Reader's Loft

Atherton series

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:39:00 +0000

The Atherton series is a trilogy by Patrick Carman.

The story follows Edgar who lives on a satellite planet designed to create a new place for people to settle on as Earth dies. Atherton is made up of three levels which divides the people into differing social classes and he dares to scale the cliffs to reach another. Earthquakes begin to transform Atherton by flattening out each level causing the people to either work together or fight amongst themselves. Edgar discovers information about the true creation of Atherton that is unsettling.

The other two books take you into the depths of Atherton and to Earth to discover the true origins of Atherton's creation.

I enjoyed reading the series even though I didn't really appeal to me at first. The second book was my least favorite but it is a necessary bridge to the third story. The story is more sci-fi than fantasy. The books are young adult but they do have some violence. I could see this appealing to some teenagers.

Book Rating: 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Lady Almina and the real Downton Abbey

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:25:00 +0000

Downton Abbey has received a lot of buzz as the hottest BBC television show to emerge in recent years. The rich historical drama is nothing more than a soap opera with the rich wrappings of the British upper class. The television show is filmed in Highclere castle and draws inspiration from some of its previous inhabitants.

One of those previous inhabitants was Lady Almina Countess of Carnarvon. And like the television show, there is a hushed scandal when Almina marries the Count. But what draws viewers to the television is more than the occasional scandal. There is intense interest in seeing how the upper class lives in comparison to the lives of those that they employ. That upstairs-downstairs story. This book contains details of what it was like to live as or work for the upper class of late Victorian and Edwardian England.

The most surprising and most interesting part of the book is not about Lady Almina. She made huge contributions to the war effort of World War I, establishing two hospitals and hiring medical staff. It was the details of World War I were interesting and revealing. The transformation of England from the Victorian to the modern era and how that effects the people of Highclere was fascinating. The story of her husband Lord Carnarvon and his discovery of King Tut's tomb was equally fascinating.

The book does not get bogged down in endless biographical details. It sets the mentioned individuals in their historical context. The story wraps up shortly after the death of Lord Carnarvon and how the family members moved on. I appreciated this because it made the book an easy read. I had hoped for more photographs, especially since the author describes photographs which were not included. Still, there is enough of a look into the family's life with what is included.

Book Rating: 5 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Suicide by Sugar

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:08:00 +0000

The news headlines take turns blaming one food after another for society's health problems. This last week it was salt. In years past it was eggs and butter. Sometimes its sugar or the new favorite wheat. It would be easy to say all these people are delusional or just plain wrong. The more that I've read about food and nutrition, the more I can see that its not so simple. It would also be foolish to make dietary decisions on one person's authority. Still, none of these studies or nutrition experts are necessarily wrong. Salt is a problem and so is sugar. Eggs and butter can cause some problems in excess. The average person is left to wonder what food path to follow with so much conflicting information.

Nancy Appleton makes her case against sugar in her book Suicide by Sugar. According to her, all of our modern day health problems such as diabetes and obesity can be blamed on excess sugar consumption. She goes as far as listing 140 separate health conditions that have documented sugar being a contributing factor. To her credit her documentation is extensive - 17 pages of references. She makes a pretty convincing argument against sugar and recommends that we should all eliminate it from our diet.

A section of the book is devoted to specific health conditions with a more firm causal relationship. Specifically she looks at diabetes, hypoglycemia and epilepsy. Unfortunately she doesn't explore the conditions nor their connection to sugar in as much depth as I had hoped.

The final part of the book details how to change your diet. The dietary recommendations have a great deal of similarity between a Paleo or a healthy gluten free diet made up of mostly vegetables, fruit, and lean meats. With these recommendations she is not far removed from her nutrition peers.

The book is an interesting read though she hammers in her point of view with statements like, "Sugar is bad." on nearly every page. I don't think she is wrong in her diet recommendations, but the presentation relays the impression of a vast conspiracy to dupe Americans into becoming addicted to sugar. Even if some of that is true, it leaves the reader with a dubious feeling. Finally, the book is a promotion piece designed to sell test kits for what she believes will reveal a body's homeostatis.

