The very first thing I noticed about this book is how absolutely stunning it is! In additYou can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
The very first thing I noticed about this book is how absolutely stunning it is! In addition to the gorgeous photos on the cover, the entire book is printed on heavy, quality paper and has a definitely gift-worthy feel. On the inside, the photography is just as beautiful. But if you’re expecting page after page of greens salads, you’ll be surprised. Yes, there are plenty of ripe, beautiful veggies, but it doesn’t end there. We’re talking gorgeous loaves of bread, soups, desserts, and mains that you will actually want to eat. If you’re like me, though, you might wonder, at first, how it’s possible to eat all of those things while losing weight.
As it turns out, Karina Melvin’s philosophy focuses more on the how and why of eating vs. the heavy emphasis on what that seems to dominate much of today’s current diet culture. If you, like me, have grown fatigued with hearing about no carb/gluten/fat/nut/seed/evil-food-of-the-moment diets, you’ll find Artful Eating to be a welcome departure.
This book doesn’t promise a one-size-fits all magic solution. There is work to be done. Much of the book is devoted to exercises and activities to help us understand why we develop unhealthy patterns and how we can change them. Ms. Melvin helps us connect all of those things with daily practices that make staying on track a little easier. She approaches this from both the psychological and practical sides.
I love that she covers some very basic, general cooking topics such as how to stock your pantry and “how to roast”. The recipes she includes are simple and look delicious. There is something to be said for a going back to basics. For most of us with busy work and/or family lives, it’s not practical to have to shop at six different grocers to obtain ingredients and then go home and spend two or three hours preparing a meal. I can’t wait to try the Roast Chicken and there isn’t a single recipe in the book that was unappealing or overly complicated. Almost all take under 30 minutes start to finish. (I’m currently recovering from hand surgery but BOLO for pics of recipes I try on my Instagram account after I can once again use both hands at the end of July.)
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes. If you are open to exploring your relationship with yourself and with food, I think this practical, common-sense approach could be of great help.
4.5/5 stars
Many thanks to Black & White Publishing and Bookcollective for providing me with a free copy of this book in change for an honest review. ...more
I’ve been chewing on this review for days and I’m sure I won’t do this one justice. How dYou can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
I’ve been chewing on this review for days and I’m sure I won’t do this one justice. How do you put into words a story that makes your heart heavy with sorrow and full of love, joy, and compassion at the same time? I’d have a hard time formulating an answer the question “what is it about?”. I keep ending up with some sort of grammatically incorrect, run-on gibberish that goes something like this: It’s about this woman’s life, only she wasn’t born in a woman’s body, whose parent’s were horribly abusive but somehow she maintains this amazing level of dignity through all of these shitty things that happen to in her life, and not only that but she goes on to run this very successful and interesting business where she employs all of the empathy and compassion she was either born with or has acquired because of her experiences (probably both) to help other people who are at or near rock bottom when they need her services. Or she cleans up the messes their dead bodies make.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I’ll try to make my thoughts a little more coherent. The Trauma Cleaner is a beautifully written story about Sandra Pankhurst, owner of Specialized Trauma Cleaning Services (STC) in Australia. The chapters alternate between Sandra’s personal story and those of a few of her clients. Sandra’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. One should be prepared to read, or in my case listen to, some very disturbing details. It’s been decades since I read A Child Called It, and while I don’t recall all of the details of that book, I recall parts of it making me feel quite similarly.
I really don’t want to say much more about Sandra’s story or that of her clients. That is for the reader to discover. What I’d like to tell you about is what makes this story so special and why I grew so fond of Sandra and the author, Sarah Krasnostein.
First, this book is filled with empathy and respect. Hoarders, sex workers, LGBTQIA, those with behavioral health issues, and every other marginalized or otherwise disenfranchised person or group mentioned in this book is spoken of with tenderness and respect.
Second, and this is very me-specific, I really liked and identified with Sandra. She reminded me of bits and pieces of my grandmother, myself, and a few my favorite nurse/healtcare co-workers over the years. As a matter of fact, I found her to be as much, if not more, a carer than a cleaner. She really has a gift of relating to all kinds of people in the way that works for them. She uses candor, humor, and when needed, tough love. She would be an excellent nurse herself.
