Author: My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett)

Book Review: “Law Of Attraction & Effection: The Secret Ingredient to Wealth Creation”

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, Book Review, British, Humour, Review , , ,

Reviewing Vinod Reghunathan’s self-help guide.

Rating: 3 stars

Headline: Economics and spirituality collide in this guide to wealth

Review:

Vinod Reghunathan’s self-help guide, LAW OF ATTRACTION & EFFECTION: The Secret Ingredient to Wealth Creation is a book of two halves. In the first half, Reghunathan covers the basic principles of business growth, including leveraging scale and impact. He refers to this as the Law of Effection. The writing here is economically-minded; it makes strong statements, backed-up with real world case studies of large industries who have leveraged some of the principles to great effect. The second half is more spiritual, focusing on The Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction is a broad philosophic principle founded on the manta that positive thoughts breeds positive actions. Guidance in this part of the book include how to ask the universe for guidance and the art of practising gratitude to others. Case studies focus on individual personalities from popular culture.

Before going much further I am going to tackle the elephant in the room. The word “effection” is not in the English dictionary. When I entered “Law of Effection” into a generic search engine the results were limited to say the least; after three webpages from non-reputable sources I’m directed to the Law of Effect, a concept that bears no relation to Economics. Without supporting clarification, Reghunathan’s choice of title seems clumsy and would put off a lot of perspective readers.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a book covering the disciplines of Economics and Philosophy, the two halves of LAW OF ATTRACTION & EFFECTION are very contrasting. While the first section offers practical advise on maximising potential, profit and growth, the second half advises the reader on positivity and gratitude. According to Reghunathan, it is only through application of both elements that the reader can obtain financial success, however the fundamental differences between the two halves of the book mean the pairing does not quite marry up.

Each half of Reghunathan’s self-help guide is well-written and the content engaging, but combined the book suffers from being overly broad in outlook. The two-for-the-price-of-one approach did not work for me; I would have rather read two books.

AEB Reviews

Links

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – Law of Attraction & Effection

Purchase Link: Law Of Attraction & Effection: The Secret Ingredient to Wealth Creation

Author Website: https://vinodr.com/

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What writing draft zero sounds like, in my head

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, comedy, Humour, Uncategorized, Writing , ,

This is what it feels like forcing myself to write words on a blank page. It feels like this property advertisement.

And I’m not talking about the never ending bit. The production value, the forced lyrics, the “what have I just seen?” feeling, quite literally everything about this video can be translated into what writing a draft zero feels like for me.

Oh, and if you are interested in learning more about this house may I direct you to its page on Rightmove (still on the market at the time of writing).

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Book Review: “The Most Reverend” by JJ Young

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, Book Review, Humour, Uncategorized , , ,

Rating: 1 star

Headline: Regardless of which faith you preach, this book is downright nonsensical

Review:

The Most Reverend by JJ Young is a comedy-satire of a Christian denomination and its plight to establish itself in Britain. Pastor Delilah Wigglesworth, founder of the “PRAISE!” movement adopts a highly informal approach to communicating biblical messages through the use of concert-type congregations, social media and its flagship confessional app. Shortly after arriving in the UK, Delilah, husband Jude and their two children become acquainted with Mary, a small parish vicar who has become fatigued with the Church of England and the Archbishop’s unwillingness to fund the repair costs to her church. In awe of Delilah and Jude, Mary leaves her parish to become the UK’s first pastor for “PRAISE!”

Within this plot summary there is ample opportunity for well-executed comedy and clever satire. Instead, what the reader sadly gets is poorly written dialogue and all too frequent location changes. Surrey, London, Delilah’s seemingly random decision to travel to North Wales to film promotional footage; the scene-setting in this book leaves even the most sturdiest of readers with whiplash.

Alongside Delilah’s global aspirations, there is also a side-plot involving “PRAISE!” being ransomed for millions of dollars after a data hack on its confessional app. Despite this disturbing development, none of the characters react with any sense of concern or urgency. Character traits are also unbelievable, particularly the Archbishop who immediately takes a strong dislike of “PRAISE!” because of the serious threat it poses to the Church of England. And yet, the whole book is leading up to Mary becoming the UK’s first pastor of a morally-questionable denomination run by two people, Delilah and Jude. The Archbishop’s fears just do not seem to add up.

