Home Detox by Daniella Chace

 

This is a beautiful looking book, with a clean layout and pure looking photos. It echoes the ‘clean’ message of the book and is a joy to read aesthetically.

The book itself contains advice and instruction for getting rid of toxins in each room of your house so you can follow along and feel really clean and healthy afterwards. There are case studies in each chapter telling us of real life cases who have been helped by detoxing their home and were very interesting reading. There were several nuggets of information that really got me thinking and I have already made a few changes in my life after reading this book. 

However, this book is quite idealistic and I fear that you may go slightly mad after reading it, fearing all of the toxins that are waiting for you around the corner! It is hard to escape all of the toxins we encounter in every day life and whereas changing plastic chopping boards for bamboo is a pretty easy and inexpensive swap, buying a latex mattress because of all of the toxins in memory foam comes into a whole different cost bracket! I would say read the book and take from it what you can, but unless you are suffering an illness resulting from exposure to toxins, don’t stress about getting it all perfect. After all, millions of people are exposed to these toxins without knowing a thing about it and the majority are fine.

As a reader from the UK, I also noticed that the book was written from an American perspective so some of the items she suggests purchasing are not available here, but there are some fabulous blogs that I found after a quick search that give plenty of useful information.

With thanks to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for providing an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mind Your Mindset By Michael Hyatt & Megan Hyatt Miller

 

This is a very well-written, easy to read book which is packed full of information about how the brain works and how the way it is wired influences the way we think. The book also provides guidance for how we can manage our minds and overcome negative thoughts.

The book is not written with excessive jargon and it contains plenty of stories to illustrate the scientific points. However, I personally found it to be quite science-heavy and I think you have to be very curious about the brain and how it works to enjoy this book. It is not a light read like some self-help books; however it is not as complex as a textbook.

With thanks to Netgalley and Baker Books for providing an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Exploratory Writing by Alison Jones

 

I have read a lot of books about writing, but this one is something different. I really enjoyed it.

Part one is basically an introduction to exploratory writing: the science behind it and how to do it. It was a bit long for my liking and I found myself keen to get to part two. 

That was when the book really came into its own. In part two there are loads of writing exercises that are original and valuable, using techniques that I have never come across before. They really help you to get down to the core of what you are trying to say and would be ideal if you are brainstorming ideas for a book or trying to write your way out of a problem.

Don’t let the fact that this book is written for business put you off. There is plenty here for all kinds of writer, no matter how and what you write.

I would recommend this book for any writer who wants techniques to help them free up their writing and help them to plumb their hidden depths.

With thanks to Netgalley and Practical Inspiration Publishing for this advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Power Up Your Creativity by Rachael Taylor

 

I have done several online courses with Rachael Taylor so was very excited to receive an advance review copy of her new book.

As expected, the book was full of bright colours and bold, funky patterns in Rachael’s trademark style. The book was written well but, perhaps because I’ve done so many of Rachael’s courses, there was nothing new here for me with regards to creativity. However, that is my personal opinion and, despite that, I would definitely say this book is worth reading if you want a boost to your creativity.

Although I enjoyed the book, there was one thing about it that I didn’t enjoy, and I suspect it is the fault of the publishers rather than Rachael herself. Rachael is English, a ‘proud Liverpudlian’, yet the text was written in US English, with references to power outlets, freshly baked cookies and words like ‘color’ and ‘favorite’. These ‘Americanisms’ are glaringly out of place in a book written by an Englishwoman and I found them irritating and off-putting to my reading experience. 

Perhaps the ARC that I received was an American edition, but if that is the case, it implies that Americans cannot read British English, which is absurd. I’m sure British editions of American books are not updated to reflect our language. I know they’re not.

So I dropped a star from my rating because Americanising an English writer’s words is completely unacceptable.

If you can overlook this, I found the book to be open, authentic and vulnerable and certainly worth a read.

With thanks to Netgalley and Quarry Books for an advance review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Untamed Witch by Lidia Pradas

This is a very comprehensive book that is written for more advanced witches. It contains facts and knowledge that I have not read before in other similar books. The writing style is clear and to-the-point and any superfluous words have been removed making it a tight, straightforward read.

The point of the book is to practice witchcraft in your own way. So although it contains correspondences and general witchcraft information such as moon phases, ritual tools, the eight Sabbats and other established elements of the craft, the author is clear about the importance of developing your own craft in relation to where and how you live, rather than relying on prescriptions set out in books.

I was really enjoying the book, then I reached this:

“Another cycle that has been traditionally linked to magick forces, for good and bad, is menstruation. Historically it has been seen as something powerful, but it has also been used to deem menstruating people, particularly women, as ‘unclean’”

So historically, menstruating women were unclean, but mentruating men were ok. What?? This is one of the most ridiculous sentences I have ever read. Can anyone seriously claim that men menstruate? 

After reading this I began to question the wisdom and reliability of this author and found it hard to take anything else she wrote seriously, not because I think she truly believes that men menstruate, but because the inclusion of that sentence made her lose all credibility with me. It was a similar experience to when an obvious anachronism pulls you abruptly out of an historical novel and makes you distrust the rest of that author’s research. I’m surprised this got past the editors, to be honest.

Due to the fact that this completely spoiled the book for me I am taking two stars off my rating. It would have been three but for the fact that up to that point I was enjoying the book and was impressed with it.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐

The Science of Nutrition by Rhiannon Lambert

This is a very easy to read book that thoroughly covers everything we may want to know about nutrition. Many myths about food and diet are debunked and we are given the truths we need to know about how to have a healthy relationship with food. The book is beautifully laid out and explains everything clearly without jargon. Recommended for everyone with an interest in nutrition and who wants to live a healthier life.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love by Donna Ashworth

Here is yet another volume of wonderful poetry from Donna Ashworth, this one focusing on love in all of its forms. She is a truly talented writer who is capable of writing words that really speak to the soul. Many of the poems resonated with me at a deep level and as they range in tone from happy and upbeat to sad and poignant, there is something here for everyone and every mood. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading poetry and to those who don’t, I’m sure you will find something here to fall in love with.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