Bollywood to Beatles: Find Your Fix on The New Book Review

Title: Bollywood Invasion

Author: Ricardo Alexanders

Author's Website: http://ricardoalexanders.com/

Genre or Category: romance, fantasy

ISBN-13: 978-1981590193

Reviewed by Diane Donovan originally for Donovans Literary Services

The opening pages of Bollywood Invasion present what first appears to be an ordinary story of John Palmieri, a Brooklyn boy who is leading an average life until he's hit by a bus and awakens in another body as Raj Scindia, a prince living in India in 1958. He's suddenly wealthy, privileged, and living quite a different life from modern-day Brooklyn. Only his intense love for The Beatles has survived his transformation as he adapts to an entirely new culture and timeline; and it's that love which will lead to further changes because it's one he can't leave behind, in his old life. 

Driven by the possibilities of love and making a positive impact on his world, he finds the lyrics of the Beatles continue to direct his life, even though in this incarnation, they never existed. And when his choices bring everything he loves crashing into disaster ten years later, these songs and the values they instill in his new identity may be the only thing to link the former John's persona with Raj's struggle to survive. 

It would be all too easy to say that Bollywood Invasion is a timeslip novel that centers around a boy's struggle to regain his position and former world; but in actuality it's a saga of a struggle for identity that assumes a special level of complexity when two personas clash and their owner becomes lost between them. 

Is he living a lie, or dreaming? Which world is real; and which is his choice? As Raj becomes the incarnation of John Lennon in another place and time, bringing the messages of his future self into the past where they are received and interpreted with much enthusiasm and gusto, he also faces many conundrums, such as two women who love him and the dilemma of one of them being promised to another.

 His reincarnation of the music of the 'Beetos' in this timestream leads to many changes as Ricardo Alexanders provides a satisfying focus on love, fame, complicated situations, and the values of Indian girls and the men who pursue them. 

The result is a complex and vivid story that leads Raj/John around the world and across time, probing the unexpected consequences of coming full circle with a story that challenges not only the protagonist's true identity, but the circumstances surrounding John Lennon's life, death, and own incongruities (“You wrote songs imagining no possessions but have millions of dollars and properties everywhere.”). 

Readers looking for timeslip sagas that go beyond the usual focus on finding a way back to finding the path to one's identity will relish the very different perspectives that make Bollywood Invasion an engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

"Good Afternoon Vietnam" Review Raves About Civilian's New Memoir

Title: Good Afternoon Vietnam

Subtitle: A Civilian in the Vietnam War

Author: Gary L. Wilhelm

Author's Website: http://frugal-engineer.com/

Genre or Category: History, memoir, war, humor

ISBN-10: 0692999906

ISBN-13: 978-0692999905

Purchase on Amazon

Reviewer's rating: Five stars

• 
  

Reviewed by Theodore Jerome Cohen originally for Amazon

Gary Wilhelm hits it out of the park with his first-hand account of his work in RVN during the war.

Even though he was a civilian, parts of this story sound like they came directly from the television series M*A*S*H (which, of course, hearkens back to the Korean Police Action of the early 1950s). Wilhelm's trials and tribulations in performing his job (having to leave the country just to communicate with his company in the States? What was that about???!), much less the effort it took to perform the things we take for granted as we go about our daily lives (e.g., shopping), would have been enough to drive most people mad.

My hat's off to you, Gary; thank you for your service! What a great read. Anyone interested in what really went on behind the scenes during the war in RVN will not want to miss this book. It's a fast--and very enjoyable--read!

Five stars, all the way.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Carol Wilhelm Introduces 91-Year-Old First-Time Author

Author: E. Irene Theis 

Author's Page on Amazon

Genre: memoir 

• ISBN-10: 1981492836
• ISBN-13: 978-1981492831
• Purchase on Amazon

Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm originally for Amazon

What an amazing and impressive story revealing changes in time regarding women, religion, culture, and family experiences over the 91 years (and counting) of the author’s lifetime. The author’s life began in the  tender care of loving parents on an idyllic farm setting in northern Minnesota. There was a wonderful Lutheran church community which was and still is a strong influence in the lives of her and her now grown children. It seems religion was helpful along the way. Color pictures of the family, church, and area are included in the book. I like the photos as looking through them while reading provides a real sense of her life and story. 

E. Irene Theis suffered through years of abuse (for her and some of the children). There was also constant moving while having and raising the five babies. For many years, she blamed herself for not getting a divorce sooner. The authors own words best explain the depth of the problems she faced:

“Then Dennis received orders to go to California. We took the train. When we got to the area, we rented a motel room. We didn’t have any money for food until Dennis got paid the next day, and all I had with us was two potatoes so I made potato soup with water and salt.”

Her daughter Denise attended at least 14 schools. You get the picture. 

In later years, the author became empowered through her work in business. Graduating from college at age 66 (yes, you read that correctly), she worked and joined the Business and Professional Women's Foundation (BWP). She was voted Women of the Year in 1990. She was State President in 1992, and on the National Board in 1992 and 1993. She accomplished many wonderful things and these are a few examples. She also proudly helped employ a woman at Midwest Federal as a very successful, though blind, switchboard operator. This is one example of how she could help others after all she endured herself. 

