Book Review: Private Screening by Richard North Patterson

Private Screening by Richard North Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Richard North Patterson sits on my list of top authors along with Ed McBain, Ginger Scott, Debbie Macomber, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and a few non-fiction writers. I hadn't realized that this particular book had gotten past me. I thought I'd read all of RNP's earlier works. As it turns out, I somehow missed this first Tony Lord novel. Private Screening tells the story of the assassination of Presidential hopeful James Kilcannon (Kerry Kilcannon, younger brother of James, is the subject of a trilogy of RNP novels).

What follows is the trial of the shooter who Tony Lord defends. That story is interwoven as a wonderfully written flashback story with a present day  abduction. Stacy Tarrant is a famous singer, and former girlfriend of James Kilcannon. She was with James Kilcannon the night he was murdered. In the present day, she is in need of a good attorney and calls on Tony Lord even though she despises him for defending James' killer.

My thoughts on this book are basically the same as all of the other Richard North Patterson books I've read: they're brilliant. If you like crime novels, mysteries, court dramas and/or a mixture of some or all of those things, RNP is the writer for you.  In this particular novel, you're actually reading two novels in one. The fist novel is told in flashback and the second is in present day. But they're also interwoven and except for James Kilcannon, all of the other characters are in the past and present.

The two stories are interwoven so well, it's easy to keep track of what's going on. Many authors don't use the flashback so well. RNP nails it in this earlier work of his.

Tony Lord, our "hero" in this case, is obviously a good looking man. But his skill as a lawyer and his adoration for his son, Christopher are the two most attractive qualities of the character. If you'd already read "Silent Witness," the second Tony Lord novel, this novel gives you a look at how Tony Lord becomes a successful and much sought after attorney. In fact, he's similar to RNP's other attorney character, Christopher Paget. They are definitely different but both brilliant.

RNP tackles topics in his books that are usually controversial like gun control, abortion, the death penalty and so on. He researches like a madman before he writes and it definitely shows. In this particular novel, the reader will see how easy it's NOT to put on an insanity defense and it also tackles the subject of Vietnam Veterans who came home extremely different men and the issues attached to them as a result.

This one is an absolute must read. Every Richard North Patterson book should be on everyone's TBR list for at least a try. Chances are highly likely that even those who do not typically read the genre will be dragged in.

Like the late Ed McBain, who is probably the best mystery and crime novelist of all time, Richard North Patterson is right up there. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars!!!!!


View all my reviews

Book Review: You And Everything After by Ginger Scott

You and Everything After is the second novel in The Falling Series and the sixth novel overall by author Ginger Scott. Ms. Scott hit it out of the park when she released her first novel,Waiting On The Sidelines and she has continued to do with every single novel she has released since then including You and Everything After. Both novels can be read as stand alone novels but I highly recommend that you read both novels in this three part series.

This is the gorgeous story of Tyson "Ty" Preeter, a graduate student and older brother of Nate Preeter, who we met in book one of The Falling Series, This Is Falling and Cassidy "Cass" Owens, roommate of Rowe Stanton, who we also met in This Is Falling. Ty is tough, strong-willed and refuses to allow his disability (paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair) to get in his way. He'll also be the first to tell you that he can be a real a$ at times. Cass has come to college despite her disability, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and despite her parents' overprotection. Cass has come to college to start over. No more of that reputation about how easy it is to get her into bed. Nope. No more.

Even though we met Ty and Cass in This Is Falling, they were the secondary characters in the background while we read about Nate and Rowe's story. In this novel, we get all of the things that happened during the time Nate and Rowe are finding each other, but this is now focused solely on Ty and Cass. Ms. Scott has now moved Ty and Cass into the forefront, placed Nate and Rowe into the background as secondary characters, and shows us their story from both of their points of view.

Like every Ginger Scott novel, I couldn't put it down. I really did consider whether or not I could use REAL toothpicks to keep my eyes opened as I fought sleep to keep on reading. My body was falling asleep but my brain was in high gear, on full speed, and it would not rest until I finished this magnificent story.

Ty is the kind of man that women dream about finding: handsome, educated, athletic, great sense of humor, and empathy for others who suffer from disabilities like he does. And while Ty loves a party, the PITY party is the one party Ty is NEVER interested in. Ms. Scott gives us a completely realistic look at what it's like to have a disability like Ty's and how he still manages to accomplish so much. And when he meets Cass, his desire to be all of those things and be an even better man than he already is, becomes shockingly important to him.

Cass is the kind of young woman who doesn't like to be told that she shouldn't do something because she has MS. I can relate. I have a similar disability and it's painful all day long. I hate being told I can't do something because of my disability. But when Cass meets Ty and he turns out to be her personal trainer, he's positive that she could play soccer in college as she was a championship player in high school who was forced to quit by her parents and their understandable, but overprotective, worries.

Put these two together and you have FIREWORKS! They are hot, hot, hot! Yes, there are great love scenes in this entire book and you will love every single one of them. But, their clashing of souls and passion are what gives these two young lovers, regardless of their physical limitations, the ability to leap over the highest of mountains. Together, these two can do anything.

One particular scene, the one I loved MOST, is a scene when Ty and Cass are together in Cass' bed. When Ty is on top, he has to use his arm strength to hold himself up. Ty wants to be able to hold Cass a certain way but he can't because he needs both arms. He simply can't do both. It's Cass who comes up with a way to make that happen and Ty holds her. Tight. And he plays it over and over in his mind how much he loves her for everything that she is because she gets him. Like it says in the book's synopsis, "She’s about to own me…completely. And I’m about to let her." And he lets her. Yeah, sure...as if he had a choice.

Both characters are physically "broken" but together? They complement each other so well, each one repairs the other. Both characters have fragile hearts and neither wants it broken again. But together? Fragility gone, replaced with strength from each other. Both characters are young, one starting college, one starting graduate school. But they both have the maturity of two 40 year olds who've been around the block, over the mountain, through the woods, and back around the block again. I would call these two "old souls." Ty and Cass are together because the Universe knew that they needed each other. Like me and my man, Ty and Cass saved each other. Neither actually wanted to ever admit that they needed rescuing but they did. And it wouldn't have worked if either was with someone else. It had to be them for the saving and rescuing to work.

It's extremely difficult to pick a favorite from Ginger Scott's novels. They all have the ability to grab you, wrap you in warmth, make you root for the characters, and make you feel what the characters are feeling. To accomplish one of those things with a novel is exceptionally difficult to do. Ms. Scott pulls off all of those things in every novel she writes. And this one was no different. Because of these two old souls and the obstacles they have to jump over, I think this is my favorite Ginger Scott novel. Probably because I wanted to jump into this book and be one of the characters. Kind of because I could hear Ty's Louisiana accent in my head.

