Raging Waters in the South China Sea: What the Battle for Supremacy Means for Southeast Asia

Raging Waters in the South China Sea: What the Battle for Supremacy Means for Southeast Asia by Rachel a Winston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well written, informative and insightful...

Raging Waters in the South China Sea: What the Battle for Supremacy Means for Southeast Asia by Rachel A. Winston, Ph.D. and Ishika Sachdeva is a very well written and researched book. Informative and insightful, the authors present an easy to read perspective on current and significant international events relating to China and its impact on the entire world.

To paraphrase the authors, they state from the outset that this book was not written as a scholarly tome for researchers since some of the topics are simplified for brevity and readability. Nevertheless, there is scholarship within, and some of the maps, charts, and timelines are clearer than other reference materials. Their aim is to break down unfamiliar rhetoric and overwhelming concepts in order to eliminate any barriers the readers might have with intellectually-astute journal articles. Their goal is to engage the curious learner. This book was written to lay a foundation for the public to understand the past and present events in the South China Sea, including how states are navigating the choppy waters of diplomacy regarding territorial claims and how decisions made now are shaping our world’s future.

If you are looking to gain a better understanding about what’s happening with China and regional countries in the South China Sea, this book would come highly recommended.

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50 Years in the OR: True Stories of Life, Loss, and Laughter While Giving Anesthesia by Ronald Whitchurch

50 Years in the OR: True Stories of Life, Loss, and Laughter While Giving Anesthesia by Ronald Whitchurch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An observational, witty and insightful read...

An anesthetist nurse is a registered nurse who has educational training in administering anesthesia. They work in hospitals mostly in the surgical areas where they administer anesthesia to patients who are going in for surgery. Their work is to make sure that the patients get enough levels of the drug before they can go in for their procedures or surgeries. This is a very sensitive job and thus the nurse needs to have special training on how to handle the anesthesia and the anesthetics in the proper way. They also need to have experience working with patient care.

50 Years in the OR: True Stories of Life, Loss, and Laughter While Giving Anesthesia by Ronald Whitchurch was a fascinating observational, entertaining and insightful read. The author communicates almost 50 years of experience by sharing many stories and anecdotes about the growth of his profession. At times, this book was emotional and heartrending while also sprinkled throughout with entertaining and hilarious stories.

A highly recommended and must-read for anyone interested in, or considering entering into, the medical profession. The book contains adult themes so would make it unsuitable for the younger (or squeamish) reader. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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Generation 23: Hallowed Be Thy Noble Name (Goliath Chronicles Book 1) by Ivan Ertlov

Generation 23: Hallowed Be Thy Noble Name by Ivan Ertlov
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted and unique dystopian crime novel...

Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

Generation 23: Hallowed Be Thy Noble Name (Goliath Chronicles Book 1) by Ivan Ertlov is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted Sci-Fi thriller - set in the void between the stars - that’s packed to the rafters with mystery, action and adventure. Skillfully constructed, this thrilling and energetic novel will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the story, character development and dialogue. There were plenty of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s appeal. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class sci-fi story with perfect pacing.

I’m a big fan of science fiction, so this for me was a phenomenal read. For sci-fi fans looking for an interesting, three-dimensional and stimulating read, this would be a great find. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Austrian-Czech bestselling author Ivan Ertlov in the future. This is a name to watch out for! A well-deserved five stars from me.

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Redlined: A Novel of Boston by Richard W. Wise

Redlined: A novel of Boston by Richard W. Wise
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gripping page turner...

Author Richard W. Wise scores big with this mystery, suspense thriller, Redlined. Set against the backdrop of Boston's Jamaica Plain in the mid-70s, two interwoven plots are fused together throughout the narrative, ‘one is absolutely true, the other never happened, but very well might have.’ Skillfully constructed, this political thriller will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘The year is 1974. Boston's Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood under siege, a community skating along the razor's edge of decline. The banks have REDLINED Jamaica Plain, causing the housing market to crash, wiping out local homeowner's lifetime investments and opening the neighborhood to blockbusters and slumlords. Now, someone has begun systematically torching those abandoned buildings and the charred body of Sandy Morgan, a dedicated young neighborhood organizer, has been found among the ashes. Why? Who stands to gain? … Community organizer and Marine combat veteran, Jedidiah Flynt and Alex Jordan, his beautiful Harvard educated researcher together with a group of local property owners are determined to stop the redlining and bring the arsonists responsible for Sandy Morgan's death to justice. Their search will lead them through a labyrinth of corrupt politicians, Asian gangsters and bent churchmen.’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well-written and gripping suspense thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of the Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense will want it.

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. The book may sound like a well-used storyline, but Wise weaves a different kind of tale, rich in details, twists, and heart-thumping scenes. Highly recommended.

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Living in Cleveland With the Ghost of Joseph Stalin by Marc Sercomb

Living in Cleveland with the Ghost of Joseph Stalin by Marc Sercomb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A first-class ‘metaphysical romp’ with perfect pacing...

