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Book Review: The Haunting of Hurst House (Mercy Willow Book 1)

January 16, 2023 Leave a Comment

Title: The Haunting of Hurst House (Mercy Willow Book 1)
Author: Amy Cross
Genre: Horror, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon

When she moves to a small coastal Cornish village, Mercy Willow hopes to start a new life. She has a brand new job as an estate agent, and she’s determined to put the past where it belongs and get on with building a new future. But will that be easy in a village that has more than its fair share of ghosts?

Determined to sell the un-sellable Hurst House, Mercy gets straight to work. Hurst House was once the scene of a terrible tragedy, and many of the locals believe that the place is best left untouched and undisturbed. Mercy, however, thinks it just needs a lick of paint and a few other improvements, and that then she’ll be able to find a buyer in no time.

Soon, Mercy discovers that parts of Hurst House’s past are still lingering. Strange noises hint at an unseen presence, and an old family secret is about to come bursting back to life with terrifying consequences. Meanwhile, Mercy herself has a dark past that she’d rather keep hidden. After all, her name isn’t really Mercy Willow at all, and she’s running from something that has already almost killed her once.

The Haunting of Hurst House is the first book in the Mercy Willow series, about an estate agent in deepest Cornwall who develops the unusual ability to communicate with ghosts.

The Haunting of Hurst House is the first book in the Mercy Willow series, a series about real estate agent Mercy Willow. Running away from her past, Mercy is desperate to build a new life for herself working as a real estate agent in a small village. Unfortunately, her new career isn’t off to a great start, so Mercy vows to herself that she will do the unthinkable.

She will sell the house no one can sell. Hurst House. Scene of a terrible tragedy, a house that has lain abandoned for years. If she can sell this house, then she can sell any house.

But Hurst House isn’t an ordinary house. Strange noises haunt its corridors, during the renovation, items move from one room to another over night… Then again, Mercy Willow is no ordinary real estate agent, either, so if anyone can pull this off, it’s her.

I liked parts of this book, but other parts were just too far-fetched. The twist about the family who had lived in Hurst House just seemed too impossible for me, not believable at all. Apart from that, I liked the story overall and Mercy is an intriguing protagonist because there’s obvbiously parts about her that the reader doesn’t know yet. I will definitely pick up the next book in the series.

Filed Under: Ghosts & Hauntings, Horror, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Book Review: Playing Doctor Part Two: Residency

January 10, 2022 Leave a Comment

Title: PLAYING DOCTOR; PART TWO: RESIDENCY: (Blundering along with imposter syndrome)
Author: John Lawrence
Genre: Autobiography, non-fiction
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon

Ready to learn how (not) to be a doctor?
Well, neither was John.
John’s adventures in medical training continue with this insightful, often hilarious, self-deprecating medical memoir of bumbling into residency with a severe case of imposter syndrome. This second part in the series brings John’s unique, irreverent and candid med-school storytelling to the world of residency training.
Initially, John penned email blasts while being held captive on-call nights. His descriptions of the escapades, mishaps, disorder, and terror that surrounded his training, led several friends to enquire if he has broken into the hospital pharmacy. Eventually, someone asked to publish the stories, so John replied that he’d write down the whole adventure of becoming a doctor from medical school through residency.

Playing Doctor Part Two: Residency, is a medical memoir written by John Lawrence, that focuses on John’s residency training. The books talks about John’s connection to his patients, about the situations he finds himself in while practicing medicine – sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartwarming, sometimes surprising – and he always tells these stories with an undercurrent of humor that really makes this book stand out from others.

I really liked John’s honesty about the good and not-so-good parts of the job, and his ability to shoulder through it all, no matter what happens. It’s an honest, insightful and inspiring memoir that I think should be a must-read for all aspiring doctors out there.

 

 

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: , ,

Book Tours: Starter Day Party Jay Got Married

December 16, 2019 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for non-fiction / humor “Jay Got Married”. The tour runs from December 16 to December 23. Stay tuned for my review during the tour!

Tour Schedule

December 16th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

December 17th: Book Excerpt @ Stormy Night Reviewing

December 18th: Book Excerpt @ Bookish Madness

December 19th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog

December 19th:  Book Review @ I Heart Reading

December 20th: Book Excerpt @ Bedazzled Reading

December 21st: Book Review, Book Excerpt, Author Interview @ Ani’s Books

December 22nd: Book Excerpt @ Nesie’s Place

December 22nd: Book Excerpt @ Mythical Books

December 23rd: Book Excerpt @ Indy Book Fairy

December 23rd:  Book Excerpt and Author Interview @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

 

About the Book

Title: Jay Got Married

Author: James Robinson Jr.