I’m really very glad that I listened to The Trauma Cleaner I think I was even more engaged than if I’d been reading it. Rachael Tidd was an excellent narrator.
I didn’t do any research on Sandra prior to completing my listen and I’m glad I didn’t. After I was through, I did some Googling and found some great articles and interviews. I’m not including links because I think it’s better to go in not knowing much beyond the blurb but wanted to mention that they are out there.
** This book contains graphic descriptions of child abuse and (adult) sexual abuse.**
Don't forget to visit my Intsagram account for the change to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Open internationally as long as I can convert UDS and send you an e-gift card....more
In celebration of this being my third consecutive 5-star audiobook review, I'm running a giveaway for a 3 month Audible subscription on my my InstagraIn celebration of this being my third consecutive 5-star audiobook review, I'm running a giveaway for a 3 month Audible subscription on my my Instagram account through 11:59pm 6/25/18. Good luck!
I seem to be on quite a roll when it comes to audiobooks lately. I'm beginning to know straightaway if it's going to work or not. One of the things I love about Audible is that if it isn't, I can exchange the book, free of charge, for another. Fortunately, I haven't had to do that in a while. West Cork is my third five-star audiobook in a row.
I first heard about this book while standing in one of the many, many, many looooong lines I stood in at Book Expo. I happened to be standing next to a young man who works for Audible and we started chatting about audiobooks. I mentioned that I'd just heard some great things about West Cork and that I was considering using one of my subscription credits to listen to it. I must've skimmed over the synopsis because I was under the impression that it was a work of fiction. He explained that it was nonfiction and that I should think of it as a series of podcast episodes presented by the investigative journalists who sought answers to questions surrounding the unsolved murder of a young woman in a remote Irish seaside town. Though I don't read a lot of nonfiction, I do watch a lot of true crime on Investigation Discovery. That, coupled with the young man's (I wish I could remember his name. I'm just awful with names.) genuine enthusiasm for the story, the journalists, and the atmosphere of West Cork motivated me to give it a go.
West Cork is the story of the unsolved murder of Sophie Tuscan du Plantier and how it affected the peaceful town of West Cork, Ireland. It has all the hallmarks of a great thriller—a beautiful, wealthy, and mysterious victim, a brutal crime scene, questionable investigative practices, and a suspect who is either the most wrongly accused man who ever was or a narcissistic murderer who loves bringing attention upon himself. The townspeople provided a unique cast of characters as you might expect in any small, close-knit towns all over the globe. Nosy neighbors, surly pub-goes, artsy types—none wanted to believe that this heinous killing could have been committed by one of their own. It would have been preferable to have found it had been carried out by one of the blow-ins—the name given to people who appeared to come from nowhere to settle in West Cork for the benefit of isolation and anonymity.
I was fascinated by the forensics which were somewhat limited by the techniques available in 1996, the local Gardaí's knowledge of how to employ them, and the remote location of the murder. The ensuing investigation and various court proceeds held my attention and made me long for the resolution that would have been possible had this been a work of fiction.
In many ways listening to West Cork felt like watching a show on ID. Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde were excellent narrators and I loved listening to them conduct interviews and informal chats with all of the interested parties including Ms. du Plantier's family members, the suspect, the townspeople, and even the Gardaí. I was quite impressed with the access they'd been given. It speaks to their level of credibilty and what appears to be their genuine drive to help solve this murder.
I absolutely loved the soundtrack. I would've never imagined it could have such an effect on my experience. It provided an edge-of-the-seat sense of urgency and yet was beautiful at the same time. And it definitely helped boost the creepy factor as I was listening while running on quiet, rural roads...
I would definitely recommend West Cork to anyone who loves true crime or mystery/thriller fiction. I hope that Mr. Bungey and Ms. Forde go on to produce similar works in the future as I'd certainly love to give a listen.
