This story starts out with Derrick and he is a trouble shooter on the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. He works for Alamo Oil and has many rigs to choose from. Story also follows Amber and she's now a Coastie, Coast Guard Ensign and is assigned the the area. She lives with her grandmother in town. Derrick rents the apartment upstairs at their house. When onshore Derrick helps mentor teen boys at the local church and takes classes to better himself.
Derrick has problems. Mission rig has had a death and man was holding Derrick's hard hat. Another incident is a helicopter that crashes into the waters off the rig, Derrick was on board also. There are many other phone calls to the authorities about the rig that need to be investigated.
What I love about this book is that I and my spouse also can read it and get something different out of it. There's a bit of romance, mentoring, religion, the local church, Christmas, mysteries and deaths, and so many more incidents that leave others injured.
learning more about the process on the rig and the layout intrigued me. I've not read much about the Coast Guard although I live on an island and they protect us, so it was great to learn about what they do on their end. Love that all ages were in this story, teens, adults and elderly. Really enjoyed this read.
I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my honest opinion.
Unyielding by Mary Sue Jackson
This story follows Declan who has aging parents in the area and he hopes with his degree he can take over the animal vet job from Ruth who's ready to retire. He has seen a handful of others who didn't fit the bill. He gets involved with the neighbors and the animal community.
Shannon has a horse who's aging and is expecting due to her relative leaving the gate open... Declan assures her after several visits that she'll be fine.
They start a relationship, from time he has. He's teaching her about AI and when I first heard that I though artificial intelligence. chuckle here. with the program she can gain more money for the animals as the science i s not wrong. She tells him a bout her plans and takes his suggestions. Then she finds out Becca bought the horse she was going to buy because she had done all the background on that specific horse. Now Declan finds out he's not getting the vet job and he's on the outs with Shannon and the cattlemen don't trust him either.
He needs a miracle to fix it all. He had so much riding on it all...

Syntax of the Deep: A Novel of First Contact by E.K. Wavesinger
Book starts out when Joanna was 12 and she was with her dad and sister Sarah. On Peugeot Sound and orcas all around them paddling in the vessel and the sights and sounds they were able to experience for themselves.
Now it's 2031 and she's in charge of a new expedition with the orcas and all of her research she and others in the team have done. She is so close to figuring out what their sounds mean and the questions they are asking. She is also able to be doing this with her sister. Love hearing of all the quantitative evaluations they have made over the years and putting each of the teams input on their specialties all together. And finally the learn the truth from the orcas and what they need from the team and what want in return. Love hearing of the harm that the team is warned of before it collides into them and how the orcas played a big part in that.
The silence of the water bodies is deafening and this means humans won't be around for much longer either unless they are able to stop the silence from occurring. Humans need water for the oxygen and so much more.
Love hearing of the elders from 3000 years earlier when something from the sky was dropped into the water and what occurred then. They realize who they are really dealing with and will they be able to come up with a solution to their problems in time.
Love this and can't wait to read more. I'm a western romance reader and this was just eh break I needed from that genre.
Such a cool read from a lover of the ocean and skies.
There is something for everyone in this book, like the celebrations with the whole family and friends.
Received this review copy from the @voice app and this is my honest opinion.
Rogue Cowboy by Sinclair Jayne
This story starts out when Cole has brought Riley back to her family home and he left to go finish his tour with the military, He's got a few years til finished and he hopes she is able to go to therapy and get help she needs. She's so broken and has no confidence.
Story also follows Riley who's taking over for her mom at the rodeo. She gets a surprise when Cole shows up. He protects her from a punch from her brother, Rohan that was aimed at Cole. She never told anybody they were married so he's there to court her after leaving the military. He has family connections in the area also.
She enjoys the courting and feels good again but she knows she's never good enough for Cole. He has to keep reminding her of the reason why he had gone to LA to find her and why the men there were bad to her.
Love the horses, rodeo, dancing, parades, and jewelry that has meanings to them both. Decision time comes: does he reenlist, head to TX with Riley, stay there and remarry her? He wonders which she wants.
Christmas time of year is so very festive and everything is set to perfection.
Adult scenes. Kept me entertained the whole way through.
Received this review copy from TUle Publishing via Booksprout and this is my honest opinion.
BRAIN, HEART, GUT HEALTH : 7 Easy Steps to Unlock the Vagus Nerve’s Inner Network to Boost Mood, Strengthen Immunity, and Optimize Mental, Emotional, and Digestive Well-being by Eden Thayer
This book starts out with a lot of introductory material about the vagus nerve and how it's connected to your brain, heart and you gut. There are some technical terms that I was unfamiliar with and they explain what they are in English.
