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Colorful illustrations (1 more)
Shows proper technique
Informative book on how to give a massage to others and to yourself
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Press Here! Massage for Beginners: A Simple Route to Relaxation and Releasing Tension by Rachel Beider is an informative book on how to give a massage to others and to yourself. It provides clear instructions on how to massage different parts of the body. It also includes sections for specific issues that may need special attention. Also shown are the proper techniques and strokes to use. It is full of colorful and detailed illustrations that show the basics of a massage.

I found the book informative and well written but two sections stand out to me. The first is on how to give yourself a massage. Beider shows how to use either your hand or a tennis ball to self massage. The other is a section on how to treat headaches and sinus congestion. As a sufferer of chronic sinus problems this was the most useful.

One thing I had never considered was you need to take care and look after your own body before you massage someone. Stretches are shown on how to prepare your hands so you do not damage them.

The book is easily labeled to find the exact section on which you want to focus.

Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/13/19.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Dyeing Season in Books

Apr 12, 2019 (Updated Apr 12, 2019)  
Dyeing Season
Dyeing Season
Karen MacInerney | 2019 | Mystery
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spring Tornado Leaves Behind a Murder Victim
A sudden spring tornado finds Lucy scrambling to protect her property. When she goes to her elderly neighbor’s place, she finds Dottie alone with no idea where her home health aid is. This isn’t like Eva, so the women are worried. It’s only after the storm has passed that they get an answer when Lucy finds Eva’s body. Even with the tornado having just passed, it is very clear that Eva was murdered. The tornado left behind destruction to Lucy’s crops, so she needs to replant, but she can’t help begin to investigate what happened to Eva. Will she uncover the truth?

Being a wind hating California native, this book hooked me from the opening tornado. That didn’t diminish a bit when the storm ended and Lucy found the body. The plot is strong and, while not a typical cozy formula, held my attention the entire time as I waited to see how Lucy could prove what she was pretty sure was happening and who the killer would turn out to be. It’s wonderful to spend time with these characters again, and I enjoyed getting to know some new ones, too. I suspect we’ll see more of some of them in future books; at least I hope so. I did catch a few annoying editing issues, but they can be easily fixed and don’t impact the story at all; in fact, they vanish as we get further into the book. There are seven recipes at the end, including natural dyes for eggs, perfect for Easter. This is a fast, fun read that will leave cozy fans anxious for their next trip to visit Lucy.
  
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers [Audiobook]
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers [Audiobook]
Jesse Sutanto | 2023 | Crime, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
After initially thinking "oh dear, I'm not going to like this", the more I listened the more I grew to love Vera Wong.

Vera lives on her own after the death of her husband, her son being successful and not in her life quite as much as she would like. Once a thriving tea shop, Vera Wang's World Famous Tea House is now on it's last legs having only one regular customer so when she discovers a dead body in the middle of her shop one morning, she decides it has to be murder and begins to investigate and find out who killed Marshall.

Using her own logic, Vera decides that those who turn up at her shop to ask questions about the body immediately become suspects and she begins to ingratiate herself into their lives using her forthright nature, a little bit of manipulation, fantastic cooking and, if course, tea.

As the story develops, we get to know each of the characters and suspects more so by the end, you don't want any of them to be guilty of murder but one of them must be surely?

This is definitely within the 'cosy mystery' genre and whilst there is little action, I was caught up in the story hook, line and sinker and desperate to know what the ultimate outcome was going to be and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

The narrator was excellent and she totally drew me into the story and into Vera's life. This, for me, was definitely a book to listen to rather than to read myself and I am hopeful that Vera will do more investigating in the future.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
  
LO
Lord of the Wings (Meg Langslow, #19)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The town of Caerphilly is hosting the first annual Halloween festival, and Meg is hoping she can take it easy since she is only in charge of the Goblin Patrol, the extra volunteer security force. However, a break in at the haunted house, a foot in the alligators, and a dead body complicate matters.

I love this series, and this book is another fun addition. When I realized it was set at Halloween, I almost set it aside until October, but I just couldn’t wait. The characters are strong and charming as always, and the various aspects of the plot keep things moving forward quickly. I was disappointed that one character introduced a couple books back is once again absent, but that is my only complaint in another fantastic read.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/08/book-review-lord-of-wings-by-donna.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Mel and Angie have entered a pastry baking contest, hoping to beat their rival Olivia for the grand prize. The judges are mostly people Mel knew from culinary school, including her old mentor Vic Mazzotta. Vic can be a hard man to live, but Mel is still surprised when he is found dead inside an ice truck. Had he made a lethal enemy?

The book sets up the suspects and motives early on before Vic’s body is even found. I did feel the pacing sagged a bit in the middle, but for the most part, this was a great mystery with some good twists and a great climax. The characters are fun as always, too. It’s easy to see why the series is so popular.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-death-by-dozen-by-jenn.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Vegas (725 KP) rated The Hunting Party in Books

Jan 24, 2020  
The Hunting Party
The Hunting Party
Lucy Foley | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
8
7.3 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
The setting (2 more)
The plot
Great whodunit
The characters aren't very likeable (0 more)
Great thriller which keeps you guessing
A group of friends set out for a reunion New Year's Eve holiday in a remote Scottish lodge, where they uncover secrets, lies, and more than they would have liked about each other.

A body is found, is it one of the guests, a stranger, staff member or even a local. Was it an accident or murder? We find out fragment at a time, with the author releasing just the right amount of info at any given time through flashbacks to push the story along...

The group of friends do come across as arrogant city types, and you wonder how hey managed to be friends but that is probably part of the deliberate way they are written so you do feel detached from them...

An enjoyable novel and recommend if you are into thrillers.