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for You All Grow Up and Leave Me. I was immediately dYou can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for You All Grow Up and Leave Me. I was immediately drawn in by the blurb and cover. The true crime buff in me couldn’t resist this book about a young women’s experience with Gary Wilensky, a child predator who preyed on the young of Manhattan’s elite families in the 1990’s.
I have to be honest. This book is a tough one for me to review. There were many things that I really liked about it. For example, the pacing was steady. I always love books set in Manhattan, particularly in the 1980’s and 90’s. Ms. Weiss author is very open, honest, and introspective. I have a great deal of respect for anyone who can bare their soul in the ways that she does. This book provides a very unique look into how a criminal like Wilensky was able victimize a young girl, even as she grew into a woman, despite the fact that she was not his “victim” in the sense that he never physically or sexually assaulted her.
Though I appreciated the author’s perspective, and the honesty with which she’s shared it, I must admit that I had some difficulty relating to her feelings and her ongoing preoccupation with Wilensky. The book’s description calls it “highly unsettling”. For me, this is spot-on. There were parts that made me, what I can only describe as, uncomfortable.
Based on the blurb, I was expecting to hear more about the actual case. I would have liked to read more about what the police uncovered about him. Although I suppose it’s possible, it’s difficult to believe he hadn’t gone beyond grooming his potential victims prior to the incident that ended with his suicide. I also expected there to be a bit more emphasis on Wilensky’s relationship with the victim know as The Daughter and what the impact to her life has been. The author did note that she requested an interview with her and was turned down.
I don’t normally say this about memoirs, or most nonfiction for that matter, but I think this would be an excellent book club selection. It’s one of those that will inspire lively discussion and debate, for sure!
3.5/5 stars
Thanks to TLC Book Tours and William Morrow for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Unspeakable by Chris Hedges is the first book in the “Unspeakable” series by Hot Books/Skyhorse PubYou can read all of my reviews at Lit.Wit.Wine.Dine
Unspeakable by Chris Hedges is the first book in the “Unspeakable” series by Hot Books/Skyhorse Publishing. The series will provide a platform for writers, thinkers, and activists who have been marginalized, criticized, and otherwise silenced by the powerful mainstream media.
Hedges has an extensive, impressive, and credible resumé as a journalist. He’s the son of a Presbyterian minister, educated at some of the finest institutions in the county, from Loomis Chafee to Harvard. He is clearly a very, very intelligent man. He is also a very opinionated man with very strong convictions. In reading this book, it became easy to understand how someone like Chris Hedges could upset apple carts. What is less easy to understand is how and why any journalist, living and working within an institution that exists to promote the transparency and dissemination of information, can be so easily cast aside. (Remember, we are talking about a well-respected intellectual; one of a group of 8 to win a Pulitzer prize at the New York Times.) The answer, of course, becomes clear in this book.
There didn’t seem to be any subjects off limits. From the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to 9/11, from Trump to pornography, and racism to the Occupy Movement, it’s all there. And while I didn’t necessarily agree with all of his opinions, I came to respect and admire him as a principled person, unwilling to cave or conform in order to retain the favor of those operating within a system he holds in contempt.
This book was formatted as a dialog between Mr. Hedges and fellow journalist David Talbot. While that made for a little bit of jumping from subject to subject, I felt it worked very well in terms of conveying the candor of the conversation. It also made for great pacing. The only issue I had, and it may be one specific to me, is that I was unfamiliar with several of the names mentioned throughout the book; mostly journalists. I don’t feel that that impacted my overall experience in reading the book, however. I simply had to do a little Googling.
This is a very timely read given our post-election political climate. I love the idea of this series. I’m a firm believer that you shouldn’t be too secure in your opinions if you haven’t taken the time to listen to those who differ.
4.5/5 stars
Many thanks to Hot Books/Skyhorse Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Amber Tozer is super-funny, brutally honest comedian who has bravely chosen to share hTo read more of my reviews please go to Lit. Wit. Wine and Dine.
