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When the latest victim of the Bloody Heart serial killer escapes his captor and identifies high school teacher Randall Thompson, the case is closed as far as everyone is concerned. So why is defense attorney Robert Kavin, the father of one of the killer’s first victims, representing Randall in court? As an expert on serial killers, Dr. Gwen Moore is brought in to interview Randall and help clear his name. But as Gwen dives deeper into the investigation, Gwen begins to suspect that Robert is hiding something—and that he might not be the only one with a secret.
Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that should absolutely be put at the top of your TBR pile. Recommended books will vary across genre and age category and include shiny new books, older books you may have missed, and some classics I suggest finally getting around to. Make space for another pile of books on your floor because here we go!
Today’s pick is one of those wonderful reads that’s a great read on audio, physical, and ebook. In fact, I listened to it on audiobook and loved it so much that I bought a hardcover copy so that I could reread and highlight the parts that I return to over and over again. It’s been one of my favorite reads this year.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
This book is nonfiction self-help/self-improvement with a heavy dose of humor. It’s divided into three sections, Be, Say, and Do, and each section has a wealth of insight and advice.
The author begins by talking about the internal work we need to do if we are going to be successful in fighting our own fears. This ranges from dealing with our own insecurities to managing (and stopping) our self-sabotage and unpacking our loads of baggage.
One of the things I love so much about this book is that it is an ode to her grandmother, who sounds like an incredibly fierce, amazing, powerhouse of a woman. Jones brings in many anecdotes about her grandmother as well as many Nigerian cultural traditions that can, in turn, help all of us to fight our fears.
I appreciated when Jones wrote about how so many of us are told that we’re too much. Too loud. Too aggressive. Too passionate. Too intimidating. Too sensitive. And that when people are saying you’re too this or too that, what they’re really saying is, “Can you be less? Can you be less than you are? Can you make yourself small for me?” And surprise, the lesson here is that it’s not our job to shrink ourselves to make other people comfortable unless our too muchness is actually harming someone or hindering our own growth.
So much of this book is about owning your own awesomeness, fighting imposter syndrome, and doing things even if you are scared. There are two chapters in particular that I think are worth the price of admission: the chapter on asking for more and letting loved ones help you and the chapter on money and asking for what we are worth.
This book was funny, inspiring, and empowering and definitely one I’ll read more than once.
That’s it for now, book-lovers!
Patricia
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