Beautiful. Delightfully funny! Irreverently funny! Classy. B!tchin! Crazy cool. Wild! Ginger Scott not only writes amazing novels, she tops herself with each new novel. How she tops THIS one? I have no idea what she'll do but I know she's going to do it. I've said the same thing since I first stumbled upon and requested the ARC for Waiting On The Sidelines and I'll say it again…if Ginger Scott writes it, I'm reading it and that applies for as long as…forever.

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Book Review: "The Millionaire Affair" by Jessica Lemmon

Kimber Reynolds owns her own vintage clothing store with her ex-boyfriend. She's trying to raise enough money to buy him out so she doesn't have to work with him anymore. Kimber has had a crush on Landon for as long as she could remember. Kimber also falls in love easy and fast and as a result, her relationships dissolve quickly when the man gets scared off.

Landon Downey is a millionaire ad executive who knows Kimber through his sister, Angel. Kimber spent summers with Angel growing up and spent one summer in particular crushing on Landon when she was a teen and he was in college. Landon's also got some relationship issues following a tragic turn of events with an ex from college years prior.

Now it's years later and Landon needs a nanny for a week to care for his nephew while Landon and Angel's brother is traveling to hone his art. Angel suggests Kimber thinking that Kimber's crush was actually on her other brother, Evan. But Landon agrees to hire her for a nice sum of money that Kimber can absolutely use so Kimber accepts and moves in for the week with Landon and his nephew.

Landon's attraction to Kimber all these years later is suddenly present and it throws him off. He can't even stop thinking about her. He can't bring himself to do relationships and she only wants to have a fling so she can prove to herself that she can without just falling heavily for every guy she dates.

So, where does THAT go? Well, you have to read it to find out.

Landon and Kimber were both extremely likable. I enjoyed how they interacted, how Kimber interacted with the nephew and how they were both open and communicative with each other about what they wanted from each other. At least what they THINK they wanted.

Kimber's "best" friend, Gloria, is NOT likable. At least not to me. I think as a best friend, you don't advise best friends to do the things Gloria advises Kimber to do and she's already confused and in a desperate situation about midway through the novel. Gloria comes off as extremely selfish. The only good part to having this terrible character is that it forces Kimber to figure things out for herself. She knows what she wants this time and Gloria is there to quash Kimber's dreams at each turn all the while thinking she's doing the right thing. Not so. Gloria does nothing in Kimber's best interest.

Overall, this is a wonderful story and I really liked the way the ending was written. This particular book is part three of the "Love In The Balance" series but each one of the books is easily read as a stand alone. Do look up the other two in the series and read those as well. They're all enjoyable.

*ARC given by NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Four excellent stars!

Book Review: "God Chose ME to Carry THREE" by Lisa Frances Penn and Aaron Madison Penn

Title: God Chose ME To Carry THREE

Authors: Lisa Frances Penn and Aaron Madison Penn

Genre: Non-Fiction, Faith-Based

Where to Buy: Click Here To Purchase NOW!!!!!

Dedication:

I have never done a dedication on a blog post/book review before. Mostly because I wasn't sure if people did that. Then I decided I didn't care what other people do. So, I dedicate this blog post/book review to the following people:

1. To my 12 angels. I will see you again someday.

2. To my beloved, late friend and brother of the author, Todd Christopher Jones. Without Todd, I wouldn't have met Lisa. All things come together for those who love the Lord. The Lord took you home but gave me Lisa. You are still missed my CAPA brother.

3. To the author herself, Lisa Frances Penn. The feat of being able to read your beautiful book finally settled the question long in my mind that I can read about such miracles without being in pain over my own losses. If you didn't write the book, I may have never known. Thank you so much for writing it and sharing this part of your life with me.

Review:

Imagine for a moment that you are a 40 year old woman and you have no children. Imagine you want children badly. Now imagine that you're concerned about having a condition in your reproductive system because your mother had it. Imagine having an ultrasound to check for that condition and you find out that you are not only PREGNANT, but that you are having TRIPLETS. No fertility drugs, SPONTANEOUSLY CONCEIVED TRIPLETS!

Now, imagine you're a man with a wife and your wife believes that she's got a reproductive condition that her mother had. Imagine that your wife is having an ultrasound to check for the condition so she can have it treated, if it can be treated at all. And because your wife is a NURSE, you have no reason to think she's wrong. Now imagine your wife comes home from that appointment and tells you she's pregnant. With TRIPLETS!

You have just received a fraction of a glimpse of what it's like to be Lisa Frances Penn and her husband, Aaron Madison Penn.

"God Chose ME To Carry Three" is the non-fiction story of The Penn's journey through learning about Lisa's spontaneously conceived triplet pregnancy, the duration of the extremely rough pregnancy itself, and what life is like raising identical triplets. 

In the interest of full disclosure, from January 2000 to December 2004, I personally went through fertility treatment and conceived a number of pregnancies. All were at least triplets. All of the pregnancies were lost. So, I have a total of 12 angels waiting for me in Heaven. 

So why in the world would I accept an invitation to read and review THIS book? Well, to see how I would feel reading about The Penns and Lisa's experience in particular. I also said "yes" to this book because when I met Lisa at her brother's funeral (he was a beloved classmate of mine) and subsequently got to know her on Facebook, I wanted to be a part of sharing this wonderful story with the world.

So, how did I feel reading this book? For starters, I was once again assured that God DOES still work miracles today. The day you doubt THAT, then read this book. There's no way one can doubt God and His ability to perform a miracle after reading this book. My own losses never really became an issue while reading this book. I didn't feel badly for ME. Faith restored, mission accomplished.

At certain times I felt badly for Lisa. Even though my pregnancies were all high-risk and Lisa and I have that in common, my experience still was not the same. After my first pregnancy failed, I was on bed rest immediately with all of the other pregnancies as soon as the tests came back positive. Lisa's bed rest experience was nothing like mine. She actually made it to having to be on bed rest in the hospital for months.

What was it like to be taken into the world of Mrs. Penn as she went through this journey, primarily left on her own by all of her doctors and nurses, with only her hard-working husband to support her emotionally? For starters, my head spun reading about it. There was a point closer to the beginning of her hospitalized bed rest where I kept finding myself in disbelief. The nurses who cared for Lisa, upon finding out she was a nurse herself, didn't tell her anything. I kept wondering things like "why didn't she push harder?" or "why not seek out a patient advocate inside the hospital?" And then my thoughts flipped. Maybe it was because I'm a nurse as well. But I began to wonder, "what the heck were these nurses thinking?" or "what was wrong with these nurses?" A woman stuck on bed rest, in a hospital during the winter, who can't even get out of bed to go to the bathroom while pregnant with triplets, has to be going NUTS. The hormones alone would make her brain more scrambled than the eggs on a Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast. Would she be thinking about pushing harder? Probably not. She's thinking about the three babies in her belly, right? 

Who should consider not reading this book? If you are a primary infertile woman who is still going through treatment, this may not be for you. If you've been through a lot of pregnancy loss and you haven't moved forward, may not be for you. Overall, if you're a female who hasn't dealt with your own inability to conceive and/or your losses, then this isn't for you. I felt I was far enough past my own losses to read this book and I was happy to find out I was right.

