Book Reviews:

I haven't written in awhile, and I have a few books I need to talk about. Let's start with my new favorite:

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
**Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy!**

When I first started this book, it was really hard to read. It triggered some of my abandonment and accident fears. But it was so flawlessly written, engaging, and all that. I just had to see what happened with Margaret.

And she hasn't seen or talked to her sister in over 3 years, what on earth is up with that? Will Margaret walk again, how will she heal? What will happen then? And that title...who is walking away???

Loved it. It made me laugh and cry, and made the security guard at work think I'd lost it because I had a huge grin on my face as I finished this one. Book hangover for sure!

Sheets by Brenna Thummler
**Thanks again to NetGalley for this digital edition lent to my tablet**

I try to pick up graphic novels I think my 9 yr old will enjoy. He's all about the Smile books, doesn't even phase him that the main characters are all girls. He just loves those heartfelt stories. Yeah, Ivan! He likes that we can share a book. And we both loved this one!

The main character is reeling from the loss of her mother. She is trying to keep the family business going, and keep her family together all while being a middle school student. She is running a laundry. And then guess what?

Yeah, ghosts...seriously great story about loss and adversity. You just have to read this one! Plus the graphics were amazing, the colors are few but they just pop!

The Big Empty Life of Alphonse Tabouret by Sibylline Desmazières,  Jérôme d'Aviau
**And again, thanks Netgalley!**

This one fell kind of flat. I enjoyed it well enough. But I didn't love it. I don't care to ever read it again.

But it was cute, and sometimes silly. My son had me read it to him, but he never picked it up. It just didn't move fast enough, and it really didn't make enough sense.

Knowing this was a translation, I wonder if it's a bad story or a bad translation.

Fruit Ninja & Jetpack Joyride Hc by Nate Cosby
**Thanks NetGalley for keeping my son in books!**

I didn't read this one. And I'm not going to either. Let me tell you about this. I didn't download it, I showed it to Ivan and he insisted. Apparently there's a game or two involved her.

What I do know is that Ivan sat down and read this in one evening. Now, he's a fast reader, I just tell you it grabbed his attention. My 9 year old reader, wouldn't put it down. Not even when it was time for me to read to him. Nope, we skipped reading that night. So, that should tell you enough about this one.

The Creature Garden by Harry and Zanna Goldhawk
**Thanks NetGalley!**

I almost forgot about this one! Oh my gosh, it's a fantastic drawing book!

All sorts of animals, all sorts of cute tidbits and great instructions. If you or someone you know wants to play around with drawing animals - grab this book!

If someone you know doesn't like to draw, but likes art and animals, likewise grab this book.

Book Review: Failure is an Option by H. Jon Benjamin

**Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to review this one!**

H. Jon Benjamin, someone we know for voicing Bob from Bob's Burgers and Archer in Archer. I remember him back in his first voice gig as the lazy son in Dr. Katz on Comedy Central. He's really made a name for himself at this point.

His point in this book is that his life has basically been full of failures. Even the voice work is a result of him trying to avoid getting a real job. He just kind of kept falling into things. And some of the gags he talks about don't seem that funny to me, so you end up agreeing with him...how the hell did he get here?

But here he is, and this book was pretty funny in a lot of parts. He also strikes me as kind of a jerk, more often than not. But he doesn't deny it, so I guess it evens out. I enjoyed it more than I disliked him, a successful memoir overall.

Book Review: Forgiveness is Really Strange

**Big thanks to NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Written by Marina Cantacuzino & Masi Noor
Artwork by Sophie Standing

This is a brilliant read. All self-help books should be this short and too the point. They share lots of studies, and so many personal stories about forgiveness.

And you know what, it really is strange. I don't think I have it all figured out now. This book won't fix anything, but it does give you a lot of chew on.

Book Review: Drawing Cute with Katie Cook

**Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy to peruse**

Super cute ideas, with lots of how to and an occasional bit of trivia. I feel like this is aimed toward children.

I think it's crazy adorable, and loaded with cute things to draw, I felt like there was a lot of room to make it even easier.

She could go backwards just a step and start with shapes and introduce erasers. When I draw, I pencil it first, go over the final product in ink and then erase and color.

I'm not a great artist, I can't draw a bean, but I can draw 2 ovals. That's what I'm saying. But I did draw my one kid a cat, and the other an octopus which was wrong because it only had 7 legs - lol.

