December 11, 2019
Scottish Witchcraft: A Complete Guide to Authentic Folklore, Spells, and Magickal Tools
Take a journey through the magickal folk traditions of Scotland in this wonderful book.
About Scottish Witchcraft: A Complete Guide to Authentic Folklore, Spells, and Magickal Tools
Take a journey through the magickal folk traditions of Scotland. Barbara Meiklejohn-Free, a Scottish hereditary witch, shares her own spiritual awakening into the craft and shows you how to integrate these practices into your own life. Discover the secrets of divination, scrying, faery magick, and communication with ancestors. Explore herb and plant lore and specific rituals to address what you most desire. Filled with inspiring anecdotes, craft history, and step-by-step instructions, this book will help you begin a new chapter of spiritual discovery.
My Thoughts
I have always been fascinated by Scottish heritage. I love reading books about the Highlands, the history and their people. I find so much of the history fascinating but heartbreaking as well. This beautiful book honours not only Barbara’s craft but also her family history. She weaves their history throughout the story and encourages you to open your mind to a new method of thinking. I found the book moving in so many ways as it not only celebrates the beliefs and traditions but honours the Scottish people and acknowledges the hardships they faced – they were persecuted, sent away from their own lands and many times tried for their beliefs. My heart hurts for all that they lost but I admire how even in the face of that, so many are still working to preserve their heritage and beliefs and sharing it with others to ensure it is never lost.
This book covers several topics, including: thresholds and rituals, working with ancestors, seership and divination, staff, stone and earth, herbs and spells. I found with this book, I read the whole thing at once to get a good sense of what the book was about but then went back chapter by chapter taking my time and really diving into each topic (some days I spent more on one chapter to ensure I really understood it). I think it is important that you ensure you take your time, read each chapter and then read it again to ensure you understand her guidance and advice. I found I missed some parts the first time I read through a chapter, so this was important for me. Reading the book once and then a second and third time, really helped me to hone in on which areas interested me the most (I loved the section on herbs) and which areas I needed to learn more about.
I loved how Barbara introduces each topic with both a personal and historical account (her personal stories throughout the book are just wonderful and add a great touch to this book) along with practical applications and how we can approach this in real life while honouring those who came before us and our natural environment. I appreciated the part of thresholds and entering sacred spaces and touched me deeply. I remember to this day when I visited Rome and just walking the same path that so many have before me and entering historical sites and how this affected me emotionally and physically. During my visit, I felt like I was walking in another time and experiencing things for a second time. It left me feeling blessed and inspired.
This is a well written, thoughtful and incredible book that touches on a powerful subject area. This will make a great gift for those who want to be more in touch with themselves, the world around them, the Earth and those who have a strong interest in folklore, witchcraft and everything in between. There is something for everyone who wants to get in touch with their spiritual side in this book.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Barbara Meiklejohn-Free (United Kingdom) was born and raised in the Highlands of Scotland. She is an author, singer, drummer, flautist, and storyteller—all of which she employs in weaving together the ancient craft of the shaman, seer, and mystic. After the passing of her spiritual mentor, Barbara was bestowed the title of Highland Seer. She is also the cocreator of the Dark Goddess Oracle Cards, Witches’ Kitchen Oracle Cards, and Witches’ Wisdom Oracle Cards.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 6, 2019
Law and Addiction Book Review
Law and Addiction is real-life drama at its finest ― a book that clears away the darkness page by page, spotlighting a profound truth about our society through expert storytelling.
About Law and Addiction
One week before his law school graduation, Jake Rutledge is shattered. His fraternal twin, Blake, has died of a drug overdose. When Jake returns to his hometown of Oakley, West Virginia, he discovers that his brother was not the only person hooked on opioid painkillers. The entire region has been ravaged by an epidemic insidiously planned and carried out by one of America’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
Still wet behind the ears, Jake is determined to seek justice for all the victims of Big Pharma’s greed. He soon learns that the drug companies’ tentacles reach far and deep. His only hope is to get Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis to help. A partner at one of the country’s most powerful law firms, Deke’s “as tough as a two-dollar steak” and well-known for his winning tactics against corporate wrongdoers. With just enough persistence, Jake coaxes Deke to see Oakley’s devastation firsthand. Overwhelmed, Deke agrees to join forces with Jake.
