Author: Schizanthus Nerd

Inside Out Egyptian Mummy – Lorraine Jean Hopping

Did you know that the Egyptian mummy-making process took 70 days? Or that 15 of those days were needed to wrap the mummy?

I’ve been an Egypt nerd for most of my life. I learned so many new facts while reading this book and it’s ignited the need to learn more. I would have done some serious drooling over this book as a kid. My Nan and I shared our fascination of Ancient Egyptian culture, beliefs and customs, and for a time I was sure I was going to be an archaeologist when I grew up.

I read books and more books about Egypt. When we got to choose our own topic for a project in primary school I chose Ancient Egypt. That project is still sitting in a box in the garage, pulled out and leafed through from time to time when nostalgia finds me. I had a silver necklace I wore throughout high school with a Nefertiti bust charm on it. I laboured for months over a detailed Tutankhamun burial mask cross stitch for my Nan and although she was an incredible artist, she removed one of her paintings from the living room wall and hung my framed present in its place. My Nan was totally awesome!

I loved that this book takes you on a journey through the mummification process that is appropriate for children (it’s recommended for ages 8 and above), but it is also interesting enough to hold an adult’s attention. Just some of the snippets of information I enjoyed coming across while reading include:

  • What images were on the inside of coffins and why
  • Who the first Egyptian mummy was
  • Where we get the English word mummy from
  • What determines whether you read hieroglyphs from left to right or right to left
  • What different colours symbolised in Egyptian culture.

While there were plenty of photos and illustrations interspersed with the text, the layout didn’t feel cluttered. The copy I read was digital so I haven’t seen the final die-cut model but from the photos throughout the book I can imagine it would help bring what you’re reading about to life. I’m also quite proud to be able to tell you that I now know how to write my first name in hieroglyphs thanks to this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer! kids for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Calling all explorers and archaeologists!  Inside Out: Egyptian Mummy  comes with everything you need to start an Egyptian adventure, from discovering a tomb to unwrapping a mummy.

Though the ancient civilization of Egypt may be long gone, itsdead still have secrets to tell. From the myth of Isis and Osiris, to King Tut’s tomb, to the intricacies of preparing the body for its underworld journey, Inside Out: Egyptian Mummy takes you step by step into a tomb. Get a fascinating glimpse into how an ancient culture saw death and the afterlife beyond.

That isn’t all though! Alongside beautiful illustrations and photographs, an interactive die-cut model reveals the many rites of the Egyptian tomb. You will be amazed by everything from the iconic golden burial mask, to the lucky amulets the dead were buried with, protective linen wrappings, and even the mummified body and preserved sacred organs. And when it comes to hieroglyphics, hidden burial grounds, and missing treasure, there’s always more to uncover, so get your start now, who knows where your journeys will take you! 

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Grug Meets Snoot – Ted Prior

I never read this one as a kid. It’s so lovely! Snoot is the cutest little echidna and he becomes friends with Grug. Until you’ve seen an echidna laying on its back smiling, you don’t know what adorable is. I may have accidentally bought all of the Grug books that Mum and I don’t already own during the latest Booktopia free shipping bookathon so over the course of the next few months, be prepared to become well acquainted with this quirky childhood favourite. I’ll be hiding them for Mum randomly, interspersed with some Clifford books bought at the same time. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 😊

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

An echidna called Snoot is the perfect, prickly friend for Grug! 

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The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra – James Demonaco

Spoilers Ahead!

I was ready to adore The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra from the beginning, just for the title alone. Jack is different. He has a magical shadow which he learns to use to explore the world in a way no one else can. He can touch and manipulate items with his shadow, feeling with his physical body and shadow simultaneously. While Jack is shy and fearful, his shadow is not and it cannot feel pain.

Jack’s father, who has a small nose but an exceptionally gifted sense of smell, is excited about Jack’s difference. Jack’s mother, however, who runs an advice website called ILLMAKETHEDECISIONSYOUCANT.COM (unfortunately it’s not a real website – I checked) is concerned, worrying that Jack’s ability will scare people away. Jack’s mother is also a champion farter, smelling up the pages whenever she’s anxious or excited.

