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Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid’s Guide to a Happy Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Darian Vester

Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid's Guide to a Happy Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid’s Guide to a Happy Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for families thinking of getting a puppy or even those who just got a new puppy (or an older shelter dog).
There’s great ideas of things to do with your pup to keep them entertained and help with their training, I like that the book says “not too many times and not for too long” when suggesting the dog takes the lead during a walk. Kids will enjoy the rhyming sentences in the story, the illustrations I’m back and forth on. I like how realistic everything looks, especially all the different dogs. But I think younger kids will like them better if things were more vibrant. I like the reminders for parents at the end of the book. Even if you’re familiar with dogs it’s just a good reminder to know that kids are different and will need to learn how to really interact and care for the animals.
Overall I enjoyed the book and recommended to families who are thinking of adding a new furry member into their lives.

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Children of the Wild (Children of the Wild Series) by Krysta Tawlks – Review by Darian Vester

Children of the WildChildren of the Wild by Krysta Tawlks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a great historical fantasy, I was hooked from the beginning. I loved that no time was wasted getting to the point that something different was going on with Elbert. I love that even while he was going through this and discovering himself, his family stuck with him. This story definitely left me wanting more, I know their father felt Juni would carry this magic but I feel Finn also will, so I wish we could get a series with this book. I enjoyed the flow of the book, there’s no dragging out and the ending doesn’t feel rushed with the trappers.
I feel readers of all ages will love this book, older readers will get a Tuck Everlasting feel while you’re wanting to protect Valora and her family.

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Christmas Cove by Sarah Dressler – Review by Darian Vester

Christmas CoveChristmas Cove by Sarah Dressler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Most Christmas stories are predictable, what’s nice about this one is I got some wrong.
Going in I was worried about the instant connection with America and Leo. Their chemistry felt like they’ve known each other for years. I laughed at all of her “dateline” worries. Would have been hilarious for her fear to have been something around that for the bonfire. But when we actually get to see what was on their letters my heart exploded.
I do wish we would have gotten more with the situation with Leo’s brother. Especially since the book doesn’t feel like it ends on a cliffhanger.
I loved all of the characters we meet, they’re all so happy but I still felt the different personalities, they weren’t flat.
I really just recommend this book to anyone who loves Christmas romances or wants to be put in a Christmas mood. This definitely had me wanting to play Christmas music and pray for snow.

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Baking a Bicycle (Invisible Magic Wand Book 7) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

Baking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book SevenBaking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book Seven by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book 7 of the Invisible Magic Wand series, I’ve not read the others but after reading I went to check them out and I believe they don’t need to be read in order. I love how imaginative this story is and I think it will encourage kids to want to create something just like Caspian did. I also really like that he tried different techniques with his baking. I’m not 100% with the illustrations but the bright colors and large lettering are really nice.

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Detective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series) by MJ Murray – Review by Darian Vester

Detective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail: A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book SeriesDetective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail: A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series by MJ Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for young readers getting into chapter books. I recommend for younger elementary students. The story is easy to follow along, has adventure and wonderful characters, you get a little pov of their dog. I know kids who have siblings will relate with the relationship between Dylan and his sister Emily. I feel the story introduces the right amount of characters for kids to try to guess who took the mail and the illustrations go really well with the chapters. The author also includes a link through TeachersPayTeachers for teachers or homeschoolers to check out some worksheets to go along with the book. There’s also a list of high frequency words in the end, I really like they included educational resources.

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Almost and Forever by Angela K. Parker – Review by Darian Vester

Almost and ForeverAlmost and Forever by Angela K. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ugh, Hope and Adam are sickly sweet. I loved them together even when I didn’t want to. I was shocked in the beginning with Ivory, I thought she disliked Adam was going to a horrid girlfriend. Obviously I was wrong, I loved the twist with her in the end. I can support her stalking. I do feel things with Adam and Hope happened a little too quickly, I know you can’t decide when you fall in love but a few more months of him grieving would have made me feel a little better. I like that Ivory wasn’t just pushed to the side in the story. It makes things more believable and I like that they were both connected to her in some way. Definitely recommend to readers looking for a fast paced romance.

