kailey_luminouslibro's Reviews (3.79k)

 This book gives tips for self-care based on your Enneagram personality type. Different personalities react in different ways when they are stressed out, so different self-care routines will be more beneficial or even essential for each personality type depending on their strengths and weaknesses.

I thought this is a very interesting and helpful approach to self-care, and I really liked that it’s not just about taking bubble baths or lighting a scented candle. This book really goes into the deep seated fears and worries for each personality type, and how we can order our lives and our relationships in such a way to minimize those fears and feel more confident in our own abilities.

I am a type one and I found that chapter very helpful. Some of the self-care tips are things like allowing yourself to be imperfect, enjoying the nostalgic things you’ve always loved, scheduling alone time, and letting go of control.

I liked the writing style and the way the book is organized. Each chapter explains a basic description of the personality type, and then goes into why this personality type needs a particular type of self-care, and ends with ways for you to empower other people in your life who might have that personality type. So it is beneficial to read every chapter, not just the chapter with your own personality type. You can learn how to care for other people in your life by giving their personality type what they need. 

This book gives basic information about the Ayurveda health system, and how a holistic approach to preventative medicine can promote wellness in every area of your life.

I like the basic health advice in this book, and the common sense approach to holistic medicine. However it is all wrapped up in a lot of mystical religious weirdness that I did not agree with.

I think the approach to medicine based on your body type and your personality type is very interesting. It can be really important to notice whether your symptoms worsen or are better with heat or cold, with sleeping at certain times of the night, or with eating certain types of food. Remedies that may work for one personality type will be ineffective for someone else. I really like that Ayurveda takes the whole person into account.

However I did not like the references to mystical ideas like dharma, prana, and other buddhist and New Age philosophies. Not everyone subscribes to those beliefs, so it seemed pointless to include it in a book that most people are going to pick up just interested in health advice, not spiritual advice.

In this second book of the Pippa Park series, Pippa is in trouble when she agrees to host a massive Christmas party for the Royals. She is completely overwhelmed trying to schedule catering and decorations and entertainment for the party, plus she has to find the perfect dress and the perfect date! She still has a huge crush on Eliot, her math tutor, but there is a new boy in her life, Marvel, who is helping out with the church Christmas pageant. Which boy will Pippa ask to be her date to the party? Assuming she can actually manage to host the party without disappointing the Royals and everyone else.

This series retelling of Dicken's "Great Expectations" is utterly brilliant from start to finish!

Instead of "Pip", the main character is Pippa. And most of the main characters found in "Great Expectations" have their counterparts in Pippa's story.
However, although many plot points and character roles are similar to "Great Expectations", this book has its own voice, its own story, and its own delightful style!

I loved learning more about Pippa's Korean-American culture. Pippa lives with her sister and brother-in-law, while her mother has stayed in Korea.
One of my favorite characters is Jung-Hwa, Pippa's brother-in-law. He really functions like a father figure in her life, encouraging her and working hard to support the family.
I loved the complexity of Pippa's relationship with her sister, Mina. Mina is tough on Pippa, nagging her about her grades, her chores, but she obviously loves Pippa very much.
And they have their own special traditions for Christmas with their unique cultural flair that is a mixture of lots of different traditions from different cultures.

Of course, Pippa gets a crush on the new guy, while she still has a crush on Eliot. She wonders how she can possibly like two boys at the same time, and she is very confused trying to sort out her emotions. The descriptions of how she feels, what she thinks, how she worries about her appearance, and wants to be cool to impress the guys... all these things are so spot on and expressive. It really puts you right into Pippa's shoes.

I was so intrigued to read more about the "cool" girls group, The Royals. Their friendship dynamic is very complex, as each girl has her own personality and social power. Pippa still doesn't feel very secure in her friendship with them, but it was incredible to see the character development as we learn more about this group of friends.

I was delighted with how serious, comedic, and wild this plot ended up being. It starts out with some fairly tame school drama, but went into some intense emotions and redemption near the end.

