Reviews By Charline

“The Good Healer”

Author: Dimitrije Medenica

Recently I came across the title “The Good Healer” by author Dimitrije Medenica. I read the book’s premise: a six-fingered healer practicing medicinal arts with the aid of local plant-life meets fifteenth century Catholic religion. Accusations of heresy abound because the only “allowed” manner of doctoring is the barbaric custom of bloodletting and consequently Jean Duchesne, the book’s main character, must flee for his life or perish at the stake. I am always interested in historical fiction and I found myself immediately intrigued by the summary.

A couple of days later I received my copy of “The Good Healer” found myself a nice quiet place and began to read. First off, I have to say that I was very impressed with both the author’s writing style as well as the content of the book. The author, Medenica, has more than a decade of architectural and real estate development experience. Truthfully I was concerned that the story would either be over-explained or just plain uninteresting. I’m happy to report it was neither…

Medenica does a wonderful job of personalizing each character. His writing is descriptively detailed but not to the point of becoming boring or verbose. I definitely appreciated the historical aspect of “The Good Healer” especially the parts pertaining to Geneva since I have visited that city. I also thought Medenica did an excellent job with the religious aspects of the book; for the most part they seemed to hold true to history as it has been handed down to us through the centuries. The medicinal and architectural achievements were definitely out of place but I do understand this is a work of fiction, historical or not, and the embellishments made for a better story.

When I’m reading a book for review there are a few criteria I consider such as writing style, character development and the overall plot. For writing style and character development I’m giving Medenica five-stars but the plot aspect featuring twentieth century technology in fifteenth century Switzerland threw me for a loop therefore I’m giving “The Good Healer” an overall four-star rating. In summary: an interesting look at Medieval / Renaissance history. I would also recommend this book to readers of all ages.

“Pun Enchanted Evenings”

Author: David R. Yale

I have to be honest and confess that the real reason I read “Pun Enchanted Evenings” by David R. Yale was because I was having an incredibly bad day and needed something, anything, that would make me laugh.

At ninety-seven pages “Pun Enchanted Evenings” is not a long book and it is definitely a quick read. True to its title the book really does feature seven hundred and forty six puns. I would know. I checked each number as I read each pun. I’m sure some of us remember having to write things like “I will not talk during class” one hundred times as homework and as a punishment for being disruptive in class. I don’t know about the rest of you but I occasionally skipped a few numbers. What do you mean thirty-six is supposed to follow thirty-five? Number forty-seven is missing? Are you sure?? You can see now why I would pay attention to the pun count…

“Pun Enchanted Evenings” was, for the most part, funny. A few of the puns were so droll that I actually had to call a friend of mine in California so that I could share them with him. Of course once I started reading them aloud I even began giggling my way through some of the not so funny ones.

In summary I think it would be safe to say that this book provides a pun for every sense of humor. “Pun Enchanted Evenings” is a quick read and can be leafed through anytime one is stressed and in need of something to laugh about. A great book to keep on your desk at work; it’s fun reading while you’re in the waiting room at your doctor’s office but be aware that it might be considered disruptive if you’re reading it and laughing during jury duty. Lastly, “Pun Enchanted Evenings” would make a great gift for any occasion and will definitely keep your guests amused while they are using the bathroom. Just don’t expect them to vacate the facilities in a timely manner…

“Not Just Spirited”

Author: Chynna T. Laird

When asked if I would be interested in reviewing “Not Just Spirited” I jumped at the opportunity. I feel books that are informative, relate to hardships experienced by others, and can consequently provide helpful information in an easy-to-read understandable format are extremely important to us as a society.

I began reading “Not Just Spirited” and I was truly touched by the empathy the book’s author, Chynna T. Laird, showed to her daughter Jaimie. For those who don’t know: Sensory Processing Disorder is an inability of the brain to process information received through the senses. Consequently those who suffer from SPD are unable to properly understand how to interact with their environment. Light, touch, sound, taste and smell can cause moderate to severe discomfort which is made worse if the child is too young to verbally communicate what is wrong.

As I continued reading I wish I could say I was surprised by the lack of understanding and help Jaimie and her family received from the highly trained medical community but in all honesty, I wasn’t. I also find it amazing how the general response to a problematic child is “it’s just a phase” or “he or she will grow out of it.” Personally I would find those generalizations insulting. As a parent shouldn’t you know your child’s behavior better than anyone else? Isn’t there that mysterious “bonding” between mother and child so that even a “first time” parent’s concerns should be taken seriously? Shouldn’t the medical community give some credence to a parent’s observations? After all, parents generally live with their child twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, while a pediatrician may only see that same child once every few months.

In summary I found “Not Just Spirited” to be an incredibly well written and inspirational book. Laird shares with her reader the day-to-day and sometime even minute-to-minute struggles of someone who suffers from Sensory Processing Disorder. Her personal experiences enable us to better understand this disorder and Laird has found a way to help her daughter progress with her life in a healthy manner. I feel this book will also provide useful tips, information, and resources for other parents who may face the same, or similar, challenges. I would like to thank Laird for taking the time to share her family’s story with us and I am appreciative that she has done so using language that the common person can understand.

“Perfect Alibi”

Author: Sheldon Siegel

I’ve just finished reading “Perfect Alibi” by Sheldon Siegel and now I’m attempting to write its review. Unfortunately for me, I’m having some trouble with that. No, it’s not because I’m suffering from writer’s block. I’m just at a loss for words because the only thing running through my head right now is “Wow, what a great book!” Just for the record, heaping praise on a book isn’t my customary starting point in a review.

“Perfect Alibi” by Sheldon Siegel is the seventh installment in the Mike Daley Mystery series. In this episode Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez discover that their sixteen-year-old daughter’s boyfriend Bobby has been arrested for the alleged murder of his father who also happens to be a Superior Court judge. All the evidence seems to point to Bobby as the killer yet he is emphatic that “he didn’t do it” and their daughter Grace is his only alibi. Against their better judgment Mike and Rosie take the case. In an attempt to exonerate Bobby they wind their way through some of San Francisco’s seedier neighborhoods and in doing so they uncover a sex scandal involving some of the city’s more prominent citizens.

I found “Perfect Alibi” to be a fantastic read and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Siegel is an amazing writer and he has a way of deftly enveloping you in the story. This book is legal fiction and because of Siegel’s writing style I felt as if I was personally sitting in the courtroom watching the various proceedings. I liked that the book was written in the first person and I definitely enjoyed the sarcastic and sardonic thought processes of Mike Daley.

Overall, I would say this book is a five-star “must read.”