Author Archives: valenciyalyons

About valenciyalyons

I’m a fashion loving, lover of the stars and the universe above us. I love any and all things cute like bunnies and puppies. I will read any fashion magazine I can get my hands on in my spare time - People Style Watch and Marie Claire just to name a few. I’m a fashion merchandising graduate with styling, visual merchandising, and customer service experience. I also have several ebooks that I have published. I love to have fun and enjoy life while I still have the stars. ~ Peace, Love, and Cheesecake ~

A Sister Who Cheats With Her Older Sister’s Boyfriend? Are You Ready For the Tea?

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*Note: This post contains affiliate links which means that I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through the link. This is at no cost to you.*

Do my eyes deceive me?

They must be.

I can’t be seeing what’s right in front of me.

But I am.

My boyfriend is kissing my sister.

Here’s an excerpt:

It isn’t until we all get up to leave that I notice Caleb or someone that looks like him sitting at the back of the restaurant. I can only see the back of his head, so I’m not one hundred percent certain it’s him. But then I see the person sitting across from him say something that makes him laugh. He slightly tilts his head to the side and that’s when I see the woman’s face. It’s my sister, Brooke! My heart sinks farther than my stomach. The guy leans across the table to kiss her. I don’t remember her saying she’s dating anyone, but then again she rarely talks to me. I just hope the guy isn’t who I think he is.
Before I know it, I’m walking to the back of the restaurant where Brooke and this guy are seated. When Brooke looks up and sees me approaching, she looks frightened, as if she’s seen a ghost, and her smile fades. The guy turns around and looks directly at me. It’s Caleb.
I stop walking once I reach their table. I should be screaming and yelling at them, but I do none of those things. I’m feeling a combination of emotions at once, with a million thoughts running through my head. Caleb and Brooke? How long has this been going on? Was this occurring before I gave him my kidney? Why didn’t I notice something sooner? If I say what I’m thinking, I will do a lot more than just cause a scene. But I know I’m not leaving until someone gives me answers.
“Hazel,” Caleb begins, his voice shaky, “how much of that did you see?”
That’s not the right question to ask me at a time like this.
“Okay,” he says, his eyes darting from side to side. My guess is he’s trying to think of a lie to tell me. I don’t even bother to look at my sister, who I’m now putting at the bottom of the totem pole with Caleb.
“What the hell are you doing kissing my sister?” I snap at him.
“Can we go somewhere to talk, please?” he pleads.
“After everything I’ve done for you…” I shake my head in disbelief, feeling sick to the pit of my stomach at the betrayal.
I turn to Brooke. “I never did anything like this to you, so why would you do this to me?”
She doesn’t give me an answer and she avoids making eye contact with me. As she’s getting up to leave, I say, “Why are you leaving? Is it because you got caught?” She speed walks past me, not bothering to look back. I couldn’t care less about the curious stares we’re getting from onlookers.
My heart feels like it’s going to pop out of my chest. I take a deep breath, hoping I don’t have a heart attack because of his two-timing, trifling ass.
I walk back to the table where Violet, Damien, and Yuri are still sitting. Damien’s not looking at me; instead, his gaze is fixated in Caleb’s direction. I don’t bother to look over my shoulder to see if Caleb’s watching or not. At this point, I don’t care. I just want to get out of this place and put as much distance as I can between us.

Here’s the blurb:

Hazel, a recent college graduate, donates a kidney to save her ailing boyfriend only to discover he has been cheating with her younger sister. With two relationships in shambles, she moves out of her parents’ home and immerses herself in work. Then she meets the sexy next door neighbor who is willing to help her heal her heart. But will she let him?

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Torn Hearts by Valenciya Lyons Book Giveaway

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Hi everyone! I hope everyone has been staying well and is having a great holiday season. I am currently giving copies of my latest release, Torn Hearts.

Here’s the blurb:

“What the hell are you doing kissing my sister?”

