The 150 Healthiest Foods on the Earth

 The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why

Author:    Johnny Bowden, Ph.D.

Genre:     Health/Reference

Paperback; Digital Books

ISBN #:    9781592337644

Fair Winds Press

376 Pages

$22.11; #2.99Amazon

August 29, 2017

⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's time to debunk all the myths about foods we want to eat.  150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Revised Edition delivers facts on foods; no spin, no agenda.  In this newly updated nutrition reference guide, acclaimed nutritionist and bestselling author Johnny Bowdon debunks traditional food myths, saves the reputations of foods long suffering bad publicity, and provides just the facts -- so you can make good, health-conscious decisions about which foods you and your family should eat.  You'    ll learn the latest research on many of your favorite foods, as well as some surprising new findings on the health benefits of foods you may have been avoiding unnecessarily.  Did you know that according to research:

    Saturated fat does not cause heart disease?

    Full-fat dairy may protect against diabetes?

    There is no need to avoid meat if it is one hundred percent grass fed?

    There is a major difference between farmed salmon and wild salmon?

No food provides everything.  But real food -- whole food with minimal processing -- contains a virtual pharmacy of nutrients, phytochemicals, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and healthful fats, all of which keep you alive and thriving.  Learn how easy it is to find "real" food and discover what more than a dozen well-known nutrition experts say are their "top ten" healthiest foods on earth.

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I liked the title of this book, and I am always on the lookout for healthy, good-tasting food.  Restaurants have flavorful dishes; but a lot of it is buried in sauces and fatty ingredients, so I choose carefully.  I was pleased to know that a lot of the food I keep at home is on this list.  At any given time, my refrigerator is filled with fruits and vegetables; some cheeses, and nitrate-free meats.  I am very careful about what I eat.

But this book added so much more to what I already knew.  Being a person who really doesn't like avocado (sorry, I just don't), unless it is in guacamole (I don't know why about that, either); I was looking for alternatives to healthy fats and this book provided that as well.

In the end, this has more than enough information on food that you should be able to decide what you want and keep a full refrigerator and pantry without giving up flavor.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/150-Healthiest-Foods-Earth-Revised-ebook/dp/B075NWRWDH/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7824652062

Scene:

 A Memoir

Author:    Abel Ferrara

Genre:     Autobiography/Entertainment

Hardcover: Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    971668097670

Simon & Schuster

272 Pages

$29.00; $14.99 Amazon

October 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Throughout his five-decade career, film director Abel Ferrara -- now in his seventies -- has been one of cinema's most provocative and critically revered figures.  Since beginning as an independent filmmaker in Manhattan in the early 1970's -- before "indie films" were a genre -- and refining his craft as a director for the TV show Miami Vice, he has directed more than thirty feature films, most notably the cult classics Bad Lieutenant, King of New York, and Dangerous Game.

His work, often controversial for its depictions of sex, violence, and drugs, has been praised for its sincerity and depth, with critics noting that his films take spirituality and morality more seriously than most films do.  In Scene, Ferrara opens up about the inspiration for his creativity detailing his dramatic life journey, from his tough upbringing in the 1950s Bronx to reaching the pinnacle of his career while struggling with addition.  This memoir is not just a recounting of his life but a manifesto on what it means to be a true artist -- one who refuses to compromise and continues to create boundary pushing work.

Scene is a profound, beautiful, and inspiring account of an artist's relentless pursuit of creativity, making it a must-read for film fans and anyone interested in the gritty realities of the entertainment industry.

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First off, I will tell you that I am a huge film fan.  So much so, that I have hundreds of biographies of Hollywood, the Golden Era, actors, directors, studios, etc.  There isn't much that I haven't researched and read up to this point.  I will also tell you that I own thousands of films, most from the Golden Era of Hollywood.

