fit into your kitchen nicely. Willis adapts traditional Southern foods such as Dirty Rice, Oven Fried Okra, Smothered Chicken with Gravy and Etoufee and makes them healthier.
I did happen to like a few recipes in particular such as her Makeover Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Sinless Seven Layer Dip, Sweet Potato Gratin, Buttermilk Biscuits and Pineapple Right Side Up Cake.

If Southern home style cooking is your thing, than this book is a must stock for your kitchen. Everyone else should browse through it at the library and pluck a few choice recipes to throw into your lunch and dinner rotation as the mood strikes.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

Dead Wake: More Than a Story About the Sinking of the Lusitania

There is something about an Erik Larson book that makes the reader embrace, even enjoy, history. Even if history isn't your genre of choice, Larson makes his books completely compelling and brings moments of history to life in a way that is accessible to everyone.

Larson's latest, Dead Wake, subtitled The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, tells the fateful story of the British luxury ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool. We all know from history class that the sinking of the Lusitania was one of the key events that brought the U.S. into World War I. But this book manages to make the history read like a novel. And even though we all know the outcome, the book still keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, almost hoping history got the telling wrong.

Dead Wake by Erik Larson

The devil truly is in the details, and this book is packed with information about the Lusitania, from details about the passengers to what it was like to travel on the liner. It's odd to say that I felt connected to the "characters" because these people really existed as did their ultimate life and death struggle. Personal tragedy as a story always pulls readers in (hello Titanic, anyone?), but Larson manages to recount each passenger's storyline in a way that makes you feel temporarily removed from the reality of the story.

But this wasn't just a book about the sinking itself. Larson gives the reader political perspectives too, from both the British and the American point of view. As readers, we got into Churchill's head, as well as Wilson's. We learned about Germany's U-boats and how they revolutionized the way wars were fought. There was also the fascinating angle of code breaking.

Of course, as is so often with history, facts later come to light that makes the reader wonder how easily the outcome could have drastically changed. Many small choices and coincidences all came together that factored into the torpedoing of the Lusitania, which as a reader I found to be most fascinating. I also found myself questioning a lot of the actions, or more specifically inactions, that could have altered the course of history.

It's hard to read this book as history, partially because it is difficult to imagine such horrible events taking place despite the fact that we know them to be true; but also mainly because Larson has a knack for telling history in a way that makes the reader understand it in a new light while remaining strictly factual and shying away from any of the Lusitania conspiracy theories that abound.

I devoured this book in four days despite it's lengthy size (450 pages, Kindle version), which is a testament to how it kept me on the edge of my seat and awake well into the early hours of the morning. This book is a great read for the history buff in your life, but would be equally appreciated by those who enjoy thrilling novels. Have a student learning about World War I? They would benefit from reading this as well.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

Journaling Made Easy

There was a time when I would happily journal, page after page, year after year. That time was between 5th grade and my mid-twenties. Then after that two things happened: 1. My life settled down (which while being quite nice, also left a big void for self-reflecting journal fodder) and 2. The Internet (personal blogs that always seemed to start off well-intentioned but usually fizzle out quite early on).

Each new year, one of my constant resolutions is to get back into journaling. I certainly have enough to write about, though my main road block is my lack of time. If only I could capture snippets of my life in journal form quickly and easily! Then I'd be sure to have some follow through and something to reminisce back on years from now.

Queue the big bold flashing lights and ringing bells!! The solution...THIS BOOK. This cutesy little portable gem is Q&A a Day: 5-Year Journal. I love it because it is easy to follow and use consistently. Each day is a question and you answer it, easy as that. And you do this for 5 years, so you can see how your answers/choices/opinions/preferences evolve through time.

I also like that the publisher has put out a slew of simple "one a day" themed mini journals that range the gamut of One Line a Day (good for capturing a snippet of a memorable conversation) and Q&A for Kids (good for those parents who always mean to capture their kids memorable quotes but never have time).

This is the way to ease yourself into journaling, whether you are a first-timer or someone looking to get back into it after a hiatus. Also great for writers to use as prompts.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.