Book Review: Hillbillly Elegy by J.D. Vance

This book kept showing up, so I finally broke down and borrowed it from my library.

At first I couldn't put it down. His descriptions of his family, the stories he had to share were so entertaining. I really grew to love his Mamaw. She, more than anyone else, was a stabilizing force in J.D.'s life.

His entire family struggled with addiction and abuse, including his Mamaw. And while he looked at what was going on in the Ohio manufacturing town he lived in, I felt like he leaned on his own ideas of cause and effect.

As he grew up in the story, he became more conservative and our views differed. I didn't always agree, but I felt like he met it somewhat in the middle, acknowledging the brain drain that happens and how low-income people can be stuck due to lack of funds necessary for a move. Some key points that many conservatives refuse to see.

But then he joined the Navy, which was a great experience for him. And he started college, again a great experience. But I soon grew tired of all the patting himself on the back, look at how hard he worked and on how little sleep. When he said he looked at a calendar to count how many nights he'd slept more than 4 hours, I pronounced the book DOA.

It turned into something more about his ego and I just couldn't anymore. Very interesting points made, and definitely some fun stories. I don't hold his bias against him, everything is biased. But I felt like he moved from the objective he was trying to reach in the beginning and it became all about him.

This week in Graphic Novels #4

How to Be Perfectly Unhappy
by: The Oatmeal

It's a very quick read, and I think I read it on his website already.  But I love the sentiment here.

He talks about how he isn't necessarily unhappy, he feels very fulfilled by what he does. But he argues that our definition of happy if flawed.

It spoke to me, because people don't really tell me I'm unhappy, but I feel like I fall short of some goal.

It's nice to have someone tell me it's an unattainable goal.

Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy: Disco Fever
by: Doug Savage

The 2nd Laser Moose is here and we were so excited!!!  This book is so silly that we all laugh. I love how incredibly silly it all gets.

Sometimes they are sarcastic which is really funny for adults. And sometimes it's just silly which is really funny for kids. Frank is there, and there's a vegetarian wolf!

And the real star, the evil chickadee! But can Laser Moose find the proof he needs?

The CAT Encylopedia for Kids
by: Joanne Mattern

42 unique cat breeds! Not all of them are covered in this book. She goes into pretty in depth detail about a few, and then some quick explanations for the remaining.

I loved the photographs and I found the information interesting. She talks about the history of the breed and also how to care for it. Just like with dogs, some cat breeds are suited to certain situations.

Ugliest kitten award goes to that hairless breed. Oh man, who knew a kitten could make you squirm?

My favorite breed? Maine Coon followed by a Russian Blue. How about you?

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story
by: Debbie Tung

I loved this book so much! The artwork is fairly simple and cute. It's never overwhelming.

And the story...it's more of a journey. She's a quiet girl in a noisy world. She shares how she feels anxious. How there's all this pressure from outside and inside to socialize more.

I've been there. People telling me to not be so quiet. Or teasing me for reading a book. My mom used to take us to parties and her friend's house. They aren't my friends. Not to be anti-social, but yes I'd rather read my book than socialize.

I love my friends, and I like to see them. But I also need that quiet time to recharge. It was a wonderful story that made me feel like I found a little piece of my tribe.

Book Review: Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Awhile ago I read "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" by Mindy Kaling. I never knew her as a writer/actor on The Office - that show never drew me in. But I am a fan of The Mindy Project, which she also writes and stars in. That book was hilarious. She's a really funny person and full of personality.

This book, "Why Not Me?" is more of Mindy's musings. You get to know her a lot better. I wasn't in love with this book at first. It wasn't making me laugh as much, but at the same time I kept picking it up again.

It read like hanging out with a good friend. She's witty, charming, and as crazy as anyone I've ever met. She knows that she suffers from anxiety, she's overly competitive, she works her ass off, and she's a great friend and daughter.

My favorite part of the book was a little story she made up that was staring her if she'd stayed in Manhattan and become a Latin teacher at a rich kids school. It plays out via e-mails and some texts. Honestly, she needs to write a book (yes, I see what I did there!). But seriously, Mindy, write some fiction - that was a fine little story.

