Sera's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:37:35 -0700 60 Sera's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Kissing Hand (The Kissing Hand Series)]]> 13017073 32 Audrey Penn Sera 5 4.70 1993 The Kissing Hand (The Kissing Hand Series)
author: Audrey Penn
name: Sera
average rating: 4.70
book published: 1993
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/25
date added: 2022/10/25
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All We Ever Wanted 36344555 In the riveting new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Comes Love and Something Borrowed, three very different people must choose between their family and their values.

Nina Browning is living the good life after marrying into Nashville’s elite. More recently, her husband made a fortune selling his tech business, and their adored son has been accepted to Princeton. Yet sometimes the middle-class small-town girl in Nina wonders if she’s strayed from the person she once was.

Tom Volpe is a single dad working multiple jobs while struggling to raise his headstrong daughter, Lyla. His road has been lonely, long, and hard, but he finally starts to relax after Lyla earns a scholarship to Windsor Academy, Nashville’s most prestigious private school.

Amid so much wealth and privilege, Lyla doesn’t always fit in—and her overprotective father doesn’t help—but in most ways, she’s a typical teenage girl, happy and thriving.

Then, one photograph, snapped in a drunken moment at a party, changes everything. As the image spreads like wildfire, the Windsor community is instantly polarized, buzzing with controversy and assigning blame.

At the heart of the lies and scandal, Tom, Nina, and Lyla are forced together—all questioning their closest relationships, asking themselves who they really are, and searching for the courage to live a life of true meaning.]]>
353 Emily Giffin 0399178937 Sera 5 3.87 2018 All We Ever Wanted
author: Emily Giffin
name: Sera
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/13
date added: 2020/12/13
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The Giver of Stars 44057462 Set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond

When Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve, she escapes her stifling life in England, but small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books on horseback as part of Eleanor Roosevelt's new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. What happens to these women—and to the men they love—becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity, and passion.

Based on a true story rooted in America's past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic—a richly rewarding novel of women's friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.]]>
399 Jojo Moyes Sera 0 4.41 2019 The Giver of Stars
author: Jojo Moyes
name: Sera
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/07
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<![CDATA[Confessions of a Domestic Failure]]> 36506297
"Perfect for readers looking for a funny, realistic look at motherhood."—Booklist (starred review)

From the creator of The Honest Toddler comes a fiction debut sure to be a must-read for moms everywhere

There are good moms and bad moms—and then there are hot-mess moms. Introducing Ashley Keller, career girl turned stay-at-home mom who's trying to navigate the world of Pinterest-perfect, Facebook-fantastic and Instagram-impressive mommies but failing miserably.

When Ashley gets the opportunity to participate in the Motherhood Better boot camp run by the mommy-blog-empire maven she idolizes, she jumps at the chance to become the perfect mom she's always wanted to be. But will she fly high or flop?

With her razor-sharp wit and knack for finding the funny in everything, Bunmi Laditan creates a character as flawed and lovable as Bridget Jones or Becky Bloomwood while hilariously lambasting the societal pressures placed upon every new mother. At its heart, Ashley's story reminds moms that there's no way to be perfect, but many ways to be great.]]>
336 Bunmi Laditan Sera 5 3.87 2017 Confessions of a Domestic Failure
author: Bunmi Laditan
name: Sera
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/04
date added: 2020/08/04
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<![CDATA[We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life]]> 52559138 "A masterpiece. The truest, most generous, honest, and helpful sobriety memoir I’ve read. It’s going to save lives." -Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Warrior and Carry On, Warrior

"Laura McKowen’s fearless, eloquent, powerful story is an ode to living an awakened life. Yes, this is a book about getting (and staying) sober, but it’s so much more than that. It is about embracing the beautiful messiness of being human." -Dani Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of Inheritance

What could possibly be “lucky� about addiction? Absolutely nothing, thought Laura McKowen when drinking brought her “to her knees.� As she puts it, she “kicked and screamed . . . wishing for something � anything � else� to be her issue. The people who got to drink normally, she thought, were so damn lucky. But in the midst of early sobriety, when no longer able to anesthetize her pain and anxiety, she realized, with more than a bit of amazement, that she was actually the lucky one. Lucky to feel her feelings, live honestly, really be with her daughter, change her legacy.

She recognized that “those of us who answer the invitation to wake up, whatever our invitation, are really the luckiest of all.� McKowen addresses issues such as facing facts, the question of AA, and other people’s drinking. Without sugarcoating the struggles of recovery, she relentlessly emphasizes the many blessings of an honest life, one without secrets and debilitating guilt. McKowen flips the script on how we talk about sobriety and shows readers that the question we should be asking in our lives is not, “Is this bad enough that I have to change?� but rather, “Is this good enough to stay the same?”]]>
248 Laura McKowen 1608686558 Sera 0 4.31 2020 We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life
author: Laura McKowen
name: Sera
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/02/25
date added: 2020/03/21
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Fatigue 52116010 An inspiring true story about the twists of fate that challenge a couple’s expectations of love, marriage, and reliance.

Jennifer Acker and her husband had been married for eleven years when she was blindsided by a mysterious and undiagnosed incapacitation. Accustomed to their independent routines, they will have to reform both their lives to accommodate the enervating illness. As Jennifer’s sense of self falls away, however, the couple is struck again. Her husband’s “frozen shoulder� all but locks one side of his upper body, leaving him in excruciating pain, partially immobilized, and as dependent on Jennifer as she is on him. But their needs are not in competition. In communion and reciprocal caregiving, they learn to love—and to explore—each other anew.

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44 Jennifer Acker 154204359X Sera 3 3.66 2019 Fatigue
author: Jennifer Acker
name: Sera
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/10/21
date added: 2020/03/05
shelves:
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The Hideaway 34384037
After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags’s ramshackle B&B in Sweet Bay, Alabama. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating it—no small task considering her grandmother’s best friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there.

Rather than hurrying back to New Orleans, Sara stays in Sweet Bay and begins the biggest house-rehabbing project of her career. Amid drywall dust, old memories, and a charming contractor, she discovers that slipping back into life at The Hideaway is easier than she expected.

Then she discovers a box Mags left in the attic with clues to a life Sara never imagined for her grandmother. With help from Mags’s friends, Sara begins to piece together the mysterious life of bravery, passion, and choices that changed her grandmother’s destiny in both marvelous and devastating ways.

