Review Tales
Trusted Reviews and Author Features Since 2016
No one has to die alone by Dr. Lani Leary (Book Review #23)
Too tired to read? You can listen to Jeyran’s review below.
“Caring for a terminally ill loved one can be the single biggest challenge of your life. Drawing from her experience sitting with over 500 people as they died and caring for her own terminally ill father, Dr. Lani Leary gently guides caregivers, family, and friends through the difficult transitions of illness, death, and bereavement.
No One Has to Die Alone offers the practical skills, vocabulary, and insights needed to truly address the needs of a dying loved one while caring for yourself through the process. Dr. Leary shows both patient and caregiver how to rise above feelings of fear and isolation to find peace and meaning in each person’s unique end-of-life experience.” – by Lani Leary
Review
Dr. Leary shares some wise words in this book. Ever thought to yourself if how we die matters? Or if we can make a difference to anyone we know that is dying? In this book, we not only learn more about having a better perspective but we also come to terms with finding meaning in the loss we feel.
What I mostly loved about this book was that the Author’s journey starts with her personal experience of losing her own father. I felt sorrowful reading her story and once finished, I had to take a couple of minutes to pull myself together. From this experience, the Author then begins to give us a meaningful insight into how this feels and how we should act. You will be shocked to know that this book will change your perspective and will create a better ‘YOU’ for when it’s needed.
“Dying may be painful; death is not” Dr. Leary informs us. We can cope, and we can process ways to grief in our own ways, but she emphasizes that validation is the key to resolving pain.
Also, the Author discusses that children grieve differently than adults. This is a very sensitive topic, and very few have the right answer. I believe this book does give a very insightful idea on how it can be processed.
In summary, I recommend this book to people that are interested in the psychology of death and dying and anyone that is going through grief or has a loved one that is terminally ill.
Written by Jeyran Main
Here is how you can buy this book on Amazon:
If you would like a book review click here
If you would like your book edited click here
Need help getting your book published? Contact Me.
Guardian of Paradise by W. Lawrence (Book Review #28)
This review is written for Onlinebookclub.
“I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.”
Kira is an orphaned girl raised in a jungle set like paradise by the people of its village. Due to losing her parents at such a young age and not having a parent figure growing up, Kira has her set of ways when dealing with things. He naivety concerning the opposite sex is explored, and her protectiveness towards the only thing she knows as ‘home’ is threatened by the arrival of an Australian merchant ship.
The story and the romance written in this book are like the one from Disney Pocahontas meeting John Smith. There are many sweet and enjoyable interactions with Kira and Trevor in this tale. Trevor is a doctor and joins the crew with the aim to explore and learn new medical discoveries and falls for Kira, his guide to the jungle. Kira’s feelings are more hot and cold with Trevor, which was delightful as it consistently makes the reader doubt about the relationship.
Things take a turn when Kira suspects that the Captian is not being honest and is abusing the recourses he has been freely given by the villagers. This brave and intelligent girl is determined to make sure that this does not happen and risks her own life and the people she loves, trying to guard her paradise.
The general expectation is that when you are raised and live in a small village for your entire life, then your character is known and people trust you. However, this does not happen for Kira. Not only does the chief banish her from the village, but the chief’s son, Kupe, also does nothing regarding her concerns. Even Kupe’s wife, Kira’s best friend, has to be persuaded right up until the end of the story. It was sorrowful to see that Kira’s continuous efforts in protecting the very own village she loved and cared, was giving back so little.
I found this book to be very enjoyable. There are many drama scenes, romance, background story and character building in the plot. The style of writing was very clear and easy to understand. The pace of the story was in such a way that it did not make the reader become dis-interested or have them skip pages to find out what happens. The story did contain many sexual references and content that would not be suitable for everyone, and that is a shame because the book does possess a very attractive plot for younger readers.
I recommend Guardian of Paradise to anyone that likes a good old historical romance book. It does not disappoint and definitely draws you into this wonderful world of love, sacrifice, friendship and discovery of oneself.
Written by Jeyran Main
Here is how you can buy this book on Amazon:
If you would like a book review click here
If you would like your book edited click here
Need help getting your book published? Contact Me.
Effective Treatments for Depression – Part One by Sharon DeVinney, Ph.D.
Effective Treatments for Depression – Part One – by Sharon DeVinney, Ph.D.
