Review # 230: Straight Talk about Crooked Teeth - The New Orthodontics by S. Kent Lauson, DDS, MS, Orthodontist

Description:

     Anyone can attain a "movie star smile", just ask orthodontist S. Kent Lauson, the creator of The Lauson System: Nine Keys to Lower Facial Harmony. This book describes twenty-five years of holistic methods in orthodontia, and rejects the use of permanent tooth extractions and surgery when faced with tooth alignment problems. Lauson's methods reduce the risks
for TMJ distress, Asthma, ADHD, Sleep Apnea, and neck/ back problems associated with tooth positioning.

"...This book is a must read for:

• Parents who are choosing anOrthodontist for their children.

• Adults wanting to fix their smile nomatter their age.

• Anyone who has been told they need surgery or teeth extractions to straighten their teeth.

• Dentists and Orthodontists whobelieve in a more holistic approach..." (from the cover)

Review:

     I am blessed with good teeth and am thankful that I never had to visit an orthodontist for braces or other dental problems/ surgeries, but a large percentage of the world's population is not so lucky. There are a whole host of dental deformities that cause crooked teeth, mouth pain, and physical/personal discomfort, and over the years there have been many proposed treatments; including tooth extractions, braces, retainers, and complex dental surgeries. Although some of these treatments continue to produce positive results, others are now considered outdated and unnecessarily painful. These are just some of the reasons that orthodontist S. Kent Lauson decided to share his views on "The New Orthodontics" - attaining a "movie star smile" without avoidable tooth extractions, braces, and surgery. Lauson takes readers on a step-by-step tour of his method including the recent history of functional facial orthopedics, the nine keys to lower facial harmony, and case studies involving patients in different phases of The Lauson System, including before-and-after photos, diagrams, and detail on treatment appliances. There is also a handy Appendix/ Glossary section that allows readers to investigate treatment appliances, pertinent articles and blogs, information for medical and dental professionals, useful charts, and key terms. Lauson makes orthodontic topics easy-to-understand and readily available for both medical/ dental professionals and parents. Even those without dental problems can benefit from chapters on posture, facial symmetry and adverse oral habits, (mouth breathing, improper tongue placement, bottle feeding, thumb and finger sucking, swallowing toothpaste, tooth clenching/ grinding, chewing on gum/ ice/ foreign objects, etc...). I really like how the book is formatted; the material is presented in a straight-forward and interesting way. I can tell that it is well-researched, even someone with no medical knowledge would be able to understand his approach, and the before-and-after photos speak volumes of the possible outcomes of  The Lauson System over time. If I ever need information about orthodontic problems I will definitely consult this book! Every aspiring dentist should have to read this book so that they are more knowledgeable about alternative treatment methods!

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

About the Author

     Dr. Kent Lauson is a traditionally trained orthodontist who has created a breakthrough holistic approach to treatment. He has enjoyed a distinguished career that has spanned over 35 years. He has degrees from the University of Iowa (DDS), US Air Force (Periodontics Certificate), and St. Louis University Medical Center (Specialty Certificate and Master's Degree in Orthodontics). He is also a fellow of the International College of Craniomandibular Orthopedics, as well as a member of numerous professional associations. Dr. Lauson has lectured at many national dental and orthodontic meetings and is listed in the Guide to America s Top Dentists. He has received many community awards for his work.

Review # 229: The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

Description: (from GoodReads)

     When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

     Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity. 

     As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it... 

Review:

     When I first received the book, I was immediately intrigued by the title - The Dark Unwinding - it felt seductively Gothic, and as I read the book, it proved to be very poetic and well-fitting. As with many books I receive, there was no cover art, just a black cover with white calligraphy-like scripting, but when I saw the final cover on Amazon, it took my breath away! Sharon Cameron did a phenomenal job detailing the characters and their surroundings, and the cover encapsulated that richness down to the well-greased wheels and cogs of Uncle Tully's clock-room. The book began rather slowly, but after discovering some character background, the plot "thickened", a series of events were set into motion that geared the reader up for some serious page-turning plot twists. I was truly captivated by Uncle Tully's "world" - from the eerie manor-house, to the mystery-filled workshop, to the property's hidden village workforce - each aspect was intricately detailed and left me in a state of perpetual amazement; especially the dragon, (no spoilers!). The characters, notably Uncle Tully, Katharine, Lane, and Davy were almost three-dimensional in their construction; I felt like I was part of the Victorian era. Their personalities, although subtle at first, played off of one another flawlessly. The building romance between Lane and Katharine was well-paced and fun. I definitely want to read more about their relationship in the next book, particularly because of the unforeseen ending, (no spoilers!). I agree with the publisher when I say that The Dark Unwinding had a very Jane Eyre feel to it - probably why I enjoyed it so much! Recommended to readers teen and up who prefer plots and characters that they can get wound-up in. (Gothic/ Victorian / Mystery / Romance / Not Steampunk)