This book deals with bullying, being an outcast, friendships, loneliness, wanting to belong, and learning to accept and celebrate your differences. I thought it was wonderful that James DeMonaco explored peoples’ fear of anything or anyone who is different and points out that differences aren’t actually scary after all. There’s some good vocabulary building, often thanks to Louis the Lip, who’s pretty much described as practically perfect in every way (sorry, I love Mary Poppins so had to describe him like that 😊), with the exception of his personality.

I liked Jack as a character. He’s sensitive, intelligent, inquisitive and non-judgemental. He’s a lonely boy who desperately wants friends but is excruciatingly shy. He stands up for what he believes in and wants to use his shadow powers for good. I enjoyed most of the sequence of events and although it’s hinted at several times with one of my pet peeves (see below), I can see this story working as the first in a series.

I enjoyed the quirkiness of Jack’s parent so much and particularly loved the pet names they call each other, always something different so as not to be boring. It’s so hard to pick a favourite pet name for each but I was fond of Sir Spits When He Speaks and Whimsical Wife with Weird Digestion. My favourite character was the lion with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He was adorable.

I was so annoyed that the only two children not scared of Jack’s abilities are the ones who have personally benefited from them, yet they still allow peer pressure to stop them from being his friend. This makes a really good point about the power of peer pressure but I was so angry with those kids for a while.

It seems that each children’s book I’ve read recently is taking their style or ideas from Roald Dahl. Remember the chalkboard incident in Matilda? It’s pretty much replicated in this book.

Moving on to my irritations, question marks and pet peeve occurrences, some with spoilers so reader beware. While these are plentiful, please don’t think they mean I didn’t enjoy the book. I really did. When I want more or have lots of questions, it means I’m invested in the storyline and I understand that if there is a sequel a lot of my questions may be answered then. Only the first point detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

I found the interjections by the listener and the storyteller discussing the characters and sequence of events really irritating and thought it disrupted the story rather than adding value with it. While I understand the purpose of these exchanges I felt the story would have flowed better without them.

How can a shadow speak with Jack? I don’t remember reading how this is explained and Jack’s shadow doesn’t seem to be verbal so maybe this is something that happens once only the shadow remains?

Is it one of the magical properties of this type of shadow that after death it no longer needs to be attached to a person for it to be projected?

How can Jack communicate with all of the animals in the Central Park Zoo? Is this part of the shadow magic as well?

Hopefully if the events in this book had really happened a teacher wouldn’t have allowed three children to head back into an area soon to be engulfed in fire by themselves just because one of the children insisted they could save the animals. At least have the guts to go in there with them or maybe keep them out of harm’s way and wait for the firefighters to save the day? I know, I know. It’s only a story but as I said, I was invested.

Jack becomes the most popular kid in school after the fire and all the kids, except Melinda and Larry, want to do is ask him questions about his shadow. It feels as though instead of going from someone to be feared to a friend who can be relied on to look out for his friends, he becomes something of a curiosity for quite a while. And the cousin that was frightened of Jack at the beginning of the book? He comes out of the woodwork and wants to be friends with him … after Jack is on the news. I loved Jack and wanted everyone to see him for the awesome kid he is, regardless of his abilities, and I wanted everyone else to be as pure hearted as he is.

There’s a chapter called Back to School, Not Starring Rodney Dangerfield. While I personally appreciated this nod to one of my favourite movies I doubt any kid reading this would know who Rodney Dangerfield is or would have seen the 1986 film.

🚨 Pet Peeve Alert 🚨
“but that is a different chronicle”
“his story is for another day”
“but that’s a different story”
“That’s for another time”
I don’t know why but sentences like those really bug me, although that’s my problem, not the author’s.

I applaud Jack’s forgiving nature. I think if I was the one treated like a leper because I had a special talent I would have happily slapped every single rotten bully across the face with my shadow hand, but I guess that’s one of the many reasons why I haven’t been entrusted with my very own super shadow. 😜

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkshares for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Shortly after Jack is born, strange things are afoot in the Bokimble house – glasses fall from shelves, and nothing seems to be where Mr. and Mrs. Bokimble left it. Jack’s parents begin to sense that there’s something strange about their son, and it’s not long before they realize that he has a secret friend: his magical shadow. 

Is Jack’s shadow a superpower that he needs to control and master? Or is it a curse that will separate him from others? Travel with Jack on his boyhood journey as he learns not only how to control his magical shadow but what it means to be different – a story that mines the potential for magic and mystery in all of us.