It was funny in its places, but more to the point, it was real. This was an honest look at the real Mindy Kaling. What her day looks like, and it will make you want a nap! What she worries about. What she still wants out for her life.

The best bit of advice I will be taking form this is her answer for how to be more confident. She said to...hey, go read the book! Then you will know what she said.  😏

**I was not given this book to review, I borrowed it from my library**

Book Review: Llewellyn's Complete Dictionary of Dreams

Dr. Michael Lennox

**Release date: May 8, 2015**

What a fun book! I think it's a bit much to say it's a complete dictionary, but no one asked me to come up with the title. It has many little bits in alphabetical order. A little bit of everything.

I've been looking up my dreams in this for a few weeks now. I think it is too simplistic. For example, and here I am sharing my dream. I dreamed my children turned were zombies. I was afraid to be near them but I couldn't be without them either. Then they changed into wolf pups. I felt immense relief. I looked up zombies, and it said I "may be lacking passion or life force...where the process of living is devoid of any joy or vibrant energy." I can see that, I struggle with depression. But there is no any deeper interpretation given being that they were my closest family members. Seems to me that just a random zombie vs. my children would be very different meanings.

Wolf - "When the wolf appears in a dream, you are being guided by very strong forces who know their way around the darker recesses of the psyche." Now that confuses me. I really don't know what to make of that. Does that mean that even though I'm feeling troubled, I have help? Or maybe that I need to relax and know I'll get through whatever is troubling me?

It's an interesting book, but I don't think it's really that clear on dream interpretation. Not when there is so much more going on in dreams than one symbol at a time. Things happen, and this is full of objects, people, places and animals. But don't hold that too much against this book. Most dream interpretation books have this downfall. They give you the symbols and meanings and leave you to put it all together. All in all, I would recommend this if you are looking for a starting point in interpreting your dreams. I would say get this and start keeping a dream journal. Together, it may work beautifully.

Book Review: He Did You a Favor

He Did You a Favor: A Smart Girl's Guide to Breaking Up, Waking Up, and Discovering the Gift of YOU
by: Debra Rogers

I usually hate self-help books. Full of platitudes and BS. This book is entertaining and I can see where it actually would be useful. So way to go, Debra!

You may be asking yourself why I'm reading a book about breaking up. Well worry not, my marriage is as strong as ever. I honestly didn't read very closely and thought it was a romantic comedy type book. Imagine my surprise! I really did expect to hate it, but figured I made a promise to my peeps at BooksSparks.

I didn't hate it. Yes, it is full of stuff that you as a rational human being should know. But this book isn't written for the rational. It's written for women who are suffering through a painful break-up. Debra is taking these women gently by the hand and leading them through their grief. Even writing out to block them from your social networking circles and not cyber stalking them - like no logging into their e-mail or bank accounts. I was shocked to read that part, like "stalker much?" After thinking about it, I realized that if Chris just up and dumped me right now, I'd need someone to tell me that.

So if you know anyone who is in that place, this book along with your unwavering friendship are just what she needs.

Guest Blog:How My Fading Eyesight Taught Me to Focus on What Counts

Guest Post written by: Ingrid Ricks

I’ll never forget my dad’s words to me shortly after I was diagnosed with the degenerative eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa.

We were on the phone and I was nursing a water glass filled with wine, trying to numb my fear and terror over the future that awaited me. We’d had a tension-filled conversation, with me snapping at my dad every time he asked a question or tried to make conversation. Finally, after a long minute of silence, he had one last thing to say.

“Look, I know what you are going through is hard,” he said, his tone careful and measured. “I admit that losing my eyesight would be really tough. But let me tell you something I know for sure. I know that when something is taken away from you, something else is given to you in its place.”

It took every ounce of control I had not to slam down the phone. I didn’t know what possible good could come out of going blind, and it angered me that he had the nerve to suggest such a thing. But nearly nine lesson-filled years later, I’ve discovered that my dad was right. As a direct result of my fading eyesight, I’ve learned to see what counts in life and to make every moment count—a gift that no amount of vision loss can take from me.

For more than a decade I had dreamed of writing my coming-of-age memoir and resuming the social issues journalism career I loved. I had crossed over into the more lucrative, certain profession of marketing and PR to put my husband through law school and then felt trapped in that career when our two daughters came along and bills mounted. I wanted to write my book so much my gut ached. But I convinced myself it wasn’t the responsible thing to do.

