The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Pages: 304 pages
Published: July 2020

The Beauty in Breaking by Dr. Michele Harper is a beautifully written memoir in which the emergency room doctor shares tales of her life growing up in an abusive home, being educated at Harvard, and her subsequent career in the medical field. I chose this book as one of my July Book of the Month selections. 

Each chapter in this book focuses on a patient or patients that Harper encountered in her career. While protecting confidentiality, she shares the ailment that brought them into the hospital and her treatment plan. That probably doesn't sound any different than what you could watch on a medical drama on TV; however, Harper also digs deeper beyond the diagnosing the patient's illness but learning more about their brokenness. In some cases, she is able to help them beyond a prescription or referral. And then, she shares how sometimes she never knows what happens to a patient once they leave her facility, or in more dire cases, the patient dies. Each story is unique, and Harper approaches each vignette with care and respect. If she heals the way she writes, she is probably an excellent doctor. 

Her overarching message is that we are all broken in some way - physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically. But like a broken piece of pottery, the cracks are what allow the light to shine through. Harper did an exceptional job sharing her life's work and story. The memoir is wonderfully written, and I am simply in awe that someone with such a demanding career was able to make time to also write such a succinct piece of non-fiction. 

Recommendation: While the topics are heavy, the prose is written in such a way that allows the reader to draw from it easily. I highly recommend The Beauty in Breaking. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Karma's A Killer by Tracy Weber

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Length: 9:19:00
Narrator: Anne James
Published: March 2018

Karma's a Killer by Tracy Weber is the third in a series of cozy mysteries that features Kate Davidson, a yoga instructor, and her faithful canine companion, Bella. While this book is the third in the series, it stands alone and can be read independent of the other books in the Downward Dog Mystery series. The story centers around the murder of an animal rights activist, Raven, and the murder suspect, Dharma, who happens to be Kate's estranged mother. As a result of these tumultuous events, Kate finds herself in the midst of an informal investigation and race to find out the truth about her mother. 

I know the old saying is you can't judge a book by its cover, but this cover art was just so fun and piqued my interest. Once I started listening, the author wasted no time getting right to the action, thus engaging me as a reader. Weber's writing style is certainly suited for audio reading/listening. You can really see what she is describing. James, the narrator, also did a good job acting out the character's voices, making it easy for the reader to follow the plot. Overall, I found the story to be fast-moving with enough mystery elements and captivating dialogue to keep the reader following along. I also appreciated the strong portrayals of women in this story, specifically that of the protagonist and her best friend, Rene. 

I have very few critiques. At the beginning, I found the audio to be a little muffled and not as clear as some other audiobooks I've listened to; however, over time it got better and there was more clarity. I also could have done without Kate's seemingly obsession with weight. I would classify this book as chick lit, and I think the focus on women's physical appearance was a bit problematic. 

Recommendation: I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in cozies, mysteries, or just a good book to enjoy over a relaxing weekend. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Thanks to Midnight Ink and Audiobookworm Promotions for an Audible.com copy of Karma's a Killer by Tracy Weber. Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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