The Sassy Bookworm
⭐⭐⭐⭐– adorable cover!
The title of this one grabbed my attention right away. Add in how much I love animals, and I knew I had to get my hands on it for review. I was not disappointed. Full of bright, fun and colorful illustrations and packed full of humorous information, this is sure to be a hit with the youngest (and oldest) of animal lovers.
ARC Via NetGalley
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This book is just so beautiful to flip through. Gorgeous illustrations and packed full of information about hundreds of herbs and spices. It is exactly what it says it is...The Complete Language of Herbs is a comprehensive encyclopedia, providing the meanings, powers, facts, and folklore for over 500 herbs and spices. My favorite part (aside from the illustrations) was the addition of the folklore sections. This would make a splendid gift and/or coffeetable book.
ARC Via NetGalley
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What a gorgeous book this turned out to be. The graphics are beautiful and plentiful. It was packed full of all kinds of interesting information about spices, their history, where they come from, how to prepare them, layering flavor, etc. On top of that, we get a plethora of delicious sounding recipes from around the world. So far I have tried the “Egg & Bacon Rougaille” from Mauritius (it was amazing), and “Kebabs from Babur” (also amazing). I can't wait to try out more! This would make a perfect addition to any foodies cookbook library! Two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly.
ARC Via NetGalley
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One of my great bucket list wishes is to create my own physick garden, so I was excited to dive into this book. It did not disappoint! The illustrations were gorgeous. Opposite each illustration, they summarize a specific plant (other common names, uses, history). Some might find them to be too brief to be very useful, but I think this book makes a fantastic starting off point for anyone interested in creating their own physick garden, or anyone just interested in plants and their many uses. This would definitely make a splendid gift, and gets two thumbs up from this reviewer!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐ – ADORE the cover on this one!
I unfortunately was a little disappointed in this one. The main issue I had with the previous one was that it was slow and drawn out, and again, in this one, we have the same issue. The saving grace of the previous book was that it had a cast of diverse, likable, and intriguing characters. In this one, I struggled to like Lily at all, and Jack and Simon were non-existent. Ophelia was really the only character that stood out for me.
⭐⭐⭐– Gorgeous cover on this book!
This is one of those books that is just insanely readable and hard to put down. I flew through it all in one go, and I enjoyed it. That said, it had a few issues that lowered my rating a tad. The first being that it was quite repetitive. Especially with Sophie's inner thoughts. The jumping back and forth between timelines could have been made more clear by adding a simple date header. The third issue was that I felt the ending go a little convoluted. There were revelations (most of which I had already figured out) but they came across a little jumbled and vague. Overall, though, it was still an enjoyable read!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – LOVE the cover on this one!
This seems to be a book with a lot of mixed reviews. People either loved it or didn't. Myself, I enjoyed it quite a lot and finished it in two days. The writing was fantastic. It was well paced. The author did an amazing job with the setting. It was very atmospheric with the wild fires raging. The descriptions of the hotel and the characters made it very easy to picture everything in your mind. The plot itself was engaging, thought provoking, and intelligent. The characters were many and well developed. That said, I had a slight issue with how it ended. I wish it had been less vague and included an epilogue set in the future. Overall though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and gets two thumbs up from yours truly.
ARC Via NetGalley
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I am a huge proponent of using the arts to help people with mental health issues, so I was excited to get my hands on Mindful Sketching. Part workbook, part “self help” book, the author takes you through many “how-to” sketching and mindful exercises. The book is well laid out. With plenty of visually pleasing and colorful sketches, to spark your creative imagination. There are also sections that include practical advice, like “materials” and “techniques” that will help beginners get ready for their own mindful sketching journey. Two thumbs up from yours truly!
ARC Vua NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Beautiful cover!
What a beautifully illustrated book this turned out to be. ❤️ Divided into the twelve months of the year, and featuring a brief (1-2 page) story (facts) about nature and different animals from around the world. Honestly, this book gets 5 stars based on the illustrations alone. They are bright, colorful, and would definitely be a tremendous hit for kids. Throw in the tidbits of information from places around the world, and you have the makings of a fantastic gift. Heck, ever I would love a physical copy to use as a coffee-table book!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I am all kinds of in love with this cover!
This was such a heartwarming mother & daughter story. ❤️ A leisurely told historical fiction that takes place during the second world war and which pulls from the stories of the lost colony of Roanoke and the Dare stones. It was beautifully written. Overall, it was well paced. However, I found that sometimes the story slowed to a snail's pace. That said, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. I loved the setting. It was very atmospheric, and the author did an amazing job of immersing you into that setting. The characters were all likable and had depth. What more can I say? Yours truly is giving this one, two solid thumbs up!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐ — I freaking LOVE the cover on this one!
This one turned out to be just okay for me. It wasn't a bad book by any means. I just found it a little on the boring side. Perhaps this is because I haven't read the first book? That said, I enjoyed the characters and their banter. And the setting was very cool and suitably creepy. I am on the fence on if I will read book 3 or pass.
ARC Via NetGalley
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What an entertaining little cozy this turned out to be! The writing was outstanding. I stood up well as a standalone. It was well paced. The plot was engaging. I would love to be an antiques and artifacts Appraiser! The plot kept me guessing with plenty of red herrings. There were a couple of side stories (Tilly's issues and the romance between Avery & Art) that I usually wouldn't be a fan of. I find they usually muddy the main plot and take away from the mystery aspect. However, I am happy to report that was not the case here! And the characters were plenty and likable (including some pet cuteness). Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next installment of this series.
Arc Via NetGalley
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The Summer We Forgot was an entertaining read. Well written and well paced (especially for a book on the longer side). A well-developed cast of characters. An incredibly engaging plot full of twists and turns. It's part coming of age story, part mystery, a lot of teen angst and a fantastic twist at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from the beginning to the end.
⭐⭐⭐ – Love the cover of this one!
Part travelogue, part historical, part memoir, In Pursuit of Jefferson by Derek Baxter was an entertaining dive into Thomas Jefferson's life and travels through the eyes of this author. I appreciated the author didn't shy away from the slavery aspect of Jefferson's life. That said, I found it a little on the slow side. It could have done with a tighter edit.
ARC Via NetGalley
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The Lives of Diamond Bessie by Jody Hadlock was a super entertaining read (I finished it all in one go). A debut novel inspired by the true life story of Annie Moore, aka Diamond Bessie. A young Irish girl in America, who was forced into prostitution in the 1860s. I found it to be well written and well paced. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the twist halfway through and the added bit of supernatural. There were a couple of minor issues I had. I thought the first half of the book was stronger in the storytelling, and I wasn't a fan of the ending and that a certain character didn't get their comeuppance. Overall, though, this was a strong debut for this author and I look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve next.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐ – The cover of this book is just beautiful!
I wanted to love this one more than I did. It wasn't a terrible book by any means. The writing was top-notch. I loved the time period, and the setting. Saffron was a strong female lead. I thought the subject of poisonous plants was fascinating. All good things! However, where this book fell short was the pacing. I found it to be very slow and draggy, especially through the middle section. I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance. It felt forced and clunky. All that said, I am onboard to give book two (if there is a second book) a try!
ARC Via NetGalley