BLOG TOUR: The Double - Ann Gosslin

 

Following a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Vidor Kiraly, a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge don, is sent to an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps.

When the clinic’s director, Anton Gessen, tries in vain to unearth the missing pieces of Vidor’s life, he suspects his reluctant patient is not who he appears to be. After one of the patients at the clinic goes missing, Gessen has reason to doubt Vidor’s self-proclaimed innocence. But what is he hiding, and who might be next?

What did I think?

The Double is a very unusual psychological thriller, focussing more on the psychological aspect of the workings of the brain rather than fast-paced thrills.  Although the pacing is rather slow it was nice to just to relax in the stunning virtual environment of the Swiss Alps and immerse myself in the soothing and mesmeric writing of Ann Gosslin.  

Vidor Kiraly is a very interesting main character and I suspected from the very first chapter that there was more to him than meets the eye.  He may seem confident but underneath he is clearly insecure and seeking validation; and that's not all that is lurking beneath the surface.  After having some kind of psychotic break, Vidor is sent to a psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps to be assessed by Dr Anton Gessen.

I really enjoyed Dr Gessen's sessions with Vidor.  Dr Gessen is like a detective wearing kid gloves, gently probing Vidor's mind to try to ascertain whether diminished responsibility is a valid claim for Vidor's violence.  I found the use of aroma to evoke memories really interesting; it's so true that a smell from your past can transport you through time and space to a forgotten place.

Dr Gessen and Vidor prove worthy adversaries as one tries to uncover the truth and the other tries to remain one step ahead.  Tension and suspense mounts like snow falling flake by flake on the Alps and an ominous feeling descended over me in the latter half of the book as the pacing picked up speed.  

Atmospheric and mesmerising, The Double is a literary study of the mind and all its foibles.  It may be a slow burner but it constantly simmers and boils with the underlying threat of explosion.  I enjoyed it but it's perhaps a book that will appeal more to the discerning reader who likes to explore the intricate workings of the human mind.  

Many thanks to Legend Press for sending me an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

Hysteria (The Alexander Gregory Thrillers Book 2) - LJ Ross

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DCI RYAN MYSTERIES

In a beautiful world, murder is always ugly…

Recently returned from his last case in Ireland, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the French police that he can’t ignore. It’s Paris fashion week and some of the world’s most beautiful women are turning up dead, their faces slashed in a series of frenzied attacks while the world’s press looks on.

Amidst the carnage, one victim has survived but she’s too traumatised to talk. Without her help, the police are powerless to stop the killer before he strikes again – can Gregory unlock the secrets of her mind, before it’s too late?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Parisian landscape.

What did I think?

Whenever I recommend books, one author springs to mind time and time again: LJ Ross.  As much as I love the DCI Ryan series, I'm really enjoying the Alexander Gregory books and Hysteria is the second instalment of that series.  Don't worry if you haven't read Imposter though; Hysteria works very well as a standalone.

Alexander Gregory is a forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, delving into the dark and murky depths of some twisted human minds.  His latest case sees him helping the Parisian police when a model is attacked in her hotel room.  The victim has been unable to speak since her attack and nobody else saw the perpetrator so the police are completely baffled.  Only the skill of Dr Gregory will reveal what truly happened behind that locked door.

Hysteria is well named as it felt like my brain was being put through the wringer whilst I was reading.  I was struggling to see how some parts of the story fit and couldn't for the life of me work out where the story was heading.  It's not my first LJ Ross book though, so I knew that everything was there for a reason.  All I'll say is well played, LJ Ross.  Very well played indeed.

The setting of Paris fit well with the modelling story but I've never been to Paris so I'm not familiar with the various arrondissements.  It is clear that the author knows the area well, but maybe too well as I couldn't really conjure a vivid picture of the setting in my mind.  Not that it bothered me too much, as I was more interested in the storyline than the Parisian sights.  Something else to note in relation to the setting, there are a couple of phrases in French that some people might have difficulty with.  I grasped most of it but anyone who hasn't studied French will struggle.  Don't let it put you off though; just remember, that's what Google Translate is for.

