Book Notes: April 27, 2022 - Opposite Day

 Welcome back for another book review post! I have a couple of completely different books to share with you today. The current spring challenge through Kindle has me reading all kinds of different things to try to achieve reading goals and get virtual bookmarks. I have to laugh at myself for needing to reach those achievements. I already know I won't snag them all, but I want to try, regardless. Are you working on reading goals, either through Kindle or Goodreads? Maybe you use a different site which sets goals. If you do, share it with everyone in the comments below.

On to the book reviews! I promised you opposite day, so here goes...

Book Review: Vegetable Container Gardening: 7 Easy Steps to Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces by Mary Verdant

Vegetable Container Gardening: 7 Easy Steps To Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces by Mary Verdant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Informative and Encouraging

While there were some serious typos in this book, I found the information helpful. I'm looking forward to companion planting this year and hoping for a good harvest. I feel like the tips in the book will be a good place to start.
If you're wanting to create a garden in a small space, I'll recommend reading this.

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If you've been following any of my blogs for any length of time, or if you read last Friday's post, you know I love green growing things. You also know I am all thumbs when it comes to encouraging a garden to thrive. I found this book to be an excellent place for a complete novice to start. Some of the information was known to me. My dad was a farmer for years and still keeps a garden every spring and autumn. He just has to blow on a plant and it thrives. Just kidding! He works really hard and does a lot of preventative maintenance, as well as being proactive. I haven't completely convinced him to come over to the solidly organic side, but we're getting there. He's been teaching our family how to encourage plants to grow beautifully and produce a nice bounty. 

This book taught me more about companion plants and container gardening, which is something I desperately want to get into. the yard around our house is pretty and I don't want the hassle of weeding a large area or trying to remember where not to mow. Nor do I want to have to build raised garden beds. If I did, they'd be so "extra," as my girls say, and it would take me forever to get them looking just as I want them. So containers will help me keep things simple. 

Book Review: Magic of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain

Magic of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent, Fantastical Tale

I didn't want to put this book down. From the beginning, the world building grabbed my attention. I've had the book in my Kindle for a while and I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to read it.
I loved how this book was a straight-up fantasy story. Elemental magic, gargoyles, and a great cast of characters made it a great choice for winding down at the end of the day. It was free of graphic violence, language, and sex, so that was a plus.
If you enjoy fantasy tales, then I'd recommend this book to you. As soon as I'm able, I'll be continuing to read more books by Rebecca Chastain.

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I absolutely loved this book. It was just a good, solid fantasy, full of adventure. The world building was done in such a way that the world weaves together somewhat slowly in the mind as the reader continues the story. The magic also came across as more of an ability the character was born with and has to hone. I liked that because it created a truly fantastical society. The wasn't much I didn't like about this story, really...which is why I gave it four stars. 

If I could be certain more fantasy authors were creating work like this, I'd read more in my own genre. If you have any suggestions which fit that parameter, then please list them in the comments below. I'd love to give them a try.

Thanks so much for taking some of your valuable time to check out today's book reviews. I'm happy you stopped by. How did you like my opposite day offerings? A reader can't get more opposite than nonfiction and fiction. There are some similarities, though. The elemental magic in the fantasy novel goes along with gardening, as far as there are some earth elementals in the book. Reaching? Probably. XD

If you saw something interesting here, I'd love to hear about it. If you've read one of these books, or have suggestions of other books like these which I could check out, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks! 

Please be sure to come back on Friday for an update on what's happening in my writing life.

Until next time...