Wakela Runen's World

Disclaimer:  I received this book free from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation. Delightfully wicked read!  Emily Greenwood has created characters that will have you laughing at their antics. This is the first book that I have read by Emily Greenwood.  She had previously written A Little Night Mischief.  I definitely want to get my hands on that book. Lily Teagarden has had a rough life.  Her mother died when she was only 12 and her father relied on her to run the household.  This led Lily to become a stick-in-the-mud.  Hal decides that it should be his mission to change that.   Even though Lily is very rigid in certain ways of thinking, other things she does will have you laughing hysterically.  I loved how she was covering for the Fiend so Hal wouldn't discover the truth.  Oh and let's not forget all the craziness involving Lily's diary. I read this book in just one sitting.  I hope that Emily plans on bring

Description Stress. It is everywhere around us. Even worse, it gets inside us: sapping our energy, undermining our health, and making us more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and disease. Now, based on Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn’s renowned mindfulness-based stress reduction program, this groundbreaking book shows you how to use natural, medically proven methods to soothe and heal your body, mind, and spirit. By using the practices described within, you can learn to manage chronic pain resulting from illness and/or stress related disorders…discover the roles that anger and tension play in heart disease… reduce anxiety and feelings of panic…improve overall quality of life and relationships through mindfulness meditation and mindful yoga. More timely than ever before , Full Catastrophe Living is a book for the young and the old, the well, the ill, and anyone trying to live a healthier and saner life in today’s world. Jon Kabat-Zinn , Ph.D ., is the founding director of the Stress Reduction

Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Brack Books in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation. Whether you are love history or a photography buff, this book is definitely one to pick up and cherish. This book takes a look at the White House photographers throughout the years.  Many of them have taken photographs that will always be burned in our brains as part of US history and culture.  Everyone has seen the iconic picture of Abraham Lincoln that was taken by Matthew Brady.  However, did you know that during the civil war, Brady was out in the thick of the battles with his "mobile" dark room and his camera attempting to capture that part of history on film.  Not only was he doing this, but Lincoln basically gave Brady the first ever press pass. This is just one example of behind the scenes history that you will learn while reading this book.  And let's not forget being able to see memorable pictures of each presidency since then.  

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. Anyone who has been following politics and social reform issues for the past decade is aware of the ongoing fight to legalize same sex marriages.  Not only in the US, but in other countries as well.  One of the biggest proponents for allowing this tidal wave of change is the media.  And not just mainstream media either.  Social media plays an important part as well. This book focuses on how the media has played an active role in allowing people’s views to come forward about same sex marriage and to help gas up the engines of change.  But this book is so much more then that.  It also showcases the Gay Rights movement from the very beginnings.  Some of the pieces that are portrayed in it are heart wrenching.  While others are heart warming.   If you ever wanted to read a history of the Gay Rights movement and how media played a role in its progress, then

Description A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year. In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell," A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe. In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is tru

  Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Henery Press in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation. Oh how I wished I would have known about this series earlier!  The main character, Rose, was raised in a snooty upper class home.  She didn't like the lifestyle, so against her mother's pleas, she left it and started working as a waitress in a diner.  Through her job as a waitress, she has run into a wide range of interesting people. This book actually had two concurrent mysteries that Rose attempts to solve.  First and foremost is the mystery of who killed Delia.  The second is the case of who stole the replica Starfleet uniform that was autographed by William Shatner. Being a huge Star Trek fan (and yes, I dressed up in costume for conventions), the second case was a purely magical bonus for me.  I had previously belonged to the real StarFleet Fan Club and KLAW.  In the book they are SPuRTs and KAW.  But yes, I could definitely see many of

Description A feminist film critic’s thoughtful, outspoken memoir about transgender and family On a visit to New York, the brother of well-known film critic Molly Haskell dropped a bombshell: Nearing age sixty, and married, he had decided to become a woman. In the vein of Jan Morris’s classic Conundrum and Jennifer Finney Boylan's She's Not There, a transgender memoir, Haskell’s My Brother My Sister gracefully explores a delicate subject, this time from the perspective of a family member. Haskell chronicles her brother Chevey’s transformation through a series of psychological evaluations, grueling surgeries, drug regimens, and comportment and fashion lessons as he becomes Ellen. Despite Haskell’s liberal views on gender roles, she was dumbfounded by her brother’s decision. With candor and compassion, she charts not only her brother’s journey to becoming her sister, but also her own path from shock, confusion, embarrassment, and devastation to acceptance, empathy, and love.

Description Coming of age is never easy, but for Ember Mae Roberts and her twin sister, Lorrie Beth, it may boil down to a matter of life or death. Growing up in the mountains of West Virginia in the 1950's presents unique challenges for any child, but for talented young Ember Mae, it means bearing the burdens of an adult, as she quickly learns her expected role is that of her sister's keeper. When a schoolyard bully sets his brutal sights on a fragile Lorrie Beth, Ember Mae jumps to her defense. Terror abounds at every turn as the tormenting escalates. What begins as a normal rite of passage for children since the beginning of time ends in a final tragic confrontation that leaves Lorrie Beth shattered. Both sisters make a pact to keep a deadly secret in order to heal, but Lorrie Beth has always been weak. Ember Mae fears she’ll crack under the strain and bring their world crashing down around them. What Ember Mae doesn't realize is that she and Lorrie Beth aren't the

