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There is a common misconception when it comes to yoga. There is the automatic stereotype that yoga is mainly for thin, young men and women, who are extremely flexible. I can tell you as a yoga practitioner that I do not fit into that stereotype. That is why I loved this book, Yoga For Everyone by Dianne Bondy.
The book makes the statement right off the bat that yoga can impact everyone. It can help those with any body type, the elderly, pregnant and disabled. The book then goes through 50 yoga poses that everyone can do along with variations for each pose. The author is a yoga instructor and knows the details of each pose and how to practice safely!
I love yoga. I am not the most flexible nor am I the thinnest. Yoga is most definitely for everyone. That being said, yoga can be difficult but is not meant to make you feel that you will never accomplish the poses. The great thing about yoga is that it is not a competition and the way to gain the best benefits from yoga is to know your journey and know your limits. Never give up on yoga. If someone would have told me how far I would be since my first yoga class, I would not believe them. I see and feel the benefits of a daily yoga practice. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and Alpha Books for a copy of this book!
The book makes the statement right off the bat that yoga can impact everyone. It can help those with any body type, the elderly, pregnant and disabled. The book then goes through 50 yoga poses that everyone can do along with variations for each pose. The author is a yoga instructor and knows the details of each pose and how to practice safely!
I love yoga. I am not the most flexible nor am I the thinnest. Yoga is most definitely for everyone. That being said, yoga can be difficult but is not meant to make you feel that you will never accomplish the poses. The great thing about yoga is that it is not a competition and the way to gain the best benefits from yoga is to know your journey and know your limits. Never give up on yoga. If someone would have told me how far I would be since my first yoga class, I would not believe them. I see and feel the benefits of a daily yoga practice. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and Alpha Books for a copy of this book!
I have read Hendricks and Pekkanen’s first book, The Wife Between Us. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the suspense that they were able to create. However, there were moments that seemed repetitive and wordy which distracted me from the suspense. So, I was hesitant when I picked up their second novel, An Anonymous Girl.
The book introduces a make-up artist named Jessica Farris. While at an appointment she overhears a conversation about a research study that pays well just for answering a few questions. Sounds simple, right? She needs the money to help her mom, dad, and disabled sister. When she attends the study, not all is what it seems. The study wants to know her deepest, darkest secrets. The head of the study, Dr. Shields seems to take more of an interest in Jessica and hires her to complete more within the research project. However, something is off. Jessica feels manipulated and soon realizes how much danger she is in…
Due to the full schedule around the holidays, it took me a few days to complete this book. However, if I would have had the time, I would have finished this book in one sitting! Hendricks and Pekkanen nailed this story. My reservations before reading this book have vanished. The writing is flawless and engaging. I hated that I had to close the book and made excuses to sit and read longer. BUT THE CHARACTERS!! Wow, they created some immensely flawed and complicated characters. I found myself wanting to know more about them. I never knew who was telling the truth. This book kept me guessing until the final page. I have discovered that their first book is being made into a movie. Also, this book is already being made into a television series and it hasn’t even released yet! So pre-order this book. You will not regret it! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book!
The book introduces a make-up artist named Jessica Farris. While at an appointment she overhears a conversation about a research study that pays well just for answering a few questions. Sounds simple, right? She needs the money to help her mom, dad, and disabled sister. When she attends the study, not all is what it seems. The study wants to know her deepest, darkest secrets. The head of the study, Dr. Shields seems to take more of an interest in Jessica and hires her to complete more within the research project. However, something is off. Jessica feels manipulated and soon realizes how much danger she is in…
Due to the full schedule around the holidays, it took me a few days to complete this book. However, if I would have had the time, I would have finished this book in one sitting! Hendricks and Pekkanen nailed this story. My reservations before reading this book have vanished. The writing is flawless and engaging. I hated that I had to close the book and made excuses to sit and read longer. BUT THE CHARACTERS!! Wow, they created some immensely flawed and complicated characters. I found myself wanting to know more about them. I never knew who was telling the truth. This book kept me guessing until the final page. I have discovered that their first book is being made into a movie. Also, this book is already being made into a television series and it hasn’t even released yet! So pre-order this book. You will not regret it! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book!