When an opportunistic land developer threatens to seize The Hideaway, Sara is forced to make a choice—stay in Sweet Bay and fight for the house and the people she’s grown to love or leave again and return to her successful but solitary life in New Orleans.]]>
352 Lauren K. Denton Sera 5 4.10 2017 The Hideaway
author: Lauren K. Denton
name: Sera
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2019/08/05
date added: 2019/08/05
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Turning Pro 14912777 148 Steven Pressfield Sera 5 4.14 2012 Turning Pro
author: Steven Pressfield
name: Sera
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2016/10/02
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<![CDATA[Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic's Love Story]]> 18900925 When one person dares to speak her truth, it challenges us all to live our own. With Red Hot and Holy, Sera Beak offers a provocative and intimate view of what it means to get up close and personal with the divine in modern times.

With a rare combination of audacious wit, scholarly acumen, and tender vulnerability—vibrantly mixed with red wine, rock songs, tattoos, and erotic encounters—Sera candidly chronicles the highs and lows of her mystical journey. From the innocence of her childhood crush on God; through a whirlwind of torrid liaisons and bitter break-ups with Christianity, Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, and the New Age; and finally into committed monogamy with her own Red Hot and Holy Goddess, Sera shares transformative insights, encouraging us all to trust our unique path and ignite our own spiritual love affair.

Sera Beak's luscious writing and renegade spiritual wisdom that slices through religious and new age dogma made her debut book The Red Book a breakout success. With Red Hot and Holy she offers a far more personal book—an illuminating, hilarious, and above all utterly honest portrait of the heart-opening process of mystical realization. This hot and holy book invites you to embrace your soul, unleash your true Self, and burn, baby, burn with divine love.

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279 Sera Beak 1622031113 Sera 1 4.02 2013 Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic's Love Story
author: Sera Beak
name: Sera
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2013
rating: 1
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date added: 2016/05/04
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<![CDATA[In Process: Creating An Investment Process For All Seasons]]> 24959413
Winston Churchill once said, "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." Your Investment Process should be a living, breathing document that changes as you change. It should always be IN PROCESS; much like your life.

Please follow me: @sjm4k]]>
62 Stephen McNaughton Sera 5 5.00 2015 In Process: Creating An Investment Process For All Seasons
author: Stephen McNaughton
name: Sera
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/09/07
date added: 2015/09/07
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<![CDATA[In Process: The REDE Investment Process & Plan]]> 26057946 be considered a “One size fits all� solution. It is best used as a foundation for our relationship
with you; an instruction manual, intended to give you a better understanding of our Process
& Plan. It has been developed with the benefit of our investment experience and analysis.

Our process is not fixed and requires your input to be effective. The best planned
process is worthless if it doesn’t meet your needs, you don’t understand it or worse yet, aren’t
comfortable with it. We can provide the building blocks, but you must provide needed context....
Together we can make this document yours; the end result will help us, prepare you for all
seasons and position you to stay invested when conditions prove challenging. Timing isn’t
everything, but TIME is... Our sincerest hope is that when the markets challenge you, you'll be
prepared because we helped you create a framework that allows you to clarify your process & plan.

Please follow us: @RedeWealth]]>
55 Rede Wealth Sera 5 Easy to read and informative!

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the basics of investing. It can seem so complex, but this book makes it easier to understand. I am grateful for a straightforward read on the subject. Great graphics, too!]]>
5.00 2015 In Process: The REDE Investment Process & Plan
author: Rede Wealth
name: Sera
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2015/09/06
shelves:
review:
Easy to read and informative!

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the basics of investing. It can seem so complex, but this book makes it easier to understand. I am grateful for a straightforward read on the subject. Great graphics, too!
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The War of Art 18624273 194 Steven Pressfield Sera 5 4.22 2002 The War of Art
author: Steven Pressfield
name: Sera
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at: 2015/07/19
date added: 2015/07/19
shelves:
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<![CDATA[The Brave Body Method: How to Win the War on Weight and Gain Self Acceptance in 4 Easy Steps]]> 25426190
Wanting to lose weight, but willpower alone isn't cutting it?

Have you tried all the self-help stuff but still seem to struggle with your body image?

Introducing The Brave Body Method! Finally a book that distills how to find your TRUE value, guaranteed to result in you winning the war on weight and finding freedom!

Real wellness has never been the size jeans you wear--it's the soundness of your soul.

It takes bravery to really walk your WORTH, and The Brave Body Method will
show you how. Throughout this book you'll

- How to Identify & Shatter "Mental Monsters"
- Easily Mounted Motivational Scriptures so you stay focused
- Daily Action Guides to Jumpstart your wellness spirit, soul and body

Broken down into simple, easy-to-implement steps, this book will show you how to achieve a happier, whole mind and body in just few minutes each day.

With timeless success principles geared from a Biblical perspective, The Brave Body
Method just may be the missing spiritual component that will catapult your efforts and finally give you the change you've been looking for--from the inside out!]]>
200 Eileen Wilder Sera 5 4.40 2015 The Brave Body Method: How to Win the War on Weight and Gain Self Acceptance in 4 Easy Steps
author: Eileen Wilder
name: Sera
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/03
date added: 2015/06/03
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<![CDATA[What Happens When Women Walk in Faith: Trusting God Takes You to Amazing Places]]> 8170185 What Happens When Women Say Yes to God comes a follow-up book that takes the reader the next step on her journey of faith.]]> 210 Lysa TerKeurst 0736934693 Sera 5 Amazing walk through faith

Well written. Easy to follow study. Touched my heart in so many ways. Great bible study. I was inspired and learned so much.]]>
4.45 2005 What Happens When Women Walk in Faith: Trusting God Takes You to Amazing Places
author: Lysa TerKeurst
name: Sera
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2015/05/16
date added: 2015/05/16
shelves:
review:
Amazing walk through faith

Well written. Easy to follow study. Touched my heart in so many ways. Great bible study. I was inspired and learned so much.
]]>
Mind Over Medicine 18859990 We’ve been led to believe that when we get sick, it’s our genetics. Or it’s just bad luck—and doctors alone hold the keys to optimal health. For years, Lissa Rankin, M.D., believed the same. But when her own health started to suffer, and she turned to Western medical treatments, she found that they not only failed to help; they made her worse. So she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Through her research, Dr. Rankin discovered that the health care she had been taught to practice was missing something crucial: a recognition of the body’s innate ability to self-repair and an appreciation for how we can control these self-healing mechanisms with the power of the mind. In an attempt to better understand this phenomenon, she explored peer-reviewed medical literature and found evidence that the medical establishment had been proving that the body can heal itself for over 50 years.

ĚýUsing extraordinary cases of spontaneous healing, Dr. Rankin shows how thoughts, feelings, and beliefs can alter the body’s physiology. She lays out the scientific data proving that loneliness, pessimism, depression, fear, and anxiety damage the body, while intimate relationships, gratitude, meditation, sex, and authentic self-expression flip on the body’s self-healing processes.

