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Best Legal Test Preparation

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
People with a fixed mindset —those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset —those who believe that abilities can be developed. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset .” —Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start 2.0. She is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and has won nine lifetime achievement awards for her research.
Reviews
"The book is valuable for its conceit: that there are two types of mind-sets; the growth and the fixed. It's an informational book, but not a great book."
"However, most of the book seems to focus on discussing the difference between "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset" applied to different fields. It is like the author uses the entire book to emphasize how important "growth mindset" is but doesn't really offer much help."
"A common sense and proven approach, which I recommend to parents, coaches, teachers and business leaders."
"It is a compilation of a century of studying patterns of attitudes that have created champions and happiness in lives from every sector of life."
"its ok, nothing earth shattering in the book, but for those who need the message, read it!"
"Interesting but to Many repetitions and the examples Where not specific enogh. Could be interesting if we were given more precise info on how to keep The mindset if there are obstacles. A positive mindset can be Hard to maintain in a competitive environment or When experiencing personal problems or negative obstructing persons. A positive mindset may not be The cure for every problem in real life."
"The other side views all challenges as a learning experience while exhibiting cooperative strategies and tactics."
"Dweck preaches the power of hard work and it's effectiveness."
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The LSAT Trainer: A Remarkable Self-Study Guide For The Self-Driven Student
Teachers, students, and reviewers all agree: The LSAT Trainer is the most advanced and effective LSAT prep product available today. I have spent many years developing LSAT learning products, training LSAT instructors, and, most importantly, working with LSAT students.
Reviews
"I read this book. I got a 171 on my LSAT. I roughly followed the 8-week study schedule from Mike Kim's website."
"I read it cover to cover, completed every exercise, and got in the 94th percentile of the LSAT."
"Like most people, I took a full-length practice LSAT, without any preparation, a few months before the scheduled exam to see how much studying I had to do to get into the 170+ range. Still, since the LSAT is such an important factor in law school admissions, it seemed like skipping the class and studying on my own was too big of a risk, whatever the price. I ended up going with Manhattan LSAT, which had better reviews than Kaplan, Blueprint, and Testmasters (the other companies with courses in my area). By sheer luck, Mike Kim (the author of The LSAT Trainer) happened to be teaching my class. While ultimately I was right about the class--it was pricy, across town, and more or less a review of the material in the Manhattan LSAT books--Mike himself was phenomenal. I began going to class early and staying late so that I could pick his brain about the exam. A few are awful, and could cause you to develop habits that actually lower your LSAT score. For instance, one of the biggest problems I had when I was taking practice tests was deciding in the heat of the moment how to categorize the logic game I was facing. This is because I had learned to strictly categorize game types, as essentially all test-prep companies teach you to do. I totally agree with this approach, and think that it's another nice illustration of the book's general theme, which is that you need to have a deep understanding of what LSAC is trying to test in each section if you want to consistently get high scores. However, it didn't really help me to talk to them about their approaches, because the ability to get a great score doesn't entail that you can explain (or even understand) how you're doing it. Reading the Trainer is like being tutored privately by a top scorer who at the same time understands what it feels like to struggle with the exam. From the most basic facts about the number of sections on the actual LSAT, to statistical information about how often each question type has appeared on past exams, to specific (but important) information about how you should time your sections--it's all there. I want to buy one book and then turn all of my attention studying, without any nagging questions about what I'm not being told. (Some companies, for instance, instruct test takers to try to complete only 3 of the 4 logic games.). Presumably they think that a large portion of the LSAT consumer market simply can't achieve a 170+, and believe that the methods 170+ test takers use aren't compatible with the optimal strategies for a mid-160 score. As I think the Trainer brings out nicely, the way to master the LSAT is to come to see what the exam writers are really trying to test with each question--to deconstruct the LSAT into its most fundamental parts--and then to develop the skills necessary to meet the challenges each question poses. But that doesn't mean that you should perform sub-optimally, given