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ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN FACE THE SKY Vianvi Podcast Book Review 2018 #3 by Viga Boland If you decide to read All the Ways You can Face the Sky by Farlo Ben Truman…and you should…prepare yourself for a very different journey into literary fiction. Truman’s approach might initially confuse you: it will take a while to figure out just what he is doing. Once you have figured it out…or think you have…you’ll find yourself wondering how much of what you are reading is actually taking place in the real world and how much is occurring in the narrator’s mind. And therein lies the challenge to the reader to keep on reading. If you do, you will be rewarded by a most touching story that somehow takes you where other writers rarely go: inside your own mind.  Plot-wise, the story is simple enough: two drug-addicted guys hook up in rehab and cut short their stay before they are ready to face life again without drugs. Not long after, during a drug-fuelled binge, a young fellow looking forward to a bright future gets shot by one of them. The protagonist, Miles Rockerfeller is the one of these two who, as a result of the murder, lands himself a 5-year prison term. Since his guilt in the murder has always been questionable, he is finally released from prison, armed with a load full of prescription drugs to help with the pain he’s suffering from a nasty prison beating. As you might guess, it isn’t long before Miles is once again on the path to self-destruction. But before you jump the wrong conclusion that this book is all about tripping out on drugs, as I nearly did, rest assured it’s not. What it’s really about is tripping out on your own thoughts, the ones you never share with others, even when you’re engaged in a one-on-one conversation with someone who matters to you, let alone those who don’t. This is a journey through a person’s mind as it trips away on a word someone says, or

 What Remains Unsaid by Audrey Kalman Vianvi Podcast Book Review 2018 #2 by Viga Boland   If you’re into psychological thrillers, the opening chapter of What Remains Unsaid by Audrey Kalman will immediately grab you. But a word of caution here: this book is a work of literary fiction, meaning it’s character, not plot driven, and it’s definitely not a thriller.  With that established, rest assured that What Remains Unsaid will take you right inside people’s heads, far deeper than any ordinary work of fiction will, and it might just leave you reeling in this story that looks at mental illness, which, as the author tells us at the end of the book was experienced by one in five persons in the US during 2014.  Ginny, one of several narrators in this book, suddenly finds herself, tied to a kitchen chair and facing a gun held by her adult son, Sean Masterson. Sean demands that for once, she listen to him, insinuating she hasn’t done so throughout his life. From here on, readers are invited inside Ginny’s head as she slips into her distant past and gives us some insight into what has led to this emotion-filled scene with Sean.  As Ginny remembers and narrates, she introduces us to those who had the greatest influence and impact on who she is now: her childhood and long-time friend, Nora; her first love, Keith; her wealthy ex-husband and Sean’s father, Howard, now deceased; and Eva, Sean’s wife. Nora, Eva and Keith each take their turn at narrator so we get the story of Ginny and Sean from several sides. And when all  have finished sharing their stories, though Sean and the readers know more, there is still the pervading sense that What Remains Unsaid will never be known. For who can see everything inside each of us?  What Remains Unsaid isn’t an easy read. It’s complicated with its tense switching and flashbacks. And since most of the story takes place inside several narrators’ heads, meaning there’s very little dialogue, the book requires concentration. But What Remains Unsaid is a masterfully written by Audrey Kalman and definitely worthy of your concentration. Will you see the ending coming before it does? Challenge yourself.  ©

