Branding + Interior Design by Kim Kuhteubl

Branding + Interior Design: Visibilty and Business Strategy for Interior Designers by Kim Kuhteubl

Summary

The home goods market in the United States is the largest market in the world. Then why do some interior design firms thrive while others barely survive? The answer lies in one powerful little word: brand. 

More than a pretty logo, it involves telling the story of your distinct point of view who you want to serve and why you do business, and it's a process that happens from the inside out. This book bridges the gap between designer and design leader and shows pros how to define, value, and communicate their vision; find clients who are a fit; and master the art of being visible. 

Worksheets give designers the tools to learn these strategies and apply them to their work. It also includes candid conversations with design leaders such as Barbara Barry, Rose Tarlow, Kelly Hoppen, Vicente Wolf, Christiane Lemieux, Clodagh, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, and others."

Impressions
Interesting and very inspiring!

When I first read the title and the summary, I thought I will open a book full of nice home design projects. There is some and very elegant and stylish ones. But it's more than that. It's a good that take a fresh home designers by the hands to explain the business and what to do to be successful.

More important, it's a book that reach you as a human being. Getting into your fears, your lack of confidence as a professional to make you understand that your differences are what makes you valuable. So the author ask you to stop hiding and express yourself.

Nice explanation about brand, yours, and how to expose and sell it on the social media, website. Every communication tools that will help you to reach your customers.
It was a great read with interviews, quotes and tip to boost your confidence and put you on the right path.

Even if I'm not from this industry, it was a nice pep talk to people with a creative mind who often doubts their capacity.
Really cool read!

Source
*Arc provided by Edelweiss.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits Alyona Nickelsen

Summary
Colored pencil painter Alyona Nickelsen reveals how to use the medium to push the limits of realistic portraiture.

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits provides straightforward solutions to the problems that artists face in creating lifelike images, and will prime readers on the intricacies of color, texture, shadow, and light as they interplay with the human form. 

In this truly comprehensive guide packed with step-by-step demonstrations, Nickelsen considers working from photo references versus live models; provides guidance on posing and lighting, as well as planning and composing a work; discusses tools, materials, and revolutionary layering techniques; and offers lessons on capturing gesture and expression and on rendering facial and body features of people of all age groups and skin tones.

Impressions
Realistic paintings and drawings have always amazed me.

When I was able to draw, I've understood the dedication and long hours you need to reach a good level. It's about patience, time and technics.

In this book, the author gives you great tip to blend the colors to obtain a beautiful realistic outcome on portrait. Alyona Nickelsen explains the pigment, the material you need to use as well as how to draw and add the color to be satisfied with the result.

She has created a great book with easy to understand explanations that really motivates you to put your hands on a paper and start applying her advices.
Very interesting and cool book!

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Shadows of the Forest by Emma Michaels

Summary
Everyone is dying to live in the Shadows of the Forest.
They gave me three rules to follow in exchange for my brother’s life:
1. Do not enter the West Wing;
2. Do not go outside after darkness falls; and
3. There is only one exit; The Gates.

This is what happened when I broke them…

Impressions
The cover was attractive. The plot intriguing.
As I have into heavy read, I said "bingo" that will do a great change and a nice entertaintment. Sigh!
Not at all.
In the middle of the story I was still trying to understand why the heroine was beating herself so much. She plays the victime from the start and it gets annoying. She repeats the same words as if they were mantras to beat herself up. It's nice to have flaws, to express raw emotions but to have a character depressing in a quest. It's difficult.
No way to like her or to connect.
End up not finishing the book.
Too bad cause it was promising.


Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Interconnected by Ogyen Trinley Dorje Karmapa

Summary
A practical vision for sharing the planet from one of the leaders in Tibetan Buddhism.

What if we all lived with a deep awareness of our connection to each other and the earth? How can we move in that direction? For the Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, interdependence is far more than an intellectual idea. He sees directly how our inner worlds shape our outer worlds and vice versa, and how looking at each other with profound empathy can fundamentally reshape the human race. 

Drawing on the tools of his Buddhist training, but speaking in universal terms accessible to people of all backgrounds, the Karmapa shows how harnessing the power of our thoughts and emotions can make us far more effective as agents of positive social transformation.

Impressions
Raise a lot of good questions!

I have spend a wonderful moment with this read. When I was commuting, I was smilling at what it means to be interdependent, unique, autonomous. I was agreeing on the feeling of distance and loneliness coming from the social media.
We are unable to talk to each other in the real world but we spill our personal beans into the virtual one.

Some food for your thoughts about how we are changing and how we should be cautious and seeking balance in our life.
Life is amazing if we are taking care of what really matters and not always chasing illusions.

Great book to savour slowly.

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak

Summary
A dazzling debut novel—at once a charming romance and a moving coming-of-age story—about what happens when a fourteen-year old boy pretends to seduce a girl to steal a copy of Playboy but then discovers she is his computer-loving soulmate.

Billy Marvin’s first love was a computer. Then he met Mary Zelinsky.

Do you remember your first love?

The Impossible Fortress begins with a magazine…The year is 1987 and Playboy has just published scandalous photographs of Vanna White, from the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune. For three teenage boys—Billy, Alf, and Clark—who are desperately uneducated in the ways of women, the magazine is somewhat of a Holy Grail: priceless beyond measure and impossible to attain. So, they hatch a plan to steal it.

