Maryse's Book Blog

Unveiling the Secrets of Covert Influence: The Puppet Masters Playbook Book <— OH WOW WHAT A TOPIC!!! You know I love self improvement & personal growth books, and this one is a darker twist on exactly that. Taking back your mind and spotting where covert mind control is happening, and I can’t wait to read this. Seriously. P.S. The author is today’s newsletter and post sponsor and he’s sent over some great tidbits about his book!

• 👉 Discover the 4 laws of covert manipulation — and how they shape decisions without detection.
• 👉 Learn the hidden tactics used by con artists, politicians, and cult leaders.
• 👉 A 7-day influence experiment puts the psychology of persuasion to the test in your own life.
• 👉 Once you see the strings, you’ll never look at the world the same way again.

The author says: 

The Puppet Masters Playbook is a deep dive into the hidden psychology of manipulation and covert influence. From political speeches to advertising campaigns, and even in our most personal relationships, unseen tactics are constantly at work shaping how we think, feel, and act.

This book reveals those tactics, explains how they function, and most importantly, shows you how to defend against them. It’s both an exposé of dark psychology and a toolkit for resilience — a must-read for anyone who wants to move from being a pawn to becoming a player in the game of influence.

Five Facts

1.) It exposes manipulation everywhere. Readers often write to me saying they can’t “unsee” the tactics once they finish the book — it changes the way you read headlines, listen to speeches, or even talk to people at work.

2.) It’s practical, not just theory. The book includes a 7-day influence experiment that lets readers witness persuasion in action in their own daily lives.

3.) It blends psychology with real-world case studies. From con artists and cult leaders to negotiators and intelligence agencies, the examples are drawn from reality, not just the classroom.

4.) It comes with a warning. I tell readers upfront: the techniques are powerful. Use them responsibly.

5.) It’s written for clarity. I deliberately avoid heavy academic jargon. My goal is to make the psychology of influence accessible to anyone curious about how the world really works.

EXCERPT:

“The most powerful manipulators rarely force their targets to act. Instead, they create an environment where compliance feels like the natural choice. When you believe you’re making your own decision, resistance fades. That is the art of covert influence.”

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<— A SMALLER LIST TODAY BUT THE FEW THAT I FOUND sound right up our alley! Like that one to the left! HOLY MOLY it sounds so fun and a clever play on a super-popular trope right now. Fake mated!!!!

PLUS!! I included the #1 book on ALL of Amazon Kindle right now, since it’s super-bargain priced and I’m not sure how much longer the sale will go on, so I added it too!

But first…

Three things:

1.) I have about 17 bell peppers growing right now and I. AM. THRILLED!! This is the first time I’ve ever been so successful in a crop (and yes, I know peppers are some of the easiest things to grow) but WOW!! I picked two green bell peppers yesterday roasted them and used them in my supper! YUMMY!! I think I officially have the gardening bug!

2.) I have a bunch of “fall seeds” that I planted 2 or 3 weeks ago that have popped up that are still only seedlings right now but *fingers crossed* that I get something out of them. I have plants of green beans, cucumber, radishes, watermelon, two heirloom tomato plants (though these are still SO TINY!! And I wonder if I should. have just planted them separately in cups for now as when I did that in the spring, the ones in the cups grew FAST). No idea why these tomato plants are barely there, still. But.. I’m going with the flow.

3.) Also, I have rediscovered my love of roasting ALL vegetables. I used to do it in the oven, but I just realized you can roast veggies in the air fryer!! HOLY MOLY game-changer!! I slice ’em up, toss them in olive oil, twist on some pink Himalayan salt, and whatever other spices I’m into (I have an amazing “greek lover” blend that I use the most) and sometimes a squirt of lemon on them too. Then, set to 400 degrees (for most veggies – probably not broccoli) and roast them for about 12-15 minutes. I keep an eye on them as they cook, and shake the basket every once in awhile while checking out their “doneness” P.S. This is the air fryer that I use and I LOVE IT!! —> Instant Pot Vortex Plus XL 8QT ClearCook Air Fryer

Okay now… time for BOOKS THAT JUST WENT LIVE!!!

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➔➔ KINDLE UNLIMITED DEALS!! 6 months, 1 year & 2 years!! I’m gonna get the one year. 😀

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Absolutely Pucked (Punk as Puck Book 3) by E.M. Lindsey <— FORBIDDEN M/M ROMANCE!! “...My friends are all I have, so I’d rather lose my other leg than do anything to hurt them. But how was I supposed to know the bearded stranger at the bar that night was the one person who hurt my best friend beyond repair? I never would have known who Killian was if he hadn’t turned up at my door a month after our little tryst. But here he is, on my doorstep, with nowhere to go and a sob story that wounds my already bleeding heart. I should turn him away, but I can’t. Killian makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. And he’s the first man to ever look at me like I’m a whole person and not just shattered pieces from a bad accident and a broken family. How can I give that up? My only job should be to protect my best friend, but the heart wants what the heart wants...”