Book rating: 3 stars. Yes, dump/reduce sugar consumption, but please don't beat me over the head about it.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

An abundance of Katherines

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:52:00 +0000

This book by John Green has long been on my "to-read" list and I finally got around to it. Colin Singleton, recent high school graduate, has just broken up with his girl friend named Katherine. The problem is that all his past girl friends were also named Katherine. Colin, a bit of a mathematical prodigy, sees a pattern to this and sets out to figure out a theorem for true love.

Throw in a post-high school graduation road trip for self discovery with Colin's best friend and you have the setting for the story. Colin struggles for most of the book with proving his theorem only to discover the most critical factor is not what he thinks it is. There are a few laugh out loud funny parts. It is a quick read, and a bit predictable. There is some crude and suggestive language, so this book is for older teens.

John Green is known for writing deep, introspective stories (Searching for Alaska), which I haven't read. I'm not sure this book is all that introspective.

Book rating: 3 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Raising Atlantis

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Raising Atlantis by Thomas Greanis is a sci-fi thriller that explores the idea of finding Atlantis in the Antarctica. Dr. Conrad Yeats and Dr. Serena Serghetti are recruited to find Atlantis. Serghetti is a former nun turned activist recruited by the Pope and Dr. Yeats is an archaeologist. Upon their arrival to Antarctica, they quickly become involved in a conflict with competing factions who wish to exploit the discovery of a buried city. As the city is exposed, it's true origins become clear and threaten a global catastrophe that will change everything.

The story is fast paced and exciting, but thoroughly predictable. Star Gate SG-1 and Atlantis (among others) have also played around with these same ideas. So the big revelation at the end was ho-hum. I did finish the story, which leaves you hanging. I'm not sure when or if I will get to the rest of the series.

Book rating: 2 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Shadow Children series

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:45:00 +0000

The Shadow Children series, written by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is a dystopian young adult series. The titles include:

Among the hidden
Among the imposters
Among the betrayed
Among the brave
Among the enemy
Among the free

The series starts with Among the Hidden. Luke is an illegal second child. His parents have kept him hidden since he was born. He is not allowed to go outside or to school. He must stay home alone while his older brother goes to school and his parents work. He views his world carefully through window blinds, until he notices something he shouldn't at a neighbors house. Soon he learns there are many illegal second children and an underground resistance.

The following books in the series follow the stories of Luke and other second children as they fight for their freedom. I liked this story and read through it pretty quickly. There was one standout paragraph that made me think. I can't remember which book it was in, but Luke asks an adult character why they let things get so bad and why they don't fight back. He tells Luke that the adults gradually let things change for the worse and are now afraid to fight. They have messed things up so badly that it is up to the children to save them.

Book ratings: 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

My Antonia

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:32:00 +0000

My Antonia by Willa Cather is a classic American novel. Cather tells the story of Jim Burden and Antonia Shimerda. Jim is sent to live with his grandparents in Nebraska after being orphaned and Antonia arrives with her parents from Bohemia. The story is told through Jim's point of view. We see the harsh realities of living on the prairie while trying to scratch a living from the dirt. We are given the constant contrast between town and country living, growing up and facing the consequences of our choices. Both characters make choices, some sad and others life altering. This is not a love story per se, but both characters share an affection and caring for each other despite the life choices each make.

While reading this story I kept hoping Antonia and Jim would end up together. Instead, the reader is given more and perhaps a true depiction of what life was like during the time. You grow to care for the characters and there are times when you wish you could reach into the book and make them choose differently. While the story ends differently than one would expect, it is still satisfying.

Book rating: 5 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Wives and daughters

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:19:00 +0000

It may be sacrilege to say this but I think Elizabeth Gaskell is a better writer than Jane Austen. I like both authors but Gaskell's writing is more mature with greater depth. I read this book after seeing the excellent BBC adaptation.

Molly Gibson's father, a widower, remarries not only for love but for the sake of his daughter. But Molly is concerned about her father's new wife. The new Mrs. Gibson is a refined governess, but tends to be a bit silly. Molly struggles to love her new mother while caring for aging neighbors - with handsome, available sons. Mrs. Gibson pushes Molly toward attachments which cannot happen. Secrets abound on all sides and the journey is truly rewarding.

This is Gaskell's last book, barely finished before her death. Some editions of the story wrap up Molly's story (especially the movie) and others leave you hanging. I love the dialogue and witticisms in the story. There were various passages that made me laugh out loud and others that made me think. The movie does not take too many liberties with story and even pulls dialogue directly from the books. It did take me a long time to read the book because I already knew the story. Still, it is well worth it.

