Passionate Nutrition by Jennifer Adler, MS, CN

Passionate Nutrition by Jennifer Adler, MS, CN Hardcover, 288 pages Published December 2014, Sasquatch Books Source: Publisher for Review About the Book
Nutritionist Jennifer Adler learned that "food as medicine" is a powerfully healing way to eat as she recovered from a malnourished, sickly childhood and adolescence. Part power foods cookbook, part guidebook for healthy living and eating, and part memoir, Passionate Nutrition provides powerful information, tips, and techniques for eating your way to optimal health. My Review
Adler's background and journey to healthy eating has greatly influenced her work as a nutritionist.  I like her advice to not "diet" but to develop a healthy relationship with food. Eat what nourishes, eat what heals and don't feel guilty when your body craves something you consider "bad".  There are so many things I read that I plan to implement into my eating habits; Listen to what my body wants, slow down while eating and enjoy every bite, eat when hungry. That last one I need to remember when the little girl asks me for food two hours after she has just eaten. She's listening to her body and I need to respect that by having healthy snacks for her and for me. Another read through with a highlighter and a notepad is in order. So many great things to remember and share and recipes to try. Planning on having the hubby read this one, too. About the Author

Jennifer Adler is a Certified Nutritionist and a nationally recognized nutrition expert (as seen on ABC's Nightline). Adler is the founder and owner of Passionate Nutrition based in Seattle. Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Merry Christmas!

Hope those of you celebrating today are having a very Merry Christmas. 

Save Me by Krystyn Kusek Lewis

Save Me by Krysten Kusek Lewis
Paperback, 288 pages
Published December 2014 by Grand Central Publishing

Source: From Publisher for Review, BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge, NetGalley

About the Book

Daphne Mitchell has always believed in cause and effect, right and wrong, good and bad. The good: her dream job as a doctor; Owen, her childhood sweetheart and now husband; the beautiful farmhouse they're restoring together. In fact, most of her life has been good--until the day Owen comes home early from work to tell her he's fallen head over heels for someone else.

Unable to hate him, but also equally incapable of moving forward, Daphne's life hangs in limbo until the day Owen's new girlfriend sustains near-fatal injuries in a car accident. As Daphne becomes a pillar of support for the devastated Owen, and realizes that reconciliation may lie within her grasp, she has to find out whether forgiveness is possible and decide which path is the right one for her.


About the Author

Kristyn Kusek Lewis is the author of How Lucky You Are (Grand Central), a novel about three women and the growing pains of their enduring friendship. How Lucky reached #1 on Barnes & Noble’s Top 100/Bestselling NOOK Books and was a Target Emerging Authors Pick. Kristyn’s next novel, a love story about two doctors, a tragic accident, and the power of forgiveness, will be published by Grand Central in December 2014.

A former magazine editor at publications including Glamour and Child, Kristyn has been writing for national publications for nearly twenty years. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Reader’s Digest, Glamour, Self, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Parents, Allure, Good Housekeeping, Cooking Light, Health, Men’s Health, the New York Daily News, and many more.

Kristyn is a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she earned an MFA in creative writing, and the College of the Holy Cross. She lives in North Carolina with her family.

For more info about the book and author visit her WEBSITE.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

The Resurrection of Tess Blessing by Leslie Kagen

The Resurrection of Tess Blessing by Leslie Kagen 325 pages, Paperback Published December 2014, SparksPress
Source: Sent for review by the Publisher
About the Book
After she's diagnosed with breast cancer, forty-nine-year old Tess Blessing sets forth on a mission to complete her TO-DO List before, what she's sure is, her impending death. She needs to make peace with her estranged sister, Birdie, scatter her mother's long-kept ashes, rescue her daughter, Haddie, from the grip of an eating disorder, guide her teenage son, Henry, through a bumpy adolescence, and reignite the spark in her almost thirty-year marriage to her husband, Will. 

Tess is aided on her quest by narrator, Grace, who lends the story its most brilliant elements: subtle magical realism and deep psychological complexity. Is Grace an imaginary friend, guardian angel, or a part of Tess that knows better than she?

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author, Lesley Kagen, has created an unforgettable, redemptive story that is by turns poignant, gritty, spiritually uplifting, and funny as hell.
My Review
Tess Blessing is an interesting character. She is likable but flawed and I found myself wanting to talk to her, sometimes yell at her. I wanted desperately to help her out, give her a hug, make her tell her family what is going on with her so she can get some love. Her relationships are strained and a bit superficial since she doesn't really let anyone know the real her- afraid that they will learn about some of her psychological problems. 
The narrator added a little magic to the story. Who exactly is she? An imaginary friend or ghost? A guardian angel? Loved it- mostly because she could materialize and help Tess out when she needed it.  
Really enjoyed this and am excited to share with you all a chance to win Kagen's iPad Mini Giveaway. There are only two more days left to enter! Click the link and head on over now!
About the Author

Leslie kagen is an actress, voice-over talent, former restauranteur, sought-after speaker, and award- winning, New Your Times bestselling author of five previous novels. Her work has been translated into seven languages. She's the mother of two and grandmother of two. She lives in a hundred-year old farmhouse in a small town in Wisconsin.
For more info about the book and author visit her WEBSITE.