Then my eyesight started closing in on me, and it occurred to me that I didn’t have forever and that the time to embrace life and start living it was NOW.

I wish I could say my epiphany was immediate. But it was actually years in the making. First I had to confront personal fears and terrors. I had to travel to Africa to write about AIDS orphans and gain perspective on what real suffering was. I had to learn to let go of my controlling ways, to trust my husband and work as a team. In the end, I had to heed a life lesson from our two daughters.

Three years ago, shortly before my forty-third birthday, the two of them were joking around and decided to do a parody of me as an old woman. They bent over, pretended like they were walking with a cane, and in the most crotchety voice they could muster, they both shouted, “My book, my book. I have to finish my book!”

It was the final push I needed. With my husband’s encouragement and full support, I cut back on my client work and gave myself permission to go after my dream. The journey since then has been amazing. I published my coming-of-age memoir Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story in October 2011 and shortly afterward was invited to form an author partnership with an English teacher at a nearby alternative high school, where we used Hippie Boy as a guide to help at-risk teens write and publish their personal stories in a powerful anthology, We Are Absolutely Not Okay: Fourteen Stories by Teenagers Who Are Picking Up the Pieces.

I now divide my time between book writing and continuing my work with at-risk teens. I’ve re-prioritized my relationship with my husband and daughters and I wake up every day determined to embrace every moment I have.

What my journey with my blinding eye disease has taught me is that no one is immune to disease or death, life can change in an instant and all we have for certain is Now. So we better make NOW count.

More than anything, that’s the message I hope readers will take away from my new memoir, Focus.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / B&N

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Thank you Ingrid, that was a great post. This was exactly what I loved from the book, how you really took a good hard look at your priorities and started shifting them. I'm sure it's a process you are still working on.

Now, dear readers, who would like to win a copy of Focus? Just leave a comment to be entered. Do you want extra entries? All right, just do the following and leave a comment when you complete each entry. I'll do a drawing next Friday.

• Follow my blog.
• Subscribe to Ingrid's blog - http://ingridricks.com/blog/
• Like Ingrid Rick's Facebook page
• Follow Ingrid on Twitter

Book Review: Focus - A Memoir

by: Ingrid Ricks

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
In her powerful memoir FOCUS, Ingrid Ricks delves into the shock of discovering at age thirty-seven that she was in the advanced stages of Retinitis Pigmentosa, a devastating degenerative eye disease that doctors said would eventually steal her remaining eyesight. FOCUS takes readers into Ingrid’s world as she faces the crippling fear of not being able to see her two young daughters grow up, of becoming a burden to her husband, of losing the career she loves, and of being robbed of the independence that defines her.

Ultimately, FOCUS is about Ingrid’s quest to fix her eyes that ends up fixing her life. Through an eight-year journey marked by a trip to South Africa to write about AIDS orphans, a four-day visit with a doctor who focuses on whole-body health, a relationship-changing confrontation with her husband and a life-changing lesson from her daughters, Ingrid learns to embrace the moment and see what counts—something no amount of vision loss can take from her.

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When I reviewed Hippie Boy, I told you I didn't even know it was a true story until I had finished reading it. Ingrid really does have a flair for words. She came to me and asked if I'd like to review it. I remembered her and knew for a fact I would love to read anything she writes. So here we are. And if you come back on Friday, she has sent along a guest post and a giveaway of her book Focus.

So, back to the book. Ingrid is writing about her degenerative eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa - which I'd never heard of before. She was going blind, slowly. And I wonder if that's worse. You are constantly aware of your field of vision getting smaller and smaller by degrees. She really does paint a vivid picture of the roller coaster of emotions.

Well, like most strong women, she wasn't willing to just accept the diagnosis and crawl into a corner. Her husband started problem solving and they moved into the city she she could use public transportation for anything she couldn't walk to. And she found a new doctor with alternative treatments. While it didn't cure her eyes, she did really come so much further than her journey through her childhood.

The fun thing in this book was reading about her desire to finish her memoir, Hippie Boy. She kept putting it off until her whole family was sick of hearing about it. There was a scene where her daughters were pretending to be her as an old woman saying, "My book! I need to finish my book!" and it was like a slap in the face. And then she made it happen. I'm glad she did, it was so good.

