DIVINE VINTAGE by Sandra L. Young

Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Historical/Contemporary

4+ Sparklers, 292 pages

Blurb: Tess Burton is always up for a vintage adventure, and she’s risked her inheritance to open Divine Vintage clothing boutique. While modeling an elegant Edwardian trousseau gown, her mind is opened to a century-old crime of passion. Visions—seen through the eyes of the murdered bride—dispute local lore that claims the bridegroom committed the crime. Trey Dunmore doesn’t share her enthusiasm for mind-blowing visions, yet the appeal to clear his family’s tainted legacy compels him to join her in exploring the past. Aided by the dead woman’s clothing and diary, Tess and Trey discover that pursuing love in 1913 was just as thorny as modern day. As the list of murder suspects grows, the couple fears past emotions are influencing, and may ultimately derail, their own blossoming intimacy.

Thoughts: This was a sweet romance mystery with dual timelines – today and 100 years in the past. The “today” story is told through the eyes of Trey and Tess. The “past” one, through Phoebe and Steven.

Tess has always had an affinity for the past and psychic visions that seem to attach themselves to vintage clothing or objects, but when she tries on Phoebe’s gown, she doesn’t expect what happens—a vision that takes her into Phoebe’s world. Convincing stubborn Trey of what is happening is even harder, but with his grandmother’s help, she does and they embark on a road to discovery—to solve a 100 year-old murder.

While the descriptions and world building were done very well, I would have liked to have seen a little more about the characters of Tess and Trey. Not a lot, but more would have been nice. But that being said, the story itself is wonderfully done. Both timelines flowed together nicely without abrupt changeovers. And the elements of romance, mystery, paranormal, family issues, and more, were all woven together perfectly.

Recommendation: Definitely recommended. This book hits all the spots for mystery, romance, a bit of ghostliness, even PTSD challenges. For a little bit of everything with a satisfying ending, this one is a keeper.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

THE LIVER CURE: Natural Solutions for Liver Health to Target Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease, Autoimmune Diseases, Diabetes, Inflammation, Stress & Fatigue, Skin Conditions, and Many More by Russell Blaylock

Nonfiction, Selfhelp, Health, 368 pages

3***

Blurb: Protect your mighty liver! How it keeps you healthy – how to keep it healthy – why you need to act now! The liver is the most overlooked and misunderstood of all our body’s organs. Because of the sudden, potentially fatal consequences of heart attack and stroke, everyone’s attention is always focused on the heart or the brain, but without a healthy liver, you ultimately cannot survive; of all your organs, none does more for you than the liver. Still, until something goes wrong with the liver, it’s usually completely overlooked. Until now…The Liver Cure: Natural Solutions for Liver Health to Target Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease, Autoimmune Diseases, Diabetes, Inflammation, Stress & Fatigue, Skin Conditions, and Many More explains the major reasons why you need to take action NOW to protect your liver, because it is assaulted everyday by factors in our modern-day life. The liver is the site for the body’s most powerful detoxification, but over the years an unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle choices, and environmental toxics can take its toll on liver health.World renowned physician and author Dr. Russell Blaylock provides a comprehensive overview of the liver, and outlines the latest health information on the many dangers to your liver-health and what you can do to protect it, including:

• Why the Liver is Your Body’s Most Important Organ
• Your Liver’s Role in Disease
• The Dangers of Cancer, Cirrhosis, Hepatitis & Fatty Liver Disease
• Medication & Environmental Hazards
• Poor Lifestyle Choices that Will Hurt Your Liver
• The Best Exercise for Liver Health
• How to Follow a Pro-Liver Diet
• Transplant Options & Cautions

The Liver Cure offers natural remedies, lifestyle strategies and dietary solutions that can take your liver off overload to resolve a wide range of symptoms and conditions, along with the latest treatment solutions from conventional and alternative therapies to new scientific discoveries and interventions.

