Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

At Home Within by Maya Murphy is a faith-centered guide that explores the meaning of home and how this connects to finding the Lord in your everyday life. The idea of home evolves from a concept of peace and beauty found in an environment that helps your soul feel steady. When we return home, we feel surrounded by what makes us most comfortable, so this guide focuses on creating a home that has God at the center of it. Murphy uses the experience of around twenty renovations to explore how this can be used to create a home grounded in God’s will, which includes incorporating elements of stability, functionality, and spirituality. The book dives into more than just elements of décor, providing insights into how to build strong financial foundations, designing rooms, developing traditions, and giving yourself the best peaceful inner life founded by God.

This book is a unique Biblical self-help guide that uses the concept of home as a foundation for how to create a life based on the works of God. Maya Murphy builds a resource for those seeking ways to become more comfortable with their surroundings, whether that’s through fine design details or key essentials. Murphy focuses on the different elements that we should find in our homes, from comfort to hospitality, which are each linked to examples from the Bible. Whether you’re first drawn to the faith-centered aspects or the design ones, there’s something in this guide for everyone. Murphy speaks honestly and from her own journey, which takes the ‘perfect’ home and shows you that a ‘true’ home is so much more than perfect. This guide helps you track your budget, tips for organizing (along with decluttering) your life, the do’s and don’ts of working with a designer, activities, and key takeaways. These elements separate this book from others, while allowing for thought-provoking self-reflection. At Home Within is a unique interactive resource that will help you understand the true meaning of home and having a faith-focused life.

Reviewed by Angelique Papayannopoulos for Readers' Favorite

Armchair Iceland by Vegout Voyage is an engaging and unique guide to Iceland, created through a series of challenging riddles and trivia. Whether you are a travel enthusiast or a history buff, this guided trip will help you connect with a distinctive destination as you discover breathtaking landscapes, volcanoes, glaciers, Viking history, Icelandic cuisine, and culture. This is not your typical travel guide, with interesting resources and recommendations. It is a virtual journey through ingenious puzzles that will improve your problem-solving abilities and pique your interest through research and reasoning skills. There are trivia questions with numerous hints and clues that will require you to conduct some research, traditional-style crosswords, word-search activities, letter rearranging, riddles, labyrinth paths, hangman, and Sudoku. Pictorial clues and QR codes elevate the read. Are you a hands-on researcher who enjoys learning while having fun? Armchair Iceland is sure to satisfy.

Vegout Voyage’s Armchair Iceland is a great virtual holiday guide to Iceland with thought-provoking questions and puzzles that establish the action for the player. The book focuses on the key cultural, historical, and geographical features of Iceland, engaging the reader through a variety of puzzle games and brain teasers. You may excel at some of the activities and struggle with others, but your curiosity will undoubtedly be sparked to learn more. The author's knowledge and pleasure in producing innovative riddles and fascinating questions are clear throughout; simply keep flipping the pages. The answers to all are provided at the conclusion, but as a puzzle aficionado, you will want to solve them on your own. This is a pleasantly energizing game and problem-solving book for fans of this type of read. Adults will love tackling these puzzles with their children, as will teachers in the classroom.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Give Clutter the Middle Finger: A Chingona's Guide to Taking Control of Your Stuff and Your Life by Meggie Mangione delivers a refreshingly bold and brutally honest guide to home organization that throws out the rulebook and the judgment. Forget the Pinterest-perfect pantries; Mangione empowers readers to declutter on their own terms, showing that real organization is about reclaiming control, not achieving magazine spreads. With humor, empathy, and lived experience, she addresses how clutter relates to mental health, self-worth, and daily overwhelm. Mangione doesn’t just teach you how to get your house in order; she helps you feel better in it. It’s a call to stop apologizing for the mess and start living freely.

Author Meggie Mangione has crafted a book that most people I know need in their lives, myself included, to forgive ourselves for the chaos we all inevitably end up with in this busy world. The free and easy narrative flows with confidence and charm for a hilarious, heartfelt antidote to the perfectionist organizing culture that is relatable, but also keeps things frank and honest. Mangione speaks with the voice of a wise friend who’s been there and done that. She has also figured out a way that’s full of accessible life hacks that really work, and that you can start implementing the moment you set the book down. This is so handy that I felt immediately inspired to try some of her advice, and it worked. I loved the empowered approach that transforms decluttering into an act of self-love and liberation. It feels like a freeing, positive task rather than a chore that must be done, and that’s a rare thing in a capitalist world where we’re made to feel our productivity is our only quality of worth. Overall, Give Clutter the Middle Finger is an ideal read for overwhelmed parents, neurodivergent minds, and anyone tired of toxic tidying tropes, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Pruning a hydrangea begins long before the first cut, because the shrub’s identity determines where its next flowers are forming. Lorraine B. Ballato's Hydrangea Pruning guides readers from identification to the appropriate pruning moment, explaining how buds on last year’s stems follow a different calendar from flowers produced on current growth. Once that distinction is understood, the plant becomes a record of the season, with each stem revealing whether a cut will preserve future flowering. The same principle shapes every decision that follows, since a healthy hydrangea may need little intervention while an overgrown specimen can be renewed gradually according to its natural cycle. By connecting pruning time to flower development, Hydrangea Pruning gives gardeners a working method for approaching any hydrangea before the pruners touch its stems.