Hysteria is a real mind-bender; it's a slick and clever mystery filled with shocks, surprises and Parisian style.  Although it hasn't knocked Imposter off my Alexander Gregory number one spot, I really enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Red Book - Davide Cortellucci

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THOUGHTS.

Martin’s life as he knows it has turned upside-down, and he decides to embark on a trip to give sense to his existence. Via coincidences and fabricated non-coincidences, he finds a group of people that helps him enhance the power of his thoughts to modify the physical world around him.

In a journey within a journey, Martin discovers the powers of visualisation and its pull.  And he acknowledges why he’s flooded by negative feelings when he’s close to certain people.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE ENEMIES.

Unless Martin finds the strength within himself to fight, he and everyone around him will cease to exist.

What did I think?

I have always said that I read anything except sci-fi but I was intrigued by the synopsis of The Red Book, which is officially in the science fiction genre.  I have to change that statement now as I rather enjoyed The Red Book and, it being the first in a trilogy, I'm looking forward to reading more.  The Red Book concludes very nicely though, as there's no cliffhanger ending which often leaves me unsatisfied until the next book comes along.

The main character is a young man from London called Martin Cloud who is given a red book by Professor Conti, one of his customers in the coffee shop where he works.  After a devastating event, Martin decides to go travelling and takes the red book with him.  When he begins his journey his eye catches a girl at the station and he glimpses her several times during his journey.  I love this twist of fate;  how two unrelated people take the same journey and run into each other several times.  On his travels he meets an American named Chuck and he finally catches up with Maria, the girl that fate has chosen for him.

Unbeknown to him, or perhaps more unacknowledged by him, Martin has a gift of visualisation and can turn his thoughts into reality.  He is drawn to a similar group of people led by Caesar, who reminded me of a cross between Yoda and Professor X, where he is taught to control his gift.  Martin has to undergo some rigorous training as a group of Sinisters are intent on destroying Caesar's group and a fight between good and evil must begin.

The Red Book is a very well written book, especially considering that English is not Davide Cortellucci's first language.  There are a few hints that this is so, coincidentally with 'a few' being one of them as Davide uses 'few' instead.  This isn't a criticism at all, more of a quirk, and for it to be the only one I noticed is remarkable.

I loved reading about how we are affected by our thoughts and how people can get inside our head and change our mood, although this was in a sci-fi setting you can easily relate this to things that happen in real life.  The Red Book is a really good introduction to the sci-fi genre for me, I think more so because I consider Star Wars and X-Men among my favourite films.  With the visualisation reminding me of Yoda and the gifted group fighting evil reminiscent of the X-Men, this book really was more my kind of thing than I expected.

Real life challenges mixed with super-human powers make The Red Book an action packed thrill a minute.  Real life makes it sad at times but where there is negative there is positive so it is also hopeful; ultimately, The Red Book is extremely thought-provoking.  Thanks to Davide Cortellucci's The Red Book, the sci-fi genre can consider my head officially turned.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Davide Cortellucci is a writer and the author of The Red Book. He has spent the last few years working on an unnamed trilogy, friendly referred by him as Little Yellow Rubber Duck. The Red Book is the first book in the trilogy. He was born on the 25th of July 1978 in Belgium, to Italian immigrant parents. He grew up in Belgium, Italy, and in London, UK. Davide has done several jobs, from waiter to inventories, from sound engineering in shows to events manager, and many more. Davide is a college dropout with a couple of creative writing courses on his back. He has spent many years travelling around Europe, learning about cultures, and keeping an interest in the power of the mind. Davide loves writing stories that awaken the epic feeling within the reader. He now lives in South East London with his partner, he's curious about life, and he also makes a great pasta sauce.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D.CortellucciAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.cortellucci/

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Silent Winter - Maggie James

No sound.  No light.  No hope.

