Viral Loop: A Book Review

Viral Loop CoverIf you’re like me and you’re into Internet Marketing, Social Media or anything related to that, I highly recommend the book Viral Loop by Adam Penenberg.

There is a lot of buzz out there about things going “viral” and everyone wants a piece of the action. If you’re looking for a how-to book on creating Viral Campaigns, this is not the book you want. However, this book is full of fascinating case studies on how other items have gone viral.

To give you an idea of what’s covered in this really great read, here’s a sampling of the some of the case studies you’ll find in it:

Netscape and Firefox
eBay
Hot or Not
PayPal

Intrigued yet? I figured you were. Adam has a straightforward way of telling a story but also giving you some analytical insights as to why the Viral Loop occurs. This book will give you lots of ideas for your own business as well as some valuable insights into how consumers think when it comes to items like that. Perfect for people you know who are in business or obsessed with the internet (like me).

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If you Give a Mom a Martini: A Book Review

I truly believe this is something that all moms struggle with: finding 10 minutes to yourself to just be you. I definitely have my methods. Here are just a few:

    • I like to leave super early for appointments so I can sit in the car in the parking lot with a book
    • I get up fairly early to start the day quietly
    • I like to go to business seminars and meetings for the alone time in the car
    • I hire a babysitter once a week to give myself some peace

While these all work pretty well for me, I’m always looking for new ways to get that time I need to be able to function as a mom and as a woman. I’ve even been known to lock myself in my room to fold laundry.

This is the purpose of If You Give a Mom a Martini: creative ways to find some alone time and things to do when you actually get it. One of my favorites was to get the real estate section of the paper and find the most expensive home on the page then fantasize what it would be like to live there.

Granted, I wasn’t in to every suggestion they gave, but the book overall was very entertaining and allowed me to have several minutes to myself as I read over the suggestions. This is a great book for new moms or moms of young children who need an imagination booster (and maybe a babysitter).

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5 Elements of a Good Book Review

I was never a fan of “book reports” in grade school. I’m the type of person who prefers a good discussion about a book rather than something as dry and boring as a report talking about the climax, conclusion, themes & writing styles of authors. Plus I also hated the books I had to read (mostly because someone told me I HAD to read them and I’m a bit rebellious).

So how did I become a book blogger? Two reasons; one, I absolutely love to read and I love to read books of all genres. The second reason is because I look at book reviews differently than book reports. They are my thoughts on a book and they are meant to be discussion starters. And, in general, those types of reviews are the ones I read on other people’s blogs.

Here are five things that every good book review should have:

  1. A brief synopsis – and yes, this means you actually need to have read the book. While this seems like a very basic thing to say, I’ve read many reviews that appear to only be using the Web site or dust jacket’s description as the basis for their post. It’s extremely evident when it’s a book I’ve already read.
  2. Talk about the writing, not just the story. I’ve read some books that have exquisite writing but not much of a story line and vice versa. Reviews that include this are taking the time to go a little deeper than just fulfilling a deadline.
  3. A personal opinion. I’m always curious as to other people’s opinions on books. Did they like it? Why or why not? How did you feel when the book ended (for non-fiction/ fiction) or what did you do when you finished it (for self-help or business books), etc? Without this element, it’s just another dust jacket read to me.
  4. No spoilers. Please don’t tell me how the book ends in your review. It’ll ruin it not just for me but for anyone else reading your review that hasn’t picked up the book yet. If you do put in a spoiler, at least give a warning to your readers.
  5. Recommendations on who should read this book. Is it my grandmother? My sports-loving sister-in-law? How about my artistic mother? Tell me who would be an ideal candidate to crack the pages on this book? Not only do you tell me if I should read it but who I can buy it for as well as a gift.

With all things online, I always remember that you can’t trust everything just because it’s published. And these are people’s personal opinions. But when you find a book blogger or reviewer who is constantly reviewing books that you’ve read or that you want to read, you begin to trust their opinion.

Want to join an online book club? Email momsinabookclub@gmail.com for more information!

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Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi: A Review

Recently, I was sent a copy of Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi by Nanci Kincaid. The title of the book definitely sets the tone for the entire story. Two kids, a brother and a sister, move from their relatively sheltered life in Mississippi and set out to to make their fortunes and establish themselves in California. Both are successful in the money arena, but their lives quickly take turns that they hadn’t expected and the find themselves in the middle of tumultuous divorces and self-introspection gone awry.

Then Arnold, a young black man trying to find his own path, enters the scene. He inserts himself into the siblings’ lives and they set out to make him into “something.” But what that something is no one can exactly pinpoint. This book is an easy read if you’re in the mood for a well-written book that is rich with imagery and great back and forth dialogue.

I did, however, have a couple of issues with this book. First of all, it was hard to get a concept of how old the main characters (Truely and Courtney) were as the book progressed. While I realized that they continued to get older, it was extremely difficult to get a clear sense of just how old they were. While it may not seem like a big deal, the scenes with Arnold in the latter half of the book did become a little difficult to perceive because of this. Secondly, and without giving too much away, the ending was a bit of a let-down. I’m not a fan of a rather lengthy and involved book trying to wrap itself up nicely in the final few pages. I definitely had a sense of “what else” when I finished the book.

All-in-all, I did like the book. Nanci Kincaid has a definite gift of words and she is a talented writer. This is a good book if you have a couple of days and just want to plow through a pretty simple novel.

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Then Along Came An Angel – A Review

Do you believe in angels? Regardless of whether you do or not, you may enjoy reading Then Along Came an Angel: Messengers of Deliverance. This book was compiled by Julie Bonn Heath and it represents all walks of life from all over the world.

There are lots of books about angels out there and it seems that everyone has their own story. Moments where, had not one tiny thing occurred, that person in all likelihood would not be with us today. Close calls, unexplainable happenings, miraculous events… people see them everyday and love to share them with everyone they know. Because it touches them. It changes them. And there’s no rational explanation for these types of things, so it generally gets attributed to angels.

This book is a fantastic Christmas gift for someone on your list. I know my husband’s grandmother is getting one because I know she’ll love the stories in it. The stories are each told by the person who experienced them. I will admit, it was a little tough to read at first because each story is written in a different style because there are so many different authors. But you do get used to it pretty quickly and that becomes part of its overall charm. Hearing stories like this first hand makes every single story feel genuine. Not to mention that some of the stories will leave you scratching your head and deciding that the only possible explanation for some of the events is that an angel was present.

I recommend this book for anyone on your list this year that has even a vague interest in angels. It’s a book that will warm the heart and have you looking for angels all throughout the day.

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