Blog Tour: Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight

I went through a phase not too long ago where I read just about every self-help book I could get my fingers on. That phase has, thankfully, passed - but when I was offered the chance to read and review Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight, well, I couldn't help myself. The title was catchy, after all. And the blurb promised "laugh out loud humor and sage advice" along with "52 amazing ways to master the art of personal change."

When it arrived, I opened it up and started reading the first chapter - and that's really all it took for me to know that the blurb was very good advertising...and that's about it. Perhaps women - and this book really is only for women, though the 52 "amazing" suggestions could easily apply to men - but if the bubblegum pink cover doesn't put men off, the first chapter, rife with whining about not fitting into her skinny jeans and bemoaning the fact that she messes up her suit jacket when applying makeup and brushing her teeth while driving, will. In fact, I would venture to say that women who don't fall into whatever category appropriately labels women who try to achieve personal grooming behind the wheel of a moving automobile will also be put off. Despite that, I persevered, hoping for some of that laugh out loud humor and a good tip or two.

I think the stories about her grooming mishaps and clothing size disappointments were meant to be the humor. The tips are the same ones you find in any other self-help book out there (believe in yourself, focus on the positive, start small, make a plan, have a support network, etc.)...just this time they're couched in anecdotes about trying to curb a snacking habit by filling a candy dish with dog bones and lapel stains.

If you've never read a self-help book before, this one is perfectly fine. But if you've read even one other this one is superfluous. Unless you happen to enjoy reading weight-obsessed anecdotes, in which case you absolutely must read this book. I'll give it one star, because it wasn't so dreadful that I couldn't make it all the way to the end.