On an icy November night, Drew Blackmore is beaten unconscious, then abducted.  He awakes to find himself in total darkness, naked and chained to the floor.  Fed just enough to keep him alive, Drew is unable to identify his captor, or the reason for his incarceration. As reality fades, hallucinations take over. Can Drew escape his prison before madness claims him?

Meanwhile Drew's wife, Holly, despairing of ever seeing him again, turns to his brother for comfort. As the worst winter in decades sweeps the UK, she learns of Drew's tragic past. Could his disappearance be connected with that of a prostitute years before?

A story of how the mind responds to solitary confinement, Silent Winter examines one man's desperate attempt to survive the unthinkable.

What did I think?

Who knew Maggie James had such a dark and twisted imagination?  Maggie James' new novel, Silent Winter, is so very dark, especially in contrast to the crisp white snow on the cover.  It's a book that doesn't so much get under your skin as worm its way into your brain due to the fascinating subject matter of solitary confinement.

When Holly's husband, Drew, doesn't return home from work one night she knows something is seriously wrong and calls Drew's brother, Todd.  Todd thinks Drew has just gone for a few drinks to blow off steam and will return home full of remorse the following day.  When Drew doesn't return and the days turn to weeks they wonder whether Drew has walked away from his marriage voluntarily.

Meanwhile, the reader is party to the secret of Drew's abduction.  As if it isn't bad enough to be kept in a makeshift prison, Drew is deprived of sights and sounds; he is kept in the dark and his captor doesn't utter a word to him.  Drew has no idea why he has been targeted and there are several threads to untangle before the reader can even find that out.

There are so many layers to this story that kept my eyes glued to the page: Holly and Drew's marriage, Holly and Todd's history, Todd and Drew's dark family secret and the captor's motivation.  Most of all, I was fascinated by the sensory deprivation that Drew suffered in captivity.  It was interesting to see how the brain reacts to such things and I wondered how long I would last without stimulation; probably not long at all if I had no books!

Silent Winter is an outstanding book that reminds me of a boxing match; it packs a big punch at the beginning, keeps the reader on their toes throughout until the final knockout blow at the end.  Maggie James has really raised the bar in the psychological thriller genre with this exceptional and unforgettable book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Maggie James is a British author who lives near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She writes psychological suspense novels.

Before turning her hand to writing, Maggie worked mainly as an accountant, with a diversion into practising as a nutritional therapist. Diet and health remain high on her list of interests, along with travel. Accountancy does not, but then it never did. The urge to pack a bag and go off travelling is always lurking in the background! When not writing, going to the gym, practising yoga or travelling, Maggie can be found seeking new four-legged friends to pet; animals are a lifelong love!

Social media links:

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-James-Fiction/191644207648375

https://www.facebook.com/MJamesFiction/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjamesfiction

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/maggie-james/64/381/727

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/828751.Maggie_James

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/maggiejamesfict/

Amazon: https://author.to/MJF)

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-james

Maggie James – psychological suspense novelist

Website and blog: www.maggiejamesfiction.com

Facebook: Maggie James Fiction

Twitter: @mjamesfiction

Amazon: Maggie James

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Nightmare Scenario - Hazel Clarke

Eighteen-year-old Gracie Thrace has a secret. 

Four months ago she started to hear voices that force her to carry out frightening scenarios. With her father abroad and her relationship with her high-powered mother strained, Gracie has no one to turn to for solace. 

When a new voice called Kai materialises, Gracie finds herself attached to his kindness. Kai offers the support Gracie craves, but how can she possibly let herself fall for someone who isn't real? 

Set in 2047 London, Nightmare Scenario is a complex and touching love story that explores the stigma around mental illness and offers a daunting prediction of the future where technology infiltrates every part of society.

What did I think?

Set in a future where I'll be 73 years old, if I'm still alive, Nightmare Scenario is something a little outside my comfort zone and I chose to read it to support Mental Health Awareness Week.  I have been flirting with the dystopian and fantasy genres recently and now having read Nightmare Scenario, I'm fully committed to exploring more from these genres as I absolutely loved it.  Yay!  More books to add to my TBR!