In the final section of the book, you’ll be introduced to a radical new wellness model based on Dr. Rankin’s scientific findings. Her unique six-step program will help you uncover where things might be out of whack in your life—spiritually, creatively, environmentally, nutritionally, and in your professional and personal relationships—so that you can create a customized treatment plan aimed at bolstering these health-promoting pieces of your life. You’ll learn how to listen to your body’s “whispers� before they turn to life-threatening “screams� that can be prevented with proper self-care, and you’ll learn how to trust your inner guidance when making decisions about your health and your life.

By the time you finish Mind Over Medicine, you’ll have made your own Diagnosis, written your own Prescription, and created a clear action plan designed to help you make your body ripe for miracles.

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285 Lissa Rankin 1401940005 Sera 5 4.19 2013 Mind Over Medicine
author: Lissa Rankin
name: Sera
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2015/02/26
date added: 2015/02/26
shelves:
review:

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When I Found You 17667452 410 Catherine Ryan Hyde 1611092078 Sera 3 4.16 2009 When I Found You
author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2015/01/03
date added: 2015/01/03
shelves:
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<![CDATA[Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others]]> 18112193 Ěý
“I used to think that someone who struggled with the kinds of weaknesses I deal with daily was useless to God. I felt so often like I was drowning in internal dialogue I couldn’t control. It had been the soundtrack of my life for as long as I could remember.

Yet everything changed when I began to realize God has given us the ability to choose the dialogue we believe and respond to. And once we learn how, we can switch from lies to truth as deliberately as we can choose the Beatles over Miley Cyrus on satellite radio.

This is the key to pressing ahead and doing God’s will anyway, even as you are bombarded with thoughts, feelings, and even facts about why you can’t do it.Ěý

I’m now awakening to the reality that we can access the power of God’s promises to constantly crash the system of our broken beliefs. I’m learning how to overpower the shouts of the Enemy by bending my ear to the whisper of God’s supernatural truths about my identity in Him and His strength in me.�
-STEVEN FURTICK, from Crash the Chatterbox
Ěý
Includes discussion questions for individuals or groups.
Ěý
Inside your head and heart is a chatterbox. Its lies are keeping you from realizing your God-given potential. But what can you do about them?
Ěý
The Voice You Listen toĚýWill Determine the FutureĚýYou Experience
Ěý
In Crash the Chatterbox, Pastor Steven Furtick focuses on four key areas in which negative thoughts are most insecurity, fear, condemnation, and discouragement. He asks, “What great deeds are in danger of remaining undone in your life because of lies that were planted in your past or fears that are looming in your future?�
Ěý
With personal stories, inspiring examples, and practical strategies, Pastor Furtick will show you how to silence the lies and embrace the freeing affirmation of God.
Ěý
Learn how to live out God’s truth no matter what is going on in your life or thoughts.
Ěý
Learn how to crash the chatterbox…and hear God’s voice above all others.]]>
240 Steven Furtick 1601424566 Sera 4 4.35 2014 Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others
author: Steven Furtick
name: Sera
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2014/07/15
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<![CDATA[Jesus Calling Devotional Bible, NKJV: Enjoying Peace in His Presence]]> 18870859
Features

260 prayers with devotions by Sarah Young Hundreds of inspiring scriptures highlighted throughout the text New King James Version® (NKJV) in paragraph format Index to devotions Two-color text Presentation page Ribbon marker Part of the Signature Series line of Thomas Nelson Bibles

The New King James Version—More than 60 million copies sold in 30 years]]>
4596 Sarah Young Sera 4 4.66 2010 Jesus Calling Devotional Bible, NKJV: Enjoying Peace in His Presence
author: Sarah Young
name: Sera
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2014/06/06
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Alcoholics Anonymous 158420 Alcoholics Anonymous-The Big Book-has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. First published in 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. With publication of the second edition in 1955, the third edition in 1976, and now the fourth edition in 2001, the essential recovery text has remained unchanged while personal stories have been added to reflect the growing and diverse fellowship. The long-awaited fourth edition features 24 new personal stories of recovery.

Key features and benefits
·the most widely used resource for millions of individuals in recovery
·contains full, original text describing A.A. theĚýprogram
·updated with 24 new personal stories

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576 Alcoholics Anonymous 1893007170 Sera 4 4.42 1939 Alcoholics Anonymous
author: Alcoholics Anonymous
name: Sera
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1939
rating: 4
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions]]> 3059 Librarian's Note: This is an alternate-cover edition for ISBN 0916856011 / 9780916856014

Originally published in 1952, this classic book is used by A.A. members and groups around the world. Bill W.'s 24 essays on the Steps and the Traditions discuss the principles by which A.A. members recover and by which the fellowship functions. The basic text clarifies the Steps which constitute the A.A. way of life and the Traditions, by which A.A. maintains its unity.]]>
192 Alcoholics Anonymous Sera 3 4.47 1952 Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
author: Alcoholics Anonymous
name: Sera
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1952
rating: 3
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing]]> 18110242
Within these pages, Anita recounts stories of her childhood in Hong Kong, her challenge to establish her career and find true love, as well as how she eventually ended up in that hospital bed where she defied all medical knowledge.

As part of a traditional Hindu family residing in a largely Chinese and British society, she had been pushed and pulled by cultural and religious customs since she had been a little girl. After years of struggling to forge her own path while trying to meet everyone else’s expectations, she had the realization, as a result of her epiphany on the other side, that she had the power to heal herself . . . and that there are miracles in the Universe that she had never even imagined.

In Dying to Be Me, Anita freely shares all she has learned about illness, healing, fear, “being love,� and the true magnificence of each and every human being!

This is a book that definitely makes the case that we
are spiritual beings having a human experience . . . and that we are all One!]]>
221 Anita Moorjani 1401937527 Sera 3 4.33 Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing
author: Anita Moorjani
name: Sera
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 3
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World]]> 15755576 New York Times Bestseller!


As a college student he spent 16 days in the Pacific Ocean with five guys and a crate of canned meat. As a father he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state. He made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul. He pursued his wife for three years before she agreed to date him. His grades weren't good enough to get into law school, so he sat on a bench outside the Dean’s office for seven days until they finally let him enroll.


Bob Goff has become something of a legend, and his friends consider him the world's best-kept secret. Those same friends have long insisted he write a book. What follows are paradigm shifts, musings, and stories from one of the world’s most delightfully engaging and winsome people. What fuels his impact? Love. But it's not the kind of love that stops at thoughts and feelings. Bob's love takes action. Bob believes Love Does.


When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don't want to miss.