I have been practicing yoga for over 5 years. Not only does it help build up strength and flexibility but it is also great for practicing mindfulness and improving concentration. It has been such a huge help in dealing with my OCD and anxiety. Yoga For Kids by Susannah Hoffman only makes sense. The book discusses in the introduction that kids also deal with stresses in everyday life. Practicing yoga at a young age can help them immensely as they get older. Not only that, but it helps their body physically as they grow!
My kids always love joining when I practice yoga. However, after reading this book, I think it is so important that I make yoga a part of their daily routine. This book is so well done. It is bright and colorful filled with pictures of the kids in each pose. The book introduces poses in a fun way that children will enjoy, along with fun names for each pose. After the few pose introductions, the book gives sample sequences. On each page, there is also a blurb for the grown-ups to give them advice about each pose, why it is important and how to make sure they are in the pose correctly. Also at the end of the book, there is a glossary that names lists all the poses along with their Sanskrit names if the grown-up wants to incorporate that as well.
This book is very short, only about 75 pages. It is only meant to be an introduction to yoga. Overall I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and I can’t wait to read it to my kids and practice together!
Thank you NetGalley and DK Children for a copy of the book!
My kids always love joining when I practice yoga. However, after reading this book, I think it is so important that I make yoga a part of their daily routine. This book is so well done. It is bright and colorful filled with pictures of the kids in each pose. The book introduces poses in a fun way that children will enjoy, along with fun names for each pose. After the few pose introductions, the book gives sample sequences. On each page, there is also a blurb for the grown-ups to give them advice about each pose, why it is important and how to make sure they are in the pose correctly. Also at the end of the book, there is a glossary that names lists all the poses along with their Sanskrit names if the grown-up wants to incorporate that as well.
This book is very short, only about 75 pages. It is only meant to be an introduction to yoga. Overall I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and I can’t wait to read it to my kids and practice together!
Thank you NetGalley and DK Children for a copy of the book!
I have read several of Julie Klassen’s novels and this one did not disappoint. The Bride of Ivy Green is the third book in the Tales from Ivy Hill series. I have only read this book and the second book, The Ladies of Ivy Cottage. This book picks up where the second one left off. Mercy’s brother is moving into the cottage with his new wife, who makes it well known that Mercy is not welcome. Mercy has to make a decision regarding her future since she has to close her school. Jane is also reconnected with Gabriel Locke, he makes his intentions known but she can’t bear to disappoint him since she cannot have children. However, Ivy Hill goes through some changes as a new mysterious dressmaker comes to town. Will these ladies be able to overcome these obstacles and find the path they are destined for? And what about love?
I just love Julie Klassen’s writing. She has focus and even though the point of view changes often, it is always a smooth transition. I still feel like I am missing something though since I have not read the first book. That is the only problem with this series, they are not standalone novels. Each book has distinct information that carries over into the next book. I really hope there is another book in the series though!
I do love the characters. Every single character seems realistic despite the time period and their situation. The only character I did not like is Helena. (Mercy’s sister-in-law) However, it made Mercy that much more admirable. I also love the descriptions of Ivy Hill. Can I live there, please? It sounds like it is straight out of a dream. Overall, this book is a wonderful read and I hope that there will be more. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bethany House Publishers and Julie Klassen for a copy of this book!
I just love Julie Klassen’s writing. She has focus and even though the point of view changes often, it is always a smooth transition. I still feel like I am missing something though since I have not read the first book. That is the only problem with this series, they are not standalone novels. Each book has distinct information that carries over into the next book. I really hope there is another book in the series though!
