I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

Knowing how to stay on top of stress is a vital life skill.

Manage Your Stress equips you with practical, effective techniques to manage life at uni in a stress-free way.

- recognise and understand your body’s response to causes of stress
- learn techniques for changing stressful thinking patterns
- build your resilience so you can handle stressful situations

Succeed at university with Super Quick Skills.

Giving you the tools and advice you need to progress your skills and excel in your studies and life.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Clare Wilson is a lecturer in Applied Psychology at Portsmouth University. This is a broad guide to dealing with stress that’s aimed at university students and offers a combination of techniques and exercises plus a variety of further resources. It’s a useful starting point that I think can be used by people in the workplace as much as students but the illustrations are incredibly random and some of the graphics difficult to read.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The lonely, rockbound island of Tsunojima is notorious as the site of a series of bloody unsolved murders. Some even say it’s haunted. One thing’s for sure: it’s the perfect destination for the K- University Mystery Club’s trip.

But when the first club member turns up dead, the remaining amateur sleuths realise they will need all of their murder-mystery expertise to get off the island alive.

As the party are picked off one by one, the survivors grow desperate and paranoid, turning on each other. Will anyone be able to untangle the murderer’s fiendish plan before it’s too late?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Yukito Ayatsuji’s classic detective mystery (translated into English by Ho-Ling Wong) is a fast-paced tribute to Agatha Christie’s AND THEN HERE WERE NONE that’s filled with twists and turns. Although I enjoyed it, the large cast is disorientating at first and they’re all under-developed, the ending is a bit of a cheat because it relies on the reader not being told a key fact and I didn’t really understand the killer’s motivation.

The Blurb On The Back:

See, the Tree of Bones calls. Can you see?

More than a hundred years ago, a boy called Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows the mountains he lives in. He knows his people. He knows his blood enemy, the Mangili. And he wants to become a man, to be given his own shield, spear and axe to fight with. His best friend, Luke, wants all the same things - except she is a girl, and no girl has ever become a warrior

But everything changes when a new boy arrives in the village. He calls himself Samkad’s brother, yet he knows nothing of the ways of the mountain. And he brings news of a people called ‘Americans’, who are bringing war and destruction right to his home …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Candy Gourlay’s standalone historical novel for children aged 9+ is a sensitive coming-of-age story that combines the evils of colonialism with a magical realism vibe. Gourlay does a great job of showing the clash between village life and the temptations that the Americans bring with them (and the terrible price that comes with it), depicting a period and conflict that was new to me and which I think children would be interested in.

1. Why Cities Look The Way They Do by Richard J Williams.

2. The Widows Of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey.

3. Moneyland by Oliver Bullough.

4. The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

5. Asia’s Reckoning: China, Japan, The US And The Struggle For Global Power by Richard McGregor.

6. Fallen by Benedict Jacka.

7. The End Of Aspiration by Duncan Exley.

8. Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis.

9. Dear Life by Rachel Clarke.

10. Skulduggery Pleasant – Resurrection by Derek Landy.

11. Pride: The Story Of The LGBTQ Equality Movement by Matthew Todd.

12. Money In The Morgue by Ngaio Marsh and Stella Duffy.

13. Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay And A Mother’s Will To Survive by Stephanie Land.

14. Skulduggery Pleasant Midnight by Derek Landy.

15. Russia by Dmitri Trenin.

16. Enduring Love by Ian McEwan.

17. Stay The Course: The Story Of Vanguard And The Index Revolution by John C. Bogle.

18. Nobody Walks by Mick Herron.

19. Build It: The Rebel Playbook For World-Class Employee Engagement by Glenn Elliott and Debra Corey.

20. The Price Guide To The Occult by Leslye Walton.

21. The Case For People’s Quantitative Easing by Frances Coppola.

22. A Pocketful Of Stars by Aisha Bushby.

23. The Econocracy: On The Perils Of Leaving Economics To The Experts by Joe Earle, Cahal Moran and Zach Ward-Perkins.

24. Skin Deep by Liz Nugent.

25. Liquid Crystal Nightingale by Eeleen Lee.

26. The Haven by Simon Lelic.

27. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta.

28. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley.

29. Supercharg3d: How 3D Printing Will Drive Your Supply Chain by Len Pannett.

30. The Haven Revolution by Simon Lelic.

31. The Catch by Mick Herron.

32. The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher.

33. M&A Disputes: A Professional Guide To Accounting Arbitrations by A. Vincent Biemans and Gerald M. Hansen.

34. The Girl With Space In Her Heart by Lara Williamson.

35. The Atlas Of Disease by Sandra Hempel.

36. Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M. McManus.