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Scholastic Press) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Giveaway: Timeless Desire Contest

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Contest rules: Open only to residents of U.S. and Canada. Void where prohibited. Entering this contest will automatically add you to the Gwyn Cready mailing list. Friends to whom you forward this email will not be added to the Gwyn Cready mailing list unless they, too, enter the contest. Limit of one entry per type per person. No personal information or email addresses will be sold or shared. Entries must be received by midnight EST on September 14, 2012. Winner will be posted at cready.com on September 15, 2012.

Review # 228: The Truth about Lilly Barnes by Kimberly Russell

Description: (from GoodReads)

“Today is the day it is going to happen. I’m not melancholy or nervous. I just want to get it over with more than anything. Today is the day that I, Lilly Barnes, die.”

     Lilly Barnes doesn't want to live anymore. She is prepared to leave her life, family, and more importantly, her best friend Buddy behind for good. But, why? What could be so horrible that it makes a young girl want to end her life? 

Review: 

     I had trouble putting this book down after the first couple of sentences; Lilly's statement, "I really am dying tonight... it will be all my choice and by my own hands." immediately affected me. Why would someone choose death over life? What in their life could be bad enough to warrant suicide? Lilly's reasoning was not immediately apparent, but I was compelled to read on, her silent goodbyes to school, friends, inanimate objects, and Channing Tatum setting the book's overall tone - deep melancholy with a dash of hope. I am not a teenager, but I do remember the hormone-fueled emotions of middle and high school, so I could relate to Lilly in some ways, but other times, I felt like I was reading about half of a character. This may have been because of the journal-like format of the book, but I thought that her character could have been more developed. The dialogue was basic and easy-to-read, and the book itself was very short, (156 pages),  however, every page counted for something, and I felt that Kimberly Russell chose her words carefully to keep readers interested in Lilly's story. I liked the flow of the plot, although the pace seemed slow in some areas. I spotted grammatical errors throughout - nothing a second editing couldn't fix - but nothing really deterred me from finding out "the truth". The book could have done without the "budding romance", but I do admit that it helped get the message across, (no spoilers). I know that depression and suicide are uncomfortable topics for most people, especially when talking about children and teens who have their whole lives ahead of them, but depression is not uncommon in these age groups. I am glad that the author has written Lilly's story, even though the topic is a tough one. I definitely recommend it to readers thirteen and up; parts of the book may be emotionally raw and disturbing, but people need to understand that these feelings exist, and that there are ways to deal with them besides suicide.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Lightning Book Promotions) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

About the Author:

     I’m obsessed with all things Jane Austen. I read a lot of YA but my all-time favorite is a cozy mystery. As far as teen books go I really love Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, Sara Zara, and Ann Brashares. As far as adult books go I love Sidney Sheldon (he will always have my heart), Stephen King, Sophie Kinsella, and Charlaine Harris.

     When I’m not reading or writing I enjoy spending time with my husband, baking, and finding ways to meet Jimmy Fallon. Currently has two novels for sale The Truth about Lilly Barnes and Between Balloons. Currently working on her third novel The Adoration of Emma Wylde.

Tour Schedule:

2nd Ana @ BookSpark (review and giveaway)
3rd Marissa @ For The Love of Film and Novels (Review and Guest Post)
4th Sydney @ A Case of Reading Insomnia (Review)
5th Maryann @ Chapter by Chapter (Review)
6th Allizabeth @ The Paperback Pursuer (Review)
7th Reena @ Reena Jacobs (Guest Post/maybe a review)
8th Sarah @ Breaking the Binding (Review)
8th Kate @ Froze8′s Blog (Feature w/ excerpt and Giveaway)
8th Kate @ Literary R&R (Feature/interview and Giveaway)
9th Rachel @ Stressed Rach (Review)
10th Louisa @ Words I Write Crazy (Review)
11th GMR @ Satisfaction for Insatiable Reader (Guest Post only)
11th Laura @ Owl Tell You About It (Review)
12th Lexxie @ (un)conventional bookviews (Review and Giveaway)
13th Channing @ A Book Without Pages (Review and Guest Post)
14th Paula @ Book Lover Stop (Review)
15th Lisa @ Nightly Reading (Review)
16th Ruth @ My Devotional Thoughts (Review, Guest Post and Giveaway)

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Guestpost: Laura Carroll on Dispelling the Myths of Only Children