Hazel, a recent college graduate, donates a kidney to save her ailing boyfriend only to discover he has been cheating with her younger sister. With two relationships in shambles, she moves out of her parents’ home and immerses herself in work. Then she meets the sexy next door neighbor who is willing to help her heal her heart. But will she let him?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Torn Hearts by Valenciya Lyons

Torn Hearts

by Valenciya Lyons

Giveaway ends December 19, 2020.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway

Book Review of What the CFO Wants You to Know – How You Create Value by Charles Asubonten

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*Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which means that I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through the link. This is at no cost to you.*

 

What the CFO Wants You to Know – How You Create Value by Charles Asubonten

 

Book Description:

Unless a business provides value, it will fail. We all know this, and yet many of us, whether employees or business leaders, do not have a clear idea of who creates value and how. What the CFO Wants You to Know is an indispensable guide to creating value in an enterprise, drawing on the extensive experience of serial CFO and author Charles Asubonten. While many books focus on the CFO as a financial engineer, Asubonten’s compelling thesis is that the CFO is a catalyst who inspires employees to get on board in the value-creation process and that every employee needs to be cognizant of and committed to their role in value-creation. When employees know what the CFO must do to create value and how each employee affects that process, a more lasting, resonant, and energized workforce is the exciting result. Focused not only on value-creation, this book also shows how value is sustained. From the novice who has always wondered about the CFO’s role to the seasoned CFO who needs a refresher in today’s changing business climate, What the CFO Wants You to Know is a resource for business leadership, employees, shareholders, the Board of Directors, and the community.

My Thoughts:

The author shares knowledge to help others understand the CFO’s (chief financial officer) function and how it impacts an organization. There’s no one better to help explain this than the author himself who has also helped companies such as the Dow Chemical Company, Ford Motor Company, and DTE Energy, and others to create value. The CFO has a hand in every facet of the company from working closely with human resources to holding townhall meetings for employees. They are anywhere in a company where value can be added and he goes on to explain how to create value.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I’m glad that the author broke everything down in a way for the average person to understand. The book reminds me of a textbook almost in how it reads; yet, I still find the information it contains interesting. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

 

Find Out More About the Author and Where to Buy:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

*Note: I was unable to find this book listed on Goodreads. If it pops up for anyone, please kindly post it in the comments section. I’ll gladly update this post with the link. 😊

Book Review of Just Get Up and Manifest Your Inner Genius by Isaac Samuel Miller

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*Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which means that I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through the link. This is at no cost to you.*

 

Just Get Up and Manifest Your Inner Genius by Isaac Samuel Miller

 

Book Description:

Abandoned by his father at the age of seven, Isaac Miller embarks upon a thirteen-year journey to fight his way out of a life of crime, drugs, mediocrity, and poverty. Using his teenage imagination and work ethic as his guide, Isaac provides for his family, including his schizophrenic mother, and fights his way to becoming an entrepreneur at the age of seventeen. Through his story, Isaac demonstrates how you can start with nothing and still live your dreams. Just Get Up teaches you how to capture your own life’s dreams through exposing your inner genius. This guided tour of self-development will teach you how to unlock your life’s true treasures. It will appeal to all people seeking a real-life inspirational story of overcoming adversities. Along your journey you will find The Limelight Spot Effect, The 27-Month Plan, and The Octagon Way as you build your own success through his Just Get Up program. Isaac invites you to Just Get Up and tap into your unlimited potential as you discover your inner genius one chapter at a time.

 

My Thoughts:

Before reading this book, I would highly recommend you to grab pen and paper to take notes. I didn’t do that so I will be rereading this book a second time and take notes. This book has many questions and statements that will help you find out what your interests are and to get on the path to achieving your dreams. Isaac Samuel Miller writes about overcoming adversity and obstacles to manifest your inner genius. I love how in the book the author talks about his childhood of living in poverty and being abandoned by his father. It shows vulnerability and that no matter what obstacles you face in life, you can overcome and still achieve your dreams.