Thoughts: Read the title and the blurb. They pretty much tell you everything that’s in the book. What it doesn’t tell you is that the author gives you this information multiple times in multiple places in the book until it becomes rather repetitive. What I find interesting is that the author is a neurosurgeon and not a liver specialist. I’ve also seen a lot of reviews that say the book and subject matter are written so as to be easy to understand. Um, not exactly. He still uses a lot of terminology that is not easy to follow.

He explains exactly what the liver is and how it works. Then he goes into problems with the liver and what cause these problems. He is definitely against people using Tylenol and not so much in favor of things like statin drugs. He also talks about our western diet (which I agree with) being too high in sugar and saturated fats. Throughout the book, he promotes various nutritional supplements all of which he points toward a specific website for you to get them. It makes me wonder how much of a vested interest he has in this company. I’m not saying his suggestions are wrong, but I am curious.

The author gives you detailed information on various liver problems, their symptoms, things in our lives that cause some of these problems, and much more. There is a lot of information here—very well detailed and with suggestions on how to fix the problem. There are also suggestions on nutrition from food and he is in favor of diets like the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet.

Recommendation: If you have liver disease in your family or any one of another liver-related issues, I do suggest you pick this book up. There is a lot of good information here. But caveat emptor. There’s also a lot of repetition and pushing you toward a specific site and supplements. But I will say, there is an extensive listing in the back of the book on health sites where you can find information on various conditions.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

WHAT EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT HER GUT by Barbara Ryan, Elaine McGowan

Nonfiction, Self-help, Health, Diet

3***

Blurb: Digestive problems
* Bloating
* Diarrhea
* Constipation
* Pain
Do you identify with these symptoms? Does your digestive system feel like your enemy? Is your unpredictable gut a source of embarrassment, shame or fear? If you’re a woman who’s answered ‘yes‘ to any of the above, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of people with gut issues, including IBS, are female. And your needs are very specific.

YOU NEED: Clear, accessible information about and insight into what female hormones can do to gut health
YOU NEED:Expert guidance from a consultant gastroenterologist and a dietician and clinical nutritionist
YOU NEED: Stepped, manageable strategies to take control of your troublesome gut
YOU NEED: A diet plan that focuses on your specific requirements, which is flexible, achievableand sustainable
YOU NEED: Easy-to-follow recipes that are gut-friendly, delicious and restore your digestive health

Thoughts: As someone who has struggled with digestive issues all my life, I found this book interesting and informative—sometimes a little too informative. There is a lot of information here, some of it really technical and with anatomical pictures. It’s also a British book so Americans may have trouble deciphering spelling, definitions, and measurements. For instance what the heck is an aubergine? (It’s an eggplant) But, if there’s something you want to know about gut health, this is the place to look. They discuss IBS, Celiac, FODMAP, intolerances, allergies, and more. And the problems many have are not “all in your head” as we are so often told.

They include what they call a “FLAT Diet” with sample meal plans, shopping lists, etc. that you follow in order to help alleviate symptoms. But they stress, not everything works for everyone. The FLAT diet follows a point system making it adjustable to your circumstances and the authors stress multiple times that getting better has to be unique to each individual.

Recommendation: If you have been struggling with digestive issues, I suggest you pick this up as a place to start and discuss it with your GI. Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones who finds relief.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in hopes of receiving a review. All opinions are my own and not solicited by anyone.

10/4/22

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOWBIRDS by Donna Andrews

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 304 pages

4****

Blurb: Dashing Through the Snowbirds is the next merry installment of Donna Andrews’s New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow mystery series. Christmas in Caerphilly is wonderful! Unless you’re a Canadian whose inconsiderate boss is forcing you to spend the holiday there, far from family and friends, with only a slim chance of a white Christmas. Meg already has her hands full, trying to make the season festive for the dozen programmers who are staying with her and Michael while working on a rush project with her brother’s software company. At least it’s an interesting project, since the Canadian company is doing forensic genealogy and DNA analysis. When the inconsiderate boss is found murdered, there are too many suspects. Even before their Christmas in exile, his own employees had plenty of motives, and the growing number of people suing the company for faulty DNA analysis and invasion of their genetic privacy include at least one notorious murderer. Can Meg crack the case in time to keep the Yuletide bright?

