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Thursday, June 29, 2017

Wellness Feature: Head Strong by Dave Asprey (Review)



Before this book, I had not heard of Dave Asprey. When I came across this second book of his, I was immediately attracted to the topic since I love learning about neuroscience. What did I think of his latest book? Read my review below.

Book Details:

Title: Head Strong: The Bulletproof Plan to Activate Untapped Brain Energy to Work Smarter and Think Faster in Just Two Weeks
Author: Dave Asprey
Publisher: Harper Wave
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 352 pages
Genre: Health, Fitness and Dieting
Published: April 4, 2017
Content Rating: PG for language

Book Description:

From the creator of Bulletproof Coffee and author of the bestselling The Bulletproof Diet comes a revolutionary plan to upgrade your brainpower—in two weeks or less.

For the last decade, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Dave Asprey has worked with world-renowned doctors and scientists to uncover the latest, most innovative methods for making humans perform better—a process known as "biohacking." In his first book, The Bulletproof Diet, he shared his biohacking tips for taking control of your own biology. Now, in Head Strong, Asprey shows readers how to biohack their way to a sharper, smarter, faster, more resilient brain.

Imagine feeling like your mind is operating at its clearest and sharpest, and being able—possibly for the first time in your life—to do more in less time? What it suddenly became easier to do the very hardest things you do? Or if you could feel 100% confident about your intellect, and never again fear being the person in the room who just isn’t smart enough, or can’t remember something important? How would you treat people if the mood swings, short temper, and food cravings that disrupt your day could simply disappear?

In Head Strong, Asprey shows us that all of this is possible—and more. Using his simple lifestyle modifications (or "hacks") to take advantage of how the structure of your brain works, readers will learn how to take their mental performance to the next level. Combining the latest findings in neuroscience and neurobiology with a hacker-inspired "get it done now" perspective, Asprey offers a program structured around key areas of brain performance that will help you:
  • Power the brain with exactly what it needs to perform at its best all day long
  • Eliminate the sources of "kryptonite," both nutritional and environmental, that make the brain slower.
  • Supercharge the cellular powerhouses of our brains, the mitochondria, to eliminate cravings and turn up mental focus.
  • Reverse inflammation to perform better right now, then stay sharp and energized well into your golden years.
  • Promote neuron growth to enhance processing speed and reinforce new learning—hotwiring your brain for success.
Asprey’s easy to follow, two-week program offers a detailed plan to supercharge brain performance, including: which foods to eat and which ones to avoid, how to incorporate the right kinds of physical activity into your day, a detox protocol for your home and body; meditation and breathing for performance, recommended brain-boosting supplements; and how to adjust the lighting in your home and work space to give your brain the quality light it thrives on.

A better brain—and a happier, easier, more productive life—is within reach. You just need to get Head Strong.


Purchase Links



My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Before this book, I had not heard of Dave Asprey. When I came across this second book of his, I was immediately attracted to the topic since I love learning about neuroscience. I really enjoyed learning about the mitochondria and how sugar and the wrong kind of fats affect its performance. This in itself motivated me to continue in my resolve to eliminate most sugar from my diet and to keep eating good fats like avocado, coconut oil and olive oil. A fat brain is a healthy brain!

This book is divided into three parts. In addition, each chapter ends with key points to remember and then three things you can do right now to apply what you've read. I liked this and thought it was a good way to make practical use of the information just read. The first part is all about the mitochondria, neurons and inflammation. I loved this part because I learned quite a few things and I connected other info I had learned from other books I'd read recently. 

The second part is about being in control of your head where the author discusses brain fuel, toxic food and toxic metals and the effect of light on our brain. I also enjoyed his chapter on exercise and getting the right kind of exercise. Once again, I learned a lot of new info and I'm more resolved now to move more (since I work on my computer all day), to sleep better and to reduce how much blue light my family and I are exposed to.