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Gregory and the Grimbockle – Melanie Schubert

Illustrations – Abigail Kraft

There’s nothing adults want to do more than to wipe the smudge below 10 year old Gregory’s left nostril, but it’s not a smudge at all. It’s actually a mole and is about the only extraordinary thing about Gregory, who has hardly any friends and quite tenuous relationships with his mother, father and older sister, Marjory. That is, until the night he meets Grimbockle, a Bockle, riding his trusty steed cockroach, and his life is never the same.

Bockles fix the invisible (to hoo-mans) threads that connect people called exoodles. When relationships are strong then so are their exoodles. When they’re not, exoodles get thinner and fray. Grimbockle is on the maintenance team and through the course of the book Gregory’s eyes are opened in a way no human has ever experienced before.

Children will really enjoy the friendship between Gregory and Grimbockle and their expeditions on the Exoodle Expressway to fix exoodles. The various paint buckets that Grimbockle uses throughout the book reminded me of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Melanie Schubert has almost certainly been a big fan of Dahl growing up.

The quirky way the Bockles speak almost felt as though I was listening to Dahl’s BFG. I found some of their speech annoying, mostly the constant use of “I is”. If I wasn’t as familiar with the language Roald Dahl used I probably would have found it cute but each time I read “hoo-mans” I kept hearing the BFG calling Sophie a “human bean”, and anything that reminds me of Mr Dahl is never going to be able to compete. I know it’s not a fair playing field but no one will ever be able to out-Dahl Roald for me.

I loved the message of the exoodles and I really loved that children are empowered in this book. They’re taught that there are things they can do to improve the quality of the exoodles in their own lives. For both children and adults I felt the image of threads that grow stronger or weaker with our actions was powerful and memorable.

During the reading of this book I had a slump and was having trouble concentrating for a few days. Today after a hug and some kind words from a friend I could visualise my exoodles getting stronger and afterwards I was able to concentrate again and finish this book. It seems appropriate that this is the book I was reading when this happened.

It has me thinking about my own exoodles, which ones need fixing and what I can do to help mend them. I expect any reader will feel the same and while it sounds so simple, a smile, a hug, a note or some kind words really can make the world of difference.

My favourite character in this book was Gregory’s neighbour, old Ethel, whose mission in life seems to be pouncing in front of him as he walks past and trying to pull the mole off his face. I really liked Abigail Kraft’s illustrations. While the description of the Bockles was lovely to read, Abigail’s illustrations brought them to life in a lighthearted way. This book even has its own soundtrack by Jared Kraft that you can download.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, New Wrinkle Publishing and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Ten-year-old Gregory is about to find out that the enormous mole stuck straight beneath his nose is not just a mole, but is actually a humpy crumpy portal of skin that hides a creature called the Grimbockle.

What’s more? The Grimbockle is just one of the many strange little creatures called Bockles tending to the mysterious threads that connect all humans from one to the other. It is a very important job and one that has long been carried out with incredible secrecy …

… that is, before tonight.

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Abandoned: The Most Beautiful Forgotten Places from Around the World – Mathew Growcoot (editor)

I love abandoned places photography so much! This book was no exception. The photography itself was brilliant but the subject matter was everything for me. There’s just something about abandoned places. They have a strange combination of the overwhelming sadness of something cast aside, nostalgia of what once was and a haunting beauty of what the elements have transformed the structure into, and I can’t get enough of them. Like losing myself in a fire’s flames, I get mesmerised by these places.

When I saw my first abandoned house photo I had a lightbulb moment. Weird as it may sound these are my fantasy buildings. I would love to buy an abandoned house like one of the ones in this book, ensure it’s structurally sound and then leave the outside as close to the state that I found it in as possible. I’d restore the interior, bringing back to life the character it once had, but the outside would remain as is. It would be my “don’t judge a book by its cover” dream brought to life.

I don’t expect this would make sense to most people but I love the idea of people walking up to a building that looks as though a gust of wind could bring it down and then stepping inside to the enchanted world of my imagination, with the requisite hidden rooms and the library of my dreams. Hmm … one day …

So, back to this book. It was gorgeous and my biggest decision now is whether to keep reserving it over and over at the library or buy my own copy because I have to look through it again and again. As you page through, you’ll be taken on a journey around the world through abandoned homes, recreation, rooms, journeys, society and industry.

