HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Best Books As Reviewed By Me in 2017

What follows is a list of the books that I highly recommended in my book reviews in 2017. I did not write a book review for absolutely every book that I read though I did cover quite a few of them and I think that I probably included the best of them. How could I resist writing about a book that I loved? I figure that the few that are missing are likely the books that I did not enjoy reading or perhaps a couple that were missed during a busy time. Anyway, here is my list of HIGHLY RECOMMENDED books that I reviewed here on Review This.

I wrote eleven book reviews and five of them ranked well enough to receive the coveted HIGHLY RECOMMENDED distinction, LOL. These are the books that I thoroughly enjoyed and that stood out above the others:

The Nightingale

Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale is a World War II story set in German-occupied France. I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys World War II fiction and a good story. Find my complete review here.

The One Man

Andrew Gross’ The One Man is another well-crafted World War II story this time set in Poland. Once again, I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys World War II fiction and a gripping story. Find my complete review here.

Extreme Prey

John Sanford’s Extreme Prey is also on this list because it is highly recommended but it earned that distinction from a guest writer for whom I have the utmost respect, my husband. Chris has read and enjoyed almost all of Sandford’s works so obviously, I must check out John Sanford in 2018. Meanwhile, you can find Chris' complete review here.

Mr. Mercedes

Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes is an unexpected book addition to both my reading list and to this list of highly recommended books. In 1987, with the release of the book Misery and the subsequent movie, I decided that King's works were too horror filled for me. Until that year, I had read every book he had written but since that day, I have read none. That is, until Mr. Mercedes.

Anyway, Mr. Mercedes was a book club pick from a member whose preferred books are by Stephen King. She wanted to introduce the members of our group who had never read one of his books to his writing.  In my mind, this was an excellent choice and many were enthralled by this police detective novel though of course it opens in a very horrible manner. Crime/detective stories often do. Find my complete review of Mr. Mercedes here and be sure not to miss the rest of the trilogy.

The Century Trilogy

Finally, Ken Follett’s The Century Trilogy, which includes three volumes: Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity. These three lengthy novels kept me thoroughly entertained for many, many hours. Find my review here.

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Other books that I wrote about but that did not receive the top designation of HIGHLY RECOMMENDED were Losing Graceland by Micah Nathan, Remains of the Day by Kazuo Isiguro, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, Hallmark’s A Century of Caring, Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham and The Art of Racing by Garth Stein. They are still worth options for your book list.

How does my list stack up? Did you enjoy any of these books? What were your favorite reads in 2017?

Here’s to another
great year in books!
Brenda

Quick Links:

See all of the book reviews on Review This.
Amazon’s Bestsellers 2017 Book List.  
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Ghee Butter Reviewed

The Recipe Called For Ghee

Image of butter courtesy of pixabay.com

After Santa brought me my InstantPot pressure cooker, I noticed some of the recipes called for ghee butter. I will admit right here in front of all of you that I had no idea what that meant. So, of course I looked it up.

Turns out it is used often in Indian cuisine but has found a place with cooks around the world. The short answer would be that it is basically clarified butter to use in cooking. 

That was the simple explanation and really doesn't do ghee justice. To make this improvement (my opinion) on regular butter the butter is melted and simmered until all of the water evaporates and the milk solids fall to the bottom. In essence a butter oil is created in the process. 

Organic Ghee Butter

Not only does this taste like butter (it is actually) but it supposed to be better for us. The bad fats have been removed and most folks who have a problem with lactose intolerance find that ghee doesn't bother them. What I like about it is that it doesn't burn like regular butter does when you are trying to saute items. The burn temperature is much higher with ghee. No smoking problem or burnt taste if you aren't careful. That is one reason it is recommended when making InstantPot recipes.

 It has a long shelf-life, too. Out of the refrigerator it should be good for two to three months and if kept in the fridge it should be good for about one year. As much as I have started cooking with it, I won't have to worry about it going bad. I'll use it up before it has a chance to expire!

Personally, I think the foods that I have used it in taste better. That might be my imagination but it is my opinion none the less. There has been no noticeable loss of taste to me or my husband and we love our butter!

I'm glad that I took the time to research what the recipes were calling for and then ordered it to try. It is now something that I will keep in my pantry from now on. How about you? Have you tried ghee? 