I firmly believe that this statement is true that the author includes in his book: “As a child, you had gifts given to you, and all you have to do is simply develop the gifts you were born with.” While I was in high school, I was on office staff. I answered phone calls and left messages for people who called the school. I did other tasks as well but the first task stood out to me the most. I graduated high school and went on to college and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Studies. Anyone who knows me from high school or even those close to me, know that I was a huge fan of Kimora Lee Simmons and her Phat Fashions brand and I wanted my own fashion brand. However, where I live there are not many jobs related to fashion unless you are a store manager or work as a sales associate in a clothing store. I began working in call centers and found that I actually enjoy it. I enjoy helping people. I am patient and I also know how to deescalate angry customers. That doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my fashion dream. Customer service is something that I learned I had a knack for. I didn’t know I would make a career out of it until after I graduated from college.
I also found the questions in the book to be very helpful. Please note: the questions I’m listing are not a list of all the questions contained in the book, just some of them.
1. What are my gifts?
2. What are some of the things I enjoy doing?
3. What are my strengths regarding my perception of others?
4. What are my weaknesses regarding people’s perception of me?
5. What are my strengths mentally, spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically, and financially? (If you’re lacking any necessary strengths in one of these domains, then set some goals to develop the strengths you will need in your weaker domains.)
6. What are your weaknesses in the six domains listed above? What positive things do you do every day to work on yourself?
7. Who do you know personally who is striving to be balanced in some or all of the six domains? (Search for individuals who are succeeding in one or all of the six domains and befriend them.)
8. Say this to yourself every day: “Someone’s perception of me is their opinion, but how I see myself is the only fact.” (Research someone who has accomplished what you desire to do, and learn from them. Also, start attending seminars and hire a motivational and personal development coach. Listen to my podcast show on my Youtube channel on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. central time zone and feel free to contact me for coaching by going to my website www. isaacsmiller.com)

 

Here are 3 of my favorite quotes from the book that I found motivational:

1)Your dream’s survival depends on you unleashing your will, and it will be obvious when you’re manifesting your inner genius because you won’t be able to stop.

2)The more you believe in your dreams, the more you will fight for your dreams.
When your belief in yourself becomes unstoppable, you won’t be able to stop until you’re living your dreams.

3)Failure is only a teaching experience to allow you to understand what you need to do differently so you can be successful.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars. I normally don’t read self-help books but this one really touched my heart. The story is moving. After reading it, I felt inspired and it made me want to Just Get Up! I highly recommend this story to any and everyone.

 

Find Out More About the Author and Where to Buy:

Author’s Website

Goodreads Page

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

 

Job Interview Questions and Answers: The Complete Process for Interview Preparation! Speaking Skills and Body Language for Winning Interview + 35 Powerful Interview Questions and Answers + Workbook Book Review

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Job Interview Questions and Answers: The Complete Process for Interview Preparation! Speaking Skills and Body Language for Winning Interview + 35 Powerful Interview Questions and Answers +Workbook

By

Jordan Smith

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which mean I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through my link.

 

Book Description:

Master your interviews and land that job with this powerful step-by-step guide!

Do you struggle with interviews? Never sure what to say or do? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple, proven plan for landing that dream job?

The interview is an essential part of the corporate world. It weeds out those wrong for the job and finds the best candidate – and far too often, we’re left on the wrong side of the pile. But now, inside this detailed guide you’ll find a breakdown of job interviews, and how you can drastically boost your chances of success.

Covering everything from body language, what to wear, and 35 questions you might be asked, this comprehensive, complete guide is guaranteed to massively increase your chances of landing that position – no matter the job you desire!

Here’s what you’ll discover inside:

  • A detailed Breakdown of the Interview – What You Need to Know
  • Understanding Your Career and Interviewee Goals
  • Body Language, How to Dress, What to Say, and More
  • “Knowing Your Enemy” – How to Prepare to Meet Your Interviewer
  • 35 Interviewer Questions and Their Respective Answers
  • Three Sample Interviews Dialogues
  • A Powerful Workbook to Put this Advice into Practice
  • And Much More!

Plus, you’ll also find a free bonus chapter which shows you three different interview scenarios and how our fictional characters perform. So don’t let this opportunity pass you by – land that dream job and stop being on the wrong side of the pile!

 

My Thoughts:

I love that the author went into details about the different types of resumes. The chronological resume is one that I have personally used after establishing work experience. A functional resume is great for someone who doesn’t have a lot of work experience to list such as a high school or college graduate who are entering the workforce. For young people who do not have work experience, jobs such as babysitting, yard work, extra-curricular school activities, etc can be added to the resume.