THE EXTRACTION by Steve F. Freeman Vianvi Podcast Book Review 2018 #1 by Viga Boland When is a thriller not “just another thriller”? When it’s written by Steve F. Freeman, author of over 15 novels, and every one of them, just like The Extraction, grips readers from page one and doesn’t let them go till the last page. Even then, you won’t just put this book down and pick up something else to read.  You will find yourself comparing The Extraction to others you’ve read, marvelling over its unique approach to unraveling a mystery, and weighing up the likelihood of such a totally unexpected perpetrator.  Two people are the immediate victims of this perpetrator: the first is Decimus Farr, a former FBI profiler; the second is Farr’s fiancee. What’s the best way for a deranged perp to really shake up Farr? Kidnap his fiancee, then give him only 24 hours to unravel a series of very convoluted and complicated clues to locate her before the perp kills her.  As the clock ticks away the nail-biting hours, Farr races from place to place searching for physical boxes of clues while racking his brain for memory clues to the identity of the perpetrator. Readers race along with him. Farr realizes that this perpetrator is someone familiar with the many cases on which he’s worked. Could it be a former jealous associate? Or perhaps it’s a criminal he managed to get convicted who is now free? Or maybe an angry member of that criminal’s family or gang? With each clue Farr unravels, new possibilities arise, and readers will follow Farr’s search with the bated breath that one experiences when watching an episode of the TV series, “Criminal Minds”. And it’s fans of that show who might most appreciate the clever approach that Steve F. Freeman takes in The Extraction.  I’ve have read and reviewed a number of Freeman’s books in the past couple of years and never cease to be amazed by his ability to come up with engaging action-filled novels, realistic characters, natural dialogues and logical endings to tension-filled plots, all delivered in short, easy-to-read chapters. If  you’ve not yet discovered the books of Steve F. Freeman, make a point of doing so now. There are plenty to choose from, and The Extraction is one of the most riveting and satisfying

WHAT DOES GOD THINK? BY CHERYL B. EVANS Vianvi Podcast Book Review #22 0F 2017 by Viga Boland, author and book reviewer   When a non-fiction book soars to the top of Amazon charts within a few days of being published, you can’t help but ask “why”? Is it all about the marketing? Or is it, in fact, that when the topic of a book raises so many questions for which the answers are varied and controversial,  intelligent readers want to learn as much as they can about the subject? That, without doubt, accounts for the success, and deservedly so, that Cheryl B. Evans is having with her second book, WHAT DOES GOD THINK? The topic of WHAT DOES GOD THINK?, like Cheryl’s first book, I PROMISED NOT TO TELL,  is gender and transgender people, and few subjects today are as hot as this one. What with parents suing a Christian school for allowing a boy to wear a dress in class, or President Trump banning Transgender people from the military, one would have to be living on a remote island to not be aware of all the issues and concerns…religious, scientific, political, cultural and otherwise surrounding transgender people. Cheryl B. Evans book, WHAT DOES GOD THINK?, is not only cleverly titled, but it’s timely, and for

STRAWBERRY & CRACKER: Twins with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Story by Barbara Studham; Illustrated by Heather Lamb  A Vianvi Podcast Book Review by Viga Boland Hello there and welcome back to VIANVI book reviews with author and book reviewer,  Viga Boland. Today I have an absolutely wonderful and very special book for you,  but before I tell you about this book, I would like to tell you a little bit about the person behind the book. Her name is Barbara Studham. I had the pleasure of meeting Barbara several years ago when she attended my very first memoir writing workshop. Barbara had attended the workshop that day in the hopes of getting some tips on blogging. At that time, Barbara wrote a blog, and still does, titled “challenged hope”.  Her blog was designed for people like her, folks who were involved with the very difficult task of raising children with fetal alcohol syndrome. Now, to be honest, before Barbara came into my life, I knew very little, if anything at all, about children afflicted by fetal alcohol syndrome. She opened my eyes to a world doctors have yet to fully explore, a world where children with FAS are often misdiagnosed as having ADHD. Yes, the symptons are very similar, but unlike ADHD, the answer to treating FAS doesn’t lie in medication, all of which I learned about when Barbara went on to write her first memoir, TWO DECADES OF DIAPERS.  In that book, Barbara detailed what it was like for her to raise her 4  FAS grandchildren, singlehandedly, over a period of 22 years. Barbara has since written a sequel to that first memoir, titled