I loved Pippa's continuing character development in this book! She tackles some really tough problems, and makes some stupid mistakes, but eventually she gains some wisdom and has the courage to do the right thing. It takes so much courage to be vulnerable and honest with your friends, and I'm so impressed with Pippa and her humility and gumption. It's a complete delight to get into the heart of such a complex and deep character!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Media Master Publicity in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Myrtle's father has tonsillitis in the hospital and witnesses a mysterious attack. While he is confined to bed, Myrtle will have to investigate with the assistance of her courageous governess, Miss Judson. Myrtle sets out to prove the identity of Ethel Snowcroft, who could be a long-lost heiress believed to have perished in a shipwreck years earlier.

I love the exciting mystery plot in this fourth book of the series! There are two different mysteries happening at the same time, but then the clues begin to converge and overlap, and only Myrtle can possible unravel the web of lies surrounding the hospital. This plot really kept my attention and had me guessing right up to the end!

One of the things I really loved was the setting of the hospital. The hospital has its own hierarchy, secrets, and politics. Myrtle has to navigate her way around the different porters, nurses, doctors, morticians, interns, and probationary nurses. Each person has something to hide, especially Matron, the strict head nurse.

I love how humorous the writing is! There is a lot of witty dialogue, and cute aside comments to the reader. It’s hilarious and wonderful!

The character development is absolutely phenomenal. Each book in the series seems to focus on Myrtle's relationship with one of the other characters, and in this book it is Myrtle and her father. They have always been very close, but their trust is really challenged in this book, and they have to learn to have faith in one another. It's so incredible to see how the smallest little thing will affect their attitudes to each other, because they know each other so well. I love their complex family dynamic! Brilliant writing!

I wish I could give this book 10 stars, and I look forward with extreme eagerness for the next books in the series!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Marigold is the youngest of three sisters in the magical Lafleur family. They are aromages, brewing up charms using aromas. But all magic has a price, and sometimes their magic has severe consequences if they try to change fate. Ever since a terrible accident, Marigold and her sisters have given up aromagic, and their family seems to be falling apart. Marigold discovers that all their bad luck could be because of an ancient curse, and she is determined to find a way to break the curse and save her sisters!

I loved this book so much! The plot is really interesting and has many twists and turns. Near the end, I began to see how all these little threads of foreshadowing were coming together and I got all excited! I was not disappointed either! Every element in the story pulled together for a satisfying ending. I really enjoyed the puzzle aspect of Marigold's investigation into the curse. She has to do some serious research to figure out what caused the curse and how to break it.

I loved the world-building of the little island town on Luna Island. Marigold has difficult relationships with her neighbors and classmates at school. She worries that the whole town hates her family because of their magic. We see the complexity of small town relationships where everyone knows everyone else's business. Such a brilliant setting! The descriptions of the town, the lighthouse, the ocean, and the ferry made me feel like I was really there, smelling the briny ocean salt in the breeze.

I love the magic system and all the rules about how to blend different scents for magical charms. There are dozens of charms for all kinds of things like protection, courage, love, and clarity. It was so interesting to see how a simple charm is harmless because it doesn't change anyone's fate, but the wrong charm for the wrong person could have horrible results. It's a balancing game. A little nudge to help someone feel more confident is okay, but not too much or you are cheating fate, and fate will exact a price.

There are so many deep themes in this book! Grief and loss, and love and sisterhood, and families, and loneliness, and friendship, and wanting to be popular. There are hateful people and good people that Marigold has to deal with. There are good people who are acting hateful because they are just having a hard time right now. Marigold has to choose to love people anyway, even when they are being difficult. And she has to have the wisdom to know what boundaries she needs to place in her relationship with some people so that she doesn't get sucked into their toxic chaos. Marigold must find balance in her relationships with family and friends, just as she must find balance in her aromagic. The way these themes are reflected in so many areas of the story is absolutely brilliant!

