[CYRUS WEBB REVIEWS] POWER OF THE ZIP by Jill Kamp Aaronson is less about what you SAY and more about who you ARE

 We've all heard the saying ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS---and in the newest addition to Jill Kamp Aaronson's POWER OF THE ZIP books, I found that to be the central theme.

POWER OF THE ZIP: Stop Talking- Start Listening shows the reader not just the importance of what we say. It dives into the power of sometimes not saying anything and just allowing how we respond be the answer to the situation. I love that the book reminds us that there is no blueprint to EVERY scenario we face, but there are things we can do to make sure that we not only let people feel heard but SEEN, too. 

Though Jill is known for what she has been able to share in the workplace, this book really is a guide for all aspects of life, showcasing the importance of making POWER OF THE ZIP a lifestyle choice rather than something we attempt to turn on and off. Whether we're talking about dealing with friends, family or those we work with, the important thing is to treat each individual as the unique person they are so they know you are not just listening but hearing them. 

Filled with great examples from her own life and even some Biblical references that will hit home for some readers, POWER OF THE ZIP: Stop Talking-Start Listening gives you guidelines to not just make what you say more impactful. It will make your LIFE more impactful as well. 

Get your copy on Amazon.  

[CYRUS WEBB REVIEWS] Hold Your Head Up, Princess by Dr. Velma Bagby

There is nothing like recognizing and acknowledging your own value and worth. 

We live in a world where not everyone will see the gift and treasure that we are, but that doesn't mean we should ever dim our light so others can't see the light we carry. 

In HOLD YOUR HEAD UP, PRINCESS Dr. Velma Bagby shows how at different points in her life there were those who didn't see her worth or value. She was then presented with a choice: Would she be the person her parents had told her that she was or would she dim that light so others would not be offended?

We're able to see how Dr. Velma embraced her gifts and her talents and the doors that opened for her in the process. The book also reminds us that regardless of our age, we all need the reminder to hold our heads up, walking confidently in our calling. 

In the back of the book we are able to get activities that the reader can do alone or with others, but we also get the assurance that if we walk in our worthiness and embrace who we are great things can come our way. HOLD YOUR HEAD UP, PRINCESS is a testament that who you are matters. You just have to walk in your own authenticity and know that everything will work out.

Get HOLD YOUR HEAD UP, PRINCESS on Amazon. 

[CYRUS WEBB REVIEWS] Beauty Beyond the Tears : Finding Strength After Loss by Kate Thurman

 Having known Kate Thurman for a while now, I was so proud of her sharing a deeply personal part of her journey with the world in this book---and I think we are all better because of it. 

Beauty Beyond the Tears: Finding Strength After Loss is not just about trying to find understanding and hope when tragedy strikes. It's about being honest about where you are, what you feel and knowing that through it all God is there. Even when it doesn't feel like it.

Kate and her husband Chris' experience is theirs, but it is also that of so many. That is why I am glad the world can read it and see themselves and find the peace they have been looking for. It's not an easy road. It's not something that will change overnight, but BEAUTY BEYOND THE TEARS shows there IS HOPE. There IS HEALING. And through everything that we go through in life this book reminds us not to lose faith. You can find not only strength after loss. You can rediscover yourself and your purpose, too.

Get your copy on Amazon. 

[CYRUS WEBB REVIEWS] POST OAK: Quanah Parker, The Comanche, and the Mission by Tina Siemens

With books like SEMINOLE and THE LITTLE SANDALS THAT COULD, author and historian Tina Siemens has shared not just her love of history but her family's example of perseverance, even in difficult times. 

With her latest book POST OAK: Quanah Parker, The Comanche, and the Mission we're able to go back in time to a period of war, mistrust and the actions of individuals that would reverberate for decades to come. 

POST OAK is the story of how tragedy came to the Parker family, and in the midst of that the journey of vengeance, survival and understanding. I love how Tina is able to make us think of life for the Indians and the settlers, and the decisions they made that would affect not just their lives but those to come. 

Tina also shows that the price of war and retribution is not just to human life. It has to do with the land and all that live on it, man and beast. 

A story that can be difficult at times to understand but is important to read, POST OAK stands out as a book about not giving up hope and fighting for what you believe is right, no matter the costs.

Get your copy on Amazon. 

[CYRUS WEBB REVIEWS] Chasing Different by Colette R. Harrell

When it comes to writing fiction that brings you in and makes you feel a part of the story, few can do it like Colette R. Harrell. As she begins her new series LOVING DIFFERENT she kicks it off with characters that are flawed, relatable and in many ways everything you HOPE you would be in trying circumstances. 

CHASING DIFFERENT brings us into the worlds of Deacon Everette and Nia Lewis: two individuals who don's seem as though they would be "right" together but the circumstances they are thrust into show that they couldn't be more compatible. In the middle of literally racing against time and running for their lives, the two main characters must learn to trust each other and themselves if they want to survive. 

Along the way they are guided by the words and actions of other trusted individuals that help to steer them as they not just try to expose The Council---but let others see the dangers of power when it is used against those it's meant to protect. 

As I have come to expect for Colette, this book takes many twists and turns. For some it will be seen as a romance. To others it will be a thriller. Still others will see it as an indictment of the world we find ourselves currently living in. For me it's a Colette R. Harrell book, and that means to expect the unexpected and then some. 

CHASING DIFFERENT is not just about embracing all that you are. It's about uniting together so that our differences and strengths can work together for good. 

Get your copy of CHASING DIFFERENT on Amazon.