THE DIG by STEVE FREEMAN VIANVI PODCAST BOOK REVIEW #21 of 2017 by Viga Boland, author and book reviewer If you’ve ever fancied being part of an archeological dig but know that reality is not in your future, you will very much enjoy getting stuck into Steve Freeman’s 9th book in the Blackwell Files series:  Alton Blackwell is back with his partner, Mallory and their team as they dig into clues for who did what in his latest thriller, “The Dig”.  What a terrific read while you explore what archeologists explore…and a whole lot more. My introduction to the work of Steve Freeman came with reading and reviewing two books written under his pen name, Malcolm Pierce: “Erased” and “Blood Passage”. This pair of books turned me into an ardent fan of Freeman’s writing. And now, after reading “The Dig”, I’m hungry for more in his Blackwell Files series and delighted to see there are so many to choose from. You can scan that collection on Freeman’s website at http://www.stevefreemanwriter.com. I’ve already picked out one I want to read, another thriller titled “The Devil’s Due”. Why that one? Because one of the characters in “The Dig”, a young girl named Mastana, has apparently recently been rescued from a cult and it’s Mastana’s story that is told in “The Devil’s Due.” How clever of Freeman to subtly interest readers in his other books while enjoying the one they are reading. It was the reference to Mastana’s story that sent me searching for Freeman’s other books. What a find…almost as good as what Alton Blackwell and his associates find when they are sent to assist in the investigation of the mysterious disappearance of one archeologist, and the inexplicable deaths of two of his fellow archeologists in “The Dig”. When a tremblor in Guadalajara reveals an ancient chamber filled with priceless relics beneath a basilica, one which no-one knew existed, archeologists flock to the site. But now, after the disappearance and the deaths, diggers are nervous. Who would kill archeologists engaged in such important work as uncovering priceless relics? More importantly, why? Do the deaths and disappearance have anything to do with th

PET & OTHER PRODUCTS from TIBER RIVER NATURALS Vianvi Product Podcast featuring products from TIBER RIVER NATURALS for your PETS and PERSONAL USE Hi there. Viga Boland back here again on Vianvi Product Review Podcasts to tell you a bit more about the products I’ve been using from Tiber River since I joined them a month ago. If I were to use one word to describe everything I’ve tried so far, it would be “impressed”. While I can’t say, with honesty, that I love everything I got in their awesome $99 startup kit, I have certainly enjoyed 98% of them. So what didn’t I care for? The ALMONDOOLAH FOAMING HAND SOAP. It works fabulously but given I’m a bit picky about scents, I just found this one a bit strong. But hey, that’s just me. As for what products I loved? Everything else in kit, especially that  ZUCCHINI LEMON PEEL BAR SOAP. I’ve used it in the shower, on my face and even on my hair and it’s wonderful. Guess I’m really into lemon and citrus scents. Since I loved the scent of LIME MARGARITA BODY BUTTER that came in my startup kit, when I recently placed an order (consultants get 30% off the retail prices) I just had to order the LIME MARGARITA BODY WASH. Well I used that in my shower the next morning and it was heavenly. I swear, these products could drive you to drink with their scents! Foamed up nicely too, but didn’t leave loads of obnoxious soapy scum at the base of the shower like my over the counter body washes do. As for that

A DOG CALLED HOPE  A Wounded Warrior and the Service Dog Who Saved Him  by Jason Morgan, Damien Lewis Vianvi Podcast Book Review#20 of 2017 by Viga Boland All who have ever loved a dog and lost him/her, whether through death or otherwise, will find A Dog Called Hope, by Jason Morgan and Damien Lewis, bringing them to tears. This is a true story, in as far as Jason Morgan is able to remember the exact details of how he, a US special forces warrior, ended up a paraplegic after a secret mission in Ecuador. What happens after his near death, and with the help of family, friends and one very special CC1 trained labrador, Napal, will mesmerize and warm the hearts of all who read A Dog Called Hope. As only well-written memoirs can do, A Dog Called Hope takes readers into the hearts and souls of the characters, making us feel what they feel and helping us see through their eyes the trauma and joy they have experienced. In Jason Morgan’s case, the reality of becoming a paraplegic, of losing his wife during the difficult years of surgeries, and the constantly thwarted determination to walk again are enough to break the strongest person. A Dog Called Hope gives us a very intimate look into that reality. But through Napal, Jason discovers a life beyond his crippling disability, a life which he would never have dreamed possible. Through Napal’s tireless devotion and love for his master and friend, J