Brave Spirit: Book Six of The Bound Spirit Series by H.A. Wills <— SHE’S TASKED WITH FINDING OTHER WITCHES TO BRING INTO THEIR POWER… “...Eighteen-year-old Callie is a High Priestess of an ancient sect of powerful witches who not only have dominion over the four elements, but life and death itself. These Spirit Witches were chosen by the Goddess to govern her creations and keep balance. Tragically, over two millennia ago, they were murdered and their existence removed from recorded history by rogue witches who coveted their power and status. Not wanting to end up like her ancestors, Callie is more interested in living an ordinary life, enjoying her senior year at Twin Cedar Pass High School with her five supernatural boyfriends and ride-or-die bestie, Mei. Too bad the Goddess has other plans for her– tasking her with a mission to find the other high priestesses and help them come into their full power...”

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Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries Book 6) by Christy Barritt <— MYSTERY ROMANCE!! “…Olive Sterling thought time off from her job would finally give her the chance to uncover the truth about her family’s unsolved murders. The man she believes holds the answers is none other than the father of Jason Stewart—her former boyfriend and current colleague. But when that man turns up wounded and then vanishes, Olive has no choice but to bring Jason into the hunt. When Jason discovers Olive went behind his back to investigate his father, the betrayal cuts deep, threatening the fragile trust between them. Yet with his father missing, Jason can’t stay on the sidelines…”

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➔➔ AUDIOBOOK LVERS!

➔➔ BECOME AN AUDIBLE MEMBER 😀 <— THREE MONTHS @ a super-bargain!!!!!

➔➔ Audiobook Matchmaker!! <— Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! This is how it works. Click on that link & Amazon will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!

➔➔ PREORDERS (coming soon!)

1. Home Changes: The Long Road Home by Kris Michaels | Sep 30, 2025
2. The Rejected Wife: A Single Dad Nanny Billionaire Romance (The Davenports Book 5) by L. Steele | Sep 30, 2025
3. IGNITE (Beneath The Blaze Book 2) by Luna Mason | Sep 30, 2025
4. Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting by Richard Chizmar | Sep 30, 2025
5. The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton | Sep 30, 2025
6. Savage Obsession (Savage Sins Book 2) by Kate Oliver | Sep 30, 2025
7. Alien Mercenary’s Wife (Lathar Mercenaries: Warborne Book 7) by Mina Carter | Sep 30, 2025
8. Reid (Angels Halo MC Next Gen Book 15) by Terri Anne Browning | Sep 30, 2025
9. Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries Book 6) by Christy Barritt | Sep 30, 2025
10. Nothing Special IX: Fire and Smoke by AE Via | Sep 30, 2025
11. Tears of the Dragon by Bianca D’Arc | Sep 30, 2025
12. The Husband Contract by J. S. Cooper | Sep 30, 2025
13. The Other Mother : A psychological thriller with a final twist you won’t see coming by Kate Gable | Sep 30, 2025
14. Broken by my Bully (Lessons in Cruelty Dark Academia series Book 1) by Logan Fox | Sep 30, 2025
15. Darkest Oblivion: An Arranged Marriage Dark Mafia Romance by O.S Feathers | Sep 30, 2025
16. Burning Daylight (Defying the Stars Book 1) by Emily McIntire | Sep 30, 2025
17. Soul Searching: A Sweetwater Peak Novel by Lyla Sage | Sep 30, 2025
18. Holiday Ever After: A Novel by Hannah Grace | Sep 30, 2025
19. Princess of Blood (The Shards of Magic Book 2) by Sarah Hawley | Sep 30, 2025
20. Crazy In Love: A Small Town, Billionaire, Grumpy/Sunshine Romance (Rosewood River Series Book 4) by Laura Pavlov | Sep 30, 2025
21. Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone | Sep 30, 2025
22. It’s Different This Time: A Novel by Joss Richard | Sep 30, 2025
23. Santa’s Holiday Spectacular (Santa’s Crew Book 4) by Fern Michaels | Sep 30, 2025
24. Outlaw Lake (Rustler Mountain Book 2) by Maisey Yates | Sep 30, 2025
25. The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden | Sep 30, 2025
26. Must Love Christmas Cowboys by Diana Palmer & Heather Graham | Sep 30, 2025
27. My Favorite Hero: A Grumpy x Sunshine Romance by Melanie Moreland | Sep 30, 2025
28. Cut to the Feeling (Big Boys Small Spaces Book 2) by M.A. Wardell & A.J. Truman | Sep 30, 2025
29. The October Film Haunt: A Novel by Michael Wehunt | Sep 30, 2025
30. The Mad Wife: A Novel by Meagan Church | Sep 30, 2025
31. Old Money: A Novel by Kelsey Miller | Sep 30, 2025
32. Perfect Happiness by You-jeong Jeong | Sep 30, 2025
33. The Homemaker (The Chain of Lakes Series) by Jewel E. Ann | Sep 30, 2025

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