Month: May 2018

May 9, 2018

The Mythology Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained

In The Mythology Book, eighty of the world’s greatest myths and characters, from the gods of Greek mythology to the Norse heroes, retold and explained with engaging text and bold graphics.

About The Mythology Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained

From early creation stories to classical hero narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife, experience each myth and unravel the meanings behind the stories, getting to the heart of the importance of mythology to different cultures worldwide. More than just stories, myths are a testament to the amazing creativity of humans striving to explain and make sense of the world around them. Here you will discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, and Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc, aided by his ability to change shape and gender. Beyond the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse myths, this book delves into the stories of the Australian aborigines, the Cherokee, and the Aztecs, each brimming with amazing characters and insights into human existence.

This newest title in the bestselling Big Ideas series pairs engaging visual style with global coverage of world myths–profiling everything from the well-known tales of the Greeks, Norsemen, and Egyptians to the legends of the Caribbean, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia–bringing the wisdom of the ages to life.

My Thoughts

I am a HUGE history buff – from books to movies to television series, I love it all. In my undergraduate degree all of my elective courses were in the study of Ancient Greeks, Romans, Aztecs and Mayans, to be even more honest, those are the only textbooks I still have from my University days. There is just something so incredible about diving into the past, learning about beliefs, religions, myths and culture. These civilizations shaped so much of what we know today and some of our own beliefs and religions, how can you not want to learn more about them?

This beautiful hard cover book is just slightly smaller than letter sized. The book covers everything from Ancient Greece and Rome to Northern Europe to Asia to The Americas to Ancient Egypt and Africa and Oceania. In logical order, we follow the path of the stories and myths for each culture as they grew and evolved (for example in Ancient Greece, how Gaia gave birth to Ouranos, her children were born and how they destroyed their Father and how the cycle went on). Each myth begins with a brief overview of the theme of that subject, the setting and the key figures. Throughout each section, there are two page spreads that contain the main themes coming up with designs appropriate to that culture and gives you a great hint of what is to come. Each story spans roughly two to four pages and contains highlighted quotes and inserts that contain information on key figures, stories, legends and more. I love love love all of the images that were included in this book. They have included paintings and artifacts that help depict the story while giving us additional context into the story.

This is an amazing book that you will want to read time and time again. With its easy flow, you can come back to it, re-start at a different culture, fast forward to a specific story or figure that you want to learn more about and so on. It is a great read for both young adults and adults alike to help gain a better understanding of the important cultures that made us who we are today.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and DK Canada.

Rating: 5+++/5

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 8, 2018

Blood Moon: Fate of the True Vampires

A village burned. Innocent people slaughtered. Two men taken for obscure reasons.

Was the Murder at Glencoe based in politics, Jacobites and clan wars… Or was it something more paranormal in nature? Read the 17th century journals of Wolfe Amus MacDonald Stewart and discover the truth to an age-old mystery.

About Blood Moon: Fate of the True Vampires

1692. Scottish Highlands. Befell the tragedy of Mort Ghlinne Comhann, also known as the Murder at Glencoe.

Despite his own incongruous past, all Wolfe Stewart wants is a simple life, free from the persecutions of the Crown. And when he rescues a Child of the Mist from an “Asian man who disappears into the snow as if he were never there,” Wolfe has received his wish. However, mysteries still plague him. He gets no answers, but more questions when a familiar stranger arrives with his cousin and Regiment soldiers to take up the hospitality of the MacDonalds of Glencoe for a fortnight.

Little did the clan suspect what would soon befall them. After the massacre on 13 February, 1692, most MacDonalds lay dead, many exposed to the elements perished, homes burned. Wolfe and his friend Fergus are taken away for reasons unknown.

But why would Campbell and his men commit such a hideous and unholy crime? The truth will not be found in history books. The beast behind this tragic night holds nothing but greed within his heart, and using the Jacobite risings as his cover, he gets what he wants and leaves behind death and suffering.

My Thoughts

Blood Moon is set in a difficult time in Scottish history. The British have taken over and are ruthless in their treatment of the highlanders. The highlanders have been betrayed by some of their own countrymen. This specific time period of this book is set just before the massacre of the MacDonalds clan at Glencoe which was committed by their fellow Scottish that many individuals have questioned why would the Campbells betray their Scottish honour. There have been many views on why this massacre happened during this bloody time in history but this book takes a new angle, a superstitious one, to answer this question.

Wolfe has a mysterious past, despite his Scottish roots he grew up away from Scotland and returned much later with his parents. All he wants in life is to marry, have kids and live peacefully but between the British and a few scheming Scotsmen this may not happen. He rescues a beautiful girl in the book who would become his wife. When she becomes pregnant, his world is complete. But this is when the massacre happens and his wife is murdered in front of him and he is kidnapped.