As far as comedy goes, this book is simply not funny. A lot of the jokes are cheap biblical puns, innuendo, or a combination of the two, used at random like a Carry-On film. Humour that strikes of one-liners that popped into the author’s head as they were writing. And while I understand pastor Jude’s character is meant to be extreme right-wing, unfaithful and generally useless, the humour he exerts is at best excruciatingly awkward and at worst, down right discriminatory towards other faiths and cultures.

If not for the rushed pace, then for the tone of voice, The Most Reverend is punctured with so many plot holes and faults that it would take more than Noah’s Ark going viral to ride out this storm.

AEB Reviews

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Reviewing the “Books That Matter” / “Aphra” Subscription Box

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, Book Review, Culture, Humour, Review , , ,

Question: Do you remember that time when a feminist book subscription service was pitched on Dragon’s Den (the UK version of Shark Tank)?

Here’s a reminder if not.

To quote their website…

Books That Matter (alias Aphra) is the award-winning subscription box empowering women, powered by women. We platform marginalised voices by curating unique and inspiring reading experiences through our monthly book boxes which contain a female or non-binary authored book and themed gifts.

And guess which lucky sausage got given a box to review?

That’s right, the actual influencers. But through the wonders of a competition I have no recollection of entering (“you say blackout drunk, I say blackout Googling”) I am now the proud owner of a three month subscription. And boy, am I very excited by this development.

(So happy, I decided that throwing a blanket over my office chair would be enough to blend it seamlessly into the background…)

Then I thought “why stop there, why not do one of those unboxing-type videos?”

I enjoyed putting this quick rough-and-ready video together. No makeup, no regrets! It’s simple but heck, aren’t we all?

Debating whether to do this for the subsequent boxes I receive. Given the amount of cards I’m now in possession of and all the leftover Christmas bath bombs, I have visions of me swimming in bath salts by the time I get to June. And reading wise…well, I guess I just need to start reading more (and more quickly!)

Products featured in my Books That Matter subscription box

Book: Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood

Treat: Greetings cards and bookmark by Sunshine Llama

Treat: 70% coca chocolate by Alter Eco

Treat: Frosting bath slab by Miss Patisserie

See also:

Unboxing April’s “Books That Matter” Subscription Box (April)

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Book Review: ‘Living My Best “Single Mum” Life’ by Louise Mathison

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: This is a book that I will be carrying with me, long after closing the covers

Review:

Detailing her life post separation and divorce, Living My Best “Single Mum” Life is an autobiographical account of the Australian businesswoman Louise Mathison. Over the course of fourteen years, Mathison recounts the struggles of transitioning from a life of relative dependence, working in her husband’s business, to forging a new career whilst raising two daughters single-handed. The overall story presented by Mathison is one of challenge and success, with plenty of guidance for other single parents who may be currently undergoing a similar situation.

I really enjoyed this book. Mathison’s writing style is objective, staying away from the easy trap of turning these 140 pages into blame-pointing, instead choosing to place honesty front and centre. In a section dedicated to the turbulent upbringing of her children, Mathison goes into a level of detail most parents would not dream of doing in a coffee shop with close friends, let alone in a published autobiography.

Of interest to many readers will be the author’s choice to merge characteristic elements of the traditional self-help genre into this book. For instance, in the chapter “Finding Your Passion”, Mathison makes a point of drawing the reader in, flipping the focus from that of her personal experience to encourage the reader to reflect on their own. While not present in every chapter, these ‘flip’ moments, offer a unique and perhaps poignant chance to remind the reader that for those undergoing a similar experience that there is hope for the future. Guidance is gentle and reassuring, as if it was coming from the dear and trusted friend you have known for years.