I do love the characters. Every single character seems realistic despite the time period and their situation. The only character I did not like is Helena. (Mercy’s sister-in-law) However, it made Mercy that much more admirable. I also love the descriptions of Ivy Hill. Can I live there, please? It sounds like it is straight out of a dream. Overall, this book is a wonderful read and I hope that there will be more. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bethany House Publishers and Julie Klassen for a copy of this book!
Wow. Holy plot twists Batman! Keep Her Close by Erik Therme is chock-full of twists and surprises. It starts out with introducing a couple named Dan and Holly who are off to see a late night movie. In the parking garage, they find an abandoned little girl dirty and freezing. Fifteen years later, Holly and Dan are divorced but share custody of Ally (the abandoned girl). However, one day she received a letter in the mail signed by someone claiming to be her real father. Ally decides to go meet the man alone. Now she is missing and Dan will stop at nothing to make sure she is safe.
Where to begin? Well, I suppose I should start with that I am amazed how the surprises just kept popping up. This is what kept me glued to the page. I felt that there was a new twist every few chapters. This helped the pacing immensely and made it difficult to put the book down. Now, for my other thoughts. I really didn’t enjoy any of the characters. The did not seem realistic to me. I know this is fiction but I could not relate to any of them. They kept making the stupidest decisions that made me question it out loud. (Trust me, I was driving my husband crazy with that.)
Overall I rate the book 3.5 out of 5 stars. I think the overall plot is amazing. The story developed well. There are a bit too many of extra subplots that made some points a little tedious but overall it is definitely quite the page-turner.
Thank you, NetGalley, for a copy of this book!
Where to begin? Well, I suppose I should start with that I am amazed how the surprises just kept popping up. This is what kept me glued to the page. I felt that there was a new twist every few chapters. This helped the pacing immensely and made it difficult to put the book down. Now, for my other thoughts. I really didn’t enjoy any of the characters. The did not seem realistic to me. I know this is fiction but I could not relate to any of them. They kept making the stupidest decisions that made me question it out loud. (Trust me, I was driving my husband crazy with that.)
Overall I rate the book 3.5 out of 5 stars. I think the overall plot is amazing. The story developed well. There are a bit too many of extra subplots that made some points a little tedious but overall it is definitely quite the page-turner.
Thank you, NetGalley, for a copy of this book!
When I was finally able to start reading this book, it just happened to be the week full of cloudy and dreary days–which are my favorite! The French Girl by Lexie Elliott definitely matched the mood set by the weather.
The story begins by introducing Kate Channing, a woman who fought hard through her education and now fighting to get clients for her budding business. However, that all comes to a halt when a body is found back in France. Ten years before, Kate and 5 other friends from school were on holiday in France where they met the beautiful Severine. At the end of the trip, Severine disappears, never to be seen again until 10 years later when her body is found. Now, the six friends come together to be questioned by the detectives. All the friends have their own secrets but who is capable of murder?
Lexie Elliott does an amazing job at keeping her readers guessing! There always doubt throughout the story. Whenever evidence or hints were dropped, I was still unsure. Even the characters who were wonderfully likable seemed suspicious at times. However, like most psychological thrillers, there is a lot of build-ups and that takes away from the suspense and the pacing. The beginning is slow but it does pick up mid-way through the book.
One thing I thought to myself while reading this book is, “Sweet baby Jesus, these characters drink a lot.” I feel like every time the characters get together there are heavy amounts of alcohol involved…which usually leads to bad decision making. This is not a bad thing, because these are the moments when the author sneaks some hints in. I also loved the small addition of a love story. Normally, I hate when there is a love story just so there is a love story. But that is not the case here. It is always there in the background and it helps the plotline immensely. I for one absolutely loved that little addition.
Overall I rate this book 4 out 5 stars. I never wanted to put it down. I love the characters and the writing is STUNNING!
Thank you to Goodreads, Berkley Books and Lexie Elliott for a copy of this book!
