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Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family
Book 1 in the Self-Help 101 Series Dani Finklemeier has decided to write a self-help book about how to take over the world, but she’s not sure where to start. After all, she’s only seventeen and looking for a better way to make money than babysitting. She buys a self-help book that promises to teach her how to write a self-help book in the hope of getting the job done. Not that it’ll be easy to get any work done this holiday season. Her family is staying at the house for Christmas, and fights break out almost immediately. Dani also has to deal with the fallout from an unexpected kiss with her best friend Seth and the feelings that go along with it. On edge around her family and unsure how to interact with the one person she’s trusted with everything in the past, she can only take what inspiration she can from the crazy circumstances surrounding her and see what happens. One way or another, it should be an interesting holiday.
86 pages, Paperback
Published November 20, 2015
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
L.G. Keltner
13 books43 followersL.G. Keltner spends most of her time trying to write while also cleaning up after her crazy but wonderful kids and hanging out with her husband. Her favorite genre of all time is science fiction, and she’s been trying to write novels since the age of six. Needless to say, those earliest attempts weren’t all that good.
Her non-writing hobbies include astronomy and playing Trivial Pursuit.
Her non-writing hobbies include astronomy and playing Trivial Pursuit.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 1, 2016
With the holiday season almost upon her, seventeen-year-old Dani Finklemeier prepares for the chaos. The anticipation makes for a tense house, and when her family finally arrives, she's at the center of a fight that breaks out in the foyer. To top it off, Dani is trying to make sense of her feelings for her best friend Seth. She tries to escape and write a self-help book about how to take over the world. She fast realizes that the tactics her family uses are the perfect inspiration. But will she survive Christmas to finish the tale?
A wonderful holiday surprise when I started reading this on my Kindle. It's fun and quirky and had me laughing out loud as the cat stared at me suspiciously. Dani isn't the typical teenage girl and I related as well as sympathized with her immediately. I remember those crazy times during the holidays and the ugly Christmas sweaters! Though I suspect the ones Great Aunt Ruth Ann gave Dani and her family were much more hideous. It has a sweet YA romance and lots of silly family antics. There are actually a few really good tips to help you take over the world in the book, but it might leave you feeling too warm and fuzzy at the end to want to crush your enemies!
A wonderful holiday surprise when I started reading this on my Kindle. It's fun and quirky and had me laughing out loud as the cat stared at me suspiciously. Dani isn't the typical teenage girl and I related as well as sympathized with her immediately. I remember those crazy times during the holidays and the ugly Christmas sweaters! Though I suspect the ones Great Aunt Ruth Ann gave Dani and her family were much more hideous. It has a sweet YA romance and lots of silly family antics. There are actually a few really good tips to help you take over the world in the book, but it might leave you feeling too warm and fuzzy at the end to want to crush your enemies!
January 9, 2016
Anyone whose house has been a bit too full for Christmas and whose relatives and siblings don’t always get along will completely understand Dani’s situation as the holidays—and the relatives—descend on her home.
After deciding to write a self help book to break into the big leagues, Dani’s left with one problem—what to write about. Family feuds, a peeping cousin, and juggling sleeping arrangements become fodder for her imagination and she transforms her frustration into a manifesto for taking over the world, or in this case, just surviving the holidays with her family and getting her boy “friend” to be a boyfriend. Nothing’s too hard for smart, resourceful Dani to tackle! You’ll get a good laugh out of the family squabbles, kitchen klatsches, and advice to wanna-be emperors! Highly recommended!
After deciding to write a self help book to break into the big leagues, Dani’s left with one problem—what to write about. Family feuds, a peeping cousin, and juggling sleeping arrangements become fodder for her imagination and she transforms her frustration into a manifesto for taking over the world, or in this case, just surviving the holidays with her family and getting her boy “friend” to be a boyfriend. Nothing’s too hard for smart, resourceful Dani to tackle! You’ll get a good laugh out of the family squabbles, kitchen klatsches, and advice to wanna-be emperors! Highly recommended!
September 6, 2016
Yeah sure, I read a Christmas story in the middle of the summer, but I regret nothing. Self-Help 101 was a lot of fun, a solid, heart-warming tale of family strife and teenage moodiness that works all year round.
