Instant Happy Journal

A review by Spencer

Breathe. Let it be what it is, rather than what you think it should be.

I instantly fell in love with this Instant Happy Journal!

I’ve enjoyed journaling since I was a child. Through my teen years my journals were mostly comprised of spiral notebooks, because store-bought diaries/journals were designed for daily writing, with the dates prominently displayed at the top of the page. This was intimidating, because sometimes, I simply didn’t have anything to say. The result was few entries in a book of mostly empty pages. Wasting all that space was discouraging.

View your life with Kindsight. Instead of slapping your forehead and asking, “What was I thinking?” pause and ask the kinder question: “What was I learning?”

Now, even though this book has “365 days of inspiration, gratitude, and joy” on the cover, I’m able to fill in whatever date I want at the top of each page. The first page can be September 22, and the next entry can be October 30. No skipped pages, no wasted space, no disappointment.

Reasons I love this journal:

     ·      Bright and colorful cover and page borders

     ·      Sturdy lined pages (it’s a thicker book than I’d imagined)

     ·       Each page gives a happy prompt

     ·      It’s as energizing as my morning coffee

     ·      Interactive and thought-provoking

     ·      It simply makes me happy. J

My favorite feature of this journal is that it also serves as a memory book, safekeeping a treasure trove of remembrances I can revisit through the years.

Reminder! Exhaustion should not be confused with calm. Give yourself time to truly relax.

Instant Happy Journal is such an appropriate title. It’s a great way to start each morning, finding joy, appreciation, and gratitude in every day life.

 Book Rating:

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BloggingForBooks has provided me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

instant Happy journal by Karen Salmansohn

A review by Abi

"Weird is the new awesome. What's something weird about you—that you love?"

Who wouldn't love this book simply by reading that excerpt?

I don’t know about you, but, I certainly would like a bit of instant happiness. This journal makes one smile. How? By starting each day with what the author calls a "happiness prompter."

Here are a few examples:

"Within every challenge is a lesson to learn, a blessing to keep. Give it time, an open mind, and an open heart."

"It is what it is. But you have the power to turn it into an isn't so bad."

"Be a DJ of your thoughts. Play happy thoughts. And dance a happy dance."

And my favorite:

"A MESSAGE FROM YOUR FUTURE SELF: Pssst…It will all be okay. Breathe. Enjoy this quirky journey of life you are on."

Each page of this book reveals a new thought, encouragement, or prompt. There's ample space to expand on the prompt, or simply journal your day's journey.

I will certainly keep this journal beside my bed…or maybe in my purse, as the size is small enough to do so. That way I can write whenever I wish.

Disclosure of Material Connection in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: BloggingForBooks has provided me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Rating:

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Reservations for Two

 A review by Abi

I hesitated. In my hands I held my grandmother's letters. I felt strange removing them from the house without telling Sandrine, but a part of me worried about her response. Without much self-examination, I knew I would smuggle them out of the country under my clothes or behind the suitcase lining if I had to.~Excerpt from Reservations for Two.

I haven’t read the first book in this series, but to tell the truth, I didn't even know I was starting in the middle of a series until the end, because Reservations for Two held its own as a stand-alone. I was immediately drawn in to the story, and not for a moment feel like I missed a thing by not reading the first book.

I love the travel element and the recipes are a nice surprise as well. Boy, did they make me want to go to my kitchen and start trying them. What a great idea!

Jules' growth throughout the story is apparent through her long-distance relationship with Neil. To add to all this yummy recipe-laden, growth and romance is the unexpected intrigue when Jules finds her Grand-Mere's letters from years ago. Jules past and eventual future unfolds and somehow the author makes it all tie together at the end.

I mentioned of Jules' growth earlier, and I want to assure you the character development is well written and believable.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, travel romance or mystery, because the author did a great job of combining these in Reservations for Two.

                                      Book Rating:

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Disclosure of Material Connection in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: BloggingForBooks has provided me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Reservations for Two

A review by Spencer

“Oh,” I breathed as the lid raised without argument and revealed its contents. Letters. Bundles and bundles of letters.

Reservations for Two, book two in the Two Blue Doors series by Hillary Manton Lodge, fares well as a stand-alone. (I have not read book one, A Table by the Window.)

The main character, Juliette D’Alisa, is an interesting, instantly likable character. I understood her struggles and cared where they took her. I also found her relationship with Neil interesting and unique.  

If you’re a foodie, or a traveler, or a lover of Inspy fiction or romance, you’ll love this book. It’s a full course story, with flavorful characters who struggle to find balance in life and love. There are also recipes scattered throughout that tempt even a reluctant cook to drag out her seldom-used kitchenware. (Heh heh.)

I love that this story involves delicious descriptions that sweep me into a journey through Europe, and letters that take me back to the WWII era.

Hillary Manton Lodge is a solid writer with intriguing characters and unique storylines I care about. I plan to go back and read the first book in the story and look forward to the release of the final installment in this trilogy!

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Page Count: 320

Purchase Link: Amazon

Book Rating:

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Disclosure of Material Connection in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: BloggingForBooks has provided me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.