This is when our story gets complicated (she packs a lot of punch and history in this story!). We learn more about Wolfe’s past and how this tragedy unfolds. We learn about the mysterious Asian man with supernatural powers and more about the experiment they conduct on Wolfe and his best friend. An already dark plot gets even more mysterious and evil!

Blood Moon is an exciting, different take on the Scottish highlands and a vampire story which I truly appreciated. Its uniqueness is what made me not want to put it down. I only wish the story had been longer!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Writing has always been in Ms. Church’s blood. At age 9, she wrote small picture books, taped them together (too young for staples??) and even gave them a publishing house name (Church Books; what else?). To this day, those ‘books’ sit in storage somewhere. In school, Church could be found in the back of the classroom, writing short stories (and still managing A’s in English and Art).

Church’s first book, House Cat (non-fiction) was published when an editor who rejected it left the publishing house and the new editor chose Church’s manuscript proposal from the previous editor’s pile of 200 rejected manuscript proposals, and saw it to publication (plus a Revised Edition 7 years later, which is still on the shelves). From there, Church received offers from Animal Planet (when it was still about animals) and more book assignments. Her book Indoor Cats won the 2001 Iams Responsible Cat Ownership Award.

After working for years honing her fiction skills, Ms. Church made the decision to write a novella, a brainstorm idea introducing a brand new, conceptual and innovative vampire series in a way never before done. As a no-name in fiction, this was a big, bold move. With no cash, no job (on disability), she put the book out all on her own; writing, editing, cover design, formatting, everything. Though far from perfect, this was a big step and a big dream.

Book One received a Finalist Medal in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and Book Two received the 2017 Finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 8, 2018

TruthSeer (The TruthSeer Archives Book 3) Review

Read this stunning and decisive conclusion to The TruthSeer Archives and find out what truths survive in the end.

About TruthSeer (The TruthSeer Archives Book 3)

What if you could tell when someone was lying? What if every lie brought you physical pain?

The TruthStone has been a heavy weight for Shaeleen to bear, but she must continue to gather all the stones of power and restore them to their original glory – how, she is not quite sure.

While gathering the first three, she discovered that the evil Shadow Keepers are behind the turmoil in Wayland. And the weight of her mission becomes almost unbearable. At the moment of decision will she find it easier to succumb to the seductive lure of the shadow and become all-powerful?

My Thoughts

The TruthSeer is the amazing finish to this three book series. In this series, Shaeleen has the power to not only know when people are telling the truth (although this power comes in a painful form as when someone tells a lie she feels pain throughout her body) but she has also been charged with gathering all of the stone of power and join them together all in order to stop the evil that is spreading throughout her land. No small feat for such a young girl right? Along the way her brother joins her as her protector and they met royalty and normal youth with incredible powers to help them accomplish their ultimate goal of vanquishing the shadow.

Mike packs a whole lot of action into this one book! Not only does Shaeleen have to gather the last stone but she also has to return and battle the Shadow Keepers in order to save the world. He builds the book up in an exciting adventure that makes you never want to put the book down until the last page. Nothing is quite as it seems or simple for Shaeleen. Despite this, she approaches all challenges with grace, maturity and a little bit of humour (sweets anyone?).

I loved how this book came together and combined all the individuals she has met in the first two books to show how they were interconnected and how all the powers are needed to conquer the Shadow Keepers. While the story is about Shaeleen, we also learn that she can not win all alone – instead she needs the support, guidance and strength of her friends in order to survive.

This is a fantastic book from start to finish – a great read for young adults and adults alike! It is well written and so exciting that you will not want to put it down.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating:5/5

About the Author

Mike is now on his third young adult/teen fantasy series. For information on his new releases, book reviews, and other relevant info, please join him at www.MichaelSheltonBooks.com.

Mike was born in California and has lived in multiple states from the west coast to the east coast. He cannot remember a time when he wasn’t reading a book. At school, home, on vacation, at work at lunch time, and yes even a few pages in the car (at times when he just couldn’t put that great book down). Though he has read all sorts of genres he has always been drawn to fantasy. It is his way of escaping to a simpler time filled with magic, wonders and heroics of young men and women.

Other than reading, Mike has always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his life.

Mike began writing stories in elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys – writing!

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 7, 2018

All the Way to Italy Book Review

All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

About All the Way to Italy

Until her dad died, Little considered herself a Californian. Now, thanks to half a letter, a symbol she can’t quite remember, and writer’s block, she finds herself back in Italy, the country of her birth. In a headlong rush to return to her beloved San Francisco, Little will journey throughout Italy, hoping to find the answers she needs to move on with her life so she need never look back. She’ll enlist the help of the woman who raised her, Sira, her father’s sister; but Sira has secrets she’s kept for decades, and Little underestimates the power of the country she fled years before.

