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the_lectorem's Reviews (35)
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Most of us have that inner critic or self-saboteur that questions our decisions and choices, holding us back from achieving our true potential and goals by making us doubt ourselves and our capabilities. In this book, the author brilliantly addresses the root causes of self-doubt, such as a lack of external validation, fear of failure, societal conditioning, and past experiences. This book helped me understand the consequences of self-doubt and the significant impact it can have on self-esteem and confidence.
I appreciate how the author keeps the writing and tone of this book very simple, making it easy for people of all ages to understand and relate to. The author encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and cultivate cognitive restructuring to overcome self-doubt. There are many helpful techniques and strategies, such as ways to challenge the inner critic, reframe negative thoughts, practice affirmations, and use mindfulness techniques, which can significantly help those struggling with self-doubt. The only minor demerit that I noticed is that some topics were a bit repetitive.
This is a short book that I finished in two sittings, and I found it very self-affirming and assuring.
I appreciate how the author keeps the writing and tone of this book very simple, making it easy for people of all ages to understand and relate to. The author encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and cultivate cognitive restructuring to overcome self-doubt. There are many helpful techniques and strategies, such as ways to challenge the inner critic, reframe negative thoughts, practice affirmations, and use mindfulness techniques, which can significantly help those struggling with self-doubt. The only minor demerit that I noticed is that some topics were a bit repetitive.
This is a short book that I finished in two sittings, and I found it very self-affirming and assuring.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
A mindset is one of the most powerful and crucial aspects responsible for a person's success, failure, or happiness. In this book, the author explains two types of mindsets—fixed mindset and growth mindset—in the simplest and most subtle way. I really liked how the characteristics of both mindsets have been explained with utmost clarity and how they influence our lives.
Through practical explanations and examples, the author illustrates how a fixed mindset is responsible for self-sabotaging opportunities, happiness, success, and relationships in life. The points mentioned in this book serve as a wake-up call to recognize our shortcomings and consciously make choices to shift toward a growth mindset. Positive perception, continuous effort, adapting resilience, being patient with the process, seeking help when needed, reframing failures, implementing self-reflection techniques, and celebrating small wins are just a few of the strategies the author discusses for adopting a positive mindset.
I believe that people with their interest in personal development will like this book. It is quite insightful and informative, providing a deeper understanding of the nature of mindsets and how, by applying some actionable steps, we can change our thinking patterns and work toward growth.
Through practical explanations and examples, the author illustrates how a fixed mindset is responsible for self-sabotaging opportunities, happiness, success, and relationships in life. The points mentioned in this book serve as a wake-up call to recognize our shortcomings and consciously make choices to shift toward a growth mindset. Positive perception, continuous effort, adapting resilience, being patient with the process, seeking help when needed, reframing failures, implementing self-reflection techniques, and celebrating small wins are just a few of the strategies the author discusses for adopting a positive mindset.
I believe that people with their interest in personal development will like this book. It is quite insightful and informative, providing a deeper understanding of the nature of mindsets and how, by applying some actionable steps, we can change our thinking patterns and work toward growth.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
In my review of the second book in this series, I mentioned finding it repetitive, but with this third book, I feel the author overcompensated by adding too much to the story. This book picks up right where the second one left off, following the aftermath of a massive storm and exploring its impact on both humans and marine life. While the main plot revolves around Samantha and Peter’s trip to Cuba for the Summer Reef Symposium—where things take a drastic turn, leading them into seemingly inescapable situations (avoiding spoilers here)—it added a thrilling element to the story. The sense of helplessness experienced by Samantha and Peter, combined with the efforts of Charlie, Mark, and Jerry, made for a compelling and well-rounded read.
I also appreciated how this book presents two parallel storylines—Samantha’s and Charlie’s—each contributing significantly to the main plot. Charlie, Runt, and Learner made a great team as they worked to understand and teach the wild broods, ultimately playing a crucial role in the book’s satisfying conclusion. The bond between Samantha and Peter also strengthened, and I can see where it's heading. I’m not usually a fan of romance and wouldn’t have enjoyed it if their relationship had been overly emphasized. However, the author handled it naturally, keeping it minimal and ensuring it didn't overshadow the main storyline.
Overall, this was a fantastic read—more fast-paced than the previous book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated how well the story was executed from beginning to end. I hope the next book maintains the same level of engagement and consistency.
I also appreciated how this book presents two parallel storylines—Samantha’s and Charlie’s—each contributing significantly to the main plot. Charlie, Runt, and Learner made a great team as they worked to understand and teach the wild broods, ultimately playing a crucial role in the book’s satisfying conclusion. The bond between Samantha and Peter also strengthened, and I can see where it's heading. I’m not usually a fan of romance and wouldn’t have enjoyed it if their relationship had been overly emphasized. However, the author handled it naturally, keeping it minimal and ensuring it didn't overshadow the main storyline.