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Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider – Review by Darian Vester

Chasing CheerChasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a great holiday romance, it has me wishing it was almost Christmas. If you’re looking for a book to put you in the holiday mood, this is it. The idea about needing “cheer” to light up the North Pole is fantastic, I liked Holly’s little stories of places she usually frequents to get cheer. In this book the elves don’t make toys, they make dreams, which I loved. I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie with how easy the chemistry came between Holly and Ash, it didn’t feel rushed; I felt that seeing Holly interact with other characters made their romance flow nicely. I do wish we could have gotten an answer about the magic in Emerald Hollow but I still enjoyed the book and recommend to anyone looking for a clean romance with a happy ending.

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Born to Die (The McIntire County Series Book 2) by Winter Austin – Review by Darian Vester

Born to Die (The McIntire County Series: #2)Born to Die by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not read book one of this series, although I feel they can be read separately since we are told what does happen in book one and book two reads as a great stand alone, I feel I should go back and read the first to get a better chemistry between Cassy and Boyce. I do like them together and I did like the romance, but I felt like something was missing and I that’s on me for not reading the first one. Saying that I really enjoyed the story, you’re hooked right from the beginning. It’s a nice mystery with suspense and I like the added family drama from both characters. I wasn’t suspecting Boyce’s mother to try to come around Cassy, I do wish there was a little more drama with the FBI but there are other murders to be solved. I really liked Cassy’s character; I’ve seen other reviewers say she has had great character growth since the first book. I feel she’s kind of badass, she went through so much in book one, leaving her with PTSD, it’s nice that we see how she is still scared of going into the woods, but she’s working through it and still trying to do her job and she’s doing a great job at it as well.

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Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Darian Vester

Amaleigha Makes a New FriendAmaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the concept of this book and I like that it encourages pen pals and learning about other countries/cultures. There are nice facts about Ukraine and I do think it’s a good book to start the conversation of the war over there. The book actually caused me to do my own research because the term “old country” was used frequently. I spoke to a couple people and we all see that phrase as like a third world country. I feel this is a good book for older kids because the mentioning of people getting shot when leaving their home might scare younger kids. The book is longer than most children stories but there illustrations are great and they make a nice break between pages.

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Murder Creek by Jane Suen – Review by Darian Vester

Murder Creek (Eve Sawyer Mystery, #1)Murder Creek by Jane Suen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a nice, clean, cozy mystery and a great book for younger readers getting into the genre. Our main character could be in school for investigative journalism but I feel she would have been better as only a detective. She was good at talking to people and linking things together. I think instead of random details about food the author could have included more on the main character, like her love for writing or other details in her life showing her connection to nature. I enjoyed the ending, I like that she solved the case and more with what happened to Lacy.

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Complicated Choices by Risa Nyman – Review by Darian Vester

Complicated ChoicesComplicated Choices by Risa Nyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I felt the book had a younger tone of voice, abbreviations like WTF and IRL were used. Saying that I think younger crowds will enjoy this, maybe as young as middle school who are venturing into young adult books. Not going to lie, other reviewers had me believing her uncle was going to play a more major role, still a horrible guy but he doesn’t make much of an appearance. I loved the friendship between her and Maddie, she sounds like a ride or die best friend which I love reading. Chad had me questioning things, he sounded too good to be true and after his plan to help Claire I honestly wasn’t sure if he could be trusted. But I’m glad it turned out to just be silly teenager thinking. After finding out who Harry’s real father is I would have liked to see more of what happened after that, if Claire decided she was still going to stay close to home or if her college plans went back to what they were before. Still a great read though.

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Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney – Review by Darian Vester

Lilly Tames Her WorriesLilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for kids of all ages! I know a lot of kids have security blanket or toy and this is a good book to read with them when you’re trying to have them not take it everywhere. I definitely suggest reading it if you notice your child is starting to show symptoms on anxiety, the main character tries some exercises to calm her anxiety that you can try with your kids. The author also mentions grounding methods in the back of the book. I also loved the illustrations and them showing the “Heebie-jeebies.”

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Murder in a Gated Community by Laura Koerber – Review by Darian Vester

Murder in a Gated CommunityMurder in a Gated Community by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought the book was going to be a Cozy Mystery, it’s not, you find out who the murderer is instantly. That’s not a bad thing, I really enjoyed the book. I wish things with Hazel would have ended differently, I feel it would have been funny if she was taken to jail. Anyone in a nosey HOA would have loved seeing that. At first I didn’t care for Jane and Leslie but I’m glad to see their friendship, along with Andrea, grow.

