Bad Medicine by Charlotte Bismuth

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

In 2010, a brave whistleblower alerted the police to Dr. Stan Li’s corrupt pain management clinic in Queens, New York. Li spent years supplying more than seventy patients a day with oxycodone and Xanax, trading prescriptions for cash. Emergency room doctors, psychiatrists, and desperate family members warned him that his patients were at risk of death but he would not stop.

In Bad Medicine, former prosecutor Charlotte Bismuth meticulously recounts the jaw dropping details of this criminal case that would span four years, culminating in a landmark trial. As a new assistant district attorney and single mother, Bismuth worked tirelessly with her team to bring Dr. Li to justice. Bad Medicine is a chilling story of corruption and greed and an important look at the role individual doctors play in America’s opioid epidemic.

My thoughts- 

This book was really intense. I am always interested in true life stories and this one is comprised of so many people's lives. Sadly, these aren't good stories or good memories. This was an intense read about the trial of Doctor Stan Li. Charlotte Bismuth takes you through the trial and most of what is shared will infuriate you. It angers me, especially because my husband is a physician, that anyone took the oath to "do no harm" and then proceeds to willingly and knowingly abuse his power to write prescriptions to people who were  most vunerable and took advantage of them. This book isn't for the faint of heart, but if you like books about medicine or true life courtroom dramas, then this is definitely the book for you. 

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbooks by Ashley Craft

 

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Stroll right down the middle of Main Street USA, journey from Adventureland to Infinity and Beyond at Pixar Pier, and explore every avenue in between to taste the flavors of the Disney Parks…all without leaving your kitchen.

With The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook you can bring the magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World snacks and treats right to your home. Recreate favorites like the classic Dole Whip and Mickey Pretzels to new favorites like blue milk from Star Wars land and Jack Jack’s Cookie Num Nums from Pixar Pier.

My thoughts-

There are so many people who are just itching to go travel right now, but some people are still not feeling comfortable doing so or some places are still closed down or they lost jobs during the pandemic and it just isn't possible. Disney parks are open but for those who can not make the trip but who want to bring a little magic home, The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbokok is a great way to do so. The ever popular, and my favorite Disney treat, the Dole Whip makes an appearance here, but there are also so many different treats, drinks, and foods to try at your home. If you are ever planning a Disney themed party, this could be the sole resource for food. It is also a great go to for fun treats for your kids (or the Disney kid in your) especially during this tough time we are all going through right now with the pandemic. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a little magic and light or of course to Disney lovers. 

Liar Liar by Laurie Katz

 

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Like any student about to start university, Laurie Katz was excited to see what the year would bring. Little did she know that just three weeks into her first term, her life would come crashing down around her. What had started as a fun night out with friends ended with Laurie, alone with a terrible secret: she had been raped. Traumatized and confused, she set out to get justice against her attacker. But when the authorities at her university dismissed her case, and warned her that she could be expelled, she was left unsure where to turn. It seemed as though things couldn't get worse, then her attacker filed his own case. Laurie's story is a brave and honest reminder of the injustice still felt in society around sexual abuse. Laurie offers readers her advice, and provides them with the hope that they too can overcome a similar trauma.

My thoughts-

First of all, props to Lauri Katz for being candid and vunerable. This could not have been an easy book to write. She shared pretty much everything, including the parts that some might perceive as making her look bad. I was enraged during the good majority of this book about the way the university handled this case, but sadly I wasn't shocked. We have seen it time and again in the news, even still in 2020, where the victims of these assaults at colleges all over the country get blamed and the actual assaultors get off either scott free or with maybe a slap on the wrist. Laurie's school took it to a new extreme, opening a case against her and finding her guilty of making it all up. It is evident that the school was attempting to bury that this happened to save face and not make the school look bad and some of the things the adults in charge at the university said to her were absolutely atrotious. This account of Ms. Katz's case really resonates with me because she was in college at the same time as my little sister and this could have easily been her story. Or any college woman's story. And it is definitely time to change that. The victim blaming has got to stop. The holding the guilty party accountable needs to be the new normal- which it always should have been.

If you have a similar story and need to talk to someone, there is help. Please reach out to National Sexual Assault Hotline or call them at 1-800-656-4673