The Ultimate MANual: Dr. Samadi's Guide to Men's Health and Wellness - 5 stars

Dr. David Samadi is a world-renowned urologist and front runner in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. The general public became familiar with his empathetic personality on Sunday Housecall (FOX), where he shared medical expertise on prostate cancer awareness. Now, his passion guides people to better understand their health through his book The Ultimate MANual: Dr. Samadi's Guide to Men's Health and Wellness. It not only defines symptoms to watch for when things change but goes on to outline steps to take to be healthier.

 

Samadi offers insights from his decades of practice and specialized knowledge. The book covers the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and other urologic diseases in an easy-to-understand vernacular with scientific medical information expressed simply but clearly. Another benefit of the Ultimate MANual is that Samadi’s approach is comprehensive. After he discusses the top five threats to men’s lives, he goes on to offer hope and help. He not only explains the prostate, its function, location, possible symptoms to watch for, men’s fear of prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction (ED) but goes on to explain what to do when diagnosed with a problem and how to improve and maintain health with diet and exercise.

I give this book 5 stars. It is well written and offers valuable educational information for men (and their significant others) on how to take care of their health to reduce risks of cancer and other urological problems, including the management of sexual performance issues. I recommend this book to people who want to live longer, healthier lives as well as those who desire a deeper understanding of prostate health issues.

I received this book as a free review copy and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. This review is posted in collaboration with BookTasters.

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Lakshmi and the River of Truth: A Fairytale for Adults

 Lakshmi and the River of Truth: A Fairytale for Adults is political satire following the literary nonsense genre like that of Alice in Wonderland. Instead of falling down a rabbit hole, readers follow protagonist Lakshmi into a dream. In her world, “dreams are thought molecules that live, breathe, and float in the brain; expanding, contracting, and fluidly melding into one another to create new thought molecules.”

Lakshmi’s quest for the River of Truth starts out with making a choice to go right or left in the fork in the road. Only, she doesn’t make a choice. Instead, her thought molecules allow her to grow tall and follow both at the same time. When the two roads merge, she shrinks to normal size to find herself at the Hospital for the Ironically Challenged. The author’s clever nomenclature for places and characters includes the orange-skinned Mr. Bigly and his followers the “Questionables” who are expected to live life upside-down hopping on their heads. My favorite character was Special Ed, the talking dog who accompanies Lakshmi on her journey.

This creative story held my interest but the left-of-center political ideology and the mean-spirited depiction of Mr. Bigly’s minions left me disappointed. I had hoped that the River of Truth might provide a course correction. However, people who get their news from CNN or similar networks will enjoy this book.

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Dragonborn - "Wonderful epic tale"

Guest post by Laura Jean Lysander

An epic, sprawling fantasy adventure saga between the dynamics of humans and dragons, working in tandem to rid the many worlds and dimensions they inhabit of evil; it reminded me of the Clan of The Cave Bear series, yet it is far more reaching within the arcane mysteries, the uses of Magic and Dragon interaction within time and space. The Tale follows two humans who are destined, picked, and sought to aid the dragon race (multiple species of them) which live and interact and understand the humans with divine allowance. This is to thwart the evil of a magic grimoire book created from a dragon's blood and skin. 

 

 

 

I did not find the tale to be particularly highly humorous, or chock full of any comedy but still captivated me into what was going to come up next within the story. It did hold my interest and the descriptive writing of the dragons and the magic interested me. I had a hard time sometimes understanding something that had happened or specific plot changes, for it was not always described specifically as to what it meant, the action or the riddle/clue but it was then mentioned later on, and then it was understood either to leave you wondering or hanging or that most likely my brain being the way it is..just was too daft to get it the first time.

 

The tale follows the interactive lives of the humans, Dragons, and their progeny and the adventures and perils they are symbiotically subject to; the Evil book which is stolen by a rogue criminal starts the tale, however, is not spoken of after 1/3 of the start of the saga tale is written, and it gave me wonder as to what became of it during the entire time the other action was being presented, and who the next evil owner would wind up to be; I thought at the end it would be mentioned or brought back into the story by the antagonist mentioned who I will not mention for not to spoil it, but still, it, the Evil book was not mentioned and it gave rise to that it might be mentioned then in a forthcoming book for this was to be a series. 

 

 

If you enjoy magic and adventure regarding epic family interaction and mystery, one that is not high-tech or hugely humorous, serious, and methodical with a sense of suspense, enjoy the tale! I did and went to sleep wondering how it would end until I finished it the next day.

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The Light Bearer by Andrew Einspruch - 5 stars

 The Light Bearer by Andrew Einspruch is the third book in The Western Lands and All That Really Matters series. It follows Princess Eloise Hydra Gumball III as she finally heads back home along with the man guilty of treason and killing her uncle. She’s looking forward to getting back to the comforts of home but dreads her mother’s reprisal for not returning with her sister. Of course, things don’t go as planned. The prisoner not only escapes but kidnaps Eloise’s friend and champion, Jerome. With the escapee’s long walking weak magic, he puts distance between himself and those giving chase. 

Princess Eloise almost has him in her grasp but tumbles to the bottom of a steep waterfall. She manages to survive with the help of her traveling companions. Their quest to save Jerome and to recapture the criminal takes them on a most unpredictable and adventure-packed journey. When they are captured by a society of warrior horses, the trail to find Jerome has gone cold and they face an uncertain future as prisoners.