your abilities and work ethic, simply because your test prep materials think that you can't handle the real juice. Practicing with made-up LSAT questions is like learning to play basketball with a ball that's not quite the right size, or taking Spanish lessons from someone who speaks a slightly different dialect. (I also felt a little slimy about the fact that I was taking advantage of a resource that many people that I was competing against couldn't afford.). It all worked out in the end, but LSAT classes, at least from my experience, exist more to reassure students that they're not missing something than to provide useful information that's not in the study materials. If you can stick to them, and you don't cut corners, then you'll be an LSAT machine by the time you finish this book. There is simply no reason to shell out for a class when you can pay $50 for this book, which is better than any of the other materials out there anyway--again, so long as you can stick to the regime on your own, and don't need someone to answer to. I always hated standardized tests--I thought that they were all just collections of questions that were, at best, loosely related to certain analytical skills we all have. In the same way that a class on engineering will cause you to stare at the Golden Gate Bridge, in awe that a group of people actually built it, the Trainer highlights the LSAT's simple elegance. The Trainer is always deeply respectful of the LSAT--of how hard it is and what it takes to meet its challenges. These books are usually "print on demand," which means that an author can make small corrections without releasing a whole new edition. However, if you're trying to get the best score you can, and you have the time, I think that, after working through this entire book, you should go back an do as many of the exams from 1 - 30 as you can, particularly the logic games sections. The more practice you have answering these old questions, the more comfortable you'll be when you come across a curveball on the actual LSAT exam and have to adapt a strategy on the fly. While the Trainer talks about these exams, and pulls some questions from them at certain points, I think that it should give at least some of the complete exams a firm place in the study regime as a way of testing your flexibility at the end of your study schedule. To finish the story from above, I ended up with a solid LSAT score, and was very fortunate to get into Yale Law. While I think that I could have done pretty well on the LSAT with other study materials, I do not think that I could have performed as well as I did were it not for Mike's approach."
"Directly covers and explains the reasoning behind numerous questions which actually have appeared on previous LSAT's This is the hold-your-hand method of learning which morons like me love."
"I've been through a helluva lot of LSAT prep books and, by far, I think this is the most comprehensive, well-thought out book there is."
"Best LSAT book I have ever read."
"If you're self-motivated but need some guidance on developing a study plan, The LSAT Trainer is the way to go!"
"The author even responded to my email about my revised study plan as I found this book later then I wish I had."
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The PowerScore LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible
The book features and explains a detailed methodology for attacking all aspects of Logic Reasoning problems, including recognizing question types, identifying common reasoning elements and determining their validity, the methods for efficiently and accurately making inferences, and techniques for quickly eliminating answer choices as you solve the questions. Must Be Must Be True Questions Main Point Questions Weaken Questions Strengthen Questions Justify the Conclusion Questions Assumption Questions Resolve the Paradox Questions Method of Reasoning Questions Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Parallel Reasoning Questions Evaluate the Argument Questions Cannot Be True Questions Point at Issue Questions Principle Questions. In addition, the Logical Reasoning Bible features over 100 real LSAT Logical Reasoning questions that are used to illustrate and reinforce our techniques. The purpose of the Logical Reasoning Bible is to teach you how to attack and solve every type of Logical Reasoning question that appears on the LSAT. The PowerScore LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible is the most comprehensive book available for the Logic Reasoning section of the LSAT. This includes examples for each of the question types referenced above.
Reviews
"That being said, completing this book is an almost guaranteed way to improve your score in these sections (which make up half the test)."
"i highly recommend to get the all 3 prep books and learn the basics and then start timing yourself with actual LSAT Prep test. Also i dont have the time and money to spend on expensive prep classes when i can learn the simple basics from powerscore books and take it from there."
"I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to save time and money while studying for the LSAT."
"This book is amazing."
"It ultimately all serves to benefit you in the long run but you really have to be willing to spend a good deal of time doing the exercises, reading the explanations, and figuring out how you can improve from all that."
