May 22, 2021 · 7:00 am

The Many Personalities of Me by Miss Yael Gottesman aka Bailey Gee (Book Review)

Comprised of poems hand chosen by the author, The Many Personalities of Me tells a story of struggle, triumph, heartache and above all perseverance. Stories and poems based on first hand experience from my every day life living with mental illness.

Contents:

Stranger in the Mirror
Footsteps in Reflection
The Loneliness Pandemic
Bigger than Life
Because of You
An Ativan, an Invisibility cloak and my thoughts …..
Jekyll and Hyde
Blade of Glory
A Different Kind of Drought
Lost
Tired
Faded Memories
People ask me
2012
She wonders
Today I went to a funeral
Cross my heart
New blood

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link
Audiobook Purchase Link

 

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

 

Miss Yael Gottesman (Bailey Gee) opened her soul up when she wrote The Many Personalities of Me. Through her poetry, she shared what it’s like to live with an abuser and mental illness. 

As a person living with her own set of mental demons, several poems moved me drastically: “Stranger in the Mirror,” “Tired,” “Lost,” and “An Ativan, an Invisibility cloak and my thoughts.”

A few touched so close to home that they were painful to read—those involved cutting. Example: “Blade of Glory” 

I know for a lot of people they get great comfort in knowing they are not alone, that other people have gone or are going through the same situations as them. For me, it makes me face things I have worked hard to bury. I know I’m not taking the healthiest route, but it’s kept me moving forward for over 3 decades (the decades I realized I was different). 

I do commend Miss Yael Gottesman (Bailey Gee) on expressing her emotions, all her struggles. I do hope she keeps moving forward and never finds herself in another toxic relationship or situation. She has shown a great deal of strength, so I have complete faith she will find her happiness one day. 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤1/2

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link
Audiobook Purchase Link

 

 

Bailey Gee is a graduate of her local colleges creative writing program, and has since published two books. She has a special interest in writing poetry, which tells a story about her life experiences living with mental health issues. Her books are a prime example of perseverance and strength, and is a reminder to anyone going through similar situations, that they’re not alone. Bailey is currently working on her third book of poetry to be released later this year.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 18, 2021 · 7:00 am

Flying Against the Odds: One Man’s Journey to New Ways of Healing by Jean-Jacques Trochon with Heather Whitehall-Trochon (Book Review)

FLYING AGAINST THE ODDS by Jean-Jacques Trochon

Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  249 pages

“IT TAKES A DIFFERENT KIND OF THINKING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAN THE KIND OF THINKING THAT PRODUCED THE PROBLEM.” —Albert Einstein


JJ had a devastating problem. At age fifty-one, he was diagnosed with stage four cancer and given three years to live. Rather than accept that outcome, JJ did what he always does: he set out to find a solution. Desiring to look beyond traditional treatments and their often harmful side effects, he put his unconventionally wired mind to work. JJ was relentless as he investigated alternative therapies and pursued global trailblazers in cancer research. Moving from the role of patient to patient-researcher, he became a trailblazer in his own right, being sought after for his latest findings.

 
Ultimately, JJ brought together the most innovative international minds at the Rethinking Cancer 2017 conference in Paris. Together, they found common ground, and they continue to create integrative, synergistic approaches to treatment.
 
Today, almost a decade after his diagnosis, JJ has defied the odds and is cancer-free. Recently retired from his career as a commercial airline captain on the Airbus A380, he now devotes himself to sharing his ongoing research with scientists and patients.
 
JJ’s story illustrates how looking at things differently often enables us to see them in a whole new light.
 
Buy the Book:
Kindle Purchase Link ~ Print Purchase Link ~  Book Depository
add to Goodreads
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
 
Flying Against the Odds: One Man’s Journey to New Ways of Healing by Jean-Jacques Trochon with Heather Whitehall-Trochon was an inspirational story about a man’s journey to combat stage 4 kidney cancer. This book also talked in-depth about those who inspired, assisted, and supported his efforts. 