Last month I discussed the symptoms of depression. So, what if you’ve accepted you may be “depressed” in the clinical sense, which means you need to pursue treatment for it? For most people, this is a scary step. When you have depression it’s hard to get motivated to do things. To do something new which involves making yourself very vulnerable feels impossible. But, going forward without doing something different, feels even more impossible. You are ready to “suck it up” and talk to a professional about your symptoms. Good for you! Read More
Anna: New Los Angeles by Jason Keating (Book Review #277)
I initially found the odd numbers between the paragraphs and the sudden chapter changes without any division between the segments to be annoying. It kept distracting me from the smooth flow of the work, however, the more I read, the more I was intrigued, and my eyes began to zoom out the issues I was having with formatting.
The literature was easy to understand, and the book is a futuristic take on something like the movie, I am Legend. I particularly liked the emotional conflict Kyle had with losing his loved one and how that played along with the plot until the end. I believe the author has definitely done his research and created an exciting world, worthy of exploring. I found much room for improvement and sequels to play along this book. The foundation of the world setting and the descriptive backstory was very helpful to understand the past in order to play along with the current situation of the survivors.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy futuristic tales and like sci-fi novels.
Written by Jeyran Main
If you would like a book review click here
How we write – by Dan Abrahams
How we write – by Dan Abrahams
Before you start imagining this is a guide on how the collective ‘we’ write, in all areas, including character creation, story outline and development and then actually sitting down to put words on a page, it is not.
I am not part of any collective ‘We’ – I am a writer, of a fashion. I do not write in any formulaic way, have never been to creative writing classes, and do not have some overarching idea of instilling a workman like attitude to it. I do however, go through varied ways of writing and find this the best way.
We have all heard of writers who recommend sitting at a desk between 8am and 11am before drinking lemon tea for five hours – or those who swear writing every day all day is the only way to find your true style etcetera, etcetera and so on.
One ‘daily writing routine’ that did strike me as worth reading was that of Hunter Stockton Thompson featured in E. Jean Carroll’s 1994 book: HUNTER: The Strange and Savage life of…
This list of lunacy may not be for many, especially as it contains a lengthy waking period of ‘Chivas Regal with morning papers, Dunhill cigarette’ – followed by cocaine, another ‘Chivas, Dunhill, first cup of coffee, Dunhill, cocaine, orange juice, Dunhill, cocaine, cocaine, cocaine’ and so on, before sitting down to write several hours later.
Some of it would definitely get the creative juices going, if you have the constitution of a horse, but drink and writing do not work for me. This admission may have faced scorn from Hemingway for example who, paraphrasing badly, said; ‘writers who cannot drink and write, are not drinking enough’.
So, there is the rub, I have no idea what does work for me, except that aforementioned pearls of wisdom such as: ‘write everyday stuff’, are something I consider to be nonsense and of course drink.
It has always struck me that art in any form is a natural thing, it is a living creative force that takes time to form, gestate and then if the writer/artist sits down and writes, birth and live.
Sat here now in a muted morning sun in ‘Sunny Worthing’ and no that’s not a piss take title the town I live in has been given, similar to that of vandalised ‘Help Shark’ Amity Island billboard as featured in Jaws, someone actually believes it’s true with regards to Worthing.
Sorry I went off on one, or did I? Did I unconsciously follow a creative path or line, in the same way that stories, ideas, characters should take writers? The type of path that sitting at a desk every day, stifles? If it doesn’t take you somewhere dreamlike and unimagined, what will it do to any poor reader unfortunate enough to view your work?
Maybe the title of this essay is wrong, it’s not How We Write, more How I Write, or come around to doing so.
I have noticed and touched on this topic in the foreword of my last release: Books, Bits & Bobs, where I briefly discussed how ideas all come – similar to children – in their own inimitable way. Some in the shape of organised form, some written in one sitting without any idea where you are starting from or ending up. Whatever way, they are all different and not born of discipline.
For example, in the children’s title I currently have with my proof reading hero Jason – this was started as a roughly laid out plan, you know a beginning, middle and end, I then filled this out with a series of adventures and created the characters, but here is where things were different and followed my comments earlier about ‘a creative path’, because I recorded the book from there, using a Dictaphone. Waking at all hours, creating different voices for the characters, acting out the book as if it was a play, I had no real idea where I was going only basic guides, which I had memorised. Once recorded I then transcribed and Bob’s your Uncle – actually he was my dad – the book was done. I have never written or created in this manner since – it was as if this ‘child’ needed to be born this way – so it could have its own individuality.
I suppose the point I am making is how I write is how you write, it is not a process – we just make sure we do write, but not ‘every day at 8am’ followed by lemon tea. Well, that’s what I think anyway.
Written by Dan Abrahams
Daniel Abrahams has released two eBook titles on Amazon: The Wooden Heart and Books, Bits & Bobs
You can follow him on Facebook at: DPAbrahams or on Twitter @abrahamsdan390.