I loved the character of 18 year old Gracie Thrace, a young woman just starting university and living in a day and age where android housemaids are commonplace in many households.  Gracie doesn't have much of a family life; her father is very absent, as he fights terrorism abroad, and her mother is a prominent figure in the most successful company in the world, IrukaTech.  IrukaTech make and control the Hourglasses that are permanently installed on wrists of every citizen.  Hourglasses are multi-functional devices like a mobile phone; they are a flashlight, a phone and a tracking device.  Whereas we can choose who can track us on our mobile phones, the police and IrukaTech can track every single person in 2047 and that's not the only level of control they are applying.  

A mind altering drug called Hydrobliss is being tested and has secretly been given to four human test subjects.  The drug causes schizophrenia and voices in your head that create challenges called nightmare scenarios that must be completed every single night at sunset.  The Hydrobliss subjects are unaware that this is an IrukaTech experiment so you never know who might be watching and taking notes.

Gracie hears three voices in her head: Psyche, Eros and Terry (I'm not sure where Terry comes from but Psyche and Eros are from Greek mythology).  I love this homage to Greek mythology where Psyche had to complete challenges to win back her husband, Eros (aka Cupid in classical mythology).  The introduction of a fourth voice throws Gracie into turmoil as she falls in love with Kai, a voice who seems to be completely on her side unlike the mischievous and sadistic other three.  How can you have feelings for a voice in your head?  Hold that thought, as I have a feeling it will come back into play in the next instalment of the Scenario Series.

Wow!  Just WOW!  I abso-blooming-lutely loved this book!  Hazel Clarke takes the reader on quite a scary ride in her inventive, imaginative, thought provoking and scarily realistic debut.  A cross between The Hunger Games and 1984, Nightmare Scenario is set to be an absolute classic.  It is such a stunning, visionary book and I am totally gobsmacked that Hazel Clarke wrote this when she was 19 years old.  I'm a little torn between wanting to find out what happens next and leaving it at its pretty perfect ending, but who am I kidding?  I will definitely be first in the queue for Book 2.  A very highly recommended read, even if it's not a book you would usually pick up.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




Follow the tour:

Pavlov's Dog: And 49 Other Experiments That Revolutionised Psychology - Adam Hart-Davis

Experimental psychology burst onto the intellectual scene in the middle part of the nineteenth century, radically transforming the way we understand human thought and behavior.

Featuring clear explanations and first-rate scholarship, Pavlov’s Dog introduces the reader to iconic experiments, including Pavlov’s salivating dogs, Bandura’s Bobo doll experiments, Milgram’s obedience studies and Zimbardo’s classic Stanford prison experiment. In each case, context, procedure, results and implications are carefully considered, allowing the reader to gain a strong sense of psychology as a living, breathing endeavour.

What did I think?

I just have to say first that I love the graph paper cover; it made me want to get out my pencil and ruler and plot some charts!  I also love the funky images that you can see at the top of the cover, they are replicated throughout the book and reminded me of Monty Python's Flying Circus.  The cover actually says a lot about the style of the book: it's science made fun by Adam Hart-Davis.

I've always had a keen interest in psychology and I think there's nothing more interesting than finding out how the human mind works.  I hadn't heard of Pavlov's Dog before reading the book but that is only one of the many amazing experiments that Adam Hart-Davis describes in bite-sized pieces.  The book is written in chronological order with experiments grouped into six parts so you can see how psychology has evolved throughout the ages.   

I not only found myself intrigued by the experiments, but I saw myself in so many of them.  Anyone who knows me will have heard me mentioning space invaders at one time or another.  No, not the video game but those people who stand TOO CLOSE!  Felipe and Sommer studied invasions into personal space in their 1966 experiment so I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in 'moving along the bench' when my space is invaded.

