#stmartinsessentials

The Magic in Your Mind: The Complete and Original Edition with Added Bonus Material by U.S. Andersen

Pub date - 4/1/25

Listen, I pretty much think that law of attraction is bullshit, but I do think there’s something to be said for positive thinking.

Many of the ‘stories’ seemed very fake (I wound up skipping them) and much of the writing is repetitive, but there’s still a lot of interest in the pages of this book from 1961 - and now being reprinted by St. Martin’s Essentials - readers do have to mine for the helpful bits in the twaddle.

Recommended for those bits.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Essentials and NetGalley for the DRC

Breath: Wake Up to Life by Prem Rawat

US pub date - 1/28/25

I probably wouldn’t recommend it if one is having an existential crisis but the views presented are fantastic for mindful moments and deeper pondering. 

I enjoyed this. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Essentials and NetGalley for the DRC

The Healing Power of Your Subconscious Mind: A Powerful Guide to Heal Your Life by Joseph Murphy 

US pub date - 11/19/24

My own fault for not researching this author beforehand, but the title and entirely non-religious synopsis appealed but this trod far too heavily on the Judeo-Christian God aspect for my personal tastes (believer, but not religious). This definitely affected my reading enjoyment and if it hadn’t been a NetGalley title, I would have given up after the second chapter. 

While I do believe in the power of the subconscious mind and I’m sure others will find the positivity in this combination title - two reprint titles in one book, it didn’t work at all for me since it was really, really, really heavy on the God-Jesus mentions - it permeated each and every chapter and I had a difficult time separating the wheat from the chaff. And what I did get struck me hypocritical - if you don’t get what you pray for, you didn’t pray correctly - I don’t like this type of message; blaming the reader strikes me as the author being unable to explain the prayer-lifestyle connection with any cognizant and rational reasoning. 

For the hypocrisy alone, I cannot and do not recommend this.

Thank you St. Martin’s Essentials and NetGalley for the DRC 

Shadow Work: A Spiritual Path to Healing and Integration by Michelle Wadleigh 

US pub date - 9/24/24

It’s a very short book, with exercises, journal prompts, followed by an example story. I’m sure this will prove helpful to many, but I personally didn’t find overmuch that I was unfamiliar with. I also didn’t require, or find helpful, so many “examples” of people who took a course by the author. 

*disclosure: I read the work in this while being in EMDR therapy and after speaking with my therapist. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Essentials and NetGalley for the DRC 

Writing an Identity Not Your Own: A Guide for Creative Writers by Alex Temblador US pub date - 8/13/24

Representation is so important, and I found this title to be a very well written, thoughtful guide and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to read this and learn. 

I feel that this could prove an invaluable resource for writers and highly recommend. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Essentials and NetGalley for the DRC