The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Sophia Al-Maria

June 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Sophia Al-Maria
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Genre: Historical, Memoir, Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Award-winning filmmaker and writer Sophia Al-Maria’s The Girl Who Fell to Earth is a funny and wry coming-of-age memoir about growing up in between American and Gulf Arab cultures. With poignancy and humor, Al-Maria shares the struggles of being raised by an American mother and Bedouin father while shuttling between homes in the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East. Part family saga and part personal quest, The Girl Who Fell to Earth traces Al-Maria’s journey to make a place for herself in two different worlds.

Sophia is a young woman caught between two worlds. She was born in America to an American mother and a Bedouin father and goes back and forth between the Seattle area and the Middle East, specifically Qatar. Sophia’s comments on her experiences are brutally honest, at times humorous, and at others, tragic.

Her delightful insights allow readers to get a feel for what it is like growing up with two very different value systems pulling at her. She is strong, independent, and takes chances, based on her internal callings. Her father wishes for her to be more traditional, and when she lives with his family, she resents being constrained due to her gender and does something about it. Her father’s people are minorities in their own land though. Other more modern groups see them as “backwards,” and Sophia has to manage her feelings about this.

It is gripping to follow along and see how Sophia handles the cultural clashes and especially situations with young men. The other characters are so realistically drawn that readers can feel what Sophia feels in encountering and interacting with them. The author’s descriptions of the two worlds are stark and bring her point across well.

As Sophia grows up, goes to college in Egypt, and continuously tries find herself, readers will be entertained, surprised at times, and moved emotionally by the talented author telling her story.

This was an enjoyable book, and I would recommend it to others. I would definitely read more from this author.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Doctor on Call by Alla Shapiro, MD

May 28, 2021 By 1 Comment


Doctor on Call: Chernobyl Responder, Jewish Refugee, Radiation Expert by Alla Shapiro, MD
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Dr. Alla Shapiro was a first physician-responder to the worst nuclear disaster in history: the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine on April 26, 1986. Information about the explosion was withheld from first responders, who were not given basic supplies, detailed instructions, or protective clothing. Amid an eerie and pervasive silence, Dr. Shapiro treated traumatized children as she tried to protect her family. No protocols were in place because no one had anticipated the consequences of a nuclear accident. From the outset of the disaster, the Soviet government worsened matters by spreading misinformation; and first responders, including Alla, were ordered to partake in the deception of the public.

After years of persistent professional hostility and personal discrimination that she and her family experienced as Jewish citizens of the USSR, four generations of the Shapiro family fled the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. As émigrés, they were each allowed to take no more than 40 pounds of possessions and $90 in cash. Their escape route took them first to Vienna and then to Italy, where they were stranded as stateless persons for six months. Eventually the family received permission to enter the United States.

Motivated by her Chernobyl experiences, Alla Shapiro ultimately became one of the world’s leading experts in the development of medical countermeasures against radiation exposure. From 2003 to 2019, she worked for the FDA on disaster readiness and preparation. Dr. Shapiro issues stern warnings regarding the preparedness―or lack thereof―of America for the current Covid-19 pandemic. Doctor on Call exposes the horrifying truths of Chernobyl and alerts us to the deceptions that undermine our ability to respond to global disasters.

Dr. Alla Shapiro has written a poignant story about being a first responder during the Chernobyl crisis. She has also described her experiences as a Jewish refugee and immigrant to the United States. Readers are treated to an inside look at what really happened, and the writing draws one into the account.

One may be shocked at times to discover the bare facts. It is quite enlightening; though, Dr. Shapiro’s personal comments add depth to this story. Her struggles and the struggles of those she witnessed will tug at hearts.

When the doctor and her family move to the United States, they must get used to a new culture and language. Readers will get a good sense of what this is like. Dr. Shapiro does not let the tragedy at the Chernobyl plant and its aftermath keep her from continuing forth bravely. Her continued work in her field and cooperation with other experts is explained and is sure to bring hope to others. She brings such a personal touch to technical ideas that readers will be made to truly understand. She also makes a connection to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, linking it to modern events.

One will not only learn much from this book but will also probably enjoy doing so.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Hot Summer of 1968 by Viliam Klimáček (Author), Peter Petro (Translator)

May 27, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Hot Summer of 1968 by Viliam Klimáček (Author), Peter Petro (Translator)
Publisher: Mandel Vilar Press
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In 1968, the Czechoslovakian Communist Party introduced “socialism with a human face” — known as the Prague Spring, citizens of Czechoslovakia suddenly enjoyed new freedoms, among them, an uncensored press, an end to arbitrary wiretaps, and the right to travel without prior authorizations. However, the Soviet Union rejected these reforms and sent half a million Warsaw Pact troops and tanks to occupy the country. Every citizen was faced with the choice to leave or stay. In celebrating the identity of a people, its folklore, its beauty, and its vitality, Viliam Klimáček — Slovakia’s foremost novelist and playwright —tells the story of ten people enmeshed in this difficult moment in history and reveals the dramatic impact of these events on his characters and the lives of their families.

