In recent years, many people have been gravitating more towards nature to ground and guide them. Just look at the rising popularity of allotments, foraging, and house plants. And I fully admit, I'm one of those people. I've always loved exploring the natural world, but it's only recently I've become more aware and knowledgeable of so many things around me. As the seasons are changing and the days are getting darker, one might be mistaken to think that the time for explorations is over for the year. But that's not the case. Every season and every month has something that makes that moment in time unique and worth celebrating. And that's exactly what The Almanac shows its readers. The Almanac: A Seasonal Gide to 2023 is a non-fiction handbook to the seasons. Broken down in easy to digest chapters corresponding to the months in the year, author Lia Leendertz provides readers with a wealth of seasonal information. From important dates for the calendar and gardening tips, to a recipe for a bun of the month and details of what animals, plants, and insects can be seen around the pond that time of year.
This is not the first time The Almanac is released and you can see that Leendertz has gotten creative to provide loyal readers with something new to discover and learn each year. For example, the 2023 edition has more niche pages such as details on the moon phases, average sea temperatures, and even tables with the changing tides. These parts were less relevant to me personally, but I can see how they could fascinate to other people.
I was most interested in the months at a glance (these descriptions opening each chapter really captured the feeling and essence of each month in the year), recipes, the solar system (so interesting, I had no idea that the rings around Saturn were made from fragments of ice!), the zodiac signs (Leendertz talks about the names of the constellations and the inspirations behind them) and, of course, the nature chapters – gardening and across the pond. These sections within the book really appealed to my love of food, nature, and Greek mythology.
The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 is a very compact handbook to what we can expect in the new year. With each chapter covering similar topics it may feel a little repetitive if reading start to finish in the space of a week, like I did. Having said that, that's not how this guide is intended to be used. It'll be much more useful, and easier to comprehend, when each section is read within the actual month it talks about. The book is jam-packed with interesting nuggets of information and it'll be very helpful to take in those pages when you can see the world around you change exactly as is described.
I'll certainly be returning to the book once 2023 comes around, to do exactly that – and appreciate more about the changing months and seasons, noticing things that perhaps would've passed me by before reading this book.
The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 by Lia Leendertz is published by Octopus Books and you can now buy a copy from your favourite book shop!
Blog tour stops for The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 by Lia Leendertz
This review for The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 is a part of the official blog tour for the launch of the book. Make sure to check out the other stops too!
Disclaimer: This book was gifted to me by the publisher, but this has not impacted this honest review.
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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