The story begins by introducing Kate Channing, a woman who fought hard through her education and now fighting to get clients for her budding business. However, that all comes to a halt when a body is found back in France. Ten years before, Kate and 5 other friends from school were on holiday in France where they met the beautiful Severine. At the end of the trip, Severine disappears, never to be seen again until 10 years later when her body is found. Now, the six friends come together to be questioned by the detectives. All the friends have their own secrets but who is capable of murder?
Lexie Elliott does an amazing job at keeping her readers guessing! There always doubt throughout the story. Whenever evidence or hints were dropped, I was still unsure. Even the characters who were wonderfully likable seemed suspicious at times. However, like most psychological thrillers, there is a lot of build-ups and that takes away from the suspense and the pacing. The beginning is slow but it does pick up mid-way through the book.
One thing I thought to myself while reading this book is, “Sweet baby Jesus, these characters drink a lot.” I feel like every time the characters get together there are heavy amounts of alcohol involved…which usually leads to bad decision making. This is not a bad thing, because these are the moments when the author sneaks some hints in. I also loved the small addition of a love story. Normally, I hate when there is a love story just so there is a love story. But that is not the case here. It is always there in the background and it helps the plotline immensely. I for one absolutely loved that little addition.
Overall I rate this book 4 out 5 stars. I never wanted to put it down. I love the characters and the writing is STUNNING!
Thank you to Goodreads, Berkley Books and Lexie Elliott for a copy of this book!
The Secrets of a Viscount by Linda Rae Sande is a Regency Romance and the third book in The Widows of the Aristocracy Series. I have had the opportunity to meet Linda Rae Sande at the 2017 InD’Scribe Con. She is absolutely wonderful! I have read some of her other works but nothing from this series before. This book introduces two men: Godfrey, Viscount Thorncastle and Adam Comber, Viscount Breckinridge. Godfrey sends a marriage proposal to widow Elise Burroughs Batey, who he has loved for years. However, they both have made assumptions about each other over the last 15 years. Can they both acknowledge the truth? Adam Comber said he would marry by the time he turned thirty so his friend could win a bet. When he sees Diana Albright walking down the street, he knows she is the one. He immediately proposes marriage, not knowing her secrets.
This romance is a steamy one to be sure. The characters have wonderful chemistry. Linda Rae Sande always writes with a hint of humor to keep the reader smiling. However, this book is so cluttered. The book is less than 300 pages and tries to intertwine to stories in one. This takes away from plot development, character development, and causes the stories to be rushed. There is also a lot of jumping back and forth between the two couples every chapter. I think I would have been more engaged if these two stories were split up and each had their own book. The characters are fun and mischevious and I would have loved to get to know them a bit better. Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I loved the story, the characters, and the writing.
This romance is a steamy one to be sure. The characters have wonderful chemistry. Linda Rae Sande always writes with a hint of humor to keep the reader smiling. However, this book is so cluttered. The book is less than 300 pages and tries to intertwine to stories in one. This takes away from plot development, character development, and causes the stories to be rushed. There is also a lot of jumping back and forth between the two couples every chapter. I think I would have been more engaged if these two stories were split up and each had their own book. The characters are fun and mischevious and I would have loved to get to know them a bit better. Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I loved the story, the characters, and the writing.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has been on TBR pile for a while now and it saddens me that it was there that long. I finished this book yesterday and had to think about it for some time before writing this review.
The story introduces us to Starr. Starr is a 16-year-old girl trying to navigate between two different worlds: the one of Garden Heights where she lives and the prep school that she attends. She was transferred to this school after she witnesses her friend get shot during a drive-by. One night at a party, there are shots fired, so Starr and her friend Khalil hop in his car to take Starr home. While driving, they are pulled over. During this stop, Khalil is shot and killed by the police officer. His death sparks outrage. The media paints him as a drug dealer and a thug. Starr being the only witness struggles between grieving and the growing discontent in her neighborhood, her family and her friendships. With Starr being the only witness, all depends if she decides to use her voice.