The third part is the two-week program. If you're vegan, don't drink coffee or haven't purchased the author's Brain Octane Oil then you'll find this diet hard to follow. The recipes gave me some idea on how to incorporate good fats into my diet. I'm resolved to find grass-fed meat and grass-fed butter. I do believe that we do need to supplement our diet with high-quality supplements because our food supply is depleted and we don't get the nutrients we need on a daily basis. The author includes a section on a variety of supplements that are particularly good for the brain and that can be purchased at any local natural store.

The book includes a bibliography with reference notes and an index. Overall, I think that knowing the science of why I should eat certain foods and eliminate others or change my lifestyle habits is powerful for me. It gives me the motivation to make the changes that I know will be good for me and my family. Even making a few key changes can make a whole lot of difference. Head Strong is a good reference book.

To read more reviews, please visit Dave Asprey's page on TLC Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.



About the Author:


DAVE ASPREY, founder of the Bulletproof Executive blog, is a Silicon Valley investor and technology entrepreneur who spent fifteen years and over $300,000 learning to hack his own biology. Dave lost one hundred pounds without counting calories or doing excessive exercise; upgraded his IQ by more than twenty points; and lowered his biological age--all the while learning to sleep better in less time. Mastering these seemingly impossible things transformed him into a better entrepreneur, a better husband and a better father. Dave's blog reaches 1.5 million unique monthly visitors, and his #1 ranked podcast has been downloaded 5 million times.

You can also connect with Dave on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.




The Wellness Feature is our way of highlighting products and books for optimal physical, emotional and intellectual well-being. Feel free to tell us about any book or product that promotes well-being or that you would like to see reviewed here.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani (Review)


Book Details:

Title: Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani
Publisher: Harper
Category: Adult Fiction, 544 pages
Genre: Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction
Published: June 20, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

From Adriana Trigiani, the beloved New York Times-bestselling author of The Shoemaker’s Wife, comes an exhilarating epic novel of love, loyalty, and creativity—the story of an Italian-American family on the cusp of change.

It’s 1949 and South Philadelphia bursts with opportunity during the post-war boom. The Palazzini Cab Company & Western Union Telegraph Office, owned and operated by Dominic Palazzini and his three sons, is flourishing: business is good, they’re surrounded by sympathetic wives and daughters-in-law, with grandchildren on the way. But a decades-long feud that split Dominic and his brother Mike and their once-close families sets the stage for a re-match.

Amidst the hoopla, the arrival of an urgent telegram from Italy upends the life of Nicky Castone (Dominic and his wife’s orphaned nephew) who lives and works with his Uncle Dom and his family. Nicky decides, at 30, that he wants more—more than just a job driving Car #4 and more than his longtime fiancée Peachy DePino, a bookkeeper, can offer. When he admits to his fiancée that he’s been secretly moonlighting at the local Shakespeare theater company, Nicky finds himself drawn to the stage, its colorful players and to the determined Calla Borelli, who inherited the enterprise from her father, Nicky must choose between the conventional life his family expects of him or chart a new course and risk losing everything he cherishes.

From the dreamy mountaintop village of Roseto Valfortore in Italy, to the vibrant streets of South Philly, to the close-knit enclave of Roseto, Pennsylvania, to New York City during the birth of the golden age of television, Kiss Carlo is a powerful, inter-generational story that celebrates the ties that bind, while staying true to oneself when all hope seems lost.

Told against the backdrop of some of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, this novel brims with romance as long buried secrets are revealed, mistaken identities are unmasked, scores are settled, broken hearts are mended and true love reigns. Trigiani’s consummate storytelling skill and her trademark wit, along with a dazzling cast of characters will enthrall readers. Once again, the author has returned to her own family garden to create an unforgettable feast. Kiss Carlo is a jubilee, resplendent with hope, love, and the abiding power of la famiglia.


Purchase Links


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Adriana Trigiani's latest novel is a feel-good Italian-American romp filled with wonderful drama and comedy, much like the Shakespearean plays that are referenced and part of the plot. I enjoyed reading it and was entertained throughout. Set in 1950s Philadelphia, it richly described the post-war era in an Italian-American borough.