Now, if you do fit into any of these categories and you think you might enjoy reading a true story of someone else's good fortune, this book is definitely for you. There are those who fit into these categories who feel that reading about others having success in this area whether via spontaneous conception or, by assisted reproductive techniques (ART), makes them feel more positive. They receive a positive outlook and some feel better overall. So if you can read this type of book in order to build your own self-confidence, especially when the trying becomes difficult to handle, I would highly recommend that you read this book. It will emotionally uplift your spirit.

For everybody else, this is one of those non-fiction books that reads like a fiction novel. The story has suspense, it has some scary parts too. It's got joy. And, it's got some pain. It will most certainly get YOU. Once I got started, my picky self only stopped reading because the need to sleep won out. The only thing I wanted to see more of in the book early on was more of Aaron's point of view. However, the further I got, the more I felt that Lisa carried these three miracles and the amount that is Aaron's point of view was actually just right.

"God Chose ME to Carry THREE" is every bit as exciting as any good fiction novel. The story just happens to be true.

Cover Reveal: "You And Everything After" A Novel By Ginger Scott

Coming on December 5th, 2014…..

A Ginger Scott Novel

Book Two in the "Falling" series

I’m that teenaged girl who has MS. You haven’t met me, but you’ve seen me around. You probably know my sister. We’re twins, and she’s the pretty one. Maybe you’ve heard about my reputation, how much I like to hook up at parties—how easy it is to get me in bed, get what you want, and forget about me after.

Forget what you think you know. I’m leaving that girl behind.

College is all about new beginnings. So from now on—I’m just Cass. And the rest…it isn’t written yet. And no one else gets to write my story for me. 

--------

“Tyson Preeter doesn’t do can’t.”

That’s exactly what I want people to think when they see me. I am strong, invincible, confident, intelligent—arrogant. I’m the man who always finds a way around, over and through—until there’s nothing left. Since losing my ability to walk six years ago, I’ve relearned life. I don’t need sympathy. I don’t want charity. And I don’t do love. 

It’s better this way, saves my disappointments for me, and me alone, and it saves my strength for everything I want.

But Cass Owens is about to wreck everything. She’s about to steal all of my strength away from me, because she needs it more. She’s about to break all of my rules, and break down all of my walls. She’s about to own me…completely.

And I’m about to let her.

Reblogged: Ebola, A Nurse's Perspective (Please, Take This SERIOUSLY!!!!!)

This is reblogged from: 

http://dtolar.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/ebola-a-nurses-perspective/

After I sat and read this, I realized that this is how I'd try to explain it to people. So in the interest of not taking up hours to type the same ideas, I've decided to reblog it here. This is submitted exactly as it was written. There are no edits. The goal is for people to LEARN, to take this SERIOUSLY.

So a few months ago the country was enthralled with the idea of a few patients, infected with the Ebola virus, coming to the United States. Up until this point, we had been safe from Ebola due to the fact that bats can’t fly over the Atlantic. Some people were completely indifferent, while others had seen Outbreak one too many times. Most were a healthy mix, somewhere in between, but what bothered me the most was both the lack of education and the poor information that was spreading more virulently than the virus could ever hope to.

First, I want to stress that I am a nurse, not a virologist, and hopefully throughout my post you will see that I am not pretending to be one. I have a Bachelor’s in Nursing and am currently a graduate student. I have worked extensively with Infectious Disease Specialists. I have been exposed to almost every infectious disease known to the modern world. I have taken courses in Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, Advanced Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and an assortment of others. However, I am not and will not pretend to be an expert, just an experienced professional. When it comes to an epidemic of any sort, my first focus is on the patient, protecting and healing them, my second focus is on protecting the community. I don’t care about which strain does what, or what we can do with in lab. As a nurse, I concern myself with the current patient and future possible patients. I feel the first thing we should examine is Ebola itself. It is foreign to the US, both literally and figuratively. What it does to people and how it harmonizes with nature are both things that most westerners have little concept of. It is a virus, not a bacteria. This means that it is not its own organism. It is actually much smaller and basic than you can imagine. It is nothing more than a few pieces of DNA/RNA and some proteins. No cell wall, no cytoplasm, no metabolic functions. This is both their advantage and their downfall. Viruses require a host. For this example I will use the HIV virus. HIV gets into the human body and invades the host’s white blood cells, T4 cells to be exact but I won’t get that involved. The proteins help get the virus into the cell and those few small sequences of DNA/RNA write themselves into the host DNA/RNA. Now instead of the white blood cell attacking invaders, it is nothing more than an HIV factory. All of its metabolic functions are redirected at producing more of the virus, which pours out of the white blood cell like a sieve until eventually the host cell dies. This is why HIV infected patients have poor immune systems. The virus re-writes the DNA of the host cells. This is not something we can stop. New viruses are pouring out of the white blood cells at a rate of millions a day. We cannot filter them out. We cannot “kill” a little chunk of DNA and we don’t know enough about the human genome to correct the DNA sequences. This is why a lot of viral infections like HIV, Herpes, and Hepatitis are life long infections. HIV invades the white blood cells, Herpes invade the nerve roots, and Hepatitis invades the liver.

Now that we have a better grasp of viruses, we will focus on Ebola a bit more. In tropical Africa, Ebola naturally lives in bats. It is nice to the bats and doesn’t cause them many issues. It is rumored that there are many viruses humans carry our entire lives and have no idea because they show zero symptoms. Therefore, they have never been studied. If this sounds crazy, just remember that it was in recent years the we discovered there was a virus behind cervical cancer. A virus that men can carry and spread without ever knowing they have it. Where the problem arises is that in tropical Africa, people like to eat bats. Sometimes they get infected with Ebola and it spreads. This process is called Zoonosis and can be true of bacteria or viruses. Racoons carry Rabies, Armadillos carry Leprosy, Birds carry the Flu, Bats carry Ebola.