Book and movie rating: 5 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Partials

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Partials by Dan Wells is a young adult dystopian story. The earth has been wiped out by engineered humans and a virus. Humans who have survived both the conflict and the virus are huddled together on Long Island trying to survive. Unfortunately, no newborn children are immune to the virus and die shortly after birth. Kira and her friends live with ever increasing restrictions including mandatory pregnancy laws. Kira and her friends search for freedom and answers with surprising twists.

I liked this story and read it very quickly. The dystopian themes are familiar and follow similar young adult fiction trends (Hunger Games and Crossed). But I liked this one better. I'm looking forward to the next book which comes out Feb 2013.

Book Rating: 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The end of illness

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:52:00 +0000

Dr. David B. Agus makes a rather bold claim with the title of his book, The End of Illness. Agus discusses health topics that have been recent headliners. Supplements versus nutrition, inflammation, exercise, statins (which he heavily endorses), and healthy living.

I expected a bit more from this book. It did make me think about these health topics but as a whole, it does not really end illness. His discussion about inflammation and supplements versus nutritious food was interesting. Inflammation is a serious issue. On one hand it is the body's warning and repair system. On the other hand, inflammation can cause permanent damage. His strong endorsement that everyone should take statins is rather suspect and ironic considering that negative reports (for statin use) came out almost simultaneously with the book.

Underlying all this, the author is really promoting his various medical business ventures. He does talk about some of it, which includes some interesting research, but it does cause one to question the true purpose of this book.

Book rating: 2 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Doctors

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

I think for most of us, we take our doctors for granted (ignoring what it costs these days). We expect them to patch up scrapes and solve medical mysteries. If we only understood their training and how doctors have evolved over time, we can better understand how to communicate with them. Doctors: the illustrated history of medical pioneers by Sherwin B Nuland provides a great deal of insight into the subject.

The book is a large coffee table size book, which is unfortunate because it may discourage some from reading this. It is beautifully illustrated and printed on glossy paper. Each chapter is organized chronologically starting from the earliest known records of Hippocrates to modern times. It would be impossible to include every major advancement for 2,000 years, so the book just has highlights. The early history chapters were rather dull, but each successive chapter became increasingly more interesting. I loved the chapter on the discovery of the stethoscope and the development of pediatric cardiology. There are nuggets of information that I gleaned that helped me to see doctors in a new light.

Just a few caveats with this book. The author does share his opinions and interpretations rather freely which may be off putting. He has a definite point of view about the political and religious influences on medicine, which are mostly negative. If you can look past or disregard his opinions, then the book is a standout. Also, Dr. Nuland is a surgeon and there is an emphasis on surgery related history in the later chapters.

Book rating: 5 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Career color match

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:29:00 +0000

Career color match by Shoya Zichy is a variation of the personality profiles created by Myers-Briggs. In this case, Zichy assigns colors to personality profiles and then links them to possible careers. You take a quiz which helps you identify your dominant personality and a second. Because the author does base her information a pretty strong foundation (Myers-Briggs), the career matches are surprising accurate - at least for me. My interests matched my personality profile very well. They also did when I took a Myers-Briggs evaluation. Zichy's presentation may be more approachable than others.

The book takes very little time to use. You only read the sections which apply to your personality. The book may be useful to someone in school or to someone who wishes to connect to a career they truly love. The book is nothing special though and similar advice can be found elsewhere.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Respect the spindle

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I have been eyeballing spinning for a long time. I thought I wanted a spinning wheel - and maybe I still do - but the cost commitment is rather high. The average beginner spinning wheel is $500 without any of the accessories that you will eventually want or need. A spindle however is a low cost, low tech tool that has been used since ancient times. There is this assumption that the spindle is just a beginner tool for those that eventually buy a wheel. Maybe it's because the tool is so simple. Whatever the reason, the tool has not received the respect it deserves.

Abby Franquemont is a well known spinner with a lot of experience using a spindle. She learned spindle spinning in Peru as a child and has kept with it since. You can find demonstration videos on youtube - which will amaze you.

