Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners UK 2021

 Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners UK 2021, Michael Williams, 2021

Air fryers seem to be the newest thing in the cooking world. Are they really worth it? Is air frying that much of an improvement over regular cooking? This book attempts to answer those questions.

It contains over 100 recipes, including French toast, banana bread, spicy chicken legs, breaded pork chops, feta spinach and fudge brownies. There are also recipes for those who are on the keto diet. Greatly reducing the amount of oil needed in cooking can only help with weight loss and avoiding high cholesterol and heart disease.

If you have received an air fryer as a gift, and are wondering what to do with it, try one or two of the recipes in this book. The picky eater in your household might like it. This book is worth checking out.

Communication Essentials

 Communication Essentials (The Complete MBA Course Work Series), Hicham and Mohamed Ibnalkadi, 2021

Part of a series that attempts to provide an affordable MBA education, this short book is all about business communications. This book does not cover shaking hands (or fist bumps or elbow bumps) or looking people in the eye or remembering people's names.

Instead, this book looks at advanced persuasive speaking. The goals of persuasive speeches or presentations include stimulating a person to do something, and convincing your audience that your point of view is correct. The types of persuasive speeches are: propositions of fact, of policy and of value. Your audience will range from supportive to hostile. A person connects with an audience through concepts like trustworthiness, being similar to your audience, your reputation and your authority.

Whether you are a politician giving a big public speech, or you are giving a big presentation at work, this book is worth reading. It is very short, less than 30 pages, and can be very helpful.

Piano and Keyboard for Beginners

 Piano and Keyboard for Beginners, Michael Williams, 2021

You have decided that you want to learn to play the piano. This book attempts to take the learner through the whole process of reading music and playing popular songs, starting with the purchase of a keyboard.

It is recommended to start on an acoustic piano. One reason for a real piano is so the learner can see the scales and chords on those 88 keys. The other reason is that, when hammers strike those strings, other strings, called overtones, also vibrate. It is not yet possible for electronic instruments to duplicate that sound. If buying a piano is not an option, then buy a digital keyboard with 76 or 88 keys. The greater number of keys will be useful when trying to play scales with both hands at once. Last, but not least, make sure your keyboard has weighted keys and is touch-sensitive. It matters.

The author also looks at reading sheet music, playing the C Major scale, rhythm, playing both hands together, major and minor keys, playing arpeggios and playing Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

This books feels comprehensive and easy to use. It all depends on the motivation of the learner. For any journey to learn the keyboard, here is a very good place to start.

The Final Feast

The Final Feast, Andrew Rivas, 2020 (self-published)

Part 2 of a series, this fantasy/science fiction novel takes place in a kingdom where the Families are very powerful (there is a king and queen). Princess Ruby, the leader of the Daughters of Despair (they do the kingdom's dirty work), decides to take down the Families, permanently. Their ability to perpetually stay in power seems connected to their consumption of a substance called honey. The yearly festival where the honey consumption happens is coming soon, along with the hundredth anniversary of the Storm of the Screaming Skies. When all is said and done, will the kingdom ever be the same?

This novel is very different and very good. The biggest difference is that the entire book is written in first person, from different perspectives. It's like the entire book is nothing but monologues and dialogues; there is no narration. The second difference is that the reader had better like being dropped right in the middle of a story, again with no narration or other explanation. Some readers will appreciate it; personally, that is why this book gets 4 stars (maybe 4.5 stars) instead of 5 stars.

Cape Nome: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope

Cape Nome: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope, Neil Perry Gordon, 2021, self published

Part two of a series, this novel takes place in Cape Nome, Alaska in 1900. Three Swedes, who were prospecting for gold in the area, hit it big. Practically overnight, the area is flooded with thousands of people hoping that the luck is contagious. Along with the prospectors are drunks, gamblers, crooks whores and all sorts of other unsavory types. Included in this flood of humanity is a man named Percy Hope. He now has a respectable job, as a reporter for William Randolph Hearst's San Francisco Examiner, but he is not new to Alaska. Did I mention that also in this book is a government conspiracy, the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, and an actual sea monster?

This book is like taking a time machine to a different time and place in American history. It will certainly keep the reader interested, and it has lots of good writing. This is very much worth reading.

Introduction to Machine Learning

Introduction to Machine Learning (The Complete MBA Coursework Series), Hicham and Mohamed Ibnalkadi, 2020, self-published

This book is part of a series that attempts to provide an affordable MBA education. It is all about machine learning, the science of making computers act in different ways without being programmed.

For instance, you want a computer to scour the internet looking for pictures of black cats. First, you need to give the computer thousands of pictures of cats of all colors. Then, you might give the computer thousands of pictures of not-cats, so it can learn to distinguish between them. After that, you need to teach the computer the difference between the color black and all other colors. When the computer learns to find black cats in its sample pictures, then you can unleash it on the internet.

This book talks about different types of machine learning, including supervised and unsupervised learning, reinforcement and deep reinforcement learning. It also talks about decision trees, the Bayes Theorem, natural language processing and neural networks.

Automation, and artificial intelligence, is part of daily life in present-day business. This book provides a very good overview of the field. It will help the reader to ride the AI wave, and not be swamped by it.

Galactic Passages: Requisite Bandits

 Galactic Passages: Requisite Bandits, Dean Vargo, Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., 2020

 Part two of a series, this science fiction novel is about the plucky crew of the spaceship V-357. After destroying the "bad guys" in part one, the crew suddenly has a very hard time getting home (the portal that they use was destroyed).

