Book Review: A Book That Loves You

A Book That Loves You by Irene Smit

A Book That Loves You: An Adventure in Self-Compassion (Flow)
by Irene Smit, Astrid van der Hulst, Editors of Flow magazine

4 out of 5 stars

This beautiful book has postcards, stickers, small posters, removable journal booklets, and a dozen other adorable things included! You can write lists, read poetry, make a collage, write in your thoughts, or make a paper flower. There are articles about slowing down, treating yourself with compassion, finding meaning in your life, and enjoying solitude.

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Non Fiction Review: Tarzan, Jungle King of Popular Culture

Tarzan, Jungle King of Popular Culture by David Lemmo

Tarzan, Jungle King of Popular Culture
by David Lemmo

3 out of 5 stars

The fictional character of Tarzan heralded the beginning of the superhero archetype in literature. A man who is more than a man; stronger, faster, smarter, and capable of super-human deeds of courage and glory.

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Non Fiction Review: The Breathwork Companion

The Breathwork Companion by Margaret Townsend

The Breathwork Companion: Unlock the Healing Power of Breathing
by Margaret Townsend

5 out of 5 stars

Your breath is a powerful tool to nourish your body and mind. Simple breathing exercises can unlock the healing instincts of your nervous system, and relieve stress and anxiety. You’ll sleep better, find more energy, and be able to stay calm in difficult situations. Conscious breathing can build up your immune system and help reduce inflammation in the body.

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Book Review: Stress Less

Stress Less by Kate Hanley

Stress Less: Stop Stressing, Start Living
by Kate Hanley (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives little tidbits of advice about reducing stress, living with kindness and compassion, and finding ways to alleviate tension. Most of the advice is commonplace, but presented in a fresh way that makes you think a little differently about it.

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Book Review: If I Had Lunch with C.S. Lewis

If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis by Alister E. McGrath

If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis: Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis on the Meaning of Life
by Alister E. McGrath

4 out of 5 stars

The author postulates what subjects might arise if you had lunch with Lewis. Taking quotes from Lewis’ written works, we can guess what direction the conversation would take and generalize things that Lewis would probably say. However, this is not a book of imagined dialogue. It is a compilation of generalizations and paraphrases about what the author thinks Lewis would be likely to think and say on certain topics.

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Non Fiction Review: Ornamentation

Ornamentation by Valery Lloyd-Watts

Ornamentation: A Question & Answer Manual
by Valery Lloyd-Watts, Carole L. Bigler, Willard A. Palmer

5 out of 5 stars

This book gives valuable information about how to interpret ornamentation markings such as trills, turns, and mordents in music. Each era of music had their own style of ornamentation with slight differences, so it can sometimes be difficult to determine exactly how the composer intended their ornaments to be played. This book clears away all that confusion, and gives precise instructions about how to play ornaments in music from all the eras.

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Non Fiction Book Reviews: Atlas of Extinct Animals and Atlas of Endangered Animals

Atlas of Extinct Animals by Radek Malý
Atlas of Endangered Animals by Radek Malý

Atlas of Extinct Animals
by Radek Malý, Pavel Dvorský, Jiří Grbavčic

Atlas of Endangered Animals
by Radek Malý, Pavel Dvorský, Pavla Dvorská

4 out of 5 stars

The Atlas of Extinct Animals lists information about particular species that have now tragically gone extinct, and the Atlas of Endangered Animals gives information about currently endangered species.

I really like the design of these books; on one side there is a full-page illustration of the animal, and on the other side a page of text detailing in what type of habitat the animal lived, its main characteristics, and what it ate, and finally how it went extinct or why it is currently endangered. There is even a little map, showing where the animal lived or lives.

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Non Fiction Review: Atlas of Cats

Atlas of Cats by Helena Haraštová

Atlas of Cats
by Helena Haraštová ,Jana Sedlackova, Giulia Lombardo (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives information about all the different breeds of cats, how they first developed, what their temperaments are like, and how to tell them apart from other cat breeds. There are also cat stories told from the perspective of the cats in their own newspaper, “Meow News”.

This book is so adorable! I love the attractive design and the sweet artwork. Every page is so colorful, and all the kitties are so cute!

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Non Fiction Review: A Dab of Dickens and a Touch of Twain

A Dab of Dickens  A Touch of Twain by Elliot Engel

A Dab of Dickens A Touch of Twain: Literary Lives from Shakespeare’s Old England to Frost’s New England
by Elliot Engel

2 out of 5 stars

This book gives short biographies of literature’s greatest authors and poets, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Poe, the Brontes, the Brownings, Dickens, George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Hardy, Doyle, D.H. Lawrence, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Frost.

These are actually classroom lectures that have been written out, and the writing style reflects that. It doesn’t feel like a normal biography or literary essay. The style is more conversational. I really hated that, because the author tries to be funny and clever and does not succeed. The dad jokes are numerous.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Antarctica The Melting Continent

Antarctica by Karen Romano Young

Antarctica: The Melting Continent
by Karen Romano Young

3 out of 5 stars

The author tells all about their expeditions to Antarctica, the animals that live there, the different types of ice, and how scientists are still learning more about the southern continent. We learn about the history of exploration in Antarctica, and how the South Pole was discovered. We learn about the different glaciers and science stations with maps to show their locations.

It really gets on my nerves when science books talk about scientific theories as if they were fact, and they don’t tell the reader that it’s just a theory. It’s so unethical, and it’s misleading. It makes me not trust anything else they say, because who knows what else they could be lying to the reader about. If you don’t have the evidence to prove something, then you shouldn’t be pretending like it’s a fact. That’s dishonest. It would be so easy to clear up these misunderstandings if they would just admit that it’s a theory!

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