Light and fun, unique and profound, the lessons drawn from Bob's life and attitude just might inspire you to be secretly incredible, too.





“If this book does not make your heart beat faster, book the next flight to Mayo Clinic!� --Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church, Chairman, Willow Creek Association


“Bob Goff is a one-man tsunami of grace, a hurricane of love. He doesn't just talk about change, he really is change, as Love Does chronicles in such a vivid way. Yet, Love Does doesn't leave you feeling like you want to celebrate its author, it awakens a sense deep within that you, too, have an outrageous role to play in God's unfolding story or rescue and repair.� --Louie Giglio, Passion Conferences/Passion City Church


“An interesting and compelling story (with Young Life roots) that ends with a practical challenge and â€love doesâ€� and God can use you to do it!â€� --Denny Rydberg, President, Young Life


“Every once in a while someone like Bob Goff shows up to remind us that some things matter a lot more than others. Love Does has a kind of â€north starâ€� effect that will push you to refocus your life and energy on what is most significant. It doesn't just invite you to respond with your God-given potential, it invites you to become a part of what God can do beyond your potential.â€� --Reggie Joiner, Founder and CEO of Orange


“We liked the book a lot. Mostly, the balloons on the cover. The rest was pretty good too. Lots of stories about how God helps us.� --Aedan, Asher and Skye Peterson ages 13, 12 and 9


“This may look like a book. It’s not. It is an invitation to enter into the greatest adventure you have ever known—your life as it was meant to be lived. Hang on!� --Michael Hyatt, Author, Get Noticed in a Noisy World, MichaelHyatt.com


“Bob’s ability to love people brings contagious hope and inspiration wherever he goes. The power of love showcased in this book will surely touch the hearts and souls of many people.]]>
Bob Goff Sera 3 4.34 2012 Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
author: Bob Goff
name: Sera
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[The Big Book and A Study Guide of the 12 Steps]]> 18836480
Also included: A current study guide of notes from the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.]]>
801 Alcoholics Anonymous 194156822X Sera 3 4.54 2013 The Big Book and A Study Guide of the 12 Steps
author: Alcoholics Anonymous
name: Sera
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous]]> 19009792 168 Overeaters Anonymous Sera 4 4.49 1990 The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous
author: Overeaters Anonymous
name: Sera
average rating: 4.49
book published: 1990
rating: 4
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness]]> 563144
Hypothyroidism -- low thyroid function -- is one of the gland disturbances that many people suffer from without even realizing it. It can be the cause of low energy or constant fatigue that is one of the most common complaints brought to doctors. It may be responsible for chronic headaches, repeated infections, unyielding skin problems, or circulatory difficulties. Even more frightening, it can be a major factor in heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema. And it is responsible for many emotional and mental disturbances. Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness explains low thyroid function in easy, understandable language. It tells how it may be affecting your health and your life.

Dr. Broda Barnes and Lawrence Galton tell what the thyroid gland is, how it works, the problems its dysfunction can induce. They detail case histories of patients, often thought hopeless, whose problems were discovered to be related to hypothyroidism and were cured by Dr. Barnes's simple effective techniques. And they discuss whether you too may be hypothyroid, affected by a condition even a physician may not recognize.

Included is a simple test you can make at home to discover if hypothyroidism may be the real, previously unsuspected cause of your ill health.

If you know you are hypothyroid, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness will answer your questions about your condition. If you suspect you maybe, if you are unsure what may be causing those chronic headaches, infections, fatigue and low energy, it may help you find the answer.]]>
320 Broda O. Barnes 069001029X Sera 3 4.19 1975 Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness
author: Broda O. Barnes
name: Sera
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1975
rating: 3
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date added: 2014/05/15
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<![CDATA[Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't]]> 76865
The Challenge
Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.

But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

The Study
For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

The Standards
Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.

The Comparisons
The research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. What was different? Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good?

The Findings
The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include:
Level 5 Leaders: The research team was shocked to discover the type of leadership required to achieve greatness.

The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles): To go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence.

A Culture of Discipline: When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results. Technology Accelerators: Good-to-great companies think differently about the role of technology.

The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Those who launch radical change programs and wrenching restructurings will almost certainly fail to make the leap.]]>
300 Jim Collins 0066620996 Sera 3 4.12 2001 Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
author: Jim Collins
name: Sera
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2001
rating: 3
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Stumbling on Happiness 56627 � Why will sighted people pay more to avoid going blind than blind people will pay to regain their sight?
� Why do dining companions insist on ordering different meals instead of getting what they really want?
� Why do pigeons seem to have such excellent aim; why can’t we remember one song while listening to another; and why does the line at the grocery store always slow down the moment we join it?

In this brilliant, witty, and accessible book, renowned Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert describes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of us to mis-conceive our tomorrows and mis-estimate our satisfactions. Vividly bringing to life the latest scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Gilbert reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, and about our capacity to predict how much we will like it when we get there. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become.]]>
263 Daniel Todd Gilbert 1400077427 Sera 1 3.82 2006 Stumbling on Happiness
author: Daniel Todd Gilbert
name: Sera
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2006
rating: 1
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<![CDATA[The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness]]> 112588 The Mindful Way through Depression draws on the collective wisdom of four internationally renowned cognitive therapy and mindfulness experts, including bestselling author Jon Kabat-Zinn, to help you break the mental habits that can lead to despair. This authoritative, easy-to-use self-help program is based on methods clinically proven to reduce the recurrence of chronic unhappiness. Informative chapters reveal the hidden psychological mechanisms that cause depression and demonstrate powerful ways to strengthen your resilience in the face of life's misfortunes. Kabat-Zinn lends his calm, familiar voice to the accompanying CD of guided meditations, making this a complete package for anyone looking to regain a sense of balance and contentment.]]> 273 J. Mark G. Williams 1593851286 Sera 4 4.00 2007 The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness
author: J. Mark G. Williams
name: Sera
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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<![CDATA[Women, Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything]]> 6758423 When Food Is Love. Now, two decades later,Ěýhere isĚýher masterwork: WOMEN FOOD AND GOD.

The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. No matter how sophisticated or wise or enlightened you believe you are, how you eat tells all. The world is on your plate. When you begin to understand what prompts you to use food as a way to numb or distract yourself, the process takes you deeper into realms of spirit and to the bright center of your own life. Rather than getting rid of or instantly changing your conflicted relationship with food, Women Food and God is about welcoming what is already here, and contacting the part of yourself that is already whole—divinity itself.]]>
224 Geneen Roth 1416543074 Sera 5 3.66 2009 Women, Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything
author: Geneen Roth
name: Sera
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2009
rating: 5
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<![CDATA[Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane, #1)]]> 1472878 New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novelĚýof love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . .

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world� moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.Ěý

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone’s Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it’s the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It’s about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you---and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you’ll never forget . . . one you’ll want to pass on to your best friend.]]>
479 Kristin Hannah 0312364083 Sera 5 4.16 2008 Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane, #1)
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2008
rating: 5
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<![CDATA[Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life]]> 14096 304 Jon Kabat-Zinn 1401307787 Sera 0 to-read 4.13 1994 Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
author: Jon Kabat-Zinn
name: Sera
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1994
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The Secret (The Secret, #1) 52529 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781582701707.

The worldwide bestselling phenomenon that has helped millions tap the power of the law that governs all our lives to create—intentionally and effortlessly—a joyful life.

In 2006, a groundbreaking feature-length film revealed the great mystery of the universe�The Secret—and, later that year, Rhonda Byrne followed with a book that became a worldwide bestseller.

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions, and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.

In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.

The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers—men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.]]>
199 Rhonda Byrne Sera 5 3.74 2006 The Secret (The Secret, #1)
author: Rhonda Byrne
name: Sera
average rating: 3.74
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<![CDATA[The Five People You Meet in Heaven]]> 3431
Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his "meaningless" life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: "Why was I here?"]]>
196 Mitch Albom 0786868716 Sera 4 4.00 2003 The Five People You Meet in Heaven
author: Mitch Albom
name: Sera
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2003
rating: 4
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Mere Christianity 11138 191 C.S. Lewis 0684823780 Sera 0 to-read 4.32 1952 Mere Christianity
author: C.S. Lewis
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<![CDATA[Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead]]> 13588356 Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.� —Theodore Roosevelt

Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts.

In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown’s many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth—and trust—in our organizations, families, schools, and communities.]]>
287 Brené Brown 1592407331 Sera 0 to-read 4.29 2012 Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
author: Brené Brown
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average rating: 4.29
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<![CDATA[The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse]]> 3090406 640 Ellen Bass 0061284335 Sera 0 to-read 4.22 The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
author: Ellen Bass
name: Sera
average rating: 4.22
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<![CDATA[Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy]]> 46674
- Recognise what causes your mood swings
- Nip negative feelings in the bud
- Deal with guilt
- Handle hostility and criticism
- Overcome addiction to love and approval
- Build self-esteem
- Feel good everyday]]>
736 David D. Burns 0380810336 Sera 4 4.03 1980 Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
author: David D. Burns
name: Sera
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1980
rating: 4
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<![CDATA[Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself]]> 720298
Melody Beattie’s compassionate and insightful look into codependency—the concept of losing oneself in the name of helping another� has helped millions of readers understand that they are powerless to change anyone but themselves and that caring for the self is where healing begins.

Is someone else's problem your problem? If, like so many others, you've lost sight of your own life in the drama of tending to a loved one’s self-destructive behavior, you may be codependent--and you may find yourself in this book. With instructive life stories, personal reflections, exercises, and self-tests, Codependent No More helps you to break old patterns, maintain healthy boundaries, and say no to unhealthy relationships. It offers a clear and achievable path to freedom and a lifetime of healing, hope, and happiness.
This ground-breaking book is even more relevant today, as readers confront new, urgent challenges with greater self-awareness, than it was when it first entered the national conversation over 35 years ago.]]>
276 Melody Beattie 0894864025 Sera 0 to-read 4.12 1986 Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself
author: Melody Beattie
name: Sera
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1986
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<![CDATA[He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys]]> 10412
Now in bite-size mantras, the abridged empathetic wit and wisdom of the number one New York Times bestseller He's Just Not That Into You will recharge and inspire your dating outlook one wake-up call at a time.

For ages women have come together over coffee, cocktails, or late-night phone chats to analyze the puzzling behavior of men. Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo are here to say that —despite good intentions— you're wasting your time. Men are not complicated, although they'd like you to think they are. And there are no mixed messages.

He's Just Not That Into You —based on a popular episode of Sex and the City— educates otherwise smart women on how to tell when a guy just doesn't like them enough, so they can stop wasting time making excuses for a dead-end relationship. This book knows you're a beautiful, smart, funny woman who deserves better.]]>
208 Greg Behrendt 141694740X Sera 4 3.67 2004 He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
author: Greg Behrendt
name: Sera
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2004
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<![CDATA[A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume - Volume I : Text, Volume II: Workbook for Students, Volume III: Manual for Teachers]]> 173673
Featuring an updated text split into three volumes - Text, Workbook for Students & Manual for Teachers - this thought-provoking and informative book includes universal spiritual themes that will help you to achieve dramatic, lasting results in every aspect of your life.

By following the self-study programme, you will learn to develop a constant state of happiness and peace though the application of its principles.
__________

'I love it. Will make you see the world differently' - 5* reader review

'This book can and will change your life' - 5* reader review

'Anyone who has ever sensed that pull against the ego for a greater understanding and meaning to life, will feel blessed to have discovered this great work.' - 5* reader review ]]>
1312 Foundation for Inner Peace 0670869759 Sera 0 to-read 4.16 1976 A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume - Volume I : Text, Volume II: Workbook for Students, Volume III: Manual for Teachers
author: Foundation for Inner Peace
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1976
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<![CDATA[Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from the Power of Now]]> 6709 The Power of Now, showing us how to free ourselves from "enslavement to the mind." The aim is to be able to enter into and sustain an awakened state of consciousness throughout everyday life. Through meditations and simple techniques, Eckhart shows us how to quiet our thoughts, see the world in the present moment, and find a path to "a life of grace, ease, and lightness."]]> 142 Eckhart Tolle Sera 0 to-read 4.26 1997 Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from the Power of Now
author: Eckhart Tolle
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average rating: 4.26
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The Seat of the Soul 119760 256 Gary Zukav 0684865181 Sera 0 to-read 4.02 1989 The Seat of the Soul
author: Gary Zukav
name: Sera
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1989
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<![CDATA[The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom]]> 6596 The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.]]> 152 Miguel Ruiz 1878424505 Sera 4 4.20 1997 The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
author: Miguel Ruiz
name: Sera
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1997
rating: 4
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<![CDATA[Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead]]> 16071764 Lean In is a massive cultural phenomenon and its title has become an instant catchphrase for empowering women. The book soared to the top of bestseller lists internationally, igniting global conversations about women and ambition. Sandberg packed theatres, dominated opinion pages, appeared on every major television show and on the cover of Time magazine, and sparked ferocious debate about women and leadership. Ask most women whether they have the right to equality at work and the answer will be a resounding yes, but ask the same women whether they'd feel confident asking for a raise, a promotion, or equal pay, and some reticence creeps in. The statistics, although an improvement on previous decades, are certainly not in women's favour � of 197 heads of state, only twenty-two are women. Women hold just 20 percent of seats in parliaments globally, and in the world of big business, a meagre eighteen of the Fortune 500 CEOs are women. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg � Facebook COO and one of Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women in Business � draws on her own experience of working in some of the world's most successful businesses and looks at what women can do to help themselves, and make the small changes in their life that can effect change on a more universal scale.]]> 217 Sheryl Sandberg 0385349947 Sera 0 to-read 3.95 2013 Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
author: Sheryl Sandberg
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Safe Haven 7812659 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a captivating love story filled with suspense and mystery.