Genre: Non-Fiction Humor

Jay Got Married consists of 9 humorous and, at times, poignant essays chronicling the ironies of everyday life in word and picture. Take for example the lead essay, aptly titled, “Jay got Married,” where I find myself mired in a horrendous dream.

In the fantasy, my aging father–dressed in his favorite Champion t-shirt with stains covering the front–marries my wife and I like he did 42 years ago but, this time around, the my 92-year-old ex-clergy dad forgets his lines causing me to coach him through the event with hints like: “ask for the rings, ask for the rings.” All the while, my best man sings Sonny and Cher’s, “I Got You Babe.”

Finally married, my wife and I end the ceremony with a kiss. But as I turn to exit, my eyes catch a glimpse of the bridesmaid who is no longer my wife’s best friend but now Gal Gadot from Dell Comics and Wonder Woman Fame. She is dressed in full Wonder Women regalia and looks totally shocked by the whole affair.

My mother turns to my father (now in the audience) with a quizzical look and says, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?” She doesn’t get out much.

As we exit the church, and the bubbles fill the air–no one uses rice anymore—my wife ignores the limo and takes off on a sleek motorcycle, leaving me in the lurch—hence the cover.

Sure, it’s sounds crazy. But, in truth, isn’t the world of marriage crazy these days? In my case, what would one do when faced with the prospect of losing their beloved wife after 42 years? At age 67, would they remarry? Would they even want to remarry? These and other marital tidbits are discussed with humor and as much reverence as I could muster.

P.S. The author pairs up with Wonder Woman again in a final bit of photo wizardry Why? How? How are tricky copyright infringement laws avoided? Read Jay Got Married and find out.

Links

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

Get “Jay Got Married” from Amazon

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Book Review: Always With Me by Ariela Ben Ari

June 4, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: Always With Me
Author: Ariela Ben Ari
Genre: Memoir, Spirituality
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of a significant life, loving and happiness despite the absent, the break, the loss.

This is the story of a man and woman, a blessed couple, who spent their time together, hand in hand. This is a song about joy, togetherness, and deep faith. This is a story of love that survives separation by illness and then death.

This is a love story. A bigger- than- life love story. This is a story about a love that is resilient and pure in the face of crisis, disappointment and unimaginable health challenges. This is a story of heroism; spirit reigning over the body and its realities.

This is a story of how the movement of life provides us with opposites and how we grow from polarities such as:

Death and Life

Darkness and Light

Spiritual Distance and Closeness

The Hidden and the Exposed

Desperation and Hope

This is a story of dedication, light, the good, grace, hope, faith, confidence and love – Always With Me.

Always With Me is an inspiring memoir about love, faith, about a couple’s dedication toward one another. The book tells the, at times heartwarming, at times heartbreaking, story of author Ariela Ben Ari and her husband Moshe.

The story is very touching, and I certainly recommend reading this for anyone who has ever dealt with the loss of a loved one. As Ariela recalls her life with her husband, and then describes her life without him, you can feel the pain very vividly. I hope that writing this book worked cathartic for the author, and that it made her feel better, even if just a little. I sincerely hope the book helped her with the mourning process, and I can imagine it will also help people who are in a similar situation.

Very touching, very tragic, and brought tears to my eyes more than once.

 

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

Book Review: Anything But His Soul by Moshe Bomberg

June 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: Anything But His Soul
Author: Moshe Bomberg
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Meeting his brother in Auschwitz, he understood that they are all alone

A young boy’s world falls apart! He can trust no one and does not know what his tomorrow holds or if he will live to see it.

Poland 1944, Mjetek finds himself in Auschwitz after taking part in Zionist underground activities trying to fight against the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. He meets his brother and understands that their entire family has been massacred and that their days are numbered. Mjetek decides to not give up and says he is a blacksmith, though he has never worked with metal. At work in one of the factories, a melted piece of iron falls and burns him. He manages to go back to the camp and his brother takes care of him, selling his golden tooth for medical supplies. Staying in the “clinic” was supposed to be the end of Mjetek but this is actually what saves him. When his brother is marched to his death and they have to say their final goodbye.

Mjetek’s story of survival is marked with small miracles, determination and unbelievable bravery. This memoir will leave you breathless and heartbroken, yet, inspired.