"Bought for my daughter to study."
"The PowerScore LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible is way better than the in-class LSAT prep class (i.e. TestMasters)."
"If I could give this book 0 stars I would."
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Best Bar Examination Test Preparation

Strategies & Tactics for the MBE (Emanuel Bar Review)
Strategies & Tactics for the MBE, 6E is full of up-to-date advice on how to analyze Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) questions, including details on how to handle each MBE subject, specific, step-by-step strategies for analyzing different question types, tips about how subtle differences in wording can completely change the meaning of an answer, and strategies for "rewording" questions in your mind to make them easier to analyze. Updated to include a comprehensive section on Civil Procedure, which was recently added to the MBE exam.
Reviews
"I used it, passed the bar, so I can't complain."
"This is a tool for bar passage, I recommend doing these in preparation for those subjects while you are studying them in law school!"
"The book has many similar readings as the previous addition."
"In addition, it uses actual questions from past official MBE exams, which is helpful because most of the bar prep classes (minus Adaptibar) use some real questions but also write their own that are way more nuanced and confusing."
"Excellent for improving your MBE score....make sure you read the strategies and tactics section before starting a new topic of questions."
"Emanuel + Walton use actual MBE questions from past exams and break them down ...giving you a pattern for approaching your MBE examination questions."
"I didn't go through page by page of this huge book to check for errors."
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Best LSAT Test Guides

The LSAT Trainer: A Remarkable Self-Study Guide For The Self-Driven Student
Teachers, students, and reviewers all agree: The LSAT Trainer is the most advanced and effective LSAT prep product available today. I have spent many years developing LSAT learning products, training LSAT instructors, and, most importantly, working with LSAT students.
Reviews
"I read this book. I got a 171 on my LSAT. I roughly followed the 8-week study schedule from Mike Kim's website."
"Perhaps the best trainer on the market."
"Like most people, I took a full-length practice LSAT, without any preparation, a few months before the scheduled exam to see how much studying I had to do to get into the 170+ range. Still, since the LSAT is such an important factor in law school admissions, it seemed like skipping the class and studying on my own was too big of a risk, whatever the price. I ended up going with Manhattan LSAT, which had better reviews than Kaplan, Blueprint, and Testmasters (the other companies with courses in my area). By sheer luck, Mike Kim (the author of The LSAT Trainer) happened to be teaching my class. While ultimately I was right about the class--it was pricy, across town, and more or less a review of the material in the Manhattan LSAT books--Mike himself was phenomenal. I began going to class early and staying late so that I could pick his brain about the exam. A few are awful, and could cause you to develop habits that actually lower your LSAT score. For instance, one of the biggest problems I had when I was taking practice tests was deciding in the heat of the moment how to categorize the logic game I was facing. This is because I had learned to strictly categorize game types, as essentially all test-prep companies teach you to do. I totally agree with this approach, and think that it's another nice illustration of the book's general theme, which is that you need to have a deep understanding of what LSAC is trying to test in each section if you want to consistently get high scores. However, it didn't really help me to talk to them about their approaches, because the ability to get a great score doesn't entail that you can explain (or even understand) how you're doing it. Reading the Trainer is like being tutored privately by a top scorer who at the same time understands what it feels like to struggle with the exam. From the most basic facts about the number of sections on the actual LSAT, to statistical information about how often each question type has appeared on past exams, to specific (but important) information about how you should time your sections--it's all there. I want to buy one book and then turn all of my attention studying, without any nagging questions about what I'm not being told. (Some companies, for instance, instruct test takers to try to complete only 3 of the 4 logic games.). Presumably they think that a large portion of the LSAT consumer market simply can't achieve a 170+, and believe that the methods 170+ test takers use aren't compatible with the optimal strategies for a mid-160 score. As I think the Trainer brings out nicely, the way to master the LSAT is to come to see what the exam writers are really trying to test with each question--to deconstruct the LSAT into its most fundamental