Burial by Neil Cross

The Blurb On The Back:

Can your guiltiest secret ever be buried?

Nathan has never been able to forget the worst night of his life: the party that led to the sudden, shocking disappearance of a young woman. Only he and Bob, an old acquaintance, know what really happened and they have resolved to keep it that way. But one rainy night, years later, Bob appears at Nathan's door with terrifying news, and old wounds are suddenly reopened, threatening to tear Nathan's whole world apart. Because Nathan has his own secrets now. Secrets that could destroy everything he has fought to build. And maybe Bob doesn't realise just how far Nathan will go to protect them ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Disappointing thriller chiller that fails to thrill and fails to chill. Unsympathetic and unconvincing characterisation together with well-sign posted plot twists fail make for a ho-hum story that fails to hold the interest.

How To Raise Your Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden

The Blurb On The Back:

Courage, confidence, success: they begin with self-esteem - and self-esteem begins with you!

Of all the judgments you make in your life, none is as important as the one you make about yourself. The difference between low self-esteem and high self-esteem is the difference between passivity and action, between failure and success. Now, one of America's foremost psychologists and a pioneer in self-esteem development offers a step-by-step guide to strengthening your sense of self-worth. Here are simple, straightforward and effective techniques that will dramatically improve the way you think and feel about yourself. You'll learn:

- How to break free of negative self-concepts and self-defeating behaviour.

- How to dissolve internal barriers to success in work and love.

- How to overcome anxiety, depression, guilt and anger.

- How to conquer the fear of intimacy and success.

- How to find - and keep - the courage to love yourself.

And much more.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Although I did get a certain amount from this book, it's not going to be the sort of thing that helps everyone. I liked the results-focused approach and the idea of producing solutions to problems rather than just talking about them, but I'd suggest it's the sort of book that you only get something out of if you're prepared to buy into it.