The Etiquette of Illness: What to Say When You Can't Find the Words by Susan P. Halpern


The Etiquette of Illness was recommended to me when I read The End of Your Life Book Club. It also had the recommendation of Dawn, a www.goodreads.com reviewer who recommends it to all readers of a certain age.
I knew I needed to read this book because I tend to give too much advice that begins with the phrase, "What you ought to do..." or I avoid people with illness or people who are grieving. I have been taught avoidance by the best, and it is high time I learned better ways. I still found myself arguing with the book when the author's suggestions are not something I felt I could do.
The book gets 4 stars for discussing the topics in its 7 chapters.

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Frozen Heat by Richard Castle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the other Nikki Heat books by Richard Castle and I eagerly anticipated reading Frozen Heat.
It's entertaining and fun. Would I enjoy this mystery if I were not already a fan of the tv series? Yes, the mystery is well-structured and it has good pacing. Fictional character growth is limited by the changes in the tv characters.
I recommend starting with the first book of the series, Heat Wave, and reading all four.


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The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book based on the recommendations from goodreads.com and Barnes& Noble, and I feel glad I read it now.
I appreciate the bibliography at the end of the book so that I may seek out some of the books enjoyed and discussed by Will and his mother. Mary Anne was a remarkable woman, and I am glad this book will help inspire us, if not to help refugees, at least to smile at every one we see and perhaps listen to their stories.
I recommend this to all readers, for as Mary Anne says what all readers have in common is reading.

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Grace by Deneane Clark
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was a Free Friday book when I downloaded it. This is not a genre I prefer because I find too many cliches in the genre for me to find most books enjoyable, and my dislike for the genre is why this only gets 2 stars. Please check to make sure it is still free before downloading.

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I Used to Know That by Caroline Taggart
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was once a Free Friday selection I downloaded from BN.com, and it is no longer free.
The book is comprised of lists and commentary about knowledge memorized for school tests which you may have forgotten without frequent use. Knowing I could still recall much of what is mentioned, except trigonometry, was reassuring. I do not value the reassurance as much as the current price of the ebook ($9.99.)



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Washington, D.C. and Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware by National Geographic Society
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has been on my home library shelf for 15 years, and I used it this year as I planned and traveled on a road trip to Washington, D.C.
It is a good reference book for sights to see on the way and once you arrive. The reason it gets only 3 stars is it is fifteen years old and it is outdated. Telephone numbers are given for more information when it is more likely that we would prefer a website these days. Since its publications, there are new museums which are not to be missed.
If it is on your shelf, read it and use it.

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First King of Shannara by Terry Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book because I am reading all the Shannara books in the chronological order.
I enjoyed it, just not as much as I enjoyed the books with John Ross and Nest Freemark.
I recommend it to fans of the series.

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