I could easily say they were all my favourites but there were particular photos that stood out to me. The children’s playroom in Pennhurst Asylum, Pennsylvania, USA, with sections of a painted merry-go-round on the cracked wall and a wooden chair sitting in the middle of the room. The operating chair in an unnamed mental asylum in Italy, creepy in and of itself. Who knows how many peoples’ lives and minds were irrevocably changed in that room laying on and most likely strapped to that chair. Okay, so I may have a teensy morbid interest in old asylums.

There’s also an abandoned two storey mansion somewhere in the USA with eery clouds overhead, trees in the background and a curtain on the second floor that’s not quite closed, so it’s very likely a ghost is peering out at you. There’s a merry-go-round at the funfair somewhere in Italy and a lonely ferris wheel at Chernobyl, Ukraine. There’s also churches, shopping malls, planes, cars, motels and rooms overtaken by sand. The whole book is just amazing. I will never get tired of looking through it.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

From the empty magical theatres of Detroit to the lost playgrounds of Chernobyl, there are places across the globe that were once a hub of activity, but are now abandoned and in decay. With nature creeping in and reclaiming these spots, we are left with eerie crumbling ruins and breath-taking views of deserted places, that offer us a window into past and capture our imagination. Abandoned showcases the very best photographs from around the world documenting this phenomenon.

More immersive than a museum and more human that a lecture, abandoned photography has given the world an exciting way to look at our history and the places we have long neglected.

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Kill Creek – Scott Thomas

Kill Creek is best read when the weather is on your side. While I travelled to the Finch House there was torrential rain, thunder that rattled the windows, hail that pounded on the roof, 30,000 lightning strikes one night in the local area (or so they reported on the news) and wind that howled through the trees. One windy night around 3am as I crept through the dark house trying to be quiet so I didn’t wake anyone up I walked through a cobweb. Reading at night with the only light coming from my Kindle I could almost imagine something that used to be human reaching for me in the darkness of the room just beyond what I could see. It was creepy and it was perfect. I highly recommend reading Kill Creek under similar circumstances.

If ever a book was written with a cinematic quality where you could practically watch the movie as you’re reading the book, this is the one. An hour or so before walking through my cobweb I’d read a part in the book with spiders (so many spiders! 🕷) and sitting there in the dark I convinced myself I could feel something crawling along my arm. Now that’s the kind of creepy I love, when the book reaches out from the pages (or screen) and convinces you that what’s happening in the book and what’s happening around you as you read it are related, like the book knows and is somehow causing these ‘coincidences’. After reading his book, Scott Thomas almost had me convinced the house at Kill Creek had the power to reach into my life, and that is the type of creepy fun I haven’t experienced in a book in a long time.

Kill Creek takes us to Finch House, a gorgeous and meticulously crafted house with over 150 years of tragedy living within its walls. Wainwright of WrightWire (an internet “destination for horror events”) and his photographer Kate plan to interview four of the world’s most famous horror writers at Finch House for WrightWire’s annual Halloween stunt.

Our lambs to the slaughter authors are Sam, a lecturer at the University of Kansas and best-selling author who’s struggling to write his next novel, Sebastian who’s basically horror writer royalty, Daniel who I imagined as a Christian version of R.L. Stine and Moore, who writes what I can only describe as torture porn. Horror means something different to each author and each has their own reason for agreeing to take part in this interview. What they experience may reveal that the ghosts of the past that haunt your mind can be some of the most terrifying ghosts of all.

And the house? The house enjoys entertaining visitors. I remember one of my English teachers talking about how locations can become characters in stories and in my adolescent omniscience I sat there rolling my eyes thinking, ‘Yeah, whatever’. So, anonymous English teacher, I get it now! The house in Kill Creek is my favourite character!

Told in third person from multiple points of view, you are granted access to each character’s thoughts, desires and greatest fears. At times the writing was so poetic I almost forgot I was reading a horror novel. Then there’d be a description of seeping wounds, crunching bones or goo oozing out of eyeballs, and I’d remember, sometimes almost cringing from the detailed descriptions of agony and torment. With some humour, action sequences, egos battling egos and mystery thrown in along with some good old fashioned murder, Kill Creek is pure entertainment.

Should you ever star in your own horror novel, there are some basics that Kill Creek teaches that you should probably keep in mind.

