Category: Kindle



Mini Farming: Mini Farming For Beginners: DIY Guide To Build A Self Sustainable Backyard (Backyard Farming - Homesteading - Backyard Chickens - Handbook - Backyard Gardening - Mini Farming)Mini Farming: Mini Farming For Beginners: DIY Guide To Build A Self Sustainable Backyard by Anders Svensson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It has been my recent mission to read as much about self-sustaining farming as possible so that I will know as much as I can I when move out to the country and start living in a more ecological and healthful way. So here is yet another sampling of what I’m reading.

Though this book has no clickable references, this is still full of a lot of interesting ideas as to run a small farm. I will come back to read it again once we are moved in. Remember, though, it is for beginners. For those who have been farming for a while this is not for you.

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Three Sisters (Emily Castles Mysteries)Three Sisters by Helen Smith

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given this book for an honest review.

I started reading this just before going to sleep. I finished at a decent bedtime. I had to read it with the text-to-speech turned on as I found it going rather slowly. I didn’t care for Emily, the main character. She seemed like a nosey neighbor more than anything.

Beware of the spoiler, the title of the book. That took all the mystery out of the story. Most of the time I found I was feeling left out. That the author just gave it all to me. And yet… Would you believe it? I still have no real idea whodunit. Since I don’t like short stories, and I don’t much like mysteries, this didn’t feed me anything. Even the chance that I could travel to England and learn something new about the country or her people, fell flat.

Okay, there seems to be a lot of higher star ratings, so it may just be me. I don’t feel at all compelled to see what happens to Emily next. But I wish the author well and that you all will find me wrong.

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Homesteading for Beginners: 33 Awesome Tips That Will Show You How to Become a Perfect Homesteader Without Having to Count on Others (Homesteading for ... homesteading survival, urban homesteading)Homesteading for Beginners: 33 Awesome Tips That Will Show You How to Become a Perfect Homesteader Without Having to Count on Others by Jessica Flippo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For someone who is thinking, hoping and planning on having a self-sustaining life, like me, this is a great starter book. Not only does it remind you of what you want to try to do, it has many clickable references for deeper research.

Though it was quite readable, in others words, not full of dry verbiage, there still were a few places an editor would help. My favorite one was in the chapter about needed skills. Under knitting and crocheting, the author suggests making sweaters for the cold moths. I had to laugh out loud at the picture that created in my mind. Well, how cute if all butterflies and moths wore sweaters? They might live through the winter if they had warmer garments!

But the editing issues are small, at least to my eyes. Which is why I still have no books of my own published. I get too involved in the creative end.

By the way, I picked this one up for free. It still is for Kindle Unlimited. Still, it is only $2.99 for now and that isn’t bad for those who need a primer.

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UnforgottenUnforgotten by E.M. Vail

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Another one that kept me up til the wee hours of the morning.

Before I begin, I need to disclose that I picked this up quite a while ago from BookRooster.com which doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I feel it is my fault, in a way, as I can only review so many books a month. But I download many, many per day and had at least 25 of the BookRoosters lined up. I am sorry to all authors who awaited my review. Even so, I will get to all of them, eventually. I only ordered the ones that sounded like my kind of books.

Look, I gave this five stars in spite of the bad editing. I am hoping that the new Kindle version (which, by the way, is free on Kindle Unlimited and only $2.99 for regular Kindle) is well edited. As I understand it, this is a first novel for the author, E.M. Vail. In that case, WOW!

Prologues are usually nonsense. I ordinarily don’t like them. They are a distraction that doesn’t pull the story along. In this case, I can say that when the story bogged down it was the curiosity about that prologue that kept me reading. I wondered all it would all come together.

The best thing about this book is how well developed all the characters are. Okay, I must admit that some of the dialogues felt stilted. And some of the actions or thoughts felt unfitting. But if one can keep moving regardless the story is fantastic. And as you fall in love with the characters and worry for their lives, keep a box of Kleenex handy. Around 90% in you will need them. And the pay-off of the prologue comes in the epilogue. Now you’ve come full circle and know why.

This is more than a coming of age book about three friends. This is a story of neighbors and the web of life for all. It is a full sized novel that I am happy I was given the chance to read. It could honestly be a good movie.

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The Nature of DenialThe Nature of Denial by Madelyn March

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given this ebook for an honest review.

Oh. My. Goodness! For me, this was an amazing book! To some, those who have never experienced mental illness in their birth families or within themselves, it might seem extreme. But if you have been blessed not to have depression or bipolar issues in your personal life if you were lucky enough to never have had post-partum depression, please read this book. Madelyn March, the author, climbs in deep and dirty to let the reader experience the confusion of being a child in an unhealthy family, and dives deeper as that grown child now has a child of her own. If Ms. March hasn’t experienced all this herself, she has done an enormous amount of research, speaking with those who have been through it.

This was a longer than the usual ebook, 250 pages. I loved the length as it gave me a chance to get to know all the characters. They were all well developed. The main character, Anna, brings you through her life to the moment of her breakdown and her struggles to come back to life. Other characters get their chance to show their own points of view which helps the reads see how these things happen in real life.