I have to say, I love this book. I had watched many youtube videos on how to use a spindle, but it wasn't until I had this book in hand that it call came together. Abby discusses the history and physics of spinning. She demonstrates every step from attaching or creating a leader to plying and finishing your yarn. She has examples of many different kinds of spindles from the beginner CD spindle to the expensive Golding. She convinced me that everything that can be done on a spinning wheel can be done on a spindle.

I am now a devoted spindle spinner. While I need more practice (and fiber!), I love watching a yarn form and the control I have on how it turns out. I love how portable it is and how little space it takes up. Thank you Abby for sharing your love of spindles.

Book Rating: 5 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Jewelry Making & Beading

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Teach yourself visually jewelry making and beading by Chris Franchetti Michaels was one of those books I turned to when I decided to try jewelry making. Some books in the Teach yourself visually series have not been received well by crafters, but this book is truly exceptional.

There are large, clear pictures throughout that help with the most basic jewelry making steps. I really liked the clear charts that detail wire sizes and component parts. The resource lists were helpful. I didn't really care for the section on beading, because I just wasn't interested in that aspect. I tried some techniques and it is clear that I need some more practice. One of the downfalls of the series is that there is no video component. While the photographs do a really good job, there are some skills in which you need to see them in action. Even so, this book stands above others in the series.

Book Rating: 5 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

A walk to remember

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:59:00 +0000

I have this really bad habit of reading books after watching the movie. Usually the book is better than the movie. Sometimes its the opposite and other times, its a toss up. I can't say that either version is better than the other, but I will say that I enjoyed the movie much better than the book.

The book version is pretty much a flashback for Landon, the story narrator, who tells a story from when he was a teen in the 1950s. The movie version is contemporary to the viewer, but it really does make more sense being set in the 1950s. Though, it probably doesn't matter.

Landon, a teen with a tendency to get in trouble (less trouble in the 1950s version), falls for a preacher's daughter, Jamie. Jamie warns Landon not to fall for her, which he, of course, does. Jamie than reveals her illness, which causes Landon to reconsider is life choices. The story is rather typical for Nicholas Sparks.

The story moves along much better and more believably in the movie. I admit, the book bored me and tried my patience mostly because I already knew the story. I did skim it because the story pretty well follows what I had seen on screen with a few changes in the details. The movie moved me more than the book.

Book Rating: 3 stars - read the book, or see the movie, but no need to do both.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Skeleton Creek

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman is a young adult series that I recently picked up at the library. The main character is a teen boy, Ryan, and is written in a journal style. Ryan and his friend Sarah become curious how their town Skeleton Creek received its name. That curiosity leads to an investigation of a tragedy at the local mining operation that had been shuttered many years ago.

The story has a lot of high drama between the pages that builds and then peters out pretty quick. The twist of the series is that Ryan and Sarah communicate mostly on the Internet with Sarah sharing videos of her discoveries and Ryan recording their findings in his journal. The videos can be viewed by the reader on the Internet too which makes the books interactive.

The books were entertaining, though I did get tired of the constant build up of suspense and quick resolution. The stories in the series end in a cliff hanger guaranteeing an eventual sequel. I did read the first three books in the series, which does eventually tie up a lot of the loose ends of the story but leaves enough interest for more books. My most favorite part of the story was the description of the librarian in the first book - it made me laugh out loud.

Book Rating: 3 stars - good for young teens.

Skeleton Creek
Ghost In The Machine
Crossbones

I personally select books from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

You the smart patient

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 02:37:00 +0000

At some point in time, you or someone you know will spend time in a hospital. You can do things to make the stay as trouble free as possible. This book by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen provides that guidance.

Many of the suggested ideas in the book are pretty common sense. Just as an example, keep a list of medications in your wallet or on your phone. How many times have you gone to the doctor and the doctor doesn't even know what medications you are taking? This despite it being written on your chart every time you visit. If you are taken to the emergency room, the doctor usually can't wait to verify what it is you are taking either. If you have it handy, you can give yourself a big boost.

There are many helpful suggestions like this in the book to help make you a smarter patient. Some suggestions are down right impossible for the average patient. The doctors suggest quizzing the nurses to see if a surgeon is up to snuff. I can't imagine nurses spilling the beans to anyone that asks - that could get them in trouble. Though, if you have a relationship with a clinic, that might help. Other things, like calling your doctor on the phone are also impossible. I have never been able to speak with a doctor on the phone directly - there are several gates you have to get through like a secretary or a nurse where you have to leave a message and maybe one of those overworked individuals might call you back with an answer.

