August and September 2020
Before we begin, look to the right. If that doesn’t say you’re following the blog make sure you put your email in and I’ll send you free downloads from here on out!
In 2017 I started a list of my goals and accountability tracking for the year. I reached and exceeded every goal.
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If you’re looking for more book or podcast recommendations you can read my other book reviews from this year you can catch up here.
The goal of this section of the blog is to share a glimpse into what inspires, motivates and teaches me. Out of the books I read, I only bring up the ones I would suggest taking a look at…there are still a few that get left out; entirely based on my own opinions.
So where do I find all these books to read? Lots of places. I follow the Book of the Month Club on Instagram and I get weekly suggestions from my daily news source, theSkimm. You can sign up for free here using my referral code!
Read For Entertainment
 Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
This novel took place during the Blitz and walks you smoothly through the lives of four protagonists along with how their lives are changed by war. A socialite determined to undermine her family’s racial and judgmental tendencies by teaching in a local area, her tumultuous friendship with another female and their close calls with life and death as ambulance drivers. The author expertly ties in their mutual love interest while he is fighting, and injured, in war. Don’t worry if you usually don’t like historical, military or war-time novels. This has much more to offer than that.Â
Everything You Want Me To Be by Mindy Mejia
There was something about this book I loved listening to. I didn’t think it would surprise me (it didn’t so much but I did change my whodunnit guess a few times). A rural town urges a beautiful teenage girl to move out of town. Her dream twists and turns as she discovers she’s started an online love affair with a man in a chatroom…who turns out to be her new English teacher. She is killed and he eventually becomes suspect number one. Think he did it? Read on.Â
IN FIVE YEARS BY REBECCA SERLE
I blew through this book- it was so entertaining to me! It’s been a reading list pick in several book clubs and referenced to be a great choice for those fans of striking and moving love stories….except for the cheesiness. An analytical and ambitious, numbers-keen lawyer has her entire life planned out and then wakes up in a completely different life that is, somehow, her own. For a few hours she lives vicariously through this premonition before being thrown in to her ‘original’ life and avoiding making the crazy, drastic changes that life still threw at her. For anyone who has ever thought they had any kind of control over their life, give this a read. You will love it just as much as I did.Â
LUSTER BY RAVEN LEILANI
As weird as this book could have been, and okay kind of was, there was also something mesmerizing about the bluntness of the author’s words as narrated by her main character. Her character is a black woman in her twenties who gets involved with a white man in his forties who is in an open marriage. She ends up living with the family (did I forget to mention they have an adopted black daughter?) and becoming close with them. While I don’t feel there was any huge life lessons learned, the POV was interesting….and at times cringeworthy.Â
FOLLOWERS BY MEGAN ANGELO
I was OBSESSED with this and you will be, too! I know the cover looks girly but really anyone would enjoy reading this terrifically written novel. Imagine a world where the government decides what will be published on social media, an entire town is consistently live-streamed and it’s a mash of Black Mirror, The Circle and an influencer’s nightmare world come true. Yeah. Fantastic. It shows just how scary interaction, impact and sharing information online can be…as if we weren’t already creepily aware, right? Get this ASAP!Â
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Read For Improvement
Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
Our friendships are so important because they are the family and company we have chosen to keep near us. This explains not only letting friends go but how to mend strained relationships and the entirely normal ups and downs friendships experience over their own timeline. This book focuses on platonic relationships (versus how many over romantic relationships?) and the needed work and repair you may be experiencing. It’s hard to remember a time with some friends and it’s even harder to say goodbye to others but a book about how to make what’s important to us survive gives us an inside and informative look where we need it.Â
 Happiness Is A Choice You Make by John Leland
If you have an interest in gerontology, mindset or getting advice and insight from lessons learned from an older generation, I think you’ll find this interesting. The author spent a year with the four to five ‘oldest of the old’ recounting memories, experiencing scares and struggles and learning how they handle the inevitable end of life. There was a consistent peace of mind from each and, while we always hear similar messages about how we should be enjoying the current day, this adds stories and reasoning from people who have lived it. “I’ve been your age but you’ve never been mine.”Â
  THE POWER OF HABIT BY CHARLES DUHIGG
This is an instant classic I’m pretty sure everyone in business has heard of and every influential leader has read. I was hoping there would be some groundbreaking plans I could put in place, experiments to try or mock schedules but it was your basic psychology stories and case studies with ‘lessons learned’ in these studies. I was wanting to like it more than I did but came away indifferent. I’m glad I at least listened to the audiobook to stay in touch with what’s floating around in the business industry but can’t say I learned a ton of new information. This was still a helpful boost to re-approach my habits and identify what I’m currently doing.Â
THE ANSWER IS BY ALEX TREBEK
This isn’t a book or topic I would usually gravitate toward being interested in but after the last year or two that Alex Trebek has had I will say I was intrigued to hear what he had to say. I listened to the audiobook so I’m not sure if they were written as short snippets and paragraph stories but it sounded that way. These reflections are fun stories, memorable moments and fond memories he’s recalling instead of a start-to-finish memoir of his life. The audiobook was super short- about four hours- so anyone, anywhere can listen to the legend and reflect on what you would write about in your own life. We may not find them interesting but what would our thoughts be if we were faced with those stories or memories being gone forever?Â
You’ve read through my opinions so you deserve some FREE STUFF! Make sure you are following the blog (upper right of this page) to get free downloads in the future. Once you’re following, go ahead and download this document: GOALS FOR 2020 from Local Collaborative I mentioned to track your goals and adventures for the rest of the year and into 2020.
Cheers!
Marin
PS: Are you enjoying these blogs? Have we worked together? I would love to get your short and honest review on my Facebook page. Thanks in advance!
“Marin is sweet, kind, and has a huge heart. She loves what she does. She loves helping others. Whether it’s helping for business purposes or even just a quick ear to lend to someone, she’s always there. Her blogs are incredible. She speaks the truth, and says what we all need to hear some days. … Continue reading Ashley Layton
We had Marin look at our business image. I was very impressed with her analysis. It was in depth and revealed some very important areas where we needed to improve or change. She brought up strategies I hadn’t even thought of and will implement. Donze & Associates would heartily recommend her to any other company.
I am a new small business owner and had no idea where to start when it came to social media and website design. I am an avid Facebook user but wasn’t quite sure how to direct my FB business page to a central hub/website. After compiling a killer business proposal, Marin met with me one-on-one … Continue reading Lyneda Rogers, Owner of The Egglady’s Daughter
As someone in the process of setting up small online business, Marin’s expertise was invaluable! With a consultation and a formalized presentation she helped me take things to the next level. I will definitely be back as I continue to build! Shannon Rogge Shannon Nicole Coaching
Writes inspiring blog posts and is an all around good person. Would always love working with her.
Local Collaborative has helped my business in so many ways! Marin Davis is very organized, assertive, creative, and innovative with her ideas for graphics, social media, and much, much more! If you own a business and would like to spend time doing what you LOVE to do, hiring Marin will be a great way to boost your success without spinning … Continue reading Angie Thomson, Owner/Trainer at Thomson Team Training
Local Collaborative was great to work with! I actually contacted Marin and needed things within a short time frame! She was completely willing to help me and not only finished my project early but ordered it for me and had it sent to my house! Marin is professional and talented and I would absolutely use … Continue reading Michelle Shimp, Owner of M.S.designs
Local Collaborative is so easy to work with! I was given a wealth of knowledge and so many great ideas. While I consider myself a creative person it was nice to have someone help me focus on what I want my brand to be. Amanda Kinsler Owner of Dabble Mini Farm & Floral
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