Now I will tell you that occasionally I watch films that are from a later era, (anything past 1960) but not often.  I have heard very little of Mr. Ferrara, but being a fan of Christopher Walken, I have seen King of New York.  Giving you what I know (or did know before reading this) of Mr. Ferrara.  While this isn't the most fascinating memoir that I've read, it is the grittiest, digging deep into the soul of this director and who he is.

I don't believe in drugs and I don't drink, so my view may be skewed somewhat, but I never judge others on what they do in their private lives.  That's not for me to do.  Yet I felt something while reading this; something akin to empathy for him.  Struggling with addictions is always difficult; people don't always make it.  But surrounding yourself with others doing the same things perhaps isn't the best thing to do, so I couldn't feel sorry for him (Empathy and sorrow are two different things).

This memoir is raw, giving us everything from his being born and raised in the Bronx; living with a father who had addictions of his own; his family members, and people he knew along the way.  Some you won't like, others you might.  His upbringing wasn't easy.  But his journey to making films was never tempered, he always knew what he wanted to do.  He is not by any means a part of Hollywood, but the Indie scene captivated him in the fact that it allowed him to make the type of films he wants to.

Lastly, I will say that this memoir was definitely intriguing the more I read, and while his films might never be my favorites (as I stated above, I love the Golden Age of Hollywood), I know what part of his soul he put into making them, and that makes all the difference.  Recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Scene-Memoir-Abel-Ferrara-ebook/dp/B0DV6HN8GB/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7866703556

More on Abel Ferrara:    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001206/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1

The Little Lost Library

 A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 7

Author:    Ellery Adams

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496743794; 9781496743800

Kensington Cozies

320 Pages

$11.43; $17.95; $10.86  Amazon

October 22, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When an elderly Miracle Springs resident, Lucille Wynter, arranges for Nora to deliver an order of books to her creepy, crumbling Southern Gothic mansion on the outskirts of town, Nora doesn't expect to be invited in.  An agoraphobic, Lucille doesn't leave Wynter House.  But when Lucille doesn't come to the door to collect her books, Nora begins to worry.

Forcing her way into Lucille's dilapidated home, Nora is shocked to finds rooms bursting with books and a lifeless Lucille at the foot of the stairs.  After reading a note left behind by Lucille, Nora wonders if her death was an accident.  Did she fall or was she pushed by someone seeking a valuable item hidden within Wynter House?  Lucille's children are clearly confident the house contains something of value, because they hire Nora to sift through the piles of books.

Nora's obsession with Lucille's collection becomes cause for concern among her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society -- she's even neglecting her bookshop!  But Nora does find something valuable deep inside Wynter House -- a revelation about Lucille's terrible past...and a secret worth a small fortune.  But there's someone who'd do anything to keep the truth buried amid the moldering tomes, and it's up to Nora and her friends to track down a murderer before Wynter House's lost library claims another victim...

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Nora Pennington owns a bookstore in Miracle Springs, North Carolina.  She's built a good life for herself with friends and the love of Sheriff Grant McCabe.  She has a great love of books, and regularly delivers them to the town recluse, Lucille Wynter.  Lucille lives in Wynter House, and doesn't ever leave it.  Nora isn't even allowed in the house after years of bringing her books.  They sit in the boot room, have tea, and talk about books.

But one day her delivery doesn't go right.  Lucille doesn't arrive on time, and Nora gets worried.  She calls her from the boot room and Lucille answers, asking for help.  Nora breaks down the door and finds Lucille at the bottom of the stairs, recently deceased.  When the police arrive, they find a house filled with books everywhere, and discover that Lucille was a hoarder.

But Officer Andrews gives Nora a package that Lucille had left for her.  Inside is a small book, and a note that tells her there is a little lost library in the house, and she must find it with clues.  But how is she to get into the house?  With the help of her antique dealer friend Bea, and Bea's niece Cricket, who owns a junk hauling business, Nora makes the decision to find the library, even if it puts her in danger...

