Customer Comments

Wanda E. Brunstetter, creator of Amish Friends Farmhouse Favorites Cookbook, is an award-winning author that specializes in the Amish romance category, and has sold more than 10 million books. Amish Friends Farmhouse Favorites Cookbook contains recipes submitted by Amish cooks from around the world. There are color photos of the Amish lifestyle and of some of the recipes but not for every recipe. I have seen some of the recipes, or very similar, in other Amish cookbooks and online recipe databases but that is to be expected because the recipes have undoubtedly been passed around among the Amish for years because they are so good. Some of the recipes use specialty items like spelt flour, coconut flour, cheese powder and stevia. And some use convenience items like canned soups, canned fruits and bottled juices. The number of servings are not listed but it is obvious from the amount of ingredients listed that some recipes are meant to feed a crowd. Two recipes that I found especially interesting is Farmer’s Dust, which is a spice blend that can be substituted for seasoned salt, and Salad Krispies. Those sound like they’d be an interesting replacement for croutons on a salad. The book even includes a chapter entitled “Home Remedies and Tips”. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

How to Instant Pot: Mastering All the Functions of the One Pot That Will Change the Way You Cook by Daniel Shumski is the best cookbook I've read, so far, that not only gives good recipes but also walks the reader thru each step to take to use the Instant Pot successfully. I wish I had had this book available when I purchased my Instant Pot. I have tried several recipes from this book and am exceptionally pleased with the results. I especially like the way the polenta turned out. No stirring for what seems like forever and no scalding plops landing on the skin as you stir. I've got my eye on several other interesting recipes that I can't wait to try. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

How to Color Like an Artist by Veronica Winters is an excellent resource for beginning adult colorists. A variety of techniques using colored pencils are explained in an easy to follow step-by-step manner. There are full-color photographs illustrating coloring methods that include creating texture, shading and blending and the different types of pencil strokes. An added benefit is the eight practice illustrations, the same ones that the author uses, that are included. This book would be an excellent resource for any adult who wants to learn more about how to use colored pencils. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley for my unbiased opinion.

The Turn by Kim Harrison adds more facets to the Hollows saga. And now I'm going to have to go back and re-read all the books in the series yet again. It's going to be fun to fill in the new details into the entire storyline. Guess the Hollows wasn't quite finished after all or else the readers just wouldn't let it go. Readers will enjoy this book from the first word, “Trisk” to the last, “away”. And probably beg for more. I was given a copy of the book by the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A Very Blessed Christmas Coloring Book by Robin Mead is a coloring book with drawings that are not excessively intricate but they will bring you joy as you color them. With some holiday music playing softly in the background while you color, it will be a great way to relax and forget your worries for a time. There are 79 pages that have items to color on them and that includes the title page and the pages with Bible quotes. That number does not include the pages that contain holiday tags, ornaments, bookmarks and Christmas cards. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley for an unbiased opinion.

This is a good, basic book for beginning papercrafters. The fifteen projects are easy to make and the materials required might already be available in your home. Step-by-step instructions, with full color photos, are included along with the techniques of dyeing, drying and using coffee filters in some of the designs. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I was attracted to The Bone Witch by the cover. I like some sub-genres of fantasy and from the blurb provided this book sounded like a good fit. Well, I've discovered that is not the case. This kind of fantasy isn't for me. The author, Rin Chupeco, wrote an intriguing book. The concept of the heartglasses has potential. And there are witches, strange beasts, necromancy and engaging characters. The world these characters inhabit is described in considerable detail. On the other hand there are pages, page and pages of boring descriptions – of the fashions, the towns, the hairstyles, day-to-day training and so on. The pace of the book slows significantly and there were times when I didn't want to read another word. While this book isn't for me if you are a fan of high fantasy then give this book a try. You might like it. A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Chinese Holistic Medicine in Your Daily Life: Combine Acupressure, Herbal Remedies & Qigong for Integrated Natural Healing by Steven Cardoza, MS, Lac, does a good job of explaining the differences between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. To me, a Westerner, it seems to be a comprehensive book. The differences between Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine are interesting. Chinese medicine has developed over thousands of years and uses herbs, acupuncture and tai chi to treat or prevent health problems. On the other hand, Western medicine has grown to include machines, i.e. x-rays, MRIs and so forth, as well as invasive procedures such as surgery and medicines made from man made chemicals. Western doctors tend to treat the disease more than the person. From the standpoint of Western medicine, disease is a circumstance that is separate from the patient. It is something that the patient has. In Chinese medicine disease is not viewed as something that a patient has. It is something that the patient is. There is only a whole person whose body functions may be balanced or out of balance. The goal is to determine and understand the kind of imbalance while treatment restores the balance to the body. I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Special Agent A.X.L Pendergast has a lot of trouble on his hands in The Obsidian Chamber by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I have read every book in the Pendergast series to date and this one is a little unusual in that Proctor is featured in some of the chapters. He is in pursuit of a kidnapped Constance Green and her kidnapper and ends up traveling over half of the globe. Constance though, accompanied by her kidnapper, only goes up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. Oh, and Pendergast is rescued and then kidnapped by a different, unrelated group and held for ransom. Even Sgt. D'Agosta shows up. A thoroughly entertaining book. I received a copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Remember those old fashioned storytellers? The ones that tells the story in such detail that you can almost believe you are there and once they start talking you can't bear to move away until you hear the whole story? John Sandford is one of those story-tellers. In Escape Clause you can see the action as it takes place, the surveillance, the chases, the sneaking around, the skinny dipping, the bad guys and all of the other things that make up this extremely enjoyable book. I'm trying not to give any of the plot away but if you like John Sandford's Virgil Flowers then once you start this book you will want to finish it in one sitting. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley for an honest review.