And that’s when the real heat begins. Death threats, bribes, unlawful property seizure schemes – all are connected to the massive distribution of both legal and illegal drugs. Everyone is impacted, from the highest levels of corporate America to corrupt local officials to their lackeys and hapless victims. The complexity of the schemes is overwhelming.
Working tirelessly, the lawyers begin to uncover the truth. Along the way, Jake falls in love with Anna Fowler, a former homecoming queen who has succumbed to the power of opioids. With his support, she weans herself off the drugs. Hope begins to bloom ― when suddenly, Jake disappears. As Deke undertakes a desperate search to find him, questions swirl. Has Jake abandoned Anna and his crusade? Can the case against the evildoers move forward without him? Will Oakley and its residents survive?
My Thoughts
Law and Addiction was an incredibly powerful, thought provoking novel. I was pulled right in from Chapter One and could not put it down. I felt a range of emotions throughout the novel, anger, compassion, hurt – but definitely a lot of anger.
The story begins with the death of Blake, Jake’s fraternal twin from an overdose. Jake, who was just finishing law school, is shattered as he never saw the signs of addiction in his brother. He is left wondering how did this happen, could he have done more, should he have seen the signs and so many more emotions. His hometown has been ravaged by opioids – people he has known his whole life are struggling with addiction. The town has quickly become a ‘zombie land’, where there is no hope, poverty and the citizens are feeling the physical and mental damage from opioids. The book really brings home that addiction is not always what you believe it is – any one can suffer from addiction and we need to pull apart the stigma of addiction, so that they can receive help.
Jake (like so many of us), feels anger – anger for his brother and the people of this town. But when he starts to do some digging, the facts that he finds is astonishing and he knows that he wants to make a difference, to ensure that no one suffers the loss he felt. He is prepared to go to war with the pharmaceutical companies to ensure that this is stopped.
As he begins his lawsuit (with the help of two other lawyers) against the pharmacy companies, the story really speeds up. We uncover bribes, death threats, illegal distribution and the list goes on. The story has so many working parts but it never feels overwhelming. Instead, you realize how far people will go for financial gain and corporate greed. It leaves you feeling disappointed with people but with some hope that there are still good people out there fighting for the rights and protection of all people.
This is an amazing novel from start to finish – a definite must read novel. The plot was fantastic – not what I was expecting but incredible all the same. It was educational but entertaining, but definitely leaves you with a lot of food for thought.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
Rating: 5/5
About the Autho
Mike Papantonio is a truth-teller, a crusader who uses fiction to entertain and inform his readers about some of the most pressing issues of our time. In each of his thrillers, from Law And Disorder to Law And Vengeance, and now Law And Addiction, he lays bare the conspiracies and white-collar crimes that hurt ordinary Americans ― and that are rarely covered by the national media.
A senior partner of Levin Papantonio, one of the country’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, Papantonio uses his own cases as springboards for his novels. He has aggressively taken on Big Pharma, tobacco, weapon manufacturer, and the automobile industry, among other bastions of corporate greed.
One of the youngest inductees into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, Papantonio is also a well- known media presence as host of America’s Lawyer on the RT America television network and co-host of the syndicated radio show Ring of Fire. A skilled musician and athlete, he is based in Pensacola, Florida.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 3, 2019
Killer Resolutions Book Review
When a blizzard traps them with a murderer, who will be left to kiss at midnight?
About Killer Resolutions
In a remote lodge in northern Wisconsin, friends gather for a festive, New Year’s Eve weekend. When a blizzard traps them with a murderer, who will be left to kiss at midnight?
