Review: The 4% Fix

Title: The 4% Fix
Author: Karma Brown
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Audiobook
Release Date: December 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

How to find guilt-free time for what you really want to do, and why it matters

Do you feel like you’re always busy, even as your to-do list continues to grow?

Do you think you can’t keep up as it is, let alone add another thing to your plate?

An award-winning journalist, avid reader and new mom, Karma Brown dreamed of writing her first novel. But between diapers and tight deadlines, how could she? Like so many of us, she felt stretched taut and hyper-scheduled, her time a commodity over which she had lost control. For Brown, the answer to this problem was to rise earlier every day and use that time to write. Although she experienced missteps along the way, after committing to her alarm clock and an online community of early risers, she completed a debut novel that became a national bestseller.

In The 4% Fix, Karma Brown reveals the latest research about time management and goal-setting and shares strategies that have worked for her as well as for others. Refreshingly, her jargon-free approach doesn’t include time-tracking spreadsheets, tips on how to squeeze in yoga exercises while cooking dinner, or methods that add bulk to those never-ending lists.

How will you use this one hour—only 4% of your day—to change your life?

Review:

In the 4% Fix, bestselling author Karma Brown tells her secret to success. She gets up early in the morning and uses that early hour to write. An hour of your day is 4%, so if you get up an hour earlier every day, you can use that hour to write or complete any hobby or task that you want to get done, but can’t find time during your regular day. That hour can be used for any project or skill, not just writing.

The arguments against the 4% fix were also described in this book. Some people say “I don’t have time,” so that’s why you get up an hour early and use that time for your task or project. I’m guilty of arguing, “I’ll be too tired.” The solution to that is to go to sleep an hour earlier. I’m a night owl, so it’s difficult for me to get to sleep earlier, however I do notice an increase in my productivity when I do get up earlier in the morning.

I listened to the audiobook edition of this book. The conversational style made it feel like a friend was telling me her tips and tricks to success. There were interesting anecdotes about Karma’s life and examples of other successful people, which proved how these strategies can turn you into a success.

The 4% Fix is a great read for anyone who wants to find some “extra” time in their day!

Thank you HarperAudio for providing a copy of this book.

Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown

Have you read The 4% Fix? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – January 17

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished The 4% Fix by Karma Brown.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Maid by Nita Prose.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap Up – January 16

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 6 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… Compass to Vinland

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading Compass to Vinland by Dani Resh.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Wren Larkin has a lot of things working against him-too tall, too thin, and living in a house that looks like an old boot. His only friends are a group of noisy crows that are always bringing him random trinkets. Needless to say, he’s not the most popular kid in town.

But things change when a girl named Maria moves to town and instantly befriends Wren. She continues to do the unexpected when she defends Rusty, the resident bad boy, who might not be as rebellious as Wren thought. Wren learns that it isn’t just coincidence that brought the three of them together when he discovers a shoe workshop under the heel of his house that’s holding-or hiding–three pairs of magical shoes intended for each of them.

When strangers arrive on Wren’s doorstep looking for the shoes, Wren and his new companions have no choice but to flee to Underfoot, an underground settlement full of magical creatures. In just a matter of days, Wren is immersed into a whole new reality that’ll take him on an incredible journey and reveal a lineage that might be better left secret.

What book are you in bed with today?

Review: Monday’s Not Coming

Title: Monday’s Not Coming
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 22, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

Review:

Monday and Claudia have always been inseparable. When Monday doesn’t show up for their first day of eighth grade, Claudia knows something is wrong. Their friendship was deeper than anyone knew. Monday would defend Claudia from bullies and rumors, and helped her keep her grades up. When Claudia asks her mom, Monday’s sister, and the school staff for help, they all brush her off. No one helps Claudia on her search, so she has to take matters into her own hands.

I’ve heard a lot about this book over the past couple of years. It has recently been banned by some school boards in the United States. The story itself was entertaining and suspenseful, but it also has an important message within it. This story shows the dark side of childhood, with many children left behind by the systems that are meant to protect them.

The premise and plot of this book were intriguing but it was put together in an intricate story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it, and I couldn’t read the story fast enough. This was one of those special stories where after learning the ending, you can flip through the book to see where all the clues and breadcrumbs (as Claudia’s mom would say) left a trail throughout the story. It truly is a masterpiece of a plot.

Monday’s Not Coming should be required reading for everyone.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Have you read Monday’s Not Coming? What did you think of it?

Review: My Contrary Mary (Mary #1)

Title: My Contrary Mary (Mary #1)
Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Audiobook
Release Date: June 22, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?

Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.⠀

Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.

Review:

Mary Queen of Scots has a secret. She’s secretly an Eðian (a shapeshifter), who can turn into a mouse. Her best friend, and betrothed, Francis knows her secret and is keeping it for her. However, when Francis’s father, the King of France, dies suddenly, Francis is put on the throne. Francis and Mary have to navigate this political world, while also facing supernatural threats.

This book is the first in a trilogy which continues from The Lady Janies books. One thing that I love about these books about historical figures is that they alter history to have the outcome everyone wants. There are some things in Mary’s real life story that I would have liked to be different, and they were written that way in this story.