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. As both a Unitarian Universalist and a Celtic Pagan, I have always been interested in learning about the various other pagan pantheons.  I had already known the basics of Norse mythology.  However, this book discusses the various spiritual practices that someone who is Asatru would utilize.  I loved that there were simple invocations and prayers that you could use in your every day life.  I know for me, my Celtic Paganism isn’t something that I put on and off like a coat for special occasions.  It is part of my very fabric.  And I am sure that Asatru is the same for those who practice it as well.  So if you are like me and wish to learn more about this religion, then I definitely suggest this book as a first start.  It will give you all the basics and guidelines.  It will not go too in-depth as it is just an introduction, but you will glean much informa

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. Being a Celtic Pagan, Faeries and Elementals are nothing new to me.  However, I always love to read about other people’s thoughts on the Faerie Realm. Alexandra Chauran teaches how to talk to Faeries, how to see Faeries, how to work with Faeries, and even how to get rid of them if that is what you want. Plus she details quite a few different types of Fae from around the world.  The author provides various rituals, prayers, and salutations that can be used to address or work with the various Fae.  When she discusses the four realms of the Fae – fire, earth, water, and air – she provides exercises and meditations to be performed for each realm.  These help you to understand how you can utilize the Faeries and Elementals in your daily life. I especially loved the section on Dreams and Water elementals.  I have decided to include this in my regular practi

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. I go through phases when I read.  Recently, I have been in the cozy mystery phase.  These are the books that are really drawing me right now.  And thankfully I found this one. Beth Groundwater creates such likeable characters in this story.  Thankfully, you don’t have to read the first two books in this series.  I found myself right at home in book three with all these characters.  The plot was well developed and definitely well paced.  I couldn’t put this book down.  I had so much fun reading it.  I definitely want to get the first two books in the series.  And hopefully, there will be plenty more in this series.  I can’t see what Claire gets into next. A Basket of Trouble (A Claire Hanover Mystery): Beth Groundwater: 9780738727035: Books ISBN : 0738727032 ISBN-13 : 9780738727035

Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation. If you are like me and love interesting little facts, then you have got to get this book.  The book itself is broken in chapters that are named after the months.  Each "month" has a few hours in it.  Each hour is a titillating tidbit of history.   One of my favorites is the story of how the famous composer Franz Haydn had actually been discovered.  Even though I have listened to his music often, this was a story that I had never heard before. There were quite a few other tidbits from history that I had never known sprinkled throughout this book. Another interesting nougat of history was that of Times Square.  We all take for granted all the huge billboard and bright lights that comprise modern day Times Square.  However, did you know that the first lighted ad in Times Square had 1, 475 bulbs and simply said "Manhattan Beach, Swept by

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci My rating: 5 of 5 stars Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. There has always been a sense of nostalgia about trains. Thoughts of trains bring you back to days gone by, when times were simpler. Life may not have been easy back in the days when trains were the main form of mass transportation. But people had a sense of who they were, they knew what they wanted out of life, and most importantly, they took time out to savor what they did have. My own family’s history with trains is a long lived one. I have traced back a few generations on my mom’s side that were all railway men. I personally have not had the chance to ride the rails. However, after I read this story, wanderlust has set in. Unfortunately, I have no where to go, no money to travel, and no one to travel with. So I will have to content myself with traveling through my imagination. The Christmas

Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. This book is a wonderful how-to on creating your own oils to use for magic.  Animals are more in tuned with the scents around them.  Even primitive man was more in tuned then we are.  Aromas can also trigger memories.  So it is a wonder that we don’t use aromatherapy more in our magical practices.  Most of us burn incense or buy already prepared oils.  This book shows how to blend your own oils for whichever purposes you want. First you need to decide on your magical intent.  Once you have that intent, you need to figure out which carrier oil and which essential oils to choose.  This book gives you guidelines on which ones will work best for your intent.  It also gives you what you need to know in order to be able to safely blend the oils, as some are more caustic then others. Throughout the book there is not just the how-tos for creating your own blen

Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Hay House in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation. Doreen Virtue has been writing books on various aspects of spirituality for many years.  Every book that I have picked up by her has been well written and full of great information. Assertiveness for Earth Angels helps those of us who are here on this Earth as a Lightworker.  Many times, Lightworkers are taken advantage of because we don't want to tell someone no.  We don't want to rock the boat.  We want to keep everyone around us happy and don't like confrontation. This book teaches us how to be assertive and to set boundaries for ourselves in a loving and giving way.  Many people get confused between aggression and assertiveness, but Doreen shows how there is a major difference between the two. She includes lots of questions to ask yourself as well as various hints, tips, and tricks to help yourself become more assertive in not only your L

  Description Discovering your natural abilities to communicate with the other side is as simple as taking a unique quiz to determine your medium type. Once you know how your subtle abilities work, you can develop your skills with the simple exercises and techniques presented in You Are a Medium. Everyone has the innate ability to communicate with those who have passed on. As you become more confident with your medium abilities, be prepared to make a breathtaking discovery: Not only do our deceased loved ones help us from the other side—we also help them! Sharing inspiring case studies from her work with clients and students, Sherrie Dillard shows that when we succeed in learning our soul lessons, we become beacons of light to those in the beyond. Review I have always known about the various ways in which spirit can communicate with us.  However, I never realized that some people are more prone to communication in one way over another.  I had always assumed that if you could easily