Jean-Jacques has led quite an adventurous life before and after the dreaded cancer diagnosis. With his father being a pilot and then him himself, Jean-Jacques has visited many wondrous places. His travels have taken him to South Africa, the USA, and Europe. He’s also known in the rugby world and an accomplished surfer. 


He’s a man always on the go, and he wasn’t going to allow a cancer diagnosis to stop him from living. He took charge of his treatments, put in the time in cancer research, and spoke to many highly respected individuals in their field of study. He defied the odds and inspired others. 


The road to remission was not easy for him or his family. Heather, his wife, was his rock. She altered her life, her diet in support of him. I’m not a huge fan of sugary treats, but I do like to partake in a donut here and there. It must’ve been a hard adjustment to give certain foods up. Most spouses/life partners probably wouldn’t have done it. I applaud them both. (section on Keto Diet)


Jean-Jacques Trochon proved he’s do anything to starve his cancer cells. His strength and determination, his cancer-beating story, inspired a conference — a movement. (Rethinking Cancer 2017) 


He has also given researchers a new path to study in the fight against cancer. More than anything, he has given hope to those who had none. 

 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 

Kindle Purchase Link ~ Print Purchase Link 
Book Depository
Goodreads
 
 
 
Meet the Authors: 
 
Jean-Jacques Trochon (or JJ as he is more commonly known) spent thirty-two years as a commercial airline pilot for Air France. A French national, he enjoyed an early childhood in Tahiti before finishing his schooling in France and the USA. In 2003, JJ was diagnosed with aggressive kidney cancer and subsequently underwent the removal of his left kidney. In 2012 and 2014, he underwent further surgeries following the discovery of multiple metastases in both lungs. Despite being given a slim chance of survival, JJ again returned to work in 2016. He captained the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380, until his retirement in spring 2020. Today, Jean-Jacques devotes his spare time to helping other cancer sufferers and spreading the word about his revolutionary approach to the disease. He was the initiator of Rethinking Cancer 2017, a groundbreaking conference held in Paris on September 21, 2017, at Institut Gustave Roussy, the leading cancer center in Europe.

Heather Whitehall-Trochon is a lover of languages and translator of French and German into English. A British national, she completed studies in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion before moving to Munich, Germany, where she worked in public relations for fashion and film. After relocating to Vienna, Austria, she had a brief stint as an editor at the Associated Press, prior to becoming a freelance translator and seasoned backpacker. Heather met JJ in Paris in 2007, marrying him the following year. The couple, together with their cat, Zulu, have now settled in Biarritz, France.

Connect with the author:
 Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 
 

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 14, 2021 · 7:00 am

The Other Shore by Tracy A. Ball (Book Review)

 

Sometimes two wrongs are the only way to make it right.

Power-couple Angela and Mitchell Point wanted to build a family. Instead, they got torn apart and pieced together separately. Without warning, their old and new lives collide in a Castaway meets Hope Floats tale of love lost and life recovered.

When every choice breaks a heart, doing the right thing is impossible.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

The drama that unfolded in The Other Shore by Tracy A. Ball reminded me of storylines that you’d see on a soap opera, and I loved it! 

Yacht destroyed. 

Crew members dead.

Lives in peril. 

Passengers lost, presumed dead. 

Miraculous rescues. 

And then the real drama kicks in! 

Five adults, multiple love triangles —forget daytime tv, I want more of Tracy’s written soap opera. It’s fantastic, and the cover was sensational as well. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

Made entirely of rum and snacks—International Bestselling Author, Tracy A. Ball is a native Baltimorean and veteran West Virginian, whose family is a mashup of cultures. She writes real and raw interracial romance with an intensity that burns because she has been busting stereotypes while teaching interracial/generational healing for more than a quarter of a century.

Tracy engages with folks from every twist of fate and all manner of experience. She has hung out with murderers and dined with people who have dined with the Pope, which is why she needs the rum…and a nap.

Facebook / Goodreads

Website / Twitter

Amazon Author Page / Ball Books

BookBub

 

Sign up for Tracy’s (quarterly) Newsletter today by clicking HERE!

