Review: Find Your Calm: A Workbook to Manage Anxiety

Find Your Calm: A Workbook to Manage Anxiety
Find Your Calm: A Workbook to Manage Anxiety by Jaime Zuckerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has specific and helpful exercises to work with your anxiety. It has different parts focusing on different areas like being with your body or sitting with the hard things. I have found some of the exercises to be tremendously helpful and others to be not as significant but that’s what’s so great about the book: you can use the items that are helpful to you and you do not need to read it sequentially for it to be beneficial. If you suffer from bouts of anxiety, I am confident you will find some of these exercises to be beneficial.

with gratitude to edelweiss and Wellfleet Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature: Tips and Techniques for Drawing and Painting Nature on Location

The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature: Tips and Techniques for Drawing and Painting Nature on Location
The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature: Tips and Techniques for Drawing and Painting Nature on Location by Virginia Hein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the Urban Sketching books and this one is no exception. This particular one focuses on drawing nature. It has different sections focusing on incorporating nature into your sketches, teaching you how to draw specific elements of nature and then lots of inspiration and examples. It has a lot of technical examples and walkthroughs for drawing different trees, etc. As someone who really enjoys drawing nature, I’ve loved having both the inspiration and the technical instruction in this book.

with gratitude to netgalley and Quarry Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Wilderwomen

The Wilderwomen
The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Because I hate my hair.” Like most teenage girls, she meant herself, but hair is easier to change.

I read and loved Ruth Emmie Lang’s previous novel so I was really excited to read this one and it did not disappoint. This is the story of two sisters, Zadie and Finn, who go in search of their mother, Nora, who went missing five years ago. Finn is about to go to college, and has decided that she needs to go searching for her mother before she can make a final decision around her adoption and convinces Zadie to take this unplanned trip across the country.

Finn and Zadie both have abilities that make them a bit unusual. Finn can see/feel bits of people’s discarded memories and Zadie can sense things that haven’t happened yet. The magical realism in this book was wonderful and created some lovely characters and texture and depth that I really enjoyed.

I loved the sibling relationship, especially Zadie who was so layered and real and struggling. This beautiful book is about what it means to belong, about family, sisterhood, determination, and friendship.

Lang’s writing is lyrical and beautiful. This book was a joy to read.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Daily Joys – 167

Daily Joys – 167

 

Grateful for books. They keep me sane.

Daily Joys – 166

Daily Joys – 166

 

Still enjoying the quiet days. So grateful.

Daily Joys – 165

Daily Joys – 165

Really enjoying the quiet quiet days.

Review: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3,5 stars. Interesting but also a bit predictable. Ok mystery.

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Review: The Cartographers

The Cartographers
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting and engrossing read.

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Daily Joys – 164

Daily Joys – 164

 

Grateful today. D loves his job. I love summer.

Daily Joys – 163

Daily Joys – 163

Early morning snuggle. Love the fresh air.

Review: Nevada

Nevada
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this story of a transgender woman, Maria, who decides to take a cross-country trip after losing both her job and her relationship in one day. It’s an excellent look into some of the issues transgender folk experience, told in a clear, engrossing style. I loved it.

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Review: Nuclear Family

Nuclear Family
Nuclear Family by Joseph Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an interesting book. This is about a dysfunctional Korean family who is running a restaurant in Hawaii. their oldest son runs into the demilitarized zone when he’s in Korea (while inhabited by his grandfather’s spirit) and it wreaks havoc with the family. So much about the history of Korea and Hawaii. This was a very interesting and engrossing read.

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