Review Tales
Trusted Reviews and Author Features Since 2016
Penny: Hands I Passed Through…Things I Saw…Stories I Can Tell! by Peter Davidson (Book Review #188)
Penny is a non- fiction, short book, written about the coin we have mostly forgotten about. It covers some history, where it was made, what value it had and how it affected lives back in the days.
I particularly remember how much I loved to play with money. My mother would always tell me, “Be careful, You don’t know where it’s been”. I believe this book is an explanation for what my mother was trying to tell me when I was little.
The book actually begins with the Penny becoming the narrator, telling us stories about how it’s been treated and what it has seen. The collection of stories has been written in a very fun and witty way. Each story has a point and indicates an interesting fact about the Penny.
I found the literature to be written very well. I barely saw any editing issues and although the book was short, it actually had enough substance for the reader to ponder on the issue, once they finished reading it. It was easy to understand and enjoyable to read. I believe the author definitely has managed to grasp the attention of what has happened to the penny and in fact, I think, if we really do look and wonder outside the box, we can certainly see that a lot of other things have also become less valued.
I believe anyone that has an interest in finance; history and also wishes to read about this commodity will enjoy this book.
Written by Jeyran Main
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Oscar Wilde – Fragment of the Day
Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, novelist, essayist, and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London’s most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. He is remembered for his epigrams, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his plays, as well as the circumstances of his imprisonment and early death.WIKI.
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Instead of “Sorry” try saying “Thank you” – Written by Jeyran Main
We lead such hectic lives, and it is possible to miss some of those never-ending lists of things that need doing. Letting people down or being late for certain things may become a habit and before you know it, you realize that you are continually saying “I’m sorry” over and over again. Read More
Having “Your Bell Rung” – Bell’s Palsy by Dr. James Okun
It is time for James Okun to pick our brain and inform us on some important medical matters. You can show your support by buying his books or leaving a comment here if you like- Jeyran Main
James D. Okun, MD is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University and of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He is the co-author of The History of New Innovations in Modern Medicine: New Thought and the Threat to Traditional Medicine
Having “Your Bell Rung” – A Discussion of a Problematic Condition – Bell’s Palsy by Dr. James Okun
“A young George Clooney recovering from Bell’s palsy on his left side”
(derived from carolinafacialplasticsurgery.com)
Can you imagine from one day to the next that you are unable to smile or eat normally? That you have trouble speaking and eating? That you start drooling and your eyelid droops? What about work and taking care of the family? All of this can happen “out of the blue” with the same condition of Bell’s palsy that affected a teenaged George Clooney.
As you can see from the photo of a young George Clooney above, his face appears to be paralyzed and the corner of his mouth is drooping all on the left side of his face. At the time of this photo, George was recovering from what is known as Bell’s palsy.
Another person who also suffered from Bell’s palsy was BBC correspondent John Sudworth. After he reported on his own facial paralysis on the air, many viewers contacted him to share their stories.
One viewer, Debbie Johnston from Ireland, shared that her condition started after the birth of her son. She describes how she had to tape down her eyelid at night “for four months and drink through a straw for the same amount of time. At this time, I also owned a bridal store and had to return to work and with my face so disfigured I found it all very difficult and felt I had to explain to each customer what was wrong with my face.”
“My face is about 90% recovered …but “I still have a wonky smile, I can’t raise my right eyebrow and when I smile my right eyebrow lowers and when I close my right eye it pulls the right side of my mouth.” (Bell’s palsy: Your stories of living with half a smile (www.bbc.com).
Bell’s palsy is a one-sided facial weakness or paralysis that ensues suddenly often with an eyelid droop and often with the muscles on the same side of the forehead affected. The cause of Bell’s palsy has been determined to be an infection of the 7th cranial nerve (facial) with the herpes simplex type 1 virus.
The facial nerve controls the muscles of facial expression, production of tears from the lacrimal gland, production of saliva from the salivary gland under the tongue (sublingual) and the sensation of taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue
Because of the damage to the facial nerve from the HSV 1 infection, other symptoms reflecting impaired functioning can include facial muscle twitching, a change in taste, drooling, trouble eating and speaking and dryness of the eyes.
The facial nerve connects the brain with the muscles of the face to allow facial movement. When damage to the nerve occurs from infection, the normal flow of nerve impulses to the muscle is interrupted. This either causes spasm of the muscles or a complete paralysis.
Bell’s Palsy joins the ranks of other conditions caused by reactivation of a dormant or hibernating herpes simplex 1 virus inside nerve cells. For example, Alzheimer’s Disease has now also been linked in over 100 Scientific studies to recurrent HSV 1 infections in the brain (See – The History of New Innovations in Modern Medicine Chapter 10 https://goo.gl/yYdgLJ).
As the most common cause of one-sided facial paralysis (70%), Bell’s palsy affects about 40,000 Americans each year and there is a 1.5% chance of a person being affected by this condition at some point in their lives.
The most common age range for this dilemma is from 15-60 with males and females both equally at risk (www.ninds.nih.gov).
Bell’s Palsy can be “self-limiting” lasting for only 2 to 4 weeks or so. In other cases, the symptoms can last for up to 6 months or never resolve at all. Other patients can experience recurrences after the initial episode.
Physical Examination and an EMG nerve study are the keys to a diagnosis of Bell’s palsy.