Then chapters go into the 3 main topics of this book and also things like hormones, as in menopause that make things more difficult to work right as you age due to loss of estrogen. Like case studies from real humans. Love the section on nutrition and the lists of what foods to promote better health are included. Journaling, yoga, meditation and so much more will also help. Technology is discussed throughout as it can help you keep track of things for your journal.
There are lots of steps to follow to get back on track again. Meal plans are included at the end also shopping lists (vegan list also)
References are included at the end of the book.
Sheever's Journal Diary of a poison master by K. Ritz
This story starts out with how Sheever came about the journal and what it means to him.
Like daily note of his life and others that work with him. Some of the scenes are very barbaric, be forewarned.
Like the people he talks to and they all have different opinions of him.
He is a male cook at the palace and there are many female maids around. He has a care for them but just can't commit to being with them. He shares a room with one other and he gets to write in his journal often. Sometimes he goes weeks without writing a word. He is also very wealthy, he owns many houses in his hometown that he gets to visit when he gets time off. He gives a lot of his money to the peasants who he runs across trying to make them have a better life. Love how he helps others with chores they are not able to do themselves. The people who own the palace can be beasts and very cruel to the workers. Some of the scenes are very horrific in brutality but consider this is in the 500's. Interesting to learn of the poisons and with his training he knows how to use them. Like how he plots his own death.
Powerful and memorable reading.
GREENHOUSE GARDENING MASTERY: Budget-Friendly Skills To Maximize Space, Extend Growing Seasons, Manage Pests & Enjoy Sustainable Fresh Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs For A Year-Round Harvest by PurpleInk Publishing
This book starts out with what a greenhouse can do for you and your food source.
Each chapter starts with a question and then the content discusses the details. Like the differnty types of a greenhouse you can have: aqua, hydro, etc and how to achieve them. I like a regular dirt type one myself. There are guidelines listed as outline bullet list. Love the idea of cold frame and remember my dad using them throughout the winter months. Like chart showing the different examples with pro and con.
Like listing of the equipment you will need for a greenhouse for year round use. It's a lot and some are expensive but worth it in the long run.
Love the true life stories about others obstacles and howthey overcame them.
If you can't do a full greenhouse consider modular ones that fit into smaller spaces.
Love vertical gardening, especially for squash and cukes that tend to spread out and take over the whole garden. plastic fencing really helped us, then stakes and tomato cages. Solutions nad plant schedules for the northeast is discussed as other areas as well. Very helpful information listed.
Love list of best vegetables for the greenhouse and how to tend to them. Like how to grow the items vertically on their own shelves along the whole wall. Like the section on plot for a year and which things go into each one, flowers to help the bugs stay away, like companion gardening. and how to rotate them for 5 years time.
Love section on composting, so helpful. Success tips are included in most chapters.
Troubleshooting problems is also a must read. Seasonal growing calendar and schedules are most helpful at the end of the book. Ends with gardening secrets for greenhouses. References are included
Green book to keep handy, while planning and growing the vegetables.
Sheever's Journal Diary of a poison master by K. Ritz
This story starts out with how Sheever came about the journal and what it means to him.
Like daily note of his life and others that work with him. Some of the scenes are very barbaric, be forewarned.
Like the people he talks to and they all have different opinions of him.
He is a male cook at the palace and there are many female maids around. He has a care for them but just can't commit to being with them. He shares a room with one other and he gets to write in his journal often. Sometimes he goes weeks without writing a word. He is also very wealthy, he owns many houses in his hometown that he gets to visit when he gets time off. He gives a lot of his money to the peasants who he runs across trying to make them have a better life. Love how he helps others with chores they are not able to do themselves. The people who own the palace can be beasts and very cruel to the workers. Some of the scenes are very horrific in brutality but consider this is in the 500's. Interesting to learn of the poisons and with his training he knows how to use them. Like how he plots his own death.
Powerful and memorable reading.
Fast-Track Day Trading Success: Simple Strategies to Make Informed Decisions, Manage Risks, and Maximize Profits to Achieve Financial Freedom by Mark Sobey
This book starts right in with terminology used and what the words mean. Great layout for what you need to keep in mind as you move forward.
Lots of chart and graphs Some of these you should also see in your personal account at the brokerage company showing the growth over the years.
Different keys are explained about the charts outcomes.
Amongst all the strategies to learn there will be stress, lots of info about how to relieve it. Love online things being discussed and how you can use them to set up your files. Links are included. Routine and schedules keep it running, and how to spot pitfalls.