Another important point that was made in the book was regarding appearance. Appearance means everything when you’re walking into a job interview. No one wants to interview someone who does not look the part of the job they are applying for. It’s important to “dress for the part.” It’s best to stick with dark colors for the clothing you wear to the interview. There’s also a list of dos and don’ts that many may find beneficial to save them from committing a fashion faux pas.

There are many different types of interviews from the traditional one on one interview where you’re interview on the jobsite to the behavioral interview. It’s best to find one which one you will have so that you may prepare. In my personal experience, I have found that after submitting an application, some jobs will send you a followup email letting you know which type of interview you will have. Others may not do this and, even if they do, I find that Glassdoor and Indeed are both helpful. Current and former employees of companies list their experiences on these job sites from interview questions to the experience with the company. This is a good way to get knowledge on not only the job interview process, but workers’ experiences with the job you are applying for. It can be easy to get caught up in the negative reviews on the sites, even if positive ones are listed. Please, keep an open mind and know that not everyone has the same experience. Your experience may be different from someone who posted the negative review.

The practice interview questions made me take a trip down memory lane as I’ve been asked some of these questions a couple of times. There is a “meaning’ and a “how to respond” under each of these questions in the book. I have included just the list of questions down below:

Practice Question 1: Tell me a little but about yourself.
Practice Question 2: Why should we hire you instead of someone else?
Practice Question 3: What are your technical abilities?
Practice Question 4: What type of work environment do you prefer?
Practice Question 5: How much interaction do you expect from your supervisor or boss?
Practice Question 6: Have you ever had to face a major obstacle in life or at work that you had to overcome?
Practice Question 7: What qualifies you for this position?
Practice Question 8: Is there something you have accomplished, whether on the job or outside of work, that you are proud of?
Practice Question 9: How do you overcome challenges?
Practice Question 10: What are some goals you have set for yourself?
Practice Question 11: How would you define hard work?
Practice Question 12: Can you show me some examples of your work?
Practice Question 13: Are you a team player?
Practice Question 14: How would you pitch our company to a prospective buyer?
Practice Question 15: What is your preferred working style?
Practice Question 16: What are the unique skills you have that make you a good fit for the job?
Practice Question 17: What was it that interested you the most and made you apply for the job?
Practice Question 18: Why do you want to leave your current employer?
Practice Question 19: What time do you like to get to work? Early? Right on time?
Practice Question 20: Is there something that we as an employer can help you improve on? A specific skill?
Practice Question 21: Have you ever messed up on the job?
Practice Question 22: If you were given the opportunity to start your own business, what would you do?
Practice Question 23: For the most part, do you get along with your co-workers? Have you ever had problems with co-workers?
Practice Question 24: What would you do if a deadline was looming on a job you were not sure you could finish it?
Practice Question 25: Do you think people like you?
Practice Question 26: What is probably the biggest decision you have ever had to make, whether on the job or in your personal life?
Practice Question 27: How are you at explaining complicated procedures?
Practice Question 28: Is there something you are looking forward to the most about this job?
Practice Question 29: What do you like to do when you are not working?
Practice Question 30: What would your past supervisors/bosses say if I asked them about you?
Practice Question 31: What do you consider your weaknesses?
Practice Question 32: What motivates you to work harder?
Practice Question 33: What are your greatest strengths?
Practice Question 34: How have you gone above and beyond on your past jobs?
Practice Question 35: Do you have any questions about the job?
Part 3 of the book takes you through sample interviews.
There is also a workbook at the end that includes 30 additional practice questions.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars. The information in this book will be useful to the high school and college graduate who are looking to enter the workforce all the way to the veteran who has been in the workforce for many years.

 

Find Out More About The Author and Where To Buy:

Goodreads Page

Amazon

 

 

Passive Income Freedom Book Review

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Passive Income Freedom: 23 Passive Income Blueprints To Go Step by Step from Complete Beginner to $5,000 – $10,000/mo in the Next 6 Months

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which mean I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through my link.

 

Book Description:

Passive Income Freedom!

Is it real + possible? Do you need a lot of money or special skills? Can anyone achieve this? Are there top home-based business options?