Nicky Castone is an average guy, orphaned young and raised by his Aunt Jo and Uncle Dom. He works as a cab driver in the family business and moonlights at the local theater where he loves to help the actors perform Shakespearean plays. He has a fiancée of seven years but overall is not truly happy. When he risks everything by impersonating an important Italian person, he sets off a set of events that brings about big changes for him and his extended family.

I loved the scenes between the family members, how everybody is in everybody's business. Like Shakespeare's plays, the drama that unfolds is tempered with comedic relief that cracked me up. Yeah...Italians are crazy enough to pull some of the stunts portrayed in this book. (My hubby and I are both children of immigrant Italians who are loud and boisterous.) Nicky starts out as an anti-hero, flawed and lovable, whose great qualities are subtle and heartwarming. Even the secondary characters were memorable, like Hortense Mooney, the black woman who worked as a telegraph operator.

I found this book different from The Shoemaker's Wife, which I loved. That was more about the immigrant experience and was truly epic and moving. Kiss Carlo is more lighthearted and in line with Trigiani's Valentine trilogy and Lucia Lucia. So if you loved her storytelling in those books, you will love Kiss Carlo. It was a fun and entertaining story that would transmit well to cinema. Brava Adriana!

To read more reviews, please visit Adriana Trigiani's page on TLC Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


About the Author:



Adriana Trigiani is the bestselling author of 17 books, which have been published in 36 countries around the world. She is a playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker. She wrote and directed the film version of her novel Big Stone Gap, which was shot entirely on location in her Virginia hometown. She is co-founder of the Origin Project, an in-school writing program that serves more than a thousand students in Appalachia. She lives in Greenwich Village with her family.

Visit Adriana at her website: www.adrianatrigiani.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.


Sunday, June 25, 2017

Sunday Post, Mailbox Monday and It's Monday What Are You Reading? June 26 Edition


Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

I'm enjoying my summer so far with get-togethers with friends, good reading and a more relaxed routine. I saw the movie Wonder Woman and thought it was fantastic. Hope you're all enjoying your lazy summer days!


Mailbox Monday Edition


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home on its blog. Link up to share your MM.


Another great mailbox!


A Penny Lost by Aspen Basset
I'm really excited about this one. A time slip YA novel.


You 1 Anxiety 0 by Jodi Aman
I'm always attracted to books that deal with mental illness.


The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner
I bought this one at Costco. When I saw that it was set in Italy I just couldn't resist!


Swept Away: A Time Travel Romance by Kamery Solomon
This one was free on Kindle. By now you must know that I love time travel books, right?

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organise yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.






Reading Now:

This one is set in Greece during WWII. Really enjoying it so far.



Stop by and enter my giveaways!

Also posted on the right sidebar.

Hope you all have a great reading week.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

The Plant Paradox by Steven R. Gundry (Review)



Book Details:

Title: The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in "Healthy" Foods that Cause Disease and Weight Gain
Author: Steven R. Gundry, MD
Publisher: Harper Wave
Category: Adult Non-Fiction,  416 pages
Genre: Health, Fitness and Dieting
Published: April 25, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Most of us have heard of gluten—a protein found in wheat that causes widespread inflammation in the body. Americans spend billions of dollars on gluten-free diets in an effort to protect their health. But what if we’ve been missing the root of the problem? In The Plant Paradox, renowned cardiologist Dr. Steven Gundry reveals that gluten is just one variety of a common, and highly toxic, plant-based protein called lectin. Lectins are found not only in grains like wheat but also in the “gluten-free” foods most of us commonly regard as healthy, including many fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and conventional dairy products. These proteins, which are found in the seeds, grains, skins, rinds, and leaves of plants, are designed by nature to protect them from predators (including humans). Once ingested, they incite a kind of chemical warfare in our bodies, causing inflammatory reactions that can lead to weight gain and serious health conditions.