Dispelling the Myths of Only Children

Laura Carroll

     Imagine you have a child, and are not sure if you want to have another one. But you think you should because it’s best for a child to have a sibling, right? Wrong, say Bill McKibben and other experts. The bias against only children has an interesting history, and began in the late 1800s with psychologist Stanley Hall. He was the Victorian era’s “Dr. Spock.” He did a study of “peculiar and exceptional children” with 1,045 child subjects. “Peculiar and exceptional” was loosely defined from reasons that were psychological or physical. Forty-six out of the 1,045 (about 4 percent) were only children, which, according to him, was a “number entirely out of proportion to children generally.” He concluded that an only child is very likely to be peculiar and exceptional. Even though his study many that followed did not stand up to the rigors of good research, the idea stuck, and the conventional wisdom to this day has been that it isn’t good to have an only child.

     Better studies to date say otherwise. Toni Falbo, a professor at the University of Texas and her colleague Denise Polit looked at past studies more closely. They analyzed 115 studies of only children in the U.S. across class and race from 1925 onward. The studies looked at adjustment, character, sociability, achievement, and intelligence variables. They found that only children “aren’t measurably different from other kids” except that they, “along with firstborns and people who have only one sibling, score higher in measures of intelligence and achievement.” They are no more likely to be lonely, shy, unpopular, selfish, or maladjusted than children with siblings. They also found that the “personalities of only children were indistinguishable from their peers with siblings.” No published research can demonstrate any truth behind the stereotypes.

     This needs to become more well-known so more people will consider having only one biological child. People need to see that it isn’t only all right to have one child, but it is also doing right by that child. As McKibben argues, more single-child families are necessary so that they and their parents will be more likely to live in a sustainable world.

     As the book The Baby Matrix argues, parents who want to have more than one biological child need to look harder at why they feel this way. Is it because they didn’t get the gender one or both parents wanted with first one? Now more than ever, it is important for those who think they want more than one child to answer what need are they filling for themselves, and why they would put themselves and what they want first, knowing the impact of bringing another child into the world. It’s also important for them to ask themselves if their need could be filled in a way other than a second biological child. For example, how about filling that need by parenting a child who is already here? The myths about adoption need to be tackled as well.

About the Author:

     Laura Carroll is the author of The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction will Create a Better World, Families of Two: Interviews With Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice, and Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out.

     In addition to writing nonfiction books, she has worked over the last 15 years as a business and litigation psychology consultant and used her expertise in behavioral sciences, psychology, and communications to advise business, legal, and nonprofit professionals on their communications strategies and goals.

     Laura is a seasoned leader of personal and professional development seminars, and has appeared on a variety of television shows, including Good Morning America and The Early Show. She has been a guest on many radio talk shows to discuss social science topics.

You’ll also find her online at her nonfiction book site, LiveTrue Books, and her top blog, La Vie Childfree.

To get your copy of The Baby Matrix by Laura Carroll at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Baby-Matrix-Parenthood-Reproduction/dp/0615642993/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339007434&sr=8-2

Pick up your ebook copy at Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-baby-matrix-laura-carroll/1110625478

To get your e-copy of The Baby Matrix by Laura Carroll for your Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Baby-Matrix-Reproduction-ebook/dp/B0081HSF3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339007434&sr=8-1

To learn more about Laura, go to her website: http://lauracarroll.com/

Visit Laura Carroll on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LauraCarroll88

Like Laura Carroll on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBabyMatrix

Find out all about The Baby Matrix at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641241-the-baby-matrix

 

About the Book:

     In the movie The Matrix, the character Morpheus offers two pills to Neo—if he takes the blue pill, he will go on with life as he has before, believing what he has always believed. If he takes the red pill, he will find out what the “matrix” really is, and many of his earlier beliefs will be shattered. When it comes to taking a hard look at a specific set of beliefs about parenthood and reproduction that has driven our society for generations, The Baby Matrix is the red pill.

     We commonly think our desire to have children boils down to our biological wiring, but author Laura Carroll says it’s much more than that. Unlike other books on parenthood, The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World takes a serious look at powerful social and cultural influences that drive the desire for the parenthood experience, and lays out why we need to be very aware of these influences to make the most informed decisions about parenthood.

The Baby Matrix looks at long-held beliefs about parenthood and reproduction, and unravels why we believe what we believe. It lays out:

• the historical origins of beliefs about parenthood and reproduction
• why many of these beliefs no longer work for society or were never true in the first place
• why we continue to believe them anyway
• the prices society pays as a result

     The Baby Matrix shows us how we got here, brings to light what is true, which includes knowing about the powerful influence of “pronatalism,” and explains why society can no longer afford to leave pronatalism unquestioned.

