S. Lee Spelbring's Blog, page 22
June 16, 2018
Copywriting Mastery by Devon Wilcox
Copywriting Mastery: Exactly How To Become A Professional Copywriting Expert & Create Content That Gets Attention & Sells by Devon Wilcox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This ebook is packed with information for an adult wanting to know more about copywriting. I say adult because this book is written for someone who is somewhat intelligent and probably out of high school a few years. It reads a bit like a college textbook, with large words and no fluff.
The chapters are distinct, with the last chapter being a take on further reading and learning. It goes into ethics, plagiarism, and bridging the gap between creativity and knowledge.
Having given it the praise it deserves for context… it was riddled with spelling and grammar errors. I consider myself an average reader, and if I can find them, you can find them and they were pretty glaring errors. This is the reason why it’s not rated another star higher. Please just have someone else read over it before publishing, spellcheck can only do so much…
June 13, 2018
Imortal War by Justin Somper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
When I saw a title like Vampirates, I really wasn’t sure what I was getting in a book from Dollar Tree. I thought to myself, this could be decent, or extremely cheesey. It wasn’t either, it was actually pretty good once I got into it.
It’s the sixth book in a series, and while I think I would have benefited from reading a previous novel in this series, I wasn’t completely out of the loop with the plot. It’s set in a world of ocean going pirates, nocturnals (vampires), and vampirates (vampire pirates). Once I had it figured out who was who, the plot became much more interesting.
It was much more sophisticated than just vampires riding the oceans in search of their next meal, it was vampires riding the oceans to control the oceans and secure the future of their kind. Toss in a 500 year old prophecy, two sets of twins, and romantic rivalries and this book is far from cheesey.
Even though it seems I read the last book first, it would be interesting to read previous books in this series to see how it all led up to this book.
June 9, 2018
Blogging: A Practical Guide to Plan Your Blog by Dale Reardon
Blogging: A Practical Guide to Plan Your Blog: Start Your Profitable Home-Based Business with a Successful Blog by Dale Reardon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This little ebook covers the planning stage of building a blog, things like content, title, keywords, posting schedules, team planning, and more. The authors provide links back to their own blog as this ebook is a product of their blog.
If you’ve read any other books on blogging, some of this will not be new whatsoever, but having read a few myself, I did pick up some tips for my own blog from this book. Minor changes, so don’t worry, just a few bits to add to the search filters.
This is why I’m a big fan of reading several books on the same subject, different authors find different topics to talk about, and have different experiences. So read on little book worms!
June 6, 2018
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Lawrence Wallace
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Ways to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts by Lawrence Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is basically another goal setting and achievement book, but it’s a step above all those other self-help books as it takes into consideration the emotions, thoughts, and behavior associated with goal setting.
It is a psychology derivative which can help those with mild anxiety and depression by helping to resolve those intrusive, automatic thoughts. The ebook provides a 7 step process for resolving an issue. It can be any issue, such as smoking, feeling better, becoming less anxious, less depressed, and any other goal you wish to reach.
Take for example weight loss, something many of us struggle with, with this process you take into account why you can’t loose weight. Maybe one of your core beliefs is that you will always be fat because a) your parents and siblings are fat b) you have a co-worker that reminds you of this, c) you have terrible self image and always talk yourself out of weight loss practices. With this 7 step process you will address the core belief that you will always be fat and if that is actual truth, then you can examine your self image issues and if those are reasonably accurate, and then maybe telling your co-worker to knock it off.
It addresses our thought processes and how to change how we think so we can live better lives. I for one am going to take the seventh step to heart and perform additional reading.
June 2, 2018
66 Tips & Tricks for Everyday Live by Kerstin Ordelt
66 Tips & Tricks for Everyday Life: Faster, simpler & funnier through life with life hacks by Kerstin Ordelt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the ebook you want if you want an easier way to peel a boiled egg, take the smell out of your sneakers, and keep track of the stuff you lend to friends and family. It’s written in a way that pokes fun at the situational problem (like having your boiled egg survive a tornado), which makes the ebook that much more interesting to read.
