Review = Science Magic Tricks for Kids: 50 Amazing Experiments That Explode, Change Color, Glow, and More!

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

 If you have a budding scientist that wants to expand these principles into an area that can be entertaining for others, this book is perfect. Who does not enjoy some cool magic tricks? Most kids do and this book is the perfect combination between science and magic. The book has 50 experiments that work like magic by showing such phenomena as a flame seemingly moving through the air from candle to candle. Adult supervision is recommended, but the tricks are perfect for home use since no specific laboratory equipment etc is required.

The recommended age for kids is 8 through 12 years of age and magic tricks can be done using regular household materials. Not only are these tricks fun, but they are also useful to reinforce the scientific principles learned in school by using them in tricks. The instructions are easy, can be followed and understood by kids of this age group and the author has even included some questions so that the budding magician can talk with the audience during the magic show. This last part is great to also help shy kids overcome some of the fear of talking in public. Providing guidance on what to talk with the audience during the magic show can teach these kids that being in front of an audience is nothing to. be scared about.

Overall, a very entertaining book that is also good for teaching sciences in its practical applications.

This book is available on amazon.com and is currently available for a discounted price.

Re4view = Fun with National Parks: A Big Activity Book for Kids about America's Natural Wonders

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

Whether you are visiting National Parks in the near future or simply want to teach your kids about these wonderful resources, this book is perfect for parents to explain to kids the purpose of National Parks and how important of a resource they are. If you visit a National Park, even better to have your child do the activities in preparation for the visit, but these activities are great even when maybe watching a documentary on National Parks. 

This book covers activities for all National Parks and we have 63 of them currently. The activities focus on history, landscapes and animals that we find in these locations. Maybe use a map of the US to explain to your child why parks have different animals depending on whether they are located in Alaska or are in Florida. This activity book can be a great learning tool for geography and history as well as biology and teach kids in a fun way.

 The book is available on amazon.com and has 125 suggested activities for the US national parks.

Review = Logic Puzzles Book for Brain Fitness: 90-Day Challenge to Sharpen the Mind and Strengthen Cognitive Skills Enlarged Print, Easy to Hard!

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

This paperback book is great to work your brain at any age and with its large print is also great for senior, who may deal with some visual problems. The puzzle types include sudoku, my personal favorite type, as well as logic grid puzzles, calcudoku, battleship, kakuro, and masyu.The puzzles range in level from easy to difficult and so if you are new, you can monitor your progression as you get better with more practice.

The book has also some space for notes as you work through the puzzles. Overall, a fun book to keep your brain busy without screen time and the time commitment is perfect for waiting rooms or brief work breaks. I highly recommend this book for people that want to exercise their brain without worrying about spending too much time on puzzles.

This book is available on amazon.com and comes with an answer key, so figuring out puzzles does not end in frustration.

Review = Crystal Healing for Women: A Modern Guide to the Power of Crystals for Renewed Energy, Strength, and Wellness

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

This review hit close to home because my family has always collected gemstons and I learned as a child already about the healing power of crystals. 

The author does a great job of introducing the reader to the various crystals with photos and a general summary that includes available color, location of origin and then listing chakras as well as possible pairings with other crystals. 

The page also has a summary of the healing powers for each crystal as well as a brief recommendation in what form to find it and how to use it, such as a tumbled crystal that can be carried in a pocket or hand. The listing of crystals ends chapter one that also contains a general introduction to crystals as healing objects and how to care for them.

Chapter 2 is organized by health impact. Therefore, if you are looking to deal with recovery from a miscarriage, the author will provide you guidance on rituals that can support your healing using crystals. Supporting information includes duration and frequency as well as a which crystals to use and then provides a stepwise guidance on how to use the crystals in the recovery effort. 

Overall, a well written and concise book that is perfect for someone just getting started in exploring the healing power of crystals.

The book is currently available on amazon.com with a Kindle price is less than $1. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the healing power of crystals, but also a nice addition to any library for a fan of geology and mineralogy.

Great resource for natural remedies when dealing with modern ailments

Herbal Medicine for Modern Life: Traditional Folk Remedies for Everyday Health and Well-Being Paperback 

 

by Ruth Blanding

 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free/gifted book @pengiunrandomhouse #partner #ad #sponsored

I grew up with a mother who firmly believed in natural remedies and so I was well into my 20s when I first dared to take an aspirin. I grew up with herbal teas for all kinds of childhood ailments, such as licorice root, elderberry, mint, and fennel. Of course cold compresses against fever were always used and various lozenges for sore throats and cough. 