Another experiment that intrigued me was the peer pressure test conducted by Asch in 1956.  I remember going on a management course not long after I had read a psychology book (for fun, as you do).  The trainer conducted an experiment whereby he stated three facts about himself and asked the group which one was a lie.  The group's answers were split between two of the facts, whereas I was the only person who chose the fact that was actually the lie.  The psychology book I read had told me how to identify a lie but the point is that mine was the only answer that differed to the whole group.  Perhaps some of my colleagues agreed with my choice, but succumbed to peer pressure and went with the majority as Asch's study concluded.

So if you've ever wondered why you can't tickle yourself or wanted to know how you can hear with your eyes, this is the book for you.  It's a fascinating introduction to psychology for those new to the science, but also a fantastic reference guide to the main experiments that have shaped psychology into the science we know today.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Strip Naked and Redress with Happiness - Maria Hocking

Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness is a handbook not only for surviving adversity, but for discovering how to thrive as a result. Maria Hocking’s own inspiring personal story is woven throughout the book, accompanied by ‘changing room tips’ - tools and techniques to help you understand your emotions and behaviours, and move through personal challenge. You’ll discover that ‘getting naked’ – losing what you used to take for granted - is an opportunity to let go of who you thought you were, and find out who you really are.

Enter the changing room to change your mind and your life. Maria is walking, talking, pen pushing proof that these tips work, because she used them to change her own life. Within every challenge lies a gift, just waiting to be discovered: this book will open your eyes to help you find it, and discover a higher level of happiness as a result.

What did I think?

I defy anyone not to be inspired by Maria Hocking's story.  Oh my word!  However bad you think your life is, just be grateful you haven't had to limp in Maria's shoes.  It was a rather sobering experience to read Maria's story as, at the time of reading, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.  I just have to look at Maria's smiling face on the back of the book to give me a lift now.

Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness, through excellent concise exercises, gives you the tools to be able to look inside yourself and go back to basics.  Just look at a child playing with an empty cardboard box and see how happy they are...take off your many layers of cynicism, negativity and self-doubt and go into the changing room to Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness.

I'm not going to say that Maria's book changed my life the minute that I finished reading it as this is a book to go back to again and again, along with the resources available on Maria's website.  It has, however, changed the way that I think with simple exercises such as my favourite: random acts of kindness.  Have you ever noticed how contagious a smile is?  I've certainly noticed how contagious a bad mood is and, to my shame, I can see the mood of others around me changing to reflect my dark aura.

A sobering thought came towards the end of the book: "life is far too short to just exist" and if you take nothing else away from this book, take that one thought.  We only get one life so don't waste it by being unhappy, you have the power to change it with Maria's help, of course.

Think of Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness as a guidebook to life and you'll live a much fuller, happier life by using it.  I know that my copy will be constantly within my sight and hopefully soon I will have a smile as true as Maria's.  Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness  in one sentence: an enlightening quick read with huge rewards.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest an unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Happiness Millionaire - Janet Jones

Get ready to be a Happiness Millionaire and change your life forever.

Are you struggling to reach your potential, believing there is more to life but don’t know how to change it?

Perhaps you are feeling unconfident, unfulfilled or even a little vulnerable?

Chances are you’re suffering from a poverty mindset, born out of fear. You’re not alone. In fact, I used to feel the same way. Like you, I was stuck, struggling with life. And, through discovering 13 time-tested life principles and creating powerful visual imagery, I discovered how to turn my life around and achieve a R.I.C.H life—

Relationships, Income, Confidence, Health.

In short, I became a Happiness Millionaire, and now it’s your turn!

Through my workshops, I’ve helped people just like you break through to a R.I.C.H. mindset and a fulfilling life. And now, the transformative power of the 13-positive images from the workshops are available to you in this book, to work through at your own pace. Take the journey they offer and move towards that worthy goal for which we are all striving: happiness.

What did I think?

