Tokyo Street Style - Zoé de las Cases

This third coloring book featuring fashion sketches, botanical drawings and Toyko scenes is absolutely charming, with enough variety among the three categories to keep things interesting. The artist, as usual, does not include full faces in her drawings, so the focus is on fashion. It has been my impression that Japanese young women like girlish fashion, sometimes bordering on the juvenile, and this is reflected in this book where clothes and accessories often feature kittens. Some of the clothing includes traditional Japanese touches, such as kimonos and obi belts. Everything is drawn with an emphasis on whimsy. The paper is heavy, and the bright pink cover features drawings in a bright yellow. The yellow ribbon bookmark can help you keep your place, and the pink elastic band originating on the back cover can hold the book shut, protecting the heavy, but not hard, cover. I love the work of Zoé de las Cases and hope she will continue to feature major cities and their fashion. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Truth Doesn’t Have a Side by Dr. Bennet Omalu

Having seen Concussion and having seen and read League of Denial, I was eager to read Bennet Omalu’s personal account of discovering Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and the price the National Football League made him pay. For the most part, his account did not disappoint, although a time or two, there were a few too many personal details. If you don’t know about CTE, this book is a good starting place, as it starts at the beginning, with Omalu’s biography, providing the basis of understanding why he was exactly the right, or wrong, scientist, depending on your viewpoint. His background also explains why he had an open mind, which he thinks is a large part of the reason he was the one to discover CTE. The one aspect of Omalu’s life not covered by other sources is his walk with God. His own book gives a clear narration of his belief that God led him each step of the way, at times providing miracles that allowed Omalu to remain in America and do his work. This was particularly refreshing to read. Omalu’s story is not yet finished, and it will be interesting to follow his career to see what impact his research will have on saving people from CTE. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

New York Street Style - Zoe de las Cases

She has done it again! Zoe de las Cases follows up her Paris Street Style with fashion sketches and New York City street scenes. The sketches are beautiful and retain their hand-drawn look. The paper is lovely. There is a pink bookmark and an elastic band to protect the covers. The blue covers with pink drawing are eye catching. You will love this! I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Love Heals by Becca Stevens

The founder of Thistle Farms, a community devoted to the healing of traumatized women, produced this beautiful gift book outlining fourteen ways and means God uses love to heal, such as through creation, with compassion, by His mercy, and during forgiving. In parts, the book was more poetic than I could fathom, more redundant than I liked, and more wordy than was comfortable, such as this: “This morning I went outside and felt the sunrise that was offered like a gift wrapped in bands of purple. I saw two beautiful rabbits feasting on clover in my overgrown yard, and a cool breeze kissed my cheek in the midst of the summer heat. I was full of praise and gratitude, and I felt inspired to birth new ideas.” I like fewer details and certainly fewer adjectives; this kind of writing makes me feel like I don’t know where to look. Another example was part of a poem which the author places at the beginning of each chapter: “Soaring above, predators scan meadows for the most vulnerable prey, like I am searching the horizon for a thought.” Huh? As the book progressed, however, it became less flowery and more solid. I found the chapter “Love Heals Beyond Stress” to be excellent, as Stevens suggested these “short-term practices”: pray daily, create free time, develop healthy sleep rituals, daydream, keep a student’s heart, understand pain as a teacher, and laugh. Chapters on forgiveness and fear were also outstanding. I would recommend this book with the caveat that the reader be ready for a couple of very different writing styles in one volume; one is liable to suit you, and you will no doubt learn from and be challenged by the author’s insights. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.