Living in Cleveland With the Ghost of Joseph Stalin by Marc Sercomb is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted supernatural jape with a generous sprinkling of irony and wit. Intriguing twists and turns ensures that this book will captivate the reader from the first page to the last. I’ve read this author before and it’s safe to say that his storylines leaves the reader spellbound. Marc Sercomb leaves the reader again mesmerized with his latest novel. From beginning to end, the author holds the reader’s interest.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘It’s the summer of 1953. Calvin Jefferson Coolidge is thirteen years old when the ghost of Joseph Stalin appears to him in his Aunt Evelyn’s cluttered Cleveland attic and wants to dictate his memoirs to him… “I want to tell my side of the story,” Uncle Joe tells him. “They’re giving me one year to set the record straight, so we need to get started right away.” … Calvin’s life is falling apart at the seams. He’s a misfit and loner whose only friends are famous dead people. He loves polka music and Westerns and sometimes wonders what it would be like to kiss a girl. His con man father is in Florida looking for his bipolar runaway mother. His cousin Buck is abducted and experimented on by aliens. The lady next door wants to coach him in the ways of love. His pastor thinks he’s headed straight for Hell. His English teacher thinks he’s a savant. The school psychologist wants to have him committed. His shrink thinks he’s just plain nuts. Sometimes, Calvin believes it too…’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class coming of age ‘metaphysical romp’ with perfect pacing.

The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Sercomb pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or combining meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a humorous atmosphere that will leave you laughing out loud. Highly recommended.

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Marked for Murder: Eden Harbor Series Book 1

Marked for Murder: Eden Harbor Series Book 1 by Carol A Guy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well written murder mystery with perfect pacing...

Marked for Murder by Carol A. Guy is the first book in the Eden Harbor Series. It’s a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this Private Investigator Mystery, it had me engaged from the first page to the last. For me it was one of those ‘special’ books. You know one of those books that you read and really begin to care about the characters and what happens to them during the course of the story.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Kate Bradshaw arrives in Eden Harbor, South Carolina, to bury private detective Ben Snyder, the long-lost father she never knew. She intends to sell his half of the fledgling business to his partner, Sam Garrett, and return to her home in Philadelphia as soon as possible. That is until Sam tells her that he believes Ben’s death was not an accident, but murder… Kate isn’t sure she can trust Sam Garrett, who has a shady past and violent tendencies, but she stays and they begin an investigation. As one murder leads to another amid racial turmoil, it becomes apparent that many ugly secrets lie below the surface of this small, seaside town.’

I liked the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well written murder mystery with perfect pacing.

If you are looking for a well-written and exceptional murder mystery book with amazing characters and a gripping plot then Marked for Murder will not leave you disappointed. Recommended to all fans of the genre and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Keto for Life: 28 Day Fat-Fueled Approach to Weight Loss

Keto for Life: 28 Day Fat-Fueled Approach to Weight Loss by Barbara Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is going to be your doorway toward a keto diet lifestyle...

A Ketogenic is a diet known as a very low carb diet. It is a high fat, moderate protein and low carb intake diet. It turns your body into a fat burning machine. There is a much more scientific explanation but basically you force your body to produce ketones in the liver to be used for energy. On the opposite end, eating foods high in carbs and sugars your body will produce glucose and raise insulin levels. When we consume high amounts of carbohydrates our metabolism spends most of the time burning carbs for fuel. We never get to burn stored fat. If we decrease the amount of available carbs, our body must switch to burning fat.

Although Ketogenics is new to many, it has been around as early as the 1920's. Many studies have been published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Studies concluded documented weight loss and participants were able to consume less food. The Mayo Clinic has confirmed the keto lifestyle can have a healthful effect on serious health conditions, like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. It also improves levels of HDL cholesterol.

With the incredible assortment of diet plans, programs, supplements and aids on the market, it can seem nearly impossible to select a diet plan that can and will best meet your needs. More importantly, it can be hard to differentiate if one or another of these various diet schemes actually is a healthy course to pursue. In reality, fad diets are really not based on the fundamentals of healthy living.

If you are a person like me who has been on the hunt for a solid diet plan, you may feel overwhelmed much of the time. These days it’s nearly impossible for a person to turn on a television set or open a newspaper without being bombarded with advertisements for a variety of different diet plans and products.

Keto for Life: 28 Day Fat-Fueled Approach to Weight Loss by Barbara Miller adheres to the fundamental principles of healthy living. By following the information and recipes given in this book, a person can enjoy improved wellness, a reduction of the risk of certain diseases and, in many instances, a longer life.

If you are considering these dietary changes, it is always recommended that you check with your physician. Keto is a lifestyle change. You are changing the way you eat. In order for you to gain success, you should be consistent and consider the long term consequences.

This book comes highly recommended from me. It’s a well written and beautifully presented book. A well-deserved five stars.

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