Review of Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colorful Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, and other Epic Delights by Anthea Cheng

Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colorful Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, and other Epic Delights by Anthea Cheng

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This cookbook is beautiful and has a good variety of recipes. It has a good variety of recipes that aren't ones that are found in most cookbooks. There are many recipes that I want to try because they have unusual flavor combinations that combine sweet and savory . I would recommend this cookbook for anyone that loves to try new flavor combinations. I think this book would be great for vegans and non vegans alike.



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Review of A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda  Joy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


 Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy of this book via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was sucked into this book right from the beginning and loved every page of it! It was different from my normal genres but I loved it. The world of magick that this story encompasses is enthralling and made me want to know more of this history of this land.

The rivalry that is created for the crown between Eva and Isa is part of a tradition that was started a few centuries ago that is meant to have the strongest queen and eliminate a future rivalry. However, it doesn't foster a loving environment for the royal family. With that said, I still loved every part of the story and want more of this story.

I highly recommend this book!




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Review of War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


 I was excited to receive this book because it is a mash-up of two genres that I really like, dystopian and historical fiction, although it felt as though I missed part of the backstory to this book.

I really enjoyed the part one of the book because it showed the family that is created within a war torn country and the little sanctuary that is created in the hopes of keeping them safe. However, once that sanctuary is attacked and Ify is taken to live in the Nigerian part of the country Onyii basically becomes a living weapon for the Republic of Biafra.

In part 2 of the book there is a 4 year time jump and the fluidity of the narration breaks down. At this point it became a slog for me to finish the book. I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn't. I also felt that there should have been a glossary for some of the words and perhaps pronunciations for the names, it would have made it easier to read.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Razorbill Books via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.




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Review of The Vanishing Fleece by Clara Parkes

Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool by Clara Parkes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of this book by Abrams Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit that I am a huge fan on Clara Parkes work and since I am an Indie yarn dyer, I found this behind the scenes look at the processing of wool fascinating!

This book follows the entire process from the raw wool bale to the finished skein. She sends a quarter of the bale to 4 different mill to be processed in different way and then has the yarn dyed by different methods. By doing this Clara Parkes is able to explore a variety of different methods that are used in the wool industry.

As someone who makes their living in one aspect of the fiber industry, it is wonderful to get a glimpse into the processes that lead up to where my portion of this amazing industry comes in.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fiber industry, as well as how things are made in general!



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Review of The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy from Penguin Teen via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys to be completely enthralling and I couldn't put it down. I did find it a bit hard to follow at first due to the constant changing point of view and short chapters but I quickly found the rhythm of the story.

I did not know very much about Spain under Franco's rule and the aftermath of the Spanish civil war, so it gave me a very minimal glimpse into that history and has made me want to learn more. I did find the culture shock that Daniel, an American teen visiting Spain, experienced to be eye-opening because there are freedoms that are often taken for granted.

I would highly recommend this book.



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Review of Art in a Box by Marlis Maehrle

Art in a Box: 30 Creative Projects in Mixed-Media Assemblage by Marlis Maehrle

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy from Schiffer Publishing Ltd. via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book based on the description but I was disappointed. It does have step by step instructions but I didn't find the projects very inspiring since many of them just looked like some random things were gathered and attached in a box.

I might suggest that someone checks this book out from a library but I wouldn't recommend buying it.



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Review of Vegan in an Instant by Marina Delio

Vegan in an Instant: 103 Plant-Based Recipes for Your Instant Pot by Alpha Books

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy by DK via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This has a good variety of recipes that should satisfy just about any tastes. I however did not like how many of the recipes included some processed vegan alternatives such as cheezes. This is a good first vegan Instant Pot cookbook because it does have good coverage of the staple foods that can be made in the Instant Pot.

I would recommend this book as a first vegan Instant Pot cookbook.



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