When I said Westerners don’t really understand Ebola, the primary aspect that I am talking about is the patient. We don’t ever see what Ebola does. Our media is too censored, we hear how many died, and see people in haz-mat suits. Speaking of suits, we’ve all seen the pictures. Rubber gloves are adequate for AIDS and hepatitis, a simple mask (N95) stops Tuberculosis, but this requires space suits, just keep that in mind when you think its no big deal. So here is what happens when you catch Ebola, I figure you’re getting bored with reading right about now, so I’ll spice it up. First the virus gets into your system, I’ll elaborate on that later. Then, it hangs out for a few days, even up to 21, growing, multiplying at a rate of millions a day, and guess what, you’re infectious. Now at this point it would pretty much require a straight blood to blood interaction so the only real threat here is for IV drug users who share needles. Just like with the flu or hand foot and mouth disease, you can be spreading it to others before you show a symptom*(apparently not many see the *, so please read the elaboration at the bottom). Remember, nurse mind set, protect the community. At first it’s not bad, little nausea, some sweating, diarrhea, much like a stomach bug. But then the virus really starts to build up in your liver and adrenal glands, after it has saturated your blood cells, the lining of your vessel, your skin, and bones. Hepatocellular necrosis occurs, which is fancy term for your liver starts to decompose.Your liver is what regulates blood clotting. This causes your blood either clot up and turn to jelly in your veins, stay liquid and bleed profusely, or a combo of both. The adrenal glands then do the same, causing your blood pressure to drop. This requires lots of IV fluids to keep your circulating volume up. At the same time inflammatory cytokines are released which causes vascular leakage. Cells don’t do a good job of holding things together so it all becomes a bloody goop. Anywhere in your body that blood vessels are shallow, like your nose, ears, gums, throat, GI tract, urethra, vagina, rectum, all start oozing fluids and bleeding because the tissues that normally keep it contained are disintegrating. So now you bleed from every orifice, including your eyeballs. Every time someone or something touches you, your tissue gets damaged which further the cycle, so a shot in the arm can turn into a massive blood blister. Those who survive are left with massive scarring. Since the adrenals cannot keep your blood pressure up, and you are losing blood and fluids, we have to put IV fluids in to keep you out of hypovolemic shock. This in turn reduces your blood concentration, lowering your oxygen carrying capacity, which causes your heart to race. So you lay in bed, oozing fluids from everywhere, all while feeling like you just ran a marathon, with bloody diarrhea, oh and did I mention pain? Lots and lots of pain, but you can’t have any pain medicine because your liver and kidneys have failed. This why it pains me when I see this outbreak ONLY has a 50% death rate, when in Africa it is up to 90%…ONLY 50%. That is literally worse than cancer, and people are blowing it off. Imagine if cancer was infectious, and you lived in a country with zero cancer, and someone thought it would be a good idea to fly a few people in. I think there would be a different attitude.

The biggest part of the discussion is how Ebola is spread. I will say two things on the topic, no, it is not airborne, and yes, basic hygiene plays a HUGE factor. But while on the topic of whether it is or is not airborne, the definition of an airborne contagion is one that can freely float in the air, survive lengths of time, and infect someone else. VERY few things fit in this category, most have been eradicated, Small Pox, Tuberculosis, Measles. Things that are also NOT airborne, are the flu and the cold. For the flu, you have to come into direct contact with the patients body fluids. How then, do you explain why people catch it and have no idea how. Well for one, people can spread it before they show symptoms, just like Ebola, and one other HUGE factor…droplets….let that word really sink in. The virus may not be airborne, but the droplets are. I’m going to digress for a second and get back to HIV and Hepatitis, while I let droplets dwell in your mind. Everyone knows that HIV and Hepatitis are spread by blood contact, and sexual fluids, I don’t mean a drop of blood on the skin, or even a mucous membrane, it has to get INSIDE of you. This is why only gloves are required. HIV and Hepatitis are not found in urine, stool (Some forms of hepatitis are, but you have to eat the stool to get infected) saliva, sweat, tears, or mucous. This is where some viruses are different. The flu gets into your mucous and other secretions, Ebola tends to stay in the blood, but remember, every one of your bodily fluids are full of blood now. So a person with the flu sneezes, and now millions of little droplets (remember those guys?) shoot out of their nose at nearly mach 1, all across the room, same for a cough, all it takes is a little microscopic droplet to land in your eye, nose, mouth, or the unlikely scenario of an open wound, and you’ve now been infected, because you came in CONTACT with their bodily fluids. I see the word contact thrown around a lot, but most people think of mass amounts of contact with blood, but what they don’t realize is that contact also includes microscopic mucous and saliva droplets, each one chock full of Ebola. Bacteria can survive for long periods of time without a host because they are their own organism. They can feed on just about anything and be happy. Viruses lifespan without a host is much shorter. Their goal is to infect, replicate, and spread, if they cant replicate, they die. Measles only lives 2 hours. But Ebola, depending on what data you look at, can survive for several days.

So with all this information, lets have some role play, so that you can see exactly what this means, to a nurse, in the real world. Imagine it as a cheesy PSA or lifetime movie. You go to see your doctor because its that time of year, you need some blood drawn and refills of your blood pressure med. You sit patiently in the waiting room, thumbing a magazine while your 2-year-old plays with her toys. Like all two year olds, she touches everything, and everything goes in her mouth, toys, pens, her own fingers. She is a 22 lb drool factory and you love her to pieces. You see the doctor, get your goodies, and go home. A week later your angel starts vomiting blood and within 3 days she dies because her heart raced so fast it finally gave up while trying to maintain a blood pressure. Her eyes are blood red and demonic, her skin falls off in sheets. What you don’t know is that 3 days before your visit, someone thought they had the flu. It is October you see and they sneezed while thumbing through that very same magazine you thumbed through. The same thumb you grabbed her pacifier out of your purse with in the waiting room. The people caring for Ebola patients wear space suits, and burn the bodies, yet it still spreads. Here in America, we have much better protocols, and much better hygiene. So if it spreads, it will be contained much better. Still, it spreads prior to symptoms and survives will outside the body, just like the flu. Despite vaccines and good hand washing, thousands still get the flu every year. But while the flu kills 1-2% of its victims, Ebola kills 50% on a good day, and spreads the same way. So please, do not write it off as hype. It is a real thing and it is here.

The case in Dallas has been confirmed. The patient had contact with five children and adolescents prior to admission. Those five kids attend four of the largest schools in Dallas. One sneeze and we could already have thousands of people, who don’t know it yet, infected.

Thank you for reading. Please feel free to comment.

Symptoms* I have had a lot of comments in regards to this. I picked my words carefully, but I never imagined getting thousands of views an hour, or my article getting picked apart, but I will try to elaborate now. I said spread, the virus, I did not say you were contagious. What I meant by this, was the summation of two concepts. To fully explain everything I could write a book, but this is meant to be short and sweet. The first concept is that of a fomite. We have established that the virus can survive for an unspecified amount of time outside the host, and we have established that sneezing/coughing is a perfectly logical method of transmission. So if patient A is infectious/contagious, they sneeze on patient B, but then patient B goes home and picks up their sisters 1 6 month old, who rubs his face, and licks all over your shoulder, he could very well have just orally consumed large quantities of the virus, therefore become patient C. Patient B never got sick, the virus never entered their system, yet they are responsible for spreading the virus to someone else. This is why the 5 exposed kids are so important, there may only be a 2% chance or whatever that they’ll get sick, but if they went to school, and each rubbed up against 500 kids in the hallways, you now have 2500 exposed kids, 50 of which will statistically become infected, 25 of which will probably die. No I do not have a source for the 2%, that is just an EXAMPLE number used to represent the relatively low likelihood of contracting the virus if exposed, granted the R0 factor of R2 is correct. Remember, heal the patient, PROTECT the community. The second concept of this is defining “symptom”. Lets assume it means anything other than your baseline condition. That means the first signs of being contagious, are also the more mild symptoms, sneezy, achy, nausea, flu-like symptoms. So who is going to wake up, feel a little under the weather, and think, crap, I have Ebola, better get quarantined, no, THAT’S how you start fear mongering and mass panic. Again, flu season is upon us, the initial stages of Ebola are like the flu, and its human nature to be in denial, so many people, if infected, would hope its just the flu and wait it out, they are not showing symptoms indicative of Ebola, but they ARE symptomatic of something, and therefore, by the CDC definition, would be contagious. Its also normal procedure for people to be symptomatic BEFORE seeking medical care, so technically, everyone will be contagious, BEFORE knowing they have Ebola. But like I said before, I omitted this lengthy explanation because I didn’t feel it was necessary for the point of the article.