I was therefore very excited to get this modern version of home remedies from my childhood for a review. The author has done a wonderful job collecting background on a lot of herbs. Following a thorough introduction to herbs and their benefits and uses, the next chapters are then focused on various ailments and contain numerous recipes from teas to soups and tinctures. The recipes are comprehensive, but easy to follow. 

 

 

Recipes include such more known healing mixes as wild yam tincture to a heavy metal detox soup. There is a blood pressure broth as well as white willow tincture. The recipes start off with a general introduction explaining the basis of this application, then the detailed recipe with expected yield as well as recommended dosage. In addition, as appropriate, the author has included warnings for cases in which the normally beneficial tea or tincture should not be applied due to posible negative consequences. Wild yam tincture being one of the cases since it is to be avoided by people suffering from endometriosis. The author, importantly, does not discount physicians, but in some cases even advises that a healthcare provided should be consulted before starting a regimen with a herbal remedy.

Overall, I learned quite a bit from this book and also now understand where some of the remedies that my mother used came from. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in natural remedies. 

The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not been influenced by any third party. I was given a free book for review purposes.
 

Great STEM book about the solar system for young kids

 I got a chance to review the book Sadie soars into Space.

@zeitgeistpublishing #sponsored #partner penguinrandomhouse

This is a great STEM book for young kids to educate them on the solar system. Combing age-appropriate language with interesting facts about the planets and other components that make up the universe. The images are well drawn and each page include a nice little text that brings the solar system playfully as knowledge to the young reader. While the parent can also expand on the fact that is included related to the planet and explain in more detail that wisdom. The little bubble with the additional fact is advanced knowledge and I would recommend that a parent join the child and explain that fact in more detail and in a way that is appropriate for the child. As an additional fact for the sun or the planets, these facts are fun and add more depths to the book. But I would guess that in many cases, the fact will need additional language and an adult to answer any questions the child may have.

One last benefit of the book, as a female scientist I really appreciate that the protagonist is a girl because women can too! This is great for parents who want to introduce their child to the planets in a fun, but also very educational way.

 

The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not been influenced by any third party. I was given a free book for review purposes.
 

No Dig gardening – perfect way to maximize your garden yield when strtched for time

 

The book “No Dig Gardening” by Richard Bray is a brief and to the point guidebook on how to use no dig gardening to maximize your yield in small spaces and get even not so good soil to yield vegetables and flowers with less work than traditional gardening.

The author does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the newer method of gardening and the book is split up into a logical order of chapters, starting a basic introduction and then covering benefits of no-dig gardening, such as soil improvement, and then providing tips on how to establish and then maintain the garden.

In a little bit over 100 pages, the reader will get a comprehensive overview that should enable the reader to start a no dig garden and reap the benefits of letting the garden improve without tilling and disturbing the soil on a regular basis. The author stresses that soil left alone will improve overtime and even weeds are not an issue if covered by mulch and compost. The soil will improve with earthworms contributing to the better soil and enabling all kinds of plants to grow, even in soil that started off being a relatively poor soil.

Benefits of no dig gardening besides less work involved, include less water needed, less or no need to purchase expensive plant food, fertilizer and overall, thereby reducing the environmental impact of establishing and maintaining your garden.

 

 

Composting and mulch are important in improving the soil and if you dare, you can also increase the presence of earthworm, which also contribute to a better soil. To get the reader started with composting, which is not that difficult to do and helps with reducing waste in landfills, the author has included a nice write up on the various way to compost. Once you are ready to plant, the author has also a nice graphic to show which plants do well if planted together and which combinations should be avoided. In addition to many graphics, one table stood out to me; the author included a table to show in which growth zone which plants are suitable to block weeds or best for erosion controls. The information in one such table is incredibly helpful for any gardener and shows the research the author has done to make this book suitable to a variety of readers. 