At his waitlist-only clinics in California, Dr. Gundry has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients suffering from autoimmune disorders, diabetes, leaky gut syndrome, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases with a protocol that detoxes the cells, repairs the gut, and nourishes the body. Now, in The Plant Paradox, he shares this clinically proven program with readers around the world.

The simple (and daunting) fact is, lectins are everywhere. Thankfully, Dr. Gundry offers simple hacks we easily can employ to avoid them, including:

· Peel your veggies. Most of the lectins are contained in the skin and seeds of plants; simply peeling and de-seeding vegetables (like tomatoes and peppers) reduces their lectin content.

· Shop for fruit in season. Fruit contain fewer lectins when ripe, so eating apples, berries, and other lectin-containing fruits at the peak of ripeness helps minimize your lectin consumption.

· Swap your brown rice for white. Whole grains and seeds with hard outer coatings are designed by nature to cause digestive distress—and are full of lectins.

With a full list of lectin-containing foods and simple substitutes for each, a step-by-step detox and eating plan, and delicious lectin-free recipes, The Plant Paradox illuminates the hidden dangers lurking in your salad bowl—and shows you how to eat whole foods in a whole new way.


Purchase Links: 


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I am always keenly interested in books that educate me on nutrition, health and wellness and the holistic lifestyle. The Plant Paradox caught my attention immediately just from the title. Healthy foods that cause disease? I eat organic produce and opt for a more plant-based diet so I was intrigued by these claims. I'm open-minded, however, and was eager to acquire new knowledge. It seems that there is always new information coming up because savvy scientists and doctors are exposing the mess that corrupt food industries have created with their genetically modified foods, antibiotic-enhanced feeds and sugar-laden processed junk foods that pass as healthy.

This book contains a wealth of information and is divided into three parts. The first part The Dietary Dilemma is where Dr. Gundry introduces the idea that lectins are bad for you. A popular lectin is gluten and we've heard all about why that is not good for us, primarily because as Dr. William Davis explained in Wheat Belly, it has been genetically modified and therefore no longer good for our bodies. Dr. Gundry then goes on to list all the foods that contain lectins that aren't good for us and, frankly, I was kind of taken aback. Legumes, beans, seeds, whole grains, and vegetable skins to name a few. This book is aptly titled because it does seem a paradox.

However, because I truly believe that God created us to eat a plant-based diet, I'm assuming the problem with all our dietary restrictions of whole foods is because mankind messed with the food's chemical properties, rendering what was once healthy into unhealthy. It doesn't make sense that we have to avoid eating most foods that God created for us and this book is a testament to how far gone our food source has become. Nevertheless, because of this, books like this one are good reminders that we need to exercise caution in what we eat. And being educated about our foods is always a good thing.

The second part of the book is Introducing the Plant Paradox Program and it goes into a 3-day cleanse and Dr. Gundry's program for returning to optimal health. It's doable but requires a lot of discipline and finding the right foods such as pasture chicken and beef, in other words, grass fed organic meat, which is not available at most grocery stores. However, if you suffer from an autoimmune or inflammatory illness, this diet is certainly worth considering. The last part is the Meal Plans and Recipes.

Overall, I learned a lot by reading this book. I am more determined than ever to find grass-fed meat, cook my legumes with a pressure cooker (it's the only way to reduce the lectins) and take the right supplements to enhance my wellbeing. It can be discouraging to see how bad our food supply has become. We cannot change it all, but making even a few better eating choices can make us feel better.

This book certainly offers food for thought (pun intended) and is good reading for any person who wants to learn more how to fight diseases with the right foods. This one's a keeper and a reference book that I will be using more and more as I continue my quest to satisfy my thirst for knowledge in using food to heal.

To read more reviews, please visit Steven R. Gundry's page on TLC Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


About the Author:



Steven R. Gundry, MD, FACS, FACC, is the director of the International Heart and Lung Institute in Palm Springs, California, and the founder/director of The Center for Restorative Medicine in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara.