Happy Reading! _________________________________________

World War Z by Max Brooks

World War Z by Max Brooks Audio CD, Movie Tie In Published May 2013, Random House Audio
Source: Giveaway Win from Random House Audio and BookRiot
I enjoyed listening to this book during my commutes in and out of San Francisco this fall. It took me awhile to finish just because I could only listen to it when the little girl was not also in the car. I could have easily finished this in a few days.
I absolutely loved the use of different actors to read for the different character accounts of the war. It made it feel real and raw. And what a cast! Nathan Fillion, Martin Scorcese, Mark Hamill and so many others. The author wasn't as good as the actors but I didn't expect him to be, so it didn't really bother me.
The story itself was entertaining. There were so many great descriptions of the zombies, the reactions around the world and the aftermath. Not sure if I missed it, but was there a reason given for the zombie plague? So here is my problem with audiobooks. I am never sure what I missed when I start focusing more on my driving. Despite that, I enjoyed it. I need to read The Zombie Survival Guide. Probably should have read the first, huh?


Happy Reading! _________________________________________

The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg Hardcover, 304 pages Published November 2014, Bantam Source: NetGalley

The Job is the third book in Evanovich and Goldberg's The Fox and O'Hare Series. I have to admit, I had not heard of this series before. I stopped reading the Stephanie Plum books at around number 15 quite awhile ago and have not read anything by Evanovich since then.  Lee Goldberg is the author of the Monk series of books, which we all know went on to be a big TV hit. I am glad that I picked this up. It was a fun, easy read. Reminded me of some of the crime dramas you see a lot of on tv. Two very different people thrown together to find the bad guys and somehow work great together. There was some sexual tension, and cute banter between them all while performing hazardous deeds and apprehending the bad guy. Some may not like that, but I do. Reminded me a bit of early Castle episodes. Here, though, Kate is an FBI agent who has previously caught Nick, a con-artist/thief but now works with him to catch worst criminals. In this book, they are after a mob boss and with a whole crew of hired help (a la Oceans 11) they go to work to lure him into their trap. Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Wild by Cheryl Strayed 315 pages, Paperback Published March 2013, Vintage Books
Source: Purchased 

I was a little worried that this was going to be another Into the Wild where I had absolutely no sympathy for the main character and his unpreparedness. I thought this could easily go that route, but for some reason, I understood her need to get away and her reason for thinking she could do it.
Cheryl Strayed was as prepared as she could be for the state she was in at that time. Having lost her mother, dealing with childhood abuse, entertaining risky behavior- heroin, unprotected sex, etc and a subsequent divorce- she deserved a second chance and her restart was this trek along the Pacific Coast Trail.
Yes, she was unprepared and naive about what it would entail, but she managed to meet her goal. With the help of others, despite some setbacks, injuries and scary encounters, Cheryl survived the wilderness. But surviving everything before the PCT to become a successful writer, a wife and a mother was the real accomplishment.
I can't wait to here the thoughts of the others in my book group.
Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Author Interview with Allen Wyler

Deadly Odds by Allen Wyler 270 Pages, Paperback Published November 2014, Astor+Blue Editions
About the Book
Twenty-three year old Arnold Gold is a Seattle-based odds-maker and local computer genius.  Described as a "part-time hacker and full-time virgin" by his friends, the awkward young shut-in flies to Vegas to try and get lucky--in more ways than one.  But his high stakes activity on the Net inadvertently thrusts him into a vortex of international terrorism.
Dark Net Hacking has resulted in murder, and now it will take every last bit of Arnold's genius intellect and legendary hacking skill to stay one step ahead of the murderous terrorists, the FBI, the local cops and his lawyer.  Gold's only chance to save himself is to find a deadly bomb hidden somewhere in Vegas, and somehow prevent the explosion that will turn Sin City into the scene of the deadliest terror attacks since 9/11.

Available for purchase now:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xh54PS

B&N: http://bit.ly/1sZrIy1

Astor+Blue: http://bit.ly/1

About the Author

Allen Wyler is a renowned neurosurgeon who earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity.  He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute.

In 2002, he left active practice to become Medical Director for a startup med-tech company (that went public in 2006) and he now chairs the Institutional Review Board of a major medical center in the Pacific Northwest.

Leveraging a love for thrillers since the early 70’s, Wyler devoted himself to fiction writing in earnest, eventually serving as Vice President of the International Thriller Writers organization for several years. After publishing his first two medical thrillers Deadly Errors (2005) and Dead Head (2007), he officially retired from medicine to devote himself to writing full time.

He and his wife, Lily, divide their time between Seattle and the San Juan Islands.

www.allenwyler.com

Interview with Allen Wyler

Q:  How did you come up with the idea of the story?

