non fiction

Non Fiction Review: Extreme Ocean

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Extreme Ocean by Sylvia A Earle
Extreme Ocean: Amazing Animals, High-Tech Gear, Record-Breaking Depths, and More
by Sylvia A Earle,  Glen Phelan 

5 out of 5 stars


With stunning photographs, this book chronicles the ocean explorations of the author, a marine biologist. Along with personal stories and anecdotes, this book includes the facts and science about everything in the ocean from currents to sharks.

The first section explores waves, tsunamis, and currents, ice shelves, and answers why the ocean is blue and why it contains salt water.

The second chapter focuses on the fish and animals that live in the ocean. There are articles and facts about seals, whales, and other mammals, as well as fish and creatures that live in the deepest parts of the ocean. The photographs of these fish are absolutely gorgeous, showcasing their bright colors and delicate fins. There are also facts about sea plants like kelp forests, and a whole page about coral reefs. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Meditation for Kids

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Meditation for Kids by Tejal V Patel
Meditation for Kids: 40 Activities to Manage Emotions, Ease Anxiety, and Stay Focused
by Tejal V Patel

5 out of 5 stars


This book has easy and fun meditations for children that helps them to navigate tough emotions, calm their impatience, and learn to listen. The meditations are grouped in categories for increasing your positive energy, improving concentration and creativity, and opening your heart to kindness and compassion. There is an entire chapter of meditations just for bedtime, to soothe and calm the mind and body. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Trigger Point Therapy Made Simple

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Trigger Point Therapy Made Simple by Richard Finn LMT CMTPT
Trigger Point Therapy Made Simple: Serious Pain Relief in 4 Easy Steps
by Richard Finn, LMT CMTPT
5 out of 5 stars


This book outlines where trigger points are located in our muscles, and how massage, pressure, and other therapies can help to alleviate that pain. The self-therapy techniques include self-massage, breathing exercises, stretching exercises designed to alleviate nerve tension, massaging or compressing a trigger point in your muscle, and Swedish movements for stretching your range of motion.

I really like the attitudes in this book, putting the power of healing back into the hands of the patient, instead of relying on doctors who don’t give any answers or solutions other than prescription pain medication. The writing is so encouraging and gives good information about using techniques to heal yourself and find relief from pain and tension. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Joy at Work

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Joy at Work by Marie Kondō
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life
by Marie Kondō ,Scott Sonenshein 

4 out of 5 stars


Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein give some wonderful guidelines in this book for tidying up your work. They focus on not just your desk and workspace, but also your time, contacts, email and digital documents, and decision-making process. They give advice on team-building, evaluating tasks, and how to run an effective meeting.

I liked the chapters that Marie wrote the best. Her voice is so inspirational and clear. The advice given by Scott is also good, but I didn’t connect with his voice as much.

I really liked that the circumstances and examples of each job could apply to almost any job or field of work, no matter your level or profession.

Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Origami Made Simple

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Origami Made Simple by Russell Wood
Origami Made Simple: 40 Easy Models with Step-By-Step Instructions
by

Russell Wood
5 out of 5 stars

This book has simple instructions for easy origami patterns, and begins with the simplest of them all, a little paper house. Gradually the book moves from simple designs to more complex designs that require more folds. Everything is explained with detailed instructions and diagrams that clearly show each fold.

I love the cute designs! There are cats and birds and fish and butterflies, a teapot, a basket, a man fishing, a praying nun, and even a sphinx and a snail. The instructions for some of these are so simple that a child could do them, and yet they are still interesting for adults. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person

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The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person by Amanda Cassil
The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person
by Amanda Cassil

5 out of 5 stars

As a Highly Sensitive Person, it is such a relief to have a book like this! It describes the HSP experience so clearly, and gives real and practical ideas for navigating the strong emotions and overwhelming sensations that come with having an HSP brain.

There is a quiz you can take to determine whether or not you are an HSP. The quiz says that if you score a 14 or higher, then you are an HSP. I scored a 24! I am extremely sensitive, and it’s always been a struggle. I’ve felt misunderstood my entire life, and have spent years telling myself, “Why can’t you be like other people? Why does this bother you so much? Why can’t you just let it go?” This book spoke so compassionately to my frustration and emotional pain, as well as my physical struggles. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Stretch

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Stretch by Scott SonensheinStretch: Unlock the Power of Less – and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined
by Scott Sonenshein 
3 out of 5 stars

I picked up this book because the author has co-written the new Marie Kondo book, Joy at Work. I wanted to check out other books by this author before I read Marie Kondo’s new book.
I was disappointed.

The writing is much too verbose, taking forever to make a clear point. Every chapter is FULL of stories; true stories, anecdotes, business stories, and examples of people who succeeded or failed. Then the author uses the example from the story to illustrate their point about being resourceful with little instead of grasping for more. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: All about Weather

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All About Weather by Huda Harajli MA
All About Weather: A First Weather Book for Kids
by Huda Harajli MA

5 out of 5 stars

This children’s picture book describes all different types of weather, and gives some simple scientific information about temperature and cloud types. I like the writing style that is perfect for a child’s level of understanding.

The illustrations are adorable! Full of bright colors, each page draws the reader in. The clouds are smiling, and the children are playing in the rain.

There are even questions to answer in the text, prompting the reader to choose the right accessories for a rainy or cold day. Should I wear boots or sunglasses? Should I carry mittens or an umbrella? I like that the book gets the reader involved, and encourages children to think carefully. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Healing through Nutrition

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Healing through Nutrition by Eliza Savage
Healing through Nutrition: The Essential Guide to 50 Plant-Based Nutritional Sources
by Eliza Savage

5 out of 5 stars

This book has recipes for healing foods of fruits, grains, herbs, coffee and tea, and dozens of vegetables. The sections are divided by the type of food, with information about the benefits of that food, it’s healing power, and medical conditions that it will help.

The recipes are simple with easy instructions and common ingredients. There are also variations on the recipe in case you want to add or substitute something. I really like how the recipes are organized, and the design and layout is easy to navigate. Continue reading →