TRAFFICKED by Peg Brantley a Vianvi Podcast Book Review by Viga Boland, author & book reviewer One of the joys of being a book reviewer is suddenly discovering a brilliantly, talented author like Peg Brantley. Brantley is a crime fiction writer with three previous books to her credit. If Trafficked is any indication of the kind of writing one can expect in those other books, you’ll be wanting to check them out as soon as your heart and head calm down after you finish Trafficked. On her author’s website at www.pegbrantley.com, Brantley states she couldn’t understand why her stories were referred to as “thrillers”. Well that is exactly what Trafficked is. Even more specifically, it’s a psychological thriller that will leave you chilled, shaking your head at the ugly and heartbreaking reality of the sexual trafficking of young people, particularly, in this case, females. Trafficked completely fits the description of a thriller as stated on the home page of Brantley’s site: … thrillers are typically the most emotional, focusing on the fear, doubt and dread of the hero as she faces some form of what Dean Koontz has deemed ‘terrible trouble.’ There’s actually several heroes facing “terrible trouble” in Trafficked: Mex Anderson, the private eye hired to locate the privileged but ignored 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy business man; Mex’s estranged sister, Sedona, who cannot redeem herself despite the help she gives Mex; Cade, Mex’s woman; Darius, Mex’s right hand man; and Rachel, a former prostitute who will be key to the eventual rehabilitation of the three, trafficked females, Jayla, Alexis and Livvy. These three young women each emerge from Trafficked with lives forever changed, but each in her own way, a heroic survivor of “terrible trouble”. It’s human nature to want to tune out the constant media reports of the sexual trafficking of children and teens: it’s a reality many would prefer to pretend doesn’t exist, or that they tell themselves only happens in other people’s lives, in other countries, other cultures. Well reading Trafficked will convince you otherwise. It will make you more wary and you need to be. The victims in Traff

TIBER RIVER NATURALS Hello and welcome back to Vianvi Podcasts with Viga Boland. If you’re joining me for the first time, up until now I’ve focussed on reviewing books and products like those from Epicure and Rodan+Fields Skin Care and shared some information on following a Keto-style way of eating. But today, in the first of my WEBSITE reviews, I’d like to introduce you to TIBER RIVER NATURALS, a Canadian company whose focus is on natural, environmentally-friendly products for body, bath, home, babies and pets. Up until now, I’ve been like the average consumer, just buying my hair, body and household products in the supermarket or drugstore with more thought put into the price than what’s in the product and whether or not it’s good for the environment. But on a recent grocery trip, I came across a lady demonstrating products from http://www.lemon-aide.ca. Now I’m a real sucker for anything lemony so I purchased their dish and laundry washing detergents. I was so impressed with the results, I began looking online to see if there were any companies selling natural products of all kinds based on Lemon. I didn’t find any, apart from Lemon Aide.ca but I stumbled across TIBER RIVER, the focus of today’s podcast blog. The Tiber River website blew me away with both its accent on all natural, environmentally friendly products and its colourful, often amusing descriptions and names for products, like “ureeka” for a deodorant, or “pooetic justice” for something to make your poop less offensive for the person using the toilet right after you. Yes you heard, or read that right! On digging deeper into Tiber River, I realized the company itself had been going as a retail operation since 1999, but its venture into MLM was still relatively new. They were looking for consultants in all parts of Canada, especially in the area in