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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

A Promise Given by Michelle Cox (Review and Giveaway!)



This is the third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. I'm loving this series!

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: A Promise Given (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel #3) by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult Fiction, 379 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery / Romance
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release dates: April 24, 2018
Tour dates: April 14 to May 11, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (Love scenes between husband and wife, explicit but tastefully written)


BOOK DESCRIPTION:


This third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series provides a delightful romp through the English countryside and back.

Anxious to be married, Henrietta and Clive push forward with their wedding plans despite their family differences, made worse now by Oldrich Exley’s attempts to control the Von Harmons. When the long-awaited wedding day arrives, there is more unfolding than just Clive and Henrietta’s vows of love. Stanley and Elsie’s relationship is sorely tested by the presence of the dashing Lieutenant Harrison Barnes-Smith and by Henrietta’s friend Rose―a situation that grows increasingly dark and confused as time goes on.

As Clive and Henrietta begin their honeymoon at Castle Linley, the Howards’ ancestral estate in England, they encounter a whole new host of characters, including the eccentric Lord and Lady Linley and Clive’s mysterious cousin, Wallace. When a man is murdered in the village on the night of a house party at the Castle, Wallace comes under suspicion―and Clive and Henrietta are reluctantly drawn into the case, despite Clive’s anxiety at involving his new bride and Henrietta’s distracting news from home.

Delicately attempting to work together for the first time, Clive and Henrietta set out to prove Wallace’s innocence, uncovering as they do so some rather shocking truths that will shake the Linley name and estate forever.


MY REVIEW:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

This is the third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. A Promise Given continues from where A Ring of Truth left off. Although these books can be read as stand-alone, I think it's better to read them in order since the stories continue from where the previous books ended. Furthermore, each book gets better and better as Henrietta and Clive's story moves forward.

Henrietta and Clive get married in this novel. It's a beautiful affair and the setting really comes to life with the music of the era. There was more romance in this novel than the previous two as this memorable couple start their life together and discover the pleasure of wedded bliss during their honeymoon. They travel to England to visit Clive's uncle and aunt at Linley Castle where Clive spent his summers as a child. Here the author captures so well the aristocracy who is still holding on to the Edwardian era and have not quite accepted the Modern era that is changing society as they have known it.

In addition to the setting, this series also has good secondary characters, such as Elsie and Stanley who are very well developed and add so much to the storyline. Actually, the characters all come to life and seem to jump off the pages so that we could remember them easily from book to book. The mystery in this book takes place in England, and by the end of the novel, our characters are headed back to Chicago as their honeymoon has been cut short.

I'm now very invested in this well-written series with characters who have grown and who I feel I've come to know intimately. Henrietta and Clive make a formidable duo and I can't wait to see where Michelle Cox takes them next!

You can also read my reviews for the first two books in the series, A Girl Like You and A Ring of Truth.

Disclosure: I bought a Kindle copy. I was not told how to rate or review this book.



Buy the Book:



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as "Novel Notes of Local Lore," a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago's forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn't have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with the Author: website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads


Enter the Giveaway!
Ends May 18
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Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Lighten Your Mental Load by Amy Thornton (Book Spotlight, Author Interview and Giveaway!)


A short book that offers practical advice (especially these days!) on how to lighten your mental load. You can enter the giveaway to win a copy of the book or a $25 Amazon GC.

Book Details:

Book Title: Lighten Your Mental Load by Amy Thornton
Category: Adult non-fiction, 129 pages
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing
Release date: January, 2020
Tour dates: Apr 13 to May 1, 2020
Content Rating: PG: The author uses occasional mild swear words in the book.


Book Description:

Mental labor, or the mental load, involves the many — and extremely varied — tasks that are involved in managing a household and/or workplace. This topic has exploded over the past couple of years, especially for women. As stated in an October 2017 Washington Post article, “The constant stress of trying to stay organized — and to remember to execute so many tasks every single day — is affecting women's relationships with their spouses, children, friends, and colleagues. They are experiencing mental, emotional, and physical fatigue trying to stay on top of it all.”

