Swan Song - Elin Hilderbrand

I love Elin Hilderbrand...which pains me to write this honest personal review: Not a Swan Song, more like a Turkey Screech. I was really disappointed in Swan Song. I've liked so many of Elin's books and always looked forward to them. The last few have injected politics into the fray, which totally distracts from the story. And it's as if her last book (supposedly final book, though she admits in the acknowledgements it might not be her last....The Tom Brady of Fiction?) she thought, "well, if I'm going out, might as well inject all my political ideals into the book! We had to slog through environmentalism, racism, lesbianism, inter-racial couples, and painting Southern upbringing as typical backwoods, backwards, blue collar, stupid people. But it's not like any of those topics helped the story or fit, it's as if she was using those topics to say, "Look how elitist and progressive I am!" She also had explict sex scenes which I don't remember in any of her previous books. And though there were only a few, WHY? A good author is able to leave details to the imagination of the reader. Once she got passed the progressive notes, the book turned into a delightful usual Elin novel. We focused on the characters, their drama, and things were going well in the middle of the book, and then it turned the last few chapters. Extremely rushed. The characters became caricatures. The ending was neatly wrapped up in three pages. Super disappointed. I usually can't put her books down...this one I put down so many times at being put off by the various things I mentioned, and then literally rolled my eyes at the ending. If you're a die hard Elin fan, by all means, you'll love it. If you are a discerning reader that dislikes tropes, skip it and choose any book of Elin's but Swan Song...

Snake Oil by Kelsey Rae Dimberg

Snake Oil by Kelsey Rae Dimberg Amazing. The author (new to me), is brilliant. A true artist. Very few words wasted in this twisty turny novel. 3 women: One is the creator of a female health and wellness company that utilizes all the social media to LIFT her brand (iykyk). One woman started with the brand in the beginning days and has benefited from the products (so she believes) and is a devoted fan. One woman works for the brand, befriends the devoted worker/fan, but had a different experience and is bitter. There is a twisty turn. And, oddly enough, the character that I was sure I wasn't going to be rooting for, I actually found myself rooting for in the end. I couldn't put the book down (that alone deserves 5 stars as I start and stop many many books and few rarely hold my attention). Could easily go from book to screen, and I hope if it does, they stick to the story. In a fair world, this would spend a year on the Best Seller list. Release Date: September 14, 2024

The Amazing Marketing Diet

 This bacon, butter,  and martini lover (separately, of course) is suddenly faced with all the markers of heart disease: elevated blood work, a heart that has been wonk for years, but is now slightly more wonky. And my body went from fit to fluffy. Kardashians might like a big butt and hips, but my body (and my knees) do not. 

So now, I find myself (gasp) cutting things down, or completely out. 

If you know me, you know I've followed and tried just about every trendy diet. 

I've been fluffy and I've been thin. I love being thin mostly because it was easy to shop at thrift stores and basically anything I wore looked amazing. And I felt amazing. And I was also recycling!

Anyway, this morning I was examining the box of Low Sugar oatmeal the husband had in the cupboard. 

I'm trying to cut back on carbs (and do you know blackberries have a lot of carbs, granted, the "good kind" but still..." 

I'm also trying to stay away from gluten. Years ago, blood work pointed towards gluten intolerance. But then a year later it was better (and I never really stopped eating gluten, just cut back). 

The oatmeal box did not say it was gluten free, BUT, it did say it was heart healthy and could reduced cholesterol. 

And while I was reading that box, Ed Bernays (known as the father of public relations) popped into my mind. I've studied him, marketing, and propaganda extensively. 

Was it hearth healthy? Or did Quaker Oats fund some organization to do a "study" where the end results would be that YES, Quaker Oats is healthy for your heart. 

We love anything that promises to make us feel better, look better, and is scientifically proven or recommended by doctors. Doctors are generally a trusted group. 

Ed Bernays knew that. And almost every marketing campaign he worked on, he used "studies" to show how a product would benefit our human instincts to be better, belong, be someone, and be in control. 

And even though I  know this, I still fall for marketing promises.  

I put the oatmeal box back. It wasn't gluten free, and I haven't reached the point I am willing to eat oatmeal without some butter and brown sugar. 

So, I'll just stick to what has worked for me in the past: small meals, low carbs, as few preservatives as possible, non saturated fats (I'll never say goodbye to butter or bacon - what's the point of living without a little pleasure! - I'll just cut back on them). 

When I was in Paramedic school, P.A. Richard Lang did some of our cardiac courses. I'll never forget he said: "You can do all the right things: eat healthy, work out, be very fit, but some people simply have in in their genetics and there is little you can do to stop heart disease or cardiac death." Honesty. No sugar coating it, and though he said diet and exercise and not smoking or drinking can help, there are some cases it wouldn't make a difference. 

Though we have so many resources at our fingertips these days, it's challenging to know what sources are authentic, and what sources are corrupted by studies financed by organizations in order to sell their product and profit. 

You can never go wrong with common sense. Though these days, even common sense is being subverted by experts trying to sell you on the fact that common sense isn't as smart as the product they are selling.