Book Review: The Witch’s Spellbook for Beginners

The fact that I am reading a spellbook may be worrisome for some, and others probably think it is a good idea. The introduction states, “We all want to lead a magical life – one in which we are able to both shape and take responsibility for our destinies. This book reveals how, by simply casting spells that align with the cycles of nature and the universe, you too can begin to manifest your dreams.”

The book then goes into how to be a good witch and the solar and lunar cycles as well as some magic tools you may need for your spells. It also heeds the warning – what goes around comes around and ill intentions sent out may be visited upon you – usually threefold.  Something to keep in mind when you might be wanting to be a bit impulsive with the spell casting.

I will say, the spells in this book all have a positive vibe to them – so hopefully it won’t be creating any ill intentions for anyone!

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Manifest your dreams with easy-to-follow spells that align with the cycles of nature and the universe.

Magic can change your life and help you manifest your best self. Anyone with the curiosity and willingness can connect to the power of the natural and supernatural and to blend ancient practices in a modern context. Adapted from Sarah Bartlett’s The Witch’s Spellbook, this guide gives new and aspiring witches a simple path to the art of practical magic and the empowerment of magic spells.

Following an introduction to the basics of witchcraftThe Witch’s Spellbook for Beginners holds an abundance of spells organized by concern—including your selfchangewisheslovehome and familycareermoney, and protection. Whether you are looking to channel spirit guides and those who have passed over, need a protection amulet for you or a loved one, or manifest a new direction that aligns with your life’s desires, this spellbook will empower and inform your budding craft as a witch. Harness the power of the astrological elements, explore the lunar cycles and how they can enhance your magic, and embrace the seasons to amplify your spells and divination work.

The spells include:

  • Find Your Life Direction
  • Restore Holistic Health
  • Make a Decision
  • Manifest an Aspiration
  • Ignite Desire
  • Get Over a Breakup
  • Change Careers
  • Open the Door to Prosperity
  • Banish Negativity

Plan your spellwork by date, season, and lunar phase, and identify spells that can be used any time, using the calendar index of spells at the back of the book.

Start your journey into witchcraft with purposeful and practical spells for every day and every event.

Book Review: I Saw Santa’s Underpants

I Saw Santa’s Underpants is a cute rhyming story about what happens when Santa has a mishap at young Max’s home.  This is a really short quick read but it shows some quick thinking and impressive problem solving skills by the main character to help Santa out once he sees his underpants.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review from NetGalley. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

When Santa has an unfortunate mishap, a young boy and his dog are shocked by what they see.

He will need ingenuity to figure out how to help Santa out of this embarrassing situation.

A laugh-out-loud funny children’s picture book that:

  • Demonstrates problem solving at its best
  • Provides opportunities for family bonding
  • Utilizes fun rhymes to help children develop reading skills

Grab yours now and start a new Christmas tradition.

Book Review: The Official Amazing Race Travel Companion

The Amazing Race is one of my favorite TV shows to watch. I just love to see them traveling the world and doing all sorts of fun and interesting competitions. The Travel Companion book contains a list of places to check out that were featured on past seasons of the race.  The book is broken down by continent and then the locations and also lets you know which season and episode of the race it was featured on.  There were only a handful of locations that I had actually visited myself and so many more I’d absolutely love to check out! It also was fun to see the recaps of the challenges, road blocks, uturns, etc that happened at the locations on the show and try to see how many of them I had remembered watching.

If you’re looking for places to see on your next vacation – definitely check out this book. Or if you’re just a fan of the show and want to relive some of the iconic destinations they have visited and find out some of how things work behind the scenes you’ll want to check it out too! A good services like Jettly can greatly help if you need assistance in traveling such as booking flights, requesting specialty foods, and even arranging ground transportation!

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Discover unique destinations and take your vacation plans to the next level with these travel ideas from the official companion to the blockbuster reality show, The Amazing Race.

For more than twenty years, The Amazing Race has introduced viewers to unique travel destinations in ninety-two countries across the globe. Pairing challenges with cultural touchpoints of the locations visited, The Amazing Race averages 10 million viewers per season.