ADDENDUM: Sadly, I feel the need to point out that the title of this blog is “Ebola, A Nurse’s Perspective”, not “A Nurse’s Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse”, or “How to Become an Ebola Expert in 15 minutes”. It could just as well be “Hamburgers, A Chef’s Perspective” and no one would be hounding me over grammar, a misplaced comma, or wanting citations as to why I say it should be on the grill 5 minutes per side of 7 minutes per side. The point is those things are irrelevant to the goal of the article, this is MY perspective (a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.) I don’t have to prove anything, the point of my article is to take what the uneducated (in a medical sense) journalists say, what the talking heads on TV say, and then let you know what the people say who are on the front lines. That’s like discrediting your grandads account of what happened when he stormed Normandy beach, because its not what your history teacher told you. Have I experienced Ebola first hand? Nope, have I experienced a WHOLE lot of other things that the majority of the population has not? You bet your ass I have, and I felt the need to take the time to hopefully help other people out a little. So please keep that in mind, I’m not perfect, but my experiences are my experiences, and I wanted to share them with you, to let you inside the head of a nurse for a minute.

Book Review: "This Is Falling" by Ginger Scott

Author: Ginger Scott

Genres: Coming of Age, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 29, 2014

Availability: Pre-sales on Amazon.com and iBooks

     I have been trying to write this review for nearly a month. Rowe Stanton has been through a major tragedy. When she goes off to college, it's her decision that she is going to try and live, even though her physical scars are healed and her emotional scars are not even close to healing. I too went through a major tragedy (bullets included) and when I went to college, I decided to deal with that major tragedy. My physical scars were long healed and some faded. But my emotional scars were not, they were wide open. Our tragedies are not the same but I was Rowe Stanton at one time. I couldn't know how Rowe felt when I started This Is Falling, I only know how I felt about my own story.  However, Ginger Scott told me EXACTLY how Rowe felt. And now that I've figured that out a month later, I think I know how to write this review.

     This Is Falling is Ginger Scott's fifth novel.  Ginger Scott is the first author to ever draw tears from my eyes through the power of her writing. Ginger Scott has hit it out of the park. AGAIN.

     Rowe Stanton needs to live again. She needs to live among the living and put her past behind her and start looking to her future. She has no idea how to do that. Then she meets Nate Preeter. Handsome, All-American baseball player, Nate Preeter. When Rowe meets Nate and Nate finds out Rowe's story, he doesn't make the same big mistake that everyone seems to try and do: he doesn't try to SAVE her or fix her. In my own life, from my college fiancee to my present husband, and including all of the men in between, they've all wanted to SAVE me from my past.  People like Rowe and me don't need saving or fixing, we need a place to land when we FALL. And that's what Nate does. He gives Rowe a place to land when she's falling flat on her face.

     When Rowe and Nate meet for the first time, I swear it's love at first sight and they don't know it. But the connection is immediate even though Rowe is skittish. But Nate? He's the most patient book boyfriend I've ever read. Because Nate wants Rowe and Rowe absolutely wants Nate but Rowe is so conflicted because she has no idea how to live in the present, she doesn't even know if she should accept what Nate is offering.

     But then Rowe begins to open up a little bit. With her crazy, prankster sense of humor which matches Nate to a tee. I'm reminded of pink and Barbie and I just have to crack up like I did when I was reading the book. I was so floored at that point because I developed a quirky sense of humor and it was a MAJOR part of my own recovery from that awful time in my own life. And then I married a man with the best sense of humor in the UNIVERSE. And when he figured out I didn't need saving, the humor became part of the healing. In the end, my husband DID save me but it was after he stopped trying to do it. Nate can easily be seen as the cliche, perfect college boyfriend but he's not perfect. In fact he screws up a LOT and there's a big one courtesy of Rowe's father. I still can't believe Rowe's father asked what he did of Nate and I'm still kind of pissed that Nate was willing to do it. So no, he's not perfect. But he is perfect for Rowe even with the flaws.

     Ginger Scott was really ballsy to pick the incident that Rowe went through. When I read what happened to Rowe, I was stunned and impressed all at the same time. Then she had the guts to NOT get preachy about it, to not get political about it, and to focus on Rowe and her healing. She focused on Rowe and Nate. I loved the humor in this book because it needed to have humor in it. This could have been a real downer if Ms. Scott chose to get all "psycho-babble." She didn't.

     I could say this was my favorite book by Ginger Scott but I can't. I loved them all equally but for different reasons. I've tried to chose the one I love the most and I just can't.  This is my favorite Ginger Scott novel.  So are the other four. This I do know: I will read EVERY BOOK she writes. She can write about paint drying and I would read it. She'd find a way to make it exciting and moving all at the same time.

     Like so many who were touched by How We Deal With Gravity because of the Autism aspect of the book, I was touched by This Is Falling because I am Rowe. Well, I was Rowe. I have some idea of where Rowe will end up in her future as long as she keeps on trying. If she keeps on trying, because surviving tragedies like ours REQUIRE a lifetime of work to survive, she won't be perfect but she will have a good life.

"The Truth About Alice" (Psst…She's the School Slut)

THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is absolutely friggin' CRAZY. CRAZY GOOD! I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review but I really want to buy everybody I know a copy of this book. It should be required reading in every high school across America and the world.

Alice Franklin is the school slut. She was a popular girl at one time and now? Well now she's the school slut. Alice slept with two guys. Brandon Fitzsimmons, THE most popular boy at Healy High and the school's star quarterback. She also slept with Tommy Cray. Tommy Cray graduated from Healy and was now a college freshman home for the summer.

And Alice Franklin slept with both of them at Elaine O'Dea's party. Elaine is the most popular girl in high school and she's still holding a grudge because Alice made out with Brandon Fitzsimmons all the way back in eighth grade.

A short time after that party, Alice sexted Brandon Fitzsimmons and he died in a car crash. His best friend Josh, who was in the car, lived. Josh feels exceptionally guilty because he's still alive.