Glossary is included at the end along with references. So much to learn and consider.
The Power of Growth Mindset for Teens: Life Skills to Build Confidence, Resilience, & Success by Raman Keane
Like this book because of the quizzes along the way so you can judge for yourself where your mindset is at. Like terminology used that teens can relate to: shapeshifters.
Love bullet list of ways your brain grows throughout the process, so easy to follow along.
Like challenges about typing faster and more accurate and how to do it. This is for anybody who types with just 2 fingers. Love steps for encouragement for everything the teen does they don't have to be too smart. small steps and you can do anything.
Push teen to achieve too much too soon and it tells them how to manage the stress behind that method.
Never heard of the techniques to classify things that need to get done and the importance. Social aspects are very well deined and why they are so important.
Great book for even older people.
Amazing Stories for Curious Minds: An Adventure-Filled Book for Kids Inspired by Science and History with Brain-Boosting Riddles by Mateo Sommer
Very educational, fun children's read about things around our world. Each chapter also has a quiz with answer s at the end to make sure you learned the fun facts right.
There are also pictures along the way showing some of the places.
Like the one with the kraken nar the boat the best, love sea water stories.
Reminds me of national treasures on tv as strange things happen in museums.
Great mysteries to help solve as you read along. Love cave and pirate stories also. You can read one a night and have enough for several weeks, there are 20 stories.
Great collection for some learning fun.
.
Decoding Women's Gut Health: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Digestion, Balancing Hormones, and Improving Mood, Immunity, and Overall Health by Tahira Ismail
This book contains information about your gut and the other parts of your body that it all connects with.
Each chapter starts with a quote then the text. Each chapter has their own content and focuses on the points to avoid the harmful parts and how to achieve the best parts.
Bulleted lists are included. There are techniques to use to better yourself.
Conclusion ends with a summary of the chapter.
Love the section on what foods to eat and which to avoid. The process of what you put into your mouth follows the path til it's expelled. Very technical terms are used. Pay attention to women's section due to lack of hormones as we age.
Journal and fasting are discussed also and what to note in the journal.
Appendixes at the end include mood supported gut foods in a chart format,
References are listed by the chapter at the end of the book.
Great book to keep handy.

ART THERAPY TO HEAL THE HEART: WORKBOOK FOR GRIEF AND LOSS: CREATIVE HEALING AT HOME TO COPE WITH LOSS, RELEASE PAIN, EXPRESS EMOTIONS AND RESTORE PURPOSE ... IN YOUR L (Silver Fitness: For Your Mind) by Tenlee Graham
Love affirmations and devotional uplifted discussions about grief and how to deal with it.
Also love how they set you up for progress and inform you that to take on an art you don't have to spend a fortune to do it. Love the step by step processes at the very end, super most helpful section.
Grieving is very difficult time in anyones's life, it doesn't mean you have to stop living.
Great book to work on daily til you've accomplished your goals.
Unlocking Financial Literacy for Teens & Young Adults: Guide to Manage Budgets, Navigate Taxes, Grow Wealth thru Investments, Achieve Personal Growth & Live Debt free for a Secure Tomorrow by El Wright
This is a great book for adults just starting out with the new job and responsibilities of paying bills. There's a lot this book cover, appreciate the envelop system, our son uses that. we just put all the income into a checking account and pay 4 main bills every month. no subscriptions, no loans and we have months that are 'no spend' just the essentials are bought for food and not much else.
We even save some of our social security money for the winter months where we know we will spend more on oil to heat the house.
Lot comes into play: taxes, insurances, credits, etc so be sure to read through the whole book to get the whole picture. References are listed at the end.
Great resource book to keep handy.
THE AI ENGINE ACCELERATOR FOR BEGINNERS : Your practical road map to harness the power of artificial intelligence, craft powerful prompts, and improve task automation with ease by Elowen Halloway
What I like about this book on AI are the charts and screenshots of actually doing something. Really appreciate the approach of prompting and how to really ask exactly what it is you want an answer to. Many different categories of work are explained and how AI is used for answering the companies phones even.
Lot of the examples are given step by step instructions for you to use it yourself.
There are many quizzes along the way to make sure you're grasping what is going on.
Love the chapter where you have AI write a paragraph and then you get to humanize it as AI has no emotions. There is a glossary at the end and answer key to all the quizzes throughout the book. Love the more advanced workbook at the end of the book, challenging yourself with weekly projects.
References are included also at the end.
What a great book to keep handy.