If you ever asked these questions, this book will give you answers and show you in 23 Step-by-Step Blueprints that – yes – Passive Income Freedom is definitely real and achievable for everyone:

Including YOU!

Even as a total beginner.

What you will not find in this book are get rich quick schemes or inflated promises.

This book is not for lazy people or tricksters trying to beat the system.

These are solid, proven passive income blueprints that do take work in the beginning and certainly have a learning curve.

Like anything worth having.

But…

If you every wondered: How do I start a passive income business,

all the steps of how to start a passive income business…

and (very important for many people):

Can you start a passive income business at home?

Then this book will be an amazing resource. Taking you by the hand and giving you:

A Tour-de-Force Ride through the many – vastly different – realms of passive income entrepreneurship.

So you know what’s out there. What the best ways to make passive income are, including many home-based online business ideas, and you can then decide which path to choose – with – an action plan in place on how to get there.

Don’t worry, these are fun… 🙂

As always with SassyZenGirl books – including the Work from Home Series – great business info doesn’t have to be dull and boring.

You will smile, you will be excited – and – you will have a sound passive income strategy in place once you finish this book!

So…if you are ready for FREEDOM

  • Ready to get out of the rat race and the drudgery of boring, unfulfilling jobs,

  • Ready to get out under that pile of debt and bills to pay,

  • Ready to become the person you were meant to be

  • with the freedom to pursue your passions and

  • share some AWEsome with the world…

My Thoughts:

This is the second book I have read by this author and it does not disappoint. It definitely lives up to its name in that it provides different things that people can do to earn passive income. (If you’d like to read the other book review for 127 Home-Based Job & Business Ideas click here)

I’d highly recommend to get pen and paper before you begin reading this book because it is full of a ton of valuable information. You’ll probably end up reading it a second or even a third time because of the wealth of information inside. I know I will! I didn’t even have pen and paper handy the first time I read it and I wish I would’ve.

A few of my favorites that the author listed in the book are: designing your own apps (and no you don’t have to be a coder or a wiz to know how to do this!) and selling merchandise online through your own website, Amazon, and Shopify. For each passive income job, she gives steps on what to do to achieve the goal and also provides useful links.

Designing an app can be outsourced. However, you will still need to do market research and ask yourself important questions such as:

  1. What type of app do you want to have?
  2. Who is your target customer?
  3. What type of apps are currently trending?
  4. Do you want the app available on iOS or Android?
  5. Do you want the app to be free or a paid app?

There are many, many more questions that you’d want to ask yourself before you get started, but these are important ones that you can begin with.

When it comes to selling merchandise online, you want to ask yourself similar questions. Selling on your own website, Amazon, and Shopify each has its own pros and cons and the book goes into detail on each one. While you may not have the market power of Amazon, the main pro to having your own website is that you have more control. There are different platforms you can accomplish this through such as Shopify, Squarespace, and Woocommerce. There are other platforms that can be used as well; these are the three that I come across on a regular basis. Selling merchandise will also require market research as well. Before you actually sell a product, you’d have to ask yourself:

  1. What type of product or products do you want to sell?
  2. Who is your target customer?
  3. Who is your competitor(s)?
  4. How much money is your target customer willing to spend on your product?
  5. Which online platforms do you want to sell on? Note: Some people choose to do a combination of selling on their own website and selling on Amazon or Ebay.

Again, there are many, many more questions that need to be asked as well. In addition to asking yourself the above questions, you’d also have to determine if there is a market for the product that you want to sell. Market research is definitely vital no matter what product you want to sell. Finding suppliers and deciding if you want to do dropshipping or wholesale are also important. The author also goes into great detail on advertising via Facebook and Instagram and using search engine optimization. All in all, this was a great read that I give 5 out of 5 stars and I’d highly recommend this book to those who are looking to make a passive income.

Find Out More About The Author And Where To Buy:

Author’s Website

Goodreads Page

Amazon

 

Dirty Dealing by Sloan Quinn Book Review

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Dirty Dealing by Sloan Quinn

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which mean I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through my link.