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Broken. (Green St. Girls Series) by N.D. Jackson – Review by Darian Vester

Broken. (Green St. Girls #2)Broken. by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book of the Green St Girls but I believe it can be read as a stand-alone. I really like that Indigo is her own person and that the company is hers. I liked the idea of someone sending threatening letters and calls over this software I just didn’t like how the author tried to tie in her past in the threats. I’m glad indigo trusted Gideon enough to tell him about what happened to her and it helps us understand why she is so against finding a person. It just wasn’t believable that her father would be the person making threats. I really thought the relationship with Gideon and Indigo was cute, I’m glad they got a happy ending.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales #3)Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought the retelling was great. It was a nice way to add stem to the story without making it boring. Kids don’t realize that they’re using these methods in their everyday life, like how they pour the milk into their bowls. I also liked that in this version, Goldilocks is trying to help make things better instead of being a nuisance like in the original. Like other readers I found the illustrations to be lacking and don’t match the cover you’ll see on purchasing sites.

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A Match Made in Montana (The Millers of Marietta Book 2) by Elsa Winckler – Review by Darian Vester

A Match Made in Montana (The Millers of Marietta, #2)A Match Made in Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lifetime movie with a little steam to it. All of the characters are lovable in this story and I love moving to a small town trope. I felt the chemistry between Craig and Annie instantly, things start off with a steamy book and I’m glad there’s more to the story other than “beading nipples.” I liked seeing them work together but I would have liked to see Annie actually working her B&B that she worked so hard for. What I didn’t like was how fast their relationship took off in the end. Yes I did say they had a connection but I don’t feel it was enough for an instant love. The book was a nice, light hearted read and I recommend it to those looking for a sweet, happy ending romance.

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Rise of the Hunter (Blood Prophecy Series) by Barb Jones – Review by Darian Vester

Rise of the HunterRise of the Hunter by Barb Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m giving this book 3 stars because of my mixed feelings about it. The synopsis sounds great, “evil does not die, it seeks vengeance.” That’s sounds super cool. However, I didn’t feel that The Tall Dark Man was a cool evil guy.
Now I haven’t read the other books, it says it’s a fourth book but it’s not stated on the GoodReads title. So, he could be a good bad guy in the previous stories, but all he does in this one is have sex with witches. I honestly don’t understand why everyone fears him.
Saying that, I did enjoy some of the other characters. There are many POV’s in this, and it did bother me that they would start in a different paragraph instead of getting their own chapter, but they were still good. My favorites were Chloe and Amber. Also Malakai and I think Zaraquel was my favorite.
The Hunter was very interesting. At first I thought it weird that he was able to speak telepathically but it was a nice take of having him being able to control the witch and already be such a strong hunter.

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Editor Kill Fee (The Taylor Browning Cozy Mysteries Book 3) by GG Collins – Review by Darian Vester

Editor Kill Fee (Taylor Browning Cozy Mysteries #3)Editor Kill Fee by G.G. Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read the first two and I believe you can read this without reading the authors and easily catch up with any character. The story was face paced and very entertaining. I enjoyed our main character Taylor, she was nosey, but honestly if someone you knew went missing, you’d be nosey too. But she wasn’t actively trying to solve the case as if she could do better than police. I would have liked to see more of her interacting with the bad guys or dive into more of what was going on instead of the random backgrounds into other characters. I loved the cats, it was something new having them actually be characters in the book. I recommend to all cozy mystery lovers.

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A Spot of Earl Slay (Tea Time Troubles Book 1) by Aubrey Elle – Review by Darian Vester

A Spot of Earl SlayA Spot of Earl Slay by Aubrey Elle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I fell in love instantly. There’s a murder, obviously, but this whole story just kept me in a good mood. I love starting over in a new town trope, and I’m honestly glad we didn’t have a lot of stress in the story from the ex-husband. The characters all had different personalities that fit so well together, my favorite are Barbra and Ingrid. I want to be these ladies when I’m older. The mystery was great, you learn about some of the people in town which leads you guessing who is our murderer. I honestly wasn’t even thinking of this person at the end, so it was nice to see I was wrong. In the book our main character speaks of a tv show which I believe is a great way of describing the book: “Great for slapstick humor and easy on the stressed mind.” The story isn’t all laughs but there are some funny moments that I think all readers will enjoy. A great book to read if you’re looking to get into Cozy Mysteries.