Despite some silly suggestions, there are many helpful ones. The book is worth a read for anyone trying to navigate health care.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Yoga anatomy

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 01:32:00 +0000

Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff is a part of a series of books that examine human anatomy through movement. I picked up this book because I have taken some yoga classes. I wanted to know what things to be careful about and what yoga was doing for me.

Yoga is a pretty large topic, so this book only gives a brief overview of the major poses along with detailed illustrations. Key muscles are identified in the drawings. Most poses include a section of notes with some warnings on the potential harm that can occur if the pose is done incorrectly.

The book has fabulous illustrations, which sells the books by themselves. What information that is provided was interesting and helpful. There were a few descriptions that indicate a particular muscle that was then not identified in the illustration. I found this a bit frustrating. Also, the poses are shown at their most extreme, with a few exceptions in which alternate poses are added.

For me, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how to modify the poses so that I could minimize strain on the knees or how to build up to the complete pose, for example. For that, I think other resources will have to be found. This book is a helpful addition to anyone that has an interest in yoga, but should only be considered as one part of the subject.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The Shunning

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:35:00 +0000

I read The Shunning by Beverly Lewis for the second time after watching the movie that came out recently. I read the book many, many years ago and had forgotten it. I followed up the rereading of The Shunning with the remainder of the books in the series. I had forgotten that I had read the rest of the series too. I guess they weren't that memorable.

The rest of the series:

The Confession
The Reckoning

I actually did not mind the first book. If you have any interest in the Amish community, it does pose some interesting questions though I doubt it is not very accurate in its portrayal. In the first book, Katie Lapp discovers she was adopted into an Amish family, her mother a desperate, English woman. This discovery causes her to question her faith and impending marriage to the community's Bishop.

The other two books deal with Katie's leaving of the Amish community and finding a long lost love. Sorry, spoilers.

The movie is a Michael Landon Jr. production. If you have seen any of the Love Come Softly series, you can predict the type of movie it is. There are a few liberties with the story, but thankfully, not as many as Love Comes Softly.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Deliciously G-Free

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:19:00 +0000

It's hard to review a cookbook when you haven't even tried any of the recipes. Elizabeth Hasselbeck is considered a controversial figure in the gluten free community because of bits of misinformation from her previous book and statements about celiac disease and the gluten free diet. I don't know - I think some people are overly harsh. Just like the rest of us, she has had to learn on her own how to eat gluten free. At least because of her fame, she can inform and influence in ways the rest of us cannot.

Anyway, about the cookbook. I have to say that there were few recipes I felt I needed to try. One huge flaw - and this is true of other cookbooks (Alton Brown I'm talking to you) - is the lack of pictures. I think with gluten free cooking it is even more important to have pictures because baked gluten free goods sometimes look a bit different.

The other reason I didn't try any recipes is that the majority of the recipes are easily adaptable recipes. Just substitute gluten free noodles for wheat noodles when making spaghetti. All of the recipes list the ingredients with gluten free whatever, which should be a given for those who use a gluten free cookbook. It was definitely redundant.

Because I didn't try any of the recipes, I can't give a fair review other than the presentation. If you have tried a recipe and it was good, let me know. I will say this probably wouldn't be at the top of my gluten free cookbook must haves.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Lye in wait

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:04:00 +0000

I've been doing some pretty heavy reading lately and needed something lighter to read. This book fit that need perfectly.

This book falls into the gentle mystery genre that focuses on a domestic craft. Joanne Fluke has written mysteries around a baker and Diane Davidson-Mott has more cooking mysteries. I know there are some based on quilters and others on knitting. This book is centered around a Sophie Mae, a soapmaker. She finds her handyman dead in her basement after drinking lye. On the surface it appeared as a suicide but sinister characters lead Sophie Mae to think otherwise. An investigation ensues with some danger and the usual cast of shady characters.

The story was a bit predictable, but in an enjoyable way. I liked it as it offered me a break from my other reading. It went fast. I did read the kindle version, which I found through a free promotion. The Kindle version had some formatting issues with inappropriate line breaks and messed up quotation marks. Even so, it wasn't too annoying.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Super Immunity

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:19:00 +0000

"The problem is that there are very few who can study this issue without their predetermined bias affecting their judgment. In modern times, nutrition has become like politics, with camps of various persuasions believing in the righteousness of their approach." -- Joel Fuhman

The more I read about nutrition, the more I have come to realize how controversial the topic can be. Dr. Joel Fuhman explores how healthy food choices can boost your immune system better than any thing else.

