Author: Naomi Stutzman Gingerich

Nonfiction, Cookbook, Memoir

5*****

THOUGHTS: I live in an area populated by the Amish and Mennonite and many of the recipes in this book are reminiscent of the area. I loved the stories and memoir-like pictures as they bring back memories of stories my father told of growing up on an Amish farm. There are also plenty of color pictures to go with many of the recipes which help. As for the recipes themselves, they are clear, concise, and easy to follow. The author includes such ones like Shoo Fly Pie, Whacky Cake, Tapioca Fluff, Apple Fritters, and Whoopie Pies and so much more. Okay, not all of them are strictly Amish, but they are sooo good. The only slight drawback is that there is no nutritional information, but these are not recipes for the diet conscious. They are full of fat, sugar, and so much deliciousness that you can’t help but enjoy them — on occasion.

Definitely recommended (and on my “must buy the hardcover” list)!

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 Fox Chapel Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for providing this ARC.

BLURB: There’s something magical about Amish and Mennonite baking, which may be why people travel far and wide to savor its authenticity. Now you can capture the same fresh-baked goodness at home and fill your kitchen with the sweet aroma of traditional Amish baked goods and desserts with the Amish Baking at Home Cookbook. Taste 176 recipes for homemade Amish cookies, breads, rolls, cinnamon rolls, pies, cobblers, and much more. Inside, Naomi Gingerich—a food writer and natural storyteller—will have you sinking your teeth into the Amish and Mennonite cultures that shaped her culinary upbringing. It’s not just a cookbook. It’s a grand tour through Amish country, exploring the family-honed traditions that bring each recipe to life. With the Amish Baking at Home Cookbook, everything you make will help you feel a little more connected to the wholesome, natural ingredients that make Amish baking so unforgettable.  This special edition features a gorgeous fabric-wrapped spine, shimmering gold page edges, and is individually numbered and signed by author Naomi Gingerich on the inside cover, making it a truly beautiful keepsake for any home baker!  

Blurb: Deena is a prime, born and raised to porter parents in the lunar habitats. Life is hard, but with a rag-tag group of friends, she gets by. Jake is a wealthy techie, part of an elite security force searching for the source of the deadly drug utopia. He can’t imagine the hardships Deena has endured and is determined to make a difference. They reluctantly team up together, but they realize that the danger to them is more than they imagined — but that love doesn’t care about class and status.

Buy Links:

Amazon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228111735-blowing-bubbles-on-the-moon

Blowing Bubbles on the Moon by Vicky Burkholder – BookBub

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blowing-bubbles-on-the-moon-vicky-burkholder/1146964475

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/blowing-bubbles-on-the-moon/54981085

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UNHOLY by Kathryn Amurra

Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Vampire

4****

THOUGHTS: This was a different type of vampire story. First of all, it’s really clean and sweet. Yes, Thomas is a vampire and drinks blood – but it’s not graphic or nightmare-ish. Nor does he kill (anymore). When he meets Beth, his undead life starts to change. He starts to remember his real life. He starts to…want something different than what he has. And that could be dangerous to both of them. Beth is in her last semester at college. She has a boyfriend who wants more from her than she is willing to give. When she meets Thomas, at first, she’s afraid of him, but then, she comes to find him irresistible. She breaks up with her boyfriend and, as the weeks go by, she comes to desire more from Thomas. Finding out the truth about Thomas brings her into danger, but not from Thomas–from the vampire hunter after him. But Beth believes in him. And in the amulet that might grant them a wish.

I generally do not like vampire stories, but I did like this one. As pointed out, it is sweet (sex is behind closed doors) and the conflict between the characters is well-done without being over-the-top. I loved how Thomas dealt with the ex-boyfriend. And with the hunter. And I absolutely loved the ending! The only thing I’m missing, I wished I knew what she got on her final project grade! LOL

Recommended.

BLURB: In her last semester of college, Beth D’Angelo has one goal—to get her thermodynamics experiment to work so she can graduate. But everything changes when she nearly runs over a mysterious stranger with her car—a man whose hauntingly handsome face fills her with an inexplicable sense of dread. Suddenly, her failed experiment becomes the least of her worries. Strong, alluring, and centuries-old, Thomas Callahan is a vampire whose powers are as dangerous as his secrets. After Beth nearly runs him over, her sweet nature and innate fear of him become an irresistible challenge—to corrupt her innocence. As they spend more time together, Beth’s fear dissipates and becomes something Thomas finds himself craving more than blood. Knowing it is only a matter of time before she discovers what he truly is, and with two hunters on his trail seeking vengeance, Thomas must decide if loving Beth is worth risking both their lives.

Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips

Fiction, Mystery (not cozy)

4****

THOUGHTS: This was a different type of mystery. It’s a little more hard core than a regular cozy, but not as hard as James Patterson or Michael Connelly. Charlie is a brand new PI (thanks to a little fancy paperwork by his boss) who is obsessed with his new baby daughter, which leads to a dead battery on his phone and missing the money pictures of the cheating woman he’s supposed to be following. But when he meets a young (16 yr old) girl who seems to be in trouble while on his stakeout, he knows he has to help her. Unfortunately, helping her leads to all sorts of other problems, including threats to his own family and he can’t have that. The answer is to solve the problems, even when they become dangerous not just for him, but his boss, his cop friend, the girl…and his family.

I loved Charlie. He’s so incredibly inept when it comes to surveillance, which is a surprise since he used to be an award-winning crime reporter for the paper. He adores his family, and, by extension, the young girl. The settings are well-done and the reasons behind the bad guys being who they are twisted, but believable. And there’s a satisfying ending (with a dangling thread that lets us know there will be more).

Recommended.

BLURB: Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime he’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated. Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young—and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling—and dangerous—Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own? A perfect page-turning blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”

Review: The Valentina Esposito Mysteries by Joe Giordano

Fiction, Anthology, Mysteries, Short Stories

4****

REVIEW: This is a series of short stories that were all published at one time or another in magazines. They are all connected through the main character, Valentina. She is definitely not your typical cozy mystery heroine. She was raised by nuns in an orphanage, escaped as a teen, turned tricks to earn money, got adopted by a woman who owns an Italian restaurant, finds out she’s the daughter of a mob boss and has two half-brothers, one of whom is the mob boss’s bodyguard/trouble shooter. She also works as a cyber-crime contractor for the FBI and has a police detective for a boyfriend. In each story, she is tasked by friends or acquaintances with a challenge that often leads her into dangerous situations. She relies on her wits and her brother (the bodyguard) to get her out of them. Each story is different, but Valentina, her father, brothers, and adoptive mother appear in every one. If I had any detractors at all, it was that her background is repeated in each story, becoming a bit repetitive. But the stories are entertaining and different. Though there is no HEA in any of them, they do give you an ending to the story – not always a happy one, but the story is concluded. And since they are short stories, you can read one over lunch each day.

Recommended.

BLURB: Valentina Esposito is an unlikely hero thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Abandoned as an infant to an orphanage, she’s rewritten her destiny by becoming a brilliant computer programmer with a thirst for adventure. Turns out, her biological father Frank Provati is an underboss of the Ruggerio Crime Family. With an FBI cyber consulting contract and Jack Slade, an NYPD detective boyfriend, she straddles the line between law enforcers and the lawless. The Valentina Esposito Mysteries is a collection of seven short stories.

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”

Review: Think, Act, and Feel Better with CBT: Practical Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tools for Life’s Ups and Downs by Gianna LaLota

Nonfiction, Self-Help, Mental Wellness

4****

REVIEW: This was an interesting book in that it contains self-help suggestions for multiple issues such as conditions (anxiety, ADHD, stress, depression), emotions (anger, fear, guilt, sadness, shame), thought patterns (inner critic, lack of motivation, low confidence, perfectionism), and changing your behaviors (procrastination, unhealthy habits, etc.). Many people are challenged with several of these situations so this book gives them guides to more than just one. The writing is clear and easy to understand and follow. There are also appendices that give you places to go for more information. Overall, a decent book.

Recommended.

BLURB: Simple, effective CBT skills tailored for common challenges like anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination, insomnia, and more. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a powerful, evidence-based psychotherapy for managing mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, depression, and ADHD. However, it’s also popular for coping with daily-life issues, like procrastination and insomnia, because its structured, goal-oriented approach and focus on problem-solving can offer rapid relief to anyone facing tough times. By helping people think through the connections between their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical reactions, CBT helps them act in ways that make them feel better. With Think, Act, and Feel Better with CBT, you can achieve measurable relief from chronic stress, anger, overthinking, people-pleasing, and other barriers to good mental health and greater well-being
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237849120-think-act-and-feel-better-with-cbt

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”

@penguinrandomehouse #partner “Thanks for the free/gifted book, @penguinrandomhouse” #sponsored

Review: Wild Watercolor

Nonfiction, Crafts, Painting

5*****

REVIEW: This is a beautiful book. Focusing on natural subjects like birds, animals, flowers, etc. The lessons contain vibrant pictures and clear explanations. You start with the first week with a simple sky with clouds and end up 36 lessons later with the advanced prickly pear cactus flower. It’s a comprehensive book that is great for beginners or amateurs looking to hone their skills with watercolor. The front chapter introduces the types of paint, brushes, and paper you need. The author stresses that you should purchase the best you can afford. I wish she had offered more budget-friendly options, but I understand the need for quality materials. She also gives you a list of other supplies that are helpful for the artist. I liked how each lesson gives you the techniques to be used, the materials and colors needed, the steps from first drawing to finished project.

