CPC Exam Study Guide 2024-2025

 

CPC Exam Study Guide 2024-2025, Rory George, 2023

Accurate medical coding is a very important part of the healthcare field. It can help medical personnel give the right medical treatment. It is also vital when looking for reimbursement from the insurance company.

Knowing your way around the human body should be self-evident. A coder also has to be able to read and interpret medical records. For example, a person comes to the hospital complaining of shortness of breath. After the emergency is over, is it coded as a breathing problem, like asthma, or an allergic reaction? Could it actually be some sort of heart problem, with a pre-existing condition, like diabetes or high blood pressure?

This test-prep book includes a practice test, with many real-life examples. There are a lot of questions and answers, along with several downloadable extras. This book will make studying for the Certified Professional Coder exam much less painful. It is very much worth it. 

Gambling Lion

 Gambling Lion, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2021

 

Set in Western Europe of the Napoleonic Era, this novel is about Nicholas de Bresancourt, a French duke whose lands were confiscated by the French authorities. Working for the British (in their war against France) as a courier and spy, he spends a few days in London, waiting for his next assignment. He catches up with his adoptive family, and visits Mayfair's hottest gaming club, Le Lion D'Or.

 

Run by a masked woman who calls herself La Lionesse, she invites him upstairs, where they can be alone, all night. She turns up the seduction "dial" as high as it will go. This goes on for several nights; Nicky would be very angry if he saw her face.

 

Meantime, he is given a new and secret assignment. He is to find a notorious French agent who has been causing a lot of trouble for the British in Spain. This Frenchman will not hesitate to torture, and then kill, Nicholas if he is discovered.

 

This is an excellent start to a series. It has adventure, high society, danger and lots of seduction. There is also a lot of good storytelling. It is very much worth reading.

Undercover Lion

 Undercover Lion, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2021

Part 2 of a series, this novel takes place in early 1800's England and France. Nicholas de Bresancourt is a French duke with no lands or manor house to his name. Living in England, he is an occasional spy against the French, under Napoleon Bonaparte.

Nicky is sent to Spain, to look for a very elusive French agent, who has been causing the British a lot of trouble. His name is Bernheim, a well-known, and very feared, name to Nicky and his adopted family. After several months of diligent searching, Nicky finds Him, and is able to severely disrupt his plans. Nicky almost dies, after being shot by Bernheim.

After months of recuperation, Nicky returns to England, and to Bella, his wife. He learns of Bella's secret identity (read Part 1), and sets new records for being angry. She loves him a lot more than he loves her. Nicky takes out his anger on Bella, sexually, several times.

Suddenly, Nicky travels to France, to see about getting his family's land back, and get his manor house rebuilt. Just as suddenly, he disappears, and no one knows where he is. Bella goes to Paris to look for him. Nicky is still not happy to see her. Bella seriously considers going back to England, when things get deadly serious.

Here is an excellent novel. After four books in a previous series, and two books in this series, there has been no lessening in the quality of the storytelling. There is lots of good writing, and this is very much recommended.

An Unusual Courtship

 An Unusual Courtship, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2020

 

Second in a series, this book is set in the 1790s. Marie-Catherine and her family are safely In England, having barely escaped from France. Their rescuer, a shadowy figure called The Shadow, must say his goodbyes. Marie-Catherine is heartbroken, and angry. She picks herself up, and sets about the task of finding a husband who is willing to take care of her refugee family.

Meantime, The Shadow (his real name is Francis) is never far away. He wants to tell Marie-Catherine who he really is, but it is never the right time. He can't just walk up to her and say "Hi, remember me?" She will probably try to kill him (literally). Francis must court her properly, which involves attending many masked balls, and many boorish and suggestive statements from him. Does he get her back? Does Marie-Catherine try to kill him?

Normally, I am not a reader of historical, swashbuckling romances, but this one is different. It is very easy to get totally involved in the story. The book has lots of good writing, along with many twists & turns. This is very much recommended.

