HOT OR NOT

The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving A F**k (2015) by Sarah Knight (8/10)In times of crisis, sometimes a tough-talking friend spewing the hard truths you’re already aware of can be detrimental to your mood, regardless of the positive intentions. On the other hand, sometimes in times of panic, anger, frustration, or upset the last thing you need is someone to impart creaking pales of pity upon you. In this respect, Sarah Knight’s book provides the perfect balance. While seemingly flippant about how easy it is to leave your job/ditch friends/stop being hard on yourself/refuse to attend parties/family gatherings/apparently mandatory meetings etc. there is a method to her madness. These off the cuff suggestions about how to give less of a f**k are elaborated on later, broken down into more achievable ways of making the positive changes you need to look after you. The best part is it’s broken into sections covering all different stress-inducing aspects of life. So you can pick it up as and when you need it.   The Secret (2006) by Rhonda Byrne (2/10)This book has a strange power over me. I honestly think it is the biggest con going since skinny tea. And this is coming from someone who spends her time scrolling through quotes and adding them to a Pinterest board all day. Having said that, I also have an inexplicable fear of giving it a negative review (although clearly I’m not that worried – here I am, giving it a negative review). I’m irrationally concerned the positive intentions that the book promotes can also work in the opposite manner and cause my supervisors to kick me out of my PhD simply because the book heard me badmouthing it. So I am just going to whisper this so you may have to lean in: *whispers softly* “it’s absolute shite”