Leo Vidal Book Reviews

Book Review: It’s Just Coffee: A Starbucks Barista’s Decade on the Inside by Riley Studor What happens when a job that once feels like a second home gradually becomes a source of frustration, mistreatment, and disillusionment? In It’s Just Coffee: A Starbucks Barista’s Decade on the Inside , Riley Studor offers a candid, often funny, and sometimes unsettling memoir about ten years working behind the counter at Starbucks. More than a collection of workplace stories, the book examines the relationship between employees and management, the consequences of corporate policies, and the importance of treating people with basic dignity and respect. Studor begins with memories of a Starbucks location where teamwork, camaraderie, and a genuine sense of community made even the busiest shifts enjoyable. The author describes a lively workplace filled with humor, memorable customers, and coworkers who looked out for one another. These early experiences establish an important contrast with what foll...

  Book Review: The Gardener Who Came in Through the Window by Lily Burdová A Delightfully Quirky, Thought-Provoking Story About Nature, Humanity, and the Meaning of Life Lily Burdová’s The Gardener Who Came in Through the Window is an imaginative, witty, and surprisingly moving novel that invites readers to reconsider their relationship with nature, the people around them, and the world they have built. Blending dark humor, philosophical reflection, and an abundance of fascinating observations about the natural world, Burdová delivers a story that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. The story centers on Frumka, an elderly man who survives carbon monoxide poisoning but emerges with his memory severely impaired. Unable to remember his past, he finds himself working as a gardener for a family whose obsession with cleanliness, order, appearances, and modern conveniences leaves little room for the untamed beauty of nature. To them, weeds are enemies, fallen leaves are nuisa...

Book Review: Between Hawthorn and Hearth By Rijstafel Hour Some books transport us to another world through grand adventures and extraordinary heroes. Others invite us to discover the magic that may be hiding in the familiar places around us. Between Hawthorn and Hearth by Rijstafel Hour belongs to the latter category, offering a captivating collection inspired by Irish folklore, ancient customs, supernatural encounters, and the enduring power of storytelling. Drawing on the rich traditions of Ireland, this distinctive book explores the mysterious boundary between the human world and the world of spirits and the Fae. Ancient trees, country cottages, sacred wells, wooded paths, and family hearths become places where the ordinary and the extraordinary meet. Through stories, poems, traditional beliefs, and accounts of unexplained events, the author creates an atmosphere steeped in mystery and the quiet wonder of an older world. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its evocative sense ...

Book Review: Grab Life by the Balls: What to Do When Life Falls Apart and You’re the Only One Who Can Fix It Author: Ronald D. Hall What happens when you do everything you were told to do, build the life you thought you wanted, and still find yourself feeling empty, exhausted, and disconnected from who you really are? That is the powerful question at the heart of Ronald D. Hall’s Grab Life by the Balls, a candid, energetic, and unapologetic book about reclaiming your identity, challenging the expectations that hold you back, and finding the courage to live life on your own terms. Hall writes for people who may appear successful on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. His message is that resilience does not mean endlessly pushing through exhaustion, suppressing emotions, or sacrificing your own needs to keep everyone else happy. Sometimes, real strength begins with admitting that something in your life needs to change. The book explores several interconnected themes, incl...

  Book Review: Sold on Fear by Zane Sampson In Sold on Fear: How the Wellness Industry Turned Fear Into a Business Model, and How to Take Your Mind Back , Zane Sampson offers a thought-provoking examination of how fear, uncertainty, and the desire for better health can be turned into profitable business opportunities. Drawing on his ten years of experience in the natural health industry, Sampson argues that consumers are often encouraged to worry about their health, overwhelmed with conflicting information, and then directed toward products that promise reassurance and solutions. The book’s central argument is that the wellness marketplace does not always profit simply by selling supplements. It can also profit by keeping customers confused, uncertain, and convinced that they need one more product, another protocol, or a new expert to guide them. Sampson describes a cycle in which alarming claims attract attention, confident voices offer answers, and urgency encourages purchases b...

  In Otto’s Shoes by Jesper K. Lassen — Book Review In Otto’s Shoes is a clever and beautifully simple children’s picture book built around a powerful idea: you cannot fully understand someone else’s experience until you try to see the world from their perspective. The book tells the story of two boys, Bob and Otto, and an interaction involving a pair of shoes. What makes the book especially unusual is its structure. The story can be read from either side of the book. One direction presents Bob’s perspective, while turning the book over reveals Otto’s side of the same encounter. The words are the same, but the meaning changes depending on whose perspective the reader follows. That design makes the book more than just a story—it becomes an interactive lesson in empathy, communication, and perspective-taking . Young readers are encouraged to notice that the same words and actions can mean something quite different when viewed from another person's position. The illustrations are co...

