Reviews and Comments

tylerbones

tylerbones@bookwyrm.social

Joined 1 year, 11 months ago

nonfiction. nature, science, history.

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Erin Zammett Ruddy: The Little Book of Life Skills (Hardcover, 2020, Grand Central Publishing) 5 stars

Review of 'The Little Book of Life Skills' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The organization of this book takes it from "random collection of click bait in print" to "actually enjoyable narrative instruction to improving one's life". The book is organized in such a way that by taking the author's littles tips on how to improve your day - starting with waking up and making your bed, getting to work, doing chores, eating healthy (recipes included!), and working on your relationships with yourself and others - you actually end up with a better life, not just a better day. All this to say, this author makes self-help feel doable. She's not asking you to completely overhaul your way of doing things. She's just giving you little tips and tricks to try out throughout your day that can build on one another and give you new skills to tackle life with. I've never actually enjoyed a self-help book this much, nor have I read …

Steve Haines, Sophie Standing: Touch Is Really Strange (Paperback, 2021, Singing Dragon) 3 stars

Review of 'Touch Is Really Strange' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This is a surprisingly neat little comic. Maybe because I wasn't familiar with bodywork and touching as healing beforehand, but I really feel like I've learned something new and opened up a whole new interest for myself. This little comic is a really good introduction for anyone curious about the often overlooked sense of touch. Parts of this comic are scientific, explaining what touch is and how we feel it, and also how we can use touch to heal. There are some really cool little exercises in the end that help you practice this idea and really begin to understand it. The illustration style of the comic is a lovely touch (ha, no pun intended). Simple, calm, with a theme of light and dark that feels healing all on its own.

Review of 'Toaster Oven Takeover' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Who knew! You can make just about anything in a toaster oven that you can in a REGULAR oven. Neat! This cookbook covers the full gauntlet of meals from breakfast to dessert and then some. The food sounds and looks delicious, with some lovely tantalizing photos throughout. I have but one real concern about this cookbook - who's the audience? A lot of the recipes, most of them really, are for multiple servings intended for families. I don't think there's a lot of people out there using a toaster oven to cook for their families on the regular, and I think this cookbook would have been better suited to one or two serving recipes - smaller portions for a smaller oven. Still, it's a useful book to expand your horizons of toaster oven use, and there's lots of helpful info in the front and back for beginning cooks who might …

Jay Hosler: Way of the Hive (2021, HarperCollins Publishers) 5 stars

Review of 'Way of the Hive' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Okay, this was really hecking cute. I did not expect this book to bee (sorry, I promise that's the only time I'm going to do that) so enjoyable. I've seen it advertised as a children's book, but it's definitely for older kids. It's full of science as well as humor, stuff even I - a Big Bad Adult - had to go back and reread a couple of times. But it's a GREAT book. I learned so much about how bees work, and I wasn't bored once! It's honestly amazing how the author managed to give these bees - each drawn pretty much exactly the same - so much personality. I'm still giggling with delight over bee shenanigans. The art is fantastic as well. Vivid and detailed, extremely captivating.

Sam Maggs: Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga (2020) 5 stars

Review of 'Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Yes! What a gorgeous addition to a wonderful series of novels! I read Fangirl at exactly the right time, in college myself, writing fanfiction, obsessed with a magical boy wizard of my own. This novel is near and dear to my heart even as I've grown past that stage of my life, and this manga is a beautiful tribute to the emotions that novel evokes. The art is on point - Cath, Wren, Levi, even Simon and Baz - all look just as I saw them in my head, and the plot stays faithful to the novel even with this change of format. I love it. I'm very excited for the next volumes, to relive this wonderful story all over again.

Review of 'Cook Anime' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Yes! The cookbook I've been looking for my whole life! The author describes it perfectly in the introduction - being enamored with the background scenes in our favorite anime, especially when there's food involved. All that animated food just looks so delicious, and now, we can know what it is and even make it for ourselves! This cookbook is not only great for anime nerds, but anyone looking to cook popular Japanese dishes. The recipes stick to authenticity where they can, and include lots of extra info to help one understand the dish beyond just the instructions for cooking it.

Review of 'How to Brew Hard Seltzer' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is incredibly informative. The writing is a little dry (pun intended) but I suppose that is what you want from what is essentially a how-to manual on how to make hard seltzer. The author throws in a few fun tidbits too, including a history of the beverage and even a few cocktail recipes to make with seltzer. This book is definitely for the serious homebrewer - beginner or experienced, but definitely someone dedicated to the hobby.

Julia Halina Hadas: WitchCraft Cocktails (2020, Adams Media Corporation) 5 stars

For centuries, witches have been using spirits of all forms during rituals and celebrations. Now, …

Review of 'WitchCraft Cocktails' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is SO AWESOME. I absolutely was not expecting the depth of research in what I thought was going to be a small book of spooky-themed cocktail recipes. The author actually takes time to explain both bartending AND witchcraft basics before leading you on a spiritual journey that really makes you think about what you are imbibing. Even if you don't drink, I think this a fascinating book to read for the witchcraft lore alone.

Justin Weber: WFPB Cookbook (2020, Callisto Media Inc.) 5 stars

Review of 'WFPB Cookbook' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is super informative! I love cookbooks that are not JUST lists of recipes. This book has a lot of useful information, especially for beginner cooks who might just be getting started in the kitchen. The recipes themselves also contain useful information on how to prep them. This is a well-rounded cookbook full of delicious ideas and tips.