It's easy to turn to pharmaceuticals when we get sick. But we can avoid the pharmaceuticals and getting sick by focusing our diets on healthy foods. He encourages the reader to eat dark, leafy green vegetables, some fruit, minimal proteins, and few carbs. He talks about how these foods provide the best nutrients for our immune systems. He explains the difference between macro and micro nutrients and the problems with pharmaceuticals.

Overall, I think this book is worth reading. It definitely made me look at the benefits of vegetables in a whole new way.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Wheat belly

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:10:00 +0000

At first glance this book appears to be another fad diet book and that is unfortunate. The book is much more than your average diet book. The title does grab your attention, and perhaps there will be many who will read it just because of the title.

This is the book that I wish had been available when I was researching the gluten-free diet. I wanted something that explained why eating wheat was making me sick. I had read other good, general overviews about being gluten free, but I wanted the science. Dr. William Davis takes the time to explain in an easy to read way how and why wheat is so bad. There may be skeptics who believe that avoiding "healthy" whole grains is dangerous. But there is now enough evidence to show, at least for some people, that wheat is indeed not healthy at all. He delves into the chemical makeup of wheat and how it acts on the body in a way that doesn't overwhelm you. He explains how wheat has been changed over time to increase yields without consideration of whether it is safe. He provides some words of caution about how to structure a gluten free diet so that it provides proper nutrients. Finally, he has some simple recipes.

I really liked this book. If I had read this book 2 years ago, I would not have been as hesitant to go on a gluten free diet. If you read this book and try a 30 day gluten free challenge, it may change your life.

There were a few things that William Davis mentions in his book but doesn't really explore. The first is that more women than men appear to be affected by celiac disease and gluten intolerance. I have always wondered why. He also can't explain why some people have no problem with wheat. They maintain a healthy, slim figure and can eat wheat with no reactions. It is not a negative against Dr. Davis, but I think there is plenty of room for additional research.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Princess in the spotlight, Princess in love, et. al.

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:36:00 +0000

I don't know what possessed me to read the rest of the Princess Diaries series - well, what my library has. I think I wanted to see if the second Princess Diaries movie had any relation to the books. The answer is a most definite no. I had to read these books to get my answer - though I could have stopped at Princess in Waiting and known the answer.

Princess in waiting
Princess in pink
Princess in training
Party princess

The books only spiral downward with each successive edition. There are books which take place between each of the above listed books. You don't need to read them. My previous comments stand with these as with the first. There is one or two more volumes out there. I can safely say, I don't really enjoy Meg Cabot's writing.

At least the movies were cute.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Princess Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (E Melander) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Meg Cabot penned this young adult book back in 2001 and is the basis of the Disney movie. The story is about Mia Thermopolis who is raised as a normal teenager in New York City without ever knowing she is the heir to the throne of Genovia. The story is presented in a first person, journal style by Mia.

The story is cute and fast paced. It clearly shows the teenage angst of Mia and the difficulty she has transitioning into her role as a princess. I liked that the original story has her dad, who for some unknown reason is killed off in the movie. Unfortunately, her grandmother is not nearly as charming or likable in the book. The story does end rather suddenly, designed to get you to read the next book in the series.

Just as a warning to parents. The story does have some content that may be considered inappropriate for young teens. There is implied pre-marital sex between Mia's mother and her algebra teacher as well as some crude language. The story is for older teens. Also Mia is a supporter of nearly every liberal cause in existence including Green Peace, gay issues and other things. This may not be a problem for some parents, but something to keep in mind.

One last thing. The book is full of pop-culture from 2001. While it's hard to believe that much time has passed, some kids may not identify with some of it. For example being on the internet meant using the phone line, which caused a busy signal for anyone trying to call you. They may also not understand the debate between Xena Warrior Princess vs. Buff the Vampire Slayer, and many other things. This dates the book, unfortunately. If Meg Cabot had been a little more careful about some of those references, the book could have had a long shelf life. Instead, I think most people will remember the movie with fondness rather than the original story.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.