In Hydrangea Pruning, Lorraine B. Ballato turns horticultural knowledge into an inviting lesson shaped by decades of observation. Her discussion of apical dominance captures the quality of her teaching, since the movement of auxin through a reblooming hydrangea gives deadheading an intelligible rationale tied to another flush of flowers. She uses a conversational tone to make that science accessible in language a gardener can recall upon entering the garden. Her reading of the Royal Horticultural Society panicle trial shows how she treats published research as a starting point for local observation. Her guidance has the feel of an apprenticeship with a gardener whose long practice has refined the way technical instruction reaches the reader. This a practical guide that gives hydrangea enthusiasts an informed companion for many seasons spent among their plants.

Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

More Than Just A Pretty Space is an unconventional, uplifting guidebook on home decoration. Author Reiko Gomez has been a professional Feng Shui interior ​designer for over two decades and has worked with hundreds of clients to transform their homes and lives. In the book, she teaches the Dream ​Design Process, a powerful methodology that will allow you to attract miracles from the changes you make to your home. Its pages are filled with stories from clients who have experienced significant life-changing results from practicing Reiko's methods. Whether you want to transform your room, redecorate your entire home, or​ add a few missing elements to your home, you will find valuable lessons on various topics: cognitive simulation, design themes, clarifying your vision, decluttering, energizing your environment with tips from Feng Shui, and much more.

From the amazing pictures to the uplifting words, heartwarming stories, profound exercises, and insightful tips, More Than Just A Pretty Space offers a fascinating and enlightening read. It is all about welcoming beauty, positive transformation, and great well-being. As someone looking to redecorate his home soon, I learned a lot from the book I will be practicing, such as paying attention to proportions while buying furniture online. The book contains many tips that are not only for building your dream home but also useful for developing healthy habits. I believe using Reiko's methods is necessary to build your dream home and attract blessings into your life. This effortlessly smooth, inspiring, and intriguingly colorful book by Reiko Gomez is your go-to guide for information about home decoration. New and expert decorators will benefit immensely from it!

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Aunt Dollie's Remedies and Tips by Clementine Holmes Bass is a journey that culminates in the pages of 175 Years of Home Remedies. Home remedies are nothing new; years, before pharmacies arrived on the high streets and medicines, were available 24/7, people used to make their own remedies for pain, aching joints and muscles, colds, and more. Grown in their gardens or foraged from the countryside, folk would toil in their kitchens, making remedies for all ailments and Clementine Holmes Bass learned about them from Aunt Dollie. Now she brings you some of the best home remedies in a collection of recipes, along with tips and advice, all wrapped up in a humorous tale of life in the old days.

Aunt Dollie’s Remedies and Tips: 175 Years of Home Remedies by Clementine Holmes Bass is a fascinating collection and one that everyone should have on their bookshelf. It’s not just a collection of recipes, it’s a humorous look back at how folk used to heal themselves and contains lots of useful tips and advice. It’s both whimsical and practical and for a debut book, it’s perfect. The recipes are simple and use common household items; all of them are safe to use. You’ll find easy remedies for colds, congestion, toothache, asthma, bruises, sunburn, nosebleeds, teething, and much more using things like baking soda, onions, garlic, and more. The addition of images adds greatly to the experience. The book is divided into useful chapters that allow us to flick straight to the section we want, although I would recommend reading through the entire collection; it’s fun and immensely useful.

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Home In Good Hands: A Homeowner's Guide to Construction and Renovation by Simon Dauphinee is a must-read for those who are planning to construct or renovate their homes. Topics include Finding a Reliable Contractor, Reviewing Quotes, Reviewing Contracts, Order of Operations, The Renovation Process, Becoming the Ideal Client, Advice from Homeowners, and a very helpful Glossary of Common Terms. In short, the author walks you through everything you need to know from the start of your project until the finish. He also provides advice and a sample quote that should prove very helpful to the homeowner. The book highlights the questions to ask when you talk to a contractor, making sure you start your project right, and all the important points to watch out for so that your dream house becomes a reality.

Simon Dauphinee’s Home In Good Hands is written for those planning to build and renovate their homes and it certainly does not disappoint. With almost two decades of experience in the industry, the author is highly credible. The book is a treasure trove of information, tips, and guidelines to prevent readers from making expensive mistakes and any misunderstandings. Short and to the point, reading this book not only saves you money and time but also helps you avoid frustration and disappointment for a job done exactly as you want it. Renovating or building a home can be a daunting task but, with this book, it can be an enjoyable and fulfilling undertaking. Home in Good Hands is an ideal gift for friends and family members planning to build or renovate their homes!