I don’t know how the author did it. She managed to write a book about systemic racism, Black Lives Matter, and gang wars in an inspiring way. She handles these issues with openness to create understanding. The main character, Starr, has seen things that many grown adults have never seen. We see her rise. We see her find her voice. I also love how the author promotes family, friendships, and doing the right thing.
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.” -That Hate U Give
There were many instances while reading this book where there were tears running down my face. Moments that broke my heart. Moments that seem so real. We will in a difficult time. We believe we have come so far, but yet still have so far to go.
This book will make some readers uncomfortable, especially if they have never experienced racism. However, it is these books that are so important. I can never understand what it is like to experience these issues, but now I am learning. These books create empathy and teach us that there is a hope for a better tomorrow. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
The story introduces us to Starr. Starr is a 16-year-old girl trying to navigate between two different worlds: the one of Garden Heights where she lives and the prep school that she attends. She was transferred to this school after she witnesses her friend get shot during a drive-by. One night at a party, there are shots fired, so Starr and her friend Khalil hop in his car to take Starr home. While driving, they are pulled over. During this stop, Khalil is shot and killed by the police officer. His death sparks outrage. The media paints him as a drug dealer and a thug. Starr being the only witness struggles between grieving and the growing discontent in her neighborhood, her family and her friendships. With Starr being the only witness, all depends if she decides to use her voice.
I don’t know how the author did it. She managed to write a book about systemic racism, Black Lives Matter, and gang wars in an inspiring way. She handles these issues with openness to create understanding. The main character, Starr, has seen things that many grown adults have never seen. We see her rise. We see her find her voice. I also love how the author promotes family, friendships, and doing the right thing.
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.” -That Hate U Give
There were many instances while reading this book where there were tears running down my face. Moments that broke my heart. Moments that seem so real. We will in a difficult time. We believe we have come so far, but yet still have so far to go.
This book will make some readers uncomfortable, especially if they have never experienced racism. However, it is these books that are so important. I can never understand what it is like to experience these issues, but now I am learning. These books create empathy and teach us that there is a hope for a better tomorrow. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
House of Belonging by Andrea Thome is the third book in the Hesse Creek Series, however, it can be read as a standalone novel. I had no issues following the story or the characters. This book introduces the readers to an acclaimed chef, Laina Ming. She is starting her life anew is Aspen, Colorado. After a heartbreaking relationship that drained her emotionally and mentally, she can’t wait to start fresh. She is not ready for a new relationship, however, rancher, Logan Matthews is relentless. He is absolutely captivated by Laina and will do anything to have her in his life. Laina soon learns that she needs to live her life and try to open up to people despite their past. Logan just may be the person to help her.
This novel is full of romance, trust and second chances. I love how the author focuses on the aspect of family. Our family may not be our biological relatives but those who love and support us throughout our lives. One of my favorite parts of this book is all the diverse characters. This book truly celebrates different cultures and different walks of life, showing that love can truly be found anywhere.
Another wonderful part of the book is the characters. All the characters seemed so realistic and characters that I could relate to personally. I loved Laina Ming. Her passion and love for food is inspiring, plus she is a yogi! I loved the yoga class moments, it made me want to get up and go to class myself! Logan is as selfless as they come and is willing to do whatever he can for those he loves. I love how he is conflicted with forgiveness throughout the story. Overall, I rate this wonderful romance novel 5 out of 5 stars! The pacing is perfect and readers will just love to read this book in one afternoon!
This novel is full of romance, trust and second chances. I love how the author focuses on the aspect of family. Our family may not be our biological relatives but those who love and support us throughout our lives. One of my favorite parts of this book is all the diverse characters. This book truly celebrates different cultures and different walks of life, showing that love can truly be found anywhere.