At the start of this book Mathison states that despite remaining open minded towards dating, at the time of writing she is still a happily single woman. While some of her specific hardships are not directly applicable to my personal life experiences, I felt incredibly humbled to have been brought along on her journey. It is a book that I will be carrying with me, long after I have closed the covers.

AEB Reviews

Links

Reedsy Discovery Review: (AEB Reviews) Living My Best “Single Mum” Life

Purchase Link: Living My Best “Single Mum” Life (Amazon)

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This Video Will Change Your Life

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) British, comedy, Humor, Humour, Television, Uncategorized , , ,

Ladies and gentleman, Michael Barrymore.

And if not for the video than the comments on the video itself, including:

Now, isn’t your life so much better for watching that video? (Also, don’t answer that question.)

And no, I won’t tell you how I came about this video. And for those of you expecting this to be a video of my sister and/or my giant thumb (based off this post’s feature image…)

…sorry, not sorry.

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Book Review: “Thar She Blows!” by Klam Burley (Illustrated by Francesca Da Sacco)

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, Book Review, Children, Humour, Review, Uncategorized , , ,

Rating: 3 stars

Headline: Childhood imaginations run wild in this fun picture book of bath time pirates

Review:

Thar She Blows! by Klam Burley (illustrated by Francesca Da Sacco) is a children’s picture book which tells the story of Bobby, a young pirate with a rascally parrot companion and a fearsome sea monster to battle. But is Bobby’s dangerous encounter all as it seems?

There is much to commend this book, including the humorous plot twist halfway through which changed the story’s direction to draw children back to a relatable environment. Children are well-known for having broad, colourful imaginations, although I would probably not have been as understanding as Bobby’s mother if I walked into a flooded bathroom!

The illustrations are nicely done, the bird’s eye perspective of the mythical sea monster flavours on the mildly surreal (think Studio Ghibli) and the slightly cartoonish depiction of Bobby maintains a sweet sense of innocence. The two forms balance each other well. The addition of hidden rubber ducks on each page adds an additional layer of engagement for parents and children; having these peppered throughout hints toward the plot twist to come.

The copy in this book could, however, be tightened. I know a good deal of adults who do not know what a semicolon is, let alone small children. In my opinion the use of this punctuation mark should not exist in a book aimed at this age demographic. The sentences are also long and clunky in places, for me the poetry did not flow naturally and I ended up having to reread pages to marry-up what sometimes could be better described as half-rhymes. Personally I think the writing would have been better as prose.

Thar She Blows! comes from a solid place. It is well illustrated and is full of the heart and charm needed for a picture book of its type. If elements of the copy were addressed Burley could find herself onto a real winner.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/thar-she-blows-kimberly-amboy

Purchase link: Thar She Blows!

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Plant Takeaway: the Eden Project Exhibition that still Traumatises me

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) British, comedy, Humor, Humour, Mermaid, Travel, Uncategorized , , ,

Few things have shaped me more than a mechanic exhibition housed in the visitor centre of Cornwall’s world famous Eden Project. Shaped me, in a negative way.

Back in 2000, when the biomes for The Eden Project were still under construction, the visitor centre was opened up to the public. I was eight years old. “This will be educational,” my parents thought, “Alice will get to see this amazing thing being built and learn a bit about the nice plants in the visitor centre.”

Traumatised I was. Traumatised.

Image credit, Joe N., FourSquare.com

Plant Takeaway, an exhibition also referred to as “The Dead Cat” (which personally I think says it all) is, according to the attraction’s website, “[an] automated puppet show that explores our total dependence on plants. Visitors watch as absolutely everything made of plants in Alan and Enid’s kitchen is taken away.”

It sounds all harmless enough, sure, but let me put to you this; Plant Takeaway features scary mannequins (and you know how I feel about those), nudity and what I have always assumed to be a “Peeping Tom”. It is a reminder of the importance of plants (big tick) and how their removal will result in the painfully slow erosion of everything you hold dear (uh-oh) until ultimately you die from starvation or a lack of oxygen, which ever comes first.

“…Daddy, am I going to die?”

