Ostara: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Spring Equinox

Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

GR Book Page

Rating: ★★★★

Expected Published Date: 1/8/2015

I really liked the fact that this was not just a Wiccan book, and that it focused on Neo-Paganism views on the holiday as well.

I liked how some of the recipes were vegetarian friendly.

There was a little bit of everything for everyone.

I wish there was a bit more advanced information, I felt like I didn’t learn anything I didn’t read before or researched before.

I recommend this as a good starting place for new neo-pagans, since it feels like a compilation of information in one book.

Also, the cover is cute. It really stands out among other witchy books.

Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church

GR Book Page

Rating: ★★★★

This was an interesting book. The writing itself was not that good, but that did not detract from the experience of reading this. I think Drain needed to write this, for herself: to vent, to rationalize, and it was a form of therapy for her. I respect that narrative.

I will say one thing about the WBC, it does not deserve our attention, our outrage, because they feed off it. They almost get off on it, to be crude. They, in my armchair psychologist analyst, have a collective martyr complex. They are emotionally-stunted as a collective. This is a dying cult, it will be dismantled or die out in the next few decades. We should ignore them, that will be the ultimate form of suffering for them, and it will rob them of their collective identity if no one reacted to them at all.

I hope that Drain will seek out a therapist to deal with all the crap she had to put up from not only the church, but her father and mother.

Being part of the ONTD community, there was a time while reading this that I enjoyed the spilling of the truth tea. The shading of members and the pastor, and sometimes not so subtle dragging. It was like reading a WBC tell-all.

I think Drain, and the Phelps girls who have also left the church after Drain, have a long way to make up for the damage, hurt, and pain they caused. I feel sympathetic towards them, but many won’t and I can understand why. I never had to deal with this cult first hand, so it’s easier for me to forgive them. (For those that don’t know, I am a lesbian).

I look forward to reading more memoirs from the ex-members of the WBC cult.

Also huge trigger warning for physical and emotional abuse.

Classical Feng Shui for Romance, Sex & Relationships: Design Your Living Space for Love, Harmony & Prosperity

GR Book Page

Should be Published on: 1/8/15

Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

Rating: ★★½

I am going to state right away that I do not know that much about Feng Shui, and this is my first book about the subject. I am still pretty skeptical.

I think Classical Feng Shui is for rich people, who can afford to design and build their own houses. They can afford to renovate their houses, they don’t necessarily live in apartments with no control over how the apartment is constructed. At least we get some tips/advice on how to fix the bad energy flow based on construction design errors if you can’t afford to do all those other things.

The author is an expert on her field and I give her props, but she has some quite out-dated views on gender and sexuality. She also references Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars book, and I’m like LOL No.

This might be relevant to you, but it wasn’t to me.

Dating Jesus: A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism, and the American Girl

Rating: ★★★★

GR Book Page

This book was really good.

This book gave me lots of feels, and made me think of things that I haven’t thought in a long time.

I am going to be speaking about religion/spirituality and my own thoughts on it. Feel free to not read it, because I know that can be upsetting/triggering to people.

The River is Dark

Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. Some minor spoilers in this review.

Rating: ★★★½

GR Book Page

This was a quick read, once I really started to read it. I finished it within two hours, so if you have an afternoon to read (think rainy or snowy, with hot beverage of choice) this would be perfect.

There was a love story, but it was mostly insta-love, though they apparently knew each other before in backstory. I didn’t really get a feel for their romance, and it felt forced, but I didn’t really focus on it. I was more focused on the murder mystery. There is enough action to focus on, instead of the forced pairing.

I didn’t mind the main character, he was flawed, but not completely to the point of unlikeable.

The actual storyline verged on unrealistic, but I was able to suspend my disbelief while reading.

I actually felt bad for Peter. I mean, it’s not his fault what his parents did to him, and how he was raised afterwards. I can picture a life where he had proper medical care and actually raised properly I think he would have been okay. To not get into a nature vs nurture debate, I think both nature and nurture influence a person (to simplify it).

There wasn’t much substance or depth to this novel, but it didn’t need it, and it was just a fun read, and nothing too serious. At least for me.

Déjà Dead

GR Book Page

Rating: ★★★

I have come to think this is one of my guilty pleasure series.

Let me break this down a bit:

I prefer Temperance from the show.

There is less romance in the books then the tv show, but you get more of a feel for most of her co-workers/friends in the tv show. (At least in the books I’ve read before). So, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. I know fans of the book who don’t like the show, and vice versa.

The show and book are very different.

I LOVE the fact that this book series seems to be set predominantly set in Canada. ❤

I love this gif so much. 😀

So, both are good/okay in their own way. 😀 Just don’t go into reading this as a duplicate of the show, I think you might be disappointed.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga

GR Book Page

Rating: ★★★★

This is a good basic guide to Yoga, including the spiritual aspects. Half of it focuses on the spiritual aspects (which I personally liked), and the other half focuses on the most basic and a few advanced asanas (poses). Also diagrams the Sun Salutation and Moon Salutation. This book also has some very useful tips and advice for beginners (and maybe for those more far along). Definite keeper. 😀

American Psycho

Rating: ★★★★

GR Book Page

Original review (2/8/2011):

This book was intense. It made me feel really uncomfortable. It’s hard to put it into words. Definitely not for the weak of heart. Great writing.

ETA 10/31/14 after watching the movie at least 10 times in the last two years:

The movie was a lot more palatable then the book, but still disturbing (at least for mainstream horror). The book and movie are a bit different in the fact that the movie feels more like dark comedy for me, and the book more horror.

I read a lot of horror, and this novel disturbed me and stayed with me even years later. I am debating re-reading it to see if it is as disturbing to me, still.

Clairvoyant Psychotherapy

Rating: ★★★

GR Book Page

Read: 10/19/14

Expected Publishing Day: 3/1/14

Disclaimer: I received this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were a few things that I really disagreed with, but all-in-all, I think this will be useful to me.

Property Of

Rating: ★★★

GR Book Page

Approximate Published Date: 9/23/14

Recommended For: Those who want a trashy good time

Disclaimer: This book was sent through Netgalley for free, in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not like any of her novels that came after. So your mileage may vary.

I mean it was a trashy-in-a-good-way pulpy vintage novel that I found entertaining and amusing. It was a good mental vacation with the various things that have been going on in real life. It read like a more grown-up version of the outsiders. This is a good thing.