When I read book one, The Purple Haze, I was pleasantly surprised at the author’s ability to write with a unique mix of humor, suspense, and even drama in a Princess Bride sort of way. Book two, The Star of Whatever, was also cleverly devised but had a slightly different flavor and well worth the read. It left me hungry for book 3, and The Light Bearer did not disappoint. I recommend this witty, unpredictable tale to readers who enjoy fantasy with a fairytale feel that’s funny and lighthearted but filled with suspense and drama. I give it 5 stars and highly recommend it.

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This Soul'd World: The Rise of Consciousness - 5 stars

This Soul'd World: The Rise of Consciousness by William Disdale offers a captivating take on time travel narrated from an omniscient third-person point of view. The story opens on scientist Callison Trebla’s last day at work at Quanta. The sixty-five-year-old faces his retirement with mixed emotions. Once he walks out the door he loses all rights to his research, theories, and even his time travel device (dubbed the Trebla Eye). It will all belong to the company. He just can’t let that happen, and so takes an out-of-character risk to smuggle what he needs to continue his work at home where he lives with his wife Eleanor. Once he gets the Eye operating, the story takes off. Quanta knows what he’s done, his wife is aware, and when he’s caught by Quanta’s black suits and his former boss threatens his life, he makes the jump.

On the other side of the Trebla Eye, this science-minded protagonist journeys to a land that brings into question all he has ever known as he gains knowledge of his forgotten soul identity. Here he learns it is not about what he is but who he is. I think it’s best described as a journey of spiritual awakening in a land where the proverb “Plant an intention and grow a thought, plant that thought and grow a feeling, plant that feeling and grow an attitude, plant that attitude and grow an action, plant that action and grow a habit, plant that habit and grow a destiny,” brings thoughts into focus.

The author’s background in science, engineering, and mathematical simulation delivers some of the best techo babble I’ve ever read. The story flows and makes sense. The pacing keeps the pages turning. Only in a couple of chapters at the middle did I feel it bogged down with a lot of information, but it was a teacher/student type of situation and all the information was relevant. Over all, I enjoyed every aspect of this story. This book’s plot and sub-plots are so intricately woven that it’s hard to talk about the story without including a spoiler. The main character is complex and dynamic. He and his wife have a happy marriage but suffered the loss of their only son early in their married life. They are likeable and believable and I found myself rooting for them. 

I recommend This Soul'd World to Sci-fi time-travel enthusiasts who enjoy books like Recursion by Blake Crouch, people pondering the meaning of life, and anyone who enjoys literate ideas and futuristic concepts. It’s imaginative but believable and Disdale wraps up every plot thread. I give this book a strong 5 stars. 

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The Star of Whatever (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters #2) - 5 Stars

 

Andrew Einspruch’s The Star of Whatever (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters #2) picks up where book 1 in the series left off. I delighted in book one, The Purple Haze, and so it surprised me that I enjoyed book two even more.

The story picks up in the Half Kingdom where Princess Eloise Hydra Gumball III’s quest to rescue her twin sister, accompanied by her champion chipmunk, Jerome, her loyal guard, Lorch, and two royal horses. The deadly Purple Haze edges the Half Kingdom, and fogging has become the mode of execution of criminals. Once someone enters, they never come out, except for Princess Eloise and her twin. They not only don’t come right back out but feel called to delve deeper into the fog. Within the Haze a secondary quest develops. It leads them to a surprising find and a challenge for their lives.

Outside the Haze, Eloise’s friends Jerome and Lorch rot away in the royal dungeon while the horses try to figure out what they can do to get them out. The plot makes twists, turns, and a few herky-jerky maneuvers that surprise, like when the Purple Haze starts to spread. (I put it this way only to avoid spoilers.)

I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy coming of ages stories with strong female protagonists set in fantastical worlds where animals can talk and magic, even weak magic, is real. Think Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Einspruch’s pacing in The Star of Whatever is perfect. He does a great job with the ebb and flow of conflict and resolution with doses of subtle humor, suspense, and an emotionally engaging plot. I give this one a solid five stars. I’m thankful for the review copies I’ve received of this series, and I look forward to reading book three in the series, The Light Bearer.

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Stella Maris by Jeffrey Matucha – 4 stars

 

Stella Maris, by Jeffrey Matucha, is not in my genre wheelhouse, and it took me by surprise. It follows the life Skye Wright, a crust punker facing her 30th birthday while still navigating the world of Punk/Metal/New Wave/My-God-what-did-we-do-last-night? and all that goes with it. Matucha does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of this world while making you care about Skye even when she’s making bad choices. The plot includes fallout from her wild past, the struggles of the present, including the emotional toll of losing people, her addictions, her closest friend has gone missing, and, in general, wondering what life is all about.

 Matucha does a great job of creating a deeply layered female protagonist. She loves cats, is friends with the older lady in the apartment next door, but is also a former gang member of the Crusties who still flies into a hot-headed rage. Her drinking doesn’t help anything. This book offers a look into the world of addiction and the heartbreak it brings as it follows Skye into biker bars, raves, and hanging out with people traveling the same path to nowhere. The plot feels like a mindless (but not boring) wandering through life consistent with those living with addictions, but Matucha fits the pieces together to form a complete picture by the end of the book.

The one thing I didn’t love about the book is the language, but it fits the culture. Many of the characters can’t formulate a sentence without using the F-bomb. On the plus side, while sex is often talked about and even put into practice, it takes place “off-camera.” Overall, I give the book a solid 4-stars and think anyone who has someone they care about living with addiction or those who have come out of that trap would probably enjoy reading this character-driven story of love, loss, struggle, and hope.

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