Find out more about Dr. Gundry and his work at his website, and connect with him on Facebook.


Monday, June 19, 2017

Appointment with ISIL by Joe Giordano (Book Spotlight, Author Interview & Giveaway!)


After reading Joe Giordano's first book, Birds of Passage, I was eager to read his latest release Appointment with ISIL. Although different from Birds of Passage, which was historical fiction, this latest work is a literary thriller. It contains the same bold intelligent writing, with mobsters jumping off the page at every turn. Check out my interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book!

Book Details:

Book Title: Appointment with ISIL: An Anthony Provati Thriller
Authors: Joe Giordano
Category: Adult Fiction, 299 pages
Genre: Literary Thriller
Publisher: Harvard Square Editions
Release date: June 2017
Format available for review: ebook (mobi, PDF and ePub)
Tour dates: June 19 to 30, 2017
Content Rating: PG (No f-words but there's mild profanity, and mild religious expletives such as "damn", "hell" and "Oh God!", some depictions of violence or brief sexual content (kissing). No drug use or underage drinking.)

Book Description:

This time, Anthony's libido threatens his life. He flirts with Russian mob boss, Gorgon Malakhov's mistress. The Russian deals in death. ISIL, the Islamic State in the Levant, wants the product. Russian Intelligence supplies the means, and an art theft funds the scheme. ISIL's targets are chilling. The chase across the Mediterranean is on. Can Anthony thwart ISIL? Will he survive?

Praise for Appointment with ISIL:

​"A roller-coaster ride to the finish, this book confirms Giordano as a writer to eagerly watch."
- Kirkus Reviews

​"A sexy, all-in-one-breath read, this is a story for those eager to strap on their boots and immerse themselves in a whirlwind adventure that will take them from espresso in New York with the Italian Mafia to walking the Old City of Jerusalem with the chief of Israel’s security service."
- The iRead Review

If you like gritty intriguing thrillers involving the FBI, Russian/Italian mobs or Islamic Terrorists you will absolutely love this book…. The characters, the plot and prose come together for an outstanding work of contemporary Americana. PRIMO highly recommends Appointment with ISIL."
Primo Magazine


Buy the Book: 




Interview with Joe Giordano:


LCR: Welcome to Library of Clean Reads, Joe. Can you describe your novel in 20 words or less?

JG: Anthony's libido gets him into trouble with the Red Mob, ISIL, and Russian Intelligence, played out on an international stage.

LCR: Your last novel Birds of Passage was an historical coming of age romance. What made you want to write a literary thriller?

JG: Ben Fountain, author of the best-selling Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, and a writing mentor of mine, told me that the literary thriller was the "holy grail." I took on his challenge. The genesis of the novel was an Islamic History course I'd taken from the University of Texas in Austin, and a short story, "The Unkindest Cut," published, by decomP Magazine.

LCR: You include an art theft in your story. Are you an art lover?

JG: On my travels, I enjoy visiting museums, and have taken numerous course in Art History from UT. I enjoy incorporating some of what I've seen and learned into my writing.

LCR: How has your own Italian heritage influenced your writing?

JG: The genesis of my first novel, Birds of Passage, an Italian Immigrant Coming of Age Story, was a graduate course at UT on the Progressive Era, 1880 – 1930. I wanted to understand the environment that my family encountered when they arrived as immigrants from Naples, Italy. I'm old enough to have known Italian immigrants born in the nineteenth-century. The famed poet, Jorge Luis Borges asked, "What will the world lose when I die?" When my generation passes, the first-hand connection to the turn-of-the-twentieth-century Italian immigrants will be lost, their culture, their thinking, their experiences. Writing Birds of Passage allowed me to reconnect with my roots. In Appointment with ISIL, an Anthony Provati Thriller, the protagonist is an Italian-American from New York, giving the novel an Italian flavor. By the way, in Manhattan's Little Italy, on Mulberry Street, the connection with the past is maintained by Dr. Scelsa and The Italian American Museum. The Manhattan launch for Appointment with ISIL will hosted by the Museum on Friday, July 7th.