Time Management For Everyone: Strategies to Improve Your Work-Life Balance, Increase Your Efficiency & Productivity, Deal with Procrastination & Give You More Time and Freedom by FREEDOM PUBLICATIONS
What I like about this book is that there are so many different techniques and methods to achieve your goal, whether for work or at home.
I do a fairly good job but do tasks as they are needed to be done. Not many sit around for months or years. I try to get up early to get the natural sun to knit by with a quiet home and hot cup of tea. Can spend 15 minutes or hours til we are ready to go hiking. we get oursteps in, and get to spend time with one another. Rest of the day is varied, no projects but I expand my hobby by finding new stitches to knit.
Mind-Blowing Facts for the Ever-Curious: Fascinating, Weird, and Wonderful Truths to Amaze Your Friends, Challenge Your Thinking, and Keep You Entertained for Hours by Gloria Lembo
There are so many subjects to choose from. Liked them all myself. The animals facts were fascinating. Then the nature and even humans. These all do amazing things. The elephant uses the bottoms of his feet to know when danger is coming through vibrations in the ground. Liked learning about the jellyfish, medicine that was a miracle but didn't cure what it was meant for, people who can run miles every day for 7 days with no sleep. Loved the comparisons with 9/11 and Lincoln and Kennedy presidencies have so many similarities, its kind of creepy in a way.
After each item there are also links if you want to read more about the amazing things. There are also references at the very end.
Great fun educational read.
Myofascial Triggers: Relieve Muscle Pain, Release Stored Emotions, and Improve Mind-Body Balance Through Targeted Fascia Techniques by David Iannuzzo
This book disuses a lot about the triggers, how to identify them and how to use different methods of relieve.
While explaining more details sometimes the language gets a bit medical terminology that is not easy to pronounce nor understand fully. Author does a good job explaining where the muscle is, etc in the body.
There is one chapter that bullet lists the procedures and how to do them for each of the muscle sets. There are also QU codes you can click on to get more videos so you make sure you are doing the exercises properly. There is a list of what you can get at the store to help with the exercises. Most are yoga mats and rollers.
Lots of references included at the end.
Keep this book handy for muscle aches.
7 Ways to Stop Overthinking After 60: Practical Tips to Feel Calmer Every Day by Ottie Oz
Like this book for many reasons. It has straight forward thinking and what to do to overcome your worries. It's meant for retirees but I feel anybody can use it and benefit. Super love the yoga poses and especially for those with limited mobility-different ways of doing the poses with aid from the chair. Have our ducks in a row and pretty well set. Like how each chapter is laid out with CLEAR MIND. Like how each letter gets their own chapter with inner thoughts also included. Use trackers daily so we have a journal of stats when we need to refer to them. Like all the digital aids they mention also. Stories of real people are interesting especially hearing the solutions to the problems.
Great book.
Decoding Women's Gut Health: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Digestion, Balancing Hormones, and Improving Mood, Immunity, and Overall Health by Tahira Ismail
This book contains information about your gut and the other parts of your body that it all connects with.
Each chapter starts with a quote then the text. Each chapter has their own content and focuses on the points to avoid the harmful parts and how to achieve the best parts.
Bulleted lists are included. There are techniques to use to better yourself.
Conclusion ends with a summary of the chapter.
Love the section on what foods to eat and which to avoid. The process of what you put into your mouth follows the path til it's expelled. Very technical terms are used. Pay attention to women's section due to lack of hormones as we age.
Journal and fasting are discussed also and what to note in the journal.
Appendixes at the end include mood supported gut foods in a chart format,
References are listed by the chapter at the end of the book.
Great book to keep handy.

Anti-Inflammatory Reset for Women 40+: A 28-Day Nutrition & Lifestyle Plan to Ease Joint Pain, Optimise Hormonal Rhythm, Enhance Gut Resilience, for Consistent Energy
by Jennifer Lindsey
Starts with what to expect from this book. Discusses the 4 daily pillars: movement, sleep, stress resilience and daily tracking.
Each of these components are explained more in detail with a daily plan. Love kitchen setup and how to get rid of things that you won't be using anymore. There are a lot of medical terms that I am unfamiliar with but they are explained. The chapters are in an outline format with bullet points. Lots of different parts of your body are important and this book covers them all. Love the journal writing to keep track of your progress. Love the appendixes at the back of the book the most, what to eat, things to avoid love the section on herbs and spices and what to watch out for. References are listed at the back of the book by category.
Great book to keep handy.