In this powerful story of mixed cultures in a world trying to globalize, one girl’s struggle to leave her home behind will lead her back to the women in her family and the memories each of them has safeguarded through the generations. From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

My Thoughts

A beautiful story of finding yourself when you feel torn between two very different cultures. Little born in Italy, grew up in America due to family conflict. She has always identified as an American and embraced the culture and language with open arms. Her aunt who cared for her in Italy became the Mother and Father that she did not know, despite her Father being alive in Italy.

It is the death of her Father and her aunt’s plea to return to Italy, that sets Little off on her journey of self-discovery. What Little thinks will be a trip to close the door on her Father’s death, actually opens more doors to her past. She learns more about her Father and discovers they shared a lot in common and that he loved her more than she could even begin to imagine. She falls in love again with the slower culture, the beauty of the history and surroundings but also learns how the changing economy has affected the people more than she could have ever imagined. I loved how we are given glimpses of her past growing up with her Father and her favourite places to visit.

I felt instantly connected to Little who is torn between two worlds and at times between two people. She becomes your best friend who you want to reach out and hold, to journey with her and to help her throughout her journey. Her Aunt is the Mother who never left her and my heart broke for her that she never knew her Mother (although she never lacked for love or family). There were a few difficult moments in the novel that made my heart sore for her but she continued to move forward, growing and forgiving. I loved learning about her family history through the war and you may even be able to draw similarities to your own family who lived through those times.

This is an excellent novel that I could not put down. You will fall in love with Little’s spirit and journey of self-discovery. A must read that you will love from start to finish!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Born just outside of Rome, Flavia Brunetti grew up bouncing back and forth between Italy and California, eventually moving back to the Eternal City and confirming her lifelong commitment to real gelato. Flavia holds a Master of Arts degree in Government and Politics from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from John Cabot University. Today she travels the world working for an international humanitarian organization and spends her free time writing and wandering around her beloved Roma in constant search of bookstores and the perfect espresso. You can find her city blog on Rome at whichwaytorome.com and her portfolio of published writing at flaviinrome.com.

The Giveaway

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 4, 2018

Biodynamic Gardening #DKCanada Book Review

Biodynamic gardening makes use of natural cycles and mindful planting to take organic gardening to the next level.

About Biodynamic Gardening

Whether you’re just getting started in biodynamic gardening, or you’re an experienced biodynamic farmer wanting to learn more, Biodynamic Gardening is the right resource for learning more about the biodynamic method of organic gardening. This clear, practical guide gives you tried-and-true advice on biodynamic gardening and tips on this ultra-green, organic gardening method. Full-color photographs and easy-to-understand charts and graphs are helpful tools in organizing information in a way anyone can understand and use in biodynamic gardening.

Biodynamic gardening makes use of natural cycles and mindful planting to take organic gardening to the next level, and Biodynamic Gardening covers everything. Topics include soil preparations, lunar charts, composting, cycles of rest, rich and healthy soil, organically controlling pests, ripening plants, and more. Grow delicious vegetables and healthy food, or grow beautiful blooms and flowers with the information you’ll find in Biodynamic Gardening.

My Thoughts

The biodynamic approach to gardening and agriculture is not a new method of gardening but instead pulls on old methods and research. The methods are holistic in nature and focus on the connection between the Earth, planets, our environment and animals. Using this more natural approach helps to enrich the soil naturally and organically while lessening our impact on our home. Biodynamics has been recognized as one of the first organic methods of agriculture!

I thought I knew a bit about this method of gardening but I was clearly lacking knowledge in this subject. This book covers the all of the basics with providing great resources for tools, homemade soil fertilizers and more. I loved learning about the connection of the Earth to the moon and planets and how this affects planting and growing. It is something that I had never paid attention to before but when you begin to read more into it in this book, it makes sense. We are given quite a few great guides on how to create homemade solutions to fertilize the soil, take care of the plants, etc. Most were quite easy and practical (for example using dandelion) and used excellent step by step instructions with large photographs to follow along which is extremely helpful for those who are new to this method of gardening.

I loved the sections on the plants as each plant has almost its own page dedicated to it. We are given excellent suggestions on how to plant and what plants accompany each other naturally (I never realized I shouldn’t be planting spinach and tomatoes together!). We are given the tools on how to start the seedlings, planting times and how to harvest. Again beautiful bold pictures accompany these pages making it easy to follow and understand for those of all gardening levels.

When I first picked up this book I didn’t realize how much work went into the biodynamic process. I usually plant and go with just a little thought into soil preparation at the beginning and watering throughout the season. This book helped me to understand the full cycle of gardening from fall through to summer and what we should be doing in each to prepare as well as to appreciate the different plants properties and how this works together to help achieve a great harvest. This is a great resource for those looking to expand their gardens using more organic and natural methods.

You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada and Amazon.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.