I love the hilarious narrators with clever references. There were numerous references to the TV show Reign, which was about Mary Queen of Scots. I learned a lot of that history from the show. There were many references to the show that weren’t necessarily historically accurate, such as characters who didn’t really exist, but I loved how that show was tied into the story. There were also jokes about modern day things which were hilarious. One character who could see the future would have visions of movies or inventions from our time. The characters in the story didn’t understand, but it was a hilarious break from history in this story.

I listened to the audiobook edition of this book and I loved it! The jokes were so fun to listen to. I highly recommend this austiobook.

My Contrary Mary is a great historical retelling!

Thank you HarperCollins Audio for providing a copy of this book.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Reign: The Prophecy by Lily Blake

Have you read My Contrary Mary? What did you think of it?

Review: The Annual Migration of Clouds

Title: The Annual Migration of Clouds
Author: Premee Mohamed
Genre: Science Fiction, Novella
Publisher: ECW Press
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Rating: ★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In post-climate disaster Alberta, a woman infected with a mysterious parasite must choose whether to pursue a rare opportunity far from home or stay and help rebuild her community.

The world is nothing like it once was: climate disasters have wracked the continent, causing food shortages, ending industry, and leaving little behind. Then came Cad, mysterious mind-altering fungi that invade the bodies of the now scattered citizenry. Reid, a young woman who carries this parasite, has been given a chance to get away – to move to one of the last remnants of pre-disaster society – but she can’t bring herself to abandon her mother and the community that relies on her.

When she’s offered a coveted place on a dangerous and profitable mission, she jumps at the opportunity to set her family up for life, but how can Reid ask people to put their trust in her when she can’t even trust her own mind?

Review:

Many years in the future, the world has faced climate disasters, resulting in food shortages and parasite diseases. Reid lives with her mom, and both of them are infected with Cad, a parasite that tries to control what they do with their bodies. When Reid is accepted to a university in one of the only preserved cities left, she’s eager to leave. Most of the people in their community are proud of Reid, but her mother is suspicious of this too-good-to-be-true offer. Reid has to figure out how to make sure her mom is taken care of while she’s gone, while also contemplating if she should leave her mom and the community.

This story has a disturbing look at what the future could look like. They didn’t have any of the conveniences we take advantage of, including available food and running water. There had been viruses that had killed people, and Reid was currently infected with a parasite. This story had a creepy possible future that could happen if we don’t look after the planet.

I predicted the way this story ended fairly early on. It was a literary style book, and it had an open ending. I didn’t get the closure that I wanted. I would have loved to see this story continue because I want to know what happens next, though I know that’s the style of the story.

The Annual Migration of Clouds is a creepy dystopia story.

Gutter Child by Jael Richardson

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Have you read The Annual Migration of Clouds? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – January 13

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

@doctorfusionbebop: Some 17 y. o. chick named Dee Guerrera was just sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for killing her stepsister. So, how long do you think she’ll last? 

@morrisdavis72195: I hope she meets justice! She’ll get what’s coming to her! BWAHAHA!

@EltonJohnForevzz: Me? I think Dee’s innocent. And I hope she can survive.

WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0. 

When seventeen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one?

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Blog Tour Review: The Siren of Sussex

Title: The Siren of Sussex
Author: Mimi Matthews
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 11, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

Review:

Evelyn Maltravers goes to London to stay with her uncle for her first season, but she doesn’t have high expectations for marriage after her sister’s scandal. Her goal is to make a name for herself as a horseback rider. She goes to the half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik, who is known for designing the riding habits for the Pretty Horsebreakers of Rotten Row, to make her habit. Ahmad is an up-and-coming tailor, but he isn’t willing to cross boundaries with his wealthy clients to get ahead. However, when he meets Evelyn everything changes. There are many societal expectations that stand in their way, but Evelyn and Ahmad need to find a way to be together.

This story wasn’t a typical Victorian romance. I haven’t seen many Victorian romances that address racism the way this one did. Ahmad was half-Indian and working class. Many people made racist comments to him, and expected different things from him due to his race. Even Evelyn made inappropriate comments to him, though she didn’t realize it at the time. Though Ahmad had to deal with all of this racism, he had more opportunities than most people in his situation would have had in reality.

This was a slow romance, but I enjoyed it. There were some entertaining subplots, such as Ahmad’s business and Evelyn’s uncle’s fascination with spiritualism. These subplots added to the story and set up some possible themes for future books in the series.

The Siren of Sussex is a great Victorian romance!

Thank you Berkley for providing a copy of this book.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden

About the author:

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on theVictorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, and two Siamese cats. Learn more online atmimimatthews.com.

Have you read The Siren of Sussex? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – January 12

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Only a Monster by Vanessa Len. The expected publication date is February 22, 2022.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

With the sweeping romance of Passenger and the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song, this standout YA contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, is the first in a planned trilogy.

It should have been the perfect summer. Sent to stay with her late mother’s eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her nerdy job at the historic Holland House, and when her super cute co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place.

But she soon learns the truth. Her family aren’t just eccentric: they’re monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers. And Nick isn’t just a cute boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to bring them down.

As she battles Nick, Joan is forced to work with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates her own. She’ll have to embrace her own monstrousness if she is to save herself, and her family. Because in this story . . .

. . . she is not the hero.

What books are you waiting on this week?