I love this guide for bringing more nature into your life in a way that is neither daunting nor preachy. More of this please!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Very beautiful cover. I loved this book. What a fun and informative read. Will read again.

I loved this book. It had some really meaningful information that I will continue to take with me through life to live as a healthier mom and person.

Did not realize when I requested this that it
was written from a pagan/wiccan perspective — not my cup of tea. There are some useful ideas for a healthier house, however, hence my 3 of 5 Stars.

Pub Date 12 Jan 2021
#HomeAndHappinessBotanicalHandbook #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare, and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

'Infuse your home with herbal happiness using this book of ethical, empowering and eco-friendly botanical recipes.;
Loved this, will be using lots of these recipes and tricks, can't wait to get stuck in.

I found myself in need of knowing more about nature, herbs and flowers. The Home And Happiness Botanical Handbook was exactly what I needed. It is very beautiful and gives us some pretty, well written recipes and tips. It appears like a very beautiful object to own and to put on a shelf in your kitchen or personal library. But, also, it appears like you can open it any time you need something like laundry, take care of your pet or your own self, and more. In few words, this handbook is useful, pretty and accessible.

I received a digital ARC (advanced reader copy) from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this reading this book because it gives people a lot of advice on how to use herbs and plant matter for the home. It corrected a lot of misconceptions I had about creating infusions and other recipes. A lot of the recipes are simple to follow and the ones that I tried turned out well. You can find similar recipes online but I think having a this book is really valuable because it contains safety warnings for applicable recipes or ingredients and a plant glossary at the end of the book. Often, online content doesn't include warnings which are really important for the more complex recipes in the book like making soap from scratch.

This book's pages are decorated with picture of plants and birds and is very beautiful. Overall, it was formatted well and visually appealing except for one page where the illustrations covered the recipe, The only downside to this book is that it uses a lot of essential oils which might not be appropriate for sensitive skin but I think many of the recipes would turn out well without them.

This is a sweet book with lots of recipes for homemade cleaners, dyes and such made with natural and botanical ingredients. It is illustrated with stock botanical images and is written from a pagan/Wiccan and vegan perspective. As such, there are chants and spells and "magical" uses for some recipes, plus recipes for alternatives to homemade products that often involve animal products like beeswax. My favorite section was the dye section. I am already pretty familiar with natural dyeing, but you don't see that in many homemade household recipe books. That said, those recipes call for ingredients that you'll need to special order and there's not a ton of information about how to actually do them. A lot of the recipes are way too troublesome or dangerous for my liking, like using lye for soap making. I am fine with just buying a big container of affordable environmentally friendly laundry soap rather than making it and just using vinegar and water on my windows. It will be a great read for those who are new to this and looking for lots of recipes, especially those who come from a pagan perspective.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

On the whole this book is great for recipes to clean and cleanse your home. It's well structured and organised, easy to read and the ingredients are either store cupboard essentials or would be easy to source from the high street.
My only, minor, criticism would be the recipe that suggests adding optional glitter to pot pourri. In a handbook that champions natural homemade products I was a little taken aback by the suggestion. Glitter poses a severe threat to the environment and is being banned by certain stores in the UK.

The Home And Happiness Botanical Handbook is a technique and recipe collection for plant based cleaning and health products by Pip Waller. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Quarto on their Leaping Hare imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback format.

There's (rightly) been a lot of focus on limiting consumption and exposure to harsh household chemicals. This book has a lot of good gentle advice and ideas. It's logically formatted and written in an accessible and understandable style. I was also glad to see useful recipes with zero pseudoscientific emphasis. The book is full of safe and natural suggestions for everyone, no matter what lifestyle they're in. (Not all of us are Martha Stewart, thank goodness). Some of the techniques are more involved and require acquiring/borrowing/bartering some more advanced equipment, but a lot of the tutorials will be achievable by anyone.

The recipes include ingredients which are relatively easy to source and should be easy to find in most places. Recipe ingredients are listed with both metric and American standard measures. The recipes are arranged thematically: household products, room sprays, potpourri, eco-laundry, garden & houseplant helpers, on the road, pet items, inks paints & dyes (spiffy oak gall ink recipe can be found here), and oddities.

The author has also included an herbal, a resource/bibliography list for further reading,and a cross referenced index. The book throughout, including the recipe sections is well illustrated with clear and attractive tutorial and recipe graphics which add a lot of nostalgic retro vibes.

All in all it's a good beginner to intermediate handbook for natural DIY products (including some wood stains which I haven't had the time to try out yet).

Five stars. I would highly recommend this one to SCAdians, re-enactors, calligraphers, maker's groups, library acquisition, homesteaders/smallholders, self-sufficiency fans, and the like.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Home And Happiness Botanical Handbook, in my opinion, should be in every house. I love how easy the recipes are, and one can find remedies for almost anything. We will all need this book in the future, one way or another, so it will be wise to use it now. Great book.

So. I appreciate the authors point that we’ve become removed from using plants for natural purposes and I like the idea of using herbs and the garden to make natural cleaners. That said, the cost of getting all the tools, materials and herbs going almost makes it not cost effective and that good for the environment. I also just don’t think many people truly have the time and money to do projects like this.

Surprisingly interesting book, so many recipes, for so many things from your house to your car, I don’t know where to start! Some lovely room spray for different moods. All natural and non-toxic recipes, which I think is great.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.