Whiplash by Catherine Coulter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2 1/2 Stars... The first chapter was not impressive, but I did keep reading and it got a little better. It's not one I would recommend necessarily. It read like a trainer on the "evil pharmaceutical companies" and I don't like it when a book or movie comes across with such an obvious agenda (even though I didn't disagree with the critique of that industry). I also didn't appreciate the occasional language. Can't writers write without that?? It's totally unnecessary and degrades the quality of the book.

View all my reviews

Eat, Taste, Heal: An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living by Thomas Yarema
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the philosophy of Ayurvedic living, but what do you do when you overlap into multiple types and the recommendations are conflicting? I found it wasn't clear cut enough for me, but for those who are clearly one type it would be nice to have a guide for healthy living like this. It's a beautiful book, contains lots of tools for assessment, guidelines for eating and lifestyle, and even recipes.

View all my reviews

More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes by Stephanie O'Dea
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Her first book was more fun to read, but this follow-up is also filled with some great looking crock-pot recipes, many of which are grain free, or easily adapted.

View all my reviews

The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked some of his ideas. I particularly liked his "one-year, self-directed, alternative graduate school experience." He recommends a 14-point list including such things as reading every issue of the Economist, reading the basic texts of the world's major religions, traveling to several of the major world regions, keeping physically fit, joining Toastmasters, and reading 30 nonfictions books/20 classic novels. Sounds like a good New Year's goal!

View all my reviews

Political Woman: The Big Little Life of Jeane Kirkpatrick by Peter Collier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting to read both the professional/political side of her life and some of the the personal/family side.

View all my reviews

When He's Married to Mom: How to Help Mother-Enmeshed Men Open Their Hearts to True Love and Commitment by Kenneth Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting book. I wasn't overly impressed with the author, but the concepts he presented make sense.

View all my reviews

Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?: Top Cosmetic Scientists Answer Your Questions about the Lotions, Potions and Other Beauty Products You Use Every Day by Perry Romanowski
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I picked this book up from the library on an impulse because my daughter is hooked on lip balm and reading the title was what made me consciously realize this. The book is written by a couple of cosmetic industry scientists. I was disappointed in how biased they were in discounting health risks of cosmetic products. I may have learned a few interesting tidbits but overall I wouldn't recommend the book. I might have recommended it to a teenage audience if it weren't for the bias, but I wouldn't want teens believing the slanted acceptance that cosmetics are harmless just because a couple of "experts" say so. Skin is a very large organ and absorbs the toxins that it comes in contact with, whether from lotions, treatments, makeup, perfumes, cleansers, etc. Constant exposure certainly raises the likelihood of harm, so using products conservatively makes sense.

View all my reviews

Energy Medicine for Women: Aligning Your Body's Energies to Boost Your Health and Vitality by Donna Eden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Warning: Do not watch the video first! :) This author is rather "interesting" and in reading the book it is easier to be objective and accept/reject things you don't need. I have it on good authority that watching the companion video first may leave you with the desire to run quickly in the other direction. Thank goodness the video wasn't available when I got the book, because I really like the idea of energy medicine and despite the style of the author I loved most of what she teaches. At some point I will get the video so I can see her demonstrate techniques that are harder to master from written descriptions in the book. Until then, I am enjoying the benefits of a very accessible alternative health technique without spending a penny on an expensive provider.

View all my reviews

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So happy to find a really wonderful book written by an LDS author. Usually I give up something when I read an LDS author, but not this time. What a pleasant surprise for those who enjoy Jane Austen. The style is far more straightforward and moves at a faster pace, but you still get a satisfying, well-written story. Very entertaining!

View all my reviews