You're Saying it Wrong (by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras)

I've heard people (and I'm sure you have, too) use big words to sound smarter and be impressive, and I've cringed when they've mispronounce those words. Of course, I've mispronounced a lot of words myself! And so have you. ;) We all could use a little help in that area. 

Enter: You're Saying it Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse. This little guide is seriously helpful! If you're thinking that it's another dry reference book, think again. Besides the "shibboleth" words and their history and usage guide, there are other helpful lists such as: "How to Sound Like You're From Across the Pond" and "How to Sound like a Patron of the Arts." So, plenty of great info with a wonderful smattering of humor. (Oh, and if you don't know what "shibboleth" means, get the book! ;) )

I love that this little volume looks and feels a bit antique. 5 starts for design and content! 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. 

Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky

To a lot of kids, science is booooooooring. It's something they do because they have to, and definitely not something that's enjoyable or inspiring. I hated science in school. I mean, some of it fascinated me, but it all seemed hard and undoable and nothing I ever really wanted to invest time in. Besides, girls weren't exactly encouraged to pursue anything related to science.

Fast-forward to now: I have a daughter who loves science. She really does! She'll be doing her science for the day and get excited about something she just read and start telling me about it. I'm thrilled that she loves it, and I want to encourage her, but I can't help it: the technical terms and facts make me glaze over. But I try. I really do! I want my other kids to love science, too. Science, after all, is a subject that causes an awareness of the awesomeness of God like no other!

For that reason, and because I'm a homeschool mom, nonfiction books, especially those that look interesting, grab my attention.

This book didn't disappoint! The cover art and colorful, quirky illustrations on every page made this book a joy to read. It's beautiful! The info presented is done so in a matter that holds interest. It doesn't drag. There is a timeline, list of lab tools, graphs, glossary of terms, and links to provide further info on the amazing women who "star" in this book and their work. I had never heard of most of the women, and I was absolutely amazed at what they accomplished, especially considering the hardships and discrimination they faced.

I highly recommend this book! It might just inspire your girl to get more interested in science!

5 out of 5 stars.

Read more about Women in Science, 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World" here.

apartment therapy, complete + happy home

Interior decorating books are particularly interesting to me now, as my husband and I dream of finally buying our own home. Honestly, my decorating style is so eclectic that I don't even know what it is. I've gone from the brass sconces with ivy swags and floral curtains to vintage/retro to a version of the Good Luck Charlie house. And when we move, I don't know which direction to go! I am fairly confident, however, that I will not be going back to the 90's look.

A hefty book, apartment therapy, is gorgeously bound. This book will be displayed prominently. (I have a book addiction; decorating with them helps to justify that.) Open the cover, and get ready for a lot more pretty...but not just that. apartment therapy isn't just pleasing to look at: this book is packed with info. From explanations of house styles to defining light sources, there was far more here in practicality than I expected.

Sections on choosing and setting up your home, and living in and maintaining your space are further organized by type such as finishing touches and rooms, and presented in such a fun way. I love the section on color, (pg. 31) and who doesn't need a better idea of how a "fairy-tale living room" (p. 109) differs from "the scandinavian living room"?  (p. 110) 

This one was a real winner for me. I highly recommend apartment therapy,  whether or not you are actually planning on a new home, redecorating or just need something to curl up with and read while you sip your coffee. 

5 out of 5 stars from me. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Instant Happy Journal (Review)

What an adorable little book! Perfect size, perfect design--yep--I'm in love with this little gem! There isn't a whole lot of writing space, but this isn't a regular journal. There is a page for each day with either an inspirational saying, a question, a writing prompt and more, and space to record your thoughts. There is a yellow silk ribbon marker, adding to the charm of the journal. This little book is a perfect gift, for a friend or for yourself!

5 out of 5 stars from me. Get one, or more! :)

More about the book from Amazon:

Brighten your day with this colorful journal from happiness expert Karen Salmansohn. Jam-packed with 365 “happiness prompters” including motivational quotes, scientific studies, and thought-provoking questions, this journal amps up your ability to notice (and create!) moments of joy and gratitude in your life—one day at a time.