The Golden Years Compass: Navigating Your Financial Voyage to a Timeless Retirement and Financial Freedom by Logan R Sterling
What I like about this book is the knowledge of finance. We have a personal advisor and this book brought up many things I want to discuss with them. I never knew Gold IRA was an investment thing. Doesn't sound as secure as other IRA's to me. Like the other methods of dealing with a lower salary *SS* vs a paycheck. Love sections of what options are out there for investing and the differences between them. Everything from before you retire to fully into the retirement mode and how to make your money last. Love the parts about the alerts as finance changes daily and so does tax laws. Book is very detailed with information and stories from others and the solutions to their problems.
Great source of information to keep handy.
Pink Salt Wellness Reset: Hydration Made Simple—32 Mineral-Rich Recipes & Rituals, Easy Morning Drinks, and a 7-Day Plan to Reduce Bloat, Boost Energy, and Feel Lighter
by Claudia Lynne
What like about this book is that there is so much to it. Simple easy things to do and add to your drinks to make them not only flavorful but have the right minerals your body needs for cells, blood, etc. Keep records of how you fell as the days go by and see the differences by the need of a week. Also has recipes and more in the appendixes. Appendixes also include other foods you can pair together that taste really good. References are included.
What I like the most is the Q&A section, it shows symptom-cramps and book tells you to to eliminate that problem. Also has sections on self care using pink salt towards the end for your outer body.
Be sure to check with your doctor if you use blood pressure meds.
Great resource book, keep this one handy.
Search & Find National Parks Animals: Western Wonders by Kota Bear Books
Educational, colorful, children's book *for adults also* Instructions for how to use the book are shown at the very start.
1. read rhyme, what animal is it? 2. spot ranger. 3. collect the badge
Colorful pictures makes this book so much more fun. Love when you learn what animal it is they tell you a bit about them. Each chapter also has a title of where the animal is located, very specific to that area. Collage of national park emblems are shown at the back of the book. More books with the Ranger listed at the end.
Grampy, the Rhino and the Soda by Todd Cardin
Love this free hand sketched colorful children's book about a family that plans to go drive through the safari. Problem is dad is sick and so is mom. Her ask the aunt but no answer, then the grandma but she's busy with friends, but hey Grampy is free.
There are problems with that as he doesn't like to use seat belts or follow rules.
They do end up going but Grampy doesn't follow rules and the rhino finds the soda can.
Ranger is upset and tells Grampy not to come back. Something magical happens and all is well. Love the animals that are there.
Great book for the kids.
It’s Amazing To Be Eight: An Inspiring Beginner Chapter Book for 8-Year-Old Girls about Self-Confidence, Friendship, and Inner Strength by Emma Meyer
Story about Mona and she's turning eight now. She and her two best friends watch as she opens gifts and loves them til her uncle's gift. In the past he's not sent appropriate gifts. this year it's a blue tent. Her friends go crazy over it and help set it up. Her brother and his robot help to find the missing pole. The girls decorate it in girlie girl things, glitter, hanging lights, etc. She tries to understand when she is so tired. She wants to please everybody, goes shopping with her mom, then she help sher friend redo her treehouse and then home for a nap but she missed the pizza party at her other friends house. Her mom explains you have to say no to some things because they will all together one day make you too tired. Then homework assignment is finally done but jelly is spilled over it. She's so afraid the teacher won't accept it and will fail her. she walks with her girl friends and they talk to the teacher.
Growth spurts is the next and she's ashamed none of her clothes fit any more. Her friends understand as they've been through it also. Love this series because of the problems and the solutions they come up with.
Great entertainment.
knitting books
Knitting Cowlettes by Safiyyah Talley
Book starts with foreword and why cowlettes are explained.
Love the full page colors and textures of the cowlettes shown. The book advises you to choose your own story, pick the yarns, patterns and needles to begin. They guide you along the way.
Stitches and everything you need to know how to knit are explained in detail and pictures.
There are tips along the way in a gray box that are very helpful.
Each pattern starts out with a title and summary of the cowlette. Includes finished measurements, shape, gauge, notes used in pattern, yarn, needle size, and notions.
Patterns themselves are easy for anyone to accomplish and the rows are listed so you won't get lost.
Pictures of the completed item are also included. Some of the pictures are very dark along with dark background. Wish these had been taken outside, even on a gray day they would've popped the texture of the cowlettes.
Love that the cowlettes are NOT only for women but men and kids as well.
I have a hard time deciding which I want to start with first. So many to choose from.
Enjoyed this book, easy to understand and follow along.
Received this review copy from Storey Publishing via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#KnittingCowlettes #NetGalley.