parts--and then to develop the skills necessary to meet the challenges each question poses. But that doesn't mean that you should perform sub-optimally, given your abilities and work ethic, simply because your test prep materials think that you can't handle the real juice. Practicing with made-up LSAT questions is like learning to play basketball with a ball that's not quite the right size, or taking Spanish lessons from someone who speaks a slightly different dialect. (I also felt a little slimy about the fact that I was taking advantage of a resource that many people that I was competing against couldn't afford.). It all worked out in the end, but LSAT classes, at least from my experience, exist more to reassure students that they're not missing something than to provide useful information that's not in the study materials. If you can stick to them, and you don't cut corners, then you'll be an LSAT machine by the time you finish this book. There is simply no reason to shell out for a class when you can pay $50 for this book, which is better than any of the other materials out there anyway--again, so long as you can stick to the regime on your own, and don't need someone to answer to. I always hated standardized tests--I thought that they were all just collections of questions that were, at best, loosely related to certain analytical skills we all have. In the same way that a class on engineering will cause you to stare at the Golden Gate Bridge, in awe that a group of people actually built it, the Trainer highlights the LSAT's simple elegance. The Trainer is always deeply respectful of the LSAT--of how hard it is and what it takes to meet its challenges. These books are usually "print on demand," which means that an author can make small corrections without releasing a whole new edition. However, if you're trying to get the best score you can, and you have the time, I think that, after working through this entire book, you should go back an do as many of the exams from 1 - 30 as you can, particularly the logic games sections. The more practice you have answering these old questions, the more comfortable you'll be when you come across a curveball on the actual LSAT exam and have to adapt a strategy on the fly. While the Trainer talks about these exams, and pulls some questions from them at certain points, I think that it should give at least some of the complete exams a firm place in the study regime as a way of testing your flexibility at the end of your study schedule. To finish the story from above, I ended up with a solid LSAT score, and was very fortunate to get into Yale Law. While I think that I could have done pretty well on the LSAT with other study materials, I do not think that I could have performed as well as I did were it not for Mike's approach."
"I read it cover to cover, completed every exercise, and got in the 94th percentile of the LSAT."
"Directly covers and explains the reasoning behind numerous questions which actually have appeared on previous LSAT's This is the hold-your-hand method of learning which morons like me love."
"I am only a couple of chapters in and I can already say that this is the best self-study book I have ever used."
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Best Higher Education Test Preparation

ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide: TEAS 6 Complete Study Manual, Full-Length Practice Tests, Review Video Tutorials for the Test of Essential Academic Skills, Sixth Edition
ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is the ideal prep solution for anyone who wants ace the Test of Essential Academic Skills, Sixth Edition. Not only does it provide a comprehensive study manual for the TEAS 6 as a whole, it is the only guide that provides three full-length practice tests with detailed explanations of each answer and 74 video tutorials to help you review. A thorough and detailed review of all ATI TEAS test sections Review video tutorials to help you master difficult concepts Comprehensive practice questions with detailed answer explanations Tips and strategies to help you get your best test performance. Our test designers have provided hundreds of test questions that will prepare you for what to expect on the actual ATI TEAS. We have done this by setting high standards for our test preparation guides, and our ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is no exception.
Reviews
"I bought this book under my mother's amazon account so I'm posting this as a 22 year old who had to take the ATI TEAS test for entrance into nursing programs. I felt like I got some questions on the test that the science section touched on but didn't delve very deep into (mostly concerning with the endocrine system), but a majority of the science questions could be answered by reading and studying the book. I recently graduated from college with a health related degree, but I do think that without this study guide I wouldn't have done as well, it helped me brush up on topics I had forgotten as well as teach me things I never knew (mostly relating to English grammar section)."
