Horned grey Rells, Orcs, Greenskins, and Humans - oooohhhh this is going to be good!

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Malvia is a world caught in constant war. The three remaining races slaughter their way towards a victory that has escaped them and others for over a thousand years. In the west exists a great Kingdom belonging to the horned, grey skinned race of the Rell. To the north, behind walls of jagged steel and rock, are the Orc Territories where the savage Greenskins live. In the west, ever fortified and watched over by the Inquisition, is the Empire of the humans.
As the war continues there are many who seek to capitalise on its carnage, its pain, and its horror. One such man is the Summoner: a mysterious warrior whose name and past is well known to all in every corner of this violent world. But what plan has he concocted to make his mark on Malvia and what is in store for not only those who stand in his way but those he desperately seeks? 

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(Not a review - part of a paid advertising package)

Kyle Garlett has walked to the edge so that you don't have to and you can still get all the wisdom from that right here!

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"Lessons from the Edge of Life: The Seven Keys to Surviving the Worst and Living Your Best" by Kyle Garlett is a one of those books that makes you just pick it up and smile all the way through.

Kyle Garlett is a four time cancer survivor.  That in and of itself is testament to the man's willpower and attitude.  But what is survival if you then become complacent?  Garlett chose to thrive instead of survive.  Most "healthy" people would not be able to accomplish the feat of completing the Ironman Triathlon.   With a heart transplant and damaged lungs from rounds of chemo, Garlett did just that.

But, like all great people worth listening to, Garlett has a sense of humility that allows him to not just share his story, but to share the insights that were gained from his journey.

Being a personal development coach, I recognized many of the points that Garlett makes, but his examples and twists on them is where the real value of this book lies. Garlett has people facing their gremlins by having them not just facing their fears, but making fear their friend.  He does an excellent job in the very first lesson when he encourages people to "climb out of the valley of the fog".

I also appreciate that Garlett never turns into a "positive in the face of everything cheerleader".  There were times when he suffered setbacks and depression.  No one is ever going to be 100% positive all the time - depression, hurt, helplessness and other emotions are OK for a quick visit, but nothing good happens from an extended stay with these emotions.

One of the greatest take-aways for me was the acronym of AWE:  Attitude, Will, Effort.  I have seen this first hand in myself and others that these three words can take a person quite far if they put them into action.

I could go on and on about the contents of this wonderfully motivating book, but I can't do it justice or give you the wisdom in a blog article.

Do yourself a favor - take Kyle Garlett's hand, walk with him to the edge of life, and learn all you need to learn on how to get more out of each and everyday.  

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(This review was part of an ad package.  This only moved the book to the "front of the line" and in no way influences the review"

A difficult choice facing us every day: Sweatpants or Stilettos?

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Many months of this year were what I call the sweatpants days. Don’t even try to tell me you don’t understand what I mean by that statement. But just so we’re all on the same page, sweatpants days are those days that all you want to do is stay in bed with your sweatpants on and have Netflix at your beck and call to create your own marathon event. They are the days in which the sun should not shine, the world should not move on, and no one should smile, laugh or be happy.
Thankfully, I have learned this year that sweatpants days don’t last forever. I have seen them go from sweatpants to jean days to leather pant days and then on to stiletto days. Those days where you feel the absolute best and are 100% yourself, doing what you were created to do, with people you love to be around, and everything is falling into place. Blessings from heaven abound. Yeah. Those days. They are the stiletto days. They are the take-on-the-world-tell-them-whose-boss-no-one-can-stop-you kind of days. And they are awesome. I love those days.
Educator, DIY junkie, and Believer, Rachel candidly reveals some of her darkest days and brightest moments. In Sweatpants and Stilettos, she speaks to the truths of Christ that have been put on display through life’s variety of circumstances. She gives light to real and honest conversations we have with ourselves while battling life’s trials, all while still managing to be both brutal and comical.

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(Not a review - Book cover and blurb posted as part of an advertising package - review to follow)