In 1944 in Poland, Mjetek is captured and brought to Auschwitz, the most famous of the horrible Nazi death camps. He’s still just a young man at the time and life at camp is very tough for him, never knowing whether he will live or die, getting through each day while living in constant fear…

When he meets his brother at the camp, he realizes his entire family has been massacred, and he and his brother are the only ones left. They try to take care of each other, but when Mejtek is forced to stay at the “clinic”, he believes his days are well and truly numbered, although it might turn out that this might be his one chance at survival…

This is a heartbreaking story, to say the least. Mejtek is a survivor in every sense of the word, and it’s just horrible what he and his family had to go through. The book is actually authored by his grandson, based on a recording made by Mejtek / Moshe. The story is an inspiration, and shows the strengths of humanity, especially in the face of what can only be considered true evil.

 

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

Book Review: Turn Your Dental Practice Into A Successful Business

February 9, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: Turn Your Dental Practice Into A Successful Business
Author: Gabriel Asulin
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

How to turn your dental practice into a profitable business.

“Turn your Dental Practice into a Successful Business” is a bestselling book that offers practical solutions that can be easily applied in every dental practice in order to increase its sales very quickly. The book (translated into Spanish, Russian and Hebrew) provides detailed answers to all the dental practice related marketing, management and sales questions or issues, which will allow you to increase the sales and profitability of your dental practice in a very short time.

The author, Gabriel Asulin, is a world-renowned expert and became a global “guru” in the field of marketing and promotion of dental practices. Gabriel is a top presenter and popular lecturer worldwide. His seminar “How to Double your Clinic’s Sales in 3 Months!” was a major blockbuster in in China, Colombia, Mexico, Russia, Israel, Bulgaria and Dominican Republic in recent years.

The strategies and methods suggested by Gabriel in his book are based on many years of experience in business consulting and training hundreds of dental practices around the world.

The unique management and marketing methods presented in this book are successfully used by many dental practices and have proven to significantly improve sales and profitability.

I was asked to review this book by the publisher, Turn Your Dental Practice Into a Successful Business, but I was a little worried at first that the contents of the book would not interest me at all: a dental practice? I’m not a dentist, far from it, so what purpose would the book serve me?

The author, Gabriel Asulin, is an expert in the field of marketing and promoting dental practices. The book gives a lot of information regarding how to attract clients, retain existing clients, improve productivity, where to advertise your practice, and so on. I’m sure that for dentists, this book is a goldmine of information.

For me, I found some of the information useful since it was a more general approach, that could be used in all kinds of businesses, and not just dental practices, but the more specific information was not that useful to me.

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

Book Review: The Secret of Israel’s Power by Uzi Eilam

February 5, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: The Secret of Israel’s Power
Author: Uzi Eilam
Genre: Nonfiction, Arms Control
Rating: 3,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The successful track record of Israeli innovation policies, told from within.

This is the inside story on how Israel became a military technology powerhouse within less than two generations, told by Brigadier Uzi Eilam. The story blends the broad view of a person who led the creation of incredibly far-sighted R&D programs, with intimate portraits of the main players in a complex strategy that spans continents, corporations and armies.

Eilam’s story focuses on Israel’s decision to add technology to the military factor when creating attack and defense mechanisms, against its threats. Eilam also tells how Israel, with its persistence, courage and “chutzpa”, made a very successful journey and was able to create an internationally competitive space program.

More than any other account, this book explains how a very small country was able to make a concentrated use of its limited assets with astute leverage of international relationships while at the same time, create the backbone of Israeli civilian technology industries.

In The Secret of Israel’s Power, the author investigates how Israel achieved a feat that not many nations did before: become a military powerhouse in less than two generations.

A lot of focus is put on the decision to add technology and combine it with military progress, creating various attack and defense mechanisms that eventually gave Israel a huge advantage over potential opponents. But it also focuses on the human component: on human’s strength and courage.

The book is nonfiction, but it’s far from dull or boring – it gives an intriguing, detailed insight and shows a thorough understanding of how the military works and how technical know-how can advance military forces.

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

Book Review: Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons by Sam Brand

January 12, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons
Author: Sam Brand
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I am trapped in the marathon world.

Help!! I cannot find any way to escape the marathon jungle world.

Stop being a case study in the runner’s world.

Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons will lead you towards a new direction so you will be able to find a way to escape from the world of marathons and move on to a new, positive sporting life.

Sam Brand thinks that the peak of the marathons may have been reached. Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons will show you the way to reinvent yourself, to become a new you, with the 26.2 loving thoughts that will change your running world.

Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons is Sam Brand’s philosophy behind sports and happiness.

You can shape your world, become a dolphin, all other animals are already taken.

Go for the human dolphin’s magic life.

So, apparently, according to Dolphins Don’t Run Marathons there are different types of people aka animals: Human Ants, who are running marathons, Human Dolphins who exercise regularly but are not overly obsessed with exercising, and Human Chimps, who do little to no exercise.