"Yesterday, I took my TEAS test after using this guide for approximately three weeks, and I am pleased to have earned an 88% with a national percentile rank of 97. Since statistics is tested, albeit very slightly, I would recommend you study the regression charts and lessons for positive/negative skew. Some topics I would recommend for students to reassess are: the components and anatomy of eukaryotes / prokaryotes, ionic and covalent bonds, the products of both mitosis and meiosis, and DNA replication. Test yourself with flash cards the most commonly misspelled words, prefixes and suffixes. In conclusion, this is a wonderful guide that will wrack and plumb your brain for all of the information you should have learned up to this point."
"I recommend using the first practice test as a starting point to determine what you need to study, then spend some time studying before taking the second and third practice tests."
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Best Graduate Test Guides

MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2018-2019: Online + Book (Kaplan Test Prep)
Kaplan's MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2018-2019 offers an expert study plan, detailed subject review, and hundreds of online and in-book practice questions – all authored by the experts behind the MCAT prep course that has helped more people get into medical school than all other major courses combined. More than 350 questions in each book and access to even more online – more practice than any other MCAT set on the market. Kaplan's expert psychometricians ensure our practice questions and study materials are true to the test. Our prep books and online resources provide the expert guidance that students need at every step of their educational journey – incorporating years of test-specific data and strategies tested by Kaplan students and our own expert psychometricians.
Reviews
"-Buying the books gives you access to an online portion of materials that includes 3 practice exams, and two "mini" passage tests per topic. My biggest issue with EK books were that they did not connect the concepts in a manner that helped me understand or remember the material better. And when I say decipher, I mean that the explanations are so vague I would end up spending countless hours trying to learn the concepts at a "deeper conceptual level", when really my issue was that frankly I just sucked at eliminating wrong answers and making educated guesses. I was able to borrow the new Exam Kracker books from a friend two weeks prior to taking the new MCAT as last minute practice after utilizing all of the Kaplan and Khan materials. I felt well prepared (in combination with Khan Academy) and I had access to 3 practice exams at less cost than other prep companies. Also, please note that the most critical review (thus far) of these books is an MCAT instructor paid to teach from Exam Krackers materials."
"Little side panels with MCAT Expertise, Mnemonics, and Real Life ties in are great in case you're having a tough time understanding the section in question. They also do a really good job of tying things together; they make it a point to tell you "well, your studies of Biochem are not isolated. There are also some interesting ways that they introduce a chapter and relate it to you- I've even cracked up a few times at their scienc-y jokes. Then I went through them all the way again, taking scrupulous notes on all the important stuff that I had highlighted, or that the MCAT Expertise portions had brought up. But, there are only so many tricks to know and when you spend enough time figuring out how to solve them when they appear, you get a very good grasp on the basic material. They were much easier to answer because I had developed a strong understanding of topics in anticipation of harder questions."
"Would recommend to friends."
"Good set of books!"
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Best Higher & Continuing Education

ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide: TEAS 6 Complete Study Manual, Full-Length Practice Tests, Review Video Tutorials for the Test of Essential Academic Skills, Sixth Edition
ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is the ideal prep solution for anyone who wants ace the Test of Essential Academic Skills, Sixth Edition. Not only does it provide a comprehensive study manual for the TEAS 6 as a whole, it is the only guide that provides three full-length practice tests with detailed explanations of each answer and 74 video tutorials to help you review. A thorough and detailed review of all ATI TEAS test sections Review video tutorials to help you master difficult concepts Comprehensive practice questions with detailed answer explanations Tips and strategies to help you get your best test performance. Our test designers have provided hundreds of test questions that will prepare you for what to expect on the actual ATI TEAS. We have done this by setting high standards for our test preparation guides, and our ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide is no exception.
Reviews
"I bought this book under my mother's amazon account so I'm posting this as a 22 year old who had to take the ATI TEAS test for entrance into nursing programs. I felt like I got some questions on the test that the science section touched on but didn't delve very deep into (mostly concerning with the endocrine system), but a majority of the science questions could be answered by reading and studying the book. I recently graduated from college with a health related degree, but I do think that without this study guide I wouldn't have done as well, it helped me brush up on topics I had forgotten as well as teach me things I never knew (mostly relating to English grammar section)."