Overall, this book is a nice introduction to no dig gardening with many helpful tips but does not overload the novice no dig gardener with too much information. A very helpful book that I can recommend. This book is available on amazon

 

I received a book from the author at no cost. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

An easy to read, concise guide to get you ready for retirement and enjoy it

 

As someone who is now in the mid50s, retirement is definitely something I am planning for and that is on my mind. While I feel blessed to have a job and employer-based health insurance as well as 401K matching, I never take these things for granted and started planning for retirement a long time ago. And that is the number one lesson by experts as well as by the author of this book – prepare early and keep at it.

 

The book “The Retirement Planning Roadmap) is a quick read and meets the goal of the author to be a hands-on guide for people of all ages that want to retire and retire without having to worry about money. The chapters are split up in order of how to approach retirement  and provides lists and bulleted information for an easy read of the most pertinent information. The language is straight forward and to the point, allowing the reader to reread chapters as needed. For example, if you want to reevaluate how much you may need for retirement, you can easily do so and your number may change as you age.

The author also includes a lot of practical information, such as what to do about housing. Is it best to rent or to own? The author provides a useful list of pros and cons for each option. I really like the author’s style in providing that information. The author repeatedly makes it clear that what may be best for her, may not be suitable for others and in presenting options the author sticks to a very non-biased style. Making it clear that there are options and that each reader has to decide what is best for them.

 

The book is organized in 7 chapters, which are summarized briefly below.

Chapter 1 guides you through the general preparation for retirement such as planning.

Chapter 2 is focused on how much you will need, including tips to identify expenses and start a lifestyle of saving now to keep expenses down and ensure a better retirement.

Chapter 3 is focused on saving for retirement. Now that you have expenses identified and start cutting unnecessary spending, the author has additional guidance on how to trim expenses, calculating how much social security may contribute to your retirement and how to be tax-smart in preparation for your golden years.

Chapter 4 preaches the front loading saving habit as an important step towards retirement. How to invest, where to get help and also that retirement does not have to mean the end of earning. The book really shines in educating readers in general on financial literacy and making you smart about money.

 

Chapter 5 switches gears and talks about housing, the options you have and the benefits of each option versus what may not work for some of the readers.

Chapter 6 is focused on retirement, such as what to expect from the big change of having no longer to show up for work each day. There will be some let downs, some concerns, but the author walks the reader through these steps and how to find distractions from when retirement has you down.

The final chapter, chapter 7, ends on a positive note and the author here is focusing on social connections and why they are important. This is something you can also prepare for now, before you retire. For example, identify things that interest you and start being active in these areas, such as meet regularly with friends family to start a habit that can easily be maintained when retirement starts. Personally, I have started attending book clubs focus on areas that interest me. The members in these virtual clubs are people of all ages, several of which are retired; a sign that this activity can easily be maintained after you no longer show up in the office.

Overall, I found this book to be a sound read to prepare me for retirement. As someone who is already preparing for retirement and considers themselves financially literate, this book contained reassuring information and confirmed that I am on the right path. But if you are worried about where to start and what to do, this book will provide a concise guide on next steps. I recommend this book for both novice and experienced retirement thinkers; keep it on hand and check the options from time to time as you struggle with a specific decision or what step to take next. 

The book is available on Amazon. 

 

Disclaimer: I got this book for free from the author in exchange for a review. The opinion expressed in the review are my own and have not been influenced by the author or any other party.

Need cheap, but fun date on a Sunday? Try a Williams-Sonoma class and improve your culinary skills in the process

Inflation may be stabilized, but prices are still much higher than I am comfortable with. So what is available for fun that does not break the bank? Williams Sonoma is a fancy kitchen store that I usually only go to if I have a gift certificate or need a once a year reward. But besides window shopping and salivating at their fancy baking mixes, fully automated espresso machines and high end pots & pans, there is another free offering that helps you have fun, is perfectly suitable for couples and may even help you utilize your fancy cooking equipment more efficiently. But best of all, you can improve your culinary siills in the process and maybe even get some ideas for tasty home-cooked meals.

Williams Sonoma has regular cooking technique classes that are offered on a weekly basis for most of the year. Covering a variety of topics, you learn something useful and also may get to sample some treats. Currently the February skills series is dedicated to KitchenAid mixers. Past classes have covered Vitamix, knife skills and recipes optimized by Smitten Kitchen, a selection of recipes that can be easily done in a compact kitchen. 

For the Durham Williams Sonoma store, the sign up for the skills classes is at Registration

Outside of Durham NC, just follow this link to the skills classes and select your closest store.