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Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson: Our Book Club Review (and the Power of an Alter Ego)

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This week is an archives recap. The Archives is our nonfiction book club, where nonfiction dives into deeper meaning. We just hit six months together, and we have run the gamut. So I am catching us all the way up on two very different reads: one about becoming a bolder version of yourself, and one about the messages our loved ones send after they are gone. One of them became a favorite of the year. I will tell you which.


The Alter Ego Effect: can you build a bolder you?

We started with The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman. The idea is simple. You can build a heroic version of yourself and step into it when it matters most. Think Beyoncé becoming Sasha Fierce before she walks on stage. The version of you that feels stuck or scared is not the real you. It is one you can choose to activate.

The club, honestly, did not love it. A little long, a little repetitive, and many members did not feel it applied to their lives. I had a different take. I use this idea constantly. At my core I am shy and introverted. When I host live events I often wear the same outfit to help me transition into that more assertive version of myself, then soften back into my feminine afterward. An alter ego is not about pretending. It is about giving yourself boundaries so you can tap into the parts of you that feel unfamiliar.


Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson: our book club review

Then came Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson, a certified research medium. Her premise is that the universe and the people we love who have passed are always sending us messages, and that reading them is a language available to all of us. Not a rare gift. The book is mostly real stories from her clients, and her through line is that you can connect on your own, without relying on someone like her.

This one was a hit. For the club it was a four and a half to five star read and one of the favorites of the year. For me, more like three stars, and I will explain the gap in the episode. I believe in signs deeply. I also hold the honest question of whether we are simply pattern-seeking. Both can be true at once, and that tension is exactly what made this discussion so good.


How do you know a sign is real?

This was the heart of our conversation. My answer: a true sign is the message paired with the feeling. The real ones arrive in unexpected ways at unexpected moments, and you simply know. One of our members and her husband received a sign of their own mid-read. My friend Molly asked her grandmother for purple pansies and received them days later through her brother, who had no idea. You know the difference between a genuine sign and reaching for one. I get into all of it, including my own story, in the episode.


The Archives: come read with us

The Archives is our nonfiction book club, and it has been one of the most quietly powerful corners of House of Undine. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at 8pm EST on Zoom, 18+, with a warm and respectful community and a diverse set of opinions. This month we are turning toward a whole new theme: hospitality, and what it really means to make people feel cared for. I am not telling you the pick here. Sign up at houseofundine.com/events and follow @thearchivesbookclub to read along.


Quick questions

What is Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson about?

It is a collection of real stories about messages from loved ones who have passed, and the idea that reading signs is a language available to everyone.

What did your book club think of Signs?

The club loved it, a four and a half to five star read and a favorite of the year. My take landed a little differently, and I share why in the episode.

What is The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman about?

Building a bolder version of yourself, like Beyoncé as Sasha Fierce, and stepping into it when you need strength under pressure.

What book is The Archives reading next?

We are moving into a new theme around hospitality. Sign up at houseofundine.com/events to find out and read along.


Come practice with us

Every Monday at 8pm EST, we hold a live virtual sound bath. Headphones in, the world dimmed, fully transported. Reserve your spot.


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