Another wonderful part of the book is the characters. All the characters seemed so realistic and characters that I could relate to personally. I loved Laina Ming. Her passion and love for food is inspiring, plus she is a yogi! I loved the yoga class moments, it made me want to get up and go to class myself! Logan is as selfless as they come and is willing to do whatever he can for those he loves. I love how he is conflicted with forgiveness throughout the story. Overall, I rate this wonderful romance novel 5 out of 5 stars! The pacing is perfect and readers will just love to read this book in one afternoon!
This is the book humanity needs right now. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green has been a book that I have been looking forward to for about a year now. If you don’t know, Hank Green is John Green’s brother (author of books like The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down.) Hank and John also have a youtube channel called the Vlogbrothers. Hank also seems to have a ridiculous amount of jobs that I could never possibly list. In short, he is an amazing human and when this book was announced I jumped with joy!
This book introduces us to April May, a 23-year-old, graphic designer who lives in New York. On her way home from work, she notices a sculpture. Upon studying it, she realizes how truly remarkable this sculpture is. The sculpture looks somewhat like a transformer. She calls her friend Andy, who then videos her discussing the sculpture who they name, Carl. Overnight, April May and Carl go viral. However, there is not just one Carl. There are many Carl’s all over the world. April May and Andy then set off to discover more about the mystery and embrace their newfound fame. It turns out fame is not all its cracked up to be and that the mystery is more mysterious than any of them could ever imagine. April May discovers the pressures that come with being famous. However, the more important thing is Carl’s. What is their purpose, should the be feared or is their purpose something different?
Again, this book is everything I need and more. I laughed and I cried. The book is definitely filled with Hank’s sense of humor. I also sense a lot of his frustrations while reading this book. Frustrations that we all share. This book touches on so many important things. The effects of social media are huge in this story. How people treat each other and completely dehumanize those who have fame. There is a pressure to please everyone and they begin to slowly dehumanize themselves. Another theme is fear mongering and hateful rhetoric. Hank Green shows how hateful speech and rhetoric can spawn attacks and that people will act on those words. We see this in our lives right now and we can relate to this in our current political state.
However, he also truly grasps this generation. April May is not a typical woman. She is smart but makes questionable decisions. I truly enjoy Any’s character, as well. However, all the characters have their flaws. It is wonderfully refreshing. The characters are not cookie cutter characters. They are real and relatable. I also appreciate all the Freddie Mercury references. So this book receives 5 out 5 stars. I will conclude my review with this: That ending though…
This book introduces us to April May, a 23-year-old, graphic designer who lives in New York. On her way home from work, she notices a sculpture. Upon studying it, she realizes how truly remarkable this sculpture is. The sculpture looks somewhat like a transformer. She calls her friend Andy, who then videos her discussing the sculpture who they name, Carl. Overnight, April May and Carl go viral. However, there is not just one Carl. There are many Carl’s all over the world. April May and Andy then set off to discover more about the mystery and embrace their newfound fame. It turns out fame is not all its cracked up to be and that the mystery is more mysterious than any of them could ever imagine. April May discovers the pressures that come with being famous. However, the more important thing is Carl’s. What is their purpose, should the be feared or is their purpose something different?
Again, this book is everything I need and more. I laughed and I cried. The book is definitely filled with Hank’s sense of humor. I also sense a lot of his frustrations while reading this book. Frustrations that we all share. This book touches on so many important things. The effects of social media are huge in this story. How people treat each other and completely dehumanize those who have fame. There is a pressure to please everyone and they begin to slowly dehumanize themselves. Another theme is fear mongering and hateful rhetoric. Hank Green shows how hateful speech and rhetoric can spawn attacks and that people will act on those words. We see this in our lives right now and we can relate to this in our current political state.
However, he also truly grasps this generation. April May is not a typical woman. She is smart but makes questionable decisions. I truly enjoy Any’s character, as well. However, all the characters have their flaws. It is wonderfully refreshing. The characters are not cookie cutter characters. They are real and relatable. I also appreciate all the Freddie Mercury references. So this book receives 5 out 5 stars. I will conclude my review with this: That ending though…