This voyage back to 1968 during an exceptional event is eye-opening and sure to inspire a variety of emotions. Communists in Czechoslovakia decide to try something new and liberating. Refreshing freedoms are granted to the people. For example, now there is freedom of the press and freedom of travel.

The Hot Summer of 1968 is a brilliant novel featuring a handful of Czechoslovakian citizens who experience the Soviet invasion. Tanks and troops roll in, and freedoms vanish. Now, people must make the heart-breaking decision of whether to stay under the repressive regime or leave their homeland forever.

Here we meet interesting characters such as Petra, the young doctor, Tereza, a young Jewish woman, or Józef, a pastor, and their families. All of them have their own troubles and face these difficult times with strength, endearing them to readers. Readers will likely follow their stories, wondering about their fates. The danger is palpable.

The descriptions of the cities make it clear how these people lived. The experiences of these characters as immigrants and refugees paint a vivid picture and is enlightening. Eastern Europe comes to life in this touching novel. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical and vintage true stories.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Instamom by Chantel Guertin

May 24, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Instamom by Chantel Guertin
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In this #funny, #wise, #emotionally compelling look at modern love and finding your true path, a proudly kid-free influencer meets the ultimate #dealbreaker . . .

It’s the influencer’s golden rule: know your niche. Kit Kidding has found hers on Instagram, where she gets paid to promote brands and share expertly curated posts about her fun, fabulous, child-free life. Kit likes kids just fine, but she passionately believes that women who choose not to become mothers shouldn’t have to face guilt. Or judgement. Or really hot chefs who turn out to be single dads.

Will MacGregor is aggravating, sexy, persistent, averse to social media, and definitely a bad idea. As soon as Kit learns his parenting status, she vows to put their scorching one-night stand behind her and move on. But Will and Kit are thrown together on an Instagram campaign, and the more time she spends with him—and his whip-smart, eight-year-old daughter, Addie—the more difficult it is to stay away, much less sustain what Will so cleverly calls her “Resting Beach Face.” Kit’s picture-perfect career path is suddenly clashing with the possibility of a different future—messy, complicated, and real. Which life does she truly want? Will she have to re-invent herself? And will love still be waiting by the time she figures it out?

Instamom is a fast-paced romantic story but so much more. Kit is a social-media influencer, posting pictures online that represent her supposedly wonderful, free life. Will is a professional chef. When the two meet, they are drawn to each other and have a steamy night.

This is a good thing for Kit. She does not want complications in her life. She’s a career woman who not only does not want children, but she is a leader and champions the cause of a child-free life to many women—has even written a book about it.

Kit really likes Will; then she discovers that he is a single dad and a widower. Disappointed, she decides that even though he is a great guy, his child makes this a no deal. Will manages to charm her anyway. Their interaction becomes ever more deep, passionate, and painful for them because Kit is adamant about remaining child-free.

How could this couple ever find happiness? Will challenges Kit’s phony online life, but Kit challenges Will as well. Added to this complexity is Kit’s relationship with Will’s daughter, Addie. A different type of turmoil is created as Kit has to interact with her. Afterall, Kit and Will have to work together for a while.

Kit’s friends and family add their two cents, and her exchanges with them reveal a lot about Kit’s values. Her ex-boyfriend, and his friend who wants more add tension to the story. There are ups and downs in this novel, and different types of love are explored.

It is a story about introspection, friendship, love, parenthood, careers, friendship, and facing one’s self to get at the truth. It is an entertaining story, and I would happily recommend it to others.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett

May 19, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett
A Detective by Day Mystery, 1
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

The Surprise Hit of the Season!

Actress Dayna Anderson’s Deadly New Role: Homicide Detective

Dayna Anderson doesn’t set out to solve a murder. All the semifamous, mega-broke actress wants is to help her parents keep their house. So after witnessing a deadly hit-and-run, she pursues the fifteen grand reward. But Dayna soon finds herself doing a full-on investigation, wanting more than just money―she wants justice for the victim. She chases down leads at paparazzi hot spots, celeb homes, and movie premieres, loving every second of it―until someone tries to kill her. And there are no second takes in real life.

