The Forgotten Carols

This is a fun book!
Even though it is not near Christmas I enjoyed rereading this again.
I have seen the show numerous times and have all the Carols committed to memory.
If you sort of like the show this is a must read!

The life changing magic of Tidying up

From Goodreads info:
Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.
My thoughts: Some basic ideas but when she got into thanking your clothes for the good work they have done for you as you discard them I started to giggle.
Then when she said you needed to touch every one of your books to wake them up and give part of your energy I smirked.
Then she said she got rid of over 200 books and encourages clients to do the same then I stopped liking her ideas.

This is a pass...basically to tidy up you look at an item and ask Does this bring me joy? if yes you keep it if no you toss it.

50 Signs of the Times

From Goodreads.com description:
"Signs of the Times" are prophecies given by the Lord to bear witness that the last days are here and that the Second Coming of the Savior will occur soon. As His return grows closer, more and more of these signs are being fulfilled.
In this book, David J. Ridges describes 50 of these prophecies, placing them in one of three general categories.
Each prophecy is designated as:
1. Fulfilled
2. Being Fulfilled
3. Yet Future
The format is concise and makes it easy for the reader to see these signs of the times at a glance and get more information about each one as desired.
A detailed explanation of the actual events which will take place at the Second Coming is also included.
My thoughts: This was just an OK book. I know the author put a lot of time into it but I really didn't find out anything new here. Guess that is a good thing concerning the subject matter.
I felt like I was sitting in a lecture hall with the author up front reading his presentation...

Writing Magic: creating stories that fly

From Goodreads.com description: In Writing Magic, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares her secrets of great writing. She shows how you, too, can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.

With humor, honesty, and wisdom, Gail Carson Levine shows you that you, too, can make magic with your writing.  

My Thoughts: This was a simple approach to the act of writing. It differed in most writing books in that it gave plenty of exercises to do and assignments that were to be followed to get you in the habit of actual writing.
I found a few of her thoughts to be new and useful for me.
If you are a writer or want to be and need a quick couple of ideas, then this quick read is for you.