Overall, this was a fantastic read—more fast-paced than the previous book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated how well the story was executed from beginning to end. I hope the next book maintains the same level of engagement and consistency.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
We all have inner saboteurs or an inner critic that sometimes makes us question our choices, decisions, and even doubt ourselves. This book doesn't just generically discuss self-limiting beliefs but remarkably delves into their nature and roots. The author explains how past experiences and societal conditioning contribute to the development of self-limiting beliefs, which often function as self-fulfilling prophecies, leading to low self-esteem, lack of confidence, diminished self-worth, and a fear of failure.
I found the structure of this book very effective and helpful. Through its six chapters, the author explains various ways to identify self-limiting beliefs, their causes, and patterns. The practical and actionable strategies provided in this book make it particularly beneficial for people struggling with self-doubt and low confidence. Strategies like cognitive restructuring and thought analysis, visualization, affirmations, and realistic goal-setting offer tools to combat the inner critic and nurture a growth mindset.
Overall, I liked this book. It is written in a very simple and affirming language, making it easy for readers to connect with. The author creates a safe space to embrace vulnerability while addressing subjective shortcomings, encouraging readers to change their mindset with the provided suggestions and strategies.
I found the structure of this book very effective and helpful. Through its six chapters, the author explains various ways to identify self-limiting beliefs, their causes, and patterns. The practical and actionable strategies provided in this book make it particularly beneficial for people struggling with self-doubt and low confidence. Strategies like cognitive restructuring and thought analysis, visualization, affirmations, and realistic goal-setting offer tools to combat the inner critic and nurture a growth mindset.
Overall, I liked this book. It is written in a very simple and affirming language, making it easy for readers to connect with. The author creates a safe space to embrace vulnerability while addressing subjective shortcomings, encouraging readers to change their mindset with the provided suggestions and strategies.
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Stress is inevitable. Regardless of the path of life we walk on, stress is something that we cannot avoid. In this book, Roc Jane has precisely explained both the negative consequences and the survival benefits of stress. What I liked most about this book is that it doesn't just provide helpful strategies and suggestions to deal with stress but also addresses its roots and causes. This helps readers to strengthen their understanding of stress through psychological, biological, evolutionary, social, and cultural aspects.
I found its simple and straightforward approach very impactful, and its scientific explanation of stress was a standout for me. The crucial roles of cortisol and adrenaline, along with the potential risks of chronic stress, have been thoroughly explained. For stress management, the author has provided practical tools and strategies such as various types of breathing techniques for relaxation, mindfulness, exercise, self-care, and seeking professional support when necessary.
Overall, I liked the way this book is written because it makes a topic like stress management easy to understand, even for people who are new to it. The case studies used provide real-life examples of the nature of stress, which made it easier for me to understand certain topics better. I will recommend this book to beginners who seek to learn about stress management.
I found its simple and straightforward approach very impactful, and its scientific explanation of stress was a standout for me. The crucial roles of cortisol and adrenaline, along with the potential risks of chronic stress, have been thoroughly explained. For stress management, the author has provided practical tools and strategies such as various types of breathing techniques for relaxation, mindfulness, exercise, self-care, and seeking professional support when necessary.
Overall, I liked the way this book is written because it makes a topic like stress management easy to understand, even for people who are new to it. The case studies used provide real-life examples of the nature of stress, which made it easier for me to understand certain topics better. I will recommend this book to beginners who seek to learn about stress management.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Mindfulness is one of the topics that fascinates me the most, and I found Roc Jane’s Mindfulness and Presence very effective for its brief and concise approach. I feel that this book is best suited for people who wish to avoid lengthy books on this topic and learn about mindfulness in the simplest way possible. With its simple and to-the-point language, this book discusses various ways of cultivating awareness and consciousness in day-to-day life by being more present with one's thoughts as well as physical senses.
Written in seven parts, each part highlights important aspects that are crucially significant for integrating mindfulness into life. From mindful breathing, teaching methods, and the steps of meditation, to observing thoughts in a non-judgmental way, overcoming ego patterns, being more compassionate toward oneself and others, and aligning values with one's actions, this book brilliantly educates readers on how they can avoid slipping away into the past or the future and choose to stay grounded in the present.
Written in seven parts, each part highlights important aspects that are crucially significant for integrating mindfulness into life. From mindful breathing, teaching methods, and the steps of meditation, to observing thoughts in a non-judgmental way, overcoming ego patterns, being more compassionate toward oneself and others, and aligning values with one's actions, this book brilliantly educates readers on how they can avoid slipping away into the past or the future and choose to stay grounded in the present.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
After creating a nail-biting premise in the first book with a state-wide power outage that forced people into survival mode during a cold winter, and escalating conspiracy theories in the second book with the spread of a virus and speculations about the forces responsible for it and the attack on the power grid, this third book takes the story a few steps further by uncovering the mystery and addressing questions that pose a threat to national security.
