I'm not sure why I requested this book, but maybe I thought that it would make a miserable, cynical, old s0-and-so like me have a different outlook on life! Actually, I saw a review in the UK press and thought it sounded lovely.

It started really well, and I enjoyed the sections where the author talked about what she had done and the impacts her actions had. What I didn't like were the interviews with other people, particularly the vegetarianism / vegan chapter. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan myself but I completely understand and respect people who are, but I don't think that such beliefs should be equated with being kind. It felt like the author had a particular agenda to push with this subject and used the umbrella of kindness to do so.

This was an insightful read and j enjoyed how raw and open and vulnerable the author was about her own experiences.

As I was reading this book, I really felt the author was a sweet person with a big heart. Her project to spread kindness was intentional and admirable. It highlights the fact that none of us can fix the whole world or cure disease or poverty, but we all CAN inject a smile or small pick-me-up in anyone's day to help our fellow humans on their struggle to get by. The writing was really thought out, and I admire that the author purposely took it into her own hands to commit to something for others for a full year.

Apologies, this was not my cup of tea. I appreciate the writer’s honesty, creativity and kindness, but I had thought that this were a more grounded book with perspectives from a diverse range of experts incorporated into the text.
Unfortunately, they were merely passing remarks, and the writer’s voice did not agree with me one bit.
I will not be reviewing this publicly.
Thank you for the ARC.

After reading the blurb about this book, I assumed it would simply be a list of all the random acts of kindness the author carried out over a year. However, I was pleasantly surprised and really appreciated the book's structure. The descriptions of everyday kindnesses are interwoven with interviews featuring experts, volunteer group leaders, kindness advocates, and many others. This book highlights various important issues, such as homelessness, the environment, nature, caring for animals, vegetarianism, religion, and kindness—not only toward others but also toward ourselves. I gained many ideas from the author for random acts of kindness, and I especially liked the way she carries around "kindness supplies"—such as sweets, books, and cards—giving me plenty of inspiration. I received a free advanced copy from NetGallery, and this is my honest review.