I can see Mumma B rolling her eyes at me now, “she’s 30 and still going on about that silly mechanical exhibit at The Eden Project” but you know what, Mum, yes, I am still going to harp on about it. There was an eight year old me, eyeball to eyeball with a naked collapsed man. To top it all off the cat dies. That’s it, THE END.

I spent the rest of the day crying. When we got back to the holiday cottage we were staying at I was in a state best comparable to that time Hermione got herself petrified in Chamber of Secrets. I remember these things because I was haunted.

Image credit: Pinterest

I think I had a mild form of PTSD, Plant Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Years later we returned to The Eden Project, where as a teenager I was quickly rushed through the visitor centre. We’d all hoped Plant Takeaway would have been retired and thrown into a skip somewhere but nope, still there.

I was going for third time lucky when I visited last year. On seeing its ugly, clunky presence I decided to face my fears and watch it through to the bitter end.

I gave up halfway through.

In my defence I really did try, and in my equal defence this exhibition is a pile of trauma. Other people have recorded and uploaded the whole thing onto YouTube…or at least I assume so (I’m not going to check; go look yourself and on your own mental health be it).

The other 98% of The Eden Project is absolutely lovely and well worth a visit, but this? Nah. I have two questions to put to the management of this attraction 1) who in their right mind signed off the development of the Plant Takeaway exhibition and 2) who is continuing to let it stay?!

Uh-oh, I think I might have triggered myself again (passive-association from the memories). I’m off to get some ice cream.

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Book Review: “The 10 Habits of Happy Couples” by Tina and Michael LeBlanc

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Book, Book Review, Humour, Review , , , , ,

Rating: 3 stars

Headline: A pleasant read, produced by a couple with sound expertise and a skill for joint-authorship

Review:

When it comes to reviewing non-fiction I often find myself baffled by relationship guides. Conventional relationships are a joint venture, yet so many books present as one person (the author) stating advice to another person (a singular reader).

In Tina and Michael LeBlanc’s book, The Ten Habits of Happy Couples, the pair bring together their professional and personal experiences to create a guide that encourages ten habits to improve connectively between couples. Examples include prioritising relationships and intimacy, setting clear rules and boundaries, and building mutual respect. For each chapter, or “habit”, there contains a quick introductory questionnaire for readers, information on the habit, “our conversation” (where Tina and Michael share their experiences), and then hints and tips for applying this habit into conversation between couples and/or into daily life.

I like the premise of this book, with an inclusive approach that is less finger-pointing and more unified in style. On multiple occasions the authors highlight toxic tendencies and encourage readers to revaluate or walk away from relationships which show signs of harm. That said, this book does suffer in places from excessive copy. When I find myself quickly flicking through twenty four pages (plus the introduction) to get me to the first habit, I know something is amiss. The use of a number in any book title makes me more impatient in nature (a trait shared with many of my millennial peers, with no thanks to the infinite number of “top ten” lists on the internet). Some of this content could have been cut, merged or the title changed to avoid the glass-eye syndrome I feel into.

While I can see the intention behind the “our conversation” sections, the dialogue between Tina and Michael comes across as too staged for my liking and equally, I am not a fan of the habit numbers decreasing from ten to one. It placed a heightened significance on habit number one which I do not think was intentional.

When reviewing the sales of this book, a purchaser commented online that The Ten Habits of Happy Couples would make an excellent wedding gift. While I am not quite convinced that nuptial events are this title’s best market potential, I do see this as having a place in everyday life, for everyday couples. A pleasant read in places, produced by authors with sound expertise and a skill for joint-authorship. I look forward to seeing what they produce next.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The 10 Habits of Happy Couples”

Purchase Link: “The 10 Habits of Happy Couples” by Tina and Michael LeBlanc (Amazon)

Author Website: Better Yourself 365

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Lo-Fi Tuesday – Alice’s Pick of the Week

My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett) Art, Humour, Music , , ,

Here’s a sweet Lo-Fi track to start (or even end) your Tuesday Right.

Sebastian Kamae and Aylior have collaborated together to produce “Wake Up”

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