Recommended.

BLURB: Unleash your creativity and embrace the joy of watercolor painting with “Wild Watercolor: Weekly Lessons and Techniques for Stunning Creations”. Renowned artist and teacher Karen Elaine guides you through 36 captivating watercolor projects designed to take you from beginner to advanced level, one week at a time.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231188298-wild-watercolor

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”

@penguinrandomehouse #partner “Thanks for the free/gifted book, @penguinrandomhouse” #sponsored

Review: Ultimate Origami Challenge Kit for Kids 8-12: Fun Projects and Step-by-Step Folding Techniques to Go from Novice to Pro by Brian Soonho Yoon

Nonfiction, Crafts, Kids

4****

REVIEW: I have always been fascinated by origami – creating imaginative items out of just folded paper. This kit – it’s called a kit because it contains multiple sheets of origami paper in a folder in the back of the book – moves you from simple folds to ones that are more difficult. The front material explains what the different folds are (mountain, valley, etc.) and how to do them. Then there are thirty projects for you to do. Each project contains pictures of the finished piece, and detailed instructions and illustrations. My only problem with the book is the age level. I (an adult) attempted to do some of the projects and just could not get even some of the “easy” ones right. I handed it over to a teen I know and asked her to do some of them and she also had some issues. Maybe it is only doable by younger kids! Still, we had fun trying them and seeing which one of us could do them (she beat me). I suggest that if you’re going to give this to a younger child, that you plan on spending some time with them. And you might find yourself having some fun too.

Recommended with caution as to age level.

Blurb: Discover the magic of origami and learn key techniques to create animals, 3D shapes, or gifts for loved ones from paper!Packed with 30 unique projects, including an inflatable bunny, flapping crane, throwing star, and pyramid, Ultimate Origami Challenge Kit for Kids 8–12 takes budding paper-folding enthusiasts from novice to pro. With fun facts, step-by-step instructions, and all the folding papers you need, kids can launch into creating a paper universe and build the confidence and skills to complete each challenge. Unfold the joy of Ultimate Origami Challenge Kit for Kids 8–12, CHALLENGING Kids progress at their own pace to gain and build on skills needed to advance from Apprentice to Specialist. Watch their confidence soar! BEGINNER-FRIENDLY FOLDING Dive straight in with bright folding papers and transform them to life. Generously sized at 7 x 7-inch squares, the 90 included sheets are perfect for new origamists. ENRICHING BRAIN Origami fosters curious minds by engaging developing brains through 3D perception, problem solving, logical thinking, hand-eye coordination, fine-motor skills, mental concentration, geometry, spatial awareness, and more! COLORFUL ARTWORK AND ILLUSTRATED Beautiful artwork is included to spark creativity. Plus, detailed illustrations are perfect for different learning styles and encourage independent problem solving.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230862166-ultimate-origami-challenge-kit-for-kids-8-12

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”

#sponsored @penguinrandomhouse #partner

“Thanks for the free/gifted book, @penguinrandomhouse

Review: The Daily Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Nonfiction, Creativity, Inspiration

5*****

Review: If you’ve never used the original “The Artist’s Way” book, this is a good place to start. It basically takes all the information from the book and breaks it down into daily challenges then adds inspirational quotes and prompts to get you moving on what you want to do. As in the book, the author suggests writing morning pages—three pages, handwritten, first thing in the morning. But she also encourages you to take walks, make artist’s dates with yourself, and to be open to creativity. In addition, there is an appendix at the end that gives you 52 ideas for your artist’s dates in case you can’t think of one yourself. I’ve been in love with the Artist’s Way for years and this is just a new addition to the group. One suggestion, though, I’d get this as an actual book rather than as an e-book. I think that would make it easier to work with. Just my opinion.

Recommended.

Blurb: The Daily Artist’s Way is an inspirational collection of 365 daily reminders for a creative life, all from Julia Cameron, whose book The Artist’s Way has transformed the lives of millions. Now, readers can easily and immediately apply Artist’s Way practices to their lives day by day with this essential guidebook. Each day’s lesson contains vital and relevant ideas culled from Julia’s vast body of work, as well as powerful Artist’s Way Affirmations to help readers embody their most creative selves. Whether you are looking to write a bestseller or simply add a bit more creativity to your everyday life, The Daily Artist’s Way is a sure way to achieve life-changing results – all you have to do is take it one day at a time.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231817692-the-daily-artist-s-way

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”

#TheDailyArtistsWay #Netgalley