But this book doesn’t get bogged down in peoples’ heads. Life continues happening. Beauty still exists. Nature refuses to be upstaged by the minds of humans. I loved that aspect of this book. I got to travel to Michigan, hike in the woods, see the great lake, Superior. Never been there. Not sure I could handle the cold. But traveling by book never makes my fibromyalgia flare up. 🙂

Now that I know all these characters so deeply, I hate to let this group go. Though it was a nice ending with all threads tied up and hope for the future established, I want more. I want to see what happens next. I think that is a sign of a great book. And for those who might want to try it, it is free on Kindle Unlimited, only $2.99 for Kindle (I think it is well worth that) and there is a giveaway going right now on GoodReads. Oh, and the title is perfect! Try it!

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Homesteading: How to Live a Self-Sustained Lifestyle: Homesteading, Homesteading Book, Homesteading Guide, Homesteading Tips, Homesteading TechniquesHomesteading: How to Live a Self-Sustained Lifestyle: Homesteading, Homesteading Book, Homesteading Guide, Homesteading Tips, Homesteading Techniques by Lori Shawn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In my last review, I mentioned reading a lot of books lately about gardening and farming. I also mentioned how there seem to be a lot of books (let’s call them booklets or brochures, okay?) that can be read in a short time, like a hour or so, that have very little information, and minimal editing. If I see a problem, it is a big one. I am a horrid editor for that reason. But this is an example of those kinds of booklets.

Now, don’t get me wrong. If you have never thought about the word ‘homesteading’ this may be the book for you. If you have read many, many issues of Mother Earth News and the like, this is pre-school. For those who may be more newbie than I, this is a great book (if you can overlook the editing issues aforementioned). This may be a good booklet to start to learn how a person might be able to live in a self-sufficient way. Before you run out and try homesteading, do your homework. There is this cautionary tale: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homest…

This booklet was and is still free. A great primer should be. Enjoy!

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Fall and Winter Gardening 25 Organic Vegetables to Plant andFall and Winter Gardening 25 Organic Vegetables to Plant and by R.J. Ruppenthal

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With a move from a tiny apartment to a nice sized home on a little land, I have been not just collecting but actually reading books about gardening and homesteading. I am more than a little excited that this may very well happen. And so it was that I read this book. After all, if it happens it will happen in the early Fall. Whether or not I will be able to follow through with a cool weather garden remains to be seen. Even so, I think this has been the best book on gardening I have read so far. It doesn’t just cover the cool weather work, it covers gardening in general.

Mr. Ruppenthal has written a book that is easy to read, easy to follow, edited much more than most. He not only covers the getting down and dirty in the yard, but covers how to eat or store what you may grow using his advise. And he has illustrations, charts and many clickable URLs to take you to websites and sales sites for so many things most greenhorns like me might not know how to find. Such a bonus!

This Kindle book will remain on hand as I get ready for putting my shovel into the ground. I will probably reread it again and again. Oh, and this wasn’t a book that took a couple hours to read. It took me a few days to get through. This was well worth the $3.99 that is being charged currently. I was lucky enough to find it for free. I highly recommend this to those who want to garden, especially using the Fall and Winter to extend growing time.

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Gardening: Gardening Techniques for Beginners: Secrets to Start You Organic Garden: (Gardening, Straw Bale Gardening, Gardening Techniques)Gardening: Gardening Techniques for Beginners: Secrets to Start You Organic Garden: by Mike Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this one just before going to sleep last night. It was a VERY quick read.

This is so little to this book that it felt like a magazine article. Well, what do I want for free? As much of a greenhorn as I am, I felt I knew most of the information in this article. So, if you are looking for an overview of what organic gardening is all about and some minor ways to achieve it, here is a place to start.

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STRAW BALE GARDENING For BEGINNERS - How to Grow Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs in a Straw Bale Garden (Straw Bale Gardening, Urban Gardening)STRAW BALE GARDENING For BEGINNERS – How to Grow Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs in a Straw Bale Garden by Michael Stones

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As a result of a recent visit to the central desert of Oregon, I may very well have a place for gardening. The timeline of when we will get there will be fall so gardening probably won’t happen right away. That doesn’t stop my sudden need to know about such things. And so it was I had to start reading about different types of gardens.

I had heard of straw bale gardening the last time I was a greenhorn, over 20 years ago. So I thought I would start with this book. It was free, so what the heck? (BTW, it is still free with Kindle Unlimited.)

This book was very general information and the bits that venture into deeper instructions were confusing for me. I think my biggest question was about the fire hazard of straw bales mixed with certain fertilizers… why wasn’t that addressed? I am still afraid to try to do this. And I know I will have to deal with rodents, how can I make it work?

There were a few pictures, but for this visual learner, not enough. I like the idea of a greenhouse built of the bales, but again, fires????

So, I suppose this is a great book to get an overview. I have so much more to read about now!

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Train to NowhereTrain to Nowhere by Kay Bratt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Saw this sitting on my carousel, knew I have liked Kay Bratt’s stories before so started reading it last night. Nearly finished reading it before time to sleep. But sleep won. It didn’t take long for me to finish the story win I woke up this morning. It was well worth the read.

Imagine being forced to hop on a train away from you parents just to save you and your family’s lives. And then needing to stay on the train forever just to maintain the illusion that you are part of the Red Guard. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, but it was necessary. So scary. She knows no one, doesn’t know who she can trust. These are the feelings and situations that drive the story.

It was a well-written story. I loved the main character. My biggest complaint was that it was too short. I wanted more. It wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, but I could tell there must be more written about this young girl and her life elsewhere. It just ended too abruptly.

I picked it up for free a while back. It is still free with Kindle Unlimited.

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