The heist will be fraught with peril: a locked building, intrepid police officers, rusty fire escapes, leaps across rooftops, electronic alarm systems, and a hyperactive Shih Tzu named Arnold Schwarzenegger. Failed attempt after failed attempt leads them to a genius master plan—they’ll swipe the security code to Zelinsky’s convenience store by seducing the owner’s daughter, Mary Zelinsky. It becomes Billy’s mission to befriend her and get the information by any means necessary. But Mary isn’t your average teenage girl. She’s a computer loving, expert coder, already strides ahead of Billy in ability, with a wry sense of humor and a hidden, big heart. But what starts as a game to win Mary’s affection leaves Billy with a gut-wrenching choice: deceive the girl who may well be his first love or break a promise to his best friends.

At its heart, The Impossible Fortress is a tender exploration of young love, true friends, and the confusing realities of male adolescence—with a dash of old school computer programming.

Impressions
Tender moments and really funny read!

Fresh and fun, this story made me smile a few times. I even laugh out loud in the metro with the antics of these young men and their determination to read Playboy!
The author really captures your attention with his plot and the lovely way he is telling you his story.
It's old fashion, nostlagic, creative and sweet.

Really cool read!


Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

One More Kiss by Samantha Chase

Summary
Matt Reed was living the dream until a bad career move sends him back to his hometown for much-needed privacy. Instead, he finds someone he never expected: the woman whose steamy kiss he remembers like it was yesterday.

Vivienne Forrester finally has her life in order... until Matt moves back to town. She doesn't want to think about the time she threw caution to the wind with him, but running into him everywhere, it's impossible not to... 

Impressions
A slice of life cliché but nice.

Matt is famous and getting out out control when Vivienne enters his life. Not her best memory. The second time is much much better and leads to take a chance on life and love.
Nothing special under the sun but it's a fun lovely romance.
One you will appreciate under a blanket with a hot chocolate!


Source
*Arc provided by Edelweiss.
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Discover Your Master Chakra by Stephanie Larsen

Discover Your Master Chakra: Reveal the Source of Your Spiritual Gifts by Stephanie Larsen

Summary
Learn about the seven soul-ray colors and how each can be used to solve any problem you or your loved ones may encounter. Discover Your Master Chakra explores each soul-ray color in depth, how they correspond to the chakras, and how understanding them will improve your career, relationships, health, and more.

Impressions
Interesting!

I don't know a lot of things about chakras. Only the basics and what you learn at yoga. So it was an interesting read as you go through all the colors to detect your personality.
A bit difficult to real understand which color you are as some of my personality traits where in a bit of different colors.
I think I'm a blue drama queen with a bit of redish pain in the ass. And I also have the creativity of a purple.
If you want to discover more about you, have a look at this book!

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

A Honeyed Light by Freddie Milano

Summary
Kunal, relative newcomer to the strange town of Harmony, has his hands full preparing for Diwali. That should be enough to keep anyone's mind pre-occupied, but Kunal can't really ignore that he's nearly thirty, single, and still buried in the closet.

Out of town at a gay club one night, he bumps into Oscar, proprietor of Harmony's only sex shop, and figures his secret is now officially out. What he doesn't expect is a slow seduction, or to have to decide what it is he really wants in life. 

Impressions
Fun, fresh and well written!

Reading this book, you got all the ingredients for a great romance.
A nice scenery on the Diwali season. So you can learn about the celebration, the indian believes and traditions.
A nice duo who is touching and troubled. So when they start to fall for each other, as a reader you are already smiling.
And secondary characters, a bit strange but super cute. Add some ghosts and hot kisses and you are spending a great time with Kunal and Oscar.

A pleasant read nicely written.


Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Living Well on the Road by Linden Schaffer

Living Well on the Road: Health and Wellness for Travelers by Linden Schaffer

SummaryStressed out? Eating badly? Skipping the gym? Sleeping with your phone rather than your partner? Experiencing brain fog and lack of focus? Then this book is for you. Linden Schaffer was an overworked, stressed out, on-the-go professional who found time to refocus, recharge, recommit to wellness on the road. Now she is sharing her secrets, identifying the obstacles that keep you from experiencing true wellness and, with scientifically backed-data, showing how you too can learn to embrace wellness.

Learn what it feels like to recommit to the things that help us feel more energized, more focused, and more mindful of those activities in which we engage. Well on the Road helps readers to identify those areas of life that need recharging, and brings greater awareness to those in search of a way to find wellness, happiness, and overall well-being even as they move through their busy days. Whether on the road, in the office, or at home, any reader can find ways to dramatically improve their mental focus and physical wellness if they implement the ideas and advice found within these pages.

In Well on the Road, readers will find: .a practical real-world approach to understanding and managing your wellness .a researched and scientifically investigated how-to manual that encourages a healthier way to manage your lifestyle .personal accounts of how small changes can lead to major positive life changes .easy to implement tactics proven to reduce stress and sick days .increased productivity and creativity through refocused attention .feel-good experiences that take 5-minutes and release the stress and tension of your workday from body and mind"

Impressions
Mixed feelings!

I'm shaking my head just before writting my review. To be honest, I'm dissapointed. But at the same time, my attention has been caught and I've learned some tip.

I was happy to read about the author experiences as I recognise myself in the description. I was eager to find ways to live a better life.
Unfortunatelly, the first part of the book is like stating the obvious. Exercice, go to bed early and eat well. Ok, nothing new under the sun...

When I went through "sleep troubles", there was enough informations and references to make it interesting. Probably a bit superficial but interesting.
Too bad, the exercices part states once again the obvious.

So yes, this book is good for you if you are not already exercising, taking your car too much instead of walking and eating junk food instead of cooking.
I would have liked some advices for people who are already doing that and still feel tired and overwhelmed.

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.