     “This is not a book about convincing people not to have children,” says Carroll. “I want people to be very aware of the long-held social and cultural pressures, and be able to free themselves from those pressures when making parenthood choices. This will result in more people making the best decisions for themselves, will foster a society in which those who are best suited to become parents are the ones who have children and one that knows what it means to bring a child into the world today.”

     This book will make you examine your own intentions and beliefs, will rile you, and might just change your mind. Whether you are already a parent, want to become a parent, are still making up your mind, or know you don’t want children, you’ll never think about parenthood in the same way.

     The Baby Matrix is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, sociology, anthropology, parenting issues, environmentalism, and social justice. But most of all, it’s for anyone, parent or not, who reveres the truth and wants the best for themselves, their families, and our world.

Watch the Book Trailer: 

 

Kindle Fire Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review # 227: The Moonstone - Book I of the Wolfmoon Trilogy by Nikki Broadwell

Description: (from GoodReads)

     Finna’s mother is dead. So why is this woman standing on her stoop claiming to be just that?Catriona arrives bearing a gift—a luminous moonstone that holds the secrets to Finna’s heritage. What heritage? Catriona insists that the two of them must journey to the castle of the Celtic moon goddess, Arianrhod.  

     The story Catriona weaves is preposterous. A parallel reality, known as the ‘Otherworld’, exists next to this one. “The moonstone will show the way,” Catriona intones cryptically.
Newly pregnant Finna is naturally skeptical, but Catriona is uncannily persuasive, convincing her despite her misgivings. 

     What a trip through this alternate reality really means, and the secrets Catriona reveals about their family and the baby Finna carries, have Finna questioning everything she has ever known. With her life and that of her unborn child in jeopardy, Finna must find a way to survive.

Review:

     I love getting lost in the fantastical worlds created by authors, and the mythological Celtic "Otherworld" conceived by Nikki Broadwell is no exception! It is often the realm in which the book takes place that draws the reader into the story, and the mythology surrounding The Moonstone definitely pulled me in from the start; its mixture of fantasy, adventure, and Scottish "surprises" making for a very intriguing all-season read. The characters, mainly Finna and Catriona, were difficult to like or relate to in the beginning, their attitudes immature and aggravating, but as the story progressed, I began to understand each character's background; not everything is always what it seems. I enjoyed the stressed dynamics of Finna's/ Catriona's mother-daughter relationship, the dialogue was well-developed and full of beautiful Gaelic words and phrases. There was an abundance of sorcery and Celtic lore thoroughly able to enchant any reader, especially those looking to get lost in a new world. The only aspects I disliked were grammatical, but that rarely stops me from reading more. I know that the second book is going on my "Need to Read" list, I hear that it takes place some time after the first, and I can't wait to see how Finna has fared. Overall, I really enjoyed The Moonstone and its well-researched plot-line, particularly the vivid imagination needed to create the "Otherworld", and I recommend it to readers 16+ who want a book they can either savor, or read in a single sitting.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

 

Review # 226: No Comfort Zone - Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Marla Handy

Description: (from book jacket)

     No Comfort Zone exposes a jagged slice of humanity that is all too present, but often shielded from our view. The author challenges us to see life as she does, so we can understand a bit of what it's like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With insight and humor, she describes the fear and unpredictability of growing up in an unstable household, the terror of being raped as a young adult, and the confusion and shame of living with perceptions and reactions that are often so very different from others'. After years of treatment for depression, a diagnosis of PTSD came as a surprise. Isn't this something that only happens to combat veterans? But it made sense. In writing this highly personal account, Marla Handy helps the rest of us understand what PTSD is, and that it happens here at home too.

Review:

     I am not really sure what to call this book genre-wise - it seems like a mix between a memoir and a PTSD self-help guide; even though the author does not consider it biographical. The format is unique, the subtitle - "Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" - is a good description of how the book is laid out overall - "Notes". Included are short stories about Marla Handy's condition/experiences with tips on how to live with PTSD discussed throughout, but most of No Comfort Zone documents the thoughts and feelings surrounding specific events - Marla's difficult home-life, rape, depression, suicidal thoughts, uncharacteristic emotions, and over-reactions. The tone is honest and straight-forward, giving readers a glimpse of what it feels like to have, and live with, PTSD, and how someone can "treat" and/or make the disorder more tolerable. Marla's account is very personal and emotional, but highly educational; a great resource for those affected as well as medical/psychological professionals. I definitely have a better understanding of what it means to have post-traumatic stress disorder, and how I can be more sensitive around those who do.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.