Book Review: The Natural Healing Handbook: The Herbalist’s Collection of Ancient Natural Remedies & Simple Herbal Recipes to Nurture Everyday Wellness & Vitality by Mira Hawthorn

  

 

The Natural Healing Handbook: The Herbalist’s Collection of Ancient Natural Remedies & Simple Herbal Recipes to Nurture Everyday Wellness & Vitality by Mira Hawthorn

What I like about this book is when you first open it up and see the list of chapters in the book you realize it can help cure any issue you have with your body: sleep, brain fog, joints etc and recipes are included and sound so easy and simple to make and use. Love section for older adults the best. It's where I'm at right now in my life.

Love intro material about hydration and movement and just things everybody should be doing daily to keep going strong.

Each chapter starts out with a summary of what's included. Each item has a color picture, title, summary, list of ingredients, and step by step prep. Also tells you how ot use it, how often and how much, no guessing.

Also has notes and tag and clinical dada.

What a super resource book to keep handy in the kitchen. 

Book Review: The Thirteenth Apostle: A Thriller by Jo Anne Barnes

  

 

The Thirteenth Apostle: A Thriller by Jo Anne Barnes 

This story starts out with Wendy and she's a city horticulturist. She also works weekend nights at a bar to earn money for a new car.

Story also follows a man who is stalking her. He uses many names and is so precise about using gloves so his DNA is not available at the crime scenes.

Very frightening scenes as he kills others before he is able to take her, again. The local police investigator, Shawn is very sympathetic and they fall for one another. He tries to reassure her and how to watch your surroundings. He equips her with tools also that she can use. Like connection she has with Shawn's son Chip who is an avid baseball player. He's got a great coach also who listens to him. I had a feeling, but I'm always wrong when I think I know who the stalker is.

Like the very descriptive details in this one and they are there for purposes that you will understand later in the book. Colorful tiles sound like a great hobby to do, peaceful and calming and such beautiful shades of colors for a window with sun coming in behind it.

Stalker is also hearing his mother talk to his conscious as she had sold him for $100 when he was younger. She's telling him what to do about the girls in his life and he tries to please her.

When he tires of trying to get Wendy he searches for others.

Very creepy and chilling to the bone for me as I do read thrillers but this one stuck with me, I couldn't put the book down and finished in one night. Like the connection about Paul the 13th apostle and the religious references in the book, scriptures from the Bible. 

May 26 The Ledger by Steven Manchester

  

 

The Ledger by Steven Manchester

This story is a bit different from the author's regular works. Enjoyed the read and just learning more about prison life and how those behind bars survive to do it all again another day.

We learn about the lives of:  the prisoner, an officer and the sergeant from all different angles.

Some stories are gruesome, some tragic.  It's the real life in the prison.

There is one given another chance from God but before he could get on the good side he had to experience the bad side first. 

Author is so very descriptive with his words I can picture myself watching it LIVE with them as it's happening. This would be a great movie!

So very realistic, I remember my father who was a local cop but had state police training talk about some of his work.  God keeps the ledger and you have to prove your life to him to get to heaven.

Can't wait for more from Steven.

Received a review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

 

May 26 Remember Me Always, Cowboy Book 1 of Coffee Creek Montana by CJ Carmichael

  

 

Remember Me Always, Cowboy Book 1 of Coffee Creek Montana  by CJ Carmichael

In this story we meet Laurel who now works at a local bakery. She had arrived for her friends' wedding, Winnie. Problem is she had met the groomsman and they had spent the night together.  Emergency occurs and the car crashed leaving the groom dead and the groomsman with no memory. 

Drama occurs when Laurel thinks she's pregnant. Winnie is also...

Corb has no memory but Laurel seems to know a lot about him. He can't figure out why til she tells him they had talked extensively....

Like hearing of the time she spend at his mothers who runs the whole show. That rather spoiled it for me and obviously it spoiled the plans for Laurel as she left to go back to NYC.

