non fiction

Non Fiction Review: A Year of Mindfulness for Beginners

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A Year of Mindfulness for Beginners by Lee Papa
A Year of Mindfulness for Beginners: Daily Mantras, Meditations, and Prompts
by Lee Papa (Goodreads Author)

2 out of 5 stars


This book includes inspirational quotes from famous people like Nikola Tesla and Eleanor Roosevelt. I really loved these interesting quotes from a wide variety of people!

Most of the meditation prompts and guidance in this book are innocent reminders to release stress, focus on what is important, believe in yourself, and allow yourself to relax. But sometimes there will be a weird one that made me wonder about the underlying philosophy that is being taught in this book. It is very focused on self, and talks about an “Eternal Consciousness”. There is an entire chapter about interpreting your dreams that sounded completely idiotic to me.

There is a lot of talk about “creating your own reality” and other strange ideas. (Reality is reality. You can change your perception of it or how you think about it, but what is real is real. You don’t create it. It just is.) While reading, I would just try to enjoy the normal meditations and mindfulness prompts, and skip over the weird ones.
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Non Fiction Review: Family Cookbook Recipe Journal

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Family Cookbook Recipe Journal by Rockridge Press
Family Cookbook Recipe Journal: A Blank Recipe Book for Family Favorites
by Rockridge Press

5 out of 5 stars

This blank recipe journal is perfect for writing in all your favorite family recipes! It’s divided into color-coded sections that you can label any way you want. You could organize the sections by which family member submits the recipe, or by the type of recipe, or by the time it takes to cook.

Each section has a title page where you can write in the title you have chosen for that group of recipes, and a contents page where you write in the page numbers for each individual recipe in that section. The contents page makes it easy to find any recipe you need!

Each page has a colorful design with a place for the title of the recipe, a list of ingredients, prep time, cook time, how many servings it makes, and plenty of room for instructions and notes.

I just love the colors and the designs throughout this book. There are simple illustrations of cooking utensils, pots and pans, salt and pepper shakers, oven mitts, tea pots, and all sorts of cute things. There is also a measurement conversion chart at the back of the book for easy use!

The construction of the book is quite sturdy as well, to withstand a few generations of cooks spilling things in the kitchen. The pages are a little thicker than normal, and the cover is thick for a paperback too.

I can’t wait to start writing in some favorite recipes!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Non Fiction Review: Weight Training for Women

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Weight Training for Women by Brittany Noelle
Weight Training for Women: Exercises and Workout Programs for Building Strength with Free Weights
by Brittany Noelle

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives excellent advice for beginners about how to plan a weight training program for yourself. It talks about the benefits of weight training, how to stay safe and avoid injuries, how to set fitness goals for yourself, and the importance of warm-up and cool-down exercises. There is some advice about nutrition, how to incorporate cardio into your fitness plan, and how to track your progress.
There is an entire chapter just about the equipment and proper gym etiquette. You can also set up a gym at home with the guidelines in this book.
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Non Fiction Review: The Hand Lettering Workbook

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The Hand Lettering Workbook by Amanda Kammarada
The Hand Lettering Workbook: Step-by-Step Instructions, Practice Pages, and DIY Projects
by Amanda Kammarada

5 out of 5 stars

This book is perfect for lettering beginners who want to be more creative and artistic! The instructions are clear and everything is demonstrated step by step. I really love that all the different elements of handwriting are analysed and explained in detail. They explain each component like down-strokes and up-strokes, letter height, the weight of pressure on the pen, and those little brackets that stick out from the ends of the letters (which are called “serifs”). There is also an extensive list of materials that are good to use, like types of pens and markers, paper thickness, and watercolors.

I love that there are so many practice pages in this book! They really break down each lettering style into simple components and then give you a chance to practice each pen stroke separately before putting it all together. The book teaches both blocked and calligraphy styles, and then you can get creative with making the style into your own unique handwriting. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Literally

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Literally by Patrick Skipworth
Literally: Amazing Words and Where They Come From
by Patrick Skipworth

3 out of 5 stars

I love etymology and history and how words develop through time! This is such a great look at how certain English words have been borrowed from other languages.

However, I was disappointed that there are only 12 words showcased in this book. And even those are only described very briefly in one paragraph for each word. Each entry informs the reader about the pronunciation, origin, English meaning, and original meaning, and then has a small paragraph with the story of how the word came to be included in English and how its meaning changed. It’s good, but left me wanting more. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Every Second

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Every Second by Bruno Gibert
Every Second
by Bruno Gibert

4 out of 5 stars

This book features things that happen each second around the world. 4 babies are born and 2 people die every second. 40 pairs of jeans and 48 smartphones are bought every second. 100 lightning bolts strike the earth every second! From natural phenomenon to text messages, this book gives some surprising numbers about how often things happen every second.

I liked how this book was organized! All the facts are really interesting, and they are illustrated with crisp art work. I also appreciated that the sources for all these numbers are listed in the back of the book, so you can determine for yourself how reliable the source might be. Continue reading →

Activity Book Review: Paint by Sticker

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Paint by Sticker by Workman Publishing
Paint by Sticker: Create 12 Masterpieces One Sticker at a Time!
by Workman Publishing

5 out of 5 stars

This activity book has 12 beautiful designs, and hundreds of stickers in little mosaic shapes! It’s so easy to put the stickers into place, and the finished product looks wonderful. It’s very relaxing and helped me to get creative. You really feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish!

The stickers are sturdy and easy to remove from the sticker sheet. The colors are vibrant and it’s simple to follow the instructions to find the right placement for each sticker. I really loved that the pages are perforated, so that you can tear out the sticker sheet or the design or both. That way you don’t have to keep flipping back and forth in the book.

I love the clever designs and beautiful colors! This is perfect for anytime you have some anxiety and need a calm activity.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Non Fiction Review: The Sleep Workbook

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The Sleep Workbook by Renata Alexandre
The Sleep Workbook: Easy Strategies to Break the Anxiety-Insomnia Cycle
by Renata Alexandre

5 out of 5 stars

This book begins with an analysis of why people might have trouble falling asleep, and explains different sleep disorders. Then the author uses cognitive behavioral therapy to gently guide the reader into a better sleep pattern that will leave you feeling refreshed and energetic.

There are several sleep assessment quizzes you can take to determine some of the causes and details of your sleep issues. This really helps to pinpoint personal habits you might have that are hindering your sleep, or specific anxieties that are keeping you awake at night.

At the end of each section there are some journal prompts and room to write your thoughts about your sleep journey. There is also a sleep log that you can fill out to keep track of your sleep patterns. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Daily Meditation Book of Healing

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The Daily Meditation Book of Healing by Worthy Stokes
The Daily Meditation Book of Healing: 365 Reflections for Positivity, Peace, and Prosperity
by Worthy Stokes

2 out of 5 stars


This book has a short paragraph to read each day with positive affirmations, tools for navigating difficult emotions, and ways to cultivate an attitude of healing and kindness towards yourself.

I’m not sure how I like this book. Some of the ideas are really good, about forgiving yourself, allowing yourself to be imperfect, letting go of bitterness or doubt, and embracing wonderful affirmations and positive thoughts.
But then some weird stuff about “mystical awareness” will creep in. The author seems to think that we will magically gain wisdom from within ourselves if we just listen to our subconscious mind and heart. It’s an odd philosophy, and doesn’t seem realistic. Continue reading →