37. Chernobyl Prayer by Svetlana Alexievich.

38. This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher.

39. Primo Levi: The Last Interview - Conversations with Giovanni Tesio by Giovanni Tesio.

40. Generation Left by Keir Milburn.

41. Deadpool: The Complete Collection Volume 1 by Daniel Way, Andy Diggle, Steve Dillon, Paco Medina, Carlo Barberi and Bong Dazo.

42. Gunnerkrigg Court Volume 1: Orientation by Thomas Siddell.

43. One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus.

44. Resisters: 52 Young Women Making Herstory Right Now by Lauren Sharkey and Manjit Thapp.

45. The Chalk Man by C J Tudor.

46. The Sex Factor: How Women Made The West Rich by Victoria Bateman.

47. Riddle Of The Runes by Janina Ramirez.

48. That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph.

49. Way Of The Waves by Janina Ramirez.

50. The Far Right Today by Cas Mudde.

51. Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew.

52. Offline: Free Your Mind From Smartphone And Social Media Stress by Imran Rashid and Soren Kenner.

53. Rory Branagan: The Deadly Dinner Lady by Andrew Clover and Ralph Lazar.

54. Riding For Deliveroo: Resistance In The New Economy by Callum Cant.

55. Embassy Of The Dead: Hangman’s Crossing by Will Mabbitt.

56. The Den Of Geek Guide To The Movieverse: Movie Geek by Simon Brew, Ryan Lambie and Louisa Mellor.

57. The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones.

58. Top Marks For Murder by Robin Stevens.

59. Death Sets Sail by Robin Stevens.

60. I Used To Be A Fish by Tom Sullivan.

61. The Club by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg.

62. Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

63. The Firm Divided: Manager-Shareholder Conflict And The Fight For Control Of The Modern Corporation by Graeme Guthrie.

64. Scavengers by Darren Simpson.

65. The Case For Community Wealth Building by Joe Guinan and Martin O’Neill.

66. The Language Of Dying by Sarah Pinborough.

67. English Universities In Crisis: Markets Without Competition by Jefferson Frank, Norman Gowar and Michael Naef.

68. Blood On Snow by Jo Nesbo.

69. The Case For Universal Basic Services by Anna Coote and Andrew Percy.

70. Rules For Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson.

71. Journalism: Why It Matters by Michael Schudson.

72. The Guest List by Lucy Foley.

73. Do Robots Make Love? From AI To Immortality by Laurent Alexandre and Jean-Michel Besnier.

74. What We’ll Build by Oliver Jeffers.

75. My Awesome Year Being 7 by Kia Marie Hunt.

76. Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition by Ursula Vernon.

77. Eight Pieces Of Silva by Patrice Lawrence.

78. Chelsea High by Jenny Oliver.

79. Life 3.0: Being Human In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark.

80. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

If you fancy buying any of these books based on my reviews, then you can do so through Amazon or Bookshop.org UK. Please note that I earn commission on any purchases made via these links.

The Blurb On The Back:

We stand at the beginning of a new era. What was once science fiction is fast becoming reality, as AI transforms war, crime, justice, jobs and society - and even, our very sense of what it means to be human. More than any other technology, AI has the potential to revolutionise our collective future.

How can we grow our prosperity through automation, without leaving people lacking income or purpose? How can we ensure that future AI systems do what we want without crashing, malfunctioning or getting hacked? Will AI help life flourish as never before, or will machines eventually outsmart us at all tasks, and even, perhaps, replace us altogether?

Life 3.0 gives us the tools to join what may be the most important conversation of our time, guiding us through the most controversial issues around AI today - from super intelligence to meaning, consciousness and the ultimate physical limits of life in the cosmos.

What sort of future do you want?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Max Tegmark is professor of physics at MIT and president of the Future of Life Institute (which aims to keep AI beneficial). Published in 2017, this is a ‘big idea’ book that focuses on the positives of AI and where it can take us rather than on the risks and dangers (although it does consider them) but it was too broad in scope for me and I struggled with some of the physics (especially the cosmology) and how white and male the AI field is.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Silva’s door is open. My brain nudges me. She’s not in there. All the time I’ve been hanging around and trying not to disturb her, she wasn’t here at all …

Becks and Silva live under the same roof, but they couldn’t be less like sisters.