The writing style is complete magic! There are so many complex emotions and plot twists and heavy things happening, but it never feels like it's dragging or like it's too much. Every scene is balanced and the pacing is excellent, pulling you forward into the next chapter.

The best thing about this book is the constant descriptions of smells and aromas. Every smell takes on a deeper meaning. Marigold is always noticing the smells around her and connecting them with feelings. She smells peanut butter and pencil shavings at school, and it makes her feel safe because it is so familiar. She notices the wafting steam of mint tea, the scent of sage (for wisdom) that lingers around her grandmother, and the smell of oranges and fir that tells her that her father must be home. Every scent means something and is an additional clue to what is happening in the story.

Marigold is such a wonderful main character! I was right there with her, inside her head, feeling her heartache every step of the way through this story. She is a very deep and complex person, and it was so engaging to follow her character development through this story. She is terrified that she will lose her sisters, lose her father, and the whole family will scatter, leaving for college or moving away. She begins to realize that she can't hold on so tightly, and she has to show them true acceptance and love. As Marigold investigates the origins of her family curse, she begins to understand her heritage. She starts to know her mother and her sisters a little better, and she finds the wisdom to know herself better too.

I love stories about siblings! This book really tugged at my heartstrings, and gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling for my own siblings!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

This play follows the sad fortunes of Agatha, who is forced to beg on the street. Her son, Frederick, returns from the army, and she confesses to her son that he is illegitimate. He vows to find his true father, the Baron Wildenhaim. Agatha is taken ill, and some kindly cottagers welcome her into their home, while Frederick wanders the countryside begging. He meets some wealthy noblemen and begs money from them, not realizing that one of them is his own father, Baron Wildenhaim.
Meanwhile, Baron Wildenhaim's daughter, Amelia, considers whether she will marry the wealthy Count or her lowly tutor.

There's not much to the plot. It's very straightforward. There is a slight case of mistaken identity when father and son do not know each other, but it is cleared up fairly quickly. There is not really any suspense regarding Amelia, and who she will decide to marry, because she makes her decision clear in the beginning, and then only has to persuade her father.

The characters spend most of their time crying "Woe is me!" and "Alas!" in a melodramatic fashion. The dialogue is uninspired. There are a couple of good conversations with a couple of witty lines, but most of the play is very forgettable. No wonder Jane Austen made fun of it!

The best part of the play was the butler who loves to talk in rhyme. He writes lengthy poetry for everything that happens each day and tries to recite it to everyone. They are constantly telling him to just talk normally in prose, but he keeps reciting verses because he can't help it. It's hilarious!

Kit, Josh, and Alita are privileged to witness the birth of a new baby dragon along with their new school library! But dark wizards are sneaking around the new library, and it is up to Kit to protect the baby dragon. Josh and Alita want to help too, but Kit is the one with the magical abilities. She tries to take on all the responsibility, but finds that it is too much for her to handle alone.

I loved this book from start to finish! The characters, the plot, the world-building, the magic; everything is wonderful! The writing style is absolutely hilarious! There are so many cute bits of dialogue and funny scenes that had me laughing.

I loved Kit's character! She gets a lot of really good character development in this third book as she ponders the question, When is it okay to step in and take control for someone else's good? Or should you just let them make their own decisions, even if it puts them in danger?

Alita and Josh are bookish and smart. It was so wonderful to see how these three friends interact and support one another. In this third book, we get to see even more depth in their friendship. Alita and Josh begin to ponder what their relationship with all these wizards really can be. Since neither of them have magic, being around these magical wizards all the time is starting to take its toll. It was incredible to see the way the plot and their characters developed in this direction that has been hinted at in the previous books!

The black and white illustrations are lovely. Every few pages there are some cute illustrations that really draw the reader into the story and help you to visualize everything you are reading. It makes the whole story so attractive and exciting!

I can't quite put my finger on why this series is so charming. Every chapter is a delight! I finished the entire book in one day. I could not stop reading. It refreshed my mind. It gave me warm fuzzies in my heart. It made me happy in a deep-down joyful, silly, childish, carefree way.
This series makes me believe in magic!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone. 

