The Rest of Us Just Live Here / Patrick Ness / 319 pages

You know who they are, those indie kids-- the ones who end up being The Chosen One when the supernatural happens, the ones who have the unique powers, the ones who pretty much save the world from the Ultimate Evil?

Well this is not their story.

This story focuses on (somewhat) ordinary kids who just want to graduate high school before it gets blown up.  Again.  Mikey wants to ask Henna out before her family goes to Africa and has a severe case of OCD.  Mel has to graduate a year late while coping with anorexia.  Jared keeps a lot of secrets from his friends, revealing to them only 1) he's gay, and 2) he's part-god (the God of Cats to be exact; cats love this guy).  Each chapter also begins with a short side story on the indie kids' battle against the Immortals, particularly focusing on a girl named Satchel, though there are other characters like Finn, Dylan, Finn, Kerouac, Finn, Wisconsin, Finn, Finn, and even a prince.  Oh, and not to mention Finn.

This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say: this was a witty, yet sad, yet heartwarming book all at the same time.  Every character faces a different conflict, both internal and external, while having to deal with the flaws he or she has, making them more realistic.  As the books tagline says, "Sometimes you have to find the extraordinary in the ordinary."

The 10 Best Anxiety Busters/Dr. Margaret Wehrenberg/237 pgs./January Challenge

The subtitle of the books says it all: simple strategies to take control of your worry. In clear, simple steps, the author addresses coping methods for dealing with various forms of anxiety. Her step-by-step approach is logical and practical. Highly recommended.

30-minute therapy for anxiety/Matthew McKay/118 pgs. January 2015 challenge

This is a very good self-help book for anxiety sufferers. In concise chapters, McKay describes the different forms of anxiety, and methods to help alleviate the feelings it produces. The exercises are easy to follow, and very beneficial. Highly recommended!