This fanbook-meets-travel guide will cover six continents and thirty-two countries, including activities and places to visit at each destination. In addition to region-specific recommendations of destinations and activities from the show’s history, The Official Amazing Race Travel Companion will feature:

-A never-before-seen “behind the scenes” snapshot of how the show is made, who they hire, and how destinations are chosen
-An introduction by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, cocreators of The Amazing Race
-A foreword by host Phil Keoghan
-And many more fun surprises!

Perfect for the fan or avid traveler in your life, The Official Amazing Race Travel Companion will satisfy any craving for adventure while traveling!

TM Amazing Race Productions Inc. © 2022 Amazing Race Productions Inc. & ABC Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Book Review: I was a Teen Rock Star!

I Was A Teen RockStar was a quick read and a bit of a roller coaster! Lanre is living with his aunt and wants to be a musician.  The book tells you to alway follow you dreams but also shows a bit of what can happen even if you do follow your dreams and they seem to come true – everything is not always what it seems.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Sixteen year old Lanre Bandele finds solace in his music and dreams of being professional musician. Can dreams come true? Maybe.

An unexpected opportunity arrives and his journey takes him on an unforgettable experience. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic and filled with rhythm and colourful characters, this contemporary Nigerian story is about a teenager, his love for music and above all growing up.

Stephen Kellogg at the Wolfs Den

Friday night Stephen Kellogg and his band returned to the Wolf’s Den at Mohegan Sun to kick off the Keep It Up Kid tour.  The Wolf Den is a first come, first served general admission venue in the middle of the casino. You are allowed to line up starting 3 hours before the show – so for an 8pm start, 5pm.  I ended up getting there just a little after 5 and no one was in line at all. Stephen was doing soundcheck, so I sat at a nearby slot machine and watched soundcheck for about an hour. After a couple others started the line, I hopped in and we were let in shortly after.  Initially there was only about 10 people inside, but slowly the crowd grew.  The floor was all open for dancing and once the show started some people made their way down there but no one was right up against the stage until Stephen said for the encore they should make it feel like a concert and move up.

I was surprised that Stephen started his set with Thanksgiving, it’s long and not one of my favorites but I seem to be in the minority there.  The rest of the set was a nice variety with some new off his upcoming album (that technically is out already if you visit the kellogg family store) that is due out in December and a mix of older tunes as well.  I was really happy for “My Favorite Place” which is one of my favorites and the encore of Big Easy and See You Later See You Soon with dancing and a sing-a-long was just what I needed!

With no big show in the arena the casino was almost like a ghost town which meant I could finally get to Krispy Kreme post show without the line being down the entire hallway! Kind of a surprise for a Friday night.

 

Pop 2000 Tour

Friday September 16 the Pop 2000 made a stop in Stamford at the Palace Theater.  Before the show we did VIP with O-Town which got us into their soundcheck.  Usually they do the real soundcheck first and then kind of mess around with VIP but as they had a late arrival to the venue it was a legit soundcheck and some chit chat as well.  After soundcheck it was time for photos and we hopped to the front of the line because we were also doing VIP with Chris Kirkpatrick.  He did a Q&A chat session before photos and autographs.

Ryan Cabrera opened the show and had a drummer with him this time (past times when I saw him it was just him and his guitar)

Then it was time for Chris to take the stage to introduce O-Town!  We had front row for the show and I was very happy to have a monitor in front of me so I could stand and not feel like they were going to be stepping on me the whole time.  Brad from LFO joined them for a medley to honor both Rich and Devin and I was surprised how I managed to still know every word and I honestly can’t even tell you when I last listened to any of their stuff…

The show was so much fun and high energy and ended with Chris joining O-Town for Bye Bye Bye and Dirty Pop.

