The Natural Soapmaking Book for Beginners - Kelly Cable

 

Genre:  Nonfiction

When my husband first received the book I was excited. Although I have watched videos of soap making, this is what I needed. I am a reader. This starts out with the basics and safety. To me, understanding the basics is important. The added benefit is all the recipes included in the book. This excited me because, when I retire at the end of next school year, this is going to be my main role in my husband's business. I am entering my next phase of life with the confidence I have not had with all the videos I have watched. I have two students at school who have made soap through their Ag class. I will definitely tell them that this is a must have book if they wish to continue on their own making soap in the future.

Ascended by Kandi J. Wyatt

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: I purchased a copy

This final book in this series was the best.  I resisted the urge to skip to the end and then go back and fill in the blanks.  I can think of no better way to end this series. We watch the making of a Dragon King.  The themes of forgiveness, kindness and doing the right thing, was all throughout the entire series. This book made me have sympathy for the main character's wife.  I thought about all of our modern day soldiers away from their families for months and years at a time. With the exception of the magic in this book there were so many parallels between events in the world today and the way things are handled in the book.  The characters are believable and, for the most part, loveable.  I loved meeting the different clans.  The allegory in the book made me anxious to know how  it was going turn out. I can't recommend this series enough.  As one of my students said, "This series ticks all the boxes: dragons, characters you can love and hate, fantasy, and clean romance.  Great ending to a great series.

Careful What You Hear by Helen Dunlap Newton

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewer. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Noah and Lena have been given a gift. They are on their way to space camp. Captain Billings has assured them there is no mission this time. This is to make up for the trouble they endured at the end of their last mission.  But Noah just can't shake the feeling that there has to be a mission.  When Noah is approached by a man claiming to be a teacher and asking about a lost phone, Noah knows something is wrong. Once again Noah and Lena are in danger and will be until the people who were after them before are caught.  This is a wonderful and tightly written mystery.  Noah comes across a your typical young teen, with some trust issues.  Lena has a hard exterior to shelter her true feelings of fear. She is one of the smartest people Noah knows and her truest friend.  I am truly hoping there will be a third book shortly as this is one of the best new series I have read in a while. I am very sure my students are going to love this.