Horror Novel 101

  1. If there’s a creepy basement with a rickety staircase, stay the hell out.
  2. No matter what, stay together as a group.
  3. If a house has a reputation for being evil, don’t think it’ll let you leave unscathed, if it lets you leave at all.
  4. If there’s a creepy third floor room whose entrance has been bricked over, take note. There’s probably a reason and you probably don’t want to know what’s in there.
  5. If someone who you know is dead is standing before you asking you to do something really weird, it’s probably not them and you probably shouldn’t do that really weird thing.

I did find that there was a section around the middle of the book that I felt was a bit long-winded and slowed the pace down at a time when I was eager to just get back to the house and get some answers. I found the themes of Moore’s novels kinda out there but in terms of relating those to her backstory I did understand where she was coming from. I found something to like about all but one of the characters (Adudel). I really had a fun time reading this book and will most certainly be on the lookout for future novels by this author.

Biggest disappointment: Looking up Last One Out Kills the Lights on Goodreads because Sam makes it sound like my kind of horror short story book, only to find it doesn’t exist. Just to make sure I looked up the author’s name and found they do exist! Except they’re a romance novelist. ☹️

Favourite sentence:

“That may be the most perverse thing of all: ignoring the horror, even as it happens around you.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkshares for the opportunity to read this book. This is the second book I’ve read by this publisher and both were home runs.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, lies the Finch House. For years it has perched empty, abandoned, and overgrown – but soon the door will be opened for the first time in many decades. But something waits, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests. 

When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt soon becomes a fight for survival – the entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.

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Monsoon Tide – Elsa Evripidou

Have you ever heard of a cBook? I hadn’t either. Monsoon Tide is the first cinematic book, an interesting blend of reading and watching a book. With only 15 short chapters, Monsoon Tide is a quick read/watch. Each chapter is followed by a video, furthering the story.

Set in England and India, we follow Anni on her journey to India where she plans to scatter her father’s ashes shortly after the 2004 tsunami. Through flashbacks we learn about Anni’s childhood and discover a mystery surrounding her mother’s death sixteen years prior. Upon learning that her mother didn’t drown like she’d been led to believe, Anni takes it upon herself to find out the truth. Her stepfather Charles, who is treated as an outcast, refuses to discuss her mother’s death. With secrets carried to the grave, unrequited love and suspicions her mother may have been murdered, this story follows Anni as she seeks answers.

While I loved the cBook concept and look forward to seeing how this reading/watching interplay unfolds in future novels, I felt this particular story needed to be fleshed out. While the story itself was interesting and mostly all there, except for a presumably still open police investigation, the characters didn’t work for me. There wasn’t enough time in the story to develop the characters enough for me to connect with them and I found I disliked a few of the characters, in particular Anni’s mother.

Some of the transitions between reading and watching were a bit disjointed but the story wasn’t so complicated that this created any confusion. Some of the acting came across as overdone but the script for the video segments didn’t give the actors a lot to work with as they were only telling snippets of the story.

Overall, this was an interesting introduction to a new concept and I’m glad I read/watched it. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Gatekeeper Press and Smith Publicity for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Monsoon Tide is the first cinematic book, bringing the best of the written word and film together in an exciting new concept. It combines a book’s ability to reveal a character’s innermost thoughts and motivations with film’s power to pull you right into the action and experience the sights, sounds and backdrop of the story.

It is the story of young aid worker, Anni who returns to her beautiful, tropical birthplace, Kerala in India in the wake of the Asian tsunami. There she encounters her reclusive and seemingly haunted stepfather in his isolated beachside house. She soon discovers that her mother’s death sixteen years before was not the accidental drowning she had been led to believe. It becomes her mission to discover the truth, whatever the cost. A haunting story of loss, love and secrets told in a unique way.

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On Being an Introvert or Highly Sensitive Person: A guide to boundaries, joy, and meaning – Ilse Sand

On Being an Introvert or Highly Sensitive Person should have had me saying, “Me, too!” on every page. I was really excited to learn some cool new things to celebrate about being an introvert. I haven’t read any books about sensitivity so was hoping for plenty of lightbulb moments. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I felt this book read more as an introduction to introversion and sensitivity rather than an in depth study on either topic.

