Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Raising Our Hands in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold presents itself as a call to action, blending memoir and activism, but falls short of delivering a truly impactful narrative. While the author’s intentions are clear and commendable, the execution of the book leaves much to be desired. The Details One of the major drawbacks is the uneven balance between personal anecdotes and the broader discussion of social issues. Arnold’s memoir often…
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Book Haul 2016
I’m trying something new and giving this book haul trend a go not only on my YouTube channel, but also on my blog. I noticed that I have a lot of books that I read in the past few years that never made it on this blog or even Goodreads. So, in order to clean up this mess, I’m doing a sort of book haul by the year. Turns out I have to go back six years. That a long time ago and so much has changed since then. Each book gets a paragraph or two in which I talk a little bit about the impressions the story has made…
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Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes
Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes by Ian Lamont My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, i30 Media Corp., and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I never gave much thought to things like online drives and being able to access files across various computers. At some point I thought it might come in handy, but that was about it. Then we got thrown into the lockdown era, when working from home became the relative norm. I was amazed by all that could…
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Buzz Books 2022: Fall/Winter
Buzz Books 2022: Fall/Winter by Publishers Lunch My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, Publishers Lunch, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Buzz Books 2022: Fall/Winter 2022 in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist This is the second Buzz Books publication I perused. And I have to say I’m a little underwhelmed. It is nobody’s fault. It just appears like not many books are going to get published in the upcoming Fall/Winter season. I took a quick look at the 2020 edition I still had on my Kindle and there were a lot more books from a…
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NetGalley’s Book Advocate Toolkit
NetGalley’s Book Advocate Toolkit by We are Bookish My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, We Are Bookish, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of NetGalley’s Book Advocate Toolkit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist This is going to be a quick little review. I can’t remember how I stumbled upon this guide book, but I’m glad I did. I have been requesting and reviewing book titles on NetGalley for almost ten years now and thought I had it pretty much figured out. However, it is always good to brush up on one’s skills, especially if any…
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The Witch’s Book of Simples
The Witch’s Book of Simples by Melusine Draco My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, John Hunt Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Witch’s Book of Simples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Okay, to be honest I had no clue that this book is about herbs and recipes to treat minor ailments. I clicked on the title and requested it, because I thought this was a book about a minimalistic and simple lifestyle with a flair of the modern witch’s insights. How wrong I was! Nevertheless, this is a delightful resource. The Details…
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Living with Mochi
Living With Mochi by Gemma Gene My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Living with Mochi in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I wanted to make my way through the ever-growing to-read list I have waiting for me on NetGalley on a regular basis…so much for that, since I’m about 9 books behind my reading goal and it is only March. Lol Anyway, as I was scrolling through the list, I came across Living with Mochi and thought this might be cute. I have been in a funky mood for…
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The Sorensen Low Self-Esteem Recovery Program
The Sorensen Low Self-Esteem Recovery Program: Your Guide to a Life Free from Fear and Anxiety by Marilyn Sorensen My rating: 1 of 5 stars I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have two pet peeves when it comes to non-fiction works. One, back up your work with the appropriate research. Don’t just say “studies have shown…” that is neither professional nor convincing. Two, don’t belittle others in your field of work. Turns out the author of this book did both and then some. In chapter one the author begins introducing low self-esteem, but not in a very scientific…
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Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners
Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill My rating: 5 of 5 stars Once every so often I bring home a book from the library that my darling husband finds interesting enough to “borrow” from me and I won’t see it again until he has finished it. During his perusal he would get so excited about sharing what he has read that sometimes I cover my ears and shout “spoiler alert”. Yup, we are an old, married couple alright. Anyway, I’m not quite sure how I came about borrowing this book from my library, but I am happy I did. I appreciate a thoroughly…
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The Crystal Alchemist
The Crystal Alchemist: A Comprehensive Guide to Unlocking the Transformative Power of Gems and Stones by Karen Frazier My rating: 5 of 5 stars I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. In my hometown there is a wonderful museum and in this wonderful museum there is the permanent mineral exhibit, which is my absolute favourite. Every time I’m at the museum, which is rather often, since I made my husband get me an annual membership, I first stop at the minerals exhibit to recharge. Sometimes that’s where I spend all of my time. So, reading a reference guide (for lack…