The Determined Duchess

 The Determined Duchess, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2020

In part 2 of this series, set in 1790s England, Cat is being courted by an anonymous man in British high society. She agrees to marry him, to get her mind off Francis, the man she loved, and who walked away from her, after helping her and her family to escape Revolutionary France.

Here, in part 3, Cat learns that Francis is the man who has been courting her. Feeling abandoned, and then deceived, by him, to say that Cat sets a new record for being irate, is a huge understatement. When they return to his estate, there is lots of yelling. There is no chance of them sleeping in the same room, let alone in the same bed. Cat keeps a stiletto under her pillow, and is not afraid to use it, even on her husband. During the day, they communicate by notes passed back and forth by messengers. Cat wants a divorce; his answer is "Never." Francis tells her that, as a duchess, attendance at high society balls and parties is Expected. She agrees, wearing gowns that are more and more revealing. Francis gets just as upset at Cat as she is at him.

Francis gets word that his uncle has been taken prisoner, in France, by Bernheim and Dupont. They are two men for who torturing innocent people to death is another day at the office. He knows it's a trap, but he has no choice. Cat meets up with him in a small inn in France. She wants to help, she knows how to take care of herself, and she knows her way around a rapier, but Francis says No Way. Women are too delicate, they should make babies and take care of the house, this is "man's work." Another large argument ensues. Does Cat follow Francis, or does she stay at the inn, like a good wife "should?"

As with the other books in this series, this is an excellent piece of storytelling. It's got swashbuckling action and adventure, some really good writing, and a bit of rather extreme sex. This is very much worth reading.

The Dangerous Harlot

 The Dangerous Harlot, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2020

Set in 1790s England and France, part 3 of this series has Marie-Catherine  (nicknamed Cat) and Francis (a rich English duke) married. Their wedding night is a disaster, and things go downhill from there. Francis takes off to France, to look after his smuggling business, after Cat threatens to leave him. He is caught by Dupont, the sort of person who thinks nothing of torturing innocent people, to get them to give up their gold and jewels. Then he kills them.

Here, in part 4, Cat, and a few friends, put together a daring plan to rescue Francis, who is nearly tortured to death. They barely make it out of France. Back on his English estate, Francis spends several weeks in a coma. Cat is beside herself with worry. Francis wakes up, and eventually recovers. After sufficient time has passed, Cat wants to pick up where they left off, and consummate their marriage. During the day, Francis is totally proper and polite to her. When it comes to bedroom matters, he is totally uninterested. As a last resort, Cat gets help from a couple of women who are familiar with the world of sexual perversion. Cat gets Francis alone, and turns the "seduction dial" up as high as it will go. Does Francis get over whatever is bothering him? Does he turn back into the Ladies Man Cat knows and loves?

This whole series is surprisingly good. It's got action, adventure, fencing, good writing, and this novel has plenty of seduction. This volume, and the whole series, easily gets 5 stars.

The Elusive Smuggler

 The Elusive Smuggler, Antoinette George, Brangwyn Press, 2020

First of a series, this book is set in 1790 France. Marie-Catherine de Mornay, and Edouard, her brother, are desperately searching for a shadowy individual about which they have only heard rumors. Their parents have been thrown into prison; it has nothing to do with the approaching Revolution. If "The Shadow" can't get their parents out of prison, and all of them out of France, then no one can. As an extra complication, Edgar Bernheim, the regional Governor, wants The Shadow out of the way, permanently. His corrupt plans have been disrupted too often.

The two meet in a gypsy camp. Marie-Catherine challenges The Shadow (whose "day job" is as an English duke) to a duel with rapiers. The sexual tension between is immediate, and overflowing. Marie-Catherine is the winner. Can she convince The Shadow to help them? Can two strong-willed people give in to each other?

This is a really good story. It has action, romance and adventure. It also has a female protagonist who knows what she wants, and will do whatever it takes to get it. This will certainly keep the reader entertained.