Amber Tozer is super-funny, brutally honest comedian who has bravely chosen to share her story of alcoholism and recovery with the world. If you’re thinking this is another super-heavy memoir that will leave you feeling nothing but depression and pity, just take a look at the cover. That sick figure version of Amber makes frequent appearances throughout the book…
In a very real and funny way, Amber Tozer shares how and why she first began drinking, how her drinking became out of control, her struggles to gain control, and finally, how she was able to get sober. And there are also several funny stories about urine. And a few other funny (funny haha and funny odd) stories that have little or nothing at all to do with urine.
It’s refreshing to hear another human being share their insecurities and worst moments with such candor and humor.There’s no blame game being played here (though the author did have some difficult moments in her childhood). And though I got the sense that she definitely had some regrets about some of the things that occurred while she was drinking, this isn’t a preachy book about redemption or regret and self-loathing. I got the sense that she was sharing her story to make people smile and to help others who may be having a difficult time.
Sober Stick Figure was a quick, page-turning, one-day read for me.
4.5/5 stars
Thanks to Running Press via NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Loved this book! Please check out my review on my blog . (I'm being lazy because I would have to do some reformatting for GR. I hope you'll humor me tLoved this book! Please check out my review on my blog . (I'm being lazy because I would have to do some reformatting for GR. I hope you'll humor me this one time.)...more
Full disclosure: I own a Newf. Therefore, there was little to no chance this book was getting less than five stars no matter what. But I'm happy to saFull disclosure: I own a Newf. Therefore, there was little to no chance this book was getting less than five stars no matter what. But I'm happy to say those five stars are well-deserved! I read this book in less than a day. It's a fast-feel good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Colin Campbell was a man who'd hit a rough spot in life. His wife, the love of his life, left him suddenly and with no explanation. Truly devastated, he buried himself in work and picked up a few bad habits. He was still having a great deal of difficulty moving on when, months later, a coworker suggested he get a dog. Fortunately for all involved, this coworker was quite persistent (a role I myself have played many times), pointing him to Petfinder to find his doggie love match. And there he finds Kong (a name change was obviously in his future), a one hundred forty pound Landseer Newfoundland who'd had his own share of bad luck. Everything was about to change for both of them.
Without giving too many details of the story, I'll say it's a beautiful one, told with humor and honesty. The classic who-saved-who story that happens so frequently in rescue mixed with some very George/Colin-specific elements that are quite unique! I thought I knew what a "free day" was but I'll never again hear the expression without thinking of how it is defined in this book, as told to the author by his beloved grandfather. I highly recommend this book, especially to dog lovers.
And for those of you who are not fortunate enough to own an oofa-newf, and who may think the author is exaggerating in his telling of George's compulsion to "save" everyone in the water, here is a little video of my girl Belle. (She's ashamed of her short haircut so please, if you see her, don't mention it.) In it she is "saving" Jerry, the Labrador Retriever who DOES NOT NEED SAVING. Labs, as you may know, are very competent swimmers. It's a little long so if you want to fast forward, the "BIG RESCUE" comes at about 20 seconds prior to the end.
5/5 stars
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, via NetGalley, for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Thanks to Penguin House/Avery via NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I admit that I was excited, really excited, when I heard about this book. After reading all 544 pages, I found myself more than a little let down. I was expecting to read about new research, treatment/therapy options, and ways for families to support one another and the autistic person they help care for. The book was largely about the history of autism and ASD morphing into the clinical diagnosis and diagnostic criteria we know today. The history was just dry. Lots of people (clinicians, parents, advocates, etc.) discussed, sometimes too many at one time. Though the Nazi experimentations and eugenics histories were appropriately horrifying, I'd read about them before. I was really hoping for new news.
Though there were some histories of persons and families that I could connect to, I didn't feel as though I had really learned anything after reading this book. Yes, many people in the past (and present, I'm sure) have been misdiagnosed and overlooked which (at least perhaps partially) accounts for more recent diagnostic spikes. Yes, people with ASD are making and have made amazing contributions in our society. Especially in the areas of technology and the arts. Yes, we should focus more time, money, and energy on identifying services helpful to individuals and families and making them accessible to all. Again, this is just not new news.
Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine)
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