Lighten Your Mental Load shares real stories of what this load is like for both men and women across the globe and how it originated. It offers practical advice on how to lighten this burden through technology and other methods in the following areas:

• Home
• Shopping and Meals
• Marriage/Partners
• Children
• Pets
• Transportation
• Career
• Birthdays, Celebrations, Holidays, and Vacations
• Volunteering, Church Activities, and Hobbies
• Caregiving
• Retirement

Finally, the book discusses ways to not add to the mental load of others and how we can more evenly distribute the mental labor between both sexes for future generations.

BUY THE BOOK:


Add to Goodreads


A Short Interview with Amy Thornton:

LCR: Welcome to our blog, Amy! Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

AT: Yes, definitely! What helps prevent it in the first place is creating an outline. I’m a bit of an outline freak! But having a guide helps me move easily from sub-topic to sub-topic and not get stuck.

Even with an outline, I encounter moments where my mind just goes blank. That’s my cue to get away from the book for a while and take a walk, read, or do some hoop dancing (dancing with a hula-hoop). Nine times out of ten, by getting away from my iPad/laptop, my brain resets, relaxes, and gives me the inspiration I need! Prayer helps as well.

LCR: What is your next project?

AT: I write a column about the sandwich generation for our local paper. If you’ve never heard of this term, it refers to members of a generation taking care of both their children and their parents. I’ve been taking care of my mom as well as my own family since 2016 and have had numerous “adventures” along the way! I’ve also learned a lot.

My next book will be a compilation of my columns to help millions realize they’re not alone. I’m hoping the book will provide laugher, information, and comfort to sandwich generation members.

LCR: If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?

AT: I’m blessed that my boys are age 19 and 18 and pretty independent. However, they still need me for guidance at times, and of course, I want to enjoy them for as long as they still live at home. I make sure to set everything aside when they want to talk to me, as those moments are rare.

I try to write gradually, a little at a time, to not take away from family or work time.

LCR: Now here's a fun question for you: If you could go back in time, where would you go?

AT: I would go back to any dinner conversation that included my father. He died suddenly in November of 1993 and I would love to see him again.

LCR: Favorite travel spot?

AT: I’m a beach girl! Take me to the Florida Panhandle to enjoy the white, “sugary sand” beaches and I’m a happy camper.

LCR: Thanks for chatting with us!



Meet the Author:


Amy Thornton Shankland, GPC, has been battling the mental load for over 29 years. She is a former Dale Carnegie instructor, has been a grant professional for 18 years, is a columnist for the Hamilton County Reporter in Central Indiana, and a wife and mother. She also published Joy to You and Me (At Work!) in 2018 through Tell-Tale Publishing.

Connect with the Author: website ~ facebook ~ twitter





Enter the Giveaway!
Ends May 8, 2020


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Monday, April 27, 2020

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume (Book Review and Sale!)



What I Like About Me is a good debut novel about learning to love oneself, all within the context of a hot summer in Australia with family and friends.


Book Details:

Book Title: What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Category: YA Fiction, 304 pages
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Release date: April 1, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 (There is some heavy kissing, bad language, underage drinking, implied sex, and nudity.)


Book Description:

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES? This vacation is probably not going to be that.

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing over vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she's always loved. But Maisie's got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back.

Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I liked the premise of this book and I was eager to read it. The story is from sixteen-year-old Maisie's point of view as she tells it by writing in a journal, very reluctantly at first, since it's her English class summer homework assignment. She's pretty bummed about it (I'd be too, even if I do like to read and write!) and she uses colorful language, so I wasn't sure as I began reading it as to how this would turn out.

However, Maisie's honesty and her teen voice soon endeared me to her and had me laughing out loud. I like books that make me laugh. It's December in Australia and Maisie is on vacation with her mom at Cobbers Bay at a cabin by the ocean. It's where she's spent her family vacations as a child with the Lee family, who has a boy named Sebastian, now all grown up and who Maisie is secretly in love with.

So much is going on this summer. Her best friend Anna has joined them and caught Sebastian's eye, and Maisie is stuck with Beamer, that annoying boy who teases her mercilessly. Maisie is overweight and lacking self-confidence, but she does have a resilience about her. It will be a summer of changes, a coming-of-age, where Maisie learns to like herself without apologies, where she discovers she is not the only one who runs from her problems, and together with her family she learns to face up to them.

There are so many themes that run through this book: the true value of friendship, sisterhood, forgiveness, first love, self-love, and believing in one's self-worth, and finally, the value of family with all its quirks and imperfections. It was a fun book to read, lighthearted, funny, and full of girl power. I also loved the pop culture references to movies like Dirty Dancing that brought up memories of my own teen years.

