Tag: Nonfiction

Cover for The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris

ARC Review: The Facemaker: One Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I by Lindsey Fitzharris

June 7, 2022

The Facemaker tells the story of pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Delf Gillies, who dedicated his life to reconstructing the faces of injured soldiers in his care during World War I. After reading The Butchering Art, Fizharris’ first book, I knew that I would want to read any future books that she wrote. This book surpassed … More ARC Review: The Facemaker: One Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I by Lindsey Fitzharris

Cover for Witchery by Juliet Diaz

Review: Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz

May 20, 2022

Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within was a wonderfully written and informative beginners book for witches. It covers the basics of magic, creating books of shadows and grimoires, ancestor magic, some beginner spells, and some ethical issues with practicing witchcraft.  Diaz has a wonderful style of writing that is beautifully prosaic but also very easy to … More Review: Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz

Cover for The Big Book of Tarot Meanings by Sam Magdaleno

ARC Review: The Big Book of Tarot Meanings: The Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Cards by Sam Magdaleno

April 13, 2022

This is a wonderful beginners book to understanding tarot cards. This book breaks down each card into eight categories: beginnings, career, finances, romance, friends & family, health, higher guidance, and outcome. Both upright and reversed meanings are given for each of these as well.  This book uses the Raider-Waite Tarot deck but if you have … More ARC Review: The Big Book of Tarot Meanings: The Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Cards by Sam Magdaleno

Cover for The Witch of the Forest's Guide to Earth Magick by Lindsay Squire

ARC Review: The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Earth Magick by Lindsay Squire

April 12, 2022

After reading Lindsay’s previous book Natural Magick, I knew I wanted to read this one. This was a beautifully illustrated, informative, and easy to follow book about utilizing earth magick for your craft.  This book covers casting a circle and ritual basics, the four elements, the four seasons, earth magick, crystals, divination, empath care, and … More ARC Review: The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Earth Magick by Lindsay Squire

Cover for The Witch's Guide to Wellness by Krystle L. Jordan

ARC Review: The Witch’s Guide to Wellness: Natural, Magical Ways to Treat, Heal, and Honor Your Body, Mind, and Spirit by Krystle L. Jordan

April 2, 2022

The Witch’s Guide to Wellness is a guidebook to become a healthier version of yourself by using the craft. This covers spells, rituals, potions, and food that target wellness in your home, your mind and your body. By providing a well rounded mixture of rituals and spells, Jordan targets any aspect of your life that … More ARC Review: The Witch’s Guide to Wellness: Natural, Magical Ways to Treat, Heal, and Honor Your Body, Mind, and Spirit by Krystle L. Jordan

Cover for The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte

Review: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte

April 1, 2022

This was a fascinating and very comprehensive look at the history of dinosaurs. Brusatte starts from the Early Triassic period, roughly 250 million years ago, all the way to the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago, when a giant meteor struck the earth.  Like any child of the 90s, I grew up watching Jurassic Park … More Review: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte

Cover for All that Remains by Sue Black

Review: All that Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes by Sue Black

March 29, 2022

Trigger Warnings: Graphic depictions of death and dissection. Discussions of hate crimes, murder, death of a family members and parents, grief, guilt, dementia, physician-assisted suicide, suicide, terrorist attacks, genocide, death of children, musophobia (fear of rodents), PTSD, pedophilia, child abuse Sue Black is a professor of anatomy and forensic anthropology in the UK and confronts … More Review: All that Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes by Sue Black

Cover for Spells for Change by Frankie Castanea

ARC Review: Spells for Change: A Guide for Modern Witches by Frankie Castanea

March 28, 2022

This is a wonderful guide book for beginners. The book covers meditation, grounding, cleansing, banishing, shadow work, cultural appropriation, and desettling the craft.  Frankie Castanea easily breaks down the steps to spellcraft, including herbs, crystals, and sigils. For the herbs sections, she discusses the cultural appropriation of herbs like white sage and palo santo to … More ARC Review: Spells for Change: A Guide for Modern Witches by Frankie Castanea

Cover for Coal Country by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen

Review: Coal Country by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen

March 18, 2022

As a West Virginian I remember this disaster and the trial that occurred afterwards. I picked this up because it included interviews with the families BUT the voices you hear are not the actual family members but voice actors.  I have mixed feelings about this audiobook. The interview portions were very emotional and captured the … More Review: Coal Country by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen

Cover for Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

Review: Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

March 16, 2022

Temple Grandin is a woman who changed the world of livestock industry. She advocated for better conditions for livestock animals and humane ways to kill them. She is also an advocate for autism and shows how autistic people can contribute to society.  I first learned about Temple in college and I remember watching a short … More Review: Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

Cover for Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Review: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

March 15, 2022

Trigger Warnings: Discussions of racism, domestic abuse, sexual abuse,  miscarriages, abortions, gun violence, police violence, harassment, fatphobia, eating disorders, food insecurities PTSD, suicide, victim blaming, mental illness, human trafficking, femicide, cultural appropriation, teacher discrimination and bullying.  “One of the biggest issues with mainstream feminist writing has been the way the idea of what constitutes a … More Review: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Cover for Written in Bone by Sue Black

Review: Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black

March 14, 2022

Trigger Warnings: Discussions of pedophilia, murder, serial killers, prostitution, child death and abuse, rape, molestation, survivors guilt, torture, and executions. Graphic descriptions of dead bodies.  Forensic anthropologist Sue Black takes on a journey to show how pieces of our remains can be used to solve crimes. She draws on her own experiences and case work … More Review: Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black