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

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340 Nicholas Sparks 044654759X Sera 5 4.20 2010 Safe Haven
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2010
rating: 5
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The Lucky One 3063499 Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo—and the woman in it—out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina—Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son—to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet. Caught off guard by the attraction he feels, Thibault keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate and all-consuming love affair, the secret he is keeping will soon threaten to tear them apart—destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, The Lucky One is Nicholas Sparks at his best—an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.]]>
326 Nicholas Sparks 0446579939 Sera 5 4.13 2007 The Lucky One
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2007
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Dear John 5526
But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else.

Dear John, the letter read... and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.]]>
276 Nicholas Sparks 0446528056 Sera 4 4.05 2006 Dear John
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2006
rating: 4
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Don't Die, My Love 127451 256 Lurlene McDaniel 0553567152 Sera 0 to-read 4.15 1995 Don't Die, My Love
author: Lurlene McDaniel
name: Sera
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1995
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A Walk to Remember 3473 A high school rebel and a minister's daughter find strength in each other in this star-crossed tale of "young but everlasting love" (Chicago Sun-Times).There was a time when the world was sweeter....when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats.... Every April, when the wind smells of both the sea and lilacs, Landon Carter remembers 1958, his last year at Beaufort High. Landon had dated a girl or two, and even once sworn that he'd been in love. Certainly the last person he thought he'd fall for was Jamie, the shy, almost ethereal daughter of the town's Baptist minister....Jamie, who was destined to show him the depths of the human heart-and the joy and pain of living. The inspiration for this novel came from Nicholas Sparks's sister: her life and her courage. From the internationally bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, comes his most moving story yet....]]> 240 Nicholas Sparks 0446693804 Sera 4 4.16 1999 A Walk to Remember
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1999
rating: 4
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Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas 7494
James Patterson has written a love story!--a powerfully moving and suspenseful novel about families, loss, new love, and hope.

Katie Wilkinson has found her perfect man at last. He's a writer, a house painter, an original thinker--everything she's imagined she wanted in a partner. But one day, without explanation, he disappears from her life, leaving behind only a diary for her to read.

This diary is a love letter written by a new mother named Suzanne for her baby son, Nicholas. In it she pours out her heart about how she and the boy's father met, about her hopes for marriage and family, and about the unparalleled joy that having a baby has brought into her life. As Katie reads this touching document, it becomes clear that the lover who has just left her is the husband and father in this young family. She reads on, filled with terror and hope, as she struggles to understand what has happened--and whether her new love has a prayer of surviving.

Written with James Patterson's perfect pitch for emotion and suspense, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas captures beautifully the joys of a new family as it builds to an overwhelmingly moving climax. This is an unforgettable love story, at once heartbreaking and full of hope.]]>
289 James Patterson 0446611085 Sera 4 4.17 2001 Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas
author: James Patterson
name: Sera
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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The Longest Ride 17407748
A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death � loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.]]>
398 Nicholas Sparks Sera 0 to-read 4.15 2012 The Longest Ride
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2012
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<![CDATA[The Notebook (The Notebook, #1)]]> 15931
Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.

Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape.

Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found in current literature, The Notebook establishes Nicholas Sparks as a classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that really matters.

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."

And so begins one of the most poignant and compelling love stories you will ever read...The Notebook]]>
214 Nicholas Sparks 0553816713 Sera 5 4.07 1996 The Notebook (The Notebook, #1)
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1996
rating: 5
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The Case for God 6359293
Answering these questions with the same depth of knowledge and profound insight that have marked all her acclaimed books, Armstrong makes clear how the changing face of the world has necessarily changed the importance of religion at both the societal and the individual level. And she makes a powerful, convincing argument for drawing on the insights of the past in order to build a faith that speaks to the needs of our dangerously polarized age. Yet she cautions us that religion was never supposed to provide answers that lie within the competence of human reason; that, she says, is the role of logos. The task of religion is “to help us live creatively, peacefully, and even joyously with realities for which there are no easy explanations.� She emphasizes, too, that religion will not work automatically. It is, she says, a practical its insights are derived not from abstract speculation but from “dedicated intellectual endeavor� and a “compassionate lifestyle that enables us to break out of the prism of selfhood.”]]>
406 Karen Armstrong 0307269183 Sera 0 to-read 3.84 2009 The Case for God
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<![CDATA[God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything]]> 43369 307 Christopher Hitchens 0446579807 Sera 0 to-read 3.94 2007 God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
author: Christopher Hitchens
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average rating: 3.94
book published: 2007
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Think and Grow Rich 1005 Think and Grow Rich has been called the "Granddaddy of All Motivational Literature." It was the first book to boldly ask, "What makes a winner?" The man who asked and listened for the answer, Napoleon Hill, is now counted in the top ranks of the world's winners himself. The most famous of all teachers of success spent "a fortune and the better part of a lifetime of effort" to produce the "Law of Success" philosophy that forms the basis of his books and that is so powerfully summarized in this one.

In the original Think and Grow Rich, published in 1937, Hill draws on stories of Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation to illustrate his principles. In the updated version, Arthur R. Pell, Ph.D., a nationally known author, lecturer, and consultant in human resources management and an expert in applying Hill's thought, deftly interweaves anecdotes of how contemporary millionaires and billionaires, such as Bill Gates, Mary Kay Ash, Dave Thomas, and Sir John Templeton, achieved their wealth. Outmoded or arcane terminology and examples are faithfully refreshed to preclude any stumbling blocks to a new generation of readers.]]>
320 Napoleon Hill 1585424331 Sera 4 4.13 1937 Think and Grow Rich
author: Napoleon Hill
name: Sera
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1937
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<![CDATA[The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change]]> 36072 372 Stephen R. Covey 0743269519 Sera 4 4.16 1989 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
author: Stephen R. Covey
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1989
rating: 4
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<![CDATA[Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus]]> 1274
Based on years of successful counseling of couples and individuals, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus has helped millions of couples transform their relationships. Now viewed as a modern classic, this phenomenal book has helped men and women realize how different they really are and how to communicate their needs in such a way that conflict doesn't arise and intimacy is given every chance to grow!!!!]]>
368 John Gray 0060574216 Sera 0 to-read 3.59 1992 Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
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average rating: 3.59
book published: 1992
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<![CDATA[How to Win Friends & Influence People]]> 4865
Since its release in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 30 million copies. Dale Carnegie's first book is a timeless bestseller, packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.