This book gives information about all the different breeds of cats, how they first developed, what their temperaments are like, and how to tell them apart from other cat breeds. There are also cat stories told from the perspective of the cats in their own newspaper, "Meow News".

This book is so adorable! I love the attractive design and the sweet artwork. Every page is so colorful, and all the kitties are so cute! Although there is a lot of information in this book, the writing style makes it fun and interesting. Each page is broken up into smaller sections with easy-to-read paragraphs that keep your attention.

There is some really good information in this book, and it is also interesting to read about the history of cats. I loved reading about the way different cat breeds were discovered or developed throughout history.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

This book gives short biographies of literature's greatest authors and poets, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Poe, the Brontes, the Brownings, Dickens, George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Hardy, Doyle, D.H. Lawrence, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Frost.

These are actually classroom lectures that have been written out, and the writing style reflects that. It doesn't feel like a normal biography or literary essay. The style is more conversational. I really hated that, because the author tries to be funny and clever and does not succeed. The dad jokes are numerous.

The condescending tone of the author got on my nerves. The writing style is very patronizing, as if the author is the expert last word on all literary opinions and they are going to mansplain it to you.

In the section on the Bronte sisters, the author completely dismisses Anne Bronte as inferior to her sisters, and praises Emily and Charlotte's works. That made me angry. I think Anne Bronte is just as brilliant as her sisters, even if the "experts" don't agree.

I also had issues with the way the author passed judgement on all these historical figures through the lens of his own modern philosophies and morals. I was looking for a book of facts about these literary people from history, but instead I got Engel's opinion about them.

I found out pretty quickly that the author's morality is not at all similar to my own, so it was upsetting to read all about his moral opinions instead of just facts. He is disparaging of Christianity. He seems to think his own philosophy is superior to any other; as if no one else in history is allowed to have any other opinions or beliefs.

I just hated his entire writing style. I'm so disappointed in this book.

Lady Susan is charming and vivacious. Lady Susan lies to everyone. Lady Susan flirts with anything in pants! Lady Susan tries to persuade her daughter, Frederica, to marry. Frederica doesn't like the gentlemen, so Lady Susan manipulates and schemes. Lady Susan is greedy and immoral, but... she is not boring.

The epistolary style is my favorite thing about this little book. It was so fun to see from all the different perspectives of the characters. They all have a strong opinion of Lady Susan, and they aren't afraid to express it in their letters! Lady Susan's letters to her friend, Alicia, are so full of malice and deceit. Ooh, it's thrilling!

I love Austen's inimitable writing style. Her prose is so peppery! This little novel grabbed my attention, and had me laughing. I hated Lady Susan's character so much, but I was exceedingly amused.

Frederica is a sad little person. It seems like she could be just as charming and vivacious as her mother, but Lady Susan is always putting her down and sneering at her. Poor Frederica is terrified of her mother! Frederica is a sweet girl and if only she had a safe environment where she could be herself, I think she would blossom and be happy.

Reginald is a complete idiot. He really got on my nerves, but his character is also very realistic. I've seen that absolute blindness that people suffer from when they are infatuated with someone they like. It's no wonder that Reginald falls under Lady Susan's spell in the beginning, but later on, even after all the rumors about Lady Susan are proven to be true, Reginald still believes her lies! To be fooled once is natural. To be fooled twice is sheer stupidity!

My favorite character is Catherine Vernon, Lady Susan's sister-in-law. She is the only one who seems to keep a steady head in the face of Lady Susan's charms. Catherine sees right through all of Lady Susan's foolishness, and is not taken in for a moment. I admire her steadfastness and her wisdom. She is also very kind to Frederica and tries to help her. Catherine is the exact opposite of Lady Susan. She is respectable whereas Lady Susan is not. She is honest when Lady Susan is not. Catherine is altogether the perfect wife and mother, a pillar of good society, and Lady Susan appears even worse by comparison.