Dayna is an actress looking for work and wanting to help her parents who are about to lose their home. One night when she’s out with friends, she sees a woman get hit by a car and killed. The driver flees. There is a large reward offered to find this person.

Set in Hollywood, the investigation begins. Dayna follows the leads and finds herself dealing with celebrities. She goes to the places they do and finds damning evidence. She calls a tip line leaving information about whom she believes is the killer. However, the story is just beginning. She got the wrong person and must continue her search. It seems fun at first, but then someone goes after her. Now it gets real.

Dayna is intelligent and spunky. Her sassy humor is great and adds layers to her characterization. It is enjoyable seeing things through her eyes. Watching her follow clues will spark one’s curiosity and creativity. Can the reader solve the crime before Dayna or the police?

Dayna makes a great amateur sleuth with strengths and charming flaws. Her friends make for good support or foils. They go about within this glamorous world, with its superficial values in order to achieve a commendable goal. Hollywood Homicide is compelling, and I would highly recommend it.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

May 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

So begins The Christmas Box, the touching story of a widow and the young family who moves in with her. Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, are hired as caretakers and are welcomed into the Victorian home of Mary Parkins, an elderly widow, just before the holiday season. As the relationship between Mary and the family develops we learn that Mary’s past sorrows are compelling her to share an important message with Richard. But will he understand her message in time? A heartwarming story of parental love, healing, and Christmas.

There is more to this story than meets the eye. In The Christmas Box, we meet Mary, a widow who makes her home in a Victorian mansion. A young married couple and their little girl move in to care for her, but there is a problem.
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Richard is driven to succeed in his career and spends a lot of time at work, away from his family. During this time, Mary brings Christmas magic into the little girl’s world. Many sense details bring the season to life. The fairy-tale mood is created.

Meanwhile, something happens at work, and Richard is hit hard with reality. What he hears is heart-breaking, and the incident is sure to tug at the emotions of readers.

An important lesson is learned, but the tale is enchanting and memorable. Love is an underlying theme that brings the story home.

The Christmas Box is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood

April 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Ava’s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood—one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.

Nevertheless, one should never rule out the possibility of a more serious condition. buying viagra Going Here Soon after for their effective results in erectile dysfunction, there are many other advantages over viagra buy online etc. Also people must know that this product has been successful in most of the cases. effects of cialis (5) Addiction to highly stimulating video watching or similar. I know for myself and my children when we catch a cold that we cannot seem to shake with order sildenafil normal over the counter medicine we are prescribed Zithromax or ZPack. Want to hear some great insights about a few classic books while hearing an entertaining tale in its own right? The Book that Matters Most follows the life of Ava, who has lost her decades-long marriage. Her husband ran off with another woman. Ava’s grown children have left the country to follow their own lives. Ava becomes a member of a book club, where each member is asked to choose a book that had changed their lives and discuss it.

Ava chooses one that touched her deeply after the childhood trauma of losing her sister and her mother. She must hunt this book down and also find the author. The story of this search reveals hidden depths to Ava, and she grows in the process. She is a sympathetic character to get behind.

The novel is enhanced by the story of her troubled daughter, Maggie, who is living in Paris with a man who is no good for her. Maggie finds herself in life-threatening situations. What will happen to her, and will she and her mother ever settle things between them?

Between the wonderful setting details of Paris and other places and the emotional ride readers go along, are discussions of classic books that have affected lives. This is a nice touch and adds a lot to the story. The theme of overcoming great odds adds more depth and suspense to the book. For a contemporary woman’s story, this one will satisfy many a reader.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Tumor by John Grisham

March 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller by John Grisham
Publisher: Focused Ultrasound Foundation
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

John Grisham says THE TUMOR is the most important book he has ever written. In this short book, he provides readers with a fictional account of how a real, new medical technology could revolutionize the future of medicine by curing with sound.

THE TUMOR follows the present day experience of the fictional patient Paul, an otherwise healthy 35-year-old father who is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Grisham takes readers through a detailed account of Paul’s treatment and his family’s experience that doesn’t end as we would hope. Grisham then explores an alternate future, where Paul is diagnosed with the same brain tumor at the same age, but in the year 2025, when a treatment called focused ultrasound is able to extend his life expectancy.

Focused ultrasound has the potential to treat not just brain tumors, but many other disorders, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, hypertension, and prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.
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For more information, you can visit The Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s website. Here you will find a video of Grisham on the TEDx stage with the Foundation’s chairman and a Parkinson’s patient who brings the audience to its feet sharing her incredible story of a focused ultrasound “miracle.”

