Bonbons for Your Brain

by Diane Vallere

Are you craving something sweet?

Something satisfying?

Something that will make you laugh and think and feel like you made a new friend?

National Bestselling author Diane Vallere brings you a collection of insightful essays designed to entertain. BON-BONS FOR YOUR BRAIN is filled with short, standing-in-line-length essays divvied into categories for fashion & beauty (truffles), goal setting (dark chocolate), creative aspirations (artisan), health (70% pure cacao), things to think about (nougat), and just plain nutty (pistachio).

Diane shares the positive outlook and unique way of looking at life that informs her five humorous mystery series and ongoing quest for personal growth. Nibble on this content one essay a day or binge on the whole book. With zero-calories, it's the perfect indulgence to satisfy your inner hunger.

Grab your copy of BON-BONS FOR YOUR BRAIN and start snacking!

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

TRUFFLES (FASHION & BEAUTY)
Remembering Yesterday
Sweatpants Are Never The Answer
It Started With A Chanel Suit
Hemming And Hawing
Arguments For and Against Buying a
Black Leather Fringed Skirt
Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Closet Magician
Cashmere Fantasy
It’s All Just A Little Bit Of Fashion Repeating
Ode to a Leather Jacket
The Power of a Makeover
When Good Nail Polishes Go Bad

DARK CHOCOLATE (GOAL SETTING)
On The Road Again
Wasp Work Ethics
Utah
I Did It My Way
Something Different, For A Change
But I Don’t Wanna!
Anatomy Of A Goal
Tough Love
The Waiting Place
If It Were Easy, Everybody Would Do It
Flute Lessons
Waiting To Be Perfect

70% PURE CACAO (HEALTH)
The You that You Show to the World
What’s So Bad About A Mid-Life Crisis?
If Age is a State of Mind, Why Do My Joints Crack When I Stand Up?
I Don’t Believe You
Jumping The Battery
Feminism And Freaky Bugs
Photo Finish
Fish Out Of Water

NOUGAT (CHEW ON THIS)
Unboxing Barbie
Glitter Matters
The Jazz Made Me Cry
If It Wasn’t For All The Cat Hair
Why Do You Like Me?
Goodbye Scooter
Tarnishing My Image
Why I’m Thankful For My Mismatched Spoons

PISTACHIO (SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE A NUT)
It Ain’t All Confetti
That’s Mine. Go Get Your Own
William Shatner Is A Con Man
Shatner Redux (What Can I Say? It Was A Life-Changing Event.)
Eyebrows, Teeth, And Vulnerability
Because They’re Green And Squishy, That’s Why!
Is Liking Cats A Waste Of Time?
A Chance of Showers
Luck

ARTISAN (FOR YOUR CREATIVE PASSIONS)
Life Is A Musical
Six A.M. Is A State Of Mind
It Started With A Gallon of Yellow Paint
Critical Mass
Stupid is as Stupid Does
Commitment vs. Investment
Moon Mission
Dreams
Detective and Buyer: More Alike Than You’d Think
Life Imitating Art Imitating The Road Not Taken
Make It Work
It’s Like Steak When It’s Resting, I Guess

Genres: Nonfiction, Anthologies

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

Request MURDER ON A MOON TREK on NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...

I use Goodreads to track my reading and TBR list. For that reason, my rating scale is less important. I don't force myself to finish books, and I don't rate books I DNF. Each year I choose my own BOTY from my have-read list.

AUTHOR BIO: Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of several mystery series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania. Find out more at: www.dianevallere.com.

Amazon: http://bit.ly/DianeVallere
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aVXczm
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RfiyAE

Reviews

[Gretchen Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know where to start. I didn’t know what to expect from an author’s collection of essays other than good writing. (The author is an author.) (Which goes without saying.) (But she writes, for the most part, mysteries.) What I found, good grief, what I found: cashmere sweatpants, traffic, a wasp nest, Madonna, flute practice, banana peels, the definition of pongversation, soggy Barbies, Donny Osmond, forensic glitter, Rip Taylor (look him up), tomato knives and ice cream spoons, Homicide School, and Life Boots.

If you only have one Bon-Bon, make it Waiting to Be Perfect.

It’s Oh, Bird by Bird, the Places You and William Shatner Will Go, Maybe Even Project Runway! These essays are insightful, honest, funny, and so very good. I highly recommend this delightful collection. You’ll be inspired.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Diana Vallere published Bonbons for Your Brain I was intrigued, although not quite sure what to expect. Now that I started reading more non-fiction books this year I eventually decided to give it a try. Bonbons for Your Brain is an entertaining non-fiction read. It is humorous at times, inspiration and relatable. And has some great pieces of advice and wisdom hidden among the pages.