I absolutely loved this book best out of all in the series.  Maybe because I love mysteries, but this was more a mystery within a mystery -- who killed Lucille, and where is the library -- and that intrigued me to no end.  Unfortunately, Nora doesn't realize how dangerous a game she is playing.  It isn't until another tragedy occurs closer to home that Nora realizes she has to involve McCabe, who isn't happy that she didn't let him know right away.

On top of it all, someone is stealing books from her store, and she can't figure out who it is.  But with the help of good friends around, nothing is impossible...

Nora is digging through the crowed house for clues, and they aren't easy to find; especially since the house is in such bad shape and filled to the brim.  But when she starts digging, she finds that the clues are leading to a deeper tragedy still, and that makes all the difference in this story.  We are pulled into the tale, wanting to know the truth, and being given answers slowly, which only make us want more.

I will say that I knew the murderer very quickly, but the reasons eluded me, which isn't a bad thing, as I love to probe for the truth as much as Nora.  When the ending comes, it all weaves together tightly, and the story has a very nice ending, leaving us waiting for the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Library-Secret-Scone-Society-ebook/dp/B0CTDKBXZH/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7849663450

More on Ellery Adams's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/ellery-adams/

Shot Through the Book

 A Lighthouse Library Mystery Book 12

Author:    Eva Gates

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9798892420440; 9798892242322

Crooked Lane Books

272 Pages

$22.80; $19.99; $14.99 Amazon

May 6, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from all over the world.  When best-selling author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence, since they're virtually strangers.  After she steps inside to get him a drink, she's shocked to discover that he's been murdered on her desk in the few minutes she left him alone.  

Not knowing why he wanted to meet with her in private, or how someone managed to kill him in the time it takes to make lemonade, Lucy is determined to help with the investigation and figure out what happened.  When Heather Harrison, Todd's widow, shows up in town, her motivations aren't inspired by grief.  She's intending to use her husband's tragic death to launch her candidacy for state senator and her first order of business is to go after the local police force -- and Lucy herself.

Caught between an intrusive fan club mourning Todd, squabbling authors, fighting for prominence in his absence , and a politically ruthless widow, Lucy must roll up her sleeves and catch the killer before the chapter closes on justice.

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Lucy McNeil is happily married to Mayor Connor McNeil, and works at the Lighthouse Library.  The employees are organizing an event to bring in young adult authors, and especially well-known author Todd Harrison.  But the night of the meeting, which Lucy was unfortunately late to, Todd shows up at her house unannounced.  He states he'd like to speak with her about him, and being a good host, she asks him to wait on the deck while she gets them some iced tea.

But when Lucy returns a short time later, Todd is dead...and whoever killed him is long gone.  After telling the police that she only met him that day and didn't know why he was at her house, she thought would be the end of it.  But it wasn't.

The widow was blaming her for the death, town teens are haunting the place where Todd died (her home) and her life has just been upended once more.  Lucy is trying to stay out of the investigation, but things keep going wrong and she keeps getting pulled in.  Will she find a killer or will she put herself in danger once again...

This is the twelfth book in the series, and I have read them all.  I've come to grow fond of all the characters, and watched them change over time, which isn't a bad thing at all.  This book was different in that it centered around Lucy and her relatives weren't in the book much, which is fine; there was enough action with the other characters to keep things interesting.

Lucy isn't happy that the teens are haunting her home, and even Connor is getting tired of cleaning up the 'tributes' to Todd.  When Lucy finds out that it's not going to end, she goes into hyper mode to figure out who the true murderer is.  

I really enjoyed this book, except for one part at the end, which I won't name here, but I was disappointed that it was even mentioned, much less added.  Those who have read the book will discover what I am talking about (hopefully) and those who have not read it -- maybe it won't change your perception at all, since it is my own opinion.

Other than that, I liked the way the story came together, and the killer was definitely a surprise; still, no one knows what goes on in the mind of a murderer, right?  It made the story more believable and gave it more push.  I do enjoy Ms. Gates's writing, and I love this series especially.  (I read other of her series as well and enjoy them as much).  When you find a talented writer, you know it, and Ms. Gates fits the bill.