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We Wish You the Best This New Year

All the world welcomes a new calendar year today.

This time of year is a time to reflect on things passed. Whether or not you set New Year's resolutions, the beginning of the new year is often viewed as a fresh start with feelings of rejuvenation. A time to plan for the coming year.

A Year in Review at Review This!

Thanks to our beloved readers, 2017 was a good year for our site. We continued to grow this year and over time have welcomed 795,884 of you to our site. Your visits, comments, and shares are greatly appreciated. 

2017 also brought us grief and loss with the passing of one of our writers - Susan Deppner. She was (and is) loved by so many. 

As we look ahead to 2018, our goal is to continue to provide heartfelt and honest reviews. We plan to continue to share those things that make us happy; those things that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. Our hope is that you continue to find our reviews helpful. 

On behalf of the writers at Review This! we wish you all the best. May your 2018 be filled with joy, peace, health, and success. 

Best Wishes,
Dawn Rae
on behalf of the Review This! writers

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Loading 2018 - Happy New Years Eve from ReviewThis

May you face 2018 with an unstoppable, focussed and determined attitude that brings you peace, success, and a ton of love.

As you celebrate, stay safe .... oh, and don't forget to keep climbing!

For a little motivation, listen to Rascal Flatt's 'Unstoppable' - And Remember it's Winter Olympic Season coming up, so whether you're watching the Olympics or participating, go for your dreams this year!

(Lyrics)
"You find your faith has been lost and shaken
You take back what's been taken
Get on your knees and dig down deep
You can do what you think is impossible
Keep on believing, don't give in
It'll come and make you whole again
It always will, it always does
Love is unstoppable"

Read More: Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts - And don't let anyone ever stop you from reaching your potential!

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Her Fearful Symmetry - A Book Review

Click image to purchase book

I think I must be the last person on earth who has yet to read The Time Traveller's Wife (or to see the movie), but I did know the author was Audrey Niffenegger so when I saw another of her books I thought I'd have a read.   I'm very glad I did!

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger is unlike any other book I've read, it's not a can't put it up kind of book, but it's nonetheless a really good read and very thought provoking.

Have you ever wondered whether ghosts have to learn to be ghosts?   Funnily enough that idea was written so well that it just made sense to me.

The teaser to the book that I read said.....

Take mirror twins, a man with OCD and a ghost and what do you get?

I'm not sure what it was about that statement but I was sold.  The mirror twins in question are Valentina and Julia Poole, the ghost is the twin's estranged aunt who they haven't seen since they were babies and the man with OCD is an upstairs neighbor of their aunt.

A Riveting Tale of Obsession & Love

A Review of Her Fearful Symmetry, Don't Worry There's No Spoilers!

Her Fearful Symmetry is all about obsession, love and the urge to control.  Audrey Niffenegger's  novel begins with one of the central characters dying. This in itself is nothing new, but what is new in this novel is that this particular character 'stars' as a ghost.

Following on from her hugely successful debut novel - The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger stays in the realm of the supernatural with this ghost story. The main character is a ghost who has been estranged from her twin sister for years and decides to leave her flat and money to her twin nieces who she has only met once when they were babies.

Now nothing is ever that straight forward in books so of course this inheritance comes with a clause - the twins, Julia and Valentina Poole must live in her flat for a year. The flat in question borders on a famous London cemetery - Highgate Cemetery.

While she was researching this book Audrey Niffenegger actually worked as a volunteer at London's famous Highgate Cemetery and a great facet to this book is the little snippets of trivia about the cemetery that she sprinkles throughout the book.

There are some complex emotions in the book and it poses some interesting questions such as - do ghosts really have to learn to be ghosts? An incident that occurs later in the book can really give you goosebumps and wondering if that sort of thing could really happen!

 Her Fearful Symmetry

In all this was an interesting book and I enjoyed it, but I was rather deflated with the ending. There was a perfect place for the book to end, but when the story continued I felt I wasn't satisfied because I then wanted to know what else happened.

Would I read it again?  Absolutely, because I am sure that I would 'discover' more things that I had missed on my first reading.