"Yesterday, I took my TEAS test after using this guide for approximately three weeks, and I am pleased to have earned an 88% with a national percentile rank of 97. Since statistics is tested, albeit very slightly, I would recommend you study the regression charts and lessons for positive/negative skew. Some topics I would recommend for students to reassess are: the components and anatomy of eukaryotes / prokaryotes, ionic and covalent bonds, the products of both mitosis and meiosis, and DNA replication. Test yourself with flash cards the most commonly misspelled words, prefixes and suffixes. In conclusion, this is a wonderful guide that will wrack and plumb your brain for all of the information you should have learned up to this point."
"I recommend using the first practice test as a starting point to determine what you need to study, then spend some time studying before taking the second and third practice tests."
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Best Investing

The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition) (Collins Business Essentials)
While preserving the integrity of Graham's original text, this revised edition includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today's market, draws parallels between Graham's examples and today's financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham's principles. Among the library of investment books promising no-fail strategies for riches, Benjamin Graham's classic, The Intelligent Investor , offers no guarantees or gimmicks but overflows with the wisdom at the core of all good portfolio management. Graham's sage advice, analytical guides, and cautionary tales are still valid for the contemporary investor, and Zweig's commentaries demonstrate the relevance of Graham's principles in light of 1990s and early twenty-first century market trends.
Reviews
"If you are not a professional - you'll appreciate the commentaries and epilogue - read it first? Several rules of thumbs I noted into my keep: - Investor buys the business [based on its price/value], speculator buys the stock [based on an absurd believe that he can foresee where the stock price will go]. Thus, invest in such old economy companies while bubble grows, as soon as the bubble burst - undervalued companies would rise back. Dividends - money firm pays you for providing capital, they belong to you."
"Not only will you get superb financial advice, but also an outstanding piece of literature written by a brilliant mind. In an illustrative contrast between the two men, while Graham might show what he thinks about a certain Wall Street practice with a sardonic quote from classical literature, Zweig disparages IPOs by showing us how many silly phrases he can think up to stand for the acronym."
"It is not a 101 guide to the basics of the stock market, but even if you go into this book with little to no knowledge of the stock market, it is informative enough that if you are intuitive, you can learn (by deduction) about investing."
"Very good that one book all information available for investor."
"New and seal in plastic wrap."
"Difficult for me to follow."
"The original text was updated in 1972 by Graham and then Jason Zweig adds his commentary in 2003 to relate to the changes at that time."
"No complaints of the book itself, but the Kindle edition of it is bad."
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Best Popular Applied Psychology

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
People with a fixed mindset —those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset —those who believe that abilities can be developed. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset .” —Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start 2.0. Dweck proposes that everyone has either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. In other words, you are who you are, your intelligence and talents are fixed, and your fate is to go through life avoiding challenge and failure.
Reviews
"The book is valuable for its conceit: that there are two types of mind-sets; the growth and the fixed. It's an informational book, but not a great book."
"However, most of the book seems to focus on discussing the difference between "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset" applied to different fields. It is like the author uses the entire book to emphasize how important "growth mindset" is but doesn't really offer much help."
"I was forced to but this book as requirement to read for my Spring semester, my professor that asked for this book believe she has great mindset and can affect us, but in reality she sucks."
"Explaining how to change was well worth the time to read it."
"The book started by effectively comparing competing mindsets and then referenced examples of those mindsets by comparing the specific mindsets of famous people in business and in sports."
"It is a compilation of a century of studying patterns of attitudes that have created champions and happiness in lives from every sector of life."
"The gist of the book is very important and mind blowing BUT the book reiterates the same message time and time again to the point I just skipped ahead entire examples because I already understood where it was going."
"This book had a good message, but it wasted a lot of potential with the topic and the author did not really convey the power of her message very well."
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