I expect that if you haven’t read anything about being an introvert you would gain new insights. However I’ve recently read Jenn Granneman’s The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World and Debbie Tung’s graphic novel Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story, and I personally found these previous reads more enlightening and uplifting.

Ilse Sand developed two tests for this book to use as a guide for where you sit on the introvert/extrovert scale and how sensitive you are. By testing myself I wound up with a score of +56 on the introvert/extrovert scale, where +64 is as introverted as you can get, -64 is as extroverted as you can get and around 0 means you’re ambivert (a new word for me). The sensitivity scale is much the same, except +40 is highly sensitive, 0 is moderately sensitive and -40 is ordinarily sensitive. My score for this one was +29. I’m not as introverted or as sensitive as it’s humanly possible to be but I’m right up there so while I think that should’ve converted to a “Me, too!” extravaganza while reading this book, I just didn’t feel it.

There’s nothing that wrong with this book but I lacked a connection with the writing style, which may be due to it having been translated from Danish for this edition. I found some of the sentences and phrasing clunky and there were some instances where I felt the writing could have benefited from another sentence between thoughts to connect them more cohesively.

There were a few parts I found cringeworthy, especially those where it read as though introversion is an excuse to sit on the bench of life rather than it being something to be celebrated. I doubt very much that this was the author’s intention so it may again come down to something being lost in the translation.

I quite enjoyed the information explaining Carl Jung’s work distinguishing personality types, Elaine Aron’s research into the highly sensitive character trait and Jerome Kagan’s studies into high-reactive children.

The author made good use of personal anecdotes and quotes from her work as a parish pastor and psychotherapist. I wondered why it was necessary for some examples to be fictionalised and others used anonymously as there weren’t any skeleton in the closet revelations.

Some readers may baulk at reading this book knowing it was written by an author who has worked as a pastor but I didn’t find it preachy. The examples that included the author’s church were primarily used to explore the differences between the introverted author and the church’s previous extroverted pastor. The serenity prayer was included, as was a reference to making something an idol in your life.

I encountered one of my pet peeves in this book on three occasions that I can recall, where the author tells you that you really need to know something and then rather than telling you this life changing piece of information, they refer you to one of their other books. Personally when someone does that I deliberately avoid the book they’re plugging but that could just be my stubborn showing. If you write a book well then I’ll seek out your other books myself, but if you tease me with the possibility of insight and then rip it away unless I buy another of your books, then I tend to search for that information elsewhere.

The author’s foray into mental health conditions towards the end of the book seemed to come out of left field and as someone who’s experienced PTSD I found the following sentences a tad weird coming from a psychotherapist,

“If you are extremely afraid, for example of the anger of others, you should be aware that you may have PTSD. If you do not remember it, ask your parents whether you were subjected to violence when you were a child.”

People, just because you have fear doesn’t mean you have PTSD but if you do think you may have PTSD please seek help from a medical professional!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

In a culture that ranks sociability and extroversion above the introverted traits of deep thinking and being alone, Ilse Sand shows how to find joy and meaning as an introvert or highly sensitive person. She debates whether these traits are caused by nature or nurture, and shows how someone like this can organise their life to keep them content. The advice and instructions are also quite applicable to people who are temporarily or, for some other reason, in a sensitive situation – for example, because of stress, trauma, or burn-out.

It describes the introverted personality type and the highly sensitive trait, highlighting the strengths that come with it such as good listening skills and rich imagination, and suggests ways to overcome the negatives such as the need to avoid overstimulation and over-critical thinking.

Including advice from other introverts or highly introverted people, and two self-tests for sensitive and introverted traits, this book gives readers a deeper understanding of introversion and high sensitivity and gives those with these personality types greater faith and courage in their own talents.

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Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Whittling Book, Gift Edition: Fun, Easy-To-Make Projects with Your Swiss Army Knife – Chris Lubkemann

You know those amazing people who can look at a branch and think to themselves, ‘Gee, this would make a brilliant bird’ and then go and whittle that branch into something that actually looks like a bird? I’m not one of those people, but Chris Lubkemann certainly is! I page through books like Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Whittling Book, Gift Edition in jaw dropped awe and wish I was a tenth as talented as this man.