Kelsie is….was Alice Franklin's best friend. But since Alice lied to Kelsie a gazillion years ago because Kelsie was a virgin at the time, she believes being around Alice will trash her popularity. When Kelsie lived in Flint, Michigan, she wasn't popular at all. Moving to small-town Healy, Texas gave Kelsie a "do over." So she became friends with the popular Alice Franklin and climbed the social ladder.

And there's Kurt Morelli. He's the school nerd. A total loner. Not popular. A geek.

Jennifer Mathieu has created a brilliant piece of art. It belongs on the shelves of every school library everywhere. She has mastered how to tell a story from FOUR different points of view. It's easy to write such a story and confuse the hell out of everybody. It's masterful to write such a story and make four points of view work.

This book not only reveals how Alice Franklin became the school slut with no friends but it also reveals each person's knowledge about what really happened. How these characters are so shallow, they know they're shallow, and they justify it to themselves. All too easily.

I was sucked into this book from page one. I know a book is going to be THAT good when it gets me on page one. And then I only put it down once because I had to sleep at some point. One could make an argument that Jennifer Mathieu didn't really end it "right." I think she ended it how it was supposed to end: realistically. And I think you get to write your own "what happens next" when you get to the end. It's not a cliffhanger and it's not unresolved. You'll have to see for yourself.

You will see yourself or perhaps your younger self in one, some or all of these characters. I saw just a little bit of Kelsie in my younger self and a lot of Kurt minus the loner, unpopular part in myself as a whole. Do we ever hear from Alice? Does she ever weigh in on all of this? Yes. And Jennifer Mathieu knows EXACTLY where to bring her voice into the story.

If EVERY kid entering high school would read this book and do the exact opposite of what these kids did, high school would be a much better experience for so many.

I give it five stars because this book just knocked me out! I just plain old loved it.

phl17 PHILLY HOTLIST: Why YOU Should Be Voting For Raymond's Catering as Best Wedding Caterer!!!

VOTE HERE!!!!!

Here's what "Aretha Freak" had to say about Raymond's Catering:

"Raymond's Catering has two secret weapons that make them the BEST. First, they've got a CHEF that can cook anything and make it taste wonderful. Second, the OWNER is easy to work with and he'll make it so all you have to do is tell him what you want and he will make that happen for you. All you have to do is let them in on the day of your event!"

VOTE HERE!!!!!

"Musings Of An Aretha Freak" wanted to hear from Raymond's Catering themselves to find out what makes them THE BEST! So we sat down with owner Raymond Bibbo and told him not to hold back a thing. "Aretha Freak" found out the scoop and we're bringing it straight to you:

VOTE HERE!!!!!

MOAAF: In October 2012, Raymond’s Catering did the catering for the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts Alumni Association’s “Reunion of the 80’s Decade.”   One of the draws for me, in addition my friendship with Chef John Licata, was the promise of “no stress, no fuss, let us handle it all-so that you can relax in the confidence that your event will run flawlessly.” All I needed to do was tell you what we wanted and then let you in the door the night of the reunion. What’s your secret?  How do consistently manage to deliver a seamless, flawless and stress-free event over and over?

Raymond Bibbo: It's really simple. I am an owner operator. I would never go absentee! I stake my reputation on every job we do to fully satisfy the client! I hire good people and they know I accept only one thing: excellence in everything we do!

VOTE HERE!!!!!

MOAAF: Raymond’s Catering has a vast and diverse menu. And, you will move Heaven and Earth to get items that are off menu if the client wants it.  What are some of your favorite items on the menu to cook and which items are the most popular among your clients?

Raymond Bibbo: Of course ,we love to cook old school Italian dishes since we are all Italian. However, due to client needs we have learned many different ethnic dishes to satisfy everyone. We encourage variety among our clients, however, Raymond’s Italian Feast has always been and remains quite the popular buffet choice. Also, all our desserts are homemade by my mother, who has been baking for over 60 years!

VOTE HERE!!!!!

MOAAF: Chef John Licata has been with you since 1997. In September, he’ll be with you 17 years. Thinking about the age he started, he would have been considered by most in the catering business as an “inexperienced kid.” There must have been something extremely special you spotted when you decided to bring him into the business. What was special or different about Chef Licata at such a young age that you knew he was going to be different than anyone else?

Raymond Bibbo: Well, it was all by accident that I met John. I met him through his uncle at a job we did back in the day and he showed an interest in cooking. He was raw. But, he wanted to learn so I brought him on board and we started slow, part-time and before we knew it, he was here full-time and continued his eagerness to learn. Now he’s a vital part in the machine.

VOTE HERE!!!!!

VOTE HERE!!!!!

MOOAF: Why should we vote for Raymond’s Catering as Best Caterer in phl17’s Philly Hot List?

Raymond Bibbo: You should vote for us because we care about our clients. We always strive to do anything and everything we can to make our clients happy! Quality is our focus in everything we do. We won’t make something unless we know it’s the best! 

VOTE HERE!!!!!

For all of your catering needs, contact:

Raymond's Catering

PO Box 325

Eagleville, PA 19403

610-960-2074

RaymondsCatering@aol.com

http://www.RaymondsCatering.com

The Fibromyalgia Suffers' Creed

Feel free to substitute your ailment or the ailment of a loved one and please feel free to copy, paste and share.

1). I accept the fact that I have Fibromyalgia, a condition and disease that will limit my abilities in my everyday life.

2). While I will always have Fibromyalgia, some days will be good and some days will be bad. I will be thankful for the good days and TRY to make the most of them.

3). When I am having a bad day, I will TRY to remember that most likely it will not last.

4). When I am having a bad day, I will listen to my body, and get the rest that I need. I will let my family know that I am not feeling well, because they cannot read my mind.

5). I will NOT feel guilty about resting, because I will eventually begin to feel better, and in the long run, it will also benefit my family. They will not become malnourished if they eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner.

6). I will NOT feel guilty or worry about the work that is not getting done while I am resting. The world will not fall apart without me, even though it looks like it already has.

7). I will NOT let anyone else make me feel guilty for taking time out for myself. They will never understand exactly what I am experiencing, the pain that I feel, and the exhaustion that I feel.

8). They will never understand the fear that I feel when my symptoms creep up on me, and land me flat on my back.

9). I promise not to feel sorry for myself when I am feeling bad, because there are a lot of people out there who are in worse shape than I am. I will not be sorry for what I don't have, but be thankful for what I do have.

10). I promise to learn a lesson from my illness, which is not to take life for granted. I will enjoy every moment that was given to me, and be thankful for the times that I can smile and laugh.

11). I will TRY to help others who also suffer from my condition. There are many confused and frightened people who need to hear comforting words from someone who has been there. There are many people who need me to take his or her hand and be pointed in the right direction.

12). Lastly, I will TRY not to ask, "Why me?" While Fibromyalgia has weakened my physical body, it has strengthened my heart, my soul, and my spirit.