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Remodel Your Kitchen Without Going Bonkers or Broke by Jim Molinelli is the lay person's guide to a huge home improvement project armed with the expertise of an experienced professional. Molinelli applies a straightforward and comfortable directive as he walks readers through a five-part process when a decision is made to proceed with a kitchen remodel. These are broken down by part, the first being Clarify, in which a homeowner is reminded that they are in control of their project and told to have clear directives, with recommendations on how to prepare and be prepared. Consult is the stage of understanding who different industry experts are, their roles, and your role in the process. Choose gets you through all things relating to nailing down your project, remodeler, and all that occurs in between. The final two parts deal with saving money and the process through Molinelli's own expert eyes.

There is no question that Jim Molinelli is right when he makes the point of how important the kitchen is in a home. Remodel Your Kitchen Without Going Bonkers or Broke brings the 'hearth' to the phrase 'hearth and home' with a spectacular degree of information that sidesteps the usual fluff and pitches. The details span over thirty-five chapters before the book arrives at The Heart of the Matter, a chapter on selecting who you will hire and why. That's how thorough the guide is. Thirty-four chapters of information before you've even picked the person or company you'll be working with. The inset boxes called the Pro Tip scattered throughout offer wonderful bite-sized morsels with gems such as, “In all negotiations, the first one to name a figure loses.” I actually had a chuckle over this with my husband when he said this is a tattoo-worthy quote. Very, very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond: Volume 1: Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life and Landscape by Brad Lancaster is an informative book that gives good insights on harvesting and cycling of water with other on-site resources such as sun, wind, shade, and community. Planet Earth will never run out of water even though farms and communities might periodically run out of fresh water. The living systems on Earth make sure the quality of water is not degraded. The book challenges readers to do the same in the areas where they reside and gives good techniques and strategies to help them go about it. Brad Lancaster provides readers with a simple series of integrated strategies for creating water-harvesting 'nets'.

The topic is relevant and the tips give diverse ideas to create a multi-functional plan that is suitable for each person's needs. Readers learn about the many benefits of rainwater harvesting by reading this book and they can see how water scarcity can be turned into water abundance. The colorful illustrations are captivating and they add to the appeal of the book. Brad Lancaster helps readers appreciate the value of rainwater and will also help convey water-harvesting ideas to landscape designers and maintenance workers if they are designing sites so that they know how to create and maintain water-harvesting earthworks. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond is definitely a book to have on the shelf in times when water is scarce so that rain can be welcomed into life and the landscape successfully.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Remodel! Without Going Bonkers or Broke: Eliminate 3 Critical Mistakes and Save Thousands Using This Proven Step-by-Step Method is a non-fiction Home Improvement book written by Jim Molinelli. Molinelli is a residential architect who has spent the last twenty-four years in the remodeling industry. As an architect, he was often frustrated by the failure of contractors to provide his clients with results based upon the designs he created at costs within their budgets. He began to work directly with a remodeling contractor in a cooperative venture that gave him new insights into the estimation process. Remodeling is an exciting process that can give your home a new feel, help prepare it to be sold on the market, or expand it to fit your changing needs, but it can also be a nightmare and a money trap if you aren't careful. Just about everyone knows someone who's in the contracting business. It could be a relative, a coworker, a friend of a friend or a neighbor. Molinelli cautions readers to avoid those personal recommendations like the plague. Instead, he sets out step-by-step instructions for preparing your Project Packet, figuring out which type of design professional fits your needs, finding the best remodelers for the job, and being the boss of your project. He includes a list of horror story avoidance tips, action items, and a chart of Remodeling Licensing and Registration by State in his appendices.

Jim Molinelli demystifies the often-confusing home improvement process. When I started reading this book, I knew absolutely nothing about home improvement. As I read, I was excited to find I was actually learning quite a bit about the process. Molinelli gives the reader total control over what goes into the project packet and helps hone a fine sense for what to look for when it comes down to hiring the right professionals for the tasks at hand. I was amazed by the amount of preparation work that the homeowner can do beforehand, and loved how Molinelli changes the tenor of the process from the homeowner feeling at the mercy of the professionals to assuming the role of the boss who is in control of the project. He injects a bit of reality into the often complicated and time-consuming process that many home improvement shows make seem easy and fast, while he demonstrates how knowledge and preparation can help avoid the nightmare scenarios seen in movies such as The Money Pit. Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious.

Remodel! Without Going Bonkers or Broke shows how you can have fun planning your remodel, while maintaining some control over costs and time frames. Readers of this entertaining and informative guide will feel empowered to politely decline the offers made by friends and relatives “in the business” as they interview and eventually select the professionals they’ll hire. They’ll know they've gotten the best bang for the buck without sacrificing the quality of their remodeling project. This is a must-buy for anyone thinking of a home improvement project, no matter how big or small. Remodel! Without Going Bonkers or Broke: Eliminate 3 Critical Mistakes and Save Thousands Using This Proven Step-by-Step Method is most highly recommended.