LCR: If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

JG: We tend to romanticize the past, especially in troubled times. Perhaps I'd be present at the Sermon on the Mount. Marching into Persepolis with Alexander would've been a blast. If I could pick a person to be, Augustus would be an interesting choice. A clever emperor, administering over a peaceful period, living large. Okay, his wife poisoned him, but only paradise is perfect.

LCR: Are you working on another novel or project? Can you tell us anything about it?

JG: My next novel will be another Anthony Provati thriller with the working title, Drone Strike, and will include some of characters introduced in Appointment with ISIL, but each novel can be read independently. Drone Strike includes a victim of "collateral damage." Where can they turn for justice? Without a higher authority to arbitrate, is the desire for revenge understandable?

LCR: Any advice for writers and authors?

JG: Read a lot. Write a lot. Criticism and rejection come by the bucketful. Embrace them. Persistence is one of life's least appreciated success factors.

LCR: Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us more about you and your writing.



Meet the Author:




Joe Giordano was born in Brooklyn. He and his wife, Jane, have lived in Greece, Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands. They now live in Texas.

Joe's stories have appeared in more than ninety magazines including The Monarch Review, The Saturday Evening Post, decomP, The Summerset Review, and Shenandoah. His novel, Birds of Passage, An Italian Immigrant Coming of Age Story, was published by Harvard Square Editions October 2015. His second novel, Appointment with ISIL, an Anthony Provati Thriller will be published by HSE in June 2017.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest



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Ends July 8


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Sunday, June 18, 2017

Sunday Post, Mailbox Monday and It's Monday What Are You Reading? June 19 Edition


Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

I was off the computer all weekend and the break felt good. I had a party on Saturday evening and family visits on Sunday so it was a busy weekend catching up with family and friends. Not much reading done though. And school exams are over so we are all less stressed in my household!


Mailbox Monday Edition


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home on its blog. Link up to share your MM.

Another great mailbox!


Journey to Appleville
From the author for review


Appointment with Yesterday
This coming-of- age WWII set in Greece is on tour with iRead Book Tours


Bonjour Kale
A memoir set in Paris on tour with France Book Tours


Dancing in the Rain
A family saga set in Italy and on tour with Italy Book Tours


Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
Loved her last two books so I'm looking forward to digging into this one



Lady Ever After
Bought this one on sale. I read the first book in her time travel series and loved it

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organise yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.


What I read and/or featured last week:







Reading Now:




Stop by and enter my giveaways!

Also posted on the right sidebar.

Hope you all have a great reading week.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Dead on Ice by Lauren Carr (Review and Giveaway!)


Lauren Carr's Audiobook-a-palooza Blog Tour is still on! To celebrate the release of Lauren Carr's mysteries in audiobook format, we have 14 books from her three series on tour. Today, I am posting my review of Dead on Ice, her first book in the Lovers in Crime series. See why I liked it so much and don't forget to enter the giveaway to win $100 Amazon gift card!

Book Details:

Title: Dead on Ice: A Lovers in Crime Mystery
Written by: Lauren Carr
Narrated by: Mike Alger
Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-23-16
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Content Rating: PG-13 (for murder scenes, some sexual content, not explicit, some profanity but no f-words)

Book Description:

Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin's basement. It doesn't take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star's roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio. She should have kept her hometown off her road map, too - because when this starlet came running home from the mob, it proved to be a fatal homecoming.

Buy the Book:


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Once again, I enjoyed reading a good mystery from Lauren Carr. I had already encountered the main characters Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates in one of the Mac Faraday series, so I was happy to read the first book in the Lovers in Crime series that focused on the two of them.

Lauren Carr has the ability to quickly create drama and suspense, and then take you on all sorts of twists and turns, making you suspect almost every one in the cast of characters. The story begins with one old unsolved murder mystery and then escalates into another murder and enough action to keep your head spinning as you try to guess what is really going on. This author sure has the knack for creating a complex plot that comes together nicely at the end.