Readers will get a taste of the narrative they expect from Grisham, but this short book will also educate and inspire people to be hopeful about the future of medical innovation.

The name John Grisham is sure to catch eyes; however, this work, The Tumor, is completely unrelated to his previous books. Grisham states that this is his most important work. He presents the case of a family man born in 1980 who develops brain cancer, and his story is a sad one. Next, Grisham rewinds the tale in a fascinating way and asks the question, What if this man had been born ten years later?

In a form of reimagined history, he goes through this man’s altered history, one that is brighter due to his updated birth year. How is this so? Well, a new medical procedure is available to this man of a later generation: focused ultrasound.

This medical technology is real. Grisham offers this story to give patients hope. He explains through the use of a fictional man’s story how his life would change through the use of the new technology. He would live longer, his ordeal in the hospital would be quicker and easier, and he would save a lot of money.

This is a quick story but an interesting one. It is bringing to light a new medical breakthrough that people could ask their doctors about.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Shadows on the Koyukuk by Sidney Huntington as told to Jim Rearden

March 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native’s Life Along the River by Sidney Huntington as told to Jim Rearden
Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books
Genre: History, Non-fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

“I owe Alaska. It gave me everything I have.” Says Sidney Huntington, son of an Athapaskan mother and white trader/trapper father. Growing up on the Koyukuk River in Alaska’s harsh Interior, that “everything” spans 78 years of tragedies and adventures. When his mother died suddenly, 5-year-old Huntington protected and cared for his younger brother and sister during two weeks of isolation. Later, as a teenager, he plied the wilderness traplines with his father, nearly freezing to death several times. One spring, he watched an ice-filled breakup flood sweep his family’s cabin and belongings away. These and many other episodes are the compelling background for the story of a man who learned the lessons of a land and culture, lessons that enabled him to prosper as trapper, boat builder, and fisherman.
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This is more than one man’s incredible tale of hardship and success in Alaska. It is also a tribute to the Athapaskan traditions and spiritual beliefs that enabled him and his ancestors to survive. His story, simply told, is a testament to the durability of Alaska’s wild lands and to the strength of the people who inhabit them.

Sidney Huntington is half Athapaskan and half Caucasian and lives off the land in the interior of Alaska. Life there is harsh and demanding with the temperature commonly being well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. His story is a giant adventure filled with little slice of life vignettes.

At age five, the oldest of three children, his mother died while his father was away. This five-year-old has nowhere to turn and has to survive and help his younger siblings survive as well. At one point, a bear was dragging away his baby sister by her diaper.

This true story entertains while educating on the reality of living under such circumstances. Sidney is a likeable character, and smart. It is a wonder to read about how he gets out of many difficult situations. Readers are also graced with cultural insights. This book is a great look into another culture. I would recommend this to anyone interested in learning about other places.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald

March 4, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Do No Harm by Christina McDonald
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Emma loves her life. She’s the mother of a precocious kindergartener, married to her soulmate—a loyal and loving police detective—and has a rewarding career as a doctor at the local hospital.

But everything comes crashing down when her son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Determined to save him, Emma makes the risky decision to sell opioids to fund the life-saving treatment he needs. But when somebody ends up dead, a lethal game of cat and mouse ensues, her own husband leading the chase. With her son’s life hanging in the balance, Emma is dragged into the dark world of drugs, lies, and murder. Will the truth catch up to her before she can save Josh?

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Nate decides to crack a case so he could get a promotion to be better able to pay the escalating hospital bills. The trouble is that he must investigate Emma’s brother and try to bring down a drug ring in their town. Many people have been dying from overdoses. He is a complex character and extremely likeable. He has must face demons from his past as he tries to solve the case facing him.

Emma is great—at first. She is a desperate mom who will do anything to save her child. How does one go about getting a large sum of money in a short time? She enters a world she thought she never would and becomes darker in the process. She constantly faces hard decisions and does despicable things, for a good cause—to save her child. However, does the end justify the means? That is the big question, the point of the book. Her character is well drawn as well, and her demons from the past are even greater than Nate’s. By the end, readers will either understand her decisions or hate her. The secondary characters are described enough so that we understand even their motivations.

Tension constantly builds in this nail-biting drama. Emma tries to keep her activities away from her husband, and it is getting ever more difficult.

Other themes come into play: family, friendship, right versus wrong, health care, and addiction. These themes are treated with sensitivity and respect and offer readers much to think about. The decisions are complex, for all the major characters.

Christina McDonald has done a great job writing an entertaining book while giving it depth. I recommend this book for those who want a page turner with substance.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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