The not so comfortable bits were seeing things that I do that aren't helping me in my life there in print form. This memoir will make you laugh, cry, and think...much more than you probably want to. But it's totally worth the time and effort. And really, it's not much time. This woman has a way of grabbing you by the eyes and holding on until she's ready to let go.

I freaked out when I had forgotten the timeline I promised to review it in. I started reading it on Tuesday night. I finished it Wednesday morning during my workout. Seriously, like 2 hours. While I get that it's only 100 pages long, that time still went by incredibly fast - not a boring moment in here. And a funny little twist, she also talked about stem cells. She needs to talk to Amy from Monday! lol

Book Review: This is How I Save My Life

by: Amy B. Scher

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Fueled by her self-created motto "when life kicks your ass, kick back," a fiery 20-something woman with a debilitating, often misdiagnosed disease ventures to a tiny clinic in India for a controversial embryonic stem cell treatment. In hopes of saving her miserably failing body, she finds not only a world full of wandering cows, cultural mayhem and radical medical treatment, but also a piece of her life that she never even knew she was looking for.

Join Amy as she takes you on her heartwarming and often hilarious journey, wildly grasping at hope for health while still trying to remain focused on the journey. Find out how this experimental and widely criticized treatment saves her life. And, learn the life altering lesson Amy had to travel more than 10,000 miles from home to discover. A powerful and uplifting story of sheer determination when all hope appears lost. For anyone who believes in (or doubts) the existence of miracles and the infinite power of self-healing.

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The book is brilliant. I'm in awe of this woman who spent so long losing a battle with Lyme Disease. She went to India for stem cell treatment. The stem cells used, are from a single embryo that was donated to the doctor from a couple who had embryos made up for fertility treatment. When they reached success, they wanted to give something back.

It's a very easy going book, being that it's mostly made up of blog entries that Amy wrote while undergoing treatment. And reading about her healing is just amazing. Why are we not doing this here???

It's also a wonderful study of the culture shock when a San Francisco gal goes to one of the largest cities in India, Delhi. I'm still in love with India, but I'm less eager to move there. lol

Amy doesn't really pull any stops. She's working her butt off to get rid of the Lyme and all the things that go along with it, and she's sharing it all right here with us.

Book Review: The Baby Owner's Manual

Written by: Louis Borgenicht, M.D. and Joe Borgenicht, D.A.D.

Illustrated by: Paul Kepple and Jude Buffum

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
At Last! A Beginner’s Guide to Newborn Baby Technology

You’ve programmed your VCR, you’ve reinstalled Microsoft Windows, you can even check your e-mail on your Palm Pilot. But none of this experience will prepare you for the world’s biggest technological marvel: a newborn baby.

Through step-by-step instructions and helpful schematic diagrams, The Baby Owner’s Manual explores hundreds of frequently asked questions: What’s the best way to swaddle a baby? How can I make my newborn sleep through the night? When should I bring the baby to a doctor for servicing? Whatever your concerns, you’ll find the answers here—courtesy of celebrated pediatrician Dr. Louis Borgenicht and his son, Joe Borgenicht. Together, they provide plenty of useful advice for anyone who wants to learn the basics of childcare.

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This is so funny! It really does have useful information, but I'm a mom twice over, so nothing in it was news to me. If I were to gift this to someone, it would be the dad-to-be.

As funny as it is, the graphics catch your eye and the information is laid out in a logical manner. It literally is an instruction book about babies. I think it would take out some of the mystery that usually scares guy silly.

One of the first things covered is "The Baby: Diagram and Parts List" and it goes on to talk about the head, hair, fontanels, eyes, etc. Just a quick description, but enough to let someone know what's coming. The only thing missing is the fact that they may lactate. Both my boys lactated a few days after birth. Totally weirded me out, thank GOD for Google! lol

But there are pictures, information, and lots of to-dos to prepare for the baby, how to hold the baby, how to feed the baby. You get the idea. I love that they call the pediatricians "service providers" and parents "users."

Best advice "Trust your own instincts and intuition." Yes, I really do think this is a good baby book...I mean Owner's Manual.