There is a mutiny attempt, there is the realization that the science given to them before their mission started is faulty, and there is the realization that they are the most wanted criminals in a new dimension. The crew presses forward, no matter what; going back is not an option.

This book is literally a family affair. It is written by a father and his three children, so it will appeal to young people and adults. It is campy sci-fi (with sound effects!) that will keep the reader entertained.

Dawn of the Elite

 Dawn of the Elite, Andrea Barringer, 2021, self published

Part one of a series, on the planet Vilmos, a psychic connection has been discovered between fraternal twins, like their own private telepathy. Along with several pairs of twins, Rayah, and her brother Ondrous, are brought into the castle. They are to guard the supposedly barren queen, who is pregnant with twins. A crazed murderer named Rancor has just broken out of a maximum-security prison. Those twins, who are born prematurely, are his next target.

Before that, the first half of the book is a teen romance between Rayah, and a young man named Kaled. Things were serious between them; marriage was a real possibility. They didn't just break up, their relationship collapsed like a building in an earthquake. Kaled tries to fill the hole in his heart from losing Rayah with meaningless relationships, and he even sinks into alcoholism. He is reluctant to admit that he still has feelings for Rayah. While guarding the royal twins against Rancor, do Rayah and Kaled ever reach the point of being Not Enemies, even if they can't be friends?

This is a very good start to a series. Romance fans will love it. The author does a good job with the society-building. Perhaps some professional editing will bring this book from 4 stars (maybe 4.5 stars) to 5 stars. This is well worth reading.

The Whorehouse

 The Whorehouse, Njoki Kamanda, 2021

Set in present-day Africa (Kenya?), this book is about your average whorehouse, though the name over the door says "Bar and Grill."

The first ten "employees" who show up to the whorehouse for work each afternoon (it's open all night) get the opportunity to pole dance to make some extra money. The rest have to hustle whatever they can from whatever customers come that night.

In this book, there is a suicide (or is it?), there is a murder (plus burying the body), and there is a catfight, with blood, between two of the women over the attention of Ngazi, the owner (a very unpleasant person). Ngazi attempts to rekindle his relationship with Teresa, his estranged wife. Ultimately, things do not end well.

Set in a different part of the world, this is a very good story. There is enough raw grittiness of life for anyone. This will keep the readers' attention, and easily gets four stars, maybe even four-and-a-half stars.

Social Networking Essentials

 Social Networking Essentials (The Complete MBA Course Work Series), Hicham and Mohamed Ibnalkadi, 2021

This book is part 7 of a series that attempts to provide an affordable MBA education. These days, it is tempting to think that the online business networking that matters takes place online. This book looks mostly at offline social networking.

Consider joining appropriate trade organizations. Attend conferences and trade shows. Attend networking events sponsored by local organizations. Make use of your university's alumni association. Make sure that have an online presence; start with LinkedIn. Start your own network of co-workers inside your workplace.

You have to give value, before your get value. Help others in your network, with introductions or references, for instance, before you ask for help. Perfect your "elevator pitch."

For entrepreneurs, help out others, use every opportunity to meet new people, go to networking events alone, so that you are forced to talk to people, meet people from other industries, and bring plenty of business cards. If you are looking for a new job, tell your network. How can they help you with names and phone numbers of people to contact, if you don't tell them? It's also possible to network at a new job; start with those sitting near you.

This is a short book (less than 50 pages) and is very easy to read. It is recommended for everyone, from MBA students to small business owners to employees at large companies. Not all networking happens online.

How to Draw Anime

How to Draw Anime: The Essential Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide, Josiah Eyeington, Matsuda Publishing House, 2021

Over the past few years, anime (Japanese animation) has become increasingly popular in America. This book attempts to give a step-by-step guide to draw your own anime. It is intended for people of any age.

In the beginning was the circle, which becomes the character's head. Use the whole arm to draw the circle, not just your wrist. The author then talks about adding pencil guidelines (that can be erased later) to know where to put the other facial features. He shows how to draw eyes, mouths and ears. Noses are more indicated with a couple of lines for the nostrils then actually drawn.

After your character is complete, the book looks at more advanced topics. Among them are: showing emotion with the eyes and mouth, the hair (lots of spikes are a good thing), dialogue bubbles and creating your own comic book.

This book is short (barely 100 pages) and does an excellent job at painlessly taking the reader through the whole anime process. It is very much recommended for people of any artistic ability.

Digital Marketing and E-Commerce

Digital Marketing and E-Commerce (The Complete MBA Coursework Series), Hicham and Mohamed Ibnalkadi, 2021

Part of a series, this book attempts to give a short overview of the world of digital marketing.

The book starts by looking at "traditional" marketing. Some sort of marketing plan is needed, ahead of time. Segmentation of the market is also very important. Who is your customer? Don't say "everybody." What makes your product or service different from the rest of the market? The next thing to consider id the marketing mix (product, place, price and promotion).

Today, there are many more marketing avenues. Come up with several different ads, or several different versions of the same ad. What works on Instagram will not work on Twitter. An ad that works on Facebook will not work on Snapchat. There are ways to analyze how well each ad is working. How many people are clicking on your ad? How many of those people actually buy your product?

For millions of people all over the world, access to the Internet is through their cellphone. The average online banner ad will not work on a cellphone. There are a number of ways to reach a potential customer, like through SMS or text messages. Overall, don't ignore older marketing methods, like email mailing lists, and video marketing through YouTube.

This does a really good job at presenting an overview of the world of digital marketing. It is recommended for MBA students. It is also recommended for small and large business owners who want to start digital marketing. This is very much worth reading.