As relevant as ever before, Dale Carnegie's principles endure, and will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age.

Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.]]>
288 Dale Carnegie Sera 0 to-read 4.22 1936 How to Win Friends & Influence People
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The Gifts of Imperfection 7015403 New York Times best seller, Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor and thought leader on vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame, shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living—a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.]]> 137 Brené Brown 159285849X Sera 5 4.25 2010 The Gifts of Imperfection
author: Brené Brown
name: Sera
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2010
rating: 5
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<![CDATA[The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference]]> 2612 The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.]]> 301 Malcolm Gladwell 0316346624 Sera 0 to-read 4.01 2002 The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
author: Malcolm Gladwell
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average rating: 4.01
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<![CDATA[Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking]]> 40102 The Tipping Point a classic, Blink changes the way you'll understand every decision you make. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing" - filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.]]>
296 Malcolm Gladwell 0316010669 Sera 0 to-read 3.97 2005 Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
author: Malcolm Gladwell
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average rating: 3.97
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<![CDATA[Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking]]> 8520610 The book that started the Quiet Revolution

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.Ěý

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content.]]>
333 Susan Cain 0307352145 Sera 0 to-read 4.07 2012 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
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average rating: 4.07
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The Last Lecture 2318271
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams', wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humour, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.]]>
206 Randy Pausch 1401323251 Sera 4 4.25 2008 The Last Lecture
author: Randy Pausch
name: Sera
average rating: 4.25
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<![CDATA[Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim]]> 10176 --davidsedarisbooks.com]]> 257 David Sedaris 0965904830 Sera 0 to-read 4.12 2004 Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
author: David Sedaris
name: Sera
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2004
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<![CDATA[Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail]]> 12262741 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State � and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.]]>
336 Cheryl Strayed 0307592731 Sera 3 4.06 2012 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
author: Cheryl Strayed
name: Sera
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
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<![CDATA[Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)]]> 10335308
Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you've come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door - not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.]]>
222 Mindy Kaling 0307886263 Sera 3 3.86 2011 Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
author: Mindy Kaling
name: Sera
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2011
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Bossypants 9418327
She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon—from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.]]>
283 Tina Fey Sera 0 to-read 3.97 2011 Bossypants
author: Tina Fey
name: Sera
average rating: 3.97
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<![CDATA[The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud]]> 263050 The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers� bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

Luminous, soulful, and filled with unforgettable characters, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud is one of those rare, wise books that reveal the mysteries of the unseen world around us, gently transforming the worst pain of loss into hope, healing, and even laughter. Suspenseful and deeply moving, its startling climax reminds us that sometimes tragedies can bring about miracles if we simply open our hearts.]]>
273 Ben Sherwood 0330488902 Sera 0 to-read 4.02 2004 The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
author: Ben Sherwood
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average rating: 4.02
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Straight Talking 763047
The bestselling first novel that launched Jane Green, one of the brightest stars in contemporary women’s fiction, Straight Talking sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating, and follows the adventures of Tash and her friends as they search for fulfillment and the right kind of love. Funny, flirty, and ultimately tender, Straight Talking gets at the heart of modern romance.]]>
320 Jane Green 0767915593 Sera 4 3.66 1997 Straight Talking
author: Jane Green
name: Sera
average rating: 3.66
book published: 1997
rating: 4
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In Her Shoes 14758 Maggie is drop dead gorgeous and irresistible to men. She's going to make it big as a TV presenter, or a singer...or an actress. All she needs is a lucky break. What she doesn't need is her uptight sister Rose interfering in her life. If only Rose would lighten-up, have some fun - and learn how to use a pair of tweezers. Rose and Maggie think they have nothing in common but a childhood tragedy, shared DNA and the same size feet, but they are about to find out that they're more alike than they'd ever believe.]]> 537 Jennifer Weiner 0743495667 Sera 3 3.83 2002 In Her Shoes
author: Jennifer Weiner
name: Sera
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2002
rating: 3
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The Last Song 6400090 Alternate Cover Edition can be found here

Seventeen-year-old Veronica 'Ronnie' Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father . . . until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms - first love, the love between parents and children - that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts . . . and heal them.]]>
390 Nicholas Sparks 0446547565 Sera 4 4.16 2008 The Last Song
author: Nicholas Sparks
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2008
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My Sister’s Keeper 10917 New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age 13 she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate—a life and a role that she has never challenged ... until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister—and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.]]>
423 Jodi Picoult 0743454537 Sera 4 4.10 2004 My Sister’s Keeper
author: Jodi Picoult
name: Sera
average rating: 4.10
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The Secret Life of Bees 37435 The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.]]> 302 Sue Monk Kidd 0142001740 Sera 4 4.10 2001 The Secret Life of Bees
author: Sue Monk Kidd
name: Sera
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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The Kite Runner 77203 371 Khaled Hosseini 159463193X Sera 3 4.34 2003 The Kite Runner
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Sera
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2003
rating: 3
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<![CDATA[What's So Amazing About Grace?]]> 53817 Original Cover Edition for ISBN 0310245656

In 1987, an IRA bomb buried Gordon Wilson and his twenty-year-old daughter beneath five feet of rubble. Gordon alone survived. And forgave. He said of the bombers, ' I have lost my daughter, but I bear no grudge . . . I shall pray, tonight and every night, that God will forgive them.' His words caught the media's ears — and out of one man's grief, the world got a glimpse of grace. Grace is the church's great distinctive. It's the one thing the world cannot duplicate, and the one thing it craves above all else — for only grace can bring hope and transformation to a jaded world.

In What's So Amazing About Grace? award-winning author Philip Yancey explores grace at street level. If grace is God's love for the undeserving, he asks, then what does it look like in action? And if Christians are its sole dispensers, then how are we doing at lavishing grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy? Yancey sets grace in the midst of life's stark images, tests its mettle against horrific 'ungrace.' Can grace survive in the midst of such atrocities as the Nazi holocaust? Can it triumph over the brutality of the Ku Klux Klan? Should any grace at all be shown to the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed and cannibalized seventeen young men? Grace does not excuse sin, says Yancey, but it treasures the sinner. True grace is shocking, scandalous. It shakes our conventions with its insistence on getting close to sinners and touching them with mercy and hope. It forgives the unfaithful spouse, the racist, the child abuser. It loves today's AIDS-ridden addict as much as the tax collector of Jesus' day.