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Euphoric Wonderland by Ryan M. Becker – Review by Darian Vester

Euphoric Wonderland: An Eclectic Collection of Psychedelic Poetry to Stimulate the Senses and Open the MindEuphoric Wonderland: An Eclectic Collection of Psychedelic Poetry to Stimulate the Senses and Open the Mind by Ryan M. Becker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book, I enjoy listening to poems more than I enjoy reading them and I also don’t listen to The Beetles or do psychedelics but I saved this for me to buy a physical copy later. I would actually go back to read some of these poems again. I felt the poems were different, yes some were about the same emotions but I didn’t feel like I was reading the same poem over and over again. Some I could connect with and I believe anyone also trying to find themselves will connect with them too. My favorites were the poems about music, not focusing on certain artists but used musical terms in them. Like in “Schumann or Human You Wish That We Knew Him” the author says:
“Composer, arranger, Sonata in B Major Scribbled eighths, translates, narrates a music quake that makes you wake.”
I also loved “LGBT Earth You and Me,” I love the message of being kind and to stop all the hate. The pages themselves are all different, some colorful, some dark and some with drawings. I believe the author to be from Michigan, I didn’t Google to confirm but the reading lead me to believe it; I’m from Michigan so automatically I just think that’s cool.

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Dawnbreaker: The House of Blood and Sun by Hadley Thorne – Review by Darian Vester

Dawnbreaker: The House of Blood and SunDawnbreaker: The House of Blood and Sun by Hadley Thorne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m giving the book 3 stars because I have mixed feelings. It was entertaining and kept my attention, I liked that music brought Niamh and Connor together and I loved their violin battle; but then after she discovers her true power, I felt the love of music was placed randomly and didn’t flow with the rest of the story. I felt there were other random fillers that didn’t go with the story either. Although I wished to see the war everyone kept talking about, I enjoyed meeting all the other characters. Meeting her brother started to show how cruel their mother really is and makes you look forward to seeing what she will do to try to stop Niamh from becoming Queen.
I believe the book to be a standalone, but I wish it was a series or could become a series with standalones because I would love to hear more about the vampires. I can’t say much without spoiling what happens with Conner, but they are all special, it was a very interesting piece in the book. I know Niamh would be perfect helping them all find out more about themselves.
In the end the author has a playlist of songs that helped inspire Niamh and Conner, I felt they fit them perfectly.

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Ale’s Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart – Review by Darian Vester

Ale's Fair in Love and War (Love on Tap, #1)Ale’s Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a great story, I loved that it was lighthearted and fun read. Cash and Hollis’s pranks are hilarious, I felt an instant chemistry between them. I love characters that try to be their own person. For instance, Hollis has a rich stepdad who treats her like his own so she could easily live off daddy’s money but she’s working hard to make it on her own without their financial help. I do wish we could have had more interactions with other characters, especially carter. And maybe his mom but only because she’s a fun character and honestly, I’d probably be happy with a short story all about her being crazy, I loved the energy she brought to the book. She had me questioning the timeline when she had to return a Netflix DVD, I didn’t know you could still rent them.
I’m really glad this book had such a happy ending. Sure, Hollis kept a secret, but it wasn’t that big of a deal and she was helping Cash out anyway. I think readers who enjoy humorous romances with a few spicy scenes mixed in will really enjoy this book.

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A Dress To Remember: A Fairy Tale by K.L. Small – Review by Darian Vester

A Dress To Remember: A Fairy TaleA Dress To Remember: A Fairy Tale by K.L. Small
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the story! I read it as an e-book and now I want a paperback copy so I can save it on the bookshelf for my daughter to read. I feel this is a very good book for middle schoolers starting to get into reading or venturing into the fantasy genre. There’s adventure, betrayal, and magic.
My only complaints are Auntie and the other stories. I wish the other stories were longer but considering this book is targeted for a younger crowed they make sense.
I was annoyed by Auntie because I was feeling more a childlike personality than someone who was forgetful on things.
I really loved Zarina’s character growth. She’s so spoiled and doesn’t try to hide it. I’m glad interacting with people throughout the town has helped her change her ways.
This book also has illustrations. I loved the map and thought the pictures of Zarina were perfect.