If you would like a book review click here
TJ’s Ride by J.R. Hamilton (Book Review #280)
So you want to be an author, huh? by an Indian
So you want to be an author, huh? by an Indian
So you want to be an author, huh? Join the queue. Millions of dreamers want to be one, and they are very talented writers with a repertoire of some fancy and obscure words that are seldom used. Their grammar is perfect, and their statement construction is flawless. So it should be a no-brainer for them to write great books that everyone wants to read. Right? Wrong.
Many elements make up a good book. The most important aspect (at least in my opinion) is that the story should come from the heart. When I started to write my book in January of 2010, it took me less than a week to pour my initial thoughts down. However, to expand on the idea, to read over and over again for typos, to tighten the storyline, etc. – took me about fifteen months. Was it worth it? Absolutely. It was a journey down memory lane that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you decide to write a book, don’t hurry. I know…I know…you must be thinking, “it’s easy for you to say.” But believe me, it’s worth it. I too was very impatient in the beginning as I was very eager to have my “masterpiece” out.
My thinking was straightforward. To make people read my book and let them decide if it was worth their time. Unlike seeing a movie (where one spends only 2-3 hours of their time), reading a book is at least a week of their time. So it better be worth it.
Written by An Indian
About the author: The author was born and raised in Mumbai, India. He came to the US in 1989 to New York. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
Website: www.indiawasone.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/indiawasone
Twitter: www.twitter.com/indiawasone
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/India-Was-One-Indian-ebook/dp/B004S3OWO0/
Flipkart India: https://www.flipkart.com/india-was-one/p/itmejdh6gt4zzzgk
If you would like a book review click here
Escape from Ancient Egypt – (The Neiko Adventure Saga Book 2) by A. K. Taylor (Book Review #30)
This review is written for Online Book Club.
“I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.”
Neiko is an Indian Admiral and a strong warrior girl of Hawote, the hidden land that coexisted with the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are seven tribes in this story. Neiko is loved by many and has the support and loyalty of her own tribe, and her allies are willing to die for her. The Crackedskulls, Prince Bloodhawk, Raven, and Francesco are all enemies of the Hawote. Many wars have been fought between them for the right to rule the land.
Francesco has visions of becoming the Pharoah of Hawote. His plan entails changing the timeline by eliminating Neiko from the present and poisoning the Bloodhawks and the Ravens. He obtains a crystal stone that gives him the ability to go anywhere he desires or to send someone else to the past, present, or the future. Francesco finds an opportunity to confront Neiko and sends her to Egypt, about three thousand years in the past, during the reign of Ramesses the Great.
What intrigues me is that once Neiko finds herself in this ordeal, she does not panic at all. In fact, she continues along on her merry way and tries to find her friends who have been missing for the past eleven years. She and her friends have to find a way to return to the year 2001 and set things straight for the last time. On their journey, they are captured, enslaved, forced to fight, to marry, and many more wondrous things.
I like the plot of the story and all the action that went with it. The pace was good enough to carry the reader into wanting to know more. It is an excellent choice for kids to read and to enjoy. The way the warrior men supported and protected Neiko after being abandoned for eleven years was admirable. Their bond was unyielding, and Neiko was never treated differently for being a woman. They saw her as a warrior and loved her for who she was.
This book was very hard for me to review as I really do not like to address the hard work of an author in such a way. However, since I have promised myself to be sincere and truthful, I would like to also mention the parts that I did not enjoy.
There is an overwhelming load of characters and names in this book. So many, that I was beginning to wonder how many more are going to be introduced? Having not read book one also did not help. There was a severe lack of backstory and that is a great weakness for this book.
I can’t remember the last time I saw picture illustrations in a novel. A note to authors, if you plan to do such a thing, then make the images big enough to see. In this book they were small, and I could barely understand what it was supposed to display.
This story, in my opinion, is a good young adult book but not a good historical fiction book. There are tiny ancient facts, references, and back-story and in fact, what did exist was quite comical. If you are buying this for a kid, then it is okay, but anyone that has some knowledge on Ancient Egypt will find this book lacking many basic details.
In summary, I would recommend this book for children and young adults only. It has just enough excitement and action to keep the young mind wondering and wanting to know more.
Written by Jeyran Main
Here is how you can buy this book on Amazon:
If you would like a book review click here
Introducing the Messiah by King David (Book Review #448)
Introducing the Messiah by King David
Introducing the Messiah is a religious book containing an interview which happened as an email exchange between King David and a skeptic.
The questions in the book were either personal or religiously inclined which happened to show a balance of both.
Review Tales 