  Book Review: Crow: The Luck of Charm Sometimes, the smallest things can offer comfort when the world around us seems determined to take our happiness away. In Crow: The Luck of Charm , Surya Prakash Shrivastava explores this idea through Yash, a young man whose life is overshadowed by family conflict, environmental noise, loneliness, and the painful feeling of being unwanted. In the midst of these difficulties, an unexpected visitor—a crow—becomes his unlikely source of comfort and peace. The story begins with Yash waking to the sound of his parents arguing. Confined to a wheelchair, he feels trapped not only by his physical circumstances but also by the emotional atmosphere of his home. Construction noise outside adds to his distress, leaving him with little opportunity to escape the constant turmoil surrounding him. His repeated questions about why he was born into such a difficult life reveal the depth of his unhappiness. Then a crow appears at his window. Its presence offers ...

  Book Review: Rainbow Phoenix by Marcelle Cooper Rainbow Phoenix By Marcelle Cooper Genre: Science fantasy, dystopian adventure, coming-of-age A story about identity, freedom, the dangers of absolute power, and the courage to become whole. In Rainbow Phoenix , Marcelle Cooper creates an imaginative science-fantasy adventure that combines spectacular worldbuilding, political intrigue, personal discovery, and a heroine determined to challenge a society that has already decided who she should be. Phoebe Fenix has grown up on Pheyrath, a world dominated by solemn traditions, elaborate mourning rituals, and the belief that every person belongs to one of seven colors, each representing a particular calling. As she approaches the age when the mysterious Cores will determine her future, Phoebe dreams of something different. She longs for the brightness, freedom, and excitement of Solara, the world associated with Yellow. But her desire to escape her assigned destiny will lead her into a ...

  Book Review: The Primordial By The Founder What happens when the gods of ancient Egyptian mythology become entangled with a modern-day apocalypse? In The Primordial , The Founder delivers an ambitious, action-packed fantasy that combines Egyptian mythology, supernatural powers, monstrous invaders, and the fate of humanity in a battle that ultimately reaches beyond Earth itself. The story begins with the emergence of the Children of Purity, a dangerous religious cult whose leader, Aleister Manley, seeks to gain access to the realm of the gods. His attempt to cross the boundaries between worlds unleashes Apep, the god of chaos, and an army of terrifying creatures upon Los Angeles. As civilization descends into devastation, a young university student named Lahai discovers that he is far more than an ordinary human being. Lahai learns that he is the reincarnation of Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god, and that he alone may possess the power to stop the catastrophe. Guided by Nun, the p...

  Book Review: Burning Caripero by Kan Hayami Burning Caripero By Kan Hayami Burning Caripero is an unconventional, technology-driven work of fiction that blends personal conflict, dark humor, artificial intelligence, and social criticism. Inspired by an actual dispute, the book explores what happens when a person's determination to defend his principles collides with an impersonal digital marketplace—and when the AI systems he relies on become part of the problem. Review In Burning Caripero, Kan Hayami transforms an apparently ordinary online marketplace dispute into an unexpectedly ambitious exploration of technology, human dignity, artificial intelligence, and the dangers of allowing frustration to consume one's life. At the center of the story is Hayami Kan, a retired Tokyo firefighter who is trying to establish a new life through literary translation and small online sales. A dispute over a used computer motherboard, sold through the fictional marketplace Caripero, draws h...

  Book Review: Cosmic Sadness: Toska… By Kirill Khrestinin In Cosmic Sadness: Toska… , Kirill Khrestinin presents a dark, unsettling exploration of loneliness, failed dreams, obsessive love, and the painful distance between the lives we imagine for ourselves and the lives we actually experience. Set largely within the brutal world of a prison, this psychologically intense novel follows Ruslan Levin, a Russian immigrant whose growing disillusionment with life threatens to consume whatever hope remains in him. Levin is a deeply troubled man. Approaching middle age, struggling with sleeplessness, and haunted by memories of the life he left behind in Russia, he finds himself increasingly alienated from American society and unable to establish meaningful connections with other people. His work as a correctional officer exposes him to violence and human cruelty, while his own thoughts become an equally disturbing prison. His loneliness is intensified by his conflicting desires for intima...

  Book Review: Pure Nerve: The Noovitalist Manifesto By Timofei Sheludiakov What does it mean to live with purpose, take responsibility for your choices, and turn your ideas into something that changes the world? In Pure Nerve: The Noovitalist Manifesto , Timofei Sheludiakov tackles these questions through a bold philosophy of action, entrepreneurship, personal responsibility, and the relentless pursuit of creation. At the heart of the book is the concept of Noovitalism , a philosophy Sheludiakov develops around the relationship between the mind and the life force that drives people to create. He describes this combination as “controlled fire”—the ability to harness ambition, curiosity, and restless energy, then channel them into meaningful work. His central argument is that having ideas, knowledge, and talent is not enough. What matters is the willingness to act, accept responsibility for the outcome, and persist when circumstances become difficult. The author explores these ideas...

