Start Where You Are Notecards by Meera Patel

I had the chance to receive this darling collection of watercolor prints on notecards all designed by Meera Patel. Meera is a self-taught artist who creates things to encourage others, which is apparent in this set of notecards. Each notecard has a beautiful illustration with some sort of message or quote that seeks to inspire the receiver. I think these notecards will be perfect to give to my family and friends especially if they are in need of some encouragement.

The physical cards themselves are on nice and simple, white cardstock with envelopes. I think the best part about this set is that even if you give the cards away (if you decide to part with them!) you are left with the cute box that can be used to store some small trinkets!

This set of notecards are beautiful and unique to give to loved ones and I know the recipient will appreciate the illustrations as well.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Hello, Bicycle

Hello, Bicycle by Anna Brones is a cute book that covered more than just bicycles. The book is a nice overview about everything related to bikes and is very nicely organized so that it doesn't become too wordy or boring. The set up of the book is very straight forward and covers everything from why you should bike, how you can look into getting a bike, how to take care of your bike, and how to incorporate biking into your life. This book isn't simply about bikes but rather what you need to know in order to bike efficiently and also have fun with it!

The book is pleasing to the eye and has cute pictures scattered all throughout the pages. I thought it was interesting that the book even had a section with some recipes on snacks to take on-the-go as a biker. All-in-all, this is a very informative book that encourages people to get on a bike and how to incorporate biking into all aspects of your life such as commute, exercise, business, and leisure. However, if you want a more comprehensive book about bikes (i.e., anatomy of the bike, bike parts, and how to fix bikes) this book is not for you. Simply put, this book is more a general overview about biking as a lifestyle.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Punderific

I got this game because I was intrigued by the idea of making puns for a game. It's an interesting concept but it definitely requires some thinking for people who are not adept at making puns. I personally have a hard time making puns on the spot and it may also be difficult for others. Also, the concept of this game is unappealing for some because it may sound "boring" to people who don't enjoy a good pun or two. I think it can get boring pretty quickly as well.

The game itself is made up of good quality cards in a nicely made box. The game is pretty straight forward and the game provides a small pad of paper to start you off but depending on how much gameplay it gets you may need to provide your own paper. Overall, the game is an interesting concept but may not be enjoyable for people who want a simple mindless game or do not enjoy puns.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Gardening coming to a rooftop near you!

I don't live in a city with a rooftop such as the cover page image (which is very nice), but I do love anything that deals with gardening so I decided to take a look at this book. Even though I don't have a building top to start my new garden, I do have limited space and this book covers a lot of information regarding space management and how to efficiently raise your beloved plant friends. 

The book was very informative in all aspects even if I knew I would not be doing all of this on a rooftop I knew it would be applicable to other types of gardening. The book reviews lots of information that I never even expected (such as light exposure!) and also things that I needed to know such as irrigation methods. I was intrigued by the section that explained how to build your own subirrigated container to grow vertically growing plants! Although I won't be using all this new found knowledge, I will definitely be putting some of it to good use. The book even identified common pests that may plague your garden (darn you aphids!).

All the pictures and drawn images are beautiful and straight forward, making the book even more enjoyable. Overall, I think this book would be a great resource for people who wants to grow a garden in a concrete jungle. If you don't live somewhere that would make you consider growing a rooftop garden, you can still learn a thing or two about gardening efficiently.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers

Wow! Just wow! I have to say that I'm a student nurse and I am currently going through my pediatric rotation. I figured this book would be interesting to learn more about feeding and also to be able to teach my friends who are planning to have kids! The book is so much more than simply a guide to feeding. It tells you all the basics of development, nutrition, feeding strategies and tips, recipes for the baby AND recipes for the parents. I was blown away by what this book had to offer and am learning so much on top of what I already know. 

The book is in an easy to read format for the soon-to-be mom/dad and people who simply want to learn more about pediatric nutrition and GI issues. The book is full of interesting information and even has information about special diets for children who are allergic to certain types of foods. There is a little bubble on the back cover that says "for Parents, by Parents". The book was written by two doctors who are also parents and is such a great resource for all parents and even educators of parents. It has all the information a new parent would have and more! I would definitely recommend this book to all parents.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

the illustrated compendium of amazing animal facts

The illustrated compendium of amazing animal facts is a book from Maja Safstrom that contains lots of cute illustrations with amusing facts to go with them. When I saw this book I knew I wanted it for my coffee table because it's one of those books that simply intrigues a person. It is simple, straight to the point, and not wordy. If you are looking for a lengthy and detailed book of facts, this is not it. Instead, you will be getting a book full of minimalistic illustrations of various animals that the author likes.

Personally, I enjoyed the simplicity of the book and how its something that you can mindlessly look at. The illustrations are pleasing to the eye and the facts are very interesting as well. I really liked that the book was made with good quality materials the book overall has a nice weight to it. It simply feels nice in the hands if you know what I mean.

Overall, this book is a fun addition to the coffee table and I will definitely be referencing the facts I have learned from it.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

Mouthwatering Goodness

Today I will be reviewing Chrissy's book Cravings which was long anticipated by many of her fans. 

To be honest, I judge many books by their aesthetic qualities before I even check the content. For this cookbook, I knew it was going to be amazing from the start. 

The smooth hardcover (not the shiny kind) was good quality and the book had a good weight to it. When I flipped through the pages I knew I was going to be in for a treat. Just looking at the beautiful dishes made my mouth water and I wanted to try them all. In the beginning of the book, Chrissy introduces the reader to various ingredients that she commonly uses such as spices so that you know what to get and where to get them, especially for the asian spices that may not be typically found in your average Albertsons. 

All the of the recipes are easy to read and follow but that's not the best part. The best part of this book is the stories that go along with each recipe. If you are already a fan of Chrissy, this will make it feel like Chrissy is personally talking to you in your kitchen. You can hear her voice through her words and she is not afraid to speak her mind. I absolutely loved reading the cookbook even if I wasn't cooking just so I can read her fun little anecdotes.

This book is great for fans of Chrissy as well as cooks who simply want a fun cookbook. The recipes are mostly American styled dishes with some Thai and other influences tied in. But just like the front cover says, this book contains "recipes for all the food you WANT to eat."

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.