For any book series, it is very important to have consistent character development for its protagonist or main characters, as well as a linear storyline that revolves around them. However, I found this aspect missing in this book. The focus Thom received as the main character in the first book shifts to other characters. In the second book, Dominic took center stage, and in this book, the story is carried forward by Dominic, Commander McGinnis, and Captain Murdock with the LST 325 battleship and armed forces as they fight against a Chinese invasion and work to challenge the high-ranking politicians who aim to strip America of its superpower status.
Although this book was packed with adrenaline-filled action and was as fast-paced as the first two books, I didn't enjoy the genre shift it went through. From being a survival thriller, it transitions into a military thriller. Some important elements—such as the power outage, the virus spread, and the helplessness of ground-level people—were not given the significance and weight they deserved, which could have helped maintain the consistency established in the first two books.
Overall, it was an entertaining and gripping thriller. I assumed the story would conclude with this book, but the way it ended left me anticipating even more. It’s clear there will certainly be a fourth book in this series.
For any book series, it is very important to have consistent character development for its protagonist or main characters, as well as a linear storyline that revolves around them. However, I found this aspect missing in this book. The focus Thom received as the main character in the first book shifts to other characters. In the second book, Dominic took center stage, and in this book, the story is carried forward by Dominic, Commander McGinnis, and Captain Murdock with the LST 325 battleship and armed forces as they fight against a Chinese invasion and work to challenge the high-ranking politicians who aim to strip America of its superpower status.
Although this book was packed with adrenaline-filled action and was as fast-paced as the first two books, I didn't enjoy the genre shift it went through. From being a survival thriller, it transitions into a military thriller. Some important elements—such as the power outage, the virus spread, and the helplessness of ground-level people—were not given the significance and weight they deserved, which could have helped maintain the consistency established in the first two books.
Overall, it was an entertaining and gripping thriller. I assumed the story would conclude with this book, but the way it ended left me anticipating even more. It’s clear there will certainly be a fourth book in this series.
informative
medium-paced
Cafe De Sophia is a kind of conversational book that relies entirely on the dialogue exchanges of its characters rather than a definitive storyline or plot. It has a very simple premise where, one day, Nate comes across Plato at one of the cafes in Paris called Cafe de Sophia and is later introduced to Protagoras, Luqman, Alfred, and Hypatia.
This group of philosophers meets at Cafe de Sophia to discuss various topics such as knowledge, logic, love, personality traits, perfection, justice, and equality. What makes it more interesting is the way they investigate and examine each topic thoroughly with logic and reasoning through Socratic questioning. There's always an argument and a counterargument, followed by a synthesis of their diverse opinions and beliefs.
Even though the writing of this book is quite simple, the conversations can be a bit complex at times to process and reflect on. I also liked the structure of this book and the way it's written. Each chapter covers a certain topic, and readers can read any chapter of their interest without following the sequence.
This book made me realize, with a sense of gratefulness, that I too have certain people in my life who make me feel as if I am at Cafe de Sophia.
This group of philosophers meets at Cafe de Sophia to discuss various topics such as knowledge, logic, love, personality traits, perfection, justice, and equality. What makes it more interesting is the way they investigate and examine each topic thoroughly with logic and reasoning through Socratic questioning. There's always an argument and a counterargument, followed by a synthesis of their diverse opinions and beliefs.
Even though the writing of this book is quite simple, the conversations can be a bit complex at times to process and reflect on. I also liked the structure of this book and the way it's written. Each chapter covers a certain topic, and readers can read any chapter of their interest without following the sequence.
This book made me realize, with a sense of gratefulness, that I too have certain people in my life who make me feel as if I am at Cafe de Sophia.
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In the second book of this series, we follow the story of Samantha, who has started a new chapter of her life by joining college and managing too many things at once while also being an active part of the research on Caribbean reef octopuses and developing diplomatic relations with them. I liked seeing how mutual understanding has been established between humans and the sentient beings of the ocean.
I feel as if this book had too many subplots, which resulted in clouding the main storyline of Charlie and Archimedes learning more about the human world, interactions with adapted wildlings, and Samantha attempting to make them understand how the consequences of global warming are caused by humans. I believe that learning about this will influence Nest's attitude towards humans and their perspective on relationships with them.
What I also feel is that the book's biggest drawback is that it feels repetitive at times. Except for Samantha and Charlie, as a reader, I didn't feel any connection with the other characters. Even their dynamics with one another felt surface-level. Sam's bonds with her brother and her boyfriend, Peter, were explored more in this book, but there's still room for more depth in their characterization.