368 pages. 


I received this book from Blogging for Books in return for my honest review. 

The Time Garden, a Magical Journey, by Daria Song

Adult coloring books are all the rage right now, and why not? Coloring is fun and helps to relieve stress. It's about time that someone designed some coloring books for us "big kids". ;) The Time Garden is marketed to middle school aged children and up, but is perfectly suitable for kids and adults of all ages. It is exquisitely  done! The dust jacket is actually like a heavy duty coloring page, with beautiful, metallic text and scattered metallic leaves. The story, explained in more detail below, is what you make of it, which is nice, and stirs the rusty imagination.

I wasn't drawn to a lot of the pages, unfortunately. While some were imaginative, very detailed,  and "artsy", others were rather sparse and seemed monotonous to color. This was a disappointment, but I still enjoy the book. The Time Garden would make a great gift, especially for patients in the hospital, those who are home bound, or for anyone. 

This book gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

More about the book:

A dazzlingly beautiful coloring book for all ages, The Time Garden will sweep you away into a whimsical cuckoo clock–inspired world, created in intricate pen and ink by the internationally best-selling Korean artist Daria Song. 

Journey through the doors of a mysterious cuckoo clock into its inky innerworkings to discover a magical land of clock gears, rooftops, starry skies, and giant flying owls—all ready for you to customize with whatever colors you can dream up.

Cuckoo . . . cuckoo . . . cuckoo . . . When the clock strikes midnight, you’ll wonder, was it all a dream?

The Time Garden features extra-thick craft paper, ideal for non bleed-through coloring, and the jacketed cover with flaps is removable and colorable. Special gold-foil stamping on the cover and spine and a To/From page make it perfect for gifting to adults and kids alike.

Then, explore the magical world outside the clock through the eyes of a fairy in the sequel, The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Coloring Book! 

Paperback
Published by Watson-Guptill
Sep 01, 2015 | 80 Pages | 9-13/16 x 9-13/16 | Middle Grade (10 and up)


More about Daria Song: 


DARIA SONG is an author and artist with a master’s degree in fiber arts from the Ewha Womans University Graduate School of Fine Arts. Winner of the Kyung Hyang Arts Contest, Song has exhibited at numerous galleries and museums in Korea, Singapore, Turkey, and Hong Kong. She is a lecturer at the Kaywon School of Arts and her illustrations can be found in Amore Pacific and SK Planet. She spent five years of her childhood in San Francisco before returning to Korea, and the sense of wonder and mystery that comes from living in a far-off place inspired her internationally best-selling adult coloring book, The Time Garden.



Thank you to Blogging for Books for my review copy. 

Our Man in Charleston (Britain's Secret Agent in the Civil War South)

This beautifully bound book will take you back to early Charleston, when the city, according to this author, was anything but beautiful: it was hot, dirty, disease-ridden, and reeking with the stench of slavery, and Robert Bunch called it "home" as he worked tirelessly to bring an end to one of the greatest evils ever known. 

I am ashamed to admit it, but I still don't know the truth of the origins of the Civil War. Was slavery really the root cause? According to this book, it was, and the attitudes and practices of the day were even more despicable than I knew.

I must admit that this book wasn't exactly what I had expected. I found it a little exhausting to read because there were so many names, places, and dates that I couldn't keep up. I felt like I was cramming for a history exam! Still, I did learn much about a critical time in our nation's history. As "mentally stretching" as it was to read, I felt myself drawn to it again and again. A more intellectual reader might enjoy it a lot more than I did. *sheepish smirk*  

4 out of 5 stars.

Available at Amazon.com.Amazon.com

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Hiding in the Light

                                 

I first heard of Rifqa Bary when a video clip of her interview with Pat Roberston (link below) came up in my daughter's newsfeed. My heart went out to her--I couldn't iamgine my faith costing me so much; couldn't imagine living in fear that my own father would put me to death. 

