Book Reviews
This is the main category for my book reviews. Every book I've reviewed will be listed in this category. If you wish to fine-tune your search, try searching by a specific category, such as cookbooks, fantasy, historical fiction, etc. (the category list is at the bottom of this page).
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Book Review: The Emperor’s Aeronaut
As a long-time reader of Shelley Adina's Victorian era steampunk adventures, I'll admit I was a bit hesitant to step into the Regency era with her. I was also unfamiliar with R.E. Scott's…
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Book Review: Eat & Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being
If you're looking for a light and fluffy 'fix yourself with food' book, this isn't it. If you're looking for a traditional cookbook, this isn't that, either.
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Book Review: Anni Dreams of Biryani
Anni Dreams of Biryani by Namita Moolani Mehra My rating: 3 of 5 stars Even though I’m a grown-up, I found the story amusing and fun – with a good building of tension…
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Book Review: Shadow Catchers (A Max & Colby Adventure #6)
Shadow Catchers by Janis Hennessey My rating: 5 of 5 stars A charming little story where two friendly dogs help children understand what shadows are. One of the dogs is scared of his…
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Book Review: Seriously Good Chili Cookbook
Fans of "The Office" will understand why Brian Baumgartner is the obvious choice to present this chili cookbook. I'll be honest: I've never seen an episode of "The Office". So, I was curious…
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Book Review: Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends No Waste Cookbook
I became interested in this cookbook thanks to the words, 'No Waste' in the title, and the practical spiral binding which allows the book to lay flat when open.
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Book Review: Signal Moon
A couple of decades ago I was sitting in my car, parked at the side of the road next to a bus stop in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the bus to…
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Book Review: How to Master the Art of Writing Children’s Books
If you're of the opinion that children are simple creatures who are content with simple books that are absurdly easy to produce, you need to take a step back and read this book.
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Book Review: Fix the World
There's lots of ways to break the world, and plenty of diverse, interesting ways to fix it. There's twelve good examples in this engaging, enjoyable, extremely inclusive, joyously LBGTQ+ anthology
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Book Review: Flavor by Fire
What drew me to this cookbook was the promise of flavor. Dietary restrictions in my household mean that I strive to cook delicious meals while staying very low-sodium.
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Book Review: A Cry For Mercy
Peter Okonkwo is a self-defined fatalist poet with a gift for cutting directly to the chase. His poems are unflinchingly angry, his scenarios heartbreakingly dismal.
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Book Review: 1980: America’s Pivotal Year
I had trouble getting into the groove of this book, as I kept waiting for that light-bulb moment when I would be convinced that 1980 was a pivotal year.
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Book Review: Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka
Half cookbook, half memoir, wholly satisfying. I recommend settling in to read Rambutan as you would read a memoir, while keeping a pad of post-it bookmarks handy to mark recipes you'll want to…
- Biographies and Autobiographies, Book Reviews, History, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Womens Literature, Young Adult
Book Review: The Rebel Girls Handbook
This colorful, engaging book provides an introduction to 300-plus notable women throughout history, along with a few facts about each of them and what they've accomplished.
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Book Review: Thistlefoot
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott My rating: 5 of 5 stars A retelling of the old Russian/Ukraine/Belarus stories about Baba Yaga and her chicken-footed house. This time around though, she’s not just a creepy,…
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Book Review: Triggernometry
The clever title word caught my attention, and the teaser blurb had me lunging for the 'buy' button. But as a lifelong Mathophobic, I wondered if I'd be able to really get into…
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Book Review: Crudrat
This charmer of a story highlights relationships between lifeforms, first and foremost. It's a YA story filled with intimate bonds that aren't romantic, family dynamics that are both adversarial and caring, and even…
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Book Review: The Trials and Tribulations of Miss Tilney
Our intrepid Miss Tilney definitely endures trials and tribulations, which have been heaped upon her by her own choice.
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Book Review: Two Poems by Peter Okonkwo
I enjoy poetry of all sorts, whether it’s cheesy limericks, genteel sonnets of love, harsh dystopian viewpoints, odes to nature, and more. In the category of ‘more’ is the work of Peter Okonkwo.…
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Book Review: Blown Away
Blown Away by Holly Day My rating: 3 of 5 stars Espen is the closest you can get to being a big cuddly teddy bear. He loves his creature comforts (and yes, I…
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Book Review: Modern Asian Baking at Home
Modern Asian Baking at Home: Essential Sweet and Savory Recipes for Milk Bread, Mooncakes, Mochi, and More; Inspired by the Subtle Asian Baking Community by Kat Lieu My rating: 5 of 5 stars…
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Book Review: The Fulton Fish Market: A History
Years ago, when I lived in New Jersey, I'd take weekend trips into 'The City' to explore its nooks and crannies. When I mentioned to a friend that I'm always interested in a…
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Book Review: Smorgasbowl
We quickly learned to love bowl dinners, but they've been limited to spaghetti, chili with cheese, and the occasional homemade ramen vegetable soup. But that's about to change.
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Book Review: All Dressed Up
All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’m a huge fan of murder mysteries, and have been ever since discovering the Nancy Drew mystery series in grade school.…
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Book Review: Dare vs the Doll
This very short story is sassy, weird and oddly cute. The dialog is giggle-worthy sass, and the situation is so far removed from the realm of possibility that you just can't help but…
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Book Review: Real Sugar is Hard to Find
Real Sugar is Hard to Find by Sim Kern My rating: 5 of 5 stars It’s always a good day when I add a new author to my ‘favorite writer’s’ list. Sim Kern’s…
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Book Review: Atlantis Solved
The author made a really good case for having found Atlantis. He really did.
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Book Review: Gone But Not Furgotten
I cannot, and never will, resist a book that celebrates cats! I pounced like a kitten on Gone but Not Furgotten.
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Book Review: Deuces are Wild (Aces High, Jokers Wild Book 6)
If you've been following along since book one, The Hands We’re Given, by now you've probably come to think of Base 1407's Wild Cards team as friends, or perhaps they've become your fictional…
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Book Review: Cricut: 11 Books in 1
When an instructional book does exactly what it says on the tin (thanks for that cliché, England), I have to rate it five stars.