As a member of BPW, she was interested in women’s issues, especially women’s health, and yes, in their economic status. She attended seminars, workshops, and researched both the health and financial problems of women. She did remarry in a much better relationship which was wonderful for her and the children, which was nice to read about. She described her trips to Norway and China with perspective and vivid detail. After retirement, she is living independently, writing books, and has a youthful life. 

Impressive accomplishment to become a published author at age 91!

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Dr. Bob Rich Reviews "What's Making Our Children Sick"

What’s making our children SICK? by Michelle Perro and Vincanne Adams

By Michelle Perry and Vincanne Adams

Genre: Nonfiction: Environment

2017, Chelsea Green Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-1603587570

Reviewed by Dr. Bob Rich

Dr. Perro is a pediatrician, so her book focuses on children. However, everything in this book applies to all humans, of any age. Probably it even applies to dogs, cats, goldfish, and animals free of human ownership.

Already, the preface is a powerful call to arms. Calmly, without hysteria, the authors summarize the theme of the book: “the systemic health failures among our children are a result of something even more troubling than the physical symptoms in their bodies; they are the cumulative outcome of being born into and living in an environment that has been made toxic by agrochemical industrialized food production... unless they are eating 100 percent organic food or homegrown vegetables from ecologically managed soil, they are eating toxic ingredients such as pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics... children carry toxic loads from the mattresses they sleep on, the soaps they use to wash their hands, their sunscreen, and their antibiotics. Add to that mix of toxic exposures the fact that much of their food is loaded with chemical toxicants, and you get very sick children--children who are being made sick from the inside out.”

Sections of the book explain in clear, plain language a wide variety of technical issues, and reading it is worthwhile for this reason alone. For example, I've only had a vague understanding of our gut bacteria until reading this book. You may not know much about genetic engineering; this is a good place to gain an understanding of the controversy surrounding this technology.

The authors focus in on the gut and its huge population of microscopic life. They show how mistreating this “microbiome,” or worse, poisoning it, relates to a wide variety of symptoms that are typically misdiagnosed. Instead of putting band aids on symptoms, the need is to treat the cause.

Perro & Adams advocate the use of “the five Rs for this: remove, replace, reinoculate, repair, and rebalance” to get gut health. The many case studies from Dr. Perro’s clinical practice show this to be spectacularly successful.

What damages the gut of so many children; so many people? “Our position is that GM foods are the key ingredient in the larger toxic pesticide problem, thus they cannot be separated” (p 120).

The book focuses on the USA. The occasional fact is country-specific, for example the horrendous lack of real regulation, but almost everything applies globally.

I do have a criticism. Two thirds of the book is organized along lines I find logical, but the opening one-third is... unusual. Time and again, the reader is told the overall conclusions, until they become utterly repetitive. This is interlaced with the evidence for these conclusions. The progression of evidence is fine, but the book would be far better to start with that, and gradually and inexorably lead to the conclusions. However, the content, the evidence presented, the scientific caution and rigor of the arguments, and above all, the many case studies, make this book essential reading, not only for medical personnel, not only for parents, but for all thinking people.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Frugal Book Promoter Makes Marketing "Easier than Envisioned!"

Title: The Frugal Book Promoter
Subtitles: Nitty-Gritty How-tos for Getting Nearly Free Publicity and How to get nearly free publicity
 on you own or by partnering with our publisher
Second Edition
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Published by HowToDoItFrugally Publishing
Series: HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers
Multi Award-Winning including USA Book News Gold
Available on Amazon as paper or e-book
ISBN: 9781463743291

Reviewed by Lois W. Stern originally for Amazon
FIVE STARS

Carolyn Howard-Johnson does it again, with another super book in her 'How to Do It Frugally' series. When

 she plunges into publicity basics, she really plunges, giving her readers invaluable who, what, when, where 

detailed directions. What would you pay a consultant for all this advice? I wager a lot more than the price 

of this book. And that’s before I got to the pages with step-by-step instructions on building a media kit. 

Sure, I had read about the importance of media kits for eons, knew that was something I should tackle,

 but it seemed like such as daunting task that I managed to put it off for years. Then along came 

The Frugal Book Promoter, and with its step-by-step guidance, I shouted EUREKA, I can do this! 

Not only does Howard-Johnson provide her recommended 
outline for its development, but gives us specifics 

as margin and font sizes, page headings, types of content
to include with each page and other important

 features one might otherwise overlook.

To my delight, I realized I had already written most of these 
recommended bits and pieces, saved and scattered

 in different folders, so it was far easier than I envisioned. 
Once I searched them out on my computer,

 refined and updated them a bit, my media kit was almost 
complete. It never would have occurred to me to 

include a first person essay, or even that such a piece 
belonged in a media kit. What a clever idea! 

I had such fun writing mine, and it certainly adds flavor, 
giving the author a chance to provide the media with a

 peak into your personality.