Rifqa tells her story with intense joy and hope, her deep faith shining through even the darkest moments. God is so real to her--you can feel it in every word. From the "Presence" she sensed as a small girl in Sri Lanka, through her her discovery of Jesus and her experience of meeting Christians, her conversion, her secret-keeping, escape, and the eventual court battle for her freedom and her very life, I was glued to every page. This book unlike so many autobiographies, is well written and intensely interesting. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Video: Rifqa Bary Interview

Facebook: Rifqa Bary's Author Page

More about Hiding in the Light:

“After four years of hiding my faith from my family, I knew that it was time. I wrote with shaky hands, ‘Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I refuse to deny him….’ There was no turning back now. I had to get out of that house if I wanted to live. Was this worth risking everything for? Yes.”

Rifqa Bary grew up in a devout Muslim home, obediently following her parents’ orders to practice the rituals of Islam. But God was calling her to freedom and love. He was calling her to true faith. He was calling her to give up everything.

Leaving Islam for Christianity cost her more than she imagined

but gave more than she could have dreamed.

Hiding in the Light is the story of Rifqa’s remarkable spiritual journey from Islam to Christianity. It is also the untold story of how she ran from her father’s threats to find refuge with strangers in Florida, only to face a controversial court case that reached national headlines. Most of all, it is the story of a young girl who made life-changing sacrifices to follow Jesus—and who inspires us to do the same.

More about Rifqa Bary here.  

Thank you to Blogging for Books for my review copy.

Capture the Moment

I love photography--have since I was a little girl--but it was only in the last 5-6 years that I began to study it, and probably only in the past 2-3 that I got serious about it. Since I'm not able to take an actual photography course, I'm teaching myself. I especially appreciate clear, simple instructions, and that is exactly what I found in Capture the Moment.  It's practical, concise, and simply beautiful! 

Sections are organized according to topic and contain tips and gorgeous images, as well as the specs of each image, from contributing photographers. Creative exercises at the end of each chapter encourage you to try out the concepts explained, stretch your limits, and attempt new things. The photographer's reference at the end of the book defines terms that may be unfamiliar, and is especially helpful to beginning photographers. 

Capture the Moment is also beautifully bound. It's a book that you will want to show off on your coffee table. 

I am thrilled to own this valuable resource, and I highly recommend it. 

Capture the Moment gets 5 out of 5 starts from me.

Read more about the book here.

Read more about Sarah Wilkerson here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Daily Painting (Book Review)

There were two reasons I wanted to review Daily Painting. 

1. It's beautiful, and the dominant colors are turquoise and red. I decorate with books, and I love that color combination, so.... ;) 
2. My daughter loves art, she's very talented, and she's teaching herself new techniques. I knew she would enjoy it.

I wasn't disappointed at all in the appearance of this book. It's beautiful! I was also impressed at the manner in which the tips and instructions are simply and practically presented. This book is seriously packed with helpful information. I'm not a painter, I'm a (very amateur wannabe) photographer, but I found the suggestions helpful. 

This is an enjoyable read, and I feel confident that my daughter can learn much from Daily Painting. I love the concept of painting small and often, (or in my case, photographing small and often) and I look forward to seeing what my daughter learns from this book.  

More about Daily Painting:

Summary:
A unique system for jump-starting artistic creativity, encouraging experimentation and growth, and increasing sales for artists of all levels, from novices to professionals.
  Do you want to bring the joy back into your art?
Have you landed in a frustrating rut? Are you having trouble selling paintings in galleries, getting bogged down by projects you can’t seem to finish or abandon, or finding excuses to avoid working in the studio? Author Carol Marine knows exactly how you feel—she herself suffered from painter’s block, until she discovered “daily painting.” The idea is simple: do art (usually small) often (how often is up to you), and if you’d like, post and sell it online. Soon you’ll find that your block dissolves and you’re painting work you love—and more of it than you ever thought possible! 
With her encouraging tone and useful exercises, Marine teaches you to:-Master composition and value-Become confident in any medium-Choose subjects wisely -Stay fresh and loose -Photograph, post, and sell your art online-Become connected to the growing movement of daily painters around the world


Read more about the author, Carol Marine, here.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."