However, and this is a bit of a pet-peeve for me in YA books for teens 12-16: there is bad language and f-bombs, closed bedroom scenes where you know kids are having sex, and a house party where parents were seen as cool for allowing the kids to do anything they wanted, such as drinking and having sex in the house. All unnecessary to the theme and plot of the story, I might add. I can understand this in NA books but not so much in YA.

Apart from this, What I Like About Me is a good debut novel about learning to love oneself, all within the context of a hot summer in Australia with family and friends. And it's got a fabulous cover too, so attractive and perfect for this novel.


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


The ebook of What I Like About Me is currently on sale for $2.99 for the rest of April

Buy the Book:
Amazon, B&N, Google, Kobo, and Scribd



About the Author:


Jenna Guillaume was editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, where she wrote about very important things like pop culture, identity, feminism, social media, and Chris Hemsworth's biceps. Previously, she spent more than half a decade in the features department of Girlfriend magazine, editing the sealed section (yes, all those questions are real), and writing about everything from bullying and body image to bad kisses and boy bands. She was also a contributor to Girlfriend Life Hacks, an essential guide to navigating a girl's completely-awkward-but-totally-awesome teen years.

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Sunday Post, Mailbox Monday and It's Monday What Are You Reading? April 27 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.


Thanks for all of your encouraging comments last week! You guys rock! So I'm back out in the field and loving it. Helping seniors during this pandemic makes me feel like I am doing my part to help during what our Quebec government calls a "national crisis" referring to the mess that is happening in our long-term care facilities with a lack of staff.

 Thank goodness for books that help me escape for a few hours in the evenings so that I don't feel so overwhelmed by it all.


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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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 organize 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 reviewed and/or featured last week:

This was a great start to a historical mystery/romance series.


I also enjoyed the second book in the series.




Currently Reading:

Will start this one tomorrow.


Stop by and enter my giveaways!

Also posted on the right sidebar.



Hope you all have a great reading week.




Thursday, April 23, 2020

A Ring of Truth by Michelle Cox (Book Review and Giveaway!)



A Ring of Truth is the second book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. And I enjoyed this one too!


BOOK DETAILS:

Title: A Ring of Truth (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel #2) by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult Fiction, 321 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release dates: April 4, 2017
Tour dates: April 14 to May 11, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (Some heavy kissing scenes, not too explicit, some violence)


BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In this second book of the series, Henrietta and Clive delightfully rewrite Pride and Prejudice―with a hint of mystery!

Newly engaged, Clive and Henrietta now begin the difficult task of meeting each other’s family. “Difficult” because Clive has neglected to tell Henrietta that he is, in fact, the heir to the Howard estate and fortune, and Henrietta has just discovered that her mother has been hiding secrets about her past as well. When Clive brings Henrietta to the family estate to meet his parents, they are less than enthused about his impoverished intended. Left alone in this extravagant new world when Clive returns to the city, Henrietta finds herself more at home with the servants than his family, much to the disapproval of Mrs. Howard―and soon gets caught up in the disappearance of an elderly servant’s ring, not realizing that in doing so she has become part of a bigger, darker plot.

As Clive and Henrietta attempt to discover the truth in the two very different worlds unraveling around them, they both begin to wonder: Are they meant for each other after all?


MY REVIEW:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

A Ring of Truth is the second book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. The book description says this is a delightful rewrite of Pride and Prejudice but to me, it felt more like an episode from Downton Abbey or even Cinderella. And I'm saying this in a positive way.

Henrietta and Clive are now engaged to be married. Henrietta is introduced to Clive's wealthy family and discovers that her brooding Inspector is none other than the heir to a vast fortune and estate. If she is to be mistress of the Howard estate, Henrietta must be taught the ways of being part of high society. This proves to be harder than Henrietta expected, and she strays downstairs and befriends the servants which leads her to become entangled in a sinister plot.

Once again, I enjoyed the 1930s setting mixed with romance and mystery. Henrietta is her usual feisty and alluring self, but she is too trusting for her own good which gets her into trouble once again. That's what makes her such a fun character. She is not afraid of hard work and she likes to help people in need. Clive is not as present at the beginning of the story, and I did wonder if their relationship would survive their class differences. Henrietta's journey from rags to riches is filled with new lessons that she must learn if she is to be Clive's wife.