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Three Made In Heaven (Made In Heaven #1) by Elena Kincaid – Review by Darian Vester

Three Made in Heaven (Made in Heaven, #1)Three Made in Heaven by Elena Kincaid
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Although some moments were entertaining and made me laugh, I felt there was no story here.
I thought it was weird the author starts our female character out as a nine year old who cries everyday because she hasn’t seen “her boys.” It had me questioning her sanity. What really disappointed me was that we don’t see the three of them with a real friendship, and it’s not because they’re only dreaming of each other. I’m talking about the only interaction we see is the boys getting mad at her over ridiculous things. They yell at her for no reason and that’s a red flag. Another red flag is one of them punching the wall because she wants to be with someone “real.” And she has to apologize to them!
The story does start to become steamy, and the characters begin to feel like there is some chemistry.
Our female character starts to develop nightmares, which felt random, and the drama to go with it was barely there and made no sense. Overall the book just didn’t flow and for me felt all over the place since there was no real plot to the story.

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Echoing Hearts (The Echo Series Book 1) by C.R. Alam – Review by Darian Vester

Echoing Hearts (Book 1 of The Echo Series)Echoing Hearts by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know this isn’t on the author but I’d like to warn other readers. On my phone, the formate is an eyesore. There’s no space between the chapter number and the paragraph, making it look like it was part of the sentence. However, on my kindle the pages were normal and better to read.
I will admit I judged this book on its cover, even after reading it the photograph doesn’t match the characters to me. At least not for Rae, but I really loved the story. I swooned over Dean. When he wanted to spend the day with her to just get her out of his system and then telling her that he’d be thinking about her all day if they didn’t, I was like even thinking, ‘I would spend the day with this man.’ I loved Rae’s character, she was her own person, sure, most independent women written in books have a thing against love but that wasn’t her personality. She has a going with the flow vibe, who might push away men but hasn’t signed off on them completely. Spoiler, the story does end in a happy ending. Which I wasn’t a fan of. Not that they’re happy, I’m glad they are but it felt unrealistic to me considering they just had a breakup over trust issues. Other than that I still loved the adventure these two had together.

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Arrrgh! Me Hate To Wait by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl Review by Darian Vester

Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait!Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait! by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the book and thought it was a very cute story. The illustrations are bright and eye catching, I loved the pirate names and know kids will have no problem paying attention to the story. It’s a great book to read before your little one starts school for the first time or even moving onto a new class. I know many kids are so excited to start school and nervous once they’re there, being able to relate to Half-Pint and seeing that she’s fine in the end will help them.

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Bees in Loretta’s Bonnet by Lois J. Wickstrom Review by Darian Vester

Bees in Loretta's BonnetBees in Loretta’s Bonnet by Lois J. Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I feel this is a good educational book, great for school or homeschooling. The book has great information about leaf cutter bees. I also like that at the end, the book shows you how to make a nest for bees, which is a great activity to get talking about helping bees and why we need them. Although the pictures don’t match the other cover style, I enjoyed the outdoor spring illustrations and thought the pages near the end were beautiful.

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Practically Pagan- An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie, Review by Darian Vester

Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Magical LivingPractically Pagan – An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m going to start by saying this is an inspirational book not a book about paganism. In the beginning she states it’s not “hocus pocus it’s more like making soups.” Which sounds great but that’s all you get about paganism, nothing about herbs or crystals, which she mentions charging in the moon, but no other details. She also mentions the practice of saging but only if you’re not appropriating the culture. I wish she would have taken that opportunity to teach about smoke cleansing instead of making it about race. Near the end the author suggests using tarot cards but gives no information about using them. So, if you are wanting to learn about Paganism, look elsewhere.
Who would I recommend this book to? People looking for inspiration to change their life. People looking to switch up their routine. I felt this would be a great “new year” book since that is when people make their goals. This is a great book to motivate you to make some goals. Although the author repeats herself many times, (try keeping track of how often she says to drink tea before bed) she has some good points. She encourages self-care and learning how to say no when needed. I liked that she said it’s not easy; I also really enjoyed the questions she asks throughout book. Such as: “What negative patterns am I holding on to? What joys could I replace them with? What am I afraid to embrace?” I think they are great questions to ask yourself and to keep as a reminder throughout the year.

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