  Book Review: David vs Goliath – Part 1: The Invention By Sascha Tordai What happens when an independent inventor develops a promising product, attracts the attention of a powerful corporation, and then finds himself struggling to protect what he has created? In David vs Goliath – Part 1: The Invention , Sascha Tordai tells a compelling, deeply personal story about innovation, ambition, corporate power, and the potentially devastating consequences of doing business with a much larger opponent. The book introduces readers to Tordai, a technically gifted inventor whose fascination with machinery began in childhood. Growing up around workshops, tools, engines, and computers, he developed a practical understanding of how things work and an instinct for solving problems. His early life was also marked by family difficulties, bullying, and the tragic death of his sister Josephine. These experiences provide important background to the persistence and determination that would later shape ...

You Are Capable of More A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self Author: Chris Sund Publisher: Game Changer Publishing Genre: Personal development, self-improvement, leadership What does it take to become the person you know you could be? Is it greater talent, better opportunities, more education, or simply a little more luck? In You Are Capable of More: A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self, Chris Sund makes a compelling case that meaningful personal growth often begins with something much closer to home: the choices we make every day. Sund's book is an encouraging, practical guide for readers who feel they have more to offer but struggle to translate that potential into action. Rather than relying on empty motivational slogans, he draws on personal experiences, professional challenges, family relationships, and lessons learned through leadership to explain how people can develop greater discipline, resilience, confidence, and purpose. Taking responsibility for your f...

A moving historical novel about a family’s struggle to survive war, persecution, and the destruction of the world they once knew. Avi Dobzinski’s The Warsaw Diary Keeper is a deeply affecting historical novel that follows Alina Kaufer and her family through the gathering darkness of prewar Europe and the devastating years of World War II. Drawing on real historical figures and documents, as well as fictional characters, Dobzinski creates an intimate portrait of a family caught in the machinery of history. At the heart of the story is Alina, a young girl whose childhood begins in a world of familiar homes, family gatherings, school lessons, and small everyday pleasures. Through her eyes, readers experience the gradual transformation of ordinary life into something increasingly frightening and uncertain. The growing hostility toward Jews, the spread of nationalism, and the collapse of social order are not presented merely as distant historical events. They intrude into family relationsh...

  Book Review: A Line Struck Through By Alice Wendover In A Line Struck Through , the second installment in Alice Wendover’s Marrow & Vine Mystery series, a village celebration turns into a murder investigation, drawing a small English community into a web of old secrets, strained relationships, and carefully concealed truths. This is a cozy mystery with an unusually literary sensibility, where the smallest details on a printed page can prove as revealing as the most obvious physical evidence. The story opens during Wychcombe’s annual Bonfire Night celebration. As the villagers gather around the fire, they discover that the figure displayed in a chair on an old handcart is not the customary effigy but the body of Roland Askew, a respected local man involved in the village’s historical trust. The shocking discovery sets off an investigation in which suspicion spreads quickly, old grievances resurface, and seemingly insignificant details take on new meaning. At the center of the ...

  Book Review: The Pieces That Made Me Whole: Finding Purpose Through the Life You Thought Had Broken You by Jimmy Adams Some of life's most painful experiences can become the very lessons that help us discover who we are meant to be. That is the powerful message at the heart of The Pieces That Made Me Whole , Jimmy Adams's heartfelt memoir and guide to personal growth, faith, and self-discovery. Adams takes readers through the defining experiences of his life, beginning with a childhood marked by family conflict, uncertainty, and hardship. His memories of looking out a window at the trees outside his childhood home offer a poignant image of a young boy searching for peace in a world he cannot fully understand. From there, his story unfolds through family separation, financial struggles, difficult experiences growing up in Los Angeles, and the influence of people who helped him find direction and stability. Some of the book's most memorable passages explore the lasting im...

  Book Review: Ashes of the Ninth Flame by E.M.M. Joy Ashes of the Ninth Flame , the first book in E.M.M. Joy’s The Ninth Flame series, is an enchanting fantasy novel that combines dragons, ancient mysteries, forgotten history, and the enduring power of memory. At its heart is a moving story about sacrifice, belonging, and the extraordinary importance of remembering those who might otherwise be lost. The story introduces us to Liora, a warmhearted young woman living in Greyhaven, a charming village where dragons are part of everyday life and ordinary pleasures include fresh bread, friendly conversations, and helping one’s neighbors. Liora’s life seems peaceful, but strange dreams, unexplained sensations, and the arrival of a mysterious traveler suggest that her past holds secrets she has yet to discover. As she follows the clues, she becomes entangled in the forgotten history of Aster Vhal and the nine keepers of the Eternal Flames. Central to the mystery is Kael, the Ninth of th...