There were some twists and turns as the mystery unraveled and came to a satisfying end. But there were plot threads that were left unresolved and made me eager to start reading the third book in the series A Promise Given.

Throughout the story, the author makes references to events from the first book. I liked this as it made them fresh in my mind once again and added to my enjoyment of the series. I'm now invested in these characters and want to read all five books!

Disclosure: I bought a Kindle copy. I was not told how to rate or review this book.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as "Novel Notes of Local Lore," a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago's forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn't have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with the Author: website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads


Enter the Giveaway!
Ends May 18


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Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War by Captain Doug Chamberlain (Book Spotlight and Giveaway!)


A memoir about a captain who wants to put to rest the guilt which plagued his military career and life.

Book Details:

Book Title: Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War by Captain Doug Chamberlain
Category: Non-Fiction (18 +), 348 pages
Genre: Memoir, Biographies of the Marines
Publisher: Love the West Publications LLC
Release date: November 2019
Tour dates: April 13 to May 1, 2020
Content Rating: PG + M: Some scenes of the war, no bad language, no sex


Book Description:

In this frank, engaging memoir, Captain Chamberlain chronicles the missions, personal courage and sacrifice of the Marines he was privileged to command; painfully recalls the unspeakable order he and his Marines were forced to obey; and the cover-up which followed. Nearly four decades later, Captain Chamberlain makes right what was wrong; brings closure to the family of a fallen and abandoned warrior, and attempts to put to rest the guilt which plagued his military career and life. Unlike most books on the Viet Nam War, this book is written at a tactical level by a Marine Company Commander who was there.

BUY THE BOOK:
Add to Goodreads


Meet the Author:



Doug Chamberlain, the grandson of homesteaders in eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska, grew up with the "country values" instilled in him in the rural environment of a very small community. Even though there were only 10 students in his high school graduating class, several of his classmates pursued careers, public service, and military service that took them to various locations around the world. His rural values and the foundational reinforcement of those values at the University of Wyoming and John Brown University proved to be tested in their entirety when he became a Marine Infantry Officer in the Viet Nam War. His life-changing experiences in that war proved to haunt him during his search to solve a mystery that spanned 50 years...and Bury Him details the sordid facts and the horrible truth that had eluded him.

Connect with the author: website ~ facebook



Enter the Giveaway!
Ends May 8, 2020


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Tuesday, April 21, 2020

A Girl Like You by Michelle Cox (Book Review and Giveaway!)


A Girl Like You was a great book to escape into. I loved the mid-1930s Chicago setting with two main characters reminiscent of the cast from those black-and-white noir movies.

  BOOK DETAILS:

Series Title: A Girl Like You(A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel #1) by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult Fiction, 288 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release dates: April 19, 2016
Tour dates: April 14 to May 11, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There are sex scenes, not too explicit, some violence)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings. Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall—and just when she’s beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead.

When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him—and is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld. Meanwhile, she’s still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe—even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.


MY REVIEW:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

A Girl Like You was a great book to escape into. I loved the mid-1930s Chicago setting with two main characters reminiscent of the cast from those black-and-white noir movies.

Henrietta comes from a very poor family in Chicago’s northwest side. Her father tragically died when she was thirteen and her mother is a bitter woman who is depressed and very hard on Henrietta. Being the firstborn, Henrietta does what she can to find jobs that bring in money to feed her brood of younger siblings. She's a beautiful girl, bold and courageous with a naiveté that attracts men and lands her as an undercover usherette at a burlesque club.

I enjoyed the mystery, the setting and the cast of characters in this novel. They felt authentic to the time period. Inspector Clive is somewhat of a brooding man with a painful past. Henrietta is feisty and alluring, with a sweet innocence about her. One can't help liking her. She does what is right by her family while coming of age in a heady world where sex sells and desperate women try to eke out a living amidst a dangerous trade. I did feel Henrietta was in over her head at one point and was taking bad risks, all to impress the Inspector who should not have used a young inexperienced girl to catch a mobster.

Apart from this, the story kept me turning the pages. I liked the twist at the end, so good! This was the first book in the series and it made me want to read the next one too. If you like atmospheric historical fiction with mystery and romance, give this series a try.