YES, YOU ARE STILL A JUNKIE EVEN IF THE DRUGS ARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS!…..Book Review: "All Fall Down" by Jennifer Weiner

Allison Weiss is a mom, she's married, and living in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She has a great job that she seems to love, and she also seems to enjoy taking care of what seems to be a child that isn't a special needs child but, has some unusual type of sensitivities. Her father was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, her mother is trying to adapt to the situation. Allison is suspicious of the female "friend" her husband has been emailing and subsequently, socializing.

But, in addition to managing as much as she does, she's a drug addict. Now according to Allison, she can't be an addict because she's taking prescription drugs that were first prescribed by a doctor after a back injury. And she's not a REAL drug addict even if she's buying the drugs illegally online, and sneaking money from her job and her family into a secret bank account so she can buy those drugs illegally online.

So, Allison's husband, who has suspected for a while, finally calls her on it and sends her to rehab.

For the first time, during and after reading a Jennifer Weiner book, I had to ask myself, "where the HELL did she get her information?" Do addicts lie and steal to get drugs? Yes, she got that right. Do addicts shop around for different doctors to get their drugs? Yes they do. Do addicts buy drugs illegally online not caring if they're paying for poison that might kill them instantly? Yes, they do. She got ALL of that right.

What I don't understand is, what rehab facilities did she research? There is a scene where Allison plans and succeeds in "escaping" from the rehab to attend her daughter's birthday party. The rehab doesn't even call her husband when they discover she's gone. How she gets through the doors is ridiculous. Is Allison a voluntary patient or is she involuntary because her husband took her there? This is never really spelled out so we are made to assume that she went because her husband insisted in which case, she'd be there voluntarily. But even with the rules we read about, she probably still would not be allowed to leave most real rehabs.

There is a point in the book where Allison's mother shows up alone without Allison's husband for a therapy session. In this session, Allison's mother then tells her that she's been a functioning alcoholic since Allison was a child, revealing to Allison something else that explains why she doesn't drive a car. And then…..that's it. Oooookay. So what then? Nothing gets done with that after it's mentioned in the therapy session.

While I have so many issues with this book, I will only add one more. Allison starts out at first not even willing to admit she's an addict. Okay, that's normal. When she gets to rehab, she refuses to believe she's nothing like everyone else in rehab. Okay, also normal. One thing Allison never really gets past, I thought, was that she thought herself as better than everyone in that rehab. You may think differently when you get to the end but I still wasn't buying it.

Most of the characters that SHOULD have a LOT of weight in this book, don't. Allison's husband is too minor a character. The people she meets and befriends in rehab are still too minor. There is emphasis on her daughter but since Jennifer Weiner is so ambiguous about what her daughter's issue is, she gets far too much ink in this book.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book. I actually couldn't put it down. Maybe because I was hoping for some surprising changes. If you like Jennifer Weiner's books as I do, you will read this book and determine for yourself how you feel about it. If you have never read a Jennifer Weiner book, I'd recommend that you become familiar with some of her other books before you embark on reading this one. Try "Good In Bed," her first novel. It's fantastic. Try "The Guy Not Taken: Stories." her collection of short stories. THEN, read this one.

I was given an Advanced Reading Copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Book Review: "Hardline" (Hacker #3): THE SEX IS EVEN BETTER IN THIS ONE!!!!!

My rule for most book series is to wait until the series is all done and then marathon through it.  However, I stumbled upon the first book, "Hardwired," and read it without knowing it was a series. So I blew through the first and found the second book, "Hardpressed," and had to wait for the third one. And Meredith Wild is writing FIVE of these. I recommend that you read the first three books and be hooked on the series. The wait for book four will be exciting! I promise!

"Hardline" picks up pretty much where "Hardpressed" left off.  Blake and Erica are into a groove and they are no less HOT as they were in the first two books. However, just like in the first two books, Erica is stubborn and Blake just wants to help her. And, Erica thinks if she asks for help, it makes her weak. So there comes a point where there is an ultimatum on the table. The scene is intense and you will worry about Erica and Blake's relationship. Question is: will their relationship survive through this book?

Some people will think both are being unreasonable when this ultimatum is handed down by Blake to Erica. As you keep reading, one will figure out that what Blake is asking for is not exactly what they think it is. But it will be ultimate test of the relationship and Erica is going to need to decide once and for all if she is able to and going to trust Blake.

One thing that is the same but different is that the sex in this book is BETTER than the first two and it was damned great in the first two books. SSEXY, SEXY, SEXY!!!!!

Overall, this book is wonderful and I highly recommend it with FIVE STARS!  I'm expecting no less from the rest of the series!

COVER REVEAL! Ginger Scott's Upcoming Novel…"This Is Falling"

It's not every day that one gets to see the hot new cover from a hot young author's newest upcoming novel. So take a long gaze at it, read the synopsis below and prepare for its expected release, August 29th!!!!!

Here's the synopsis to peak your interest. I'm ready for this one.  Like all four of Ms. Scott's previous novels, I expect this one to be a five-star read. Let none of us forget that Ms. Scott is the QUEEN of the "first kiss." I expect there will be a spectacular first kiss in this novel. I can't wait to read that first kiss!

THIS IS FALLING
by Ginger Scott

First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

And then I met Nate Preeter.

An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall.

-----

Intrigued? "This Is Falling" is expected to release on August 29, 2014. In the meantime, check out Ms. Scott's current novel, "How We Deal With Gravity." Available now on Amazon.com, iBooks, Smashwords and eBook outlets all over the universe!

_______________________

To follow "Musings Of An Aretha Freak," go to the top-right of this page and choose a follow method.

Book Review: "How We Deal With Gravity" by Ginger Scott

Ginger Scott has THE distinction of being the FIRST author to make me cry while reading a book. In all of my 45 years, the first time it happened, I was shocked by my tear-soaked face because that just did NOT happen to me while reading a BOOK. Ms. Scott's "How We Deal With Gravity" struck tears again. I guess I shouldn't be shocked.

Avery Abbot is a single mother, left stranded by her husband when he couldn't deal with the diagnosis of their son, Max. Max is autistic.  Avery is a strong, always on the go young woman who devotes every single extra second she has to Max.  She works in her father Ray's bar, she's finishing college and she's raising a special needs son living at home with her father. Needless to say, she doesn't have a lot of extra seconds.

Mason Street is a rock singer who grew up with Avery, practically in their home, and mentored by Avery's father, Ray. Mason is the son Ray never had.  Mason is also washed out.  He's back home from being on the road touring for the last five years because his band was cut from their contract and sent packing because life on the road stopped being about the music and became about the women, the partying, the booze and for one band member, the drugs.  Mason's feeling like a real failure right now.

Much to Avery's chagrin, Mason is invited by Ray to stay at their house just like when Mason was growing up so Mason can get his head together.  And while doing that, Mason goes back to playing at Ray's bar where he's exceptionally popular with the entire community.