 

Book Description:

Officer Jessica Zane is about to make the arrest of her life. She’s finally cornered the elusive X, a dealer responsible for the new street drug tearing through Philadelphia. All she needs to do now is go undercover as a wealthy socialite to bust him. But when a rival cartel shoots up the club she’s staking out, Jess winds up being rescued by the very man she came to cuff. And it doesn’t help that he’s hot as hell to boot…

Xavier Graham hates the underworld he’s trapped in—everyone from his shady boss to the other gangs on the street are trying to kill him. But when a mysterious socialite, who he suspects is more than she seems to be, gets caught up in the crossfire, suddenly Xavier realizes he has more to protect than he thinks.

Can these two sworn enemies find a way out of the mess they’re in? Or will they wind up on opposing sides of the inevitable battlefield after all…

 

My Thoughts:

A cop falls for the man she is supposed to take down. Jessica Zane aka Lily Tomlin is a cop trying to find a man known as X aka Xavier Graham. She goes undercover and tries to locate him at a night club where she unknowingly dances with him. Soon after, gunshots erupt in the club and Xavier takes Lily with him as he flees. They slowly find themselves falling for each other and into each other’s arms. But then Xavier finds out that Lily isn’t who she claims to be…

I really enjoyed reading this debut novel by this author and I also like her writing style. Zane is a woman who doesn’t take crap from anyone. She is a strong heroine while X is a sexy alpha male. Their chemistry is undeniable and they have the steamy love scenes to match. If you love action, romance, and plot twists, then this book is for you. I will definitely be reading more books from this author in the future.

 

Find Out More About The Author and Where To Buy:

Goodreads Page

Facebook FanPage

Amazon

 

127 Home-Based Job & Business Ideas Book Review

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127 Home-Based Job & Business Ideas by Gundi Gabrielle

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which mean I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through my link.

 

Book Description:

Do you NEED A JOB right now? Ideally, with flexible hours, working from home?

Or are you dying to get out of the corporate grind, yearning to build a business around something deeply fulfilling – and from the comfort of your home?

Maybe you are a new Mom and would love to remain a stay-at-home Mom, but money is getting tight and bills are piling up?

Whatever your situation may be:

This book will introduce you to an abundance of legitimate home-based job and business options to either get cash quickly when you need it…

Or build long term income streams that you enjoy and that allow you to finally #ClaimYourFREEDOM® and leave that dreary 9-5 job once and for all.

PART 1 starts with the Best Places to Find Jobs to Work from Home grouped by skill and experience level:

  • Basic Skills

  • Intermediate Skills

  • PRO Skills

  • College Degree Required

This is followed by a number of flexible job options in your local area as well as how and where to find jobs fast.

Next, you’ll find several innovative ways to monetize your home and car (and no – not just Uber & AirBnB….).

Then we get to the first list of Top Home-Based Business Opportunities, some with significant income potential – even on a part time basis.

PART 2 lists more home-based job and business ideas grouped by your interests, passions and hobbies:

  • Pets

  • Travel (local)

  • Arts & Crafts

  • Writing

  • Photo + Video

  • Fashion

  • Cooking

  • Health & Wellness

  • Gardening

  • Kids

  • Video Games

  • Medical

Are you ready to change your life today?

Then let this FUN 2-HOUR READ take you on a journey through a multitude of online job and business options that you probably never knew of – and even more fun homebased business opportunities for the long term.

 

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a wealth of information at your fingertips. There are over 100 jobs listed, and for each section, there’s information about the job itself, required experience, hyperlinks, and free courses.

When you’re reading this book, it is going to get the wheels turning in your head about job opportunities. I found myself saying “Oh, I could do that” many times while reading this book. With so many professions and jobs listed, there is no way to remember everything. I actually read the book twice before writing this review because of opportunities that peaked my interest.

Virtual customer service agent, chat agent (for those who prefer not to talk to customers over the phone), and virtual lawyer are just a few of the jobs mentioned in the book. Trust me, there are many more! The hobbies list is next in the book and features information about photography, even selling recipes for those who love to cook.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone. It is a great resource that you can always refer back to.

 

Find Out More About The Author and Where To Buy:

Author’s Website 

Goodreads Page

Amazon

 

 

 

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden Book Review

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Book Description:

For Kayden, suffering in silence was the only way to survive. If he was lucky, he could keep his head down, do as he was told, and make it through the day. But one night it seemed like his luck — and his life — might finally end… until an angel named Callie appeared just in time to rescue him.