Now I can’t wait to read her Section II: "Do-It-Yourself and Partner Publicity". I have learned that when I read 

a Frugal series book, I have my Post-Its handy so I can tab the pages with details I don't want to overlook.

Lois W. Stern
Author, Creator of Tales2Inspire

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Lois W. Stern is a passionate teacher and that passion carries over to her Tales2Inspire contests and anthology series. Learn more about her on Twitter @tales2inspire2.

Carol Smallwood's Poetry Gets Star Status from Literary Professionals

In Hubble’s Shadow
Carol Smallwood
Shanti Arts, 2017, Brunswick, Maine
98 pages
$14.95, paperback
Purchase on Amazon


Reviewed by Jennifer L. Dean

    The early 90s were exciting and troubling times—the Berlin wall came down, and the Iraq War began. A Gen Xer, this was the backdrop for my first year of college. When the Hubble Telescope launched into space in early 1990, sending us brilliant images of a world we had heretofore only imagined, it surprised and delighted us, showing us just how small we were. For me, these bright photographs helped to offset the images of the loss of the Challenger, a loss many in my generation still remember as one of our first shared tragedies. In Hubble’s Shadow, a collection of poems by Carol Smallwood, evoked this rush of memories for this reader, simply with its title.

    These memories were not the only ones that flooded my senses as I read Smallwood’s poetry. I delighted in scenes seemingly inspired from my own rural upbringing—from an exploration of spring’s arrival in the changing landscape of a dirt road in the brief “An Ode to Mud,” or the remembrance of summer’s bounty in the even briefer “The Sugar Beet Field.” These poems delight the senses and inspire wonder and laughter. But, darker images reside here, too. Faithless friends and partners in “Dreams of Flying Sestina,” and health concerns in “Live with It” and “Kitty Doesn’t Explore” rear their heads, weaving their way into this tapestry of a life lived in contemplation of our world’s complexity, whether underfoot, overhead, or right in front of us.

Taken as a whole, this collection reflects the full round of life, with all of its questions, beauty, and pain. This volume is accessible to all readers, no matter their knowledge of poetry and poetic devices. Although this collection includes several longer-form works, the majority pull you in with their brevity and knock you out with their depth of feeling and the poet’s ability to bring the reader right to the heart of the story. This collection meets the reader where they are, with just enough detail to inspire the wonder with which the author so clearly perceives the world and her place in it. Or, as Smallwood writes so eloquently in the last line of “Wind in Trees”—“the story lies with the interpreter.”

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Jennifer L. Dean is the Dean of University Libraries and Instructional Technology, Instructional Design Studio, at University of Detroit Mercy Libraries. 

OTHER REVIEWS FOR "IN HUBBLE'S SHADOW"
Scarlet Leaf Review
https://www.scarletleafreview.com/nonfiction4
January 15, 2018

Michigan Quarterly Review 
http://www.michiganquarterlyreview.com/2017/05/a-review-of-carol-smallwoods-in-hubbles-shadow/
May 16, 2017

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Mindy Lawrence Reviews How-To for Self-Guided Journaling

Title: Journal Your Way to Creativity: A Self-Guided Journal

Author: Jen Nipps

Paperback: 106 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 25, 2018)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1986126889

ISBN-13: 978-1986126885

Reviewed by Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Author Jenn Nipps sent me a copy of her new e-book, Journal Your Way to Creativity: A Self-Guided Journal. I’d chatted with her and asked permission to review it since its title resonated with me, the subject matter close to my heart.

At first, this book seems simple, that is until you begin working with the prompts. Nipps’ introduction discusses how important creativity is and what it is and isn’t. Then ninety prompts pull you in and draw out your thoughts and insecurities. They lead you on a 90-day excursion into the blocks you have and direct you to discover ways to unblock them. Instead of telling you what to do in order to accept your creative life, this book leads you to discover the answers for yourself. 

The first prompt says, “Give your inner critic free reign for five minutes. Write everything it says. Then put it in jail. Put its words in an envelope and seal it. Don’t open it for at least a month or, preferably, after the end of this journal. Then see how you feel about what it said.” You reveal the weaknesses holding you back then you incarcerate them. Nipps asks you to be honest with yourself. Open the mental drawers and closets that hold the junk that keeps you from being free. 

Nipps includes a helpful list of books by other authors in the resource section that will give you more help in opening your creative life. She also lists her other works.

This book is as helpful as you allow it to be. You can add to the area in the printed version and say more. You can make your own file for the electronic version. Either way, if you allow the prompts to direct you and are honest with your answers, this book can greatly expand your creative life. 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Mindy Phillips Lawrence is a writer and artist from Springfield, Missouri. She is the author of two chapbooks of poetry, co-author of The Complete Writer, and has been published in Writers’ Digest Magazine. Her reviews also sometimes appear on Amazon.com and Midwest Book Review. She is also a columnist for #CarolynHowardJohnson 's SharingwithWriters newsletter, http://HowToDoItFrugally.com and will soon publish a compendium of those columns.  

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.