I grew up coveting my Dad’s Swiss Army Knife and felt like I was super special whenever he’d let me play with the toothpick – carefully, so I didn’t break it. The day that I was judged responsible enough to have my very own Swiss Army Knife I felt like I’d achieved a major rite of passage. I love these little marvels of engineering and currently have my grandfather’s but am eyeing off this gorgeous purple one that I may be forced to purchase.

So, this book. From the dedication to Carl Elsener, Sr., complete with a lovely photo of him with one of the happiest smiles I’ve ever seen, leaning on a table filled with upstanding Swiss Army Knives in battle formation, I began smiling and the only times I wasn’t smiling after that was when my brow was furrowed in astonishment at what author and whittler extraordinaire Chris can create out of so little.

Chris is passionate about his craft and there’s something contagious about passion. After learning about the history of the company and seeing some of the incredible variations of the models, I almost feel like a Swiss Army Knife evangelist now. From the basic model to the extraordinary Swiss Champ XAVT with 118 parts to the adorable limited edition ones with designs like bees or an astronaut dog in space, I never realised how many different functions these tools can achieve or how cute they can be. Also, in just their Ibach factory alone, 60,000 Swiss Army Knives are produced per day! Who knew?!

Onto the whittling. Not only do you get step by step instructions, you get coloured photos to support them. You will learn how to customise your knife to make it easier to whittle with, safety instructions, how to choose your branches and the other tools you will need. The projects will show you how to make tools, toys, animals and household items such as coasters. My favourite creation has to be the rowboat, complete with oars! So, have I converted you yet?

I am all too aware of my own klutz level so you won’t be seeing any updates from me with photos of my marvellous creations. I’d prefer my fingers to remain attached to my hands. For those of you like me this book is simply incredible to look through. You will gain such an appreciation for the talented non-klutzes of the world.

For those talented or soon to be talented whittlers, I applaud your artistry. This book would be perfect for anyone looking for a new hobby or for current whittlers looking to master new projects.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

With this well-illustrated guidebook and a trusty Swiss Army Knife, readers will be ready to whittle wherever they go. World-famous whittler Chris Lubkemann shows how to carve 43 useful and whimsical objects using nothing more than a stick and an Original Swiss Army Knife. Chris offers step-by-step instructions for all the traditional whittling favorites like spoons, forks, and flowers, plus some decidedly funny animals and the classic curly tail rooster. He also provides sage advice on how to choose wood, sharpen a blade, and safely control your knife. Published in collaboration with Victorinox AG, makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife.

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The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables – Catherine Reid

Photography – Kerry Michaels

Calling all kindred spirits! Did you know that because of the success of Anne of Green Gables the second most successful industry on Prince Edward Island is tourism? Once you look at the gorgeous landscape photography in this book you’ll want to book your trip as well.

The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables has plenty of information about Anne’s creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery, who preferred to be known as Maud (without an e). You’ll gain insight into her childhood and love of Prince Edward Island. The quotes from Maud’s journal are accompanied by her family photos and pages of Maud’s scrapbooks. With personal insights from Maud you’ll learn the parallels and differences between her life and Anne’s and you’ll be granted access to images of the 1908 version of Anne of Green Gables.

I felt like I’d stepped back in time while paging through this book. With photos of Prince Edward Island from the late 1800’s to today you’ll see what’s changed and what remains as if time has stood still. I particularly loved seeing the photos of Prince Edward Island throughout the seasons. My favourite comparison photos are of Teapot Rock in the 1890’s which, having eroded over time, is now known as Teacup Rock.

There’s a rustic charm to this book that would make it a lovely gift for lifelong Anne fans who will enjoy revisiting their favourite locations.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Anne of Green Gables is a worldwide phenomenon that has sold over fifty million copies and inspired numerous films, plays, musicals, and television series. It has turned Prince Edward Island into a multimillion-dollar tourist destination visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year. In The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables, Catherine Reid reveals how Lucy Maud Montgomery’s deep connection to the landscape inspired her to write Anne of Green Gables. From the Lake of Shining Waters and the Haunted Wood to Lover’s Lane, readers will be immersed in the real places immortalized in the novel. Using Montgomery’s journals, archives, and scrapbooks, Reid explores the many similarities between Montgomery and her unforgettable heroine, Anne Shirley. The lush package includes Montgomery’s hand-colorized photographs, the illustrations originally used in Anne of Green Gables, and contemporary and historical photography. 

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