Would I recommend starting it knowing that you don't have time to finish it in one sitting?  Yes, it was one that I definitely wanted to finish, but it was a book that I put up a couple of times to go and do things.......things that I could probably have postponed if I'd been reading a real 'can't put down' book.

Now I know that sometimes the last thing you want to read is a thought provoking suspense book, we had days when we just want to curl up with some historical romance or a cozy mystery etc.  Well don't worry we have reviewed countless books in different genres so please check them out - our book reviews.

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Wooden Puzzle Compartment Boxes by Kalotart on Etsy Reviewed

The Biggest Hit in Our Home on Christmas!

Each year, I try to find a unique surprise gift for our children for Christmas.  They make a wish-list for me which helps tremendously in gift selection, but I still enjoy giving that unexpected gift that will hopefully light their eyes with excitement.  The surprise gift choice I made this year may very well be the best I have ever selected.  I gave each of them a Wooden Puzzle Compartment Box made by Kalotart on Esty.

I admit, the challenge to find a worthy surprise gift gets harder every year now that our children are both grown, especially since our daughter is married.  That means instead of two, I try to find something all 3 kids will enjoy.  

How I Found the Wooden Puzzle Compartment Boxes by Kalotart on Esty

I shop year round for Christmas.  You see, my Christmas gift to myself and to my husband is that Christmas is paid for before Dec. 25th each year.  Neither of us like debt and we wouldn't be able to enjoy Christmas at all if we felt the heavy burden of debt waiting for us on Dec. 26th.  Therefore, when I made the surprise gift selection for our children back in July, it was not unusual.  But, it was hard for me to wait until Christmas to give it to them.

One of my favorite online sites is Etsy.  I started my search for a unique gift there and found the Wooden Puzzle Boxes by Kalotart.  When I read about László 'Kossuth' Antal, maker of the boxes, my decision was made!   There is something very special about knowing he makes the boxes based on a design by his great-great-grandfather.   A family tradition of beautiful craftsmanship!

However, even I must admit, I didn't realize how fabulous my choice was until Christmas morning.

Giving the Gift of Wooden Puzzle Boxes by Kalotart

Our daughter spent this Christmas with her inlaws, so we Skyped each other and opened our gifts together.  I had shipped her box to them in advance with instructions to not open it until we were connected on Skype.  I handed our son his package to open once we were all seated and ready to rip of the wrapping paper.  The boxes were an instant hit because of their visual outward beauty.  Anyone would appreciate the lovely colors and designs.  

I selected a white box for our daughter & son-in-law, and a green box for our son.  I laughed because they each thought their box was the prettiest.  First score for Mom!  I chose the right color for each child.  

I wrote a note on the top of each box that told them they had to discover how to open the puzzle box in order to discover the surprise inside.  They immediately started investigating their boxes.  I offered hints, but they all replied with an emphatic "no!"  I honestly had no idea that our son-in-law loved puzzles too, but he was as invested in discovering the secret way to open the box as either my daughter or my son.

They tilted, turned, inspected, shook, and pushed sections of the box until they each found a solution, but it did take a while and was exactly the level of challenge they all enjoy.    

My parents were here for the Skype / Gift Opening session.  It was truly as much fun for us to watch "the solving game" as it used to be to see their reactions years ago to their gifts from "Santa".

Oh, one more thing!  In case you are wondering who got the third box shown in the intro picture, it was a gift for my parents which they received later on Christmas day.  

How to Purchase Your Own Wooden Puzzle Compartment Boxes by Kalotart on Etsy

The boxes are offered individually or at a reduced price in purchased in lots of 2 or more.  There are several different designs and sizes that are available in a variety of colors.  

The workmanship is beyond outstanding.  These boxes are beautifully carved and tightly assembled with exceptional fittings.  You would never know just looking at the box that it is also a fabulous puzzle with secret compartments inside.