In his most personal and provocative book ever, Yancey offers compelling, true portraits of grace's life-changing power. He searches for its presence in his own life and in the church. He asks, How can Christians contend graciously with moral issues that threaten all they hold dear? And he challenges us to become living answers to a world that desperately wants to know, What's So Amazing About Grace?

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304 Philip Yancey Sera 0 to-read 4.18 1997 What's So Amazing About Grace?
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The Four Loves 30633 The Four Loves summarizes four kinds of human love--affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God. Masterful without being magisterial, this book's wise, gentle, candid reflections on the virtues and dangers of love draw on sources from Jane Austen to St. Augustine. The chapter on charity (love of God) may be the best thing Lewis ever wrote about Christianity. Consider his reflection on Augustine's teaching that one must love only God, because only God is eternal, and all earthly love will someday pass away:
Who could conceivably begin to love God on such a prudential ground--because the security (so to speak) is better? Who could even include it among the grounds for loving? Would you choose a wife or a Friend--if it comes to that, would you choose a dog--in this spirit? One must be outside the world of love, of all loves, before one thus calculates.
His description of Christianity here is no less forceful and opinionated than in Mere Christianity or The Problem of Pain, but it is far less anxious about its reader's response--and therefore more persuasive than any of his apologetics. When he begins to describe the nature of faith, Lewis writes: "Take it as one man's reverie, almost one man's myth. If anything in it is useful to you, use it; if anything is not, never give it a second thought." --Michael Joseph Gross]]>
170 C.S. Lewis 0006280897 Sera 0 to-read 4.13 1960 The Four Loves
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<![CDATA[The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate]]> 567795 Falling in love is easy. Staying in love—that's the challenge. How can you keep your relationship fresh and growing amid the demands, conflicts, and just plain boredom of everyday life?

In the #1 New York Times international bestseller The 5 Love Languages, you'll discover the secret that has transformed millions of relationships worldwide. Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman's proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today.

The 5 Love Languages is as practical as it is insightful. Updated to reflect the complexities of relationships today, this new edition reveals intrinsic truths and applies relevant, actionable wisdom in ways that work.]]>
204 Gary Chapman 1881273156 Sera 0 to-read 4.21 1990 The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
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The Problem of Pain 26435
The greatest Christian thinker of our time sets out to disentangle this knotty issue. With his signature wealth of compassion and insight, C. S. Lewis offers answers to these crucial questions and shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungry for a true understanding of human nature.]]>
176 C.S. Lewis 0006280935 Sera 0 to-read 4.08 1940 The Problem of Pain
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<![CDATA[The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God]]> 11389341 The Songs of Jesus, Timothy Keller with his wife of 36 years, delivers The Meaning of Marriage, an extraordinarily insightful look at the keys to happiness in marriage that will inspire Christians, skeptics, singles, long-time married couples, and those about to be engaged.

Modern culture would make you believe that everyone has a soul-mate; that romance is the most important part of a successful marriage; that your spouse is there to help you realize your potential; that marriage does not mean forever, but merely for now; that starting over after a divorce is the best solution to seemingly intractable marriage issues. All those modern-day assumptions are, in a word, wrong.

Using the Bible as his guide, coupled with insightful commentary from his wife of thirty-six years, Kathy, Timothy Keller shows that God created marriage to bring us closer to him and to bring us more joy in our lives. It is a glorious relationship that is also the most misunderstood and mysterious. With a clear-eyed understanding of the Bible, and meaningful instruction on how to have a successful marriage, The Meaning of Marriage is essential reading for anyone who wants to know God and love more deeply in this life.]]>
288 Timothy J. Keller 0525952470 Sera 0 to-read 4.49 2011 The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God
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<![CDATA[One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are]]> 8592946
In One Thousand Gifts, Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's gifts. It s only in this expressing of gratitude for the life we already have, we discover the life we've always wanted, a life we can take, give thanks for, and break for others. We come to feel and know the impossible right down in our bones: we are wildly loved by God.

Let Ann's beautiful, heart-aching stories of the everyday give you a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of being present to God that makes you deeply happy, and a way of living that is finally fully alive. Come live the best dare of all!]]>
232 Ann Voskamp 0310321913 Sera 0 to-read 4.01 2011 One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
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<![CDATA[Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality (Paperback)]]> 7214 Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ISBN 0785263705 here.

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." ―Donald Miller

In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.

For anyone wondering if the Christian faith is still relevant in a postmodern culture.

For anyone thirsting for a genuine encounter with a God who is real.

For anyone yearning for a renewed sense of passion inĚý life.

Blue Like Jazz is a fresh and original perspective on life, love, and redemption.

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243 Donald Miller 0785263705 Sera 0 to-read 3.90 2003 Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality (Paperback)
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<![CDATA[Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God]]> 3206011 187 Francis Chan 1434768511 Sera 0 to-read 4.16 Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
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<![CDATA[The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams]]> 773038
Filled with timeless wisdom and practical steps you can apply right away, this pocketbook edition of Chopra’s classic bestselling book makes it easy for you to read and refer to again and again. Carry it with you in your purse or your pocket, and in less than one hour, learn the seven powerful principles that can easily be applied to create success in all areas of your life.]]>
115 Deepak Chopra 1878424114 Sera 0 to-read 4.16 1994 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams
author: Deepak Chopra
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1994
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You Can Heal Your Life 129603 253 Louise L. Hay 8176210773 Sera 0 to-read 4.16 1984 You Can Heal Your Life
author: Louise L. Hay
name: Sera
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1984
rating: 0
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Eat, Pray, Love 19501
Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want—a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world—all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way—unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society’s ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.]]>
368 Elizabeth Gilbert 0143038419 Sera 5 3.64 2006 Eat, Pray, Love
author: Elizabeth Gilbert
name: Sera
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2006
rating: 5
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Steve Jobs 11084145 630 Walter Isaacson 1451648537 Sera 0 to-read 4.15 2011 Steve Jobs
author: Walter Isaacson
name: Sera
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2011
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<![CDATA[Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance]]> 88061 453 Barack Obama 1921351438 Sera 0 to-read 3.93 1995 Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
author: Barack Obama
name: Sera
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1995
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The Glass Castle 7445 THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing--a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.]]>
288 Jeannette Walls 074324754X Sera 0 to-read 4.32 2005 The Glass Castle
author: Jeannette Walls
name: Sera
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2005
rating: 0
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