We’ve now seen Pop 2k with both Lance and Chris and well, we all know who I’m looking to see host next…

Matt Nathanson @ Ridgefield Playhouse

Lately I’ve been avoiding concerts during the work week, but when I saw Matt Nathanson was coming to Ridgefield on a Wednesday I made an exception. And when he added on a pre-show party, I knew I’d end up needing to work some late nights that week to make up for leaving early to go.  Due to covid concerns, the VIP portion was soundcheck, merch and Q&A only – no photos like they used to be.  Totally fine with me, I masked up and got there early to check in.

We were let in around 5pm, in to the stage area at 5:30pm after getting our merch (signed poster and coaster) and refreshments.  As we entered and Matt asked how we were, someone asked back how he was doing and he said something to the effect of, “well the trailer blew 3 tires and then the bus blew…” and I started to wonder if this was just the new “hey nice to see you” tour greeting since Hanson had said something pretty similar to me as well.  A lot of the Q&A time was spent talking about his daughter and I know far more about her now than I ever wanted and probably much more than she would want me to know.  I think Matt being in a room of people was therapeutic for him and I liked that a lot of his answers seemed to be honest and vulnerable.

He had a list of songs that were requested from his new fan club (which I am now in the process of trying to join!) and was saying which ones he *wasn’t* going to play, but then kept playing them.  Whoops.  We ended up getting to hear 4 songs – which he apologized that he needed to use a mic for because his voice was getting a bit froggy from the tour.

VIP:
Last Days of Summer in San Francisco
Angel
Kiss Quick
Little Victory

 

Initially the venue was saying we’d have to stay inside because doors would be open, but they ended up stamping us to let us leave and put the poster in the car (thank you!)  Venue doors opened at 6:30pm and the doors to the theater at 7pm.  Donovan Woods was the opening act and in between his songs he did almost a comedy act talking about them (and cracking himself up in the process)  I did enjoy him but I felt like he set me up with a false sense of security with the jokes and then ended with a sick/dead Dad song that ended up as a bit of a gut punch.

For the show, Matt said the tour would be Some Mad Hope in it’s entirety every night as well as a huge chunk of Boston Accent and other songs.  When he started the set he said he didn’t like being told what to do, even when it was himself telling him what to do and didn’t seem too happy with himself for saying he’d play the whole album, but he did, and almost in order, except he put Come On Get Higher nearer to the end of the set instead of 5 songs in.  He also told us a little bit of background on each of the songs and related them to a Dawson’s Creek like drama.  I’m not sure his definition of “huge chunk” but we ended up getting I think 3 tracks off of Boston Accent (forgive me, I haven’t had much time to listen lately!) and a couple extras.
Overall it was a great show – with the exception of Most Obnoxious Concert Goer who was sitting about 3 people from me.  He was obnoxious as soon as he entered the theater during Donovan’s set with very, very loud “wooing” and very, very loud conversations with his girlfriend.  I was hoping if it continued during Matt’s set, Matt would shut him down and I wouldn’t need to say anything.  The woman in the row in front of me kept looking back and glaring at him and rolling her eyes at him, so at least I knew I’d have back up if I did need to speak up.  He kept yelling out ‘Illusions’ and Matt made a wise crack about wondering what he was like during intimate moments (aka now is not the time) and that he shouldn’t bother requesting a song Matt wrote in high school that he wasn’t going to end up playing.  A few songs later… “ILLUSIONS!” to which Matt yelled back “DELUSIONS!” and then security came and said something to him – I was hoping it was STFU but considering the yelling went on at least 2 more times and Matt even ended up saying “I feel bad for your girl, she is trying to get as far away from you as possible” and then he ended up yelling the lyrics “singing” along instead.  (I’ll give a minor pass there – but there was no need for him to be at the volume he was at.)  When the show was over I ended up walking past his seat to leave – only to see there were 5 to 6 cans of “bad seed”.  Yes sir, you are what you drink.
I’ve only ever seen Matt in CT and this is my second time with obnoxious people screaming out at him song requests (When that is *exactly* the purpose of the VIP pre-show!!!) but I am glad this time it didn’t result in Matt taking a song OFF the setlist like it did in Fairfield in 2019.  I’m now wondering if I should try to go see Matt in a different state or if that sort of drunk, obnoxious outbursts are just the norm at his shows.
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