A:  The first novel I ever wrote was based on this story’s kernel: a geek who develops a strategy to successfully gamble draws unwanted attention to himself. But that novel turned out to be disaster and was rejected by every agent I queried. However, the idea of being able to beat the odds remained intriguing yet elusive. Then one day I read about Nate Silver and his uncannily ability to accurately predict various phenomenon based on statistics. After all, this was what the 2011 Brad Pitt movie Moneyball was based on. Once I read about Silver, I knew the plot was much more believable.

        

Q: What influenced you to create a computer hacker protagonist than the usual medical professional?

A: There are several reasons. First, I don’t like being pigeonholed into the subgenre of “medical thriller.” In addition, it’s unbelievable to believe that a healthcare professional would have the computer expertise—or time—to pull off something like Arnold Gold does. More importantly, in doing my research for this story, I became fascinated with the Darknet and Internet security. I really wanted a way to weave this interesting information into a compelling story. So... a likeable computer hacker seemed to be a much more interesting character to develop than another neurosurgeons. I love Arnold Gold’s character and am really glad I settled on him.

Q:  Why Vegas? Have you always wanted to write a book with Sin City as the setting?

A:  When first developing the story I didn’t have any city in mind other than I knew Arnold lived in Seattle. (I love the city as a backdrop to stories.) I also knew Arnold wanted to get laid but was so uneasy about seeing an “escort” for this purpose, that it made sense for him to go someplace far from home where he’d be unlikely to run into anyone he knew. Given the reputation of Sin City, it just felt right to send him there.

Q:  Do you plan on writing more thriller books outside of the medical thriller genre?

A:  You bet. I like exploring topics dealing with computers and the Internet. I’m especially intrigued with hacking and the Darknet. My next book, Cutter’s Trial, however, is not a thriller and lands me right back in the medical arena because it explores the issue of physician assisted suicide. Having been involved in a couple start-up companies, I’m also toying with using that subject as a basis for a book, but I have nothing in development along these lines at the present time. We’ll see what happens.

Q:  Would you ever consider a sequel to this book?

A:  Glad you asked the question. Both Arnold Gold and Palmer Davidson are such wonderfully rich characters that Robert Astle (my agent) and I agree they are well-suited for a sequel. At the moment I’m busy writing Deadly Odds 2.0.

Q:  Do you think this book could be a movie? Who could you picture playing Arnold?

A:  Of all my prior thrillers, I think this one has the most cinematic potential. I’m lousy at casting, so if it were ever made into a movie (my wildest dream), I’d leave that choice to the producers.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Somebody

Somebody by Depeche Mode Lyrics by Martin Gore

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
She'll get my support
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general
Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
She will hear me out
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact she'll often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and with every breath
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like
I don't want to be tied
To anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear
Of those things
But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
I'll get away with it

I am so thankful that I found my "Somebody" 16 years ago. Today we are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary.  Here's to another 14 and many more. _________________________________________

Stillwater Rising by Steena Holmes

Stillwater Rising by Steena Holmes

262 pages, Paperback Published November 2014, Lake Union Publishing
Source: Sent by publisher for BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge, NetGalley
About the Book

After losing her son in an elementary school shooting that devastates the tight-knit community of Stillwater Bay, Jennifer Crowne finds herself unable to settle back into her role of perfect stay-at-home mom and committee organizer. Meanwhile, her best friend, Mayor Charlotte Stone, struggles to keep the town together, and Charlotte’s husband, the school principal, may not be the hero everyone thinks him to be.

As they try to heal from this irrevocable trauma, Jenn and Charlotte find themselves at a crossroads—within the town and within their friendship. For Jenn, broken and grieving, there is no going back, and she demands that the school be closed so that she can bury the past. Yet Charlotte is equally desperate to hold the town together, fighting the school closure and helping the shooter’s mother regain her place in the community. Jenn and Charlotte’s relationship is put to the ultimate test as each weighs her own interests against the bonds of their friendship.

My Review

Having a child who will one day be enrolled in public school made this a hard book to read. I kind of understood the pain the grieving parents are experiencing and the terror of sending their other kids back and also how some blamed the mother for her son's actions. I would like to think that I would be more forgiving and understanding, but wow, you never know how you would react if it was your own.

This was an interesting book, as it follows the characters months after the tragic shooting and not leading up to it or during.  This story is more about the town's reaction to the tragedy and how they survive it. Relationships are broken, friendships are strained and others become stronger.  I really enjoyed reading about these people and hoping they would be okay.

About the Author

Growing up as a small town Canadian girl, there wasn't much to do but ride your bike, hang out with friends on the beach and daydream. I always wanted to write but never dreamed it was something I could do as a career. I love to travel and fell in love with the sheep covered hillside, old castles and romantic history of Scotland and England. I dream about waking up in Tuscany and touring small town shops in the south of France with my husband, of placing my toes in the ocean and experiencing history first hand. As a mother with three daughters, I'm learning that teaching them to pursue their dreams is a lasting legacy. I love to wake up to the Rocky Mountains, will forever enjoy the taste of coffee and chocolate and can't imagine the day when a story doesn't unfold in my heart. Living a life with passion and pursuing dreams is a life well lived.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.