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The Ten-Dollar Dream: Live and Love Your Own Dream

By: Aksana Palevich
Publisher: Dansk bogfortegnelse - DBC
Publication: May 2020
ASIN: B0888JZGFW
Reviewed by: Lynette Latzko
Review Date: July 9, 2020

Debut author Aksana Palevich presents The Ten-Dollar Dream, a book that is part autobiography and part inspirational self-help. Organized in forty-seven lessons and one bonus “eternal lesson,” the author takes readers on a figurative drive through her life. We follow Palevich as she grows up in former communist Belarus, and then moves to Denmark at the age of twenty-three with a mere ten dollars to her name. She may have had just ten dollars, but she had a mind filled with lifelong dreams and aspirations to better her life. Along the way Palevich tells her personal story of dreaming big, setting goals and most importantly accomplishing what she set out to do by sticking through rough times and continuing to challenge herself to be the best she can be.

Although this is not a comprehensive list of the numerous lessons covered in The Ten-Dollar Dream, some of the noteworthy points are as follows:

Dream big, set goals and stick to them

Believe in yourself, and hold on even in the toughest situations

Educate yourself and view all employment as an opportunity to learn

Stressful situations are unavoidable, but don’t overreact to them.

Seize opportunities, don’t wait for them to be handed to you or fall from the sky

It’s okay to experience sorrow

The Ten-Dollar Dream is undoubtedly an uplifting story of the author’s perseverance and dedication in her pursuit of a happy and fulfilled life, with lessons sprinkled throughout the chapters. Coming from a world of communism in Belarus where everyone is equal and told what to do, Palevich took a huge risk at a young age by moving to a foreign country both in language and in political ideologies. Readers will both enjoy and be inspired by the author’s stories of her struggles and achievements, while learning pertinent skills to achieve their own success. However, with forty-seven lessons, some about setting goals and employment pursuits, while others are about family, parenting and first love, readers may be somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of information squeezed into one book. Lessons also tend to be a bit wordy and are scattered throughout the book, not appearing in any specific order, which may add to a reader’s confusion. Fortunately, a list of abbreviated lessons are included at the end of the book, which is quite helpful, especially if you’re planning on frequently referring to it. But with that said, readers should take time to explore the personal story of one woman’s life and learn from her experiences and the most essential element - you can take many roads to accomplish your dreams and goals, but first and foremost, believe in yourself; you have the power to never give up, even during the most difficult times.

Quill says: Make it one of your goals today to read The Ten-Dollar Dream, a real-life story of successful perseverance and a motivational guide for everyone, all combined into one inspiring book.

For more information on The Ten-Dollar Dream: Live and Love Your Own Dream, please visit the Facebook page: facebook.com/The-Ten-Dollar-Dream or the Goodreads page: www.goodreads.com/the-ten-dollar-dream

Author Interview