My favorite part of this book is its ending when things get very intense and serious as a Category Six storm adds an unexpected twist to the story and changes everything. I doubt if things will go back to being normal for Samantha, Charlie, and his nest, or how the nest will perceive humans after realizing the storm is the result of human greed and ignorance regarding the impact of climate change on other animals.
Overall, it was a decent, fast-paced read that sets up anticipation for the next book.
I feel as if this book had too many subplots, which resulted in clouding the main storyline of Charlie and Archimedes learning more about the human world, interactions with adapted wildlings, and Samantha attempting to make them understand how the consequences of global warming are caused by humans. I believe that learning about this will influence Nest's attitude towards humans and their perspective on relationships with them.
What I also feel is that the book's biggest drawback is that it feels repetitive at times. Except for Samantha and Charlie, as a reader, I didn't feel any connection with the other characters. Even their dynamics with one another felt surface-level. Sam's bonds with her brother and her boyfriend, Peter, were explored more in this book, but there's still room for more depth in their characterization.
My favorite part of this book is its ending when things get very intense and serious as a Category Six storm adds an unexpected twist to the story and changes everything. I doubt if things will go back to being normal for Samantha, Charlie, and his nest, or how the nest will perceive humans after realizing the storm is the result of human greed and ignorance regarding the impact of climate change on other animals.
Overall, it was a decent, fast-paced read that sets up anticipation for the next book.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I have a huge respect for the kind of non-fiction books that don't preach but teach, the kind of books that don't force 'how-to' on you but acknowledge the shortcomings of an individual and give a safe space to be aware of their 'why.' Mastering Flow by Nils Salzgeber is one such book for me that has gained my admiration for its intelligent and scholarly writing.
This book discusses 'Flow' based on empirical data and studies that have been conducted on the optimal performance state/Flow. What makes this book exceptionally good is its cohesive structure and how heavily it is backed by research. As a PhD research scholar in Psychology, I am impressed by the hundreds of studies it has referenced to present a compelling and thought-provoking walkthrough for scientifically understanding the concept of 'Flow.'
The canonical work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi serves as a foundation for every research that has been or will ever be conducted on this topic, but the author takes it a step further by integrating a pragmatic and intellectual approach. The book is systematically broken down into three parts: the first part provides the background, nature, and characteristics of Flow by presenting the suitable conditions for a flow-conducive environment. The second part covers the potential benefits and risks of the flow state by providing real-life examples of athletes who achieved success in their respective fields and also how this flow state resulted in the deaths of many. The third part takes an expository approach where the author presents some practical ways that can be beneficial to create a flow-conducive environment or state.
I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this book, which felt like a learning experience, especially the first part, which was dense with the information and studies it discussed. This isn't the kind of book that one should 'binge-read' or rush through because the ideas and concepts discussed and offered are heavy to process intellectually. As a reader, one should read-pause-process-resume this book in order to truly comprehend and implement what it has to offer. Again, this isn't one of those 'how-to' books, but this book is like an instrument or 'power' of self-awareness that the author hands over to you, and you must decide how to use it or simply keep it with you.
Highly recommended for people who struggle with focus and concentration because they will get to know the science of 'why' behind it and practical ways to improve it. Also recommended for people who have read ‘Deep Work’ and ‘Indistractable’ or for those who prefer reading research-based non-fiction over forced 'self-help' books.
This book discusses 'Flow' based on empirical data and studies that have been conducted on the optimal performance state/Flow. What makes this book exceptionally good is its cohesive structure and how heavily it is backed by research. As a PhD research scholar in Psychology, I am impressed by the hundreds of studies it has referenced to present a compelling and thought-provoking walkthrough for scientifically understanding the concept of 'Flow.'
The canonical work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi serves as a foundation for every research that has been or will ever be conducted on this topic, but the author takes it a step further by integrating a pragmatic and intellectual approach. The book is systematically broken down into three parts: the first part provides the background, nature, and characteristics of Flow by presenting the suitable conditions for a flow-conducive environment. The second part covers the potential benefits and risks of the flow state by providing real-life examples of athletes who achieved success in their respective fields and also how this flow state resulted in the deaths of many. The third part takes an expository approach where the author presents some practical ways that can be beneficial to create a flow-conducive environment or state.
I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this book, which felt like a learning experience, especially the first part, which was dense with the information and studies it discussed. This isn't the kind of book that one should 'binge-read' or rush through because the ideas and concepts discussed and offered are heavy to process intellectually. As a reader, one should read-pause-process-resume this book in order to truly comprehend and implement what it has to offer. Again, this isn't one of those 'how-to' books, but this book is like an instrument or 'power' of self-awareness that the author hands over to you, and you must decide how to use it or simply keep it with you.
Highly recommended for people who struggle with focus and concentration because they will get to know the science of 'why' behind it and practical ways to improve it. Also recommended for people who have read ‘Deep Work’ and ‘Indistractable’ or for those who prefer reading research-based non-fiction over forced 'self-help' books.