A delightful memoir written by Alexander Watson, River Queens invites its readers to travel with Alexander, his partner Dale and their wonderful spotted dog, Dorothy Faye as the Texas trio renovate an old yacht and journey through the rivers of Midwest America. I always enjoys well-written memoirs and Watson's book does not disappoint. I also love a good love story - and River Queens is as much that, as it is a well-told memoir. The love story featured in the book is one that exists between Alexander and Dale as well as one that exists between the great number of river travelers throughout the American rivers. The way the river travelers interact, welcome one another and converse shows true connection, respect, as well as humor. Having spent much of my own youth growing up on the rivers of the Midwest, I appreciated this sentiment.

Hola! Let's Learn Spanish, by Judy Martialay is a beautiful children's book. The book is colorful, bright and inviting. In the book, readers are introduced to characters Pete the Pilot and Panchito the Mexican jumping bean. The book is written for children ages 6-10+ who are interested in beginning to learn Spanish. In the back of the book there are several activities to do at home (or in the classroom) and a small dictionary of words that were introduced in the book (organized by chapter). I found the dictionary helpful to revisit, to practice new words. The book is a great way to introduce children to Spanish.

Better Than New: Lessons I've Learned from Saving Old Homes (and How They Saved Me), by HGTV host Nicole Curtis is an interesting read. I read the hardback of this book (often I read eBooks and listen to audiobooks) and I was really glad to have the hardcopy because of the photographs included throughout the book. Admittedly, I watched Seasons 1-8 of Curtis's DIY Network and HGTV hit show, Rehab Addict - prior to reading her book. This made the book even better as when I was reading, I knew which houses she was referring to. The book is beautifully done and well-written. I could practically hear Nicole saying each sentence as I read the book. The book is filled with Nicole's private struggles, inspiring lessons and her work and personal victories and successes. Nicole shares with readers what she's learned along her life's journey (so far) - and her stories are presented in a way that we can all learn from them.

BUY THE BOOK:  AMAZON 

BOOK TYPE: NON-FICTION / MEMOIR / DOGS / ANIMALS

Pursuing Greatness: Strategies to Gain a Mental Edge in Sports and Life is now available on Amazon in ebook and print formats (audiobook edition will be coming later this year) Click here to grab a FREE sample or purchase your copy today.

***FROM THE BACK COVER*** 

"GOALS WORK FOR US WHEN WE WORK FOR THEM

Aspire: Discovering Your Purpose Through the Power of Words, by Kevin Hall is a terrific book! As someone who loves quotes, books, song lyrics...and words in general, this book was very enjoyable. I found myself highlighting frequently. It is not solely of book containing the true meaning of words (and where they originate from), it is full of inspirational stories of how words influence our behaviors and decisions. I cannot recommend this book enough. I will be reading it again, as I feel there is so much to gain from the words between the covers of Hall's book.

A few of my favorite parts in the book include:

Ego is the Enemy, by Ryan Holiday is an excellent read! I found myself highlighting a lot of great lines. In today's book review, I'm sharing a few of those highlighted points (below - enjoy!). In addition, the book shares stories of Howard Hughes, John DeLorean, Alexander the Great, William Techumseh Sherman, Katharine Graham, Jackie Robinson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bill Walsh, Benjamin Franklin, Angela Merkel and many more.

• Quaker William Penn observed: "Buildings that lie so exposed to the weather need a good foundation."
  
• "Only when free of ego and baggage can anyone perform to their utmost."
• "Ego is stolen. Confidence is earned." (I love this!)
  

Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics, by Jeremy Schaap is an interesting read. I'm always a fan of athletic stories and stories about the Olympics. The book is well-written and I learned a lot about Jesse Owens. The book shares Jesse's story from childhood through running at the 1936 Olympics- set against a backdrop of swastikas. Owens won an amazing four gold medals and "single-highhandedly demonstrated demonstrated that Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy was a lie."

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah is an interesting read (I listened to the audiobook version, read by Noah himself!). Trevor Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa and is the host of the Emmy and Peabody Award–winning The Daily Show on Comedy Central. Born in South Africa to a black South African mother and a white European father, Noah has hosted numerous television shows including South Africa’s music, television, and film awards and two seasons of his own late night talk show, Tonight with Trevor Noah.

From apartheid South Africa "...Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle."

Scrappy Little Nobody, by Anna Kendrick is a fun read. I listened to the audiobook version (read by Anna herself!) and really enjoyed it. The book made me laugh out loud several times. Anna is filled with witty charm and graciously shares her life with us. Her honesty and candor are appreciated. The book is really a series of stories from Anna's life, from dating experiences to her unusual path to the performing arts.