Five years ago, a tragedy shattered the friendship between Dani, her older brother, and their college pals. When her brother invites the old gang for a weekend of outdoor winter fun at a remote lodge, she sees it as a chance to reconnect and heal. But when her friends are murdered one-by-one, Dani must determine whom she can trust before she becomes the next victim.
Contains profanity, violence, and mild sexual content.
My Thoughts
The tragic death of one young woman comes back to haunt a group of friends and family in this fast paced novel.
The death of her older brother’s girlfriend has haunted Dani and their once close group of friends. A night of drinking got out of hand and instead of caring for their friend, Dani became side tracked by her brothers friend and Crystal choked and died on her own vomit.
Her death causes the group to draw away from each other and each individual deals with the death in their own way. That is why they were all shocked when they received an invitation to reunite at a remote lodge from Dani’s brother, Rob. The group has changed – some have gotten a bit wilder, some have grown apart and some have noticed their attraction to each other has only grown stronger! What they weren’t ready for was that Rob’s new girlfriend is identical to Crystal (although not as nice of a person!).
Things turn quickly sour, as one by one dead bodies start to appear. The remaining members of the group fear for their life but are not sure who to trust – is the murderer one of them? The weird owner? The group has to think quickly in order to stay alive – a hero emerges among them, an individual who has spent his last few years on quite the journey. I was definitely not expecting the ending and the discovery of the identity of the murder. This is a fast paced novel that is easy to follow and I enjoyed the suspense as the characters try to uncover the murder while staying alive.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene). Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include historical romances, contemporary romances, cozy mysteries, and dark mysteries. With some being “clean” and some being “naughty,” she has a book for your every mood. Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn’t writing, working, or being a mom, she’s sleeping.
Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.
The Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 2, 2019
Unwrap Huge Levels of Cuteness with the Cutetitos Series
Ready to discover a whole new world of plush animal friends? Love something different and unique?
Then you will fall in love with the Cutetitos and their little friends, the Babitos.
I think we can all agree, babies and animals are so cute when they are all wrapped and snuggly inside a blanket. We used to joke that we were wrapping up our kids tight and snug, just like a burrito when they were infants (especially our eldest who was quite colicky).
These adorable plush animals will tuck at your heart strings with their burrito style design. The Cutetitos animals are wrapped up in a blanket to resemble little burritos. The burrito theme is present throughout the whole unwrapping – from the foil wrap on the bottom to the design of the actual wrap (it even has little toasted spots on it).
Each Cutetito is a surprise and your child will be able to unwrap their new friend to uncover their identity. There are twelve in total to collect and (my favourite part) each one has their own level of spiciness – will they have a mild, medium or hot personality? Each pet comes with their own collector card that gives all of these details and more.
The plush animals that you can collect include (just take a minute to appreciate how cute the names are):
- Cattito
- Bearito
- Monkito
- Piggito
- Slothito
- Puppito
- Bunnito
Our adorable little friends come with adorable friends in an even smaller package – Babitos! The Babitos are stuffed inside a taco shell and are roughly the size of the palm of your hand.
They also come in twelve collectible styles, which includes Puppito, Duckito, Raccoonito, Skunikto and also have their own spicy personality that ranges from mild to super spicy. These adorable little baby animals even have their own special gender reveal.
My favourite part of this collection is how precious the eyes are on these plush animals. They are just too precious for words with those big, loving eyes!
Both the Cutetitos and Babitos can be purchased at Toys R Us, Walmart and Chapters Indigo. Prices range from $9.99 CDN to $16.99 CDN.
The Cutetitos and Babitos will make the perfect surprise gift for the young child in your life who loves plush animals. I know my niece LOVES them! Make sure you stock up before they sell out during all the pre-holiday season shopping.