It’s short, and much more of a reference book, and another ebook of all this stuff you can find elsewhere in one place, but I liked it, it was a bit of fun and lighthearted, and I learned how to core a strawberry!
May 30, 2018
65 House Cleaning Hack to Make Your Life WAY Easier by Elizabeth Bolling
65 House Cleaning Hacks to Make Your Life WAY Easier: by Elizabeth Bolling
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is another ebook in the line of putting all these great tips found around the internet into one little ebook and selling it on Amazon. Having said that though, this formula seems to work as I have several of these kinds of ebooks.
The author provides a deep cleaning checklist, then a weekly checklist, then delves into her “hacks” for each room. I’ve heard of some of these hacks, but a few were new to me. I’ve also read about some of her DIY cleaners too, but never tried them.
If you’ve never had a cleaning schedule, or want to start a new one, this isn’t a bad place to start. I might have to try her fabric refresher formula for myself.
May 26, 2018
50 Things to Know Happy Life Series by Lisa M. Rusczyk
50 Things to Know Happy Life Series by Lisa M. Rusczyk
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Again, nothing groundbreaking with these four ebooks (Downsizing, Going Green, Happy Right Now, Stress Free), and they even repeated each other. Smile more, breathe, and meditate showed up each a couple times, especially between Happy Right Now and Stress Free.
I don’t know that Downsizing and Going Green are really part of being “Happy” but they both can contribute to stress so I guess there is a weak link there? Maybe? I’m just not sure they all belong together in a set.
Anyway, back to nothing groundbreaking. These do the same thing as this author’s other ebooks: puts basic information together in one place. It’s a handy thing to do and have, bu you may already know this information or know where to find it online.
May 23, 2018
50 Things to Know About Finding Your Purpose by Krista Mounsey
50 Things to Know About Finding Your Purpose: Find Your Place and Shine by Krista “KK” Mounsey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While there is nothing earth shattering in this ebook it does, however, make a point: a quick-start guide to finding your purpose. This author has her book setup a little different than most books, with all the back matter at the front of the book.
Anyway, as to the content, it’s very basic suggestions on looking for you purpose: look to your hobbies, follow your strengths, figure out what inspires you, etc. Even though it is basic, it’s all in one place, which is the purpose of this ebook!
There are many books in the author’s 50 Things to Know series, and this is just one of them. The author lists them all in the book as well. So the book is actually quite short if you take out all the extra bits, but still useful.
May 19, 2018
Last Dragon Standing by G.A. Aiken
Last Dragon Standing by G.A. Aiken
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a very involved book. For one, it was hard to decipher if the dragons were in their dragon forms or in their human forms unless you read through the subtle clues given while reading. That made things a little difficult when attempting to sort out whatever the situation was in my head.
Apart from that little quirk, this was a politically based book, feuding royals, long grudges, coming of age dragons, centaurs, actual humans, witches, and many other unique things kept the plot moving. Though the book makes it seem like it’s only a fantasy romance, it is much more than that. In fact, the majority of the book revolves around the Kyvich, a faction of witches coming down from the north.
This is also part of a series, the fourth book and I haven’t read the first three. Now I like series where the books can stand alone, apart from the series, where each book builds on the other, but you can jump in with any book and know what’s going on. This book does this, so in all, I liked it.
May 16, 2018
Whitman: Poems by Walt Whitman
Whitman: Poems by Walt Whitman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I found that this book of poetry was much more enjoyable when my Kindle read it to me, rather than me just reading it to myself. The poetry works better when spoken to my ears. Having only read “O Captain, My Captain!” and no other poetry from Whitman previous to reading this collection, I found it very much an ode to the United States of America.
O Captain, My Captain is paying homage to Lincoln, and there are a few more addressed to the late president. There is an entire section praising democracy too. Having not been very political myself, I found these poems quite different, as my sense of poetry is flowery words about nature and love.
While I didn’t make too much of Whitman’s style, it did open up another side of poetry I had never thought of, and made me want to read more poetry to have a better experience of poetry itself.