I've already finished the second book A Ring of Truth, so watch for my review later this week.

Disclosure: I bought a Kindle copy. I was not told how to rate or review this product.



BUY THE BOOK:


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as "Novel Notes of Local Lore," a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago's forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn't have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with the Author: website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads


Enter the Giveaway!
Ends May 18


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, April 19, 2020

Sunday Post, Mailbox Monday and It's Monday What Are You Reading? April 20 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.


So I've been missing in action for the last 5 weeks because there is just too much happening. I work for the public health sector in Quebec as a Special Care Counsellor in psychogeriatrics giving support to individuals, families and residences dealing with behavioral symptoms of dementia. Because of COVID-19, my office space (which is in a residential long-term care facility) was taken over to create a hot zone. So I lugged all my files to work from home when I'm not visiting seniors in residences.

 Quebec is the epicenter of the virus outbreak in Canada.

 Because of all the restrictions placed on seniors (cannot have family visitors, cannot leave the residence, cannot eat their meals in the dining room), there has been an increase in aggressive behaviors among seniors with dementia who have difficulty with changes and adaptation. I now work full-time and cover a bigger territory. Although I take precautions wearing a mask and gloves, I did get mild symptoms about two weeks ago. I was told to self-isolate but was not tested because I had no fever, so at this time I do not know if I had the coronavirus or not. 

 Anyhow, the worse part was the fatigue. I'm feeling much better and decided to pop back here to reconnect with all of you. I hope you are all coping well with the lockdown. Stay safe!

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.


Bought: 

The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
The setting takes place close to home so I'm curious about this bit of Canadian history.


The Walls of Lucca by Steve Physioc
I'm longing for my beloved Italy so reading about it will have to do.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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 reviewed and/or featured last week:


Crack the Code by Louis Bezich (Book Review and Giveaway!)
If you're a man aged 50+ and want to get in shape, this book will help.



Perils and Pearls by Hulda Bachman-Neeb (Book Review and Giveaway!)
I learned a WWII bit of history I was unaware of.





Currently Reading:


A Promise Given by Michelle Cox
I read the first two books. This is the third one and I plan to read all five. Check out my reviews this upcoming week.

Stop by and enter my giveaways!

Also posted on the right sidebar.



Hope you all have a great reading week.




Thursday, April 16, 2020

Crack the Code by Louis Bezich (Book Review and Giveaway!)


Having a husband over 50 sparked an interest in me to read this book. See what I thought of it and be sure to enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!


Book Details:

Book Title: CRACK THE CODE: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50 by Louis Bezich
Category: Adult Non-fiction, 302 pages
Genre: Men's Health / geared towards Men Over 50
Publisher: Somo Press, LLC
Release date: November 2018
Tour dates: Apr 13 to Apr 24, 2020
Content Rating: G: No sex, violence, or bad language. Written for men over 50, or their wives.

Book Description:

Crack The Code presents an unconventional, motivation-based approach to health for men 50 and over. Ten strategies for creating and maintaining inspiration for a healthy lifestyle are advanced from a platform of survey research, interviews, and the author’s personal experiences. Primary audiences for the book are men over 50 and the people that love them; their wives, partners, children, and grandchildren. Additional audiences include health care providers, insurers, policymakers, men of all ages who want to find motivation for healthy behavior and anyone who has struggled with their health.

Crack The Code’s focus on motivation and the psycho-social underpinnings of behavior fills a gap in a market dominated by publications on traditional diet and exercise. By digging deeper and using everyday men as a source, Crack The Code breaks new ground for a burgeoning segment of the baby-boomer population that is in desperate need of help. The potential to influence men of other ages as well as health care providers, insurers and policymakers, creates a tremendously valuable read.

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Having a husband over 50 sparked an interest in me to read this book. I'm in the field of psychology so I was even more intrigued. I don't think there are enough books out there on men's health, and I do believe there is a gap in the 50+ men category in the health genre, making me applaud the author for not only tackling this subject but doing his own research with his own funding.

The first 50 pages or so are heavy with stats and reads like a textbook, so I suggest you move quickly through this section if you're not interested in the author's research methodology. The rest of the book goes into detail about the ten proven secrets to motivate healthy behavior. What I appreciated is that this book truly is from the perspective of a man, written with the male thinking in mind. As a woman and wife, I'm not sure I could help my husband just by reading this book as it is very much also a workbook, but it did give me some insights on what could motivate men over 50 by reading the anecdotes of the men interviewed by the author.