And then there's Max. A young autistic boy, Max has his challenges that Avery must deal with not just every day, but every minute of every. single. day. Along with Ray and Avery's best friend Claire, Max is being raised by a small village of family that even include the secondary characters at Ray's bar. When Mason comes along, Max takes to him in a way that only Max really knows but can't express in typical fashion. The child is also a genius in certain areas, like memorizing his planets book or being able to take his iPad and using its Garage Band program to literally write out the music that Mason plays on his guitar.

**********

This one ripped me apart. Tears of joy and tears of sadness. Mostly joy. I literally had to put the book down at one point to clean myself up.  It's THAT good.  I was moved not only to tears but my heart fluttered, it pounded at times, and I could feel Avery's anxiety when she was nervous.  Written from both Avery and Mason's perspectives, a style I love reading, you couldn't help but relate to just about anything that this entire family goes through for love, for friendship and, for Max.

At one point I felt like Avery was way too hard on herself but, with her father's wisdom, Mason's determination to love Avery and Max, and Mason's desire to learn how to be with Avery and Max (Max is a challenging child), Avery learns that it's okay to stop moving for a minute and just be Avery.

At the same time, Mason has to learn HOW to be with Avery. Not just because he loves her but because she's not your typical single mother.  Learning how to be the lover of a woman and her child who happens to have Autism is a challenge.  A challenge that Mason is determined to rise up and meet. Ms. Scott showed that over and over and it's obvious that she's done more than just the homework on Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Mason makes mistakes as expected and Ms. Scott makes all of them real, bona fide mistakes that any adult might make when first being introduced to a child with Autism.  Ms. Scott makes Mason WORK for Avery's love and more importantly, she makes him work to be the responsible kind that Max needs to have in his life.

Personally, I work as a school nurse in a small, private school where the students are all autistic.  Max jumps off the pages and I could actually see him as one of my own students.  I wanted to hug this kid over and over again even knowing he'd probably hate it or he'd just have no reaction to it.

What Ms. Scott does NOT do is rain down pity all over this novel.  FIVE STAR MOVE!

"How We Deal With Gravity" IS a love story. It's not just the love story of Avery and Max, which is by the way, STEAMY!  But it's also a love story of a mother and a son, a daughter and her father, and it's a love story of a family as a whole.  Even the secondary characters are part of the family love story.

This one is going to get you right in the gut.  You won't be able to NOT feel something.  Your heart will be tugged, your nerves will make you shake, and you will shed tears of both sadness and happiness. Definitely more happy tears I would say.

The ending? Well, I'm not telling. But, if you're going to do an ending, do a BIG one.  And Ms. Scott doesn't disappoint.

To Ms. Scott, you had me at "hello" with your debut novel. You've got me as a reader forever.

*Book provided by the author for an honest review*

**********

Some "housekeeping" about "How We Deal With Gravity….."

All of the royalties from the novel's first week of sales will go to the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (www.autismcenter.org), an amazing organization based in Arizona where Ms. Scott has volunteered for many years.

"How We Deal With Gravity" hits Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords, etc. on Tuesday, July 8th!!!!!

Book Review: "Kate Douglas: A 2-Book Bundle Lethal Deception and Lethal Obsession"

     In book one of this bundle, Lethal Deception, we meet Rose DeAngelo. Rose is an insurance agent that insures high-level trucking shipments. Problem is, Rose's shipments keep getting hijacked. Mike Ramsey is an investigator for the Department of Transportation. Mike thinks the hijacks are an inside job and suspects Rose DeAngelo. In fact, she's at the top of his list.

     Through a wild twist of events leading to a car accident, Mike comes to rescue Rose and then figures out he's just recused his prime suspect. But Rose has no idea. After some healing and Rose's need to get from Pittsburgh to California to see her aunt, Mike arranges for Rose to travel with him cross-country while his partner, Kat Malone follows at a distance, so Mike can investigate Rose during the trip.

     Romantic feelings ensue. Mike becomes torn between his job and his feelings for Rose. Rose doesn't understand why Mike's attraction to her is distanced.

     Overall, Lethal Deception is a good read. It takes up about 48% of the two book bundle so it's just slightly shorter than Lethal Obsession. There are books that take me forever to finish and review and there are those I can't put down, give up sleep for, and write the review as soon as I read the last page because I just MUST get my thoughts out.

     With Lethal Deception, it was a moderately quick read, nothing I stayed awake for but I did have to finish both books fairly quickly to get my thoughts down. In hindsight, I should have reviewed this book prior to reading Lethal Obsession and then gone back to make the comparison of the two books afterward as reading both consecutively somewhat forced the comparison while reading Lethal Obsession.

     Because I liked the characters and the ending, I give this one 4.5 stars.

     In book two, Lethal Obsession, we are reintroduced to Kat Malone, Mike Ramsay's Department of Transportation partner. We find her living in California and seeing Riley O'Rourke, whom she fell for at the end of Lethal Deception. That was a minor mention and not a spoiler. We find Kat standing alone and backed away from Riley's graveside service. Riley is now dead. Killed in a car accident. Riley was also married. Kat was the outsider. As Kat gives up and walks away from the service, she bumps into Seamus O'Rourke, Riley's TWIN brother. And boy do they look alike!

     But Kat has some other secrets. NOT SPOILERS. Kat is pregnant with Riley's child which Seamus doesn't believe because of Riley and Seamus's infertility issues. Kat also has someone stalking and trying to kill her. In order to protect Riley's child, if it is Riley's child, Seamus takes Kat in, and hides her through her pregnancy in order to protect her.

     Naturally, things go batshit crazy. And of course there are romantic feelings on both sides going unconfessed because Kat and Seamus are both stubborn.

     Overall, I liked this book about as much as I liked Lethal Deception. I rated Lethal Obsession 3.5 stars and averaged the two out to four stars for the bundle. The reason I took away the stars for the second book is that there is a distinctive scene NOT written IN FULL into the book and I disliked that immensely.

I received an Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Book Review of "Runner" by Patrick Lee

This book goes from 0-60 starting on page ONE! WHAT A RUSH!

Sam Dryden, retired special forces, is out on a run in the middle of the night and a young girl runs into him on the seaside boardwalk. She's barefoot and terrified, she’s running from a group of heavily armed men with one clear goal—to kill her. She doesn’t know much except her own name, Rachel. Dryden, as it turns out, is also former black ops and has a crazy skill set, one of which is specialization in removing people off of the radar.

Rachel has special powers. Powers that make a whole lot of corporate honchos with power and an entire American government want to hunt her down using every satellite in the Universe available in order to kill her.

Aside from the extraordinary pace at which this book moves, you won't want to put it down. If you're the type that likes to lie in bed and read until you fall asleep, this is NOT the book to try and do that. You WILL fight sleep to keep reading.

The relationship that develops between Sam and Rachel is both father-daughter and to a certain extent, peers, mostly because of Sam's impeccable set of skills and Rachel's special powers. But, their relationship is fantastic and wonderfully written.

I wasn't thrilled with the ending but it's exactly how it NEEDED to end so I deducted no stars.

Definitely a 5-star read!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.