Book Review: Mrs. B's Guide to Household Witchery

by: Kris Bradley

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and Red Wheel/Weiser

Synopsis:
For domestic goddesses everywhere--add some magic and fun to those mundane household chores with Mrs. B.'s Guide to Household Witchery. Whether you're sweeping the floor, making a meal, or cleaning out that junk drawer, domestic witch Kris Bradley, creator of the popular blog, Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom, will show you how to create spells and magic to bring happiness and balance into your home. Bradley offers ideas and solutions to make the most out of everyday items, activities, and obligations. From Anchovies to Broccoli, and Wine to Yeast, from sweeping the floor to blow-drying your hair, you can change your outlook on life with a pinch of knowledge and a dash of magic! The book includes simple rituals, spells, and ways to connect with the spirits that watch over your home and family. Includes an appendix of herbs and a complete materia magica from the kitchen pantry.

Mrs. B's Guide to Household Witchery features:

• Room by Room: How to create magic while you cook, set up a family altar in the living room, or do a junk drawer divination
  
• The Elements for the Domestic Witch: a primer on the 4 elements and how to balance them in your home
  
• The Domestic Witch's Herbal: Magical uses for every herb and food in your pantry, as well as instant magic with prepackaged spice mixes
  
• Simple Sabbats for the Busy Witch: simple ways to celebrate the passing of the seasons
  
• Magical Recipes: More than 100 recipes and spells

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I'm so excited to write this review. I've been following Kris Bradley's blog Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom for a few years now, and also on Facebook. She's a thoughtful witch with so many well written articles out there in the cyber-world. I was so happy for her when she got this book deal, and after sitting down with my copy, I know she deserved it.

It's full of information that is written with a conversational tone. It makes it a fast and easy read. I went through the book in one sitting. Granted, I didn't scrutinize every bit, but I didn't miss much either. This is a keeper! The herbs and deity information she includes is priceless. I love cooking, and she encourages us to be mindful of the herbs we use to include a little magic in our everyday. I enjoyed going room to room and looking through all her ideas to add spirituality to every space in your home. I also enjoyed the family hearth and altar. Recognizing that most families don't have a fireplace anymore, she gives ideas to build your own hearth. This book lit a fire under me, and I have loads of ideas I now want to try in my own home.

I fully recommend this book to both new and experienced pagans. Going through this book, I felt the old flame I found reading Silver Ravenwolf and Scott Cunningham.

Book Review: Vampyre Magick

by: Father Sebastiaan

Available at Red Wheel/Weiser Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Since the dawn of civilization, the vampire has danced through the dreams and nightmares of every culture, expressed in folklore, literature, and art. Today, this fascination resonates in pop-culture through hit television shows, movies, and bestselling books.

In Vampyre Magick, Father Sebastiaan reveals the hidden rituals and spells of the Living Vampires. This companion volume to Sebastiaan’s Vampyre Sanguinomicon, is intended for initiates of the Stigoii Vii, but will appeal to any scholar of magickal arts, The Golden Dawn, or other Western Mystery Traditions.

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I'm surprised at the gamut of emotions this book took me on, for a nonfiction piece. I was excited to get the book, then I couldn't believe he was serious, thought he was awesome and a few times a complete loon. I will try to give a honest review, but truly you have to decide for yourself. I'm not even fully sure of my opinion yet, so I'll just have to pick something.

It talks about being a vampyre in a more spiritual sense. It's not about immortality or any of the other vampire myths. It's about energizing yourself and having willing hosts. Blood is not often used, and Father Sebastiaan says to draw real blood there has to be such a commitment from the host that it's just not practical. The person would have to be quarantined for about 10 years before you could even draw from them, including lots of testing to make sure their blood is safe. So they generally stick with feasting on the life force of willing hosts. Can't stress that part enough, WILLING hosts. I love that he put so much detail and precautions in this book.

He does talk about immortality, but it's more about being able to leave this mortal coil and ascend to a fully spiritual level. Take this quote:

Vampyres of the Strigoi Vii Tradition see Themselves as part of a movement which promotes spiritual and philosophical evolution, which is deeply rooted in the soul, not just a specific singular religion or paradigm. Once Awakened there is no turning back; the Current is alive within the individual."

There is so much deep magick in this book, that I'm not even sure I believe in it. But that's a big part of what made this book so much fun. That and Father Sebastiaan's passion for the subject and the intelligent way he presents it.

Will I be practicing vampyre magick? Probably not, but the book was fascinating to read. So I should probably go with that for my stars.