Lots of drama. Love the background of the scenery, location and this new town for me to learn about. Love descriptions of food and fashion scenes.

Like turmoil with a sister/aunt.

Like next chapters in the next series and where that one is going...

 

Book Review: A Very Coastal Christmas (Cozy Christmas) by Camille Cabrera

  

 

A Very Coastal Christmas (Cozy Christmas) by Camille Cabrera 

This sstory starts out with Blue and she's on her way to town via the welands trail. She discovers a body and reports it to the police.  She is an artist with her paints, as were her grandmother and mother. She realizes that the shoreline looks a lot different than her grandmother had drawn it. 

She also runs into Charlie who is a new person in town, she knows everyone. He's the new design team, sent ahead to propose a new development to the town. It's all kept pretty quiet and we learn why late in the story.

Like how she discovers the shoreline mystery via the library books from 1800's.

Storm of the century is upon them and she' was just closing up the lighthouse when Charlie comes in and the rain has started along with lightening.  They spend the night there and talk and she understands about the development. She also explains to him the harm that will town will find if he goes further.

I am very familiar living on an island the downfall of development and harms to the town so this was an easy story to follow.  Love when she lets the light into her painting, I can just imagine who beautiful they are.

End of the book has excerpts from authors other works in the series. They all sound a good read also.

Can't wait to read more form this author. 

Book Review: Miss Emma's Regret: A Novel Inspired a True Story by Jo Anne Barnes

   

 

Miss Emma's Regret: A Novel Inspired a True Story by Jo Anne Barnes

This story is fascinating. Learned so much from it. A very strong dedicated and headstrong woman. Story goes back in time but presently the girls are ready to send her off to the nursing home. They know she's crazy and even senile but then one wants to wait another week and things seem fine. 

Going back in time we learn the real story of who Emma was. Growing up she had a hard life and we learn a lot about growing up in Mississippi. They live a poor life and she has to help with the farm chores. She likes the church but it thrown out when she dances after being told not to... She loves school and hates that she's not going to high school. Throughout her life that was one of her main goals. Even after married it was understood she'd go to school but they didn't allow married women to attend. She learns things the hard way how to survive and she flourishes with how she is able to make a living out of the chores she learned. She even can pay others to do the work and still make a profit, giving her time to take on more chores to earn yet more money. Love the travel and what she finds when she does get to New Orleans. That's one place I've yet to visit.

Love ending how granddaughter as able to help her achieve what she wants most in life. So dedicated.

Apple cake is the one thing in this book, because it's mentioned so often, that I want to taste for myself. I an just imagine what it will taste like. It brings friends together.

So much to this story, something for everyone: romance, travel, mysteries, hard work and goals.

 

Book Review: The Glass Bottom Boat (Flight to Freedom Book 1) by Laura Thomas

  

 

The Glass Bottom Boat (Flight to Freedom Book 1) by Laura Thomas

story starts with Madison and she's attending her sister's wedding in Jamaica. The groom has his brother along for the best man, Luke.  He is a missionary and she enjoys his tals of how he does his job in Mexico. It's so hard for Madison to be there surrounded by water as her parents had died in a plane crash into the water. She's always had the fear of drowning herself. Luke is gentle with her and gets her used to the water alongside her and she's getting the hang of things. She's a runner and enjoys her first in the morning runs. On one morning she finds a glass bottom boat and she has nightmares about it and her ex boyfriend. Party festivities continue during the week with rehearsals.

One morning she didn't return from her run and everybody is frantic. Luke finds her phone on the furthest part of the beach and other clues. With help from others he's able to determine where she is and with the amount of glass bottom boats he's getting closer to finding her. In the meantime we learn of her captivity and who is holding her against her will. She is able to escape one time but they caught her. Next time as she's been stretching her muscles she's able to leave again and we follow her at every turn.

What a thriller, romantic, mysteries and fers all come to light and combine to make this an escellent read. Can't wait to read more from this author, so very descriptive and keeps you on the edge of your seat.