This book is a self-help book for men who want to make healthy changes but are stuck. If you are a man who likes to understand the psychology behind the behavior, in other words, why it's so darn difficult to adopt a healthy lifestyle, then you will enjoy the author's elaborate explanations. If, on the other hand, you want a straightforward methodology that's easy to follow, you will have to wade through the author's wordy chapters and focus on the practical steps he provides within the book's pages.

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

Buy the Book:




Meet the Author:



An executive for over 40 years in the public and private sectors, Louis Bezich currently serves as a Senior Vice-President with a major health care system. He is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Department of Public Policy and Administration at the Camden Campus of Rutgers University and sits on various public, non-profit and corporate boards. Bezich has published numerous articles in the field of public administration and health and is a contributing author to Corporate Lawbreaking and Interactive Compliance, edited by Jay A. Sigler and Joseph E. Murphy. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Rutgers University, a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Tampa and is a graduate of Harvard University's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.


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Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Perils and Pearls by Hulda Bachman-Neeb (Book Review and Giveaway!)



WWII history buffs will certainly be enthused with the historical details the author includes regarding the Japanese occupation of Indonesia and life in the concentration camps for the captured Caucasian women and children.

Book Details:

Book Title: Perils and Pearls: In World War II, a Family's Story of Survival and Freedom from Japanese Jungle Prison Camps by Hulda Bachman-Neeb
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 190 pages
Genre: Memoir / Japanese History
Publisher: BristleCone Press
Release date: September 16, 2019
Tour dates: Apr 13 to May 1, 2020
Content Rating: PG: There are mentions of decapitation and ugly jail or camp scenes and murder.

Book Description:

In World War II much of Asia fell under Japanese control after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. All non-Asians were imprisoned in concentration camps until August of 1945, the end of the war in the Pacific. This is the story of a Dutch family, resident in the Dutch East Indies, that fell victim to the Japanese occupation and was interned in jungle camps throughout the war. It tells the journey from riches to rags, from fear and suffering to the joy of freedom and recovery.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I have read several books about how WWII affected Europe and America but this is the first time I read about the Dutch East Indies and how the Japanese invaded the Pacific Rim. I enjoy learning new things and this was a part of history I was unaware of. WWII history buffs will certainly be enthused with the historical details the author includes regarding the Japanese occupation of Indonesia and life in the concentration camps for the captured Caucasian women and children.

Hulda Bachman-Neeb was but a very young child when she, her young brother and mother were enslaved and forced to live under inhumane and horrific conditions for four years under the rule of the Japanese Imperial Army. Before we get to these memories, the author describes her ancestry and how they came to live in Asia from Netherland. The author writes very well, with descriptive scenes that beautifully brought to life the tropical islands of the Pacific. In contrast, there were sections of the book that read like a history book and took away from the more personal aspect of the memoir genre.

The descriptions of life in the concentration camps were heartbreaking. The sadistic treatment of the Japanese toward the POWs was perhaps worse than the Germans. In the last two chapters, we get more of the author's thoughts on her own personal ordeal and the love she received from her grandparents and three compassionate aunts that helped her and her brother heal. Sadly, the Japanese government never compensated those families who had suffered as POWs in the Dutch East Indies.

I'm unsure if it's part of the Dutch culture or the author's own semi-detachment in her telling of it, but I felt like this memoir was missing some of the emotional elements. There were plenty of historical facts and a very detailed accounting of this family's experience, however. And I appreciated the photographs interspersed throughout the book.

I recommend this book to readers who love WWII history and want to learn more about life in the colonized Dutch East Indies in the early 20th century.

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


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Meet the Author:



Hulda Bachman–Neeb was born in Indonesia of colonial Dutch parentage two years before the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Because much of Asia fell under Japanese control, all non-Asians were imprisoned in concentration camps until August of 1945, the end of the war in the Pacific. As a member of the Dutch Foreign Service in her adult life, Hulda held assignments in twenty-five countries over a period of thirty-six years, retiring in 1996. She is married to an American, James Bachman, a historian and author, and has dual citizenship. Hulda and her husband live in Estes Park, Colorado.

Connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ twitter



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