Becks likes watching loud superhero movies, girls, and chatting to anyone and everyone. Silva likes privacy; her bedroom is her oasis, and she has an unspoken rule that none of her family are allowed inside.

But then Silva goes missing.
Becks enters Silva’s room.
And finds eight clues about Silva’s secret life.

Can Becks piece the jigsaw together and find her, before it’s too late?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Patrice Lawrence’s standalone YA contemporary novel uses a mystery structure to tell a story of love, loss, grief and obsession with a pitch perfect narrative voice that shows both London and blended families in a way that’s vivid and recognisable. I wished some of the friendships had been more fully developed (particularly Raych) but liked the lesbian romance, the geek references and the central mystery and look forward to Lawrence’s next book.

EIGHT PIECES OF SILVA was released in the United Kingdom on 6th August 2020. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Being 7 is awesome.

This book is bursting with ideas to make this the best year EVER!

Try out tons of activities and record them all in this book.

There’s even space for doodling, drawing and writing about your favourite music, hobbies, books, and sports.

From hiking to going on a scavenger hunt, making yoghurt pops to planning a sleepover - get stuck in and make this an awesome year!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Written and illustrated by Kia Marie Hunt, this activity book (part of a series) for children aged 7 has plenty of different things to do, some cheap, some requiring expenditure and encourages the reader to record their experiences in words or pictures. There’s a lot of variety and I think many kids would get a kick out of it doing tasks with their friends, parents and on their own.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the incredible potential of mankind’s near future, as a doctor and a philosopher debate the big questions surrounding trans humanism - the tech movement that seeks to improve the human condition through science.

Transhumanism has fast become one of the most controversial subjects the scientific community has ever faced. As scientists in California make great strides in using advanced technology to enhance human intellect and physiology, the ethical and moral questions surrounding its possibilities have never been more pressing.

- should we change the way we reproduce?
- could we enhance the human body with technology to the point where we are all technically cyborgs?
- does anyone really want to live for a thousand years?
- is it possible to make love to a robot?

Through 12 thought-provoking questions, doctor and entrepreneur Laurent Alexandre and tech-philosopher Jean-Michel Besnier go head to head in a captivating and entertaining debate about the fundamental and real-world ramifications of transhumanism.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Laurent Alexandre is a surgeon and entrepreneur with an interest in the trans humanism. Jean-Michel Besnier is Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne University and a critic of transhuman utopias. This is a pretentious and yet weirdly superficial look at trans humanism, constructed as a dialogue between the authors and based around 12 questions that left me with little sense of what it was about or what the actual risks/benefits are.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Despite the criticisms that have been levelled at news organisations in recent years and the many difficulties they face, journalism matters. It matters, argues Schudson, because it orients people daily in the complex and changing worlds in which they live. It matters because it offers a fact-centred, documented approach to pertinent public issues. It matters because it keeps watch on the powerful, especially those in government, and can press upon them unpleasant truths to which they must respond. Corruption is stemmed, unwise initiatives stopped, public danger averted because of what journalists do.

This book challenges journalists to think hard about what they really do. It challenges skeptical news audiences to be mindful not only of media bias but also of their own biases and how these can distort their perception. And it holds out hope that journalism will be for years to come a path for ambitious, curious young people who love words or pictures or numbers and want to use them to improve the public conversation in familiar ways or in ways yet to be imagined.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Michael Schudson is a sociologist, historian and Professor of Journalism at Columbia University. This is a well-constructed, clearly argued book that sets out what journalism should be and why it is important and I did not disagree with any of his arguments. However Schudson doesn’t really tackle news media ownership and how ownership determines editorial direction and content, thereby undermining trust in journalism and increasing skepticism.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The idea that health care and education should be provided as universal public services on the basis of need is widely accepted. But why leave it there? Why not expand it to more of life’s essentials?

Anna Coote and Andrew Percy argue that such a transformational expansion of public services is exactly what we need. They show that expanding the principle of collective universal service provision to everyday essentials like transport, child care and housing is not only the best way of tackling many of our biggest problems: it’s also efficient, practical and affordable.

Anyone who cares about fighting for a fairer, greener and more democratic world should read this book.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Anna Coote is Principal Fellow at the New Economics Foundation and Andrew Percy is Co-Director of the Social Prosperity Network at the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity. This book is an interesting introduction to what Universal Basic Services could be and how it could benefit people, together with some indicative GDP costings for the same. It’s not so much a case as the beginning of a conversation but COVID-19 makes it increasingly relevant.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.