Lovers Joshua and Cameron are on the same case. They're a great couple and interspersed with the murder mystery is a touch of their romance, some great pet humor in the form of Irving the skunk cat and a colorful cast of shady characters.

I both listened to parts of the audio version of the book and read parts of it on my Kindle. I enjoyed Mike Alger's narration. He was engaging and great for the men's voices but I sometimes could not distinguish the female ones as quickly. My auditory skills are not quite as advanced as my reading, where I can quickly read through a page without missing a beat. Because this was a mystery with many characters, I preferred reading the cast of characters that Lauren Carr includes at the beginning of her books, and the prologue too. I didn't want to miss even one clue! That is what is so much fun about Carr's books. She keeps the reader engaged throughout in trying to catch the killer!

This was a fast read/listen and a good mystery, making me want to read more of Carr's books. They are addictive books and I'm already digging into Real Murder, the second one in the Lovers in Crime series.

To read more reviews of Lauren Carr's audiobooks, please visit her page on iRead Book Tours.

Books I read by Lauren Carr:

Mac Faraday Mystery:
Three Days to Forever
Cancelled Vows
Candidate for Murder

Lovers in Crime:
Dead on Ice
Killer in the Band

Thorny Rose Mystery:
Kill and Run
A Fine Year for Murder

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:



Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband and three dogs (including the real Gnarly’s klutzy nephew Sterling) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.


Connect with Lauren: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook


Meet the Narrator:



A broadcast veteran of over 30 years, Mike Alger is best known as the award-winning Chief Meteorologist for KTVN-TV in Reno, NV. He is also a successful author, having penned the Mystery-Thriller novel "Snow Storm," and is the narrator of the audiobook of the same name.




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Ends July 22

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Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Speaking with Strategic Impact by Kate LeVan (Book Spotlight, Author Interview & Giveaway!)


The business woman in me will always be attracted to books that help with communicating better, along with having presence and persuasion. Today, I'm spotlighting this new book by Kate Levan. Check out my interview with her and enter to win a signed copy of Speaking with Strategic Impact, a $20 Amazon gift card, and an optional coaching call with the author!

Book Details:

Book Title: Speaking with Strategic Impact: Four Steps to Extraordinary Presence & Persuasion
​Author: Kate LeVan
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 152 pages
Genre: Business
Publisher: Delton Press
Release date: May 24, 2017
Tour dates: June 12 to 30, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Speaking with Strategic Impact is for business people who make their living—or their mark—through presentations long and short.

It’s a must-read if you’re a consultant, analyst, pitch team leader, roadshow executive, technology specialist, project manager, internal or external marketer, sales rep, subject matter expert or innovator.

Do your presentations unexpectedly fall flat? Do others hijack your meetings? Do you spend more time compiling slide decks than actually influencing decision-makers? Has someone vaguely told you that you “should look more confident up there” or that you “lack gravitas”? Have you watched TED Talks but wonder how you can bring that level of effectiveness into real business presentations?

Speaking with Strategic Impact gives you the key to leadership presence and persuasion. More than just tips and tricks, it outlines a discipline for navigating real business situations with consistently superior outcomes that’s favored by top business schools and Fortune 500 companies. You’ll get specific strategic and tactical advice to keep you on the mark in your presentations and meetings—and differentiate you from the vast majority of business presenters.

Read Speaking with Strategic Impact to master the means by which you make a living and a difference in the world!


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Interview with Kate LeVan


LCR: Welcome to Library of Clean Reads, Kate! Can you describe your book in 20 words or less?

KL: Thanks Laura! Okay, here goes: 

Contents: One simple communication process for handling high stakes interactions that make or break careers.

Directions: Add discipline. Learn. Repeat.

LCR: That a creative and succinct way to describe your book. What motivated you to write it?

KL: I’m basically a teacher. I enjoy seeing light bulbs go on over people’s heads.