How very brave of Janet Jones to share her story with us and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am that she did.  It sounds easy but I think it is a difficult question to ask yourself - are you happy?  If you have to think about the answer, then chances are you are not.  I admit to being happy in some areas of my life but not so happy in others.  I thought it was my lot in life and just took what I have been given but this wonderful book has taught me that I can take back control and change the direction of my life.

As a born worrier, I recognised straight away that I am P.O.O.R., with a Poverty mindset and often feeling Overwhelmed,  Off-balance and filled with Regret.  I didn't even see anything wrong with this, thinking that it's just the way I am, until Janet started talking about 'desire'.  It was like an epiphany for me as I realised that I'm floating along on the sea of life, letting the tidal currents take me where they will, and settling for 'good enough'.  So what am I doing wrong?  Listening to my pesky inner voice, that's what!  How many times do you call yourself names that you think are harmless?  You go shopping and forget your shopping list - what an idiot, or you drop your bookmark and lose your place in your book - you muppet!  I didn't realise how often I did this and what makes it worse is that your brain can't distinguish between fact and fiction so it actually believes what you're telling it.  This was another eureka moment for me and further confirmation that I was reading a truly inspirational book.

The book contains 13 positive images that you are encouraged to look at for a certain length of time.  Everyone will see something different in each image and afterwards we are given examples of other thoughts and interpretations.  There is no wrong answer!  For me, the images are there to inspire, provoke and enhance and I loved the 'in a nutshell' section at the end of each part so that we can be reminded of the images we have seen so far.  I do feel, however, that these images wouldn't transfer so well to kindle - seeing them in full colour and having the ability to flick back to them when required was an absolute necessity for me.

You're not going to be a Happiness Millionaire by the time you finish this book; like anything worthwhile, it's not going to happen overnight but you can start making deposits into the happiness bank today.  I hadn't even reached the start of the inspirational images before I had changed my outlook and started to see immediate results.  

Truly inspirational and thought-provoking, Happiness Millionaire is a book to live, not just to read.  Only by putting the ideas into practice will you start to see results and hopefully, like me, you will start to see results before you even finish the book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

Forgiveness: Effortless Inspiration for a Happier Life - Dani DiPirro

Packed with insightful quotes, thought-provoking reflections and empowering affirmations designed to make you think about forgiveness in new ways, this uplifting little book provides bite-sized inspiration for you to feel lighter, freer and more at peace in everyday life.

What did I think?

What a super little book, it's certainly small but mighty.  I've bought the odd self-help book in the past and got bored after a few pages, leaving them barely thumbed through.  I do, however, still have a bit of an addiction to this kind of book so I was really pleased to win a copy in a Goodreads Giveaway.  Forgiveness only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to read from cover to cover, depending on how much thought you give each quote or idea.  In just a few pages of Forgiveness, I was eagerly reading to see what pearl of wisdom or inspirational quote would be imparted next.  I was so taken with some of the quotes that I shared them immediately by reading them out to my family.

The book itself has beautiful purple pages throughout, which is not only my favourite colour but a colour I find very peaceful and spiritual.   Each little section starts with an inspirational quote, including many from literary favourites such as Anne Frank, Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf and Oscar Wilde.  The quote is followed by a little passage about forgiveness with some key words such as 'compassion', 'patience' and 'happiness' and then leaves us with a thought to ponder to help us achieve these feelings.

Forgiveness certainly made me think about life and how we sometimes make it difficult for ourselves.  We often love to wallow in misery and negativity, forgetting how much better we feel when we're happy, kind and loving.  This is definitely a book I will dip in and out of in the future, but more likely I will read the whole book over and over again.  Forgiveness is full of enlightenment and wisdom, I feel like a better person already after just reading it once.  I am so looking forward to how much better I will feel when I put it into practice.

Inspirational and thought-provoking, Forgiveness is a little gem of a book and the best self-help book I have ever read.  It may be small but it packs a mighty punch.

I'll leave you with the fabulous Oscar Wilde quote that is included in the book:

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon