Author: Stephanie

Chronic illness can be a nuisance at best, debilitating at worst. I should know; I wake up every day not knowing if a migraine is going to force me back into bed or send me rushing to the bathroom to keep the contents of my stomach off the floor. That does not mean we cannot learn to live with it. In fact, the challenge just makes us work harder, and we rise to meet it. For proof, look no further than Carl S. Armato, author of A Future With Hope: An Inspiring Guide to Overcoming Diabetes.

A Future With Hope follows Armato’s lifelong struggle with diabetes, beginning with his diagnosis at only eighteen months old and continuing through his childhood, going to college, starting his career, all the way to the present. In addition to telling his story to inspire others, Armato uses his fifty-two years of experience to impart invaluable wisdom and advice on his fellow diabetics. With exercise, a healthy diet, ever-improving medical technology, a strong support system, and a positive attitude, he has not only come to live with the disease—he has thrived because of it, and he assures other diabetics that they can, too.

I’ll be honest, I started this book with only the slightest understanding as to what diabetics go through. TV and the internet had given me a general idea, but it was vague and, as with all information in the digital age, I took it with a grain of salt. A Future With Hope provides not only advice and support to diabetics but insight into the disease for those of us who do not suffer from it ourselves. Readers learn how diabetics can keep their blood sugar under control, how easily the delicate balance can be thrown off, how a good support system can make or break a diabetic’s survival, and the thoughts—both uplifting and devastating—which go through a diabetic’s mind every day. To read about living with diabetes from someone who has had success managing it is eye-opening.

The book, at only one hundred and eighty pages long, is a quick read. Armato writes in an engaging conversational tone which makes it easy to follow and entertaining. While inspirational, the guide is far from cheesy. Armato has a very down-to-earth approach to his condition and to his account. He focuses on the good which has come from his modified lifestyle and the positive influence his support system has had on him and his outlook. However, he also addresses his struggles, his frustrations with having to explain his diabetes, and the victim mindset which has sometimes crept into his thoughts, as inevitably happens with all diabetics. Armato does not lament the “normal” life of a non-diabetic. Rather, he utilizes these challenges to show readers how he surpassed them so that they might learn how to overcome them as well.

With all there is to praise about A Future With Hope, one incredibly minor aspect of it might be a problem for some readers. Throughout the work, Armato makes references to faith and a higher power, especially when it comes to his father’s influence as part of his support system. Still, this is not a religious book nor does it try and push any particular religion on the reader. Rather, Armato speaks of looking to a higher power as a way of getting through life’s challenges. While I am not myself Christian or even religious, I think that the idea of there being a higher power to turn to during hard times and that sends people in need to people who want to help is very comforting, so it shouldn’t bother non-Christians too much.

Overall, A Future With Hope by Carl S. Armato is powerful and uplifting. Diabetics will feel encouraged by Armato’s personal story and will find his guidance incredibly helpful. Those without diabetes will have their hearts warmed by his uplifting attitude and the way he has helped other diabetics, not to mention the understanding that this look at a diabetic’s life will give them. You never know when you might encounter someone going through this emotional and physical struggle, and we could all use a little more empathy and hope in our lives.

If you want to snag a copy of A Future With Hope by Carl S. Armato, you can buy a physical or eBook copy from Amazon.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Happy Sunday, everyone! As the deadline for my master’s dissertation gets closer and closer, I seem to be getting busier and busier. However, I still have time to bring you a review for a unique book. Unlike with most of my reviews, today’s book is not a fiction novel, collection of short stories or poems, or even a nonfiction novel; it’s a cookbook. The book I am discussing is The Ultimate Culinary Collection: 100 Recipes Personally Contributed by 100 Executive Chefs from 100 of the World’s Finest Hotels and Restaurants, compiled and written by Stuart Hopkins.

Now, you might recognize the name “Stuart Hopkins” from a review I posted back in October 2017 for the excerpts of his novel No Grey Areas. Unfortunately, that work has been delayed due to developments in Hopkins’s life, including the birth of his beautiful baby girl in August 2018. These developments mean that there will be even more adventures for No Grey Areas—and until then, we have The Ultimate Culinary Collection.

As the title states, The Ultimate Culinary Collection contains one hundred recipes collected by the author, Stuart Hopkins, from one hundred executive chefs around the world. From the Ritz-Carlton to Shangri-La, contributions have been made from some of the finest hotels and restaurants in modern times, some even being the chefs’ signature dishes. There is also a bonus recipe from Jaden Mascernhas, a sixteen-year-old student chef mentored, when he was only fourteen, by Chef James Knight-Pacheco of Six Senses Resort in Oman. These recipes are split into five categories: fish and seafood, meat (i.e. beef, lamb, etc.), poultry and game, vegetarian, and desserts. Each recipe includes a mouth-watering picture of the final product, a short bio for the chef, and information about the restaurant or hotel where they work.

As spectacular as the origins of these recipes are, they are not the most noteworthy aspect of this cookbook. Rather, that honor belongs to where the proceeds from this book are going: toward getting underprivileged babies in the Philippines vaccinated for rotavirus. The author plans to continue raising funds for this cause through creating The Ultimate Culinary Collection II and hotel/brand-specific cookbooks.

I must start by saying I am not a cook by any stretch of the imagination. The best I can do is boxed pasta (seriously, boiling water and stirring are the limits of my cooking expertise; I don’t even like to use the toaster most of the time). However, I can still appreciate good food, and all of these recipes look delicious. Even the fish and seafood, which I am usually not a fan of outside of shrimp and fish sticks, seem incredible. Of course, I think that once I decide to try these recipes myself, I will probably stick with either the beef, poultry, vegetarian, or dessert dishes. No reason to taint my opinion of the recipes unnecessarily because I don’t like that kind of dish anyway.

That being said, it should be noted that these recipes are most likely not for a novice cook or, probably, for those on a tight budget. After all, these recipes come from one hundred of the best chefs at one hundred of the finest hotels and restaurants in the world. Such sources are not exactly known for being cheap or easy to imitate; that’s why they are the best. Still, that does not stop any reader from trying these recipes out for themselves. As Chef Gusteau says in the Disney film Ratatouille (which, by the way, is part of one of the dishes in this book), “Anyone can cook.”

This brings me to one small issue I have with The Ultimate Culinary Collection. After reading it, I honestly have no clue where I would begin to find these ingredients or how much they would cost. In an attempt to become a more self-sufficient cook, I have looked through cookbooks in the past and know that such information is not typically provided. However, this cookbook is advertised as one containing recipes from one hundred executive chefs from one hundred of the finest restaurants in the world. For this reason, one might expect it to be hard to get a hold of some of these ingredients or at least fairly expensive. In some places, it could be nearly impossible to find many of them, my own hometown included. Having an idea of where to get the ingredients and the kind of prices to expect would help readers a lot.

Regardless, for what it is, this cookbook is extraordinary. It is well written and easy to follow, the information—both for the recipes and the chefs’ bios—is thorough and comprehensive, and the recipes are ones that you are unlikely to find anywhere else short of culinary school. While The Ultimate Culinary Collection is not a beginner’s cookbook, it is definitely a great way to put your cooking skills to the test and impress even the pickiest of dinner guests, including yourself.

If you would like to buy The Ultimate Culinary Collection by Stuart Hopkins and help raise money for vaccinations in the Philippines, you can snag an eBook copy on the official fundraising page for $10. You can also keep tabs on this project’s progress on both Instagram and Facebook.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

It’s hard to imagine our parents when they were young adults. For all the stories they tell us and pictures they show, there always seems to be some disconnect between the person they were then and the person we came to know them as. When their past contradicts what we think of them, it can cause our whole world to come crashing down. But what if you learned something about your parents’ past which not only challenges your view of them but also your view of yourself and where your future is headed? Do you ignore it and continue life as though nothing ever happened? Or do you open Pandora’s Box and let loose whatever evils may be waiting? Such is the choice facing Leigh Stone, the main character of Michelle Dim-St. Pierre’s Bloody Coffee, the second book in The Pinnacle Series.

Following her eighteenth birthday, Leigh is given the chance to read her mother’s journal from her young adult years, and it contains a devastating realization: Steve Stone, the man who raised Leigh, is not her biological father. Her probable father, Ezra Sloan, is a married OB/GYN in Israel. Confused, hurt, and determined to set straight eighteen years of lies, Leigh sets out for Tel Aviv to track down her biological father. When Sloan has a massive heart attack right before her eyes, Leigh is thrown into a chaotic world she is not prepared for. Her problems, however, have only just begun. From trouble at home and conflicts with Sloan’s family to international drama tarnishing Israel’s image, the world seems determined to keep Leigh from the truth. Will Leigh learn to leave the past where it belongs? Or will the stubborn young woman triumph in her attempts to unravel her mother’s web of secrets? What consequences will be suffered as a result of both Leigh’s and her mother’s youthful choices?

This story weaves a complex tapestry of bad decisions, regret, layered emotions, and suspense. Dim-St. Pierre has managed to create a book which has relatable characters and a plot filled with unexpected twists. More impressively, the character development and plot are so intricately intertwined that it is clear that each turn of events is caused by a character’s decisions and reactions, whether it’s a direct correlation or a domino effect. After the first few chapters, this tie between plot and character development gives readers a feel for the rhythm of the story, allowing them to know when a twist is coming up without being too predictable. Dim St.-Pierre kept me on my toes, wondering what the consequences would be for a character’s actions, and she never fails to deliver those consequences in a timely manner.

Of course, just because the characters are relatable does not mean they are entirely likeable or justified in what they do. In fact, that’s part of what makes the characters’ influence over the plot so satisfying. Too many books forego real consequences in favor of slightly-unrealistic solutions to provide the characters with some form of happily-ever-after. Bloody Coffee, though, shows that every choice has its consequences and that not everything in life is going to end well or be straightforward in its results. Dim-St. Pierre depicts characters making bad decisions—usually as a result of personality flaws—and she does not let them off easily. Even the characters I empathize with, such as Leigh and her mother, are far from perfect. There were many times in the story when I found it hard to like any of the characters, and this made seeing them face the outcome of their choices all the sweeter. Even so, I wanted to see some sort of positive ending for Leigh and her loved ones and was on the edge of my seat with anticipation as I waited to see what would happen, a sign that Dim-St. Pierre has created characters which are truly human—relatable and sometimes likeable but definitely flawed.

This book is about so much more than family drama. It is about a young woman learning to work with the cards that life has dealt her. It follows Leigh as she discovers everything that adulthood has to offer: independence, first love, drama, prejudice, legal decisions, the gray area of morality, and how legally being an adult does not mean that you know everything you need to. It is also about cultural differences, religion, the effects of the “us vs. them” mentality, the distorted view of the media, and international relations. Much like William H. Coles does in McDowell, Dim-St. Pierre incorporates as many modern issues as can organically fit with her characters and story. Also like McDowell, Bloody Coffee is all the better for it.

While it is 309 pages long and the second book in a series, I found Bloody Coffee to be a very easy read. The writing is clean, simple, and compelling, making for a quick read despite the page count. The characters and plot are also engaging enough that I didn’t even realize how many pages I had read by the time I would take a break. I did worry about starting with the second book in this series, but those worries proved unnecessary. Dim-St. Pierre does not provide the readers with a flat-out summary of the events of the previous book, for which I am glad. Nevertheless, she does slip in details throughout the narrative which allow the reader to piece together what happened before. I did find this frustrating during the first few pages, but as I got further along, I was confident enough that I understood what was going on and actually enjoyed the challenge of piecing together the information myself, much as Leigh tries to do with her mother’s past.

Overall, Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre is incredibly compelling. With three-dimensional characters and twists right up to the very end, I had a hard time putting the book down. Dim St.-Pierre pulls readers right into the middle of this situation and setting, and even if you have never experienced one or the other—or both—for yourself, you will feel simultaneously enchanted and right at home. I couldn’t find anything that I disliked in this novel, and I am glad that I read it. I’ve learned a lot about Israel, specifically Tel Aviv, that I would not have known otherwise, and to learn it in such an entertaining manner from someone who has lived there is a bonus I didn’t expect when I started reading this. I cannot wait for the third book to come out so I can see what happens next on Leigh’s journey into adulthood.

You can buy Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre as an eBook or in print form on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

We all have our own belief systems—religious, political, social, etc.—and we try to follow these beliefs in everything we do. They influence how we interact with others, the causes we support, and even where we spend our money. Yet when it comes to investment, a troublesome question arises: if we only invest in companies which share our values or avoid ones which directly violate them, will we ever be able to make a profit? The subject of today’s review, In God We Trust: Morally Responsible Investing by George P. Schwartz, shows that this practice is not only capable of turning a profit but can also help us influence the world for the better.

In God We Trust introduces readers to a concept which the author calls “Morally Responsible Investing”. Through a mixture of personal anecdotes, statistics, history, and financial and moral advice, Schwartz guides readers through the ins and outs of Morally Responsible Investing, including what it is, what it takes to partake in this investment practice, and the benefits of investing in this manner. Along the way, Schwartz shows readers his own history with Morally Responsible Investing and how the Catholic-values-based firm, Ave Maria Mutual Funds, achieved its high level of success.

Immediately I must point out that the readers who will benefit most from this book will have two very specific beliefs: pro-life and anti-pornography. In particular, Catholic investors or potential Catholic investors will find Schwartz and Kennedy’s views and approaches most helpful. However, there is no discrimination against non-Catholics in this book; so long as you are pro-life and anti-pornography and wish for your investments to reflect these beliefs, In God We Trust is for you.

The author’s religious, moral, political, and financial opinions will also be a significant turn-off for readers with more liberal views, specifically the chapters which go in-depth about abortion and pornography. As I myself am a liberal agnostic, the book often did not mesh with my own beliefs. Regardless, it was fascinating to read about a successful example of basing investments on how well a company’s morals align with one’s own. Perhaps one of the most universal concepts in this book, one which could help anyone of any belief system while investing, comes from the first page of the introduction:

When we invest in a company, we become an owner, and our investment contributes to the company’s success. Are we comfortable with what we own? Does the enterprise reflect our core beliefs? If not, what opportunities exist to invest in a manner that does reflect these beliefs?

George P. Schwartz, In God We Trust, Loc 93 of Kindle eBook

While Schwartz occasionally offers these bits of self-reflection which would be applicable when investing based on any number of morals, I must emphasize that this book is prominently about Morally Responsible Investing—which focuses on supporting “the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family”—rather than Socially Responsible Investing, which covers a wide variety of economic, political, and environmental issues. In God We Trust is most certainly a niche book, but one which its niche will find incredibly valuable.

Putting aside any religious, moral, or political differences I may have with Schwartz, In God We Trust is written very well. Despite its potentially dry subjects—investment and morality—the author maintains a personable, engaging tone throughout the book. Even when discussing the more technical aspects of how finances and investment—particularly Morally Responsible Investing—work, the writing feels as though I am having a conversation directly with Schwartz. His passion as well as his knowledge of these subjects seeps through every word, and readers are bound to feel it.

In addition to laying out the basics of Morally Responsible Investing and showing how it can be successful, Schwartz provides readers with a list of discussion questions for each chapter. These questions, while related to the subject of its corresponding chapter, are open-ended and allow for the readers to think more deeply about what they have read. With these questions, readers can learn to understand the concepts this book has shown them better as well as discuss them with other like-minded investors or potential investors.

The book is not perfect, though. It is well-researched, and this research has been carefully documented so that readers will be able to look into these subjects further. In fact, Schwartz places a list of sources after every chapter which calls for it. While I always appreciate when writers cite their sources, this constant interruption after so many chapters disrupts the flow of the overall book. For me, it proved to be quite the annoying and unnecessary distraction since the sources could have been compiled into one complete list of sources at the end of the book along with the appendices and index.

In addition to this larger disruption, I also noticed multiple incidents when words should have been hyphenated but were not. The average reader will most likely not even notice these errors. Still, as I am so detail-oriented and a stickler for proper grammar in most cases, this lack of hyphenation acted as a minor distraction during my reading.

Overall, In God We Trust by George P. Schwartz is a thought-provoking and interesting read. It clearly details what Morally Responsible Investing is while also giving insight into the author’s background and a real-life example of this investment approach working. The concepts are easy to digest, and the discussion questions make it even easier to understand and share these ideas with others. The book’s organization in regards to the resources could have been better and additional proofreading would have been helpful, but otherwise In God We Trust has been handled very professionally in its writing and publication. Catholics and others who are pro-life and anti-pornography will want to check this book out if they are interested in investment which aligns with their values. If you have more liberal views, though, you will probably want to avoid In God We Trust.

You can buy In God We Trust in print or as an eBook or in hardcover on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should and review? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Video calling, computer tablets, communicator watches, A.I. assistants—all of these technological advancements were once unimaginable, but now they are fairly commonplace thanks to companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. These breakthroughs did, however, appear in one place before they became a reality: science fiction. The genre has a knack for predicting the future—or making it happen—and that is why we must watch it carefully for signs of what might come. These kinds of warnings are the heart of the book featured in today’s review, The Exigent Earth by Beverly Knauer and Murray Rosenthal.

The year is 2039, and the Earth is suffering from mismanagement by humans. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Volcanic eruptions. And that’s just the tip of the apocalyptic iceberg. Only one man can read the signs and warn the rest of mankind of these upcoming disasters: Zac Sparkman, son of renowned scientists Nikolai and Virginia Sparkman. With his parents’ scientific curiosity and his own extraordinary powers coursing through his veins, Zac is the exact balance of science and spirituality needed to save humanity. He has spent his entire life trying to heal the Earth and uncover the truth behind his abilities and his father’s research, leading him to become one of the most respected scientists of his time. Yet when the U.S. government gets wind of his unique abilities, it will stop at nothing to access the secrets which lie within Zac’s mind. Kept prisoner by his home country and made into the enemy for powers he doesn’t fully understand, Zac fears that time is running out for him and all of mankind. Can he escape in time to warn of the next disaster? Will the dread and doom of his premonitions come to fruition? And can the answers Zac seeks be found on Earth—or beyond the stars?

I have fairly varied tastes when it comes to science fiction and other categories which fall under the umbrella genre of “speculative fiction” (fantasy, science fantasy, dystopian fiction, supernatural fiction, etc.). I like to sample a little of everything from the science fiction of Ray Bradbury and Anne McCaffrey to the young adult urban fantasy of Eoin Colfer and Rick Riordan. For these reasons, I started The Exigent Earth with a mixture of excitement and high expectations. In general, the book did not disappoint. The Exigent Earth has a little something for every kind of speculative fiction fan out there: advanced technology, genetic manipulation, seemingly-supernatural abilities, interstellar travel, and much, much more. Knauer and Rosenthal dip into almost every trope available to the modern science fiction writer from space exploration to climate change and psychological drama, and they weave all these elements together into one unified, nearly-seamless plot which both entertains and delivers a powerful message.

Even more impressively, however, Knauer and Rosenthal infuse this story with as much spiritual and mystical knowledge as it does scientific principles. Through indigenous characters like Olivia and Gus, the authors pass on the esoteric wisdom of Native American tribes to Zac and the readers, showing how the ideas of honoring Mother Earth and recognizing the unique energies of everything in nature work with modern science, not against it. There are, of course, moments when the Native American wisdom and Western scientific principles push back on each other and cause tension, but it is this simultaneous harmony and disharmony which makes the presence of both schools of thought so compelling. The tension piques the reader’s interest, and the synchronicity opens their eyes to new possibilities.

In addition to the intriguing concept and crucial themes, The Exigent Earth contains engaging plot twists and diverse—in race/ethnicity/nationality and personalities—and relatable characters. Not a single plot point is introduced without a purpose nor is any character. Everything and everybody serves an important role, even if said role seems minor at first, and it all ties together very nicely by the end of the story. The book uses a mixture of subtle-but-impactful plot twists and major, jaw-dropping turns, thus keeping the reader interested without overwhelming them with too much chaos and confusion. To me, there are still many questions raised by these characters and their exploits which could be explored further but, in a way, that’s part of the point: there will always be questions left unanswered and problems that need to be solved, so it’s best not to ignore them.

That being said, the book is not without its faults. In the first couple sections of the novel, a lot seems to go too smoothly and/or falls into place too easily. This makes these sections feel rushed and, at points, borderline cliché, a fact which is not helped by characters mentally noting how coincidental/serendipitous certain aspects of their lives are. In particular, Nikolai and Virginia’s romance occurs far too quickly and easily. While their love is sweet and clearly true and it is not the focus of the novel, everything goes their way too often, especially when dealing with the Russian and American governments and the restrictions these governments place on their lives. I could have also done without Nikolai’s mentally reassessments of whether love-at-first-sight is possible or not. There are other plot points which are executed too quickly or neatly, causing a lack in real tension until later in the book, but I will not mention them here for fear of spoilers.

While the characters are diverse and typically relatable, some moments—namely thoughts and dialogue—feel unnaturally stiff. This makes sense when they are characters like Nikolai, whose second language is English, but with characters whose first language is English, it does not sound real. Olivia, for example, is supposed to be a teenager when she is first introduced, but I would have pegged her to be in her twenties or maybe even her thirties based on her thought and speech patterns. This could be a result of her being wise beyond her years, but the way which it is depicted makes the character feel more rigid early on, something which is less of a problem as she gets older and grows into this voice. In the first two or three sections of the novel, the thoughts and dialogue also have a tendency of trying to provide too much foreshadowing which, in some cases, muted the effects of plot points further in the narrative. This technique could be a result of wanting to show how some people can have inexplicable insights into the future, but it usually just subverts otherwise excellent plot twists.

Overall, The Exigent Earth by Beverly Knauer and Murray Rosenthal is a well-written and captivating read. It is very insightful and intelligent yet also uses language which is simple enough for the average reader to easily follow along. The plot is engaging although, in the scheme of things, fairly typical for speculative fiction. The treatment of the subject and the combination of elements, however, makes this work very unique and I highly recommend it for readers who are scientifically-curious, environmentally-conscience, and/or fans of science fiction, science fantasy, and/or psychodramas. Still, those who do not like to read about secret scientific advancement, climate change, distrust of the government, or interstellar interactions might want to pass on this one.

The Exigent Earth by Beverly Knauer and Murray Rosenthal is available in paperback and as an eBook on Amazon. You can learn more about Beverly Knauer and her other books on her website.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!