Callie has never believed in luck. Not since her twelfth birthday when everything was taken from her. After the worst was over, she locked up her feelings and vowed never to tell anyone what happened. Now, six years later, she continues to struggle with the painful secret that threatens to consume her.

When fate lands Kayden and Callie at the same college, Kayden is determined to get to know the beautiful girl who changed his destiny. Quiet and reserved, Callie still fears letting anyone else into her world. But Kayden is certain that Callie has come back into his life for a reason. And the more he tries to be a part of her life, the more he realizes that, this time, it’s Callie who needs to be saved…

 

My Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it will not be my last. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It touches on topics such as physical and sexual abuse and how it affects the victims long after the abuse takes place. Kayden Owens is the football star of his high school and is physically abused by his father while Callie Lawrence is suffering with the secret of being rape by her brother’s best friend when she was 12 years old.

The story starts out with Callie’s mother sending her into the Owens’ household to get her brother. Callie witnesses Kayden’s dad call him “a fuckup” and “a fucking disappointment” and physically abuses him by “kicking him in the stomach” and “in the face.” To stop the attack, Callie makes up an excuse that someone was looking for him in the kitchen to get him to stop attacking Kayden and it works.

Their paths cross again when they run into each other in college over the summer. Kayden and go out to eat at a restaurant with their friends Luke and Seth and their relationship grows from there. I want to point out that this is a slow building romance story and there is a cliffhanger at the end.  

There were a few things I didn’t like in the book. With Callie’s situation surrounding the rape, I feel as if her parents should’ve asked more questions and really got to the bottom of what was going on with their daughter. “…I don’t tell my mom, because it will crush her. She’s such a happy person there’s no use cursing her with dark thoughts.” She wants to protect her mom because she doesn’t think she can handle the truth about what happened to her. Also, I really wish she would’ve told her regardless instead of letting that secret fester.

With Kayden’s situation, he has 2 older brothers who knew what was going on in the household, and they were abused too. They shouldn’t have just left him in the home knowing the physical pain their father was going to inflict upon him. “…It’s hard not to stare at the scars that crisscross along his stomach and chest.”

I do not want to give too much of the story away. Overall, this is a good read and this book will make you go through a range of emotions from sad to angry to happy and back again.

 

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Redemption of the Heart Book Review

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Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which mean I will receive a tiny commission for purchases made through my link.

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story introduces us to Gemma, a woman who has been in foster care, has no family, and is abused by her husband, Jason. He comes home from work while she’s vacuuming and wants to go to the bar. She changed clothing “four times” until she “met Jason’s approval.” He made her drink cocktails and once they’d gotten home, he raped her. Once he’d fallen asleep, she grabbed what she could and got out of the house. Her goal was to start over in a new town away from him. She had some alcohol in her system but “she didn’t think she was that impaired.” She and another vehicle crashed into each other.
The driver of the other vehicle died and Gemma was sent to prison. While in prison, Jason served her divorce papers. After she is released, she is sent to a halfway house and given a job as a waitress at Alex Chambers restaurant.

Even though his wife has been deceased for several years, he still wears his wedding band. Instead of dating, he immerses himself into his work at his restaurant. Alex’s sister, Rachel takes to Gemma and can tell that her brother and Gemma both like each other. Rachel has tried in the past to convince her brother to go out on a date but he doesn’t listen to her. Slowly but surely he and Gemma start falling for each other, but each is apprehensive because they don’t want to get hurt.

This story is very touching and heartfelt. At the start of this book, I was rooting for Gemma to leave her abusive husband. I did not like Jason one bit. No man or woman should have to suffer abuse from a spouse. Abuse does not equal love. While I do not condone drinking and driving, Gemma had extenuating circumstances. It is hard to imagine what someone would do in a situation like that. I felt as if she had reached her breaking point, and she just wanted to get away from him. When she starts working at Alex’s restaurant, they begin falling for each other. I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to give away too much of the story.

If you love a good romance story, I’d highly recommend this book to you.

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Find Out More About The Author And Where To Buy:

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Books A Million

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