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

May 10, 2021 · 7:00 am

Does Grandma Remember Me? by Evita Sherman (Book Review)

DOES GRANDMA REMEMBER ME? by Evita Sherman

Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7),  38 pages

 
It is always challenging to watch a loved one grow older and face new, confusing obstacles that always seemed easy. Does Grandma Remember Me? shows how love transcends age and difficulties, even when things become overwhelming.
 
This new book from author Evita Sherman is the first in a new children’s book series. It will put the disease of Alzheimer’s and dementia in perspective for young readers.
 
Buy the Book
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Target
Mascot Books
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
Dementia is a very grown-up word for kids to grasp. Most little ones wouldn’t know how to pronounce it, let alone define it. While the condition’s ins and outs are far from simple, Evita Sherman breaks it down so children can understand the basics: forgetfulness and confusion. 
 
Through the endearing illustrations courtesy of Chayla Bolden and Evita Sherman’s storytelling, we witness the fear, confusion, sadness, and love from a child’s point of view and a grandmother’s. Does Grandma Remember Me? gives children hope. While they might be scared by specific situations, they are now more prepared to handle them. Hugs, kisses, holding a hand, all these small gestures go a long way in lifting spirits and binding two hearts. 
 
If dementia affected someone you know and you’re unsure how to explain it to your child(ren), I encourage you to read this story with them. I’m sure after reading it, they’ll run off to hug their grandparent. <3
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author
Author Evita Sherman
 
Evita’s passion is assisting the elderly, especially those living with dementia. Her mission is to help people age in the manner they envision for themselves and not through the lens of others. She works to provide data and resources to assist elders in effectively aging-in-place and equips their families and friends to support their loved ones amidst uncertainty. Working in the elder care field as a licensed nursing home administrator, senior living marketing professional, and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), Evita witnesses both elders and families make tough decisions. Some of those decisions result in despair, while others result in healing. The key to enabling elders to live life to its fullest is to help them find their voices and exercise their right to choose.
 
Evita collaborates with family and friends to ensure that her mother, who lives with dementia, and her father, recently diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, maintain their voices and make well-informed choices as their disease progresses.

connect with the author: goodreads
 

 
 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 6, 2021 · 7:00 am

Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis (Book Review and Giveaway)

Ebook (2)

Paperback : 293 pages

 

The future looks promising and it’s supposed to come easily.

Smart, determined and beautiful; college student and art model Nell seemed to be the girl who had it all. A passionate relationship with one of the art students leads to an unplanned pregnancy that threatens to change everything though, and she must build a very different life than she envisioned. For thirteen years Nell and her son Charlie are a unit and their world is complete. That world will stop spinning though, when there’s a shooting at Charlie’s school. As Nell reaches out via text in desperation, only the words and the animated ellipsis on the phone screen offer a buffer between life and death. Can she save the person on the other end of the messages in time, and in the process can she save herself too?

Ellipsis isn’t a romance, but it is a love story.


Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link
Goodreads

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from R&R Book Tours.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis centered around many sensitive subjects. As a parent myself, I would never want to walk a mile in Nell’s shoes.

Nell has experienced love, but she also faced a parent’s worse nightmare—the loss of a child. How she lost her child is relevant to today’s world and how people reacted was realistic: marches and calls for reform.

There was an abundant amount of heartache, but a simple text proved the saving grace for two people. Everything changed in an instant. Then and there, I became more engrossed in the story, the outcome. No matter if you are a parent or not, your heart will go out to the person texting Nell. (Being vague on purpose)

After reading Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis, I’m sure you’ll have the same compulsion as I did…I immediately hugged my daughter, thankful I still could.

 

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤

 
 
SIGNED COPY OF BOOK (INTERNATIONAL)
 

 


About the Author

IMG_0090

Kristy spent her childhood as a Navy “brat” and her adult years first as a service member and then as a Coast Guard wife. A lifelong wanderer and now emptynester, she’s set permanent anchor in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband and that most rascally of rascals- her cat Percy. When not plucking away at her keyboard or eagerly devouring every book she can get her hands on; she enjoys theater, beach combing, hiking, wine tasting, and obsessively planning the next journey.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,