In the end, everything came together nicely, and gave us a look as to what is to come in the next book.  I look forward to it immensely.  Recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Shot-Through-Lighthouse-Library-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DCFLVP6W/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7826610950

More on Eva Gates's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/eva-gates/

The Tattered Cover

A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 8

Author:    Ellery Adams

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook & Audio CD Available)

ISBN #:    9781496743824

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$27.00; $13.77 Amazon

October 28, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It was a dark, rainy night at Nora Pennington's Miracle Books when a mysterious death brings the Secret, Book, and Scone Society into the Halloween season on the trail of a murderer...

As the residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, select their costumes, plan parties, and get excited for a night of tricks or treats, Nora joins in the festivities by hosting medium memoirist Lara Luz at the bookstore.  Charismatic and compelling, Lara mesmerizes the audience with her life story.  Struck by a bolt of lightning as a child, she was pronounced dead only to be resurrected with the ability to connect with those on the other side.

Lara performs a reading for a select group of bookstore patrons when the encroaching storm knocks out the power.  In the sudden darkness, howling cold winds intensify, and Lara clutches her heart, collapsing dead without warning.  But Nora doesn't believe she died of natural causes.  Not one member of the psychic's reading group -- which includes the town's widower pharmacist, an urgent care nurse, a mystery author, and even truculent Deputy Hollowell -- were admirers of Lara.

Nora confirms this when she stumbles upon Lara's journal in the aftermath of her death .  For within its leathery bound pages are the medium and her clients' deepest and darkest secrets, written in code,  Now, Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society must sift through the suspects and their motives to uncover which one of them is a killer before he or she is tempted to strike again...

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Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is surprised when an author wants to do a reading and signing at her small bookstore.  But urged by her employee and friend Sheldon, she agrees.  When that turns out to be successful, she organizes a mixed signing by several authors just before Halloween.  Among them is Lara Luz, a psychic who wants to read from her memoir and then has agreed to do special readings for a small number of attendees.  Among them are a widower, a nurse, and surprisingly, Deputy Hollowell, a K9 officer who's clashed with Nora from the day she came into town.  But, if this is a success as well, Nora will be able to hold more.

Unfortunately, it isn't.  The lights go out due to a storm, and Lara is struck down, supposedly from a bad heart.  When Nora tries to help, Lara's partner pushes her, and Nora strikes her head and passes out.  When she awakens, she discovers that Lara is dead, and she eventually learns that it was murder.  Her own partner, Sheriff Grant McCabe, wants her to stay out of it because she received a concussion, but Nora and her friends are curious enough to want to know who murdered her -- Nora is concerned that her reputation will be tarnished by the murder in her store -- so they still do their own investigation.  When Nora accidentally finds Lara's personal journal, she sees that the woman kept track of her clients.

But it's more than that.  When she starts to decipher Lara's code, something sinister pops up...and it might just be the key to why Lara was killed...

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have loved them all.  I have grown fond of the people in Miracle Springs, and have even felt for them and their own secrets and pain.  Once you journey to a town in books, if the writer is good enough (and Ms. Adams certain is), you want to return again and again.

This book does not disappoint.  I do not want to say too much about it, because I want the reader to enjoy their own travels to Miracle Springs.  I will say that finding the murderer isn't easy, and the answers aren't always the ones that come with the clues.  The conclusion was definitely surprising; the story was intriguing and even dark at times.  But all this added to the suspense and the enjoyment of the tale.  

Nora has her own decisions to face; Estella is looking at a new life to come forth; and even Hester may find some changes coming to her.  But even the subplots are part of the main plot, and it's pulling you into the story almost from the start.  I read this one through in one sitting, which I rarely do.  All I can say now is that when you get the chance to read this, do so.  You will not be disappointed.  Highly recommended.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Tattered-Cover-Secret-Scone-Society-ebook/dp/B0DX4X1HMT/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7804101139

More on Ellery Adams's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/ellery-adams/