Okay, so admittingly, I’m a chimp and nowhere near Dolphin or Ant territory, although I would like to be a Dolphin, and it’s been on my new year’s resolution list for years to start exercising regularly. But something always comes up and by now, I’m an expert at finding excuses why I should not exercise, ranging from lack of time to lack of space to lack of whatever-I-can-come-up-with-at-the-time.

The book is quite simple and straightforward. It promotes running and exercise but with measure, and stresses that people shouldn’t overdo it, which sounds like a healthy approach to me.

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

Book Review: When I Fall, I Shall Rise by Dan Shtauber

January 11, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: When I Fall, I Shall Rise
Author: Dan Shtauber
Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It all began in 1944 when the Germans occupied Hungary. This is when Risa Shtauber’s life turned from an ordinary life to one of surviving unspeakable horrors.
Risa was shipped together with many other Jews to the Oradea Ghetto and from there to the Plaszow Labor Camp and later to the Ober-Altstadt Labor camp. And even this was not enough… Risa was sent to the Auschwitz Death Camp to be slaughtered!
But, she survived!
Having survived, she met her husband – Mordechai Tzvi and they created a family which included 4 sons, 22 grandkids and 34 great-grandkids!
At the age of 94 and living her life in Israel, she still feels victorious when remembering those horrible years!
This book is a special gift given to Risa Shtauber during an emotional event, in the presence of all of her descendants: sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

I’ve read quite a few memoirs of holocaust survivors last year, and although the subject matter is harsh and depressing, I still enjoy reading them – for in every story, there’s a glimpse of hope, there’s a portrayal of hidden strength that allowed the author to survive and perhaps even more astonishing, that allowed them to live, to continue on living life, even after all the horrors they have witnessed.

Risa Shtauber is one of these survivors, a brave young man who was shipped to the Oradea Ghetto, along with many other Jews, and then was later dispatched to the Plaszow Labor Camp and Ober-Altstadt Labor Camp and eventually to arguably the most famous camp of them all: Auschwitz.

The fact that Risa survived is nothing short of a miracle. In this book, Dan Shtauber interviewed his grandmother, Risa, and was able to write down her experience through these harrowing, traumatizing years. The book was a gift from the grandson to the grandmother, and that alone already makes it unique and inspiring. Risa is truly an awe-inspiring woman, and she definitely deserves such a thoughtful gift. It’s heartwarming to know that, even in the most terrible darkness, the strength of a human soul can survive and hold on to the light. When I Fall, I Shall Rise is a fitting, inspiring title for this memoir.

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

Book Review: Malta, The Ultimate Island by Amit Offir

January 5, 2019 Leave a Comment

Title: Malta, The Ultimate Island
Author: Amit Offir
Genre: Nonfiction, Travel Guide
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Are you searching for an exotic destination with fascinating history, turquoise colored sea, beautiful beaches, and vibrant nightlife?

After vacationing and exploring many exotic destinations all over the world, the traveler Amit Offir arrives in Malta to enjoy everything the island has to offer, and to ascertain whether the stories about the island’s charm justify the prestigious name many tourists have given it.

If you would like to vacation on an enchanting island with exotic beaches, exceptional diving sites, interesting attractions, unique culture and history, excellent food and for dessert, a vibrant nightlife – Malta is the perfect destination for you.

The fascinating story of the author, and his special approach to life will inspire you, and provide you with a wealth of tools to help you travel often, and enjoy each and every moment on your trip to Malta!

In Malta I found everything I was looking for in the perfect vacation,inexpensively, and within short distance of all sites.’

– Ideal destination all year round
-7,000 years of fascinating history
– Perfect for a beach vacation & diving
– Excellent for family trips extreme adventures

Malta, The Ultimate Island is a travel guide that explores the island of Malta, its unique destinations, and shows you the charm of this exotic beauty. Around Christmas time, it’s perhaps a little strange to think about sunny beaches, but I actually quite enjoyed imagining a holiday on Malta while cozing up near the Christmas tree under a blanket!

The book talks about the various diving sites of the island, the culture and history, and even gives recommendations as to what food you should eat on your trvaels to Malta! There are some beautiful pictures that accompany the stories and suggestions made by the author.

The author also briefly touches upon his own lifestyle and ideals, and combines that with a travel guide to Malta. It’s an interesting mix, and I quite liked it. The historical / cultural parts were my favorites, and I was glad to uncover that Malta has a lot more to offer than breath-taking beaches: it also has a lot of history and culture.

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

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