I’m also a liberal arts generalist. But I greatly admire—and am a bit envious of—people who have deep knowledge and passion about their “one thing.” I always wished I had that. On some level though, I also knew that I could get promoted or recognized over others with deeper knowledge because I knew how to be seen and heard. It gave me an edge.

In my training/coaching—and now in my book too, I try to give that same “edge” to all the people who know their stuff and who aspire to lead: the subject matter experts, analysts, physicians, business developers, engineers, technologists, scientists, project managers, innovators, etc. By doing so, I also found my passion.

LCR: There are many books on public speaking and presentation. What makes yours different or unique?

KL: Tell me about it! Everyone wants to be seen and heard, and everyone seems to have advice.

The advice that’s out there now for business people seems to fall into two categories: 1. general compilations of tips and tricks (Be animated! Tell a story! Be passionate! Be yourself!) that can discourage those who are not born “life-of-the-party” people, or 2. elaborate systems of templates, charts and checklists that experts are often drawn to, but that keep them in their own heads and disconnected from their audiences.

There’s nothing new per se about audience-centered communication. In my previous life, I was in advertising and marketing which is all about targeting and being strategic in your messaging. So, what I do is apply this discipline to interpersonal communication. I’m told I do it in a way that is “elastic” enough for those who “wing it” and need just a little more structure to rein themselves in and connect the dots adequately for an audience. But it’s also “prescriptive” enough for those who “data dump” and need the dots connected for them, so that presenting doesn’t feel so risky. I like to think of it more as a professional discipline around communication that propels careers.

LCR: In all your work experience, what was the toughest situation you found yourself in when it came to doing a presentation.

KL: That’s a tough one. It’s either the time I disregarded the president of my agency’s instruction and presented the way I wanted to during a high-stakes pitch (when he couldn’t do anything about it) or when the technology went down right before I had to address 50 senior business leaders in Chicago who were guests of my banking client.

Both situations were nerve-wracking and nothing I’d wish to relive. But I also learned things I’d never forget from each. In the pitch, I learned that being just as straightforward and gutsy as the decision-maker was a way of building rapport with that type of person. In the other situation, I learned how having a good structure or map for what you intend to say in a presentation can help you look brilliant when you only have a flip chart and markers left to save you. Other than that, I’d only recommend insubordination if you have a very good chance of winning.

LCR: How did you come up with your book’s title?

KL: At the last minute. Speaking with Strategic Impact—as straight out of the text as it is—was NOT my original title. The cover was approved and the interior text was formatted when we had to stop the presses, as they say. This was due to some testing of the title that happened at a networking event. Colleagues there slapped me upside the head with the realization that I wasn’t following my own advice: to make what you’re saying about the audience as quickly as possible! I had become enamored of a thematic title with a play on words that only people who knew my emphasis on smart planning might understand (Before I Begin). What can I say? I have a degree in literary criticism. But the audience I’m trying to reach with this book—the experts who want and need to be seen and heard as “strategic”—would never have even found me on Amazon with that one!

LCR: As a trainer, what is the most challenging element in teaching people to speak with strategic impact?

KL: Getting them to not worry so much about creating those darn slides! When you start with the slides, you are starting with the tactical—not the strategic.

LCR: Finally, if you could travel back in time, where would you go?

KL: Back when I was in high school, I would have picked the late 19th or early 20th century decades when a lady of high society would host a soiree in her Parisian salon for artists, writers and philosophers who entertained her with their sparkling conversation in return for her patronage. Since then, I’ve grown fonder of becoming a woman of substance (if not great means) in 21st century Western society who can be seen and heard for who she is—wherever and however she wishes!

LCR: Thanks so much, Kate! And best wishes for the launch of your new book.



Meet the Author:


Kate LeVan trains, coaches and collaborates on business communication effectiveness with major corporations worldwide and as an instructor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Her training consistently receives top ratings from executive development program participants for its simplicity, applicability and career-changing impact.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook


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