Bonbons for Your Brain is a book made up of short essays of a few pages long. All have a title and are sorted in categories. I simply started the book at the start and made my way through the stories, often reading a few of the stories at one time. It's one of those books you can easily open up and read for as long as you want, you can read just one story or multiple in a row. It was a very low key way to read knowing there was a an easy point to stop so often.

I like Diane Vallere's writing style. I've read multiple of her books, but this non-fiction read actually makes me think most of her newsletter as it has a bit of the same conversational style. I like reading her newsletters and I also enjoyed reading this book. I liked the funny stories, the relatable everyday struggles and events, the nuggets of wisdom and advice hidden among the pages. Even though at times I had no clue what that brand of dress or shoes she meant or which celebrity she was talking about, that didn't hinder my enjoyment of the stories.

Now that I finished it I wish I would've paid more attention to which stories where my favorites as that would be a fun thing to mention in my review. But at the same time there are quite a lot that I really enjoyed, so it would make for a long list. I like how with the conversational style and humorous tone the book has this light feel, but the author does dwell on some deeper topics as well. Like what you want out of life, following your dreams and setting goals. It was a fun read that made me feel entertained, but at the same time had that undertone of more motivational or inspirational bits as well. It worked quite well here.

I actually have a hard time categorizing or saying who I would recommend this book to. As this book has a bit of everything, the every day conversational tone, as well as motivational or inspiration bits or maybe even some self help pieces in there. There's also a bit about her life and journey as an author. If I had to recommend it I would probably for with: if you like reading books that feel honest and real, with short essays that details real life experiences and funny stories with some good pieces of advice mixed in, I would recommend this one to you.

To summarize: I enjoyed reading this one. It was quite unlike any other non-fiction book I ever read. Written in the author's entertaining writing style it's a collection of short essays that cover a variety of topics, from clothing to celebrities, from funny life stories to nuggets of advice and wisdom to more. I like how it had this light tone with the often fun to read stories, but also had some great nuggets of advice and motivational bits hidden in there. It also gives a bit on insight into the authors personality and I quite like her writing style. If you're looking for en entertaining non-fiction book that's a bit different from most books I would recommend this one.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bon Bons for Your Brain is a collection of essays from Diane Vallere. I have been a fan of Vallere for a while now, and I have really enjoyed her books and her different series. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this book, but it was definitely one that I wanted to check out. I found that I really enjoyed this book and even found it hard to put down at times. It is such an enjoyable and inspiring read that I can't help but recommend it for those who want a glimpse behind the curtain at the author who brings such amazing stories to life or to those who just need an inspirational boost.

Vallere has her book divided up into sections, and each section features several short entries where she tells a story, gives you something to think about, and helps to inspire you to look at things differently. I really enjoyed reading her various adventures and hearing her thoughts on such different topics. Bon Bons for Your Brain was such a great read, and I wholeheartedly recommend checking it out.

Received a copy of Bon Bons for Your Brain from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Gwendolyn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of several of Vallere's Cozy mysteries, especially the ones that feature the sleuths Madison Night and Samantha Kidd. Bon-Bons is a collection of mostly non-fictional accounts and personal stories, so it's a departure from the author's usual genre, but no less humorous and entertaining than her fictitious works. Whether you're already acquainted with her work, or, if you are just looking for a little literary mini-break to help you escape the cares of your day, pick this one up!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a refreshing book with a lot of insight. I love that Diane told her stories, and gives sage advice. This book is full of knowledge, life's trials and tribulations, and how to think outside of the box. Try new things, don't pigeon hole yourself, and don't be afraid. If you want to achieve something, put yourself out there and go for it. I highly recommend this book!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read, whether you savor the essays individually or consume them all at once. Brilliantly and intelligently written, the author shares an assortment of inspiring life lessons. If you’re a fan of her fiction, you’ll enjoy reading a bit about the woman behind the characters. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy a couple of Ms Vallere's cozy mystery series,, so I was looking forward to this little book of vignette's on life. I decided to only devour one bon-bon a day - relishing each one while mulling on how her thoughts applied to me and what small changes I could make that day to move forward. All in all, it was very satisfying and a cute and clever idea.

[Lola Karns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute delight - a wide ranging collection of essays to inspire whether it is to wear that jacket or write that book. It's like hanging out and thrift store shopping with a dear friend.

[Dawn Cyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Janet L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short essays. Something for everyone. Encouraging words to live by. Totally recommend this book!

[Aighmi* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not usually a fan of essays, I read this because I am a fan of Diane Vallere's novels. It was a gem! I laughed, sympathized, and really wanted to sit down and have coffee...and some bonbons...with Ms. Vallere. Light but still thought-provoking, this is an inspirational and fun read. I highly recommend it!

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bonbons for your Brain" is pulled from mystery author Diane Vallere's reader newsletter. As the cover says, the mini-chapters, or bonbons, are "short and sweet." They give insight into the ups and downs of writers life. The bonbons are sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, and always inspirational. My favorite: the collectible Barbie caper.