Treatments for Bell’s palsy include the use of steroids to decrease inflammation and anti-viral medications to treat the herpes infection. In resistant cases, nerve repair or grafts can be attempted. Eye patches and/or moisturizing eye drops may be needed to prevent corneal damage in the affected eye.
Those at increased risk for Bell’s palsy include diabetics, those with compromised immune systems and those experiencing a current upper respiratory infection.
Bell’s palsy can be a personal devastation totally disrupting one’s life with lingering residual effects. Like other conditions caused by members of the herpes virus family, taking measures to enhance natural immunity and decrease unnecessary stress remains the best course of action to try to prevent reactivation of this insidious virus.
James D. Okun, MD is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University and of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He is the co-author of The History of New Innovations in Modern Medicine: New Thought and the Threat to Traditional Medicine
Separation by Nancy Foster (Book Review #400)
The second book certainly takes a darker turn, and more scenes turn the nature of the story into a tenser situation. The pace of the story was steady, and the quality of the storyline was just as good as the first book.
In case you wish to read what I thought of the first book, you can click on the link below.
An Ominous Book by Nancy Foster (Book Review #265)
The story was still fun to read, and the author once again uses her creativity in describing the plot in such a way that was very suitable for its genre. I found Spaulding’s situation to be very interesting and constantly wanted to know what is going to happen to him.
I believe the author has enough material to add more sequels to this story and consequently induce more depth to the descriptiveness of the world built. The fantasy nature of the storyline could then intensify, and that alone would be a standout novel to read.
I recommend this book for young adult readers.
Written by Jeyran Main
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The Disenchanted Wizard by Mike Crowl (Book Review #168)
The third children’s book in the Grimhilderness series is The Disenchanted Wizard. I, unfortunately, have not read the first two books and my review is purely based on the third book alone. I did, however, notice that the author has mentioned that the third book is a stand alone and will then be put together with the first two books after the fourth is written. My recommendation, having read the third book would be to not read book fourth until the first three have been read.
The Disenchanted is a story written about a girl named Della. She loves soccer and her favorite team player is, Xanadu Whitworth. She is very close to her cousin Harold who happens to bring a very mysterious antique map to show her. The map turns out to possess some kind of magic that traps them and takes them into a completely different world.
Della’s father has seen the map before and knows of its powers so when he sees the map, he instantly shows a reaction to it and pursues to find a person that knows more and, can help. The children and Mr. Crinch then have to find a way to stop a bad wizard named, Evan Hoyle from taking over the city.
This children’s book has everything suitable to engage and intrigue the young mind. It is full of action, thriller, educational and positive messages, as well as the fun and, exciting adventure one normally looks for in a tale.
The plot and of course the characters were very well aligned together, eliminating any loopholes or questionable events. The paragraphs and the layout of the work were in good standing and the pace of the story was not fast or slow enough to challenge the young mind. I believe this book will be a great addition to the series and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Written by Jeyran Main
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The Case of the Twitter Troll by Tim Price (Book Review #169)
The case of the twitter troll is a fiction thriller written about Kyle and Ally. They are both tired of the old fashioned police rules and problems, so they open up their own agency tracking down cyberspace crimes and related social media felonies.
As they both receive their first mission from a celebrity they realize that they have their hands full. The celebrity in question is having a problem with an online bully that is sending threats and is trolling the celebrity.
I initially thought that this book was not going to intrigue me. The concept of cyberspace and it being connecting to any serious crime seemed a little off reach to me however, the author really managed to convince me that if push does come to shove, then your life really can be affected by it.
I particularly liked how the book used term phrases like “keyboard warriors” as a reference to people who believe that they face no consequences, by typing behind their keyboards and that they are untouchable.
I found the literary standard to be well written. The content had a steady flow and the connectivity between the chapters and the paragraphs were well thought out. I believe that the book would benefit from more description and character backstory. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book for anyone that is looking for a thriller fiction with a hint of romance.
The world has changed and so has its crimes. I believe that the plot was original and that this author has great potential in producing well-written tales.
Written by Jeyran Main
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On Being Human | Bibiana Krall
On Being Human | Bibiana Krall
Trials, challenges, and noise cloud our days. As humans, we all share common biology of skin, organs, bones and emotional needs. I am not merely human, but I am a mother, a female, and a deep thinker.
When we stop listening to our inner voice, we become less than what we could be. How can one be more than they were yesterday? Why should we prod ourselves to nurture and dream in a world that does not cherish it; rather than survive and sustain? Ah! The ten-million-dollar question glimmers like an echo. Read More
History of the 20th century by Wayne M. Nestor (Book Review #191)
The book provides a small description of famous Politicians and important men that were around the 20th century such as Churchill, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Manhatma Gandhi. It also mentions significant people that were influential at the time such as Charlie Chaplin, Louis Armstrong, Coco Chanel and more. The 20th century furthermore had its scientific and technological developments such as Albert Einstein, inventing the theory of relativity or Marie Curie, who discovered radiation.
From the first paragraph, I noticed clear editing issues and incomplete sentences. Besides the editing issues, I found the book to be very interesting. It is a very fast read through everything that you may already know. The author refreshes your memory with what you have learned at school and induces you to think how much things have changed now.
Written by Jeyran Main
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