THE ULTIMATE STRESS RELIEF ADULT ACTIVITY BOOK by Julie Demyanovich
Nonfiction, Puzzle Books,
3***

Blurb: Relax, recharge, and escape everyday stress with this collection of cozy puzzles and activities. Life can get hectic and busy. The Ultimate Stress Relief Adult Activity Book is designed to help you slow down, unwind, and enjoy meaningful, screen-free “me time.” Packed with a wide variety of activities from coloring and crossword puzzles to sudoku and spot-the-difference, this book offers something for every mood. Whether you’re looking to escape into a comforting and familiar activity or get a serotonin boost from learning and solving a new puzzle, this activity book provides hours of relaxing, cozy fun. Screen-free stress relief. Immerse yourself in calming activities that reduce anxiety and provide a welcome break from daily pressures. One book, a wide variety of activities. Enjoy coloring, word searches, spot-the-difference, sudoku, crosswords, acrostics, mazes, cryptograms, logic puzzles, and more—all crafted by an experienced puzzler. Calming, relaxing themes. Unwind with comforting topics like cute animals, escapist travel, creative hobbies, and restorative self-care. Easy-to-follow puzzle instructions. Clear guidance helps you learn new puzzles so you can dive right in. A thoughtful gift for the women in your life. Quality paper and printing make this the perfect stress relief gift for moms, grandmas, daughters, sisters, and friends. The Ultimate Stress Relief Adult Activity Book is the perfect combination of stress relief, creativity, and mental stimulation. It’s sure to help you unwind, recharge, and have fun!

THOUGHTS: The title and blurb pretty much say it all. But… although there are some really good puzzles in here and they do get progressively harder as you go through the book, there are also some really odd things that I would put more in a child’s book than one for adults. I mean, monkeys? Not the first thing I’d think of for stress relief. Or soothing.

I will say, they do have good instructions for those not familiar with some of the puzzles and an answer key in the back (thank goodness!), but some of the “games” were a little too juvenile for me. Also, some of the puzzles were visually challenging. In looking over the content, I’d say it’s more for those who want to enhance problem-solving or other aspects but weren’t necessarily soothing and relaxing. Still, not a bad book overall.

Recommended with caveats.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to NetGalley, Zeitgeist, and Penguin RandomHouse for providing this ARC.