Review: Growing Big Dreams

Growing Big Dreams

Robert Moss

If you are interested in using your dreams and imagination to become more creative and in tune with your inner self, then Growing Big Dreams is a book for you. The author reveals twelve ways for readers to have more lucid dreams, connect with those dreams, heal the past through dreams, and create a future by finding a story within.

Every chapter is devoted in some way to helping you develop and understand your dreams. Even if you are in what he terms a dream drought, you will see that you can dream more vividly and recall more about your dreams by following his tips and exercises. He also seeks to help you understand recurring dreams and what they may be telling you about your life. I especially enjoyed chapter nine, where the author covers how we can use our dreams to manifest our desires and wishes for the present and future.

Before trying some of the exercises he suggests, I was a little skeptical that I would be able to have more lucid dreams or that I could recall them. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Throughout the book, the author combines stories from his travels, seminars, and course participants, as well as enough exercises to encourage anyone to dream big.

This review was written by me originally for City Book Review.

Review: Dead On The Delta

 

Dead On The Delta

Sherry Knowlton

Alexa Williams has accompanied her boyfriend Reese, to Botswana, where he's filling in for an Africa Trust colleague, a group dedicated to wildlife research. Alexa is thrilled to be helping out in the bush with the lion study and, she's also participating in a commission dedicated to creating better anti-poaching legislation. Her law background and work on sex trafficking enforcement have given her access to some interesting Botswana personalities as a result. Everything is going well until poachers begin targeting Botswana's elephant population. At Noka Camp, where Alexa and Reese are working, they get a first-hand look at the devastation the poachers are causing, making Alexa more determined to help the commission pass appropriate laws to curb such violence. But Botswana politics may not be a straightforward as they appear, leaving Alexa vulnerable to unseen forces.

Dead on the Delta presents an accomplished female character who is professional, curious, and passionate about her work, and at the same time vulnerable in a way that made me want to get to know her. I found myself rooting for her the whole way through this story. I also loved the fact that the author examined lots of social and environmental issues and the challenges African nations, especially Botswana, face trying to balance the needs of its people and its wildlife treasures. And to make it all the more exciting, she was able to incorporate adventure and a bit of romance to make this a fascinating and well-layered story. The landscape descriptions were marvelous and so well written that I felt I was almost there. In fact, that was one of the things I appreciated most about this book. I was right there in the thick of things, not just with Alexa and Reese but with the other characters as well.

I think chapters twenty-two and twenty-three made this book really work for me. By the time I had read this far, I was starting to wonder if Alexa and Reese would discover anything about the real poachers, although I was having my own suspicious by this point. But, the unexpected events that happened in these chapters propelled the story forward and made my heart beat a little faster. The further unexpected twists and turns that came with two of the main characters were simply icing on the cake for me. I have to say that one of the main reasons I was drawn to the book was for the African setting. The fact that it had a great cast of characters and a fantastic female lead meant that I not only loved it but, now I want to read the other books in the Alexa Williams series as well, even if they aren't set in Africa.

This review was written by me originally for City Book Review.

Review: Cries From The Cold

Cries From the Cold

Bernadette Calonego

Detective Calista Gates of the Vancouver RCMP is recovering from a violent assault when she learns she's being transferred to a small coastal town in Labrador. The thought of cold, ice, and snow is not encouraging, but she doesn't have a choice if she wants to keep her career afloat. Upon arrival, she is quickly caught up in a cold case. The remains of a local girl Lorna Taylor who went missing three years ago, have appeared in a wooden box with strange markings. Now Calista has to prove to her new team of colleagues that she can hold her own in the investigation. But, before she can do that, another body is found; this time, it's a prominent chef planning to help with a charity dinner for the local medical clinic. In a small town like Port Brendan, secrets are rife, and gossip is sustenance for the isolated locals which means Calista will have to dig deep to uncover the killer. But will she be quick enough to keep the town and herself safe?

Cries From The Cold is a riveting story that kept me glued to the pages. It's full of mystery, adventure, and engaging characters. I loved Calista Gates. Despite her difficulties and the setbacks she's experienced, she's still a fighter. I felt like I was able to look over her shoulder throughout the investigation. And, getting to see the points of view of some of the other main characters gave this story a lot of depth which helped me feel like I was a part of all the scenes. I'm hoping there will be more in this series to come because I can't wait to find out more about Calista's somewhat mysterious past and that of her ex-husband back in Vancouver as well. All in all, this was a fun and satisfying read.

Thanks to the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

Review: The Fabric of Civilization

The Fabric of Civilization

Virginia Postrel

In The Fabric of Civilization, Postrel traces the history of textile development back to its earliest roots. As readers will discover, fabric and cloth have not only changed the world but when they have been altered or improved, the world has also changed with them. Fabric touches our lives in so many ways. It might be via the garments we wear or the trade links and technological inventions they helped to develop. Even though we often take it for granted, there is no way to imagine our society without it.

In this fascinating, well-written, and researched work, Postrel examines how fibers were first used with the development of thread, and how that lead to the development of different types of cloth and the dyes that make them attractive. She also traces the role of traders who opened up routes for the exchange and dissemination of ideas that resulted in new technologies worldwide. I found her section on current and future textile development especially interesting. With work going on to improve textiles and their performance, we will undoubtedly see more innovations in the future that could change how we use fabric. Anyone interested in the untold story of cloth will no doubt find this book both interesting and educational.

This review was written by me originally for City Book Review.