Thoughts: It’s Christmas time in Caerphilly, VA. Meg’s mother has décorated the house to the rafters and her father has a super surprise for them all out in the back field that Meg has been keeping secret. But the biggest surprise was the crowd of Canadians who descended on her home. They were there to work on a major programming project with Meg’s brother and arrived with no notice – and all the hotels and B&Bs in town filled. Their boss is an overbearing, nasty person who expects everything handed to him on a silver platter and doesn’t care who he puts out as long as he gets his way.

So yeah, he’s the victim. But who is the murderer? That’s a question Meg helps solve. I have to say, I was pretty sure I knew who it was from the beginning so no surprise to me when I was right. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the story. I really did.

I’m coming into this story not having read any of the previous ones in the series. That might be a bit of a problem, but the author had a deft hand at letting you in on the background of the characters. I do know, though, that having read this one, I’m going to pick more up to pick up on some of the stuff I’m missing with the characters (and exactly how big is the house where Meg lives?). Yes, it was mildly confusing at times as to the setting and relationships of some of the people, but overall a very good story.

Recommendation: A definite cozy mystery purchase. The story was entertaining with a satisfying ending.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this ARC. I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

WITCH’S GAMBLE by Mark Rosendorf

Fiction, YA, Urban Fantasy

4****

Blurb: It’s been nearly two hundred years since Isis, Zack, and The Witches of Vegas saved New Salem from the Wiccan vampire, Valeria. Now, Isis is a vampire and the most powerful witch in the world. Zack is also a vampire, and the president of New Salem. They thought the threat was long behind them. But Valeria escaped into the past where she set history on a horrific path. Now, everything has changed around Isis. New Salem is destroyed, Valeria is queen of Earth, and no one has heard of Zack. To save reality, Isis must travel through time, reliving events from a history she barely recognizes, and find a way to set reality back on course. Not that she has any idea how to do that, or how to avoid the all-powerful Valeria in the process. Isis will face challenges she can’t possibly overcome, yet she must, or every single life from the past, present, and future is doomed.

Thoughts: I loved this book – maybe not quite as much as the second one, but still, it was really good. The characters are great, as is the world building. One thing you should definitely do before reading this book is read the first two books. Otherwise, you will be lost. I did read the other two first and I still got confused at times. But, that often happens with time-travel books. There are so many paradoxes in here… but this is a fantasy, not science fiction, so we’ll skip them.

This book takes place 200 years after the end of “Journey to New Salem”. Zack and Isis are still taking care of New Salem. A lot has changed in the world (nuclear war) but the people of New Salem are more-or-less safe. At least, that is until the specter of Valeria raises her evil head again. Only, this time, in order for Isis to fight her, she must figure out a way to go back in time.

I won’t give away any details, but there is a lot that happens in this story. A lot. Some of it made me cock my head and say “huh?” But the writing is well-done and pulls you along with Isis as she battles for the future of the world.

Recommendation: Yes, pick this book up! BUT… pick up the first two books in the series along with it, otherwise you won’t get the full effect of what is going on.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and the author, I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Birthdays: Elizabeth Montagu (1718), Wallace Stevens (1879), Graham Greene (1904), Jackie Finney (1911), Jan Morris (1926), Vernor Vinge (1944), Achmat Dangor (1948), Dan Santat (1975),

Wallace Stevens won the 1955 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry

Quote: “Book lovers will understand me, and they will know too that part of the pleasure

of a library lies in its very existence.” ― Jan Morris

“The great advantage of being a writer is that you can spy on people. You’re there, listening to every word, but part of you is observing. Everything is useful to a writer, you see – every scrap, even the longest and most boring of luncheon parties.” – Graham Greene

Tip: Don’t overuse exclamation points. Your words should convey the emotion so you don’t have to rely on them.

Jumpstart: You have been given the gift of crafting a new world. What would you leave out? What would you add?