Jaymi Elford

fun, intriguing series and magic system, May 15, 2013

I received an ARC of this book and I must say that it was very enjoyable. The characters felt more real than most YA books, they had well rounded lives that involved equal measures of school, modern day internets, and high school participation. The story felt a bit rushed but it was a good opener for a promising series. The supernatural bits kept me guessing and I can say that I look forward to learning more about the world that Walters has created. As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I loved that this book was set in Portland, Oregon's backyard. I also enjoyed how Walters used runes in her story. I don't read runes but I love divination types and seeing that the runes were made into a… Read more

Fell flat to my expectations, December 17, 2009

Gemstones and feng shui; the marriage between the two isn't as apparent as it should be. However, stones and their energies are a perfect companion to the ancient Chinese practice. Sandra Kynes' book, Gemstone Feng Shui, explores this complex and interesting relationship. I imagined a whole system of feng shui that used gemstones to counter and support the natural feng shui energies. While the book has a wealth of information on how to use crystals in conjunction with traditional feng shui practices it fell short of my initial impression. Instead the book describes how to use the stones with alongside current feng shui practices.

The book has two parts. The first part introduces… Read more

Learn to make your own magickal garden, December 17, 2009

Garden Witchery brings fun back into the garden chores. Ellen Dugan, Master Gardener and witch has written a manual to delight anyone. Dugan writes as if she were speaking to you while wandering though her own garden. This book is extremely practical and fun to read. The stories and wisdom on her own gardening experiences sprinkled throughout the book help to illustrate and remind the reader that gardening is a process and mistakes happen. There aren't many pictures in the book but it does contain some decorative illustrations and charts. As a new homeowner with a yard waiting to be sculpted, Garden Witchery got me excited about planting and making my gardens magickal.

The book… Read more