Reviews with TLC

Self-Massage of 23 Essential Acupressure Points for Health and Wellness - The Secret to an Optimal Mind and Body by Selene Yangtze describes the process of self-massage using acupressure points in a way that makes it feel accessible and worth trying. Yangtze starts with a brief explanation of acupressure followed by some general instructions for how to best perform a self massage using acupressure points. Self-Massage of 23 Essential Acupressure Points for Health and Wellness illustrates and describes pressure points and what functions of the body those points should support and balance. I read this book while on a plane and didn't really try applying more than two or three of these pressure points though I did remember various times in my life when I've instinctively pressed on such pressure points to relieve stress or irritation. Yangtze's clear and concise writing and illustrations demonstrate how easy it would be to try self-massage using acupressure points to relieve...

The Face in the Mirror by Audrey Austin is a story of find one's inner strength to change one's circumstances. Sometimes looking into the mirror shows you who you were, who you are, and even a glimpse of who you can be. Randy faces all three not only in the mirror but in the face of his brother, Jimmy. Randy is faced with a decision... Who does he want to see when he looks in the mirror? Austin offers an easy to read, quickly paced short story that has the reader cheering for Randy to make the right decision. 

Imprints in the Sand: Raja's Insights  by Raja Williams opens a crack in the facade of what we often call life revealing that life can be so much more. Williams explores the intimacies of self and relationships as well as the place one holds in the world in this collection of poetry. There are moments that rang true enough for me to wonder if Williams had been looking into the mirror of my own struggle to find my place in the world while other moments left me contemplating the vast differences of life experiences that happen in our world. The lyricism of Imprints in the Sand explores the simplicity and the complexity of life with equal wonder.

I decided to read Loving Kindness Meditation: How to create more joy, hope and love in your life by Fredrik Andersson after taking a Positive Psychology Class where the instructor talked about the benefits of Loving Kindness Meditation. While the class provided quite a bit of information, I wanted another point of view. Loving Kindness discusses the benefits of Loving Kindness Meditation as well as techniques for practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation. Andersson writes about Loving-Kindness Meditation in an easy to understand way that makes the practice feel approachable. I found the book more supportive of what I'd already learned than eye-opening yet someone with less knowledge of Loving-Kindness Meditation might find it more informative.

Three O'Clock  Séance  by Joanne Pence,the third book in the Rebecca Mayfield series, crashes Richie Amalfi into Rebecca Mayfield's life again with a mystery surrounding a psychic whose clients are dying in suspicious numbers and circumstances. At first it appears it might just be coincidence, but that soon appears to be wishful thinking on Mayfield's part. The more time Rebecca and Richie spend together, the more the reader roots for her to accept and confess her feelings for Richie while she continues to fight them and Richie continues to woo her in his own confusing way. Once again, I loved every scene with Mayfield's little dog, Spike, especially the clear affection for Richie that Spike's not a bit shy about showing unlike his owner and much to Rebecca's irritation. Pence writes a fun, fast moving, intriguing mystery woven with bits of humor that had me struggling to not laugh out loud while reading it during a late night flight.  

Creeling the Bridegroom by Neil S. Plakcy is an engaging love story that encompasses the universality of love, identity, and life's changes. Plakcy highlights the many times in life people make decisions that seem right in the moment and later remind us what we've left behind as his characters face familiar life choices. Rarely does real life provide the opportunity to rectify those decisions in a way that moves forward, but Plakcy creates a story that gives hope that love truly does live on even when life separates people.