 Lot of 3x Hungarian Carved Puzzle Secret Box for Jewelry - Handcrafted
(Green, White and Brown)Check Price Carved Secret Key HANDCRAFTED WOODEN Magic Jewelry Puzzle Moneybox RedCheck Price Lot of 2x Transylvanian Highlander Jewelry Puzzle Box Lock With KeyCheck Price East European Puzzle-Jewelry Wooden Box Case with Secret Compartment PurpleCheck Price

Check Out More Gift Reviews at
ReviewThisGifts.com

Wooden Puzzle Compartment Boxes by Kalotart on Etsy Review Written by:

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Review of Cape St. George Lighthouse

Cape St. George Lighthouse

On the beautiful island of St. George, just off the Florida panhandle stands a historic lighthouse.  Cape St. George has been rebuilt 3 times since it was originally built in 1833.  Powerful storms, hurricanes and even the civil war interrupted the light being used to guide ships into the cotton port of Apalachicola. The current lighthouse was completed in December of 2008.  

Visiting Cape St. George

The current lighthouse is reached by traveling a 4.2 mile bridge over to St. George Island.  As you approach the island you can't miss the lighthouse that stands in the center of the island.  On the day that we visited it started raining as we approached the island so we decided to stop for lunch at the Blue Parrot before taking photos of the lighthouse.  We were rewarded for our patience by the lighthouse taking on a beautiful glow after the rain shower and a rainbow appearing near the bottom third of the lighthouse.

Different Perspectives of the Lighthouse

As I have stated in this blog before, I love walking around the area of the lighthouses I photograph to find different perspectives.  The newly washed area from the rain gave me some great material on this visit.  Here are a few of my photographs.

Sea after the Storm

Sea after Storm Throw Pillow
by mbgphoto

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Amazing Things to Do Between Christmas and New Years Day

One of my Favorite times of year is Christmas, but once it's over you can feel let down.  So let's Review Ways to keep that after Christmas Depression at bay!

If your family is anything like mine, the days leading up to Christmas have been full of all kinds of trips, errands to run, parties to attend and a host of other fun and time consuming activities.  Depending on the ages of your children or grandchildren, there will also be more than one Christmas recital to attend as well.

This is not a complaint, but, it is a reality.  We get so wound up with places to go and people to see, that when it stops, we feel lost!  Some of us will only feel that way after the New Year because we are still in the middle of all the partying still.  Others, who do not go "all out" for New Years will feel that way sooner.

The bottom line is, it doesn't have to be this way at all!

Part of your planning for the holidays should include that time between the holidays, so that holiday let down is minimized or completely obliterated.  No one really wants to be depressed at the best time of the year. 

So let's make those plans now!  If the plan is in place,  you will actually follow through.  

So let's get down to some concrete ways to stave off any negative feelings.

First of all, if you have family visiting, make arrangements to go somewhere on an outing.

• visit the downtown area and look over the lights and Christmas Displays
• Go sledding or skating, if your body allows that kind of seasonal fun.
• Make Snow Angels (with the above caveat)
• Go to a park with a handful of bird seed, for those birds who don't have a feeder close by
• Pick up some small gift cards for a coffee shop and give them to "Street People" to enjoy
• Visit a local church and see their Nativity Displays
• take lots of pictures while out and about
• when you come home, make some Hot Chocolate and watch a favorite movie
• Be Thankful for the Blessing of Family and Friends.

Between Christmas and New Years is a great time to make some plans for the next year too!  Many a lively conversation could be had over those plans.  Will you make resolutions for 2018?  Will you decide to travel more or less?  How about making a resolution to get together with friends more often?  It is a great idea to look forward, but also take some time to look back and be thankful for all the good things that happened in the year just past.  

When the hustle and bustle has come to a standstill, it's no longer a dreaded fear, rather it's a time to take stock.  Look ahead at what might be coming your way, and look back to see where you have been.  If things weren't the greatest, find ways to make this year to come, better.  If the year past was wonderful all around then celebrate this wholeheartedly, and pray that the year to come will be as blessed as the one just past.  Gratitude for everything is a great way to live.  You don't become nearly as disappointed and you really don't let yourself become engrossed in the things you have no control over either.  

Start taking note of things you are thankful for and try to do something new in the coming year.

If you need help thinking of all the things to be grateful for, there are several different types of journals that can give you some coaching either in pictures or scriptures.  One of my favorites is the one:

If you don't have a gratitude journal, a blank book works well too. Sometimes though in our busy lives, we need a hint of encouragement and for that a true gratitude journal is a bonus. Each page will give you a little inspiration to get you started with the right attitude. If you are not a particularly spiritual person, there are journals that remind you of gratitude without scriptural readings. Whichever one is to your liking, will be a good choice and they are inexpensive.  Maybe Santa brought you one, but if not that's okay too.  You can always get your own when you feel the need for it.  It will be an investment in yourself, for your mental and physical and spiritual well being.