Make sure to follow Basic Fun (the makers of Cutetitos and Babitos) on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 2, 2019
Snuggle Up and Cherish the Holiday Season with Raincoast Books
We have definitely had a few early blasts of winter weather as the holiday season quickly approaches. This is the perfect time to open up some holiday treasured books with your children and spend a little extra time reading each night. Or perhaps to even discover new family favourites leading up to the Christmas holidays?
Raincoast Books has a beautiful collection of books that will make great gifts leading up to the holidays or even as a special gift under the tree. Both my kids and their cousins, always receive at least one special book as a Christmas gift because I feel so strongly that these are something that they can treasure long after the holiday season is over.
Looking for three new books to add to your holiday reading routine? Look no further then these top three picks from Raincoast Books:
Christmas Is Coming! An Advent Book
Every day of December brings a new Christmas tradition in this keepsake Advent book. Each flap on the cover of the book reveals a clue to a festive activity that can be found inside the pages. It might be a recipe for a delicious homemade treat, instructions for a cozy craft, a game to play, a carol to sing, or a beautifully illustrated story to read with the whole family. This inviting twist on the traditional advent calendar is perfect for families who love to put their own spin on celebrating the holidays.
I fell in love with this special book the moment I laid my eyes on it. Advent is a very special time in our lives and sometimes we can forget what makes life so important; family and opening our homes and hearts for Christmas. There is more to Advent than just chocolate and presents!
I put this book under our Christmas tree and we waited patiently for December 1st to open it up. This was not the easiest task for any of us, as I really wanted to dive in and see what kind of activities were in the book but we also wanted it to be a special surprise that we uncovered day by day.
We had a snowstorm yesterday and decided that we would open the book after dinner. His first activity? Write a letter to Santa. The reading for December 1st was beautiful and my son was excited to write his letter (I couldn’t believe I had not done this yet with him!). We have decided as a family, that we would do each activity after dinner but before we wind down for bed. You can follow along on Instagram as we work our way through the book.
This is the perfect book for parents and grandparents that are looking for something different and meaningful during the Advent season.
You can purchase a copy of this book here.
Don’t Shake the Present!
Go on a festive and fun-filled adventure with Larry in this hilarious holiday edition of the USA Today bestselling series, Don’t Push the Button!
Larry (the lovable monster) has received a present, and he is desperate to know what is inside, but he needs your help to figure it out. But whatever you do. . . DON’T SHAKE THE PRESENT!
This is an adorable book perfect for young readers just before the holiday season. We have two kids that love to touch and shake their presents (and even sometimes peel away the wrapping at the side so that they can see inside!). We had so much fun reading this out loud and I definitely did not see the ending coming but it was perfect and gave us all a great chuckle.
The book itself is small, hard covered and interactive, making it a great read for young children that have a harder time sitting still at reading time. It also is a book that children can relate to and helps parents explain the importance of patience during the holiday season.
You can purchase a copy of this book here.
How to Hide a Lion at Christmas
Iris and her lion go everywhere together. But when Christmas comes and the family is going away, Mom says her lion must stay behind. After all, you can’t take a lion on a train! Luckily the lion has other ideas. He sets off on a festive, snowy adventure to find Iris – and almost bumps into Santa Claus!
This is a beautifully written and illustrated book about the friendship between Iris and her lion in the context of Christmas. Iris is visiting family for the holidays and her lion is just too big to go on the train (or even to fit in her suitcase!), not to mention he may just scare her family. Her Mom makes the lion stay home, but lion has other plans – he follows them on the train! The only problem, he sleeps through their stop! He must find his way back to Iris (which he does) but encounters a unique method of finding her using Santa Claus’ method of climbing up and down chimneys. Can you imagine a lion coming down the chimney?
This was a great book to read out loud to our kids. It has such a great flow and full of great age appropriate humour. We had a few great conversations of all the animals we wished we could have at home (a gorilla was one). The illustrations are beautiful and fit the story perfectly. This will make for a great read before bedtime as we gear up into the holiday season.
You can purchase a copy of this book here.
What is your favourite holiday book?
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.