I really liked the premise of the main character writing a book inside the book, and her little nuggets of advice for “taking over the world” fit in well with the story. It was a neat concept that added to the tone and didn't feel awkward.
The characters were well rounded and believable, and I especially enjoyed the older relatives - who easily could have devolved into caricatures - were actually the smartest and most sensible of the cast.
So yeah, all and all a great little book and I would recommend it as a fine way to pass a few hours (admittedly probably moreso around the holidays). I look forward to Ms Keltner’s next one!
I really liked the premise of the main character writing a book inside the book, and her little nuggets of advice for “taking over the world” fit in well with the story. It was a neat concept that added to the tone and didn't feel awkward.
The characters were well rounded and believable, and I especially enjoyed the older relatives - who easily could have devolved into caricatures - were actually the smartest and most sensible of the cast.
So yeah, all and all a great little book and I would recommend it as a fine way to pass a few hours (admittedly probably moreso around the holidays). I look forward to Ms Keltner’s next one!
October 29, 2016
Wow! I did not expect to enjoy this short book as much as I did. Funny, informative, and heartwarming. How did the author pack so much emotion into this?
As a fantasy writer, I found actual useful tips for my main characters. Generally, a book with how-to instructions is straightforward and dull. This creatively weaves a list in with a story of family and romance at Christmas time.
I’d recommend it to teens, young adults, writers, and lovers of humor and romance. The title, by the way, is a result of the book the main character is writing. Keep an eye on Keltner because this is an author with serious potential.
As a fantasy writer, I found actual useful tips for my main characters. Generally, a book with how-to instructions is straightforward and dull. This creatively weaves a list in with a story of family and romance at Christmas time.
I’d recommend it to teens, young adults, writers, and lovers of humor and romance. The title, by the way, is a result of the book the main character is writing. Keep an eye on Keltner because this is an author with serious potential.
January 14, 2016
This was a fun, fun read. I love the idea of taking over the world via tolerating ones family. The pacing was great, and the characters interesting. It wasn't overloaded with OMG my family is crazy. They were crazy in a very believable way. My only complaint is the cover. While I think it's super cute, it feels more like a child drew it than a teenager. Otherwise, solid story and writing.
December 26, 2016
What a fun, quick read. Highly enjoyed this!
October 21, 2022
Brilliant and hilarious if you are into slightly demented with mostly good intentions. Loved the wit, loved the characters, loved it all.
March 6, 2017
A short, sharp and funny teen novel. Read it through cover to cover and really would recommend it to youngsters. The self-help notion had knocked me slightly off guard as to what I would expect but the sub-plot of her writing the book really worked and had those thrusting barbs teenagers can do so well!!
Will be downloading the others in the series.
Will be downloading the others in the series.
April 22, 2016
In this lighthearted story, seventeen-year-old Dani Finklemeier has to get through the holiday season in a house filled with assorted family members who are in varying degrees of craziness. There's upright Grandma Pearl and philosophical Grandpa Phillip; Uncle George and Aunt Carrie locked in an ongoing squabble; her favorite family member, the open-minded and ultra cool Great Uncle Stewart; and Great Aunt Ruth Ann who springs the biggest surprise of all!
What a bunch!
Amidst the chaos, Dani is also trying to make sense of the change in dynamics between her and her long-standing friend Seth.
The story left me wondering, is it possible that a self-help book lives in every writer, just waiting to be discovered? Maybe something along the lines of The Writer-Muse Relationship 101: Or 101 Ways To Ease Your Writerly Blues.
There's all sorts of shenanigans, plenty of conflict and great laughs too!
Everything works out at the end...a charming tale!
What a bunch!
Amidst the chaos, Dani is also trying to make sense of the change in dynamics between her and her long-standing friend Seth.
The story left me wondering, is it possible that a self-help book lives in every writer, just waiting to be discovered? Maybe something along the lines of The Writer-Muse Relationship 101: Or 101 Ways To Ease Your Writerly Blues.
There's all sorts of shenanigans, plenty of conflict and great laughs too!
Everything works out at the end...a charming tale!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews