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Tag: February 2022

Book Review: Cultures of Belonging

March 7, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations that Last

– Alida Miranda-Wolff –

HarperCollins Leadership

Published 15 February 2022

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Diversity, inclusion, belonging. All such key and important words for leaders and managers and all workers to be across in today’s workplace. And rightfully so. These have so often been ignored or not prioritised in workplaces and it is time, well past time, for change. In Cultures of Belonging, Alida Miranda-Wollf draws upon her own lived-experience in work settings and her experience as a leader within the DEIB sector to explore the key themes around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and provides practical skills and techniques to build a culture around these.

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Book Review: We Were Kings

February 1, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

We Were Kings

– Court Stevens –

Thomas Nelson

Published 1 February 2022

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I do love a good murder mystery and We Were Kings is a jolly fantastic murder mystery. Despite the elements of modern life (masks, hand sanitiser and YouTube) it has a very classic feel. Maybe it’s just because the mystery is in the past, or maybe it’s the setting and overall feel. Classic mystery at its best.

Nyla has lived her whole life knowing her mother loves the woman sitting in jail more than she loves her. When Frankie’s death is pushed forward thanks to a new death penalty ruling, Nyla’s mother falls apart. When a journalist drops a clue that Nyla’s mother might not be who she has always said she is, Nyla decides to investigate and finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. If she is going to save Frankie and find the real killer, she’ll need to be quick. But no one wants her poking around, especially not the real killer.

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Book Review: Idea Makers

January 25, 2022 / / 0 Comments

idea makers book cover

 

Idea Makers: 15 Fearless Female Entrepreneurs

– Lowey Bundy Sichol –

Chicago Review Press

Published 15 February 2022

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15 stories of bold and imaginative female entrepreneurs. Along with a few snippets of female entrepreneurs from throughout history, this book presents the stories of 15 modern women and the ideas they made into reality.

Each and every woman included in this story is inspiring. It was amazing to experience their journeys from the initial idea to making it a reality. Each chapter explores the background story, the entrepreneur’s first jobs, the idea, how the idea was grown and where the business or entrepreneur is today. Each chapter also includes links to the business and entrepreneur’s websites and social media accounts.

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Book Review: These Deadly Games

January 23, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

These Deadly Games

– Diana Urban –

Wednesday Books

Published 1 February 2022

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I’m not entirely sure if I am super impressed with this book, super annoyed or impressed that it both intrigued me and annoyed and horrified me at the same time. Can one be so conflicted about a book? I’m going to lay out the good and the annoying.

These Deadly Games is a thriller that leads its main character Chrystal on a wild game that very quickly turns deadly. No end of twists, puzzles, dares and tasks that might seem innocent but quickly turn deadly. This mystery thriller is high stakes and there are some very serious consequences.

For Chrystal, her focus is completely set on winning a spot in her friends’ esports team. The prize money would ensure her family could stay in their home. But when she receives a text with an image of her younger sister tied up with a message – complete the dares or she dies. Chrystal must decide – her sister or her family’s future? Can she do it all and make sure her friends never learn the truth?

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from dust a flame book cover with rose and petals on red background

Book Review: From Dust, A Flame

January 18, 2022 / / 0 Comments

book cover black with red and gold rose and petals

 

From Dust, A Flame

– Rebecca Podos –

Balzer + Bray

Published 8 February 2022

♥♥♥♥

 

From Dust, A Flame is a Jewish-legend inspired paranormal, historical, mystery YA fiction genre-mash-up that is as entrancing as it is unique.

A slow and confusing beginning had me questioning why I had picked this book up and checking the synopsis to make sure I had the right book. But by a quarter of the way in I was hooked. It’s a great book, strong characters, a strong sense of identity and unique. It’s also rooted in legends and mythology that is not often brought to the page – and it’s about time it was.

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Book Review: No Filter and Other Lies

January 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Girl with dark hair and skin holds a camera with photos of other teens around her

 

No Filter and Other Lies

– Crystal Maldonado –

Holiday House

Published 8 February 2022

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Social media is such a massive part of our young readers’ lives and yet its reach and impact is so often left out of YA fiction. No Filter and Other Lies addresses the addiction of social media, it’s dangers and its benefits head on. It also addresses the inherent racism and sizeism of social media and the challenges teens face in navigating this online world.

Kat is a photographer, friend, granddaughter and dog lover. She’s also pretty good at lying. For years, she’s been lying to everyone but her best friends about where she lives. Most people think she lives with her parents, as evidenced by the perfect family photos her mother shares on Facebook. But Kat actually lives with her grandparents. So, when the opportunity arises to share her work as a photographer on Instagram to a much wider audience, Kat takes it. It’s only a small lie and what’s that in the scheme of her life? Yes, she has to borrow her friend’s (perfectly gorgeous, white, thin) face after she expressly said she didn’t want to go back on social media. But, Kat will also use the account to share about the dogs at the shelter she works at, so there will be some good come from the whole thing. But when Kat starts to fall for a girl she chats with online, things get complicated. Especially when that girl thinks Kat is a 21-year-old college girl called Max.

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Book Review: Only A Monster

January 3, 2022 / / 0 Comments

only a monster book cover black with red swirls

 

Only A Monster

– Vanessa Len –

Monsters #1

Harper Teen

Published 22 February 2022

♥♥♥♥♥

Only A Monster is AMAZING!!! Seriously. So good. By the first quarter of the book all but two of the characters we have met have been gloriously, brutally murdered. (Not lying!). It’s dark but funny, placed so well within the world that has been created and yet we get to journey across time. It’s unique and delicious.

Here’s what I loved:

Australia author. Debut (holy wow!!). Paranormal. Monsters (not like strange creature monsters, more like scary people monsters who do bad things). Monster slayers. Time travel. Humour. Star-crossed love. History. An almost love triangle that just doesn’t go there. And did I mention monsters?

Joan spends every summer with her mother’s family in London. She knows they’re a little strange but they’re family. She also loves the time she spends volunteering at the historic Holland House. Doesn’t hurt that her co-worker Nick is gorgeous, charming and, maybe, as into her as she is him. But when she accidentally travels herself a day into the future, Joan realises that her family isn’t just a little strange, they are gifted with the ability to steal time from others and use it to time travel. And that makes them, and her, monsters. And, it turns out that Nick, a legendary monster slayer, will do everything in his power to wipe out monsters for good.

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