May I take this opportunity to wish you and all your family a most Beautiful, Blessed and Wonderful New Year!

pictures courtesy of Pixabay.com

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Social Media For Writers Reviewed

Authors Need To Market Their Work

Writer Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

One of the gifts that I just received for Christmas was the book Social Media For Writers. My daughter thought it might be helpful for me to brush up on the skills needed to be successful with the use of Social Media in regards to my marketing strategy in order to sell my books. 

If you are a regular reader of Review This, you are probably aware that I published my first Cozy Mystery novel in October of 2017. Then in November I published my second book in the series. It isn't like in the past when if you were lucky enough to find a publisher for your books who offered you a contract. Back then if you were a writer with a large publishing firm, they did a lot of the marketing for you. A lot of us have gone the self-publishing route which means that all of the marketing is up to us, the author. Even if we had a big name publisher we would need to market our own work. Most publishing companies of today only spend their advertising money on well known authors (who kind of don't need it but that is another topic all together!). 

Those of you who know me probably think that I probably already understand how to use social media because this isn't my first rodeo with a writing gig. I might have published my first fictional work but I've been around the block several times when it comes to promoting my online writing ventures. I do understand the basics of social media and use it regularly but I will admit not to its fullest potential. The game is different for authors in particular and let's face it...the way to use these social networks changes on a regular basis. How many times have you reached a point where you feel that you have figured it all out, to have one or two of the popular sites change the playing field? I'm guessing a lot!

So, I really appreciate my daughter gifting me this book! I'm reminding myself of the basics while being able to come up with a strategy for my writing and promotions.

Authors And Social Media

What I like about this book by Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine is that it is written in an easy to understand format. As I said, I'm not new to social media but even if I were the content would be easy to understand. They do a really good job of explaining how each option works and best practices for a writer to use on each platform. They cover blogging, podcasting, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. Do they recommend that you try to use all of them? Actually, no. They understand that if one were to try to have a solid presence on all of them; there would be no time for the actual writing of the books. They suggest that you pick the three that you are most comfortable with and go from there.

As I am studying this book, I feel confident with their advice. They are both authors in their own right and I can tell by the content that they actually use social media to promote not just this book but a series of books that they have co-authored together. I don't know about you but for me that is huge. I'm sure that you have experienced the same as I have over the years with getting advice from a so called expert who has less experience than you do when the dust all settles.

I really like that the authors break down the formats and give realistic time frames for using them. Having experience with most of these social media networks, I can tell that they are giving good information on the time that can be invested in working with the different options. They are even honest about having invested a lot of time on a few of them and figuring out that for their needs and their time constraints, it wasn't worth it. That doesn't mean that you will come to the same conclusion because we all have different styles and comfort levels. I do appreciate their honesty in the results for themselves!

Now, I realize that not all of you are planning to write a novel or a work of non-fiction; that being said I do know that many of you have a strong online presence either contributing here on Review This or your own sites. Perhaps you contribute on another multi-user site. My point is that much of the information will be beneficial for your online work as well.

I know in the past, I have tried to have a presence on all of the social media sites. It doesn't take long to get burnt out trying to keep up. Reading a book like Social Media For Writers is helpful in reminding us of what it is we want to accomplish and the audience we are trying to reach. This book gives some realistic advice on coming up with a strategy that is not overwhelming and that with the proper effort put forth should offer a successful result. It is not going to happen overnight but with dedication and a good plan, it can happen.

I am finding this book very helpful and I think that many of you will, also. I know I am changing my strategy after having read it. I am going to concentrate on three platforms and not worry about all of the others. How about you? If you were going to limit your marketing to three platforms, which would you be willing to invest your time in?

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Christmas Wishes

To our readers,

We wish you peace during this holiday season.

We wish you safe travels. 

We wish you warm homes -

And hearts filled with warm experiences.

We wish you contentedness - 

And joyous times with belly laughs.

We wish you good health.

And we wish you the best gift of all - love.


Merry Christmas,

From Dawn Rae 

and the Contributors of Review This!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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