For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

I found this in the lending library near my house and was instantly pulled in by the gorgeous cover. I've been trying to read more poetry so I figured I'd pick it up.

My expectations weren't high for it, as I am a bit picky about poetry, but this collection blew me away. Absolutely beautiful. Lester creates some truly lovely images as well as covering various topics including motherhood, enjoying nature, and experiencing life in general. A very nice collection that is quick and easy, but filled with beauty and inspiration.

Echo of the Cliffs - D.G. Driver Echo of the Cliffs is the 3rd book in the Juniper Sawfeather series. This book brings the legend mystery that Juniper has been involved in solving to a close. The series is Young Adult, lacks a love triangle, and is a clean read.

Though it has been a while since I read the first two books, I was able to sink into Juniper’s world very easily in Echo of the Cliffs. I liked seeing some of the character growth that has happened, even to the adults. (Of course, as is true in life, not everyone grows up a bit and there are certain snotty high school brats that still manage to make you want to slap them.) Being already invested in the story, I blew through this book in a matter of hours because I was eager to see how things would end!

D.G. Driver brings things to a nice conclusion in Echo of the Cliffs. There was lots of drama, visions, revelations, and yes, more magic revealed. The stakes are progressively upped in the books until in this one you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for the author to calm things back down. Though some of it was a bit difficult to swallow, I was overall extremely satisfied with how things ended.

The Juniper Sawfeather series has been intriguing to me because it’s not the type of fantasy that is saturating the market right now. This is a series with its roots in Native American mythology. There are no elves, goblins, werewolves, etc. No magic quests in another realm. There is a reluctant heroine, but she’s equipped with not a sword but a cell phone.

The undercurrent of eco-fiction is still present in this last book as well. D.G. Driver doesn’t use her books as an excuse to shove tons of data down the reader’s throat. The books don’t feel ‘preachy’ in that respect at all. However, it is very obvious that the environment is important and that we need to pay more attention to it. We are reminded that doing little things like using regular mugs or paper ones instead of Styrofoam can make a difference. I feel like this way of doing things, of working important information into entertaining fiction, is a great tool to sneakily educate readers. Even if it makes just a few people sit back and consider their actions, it’s completely worth it.

D.G. Driver’s Juniper Sawfeather series is worth paying attention to. Even if you’re like me, and normally stick to other genres, a good story is a good story. And this, folks, is a good story with a lot of heart.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration.

Regarded as THE summer event on the Algarve, Pine Cliffs annual gala promises guests a memorable evening of world-class entertainment and exquisite cuisine, and is perfectly timed to celebrate the hotel’s recent emergence from a multi-million pound transformation of its rooms and facilities, alongside the addition of the new contemporary Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites. Performing songs such as his platinum-selling break-though I Need a Dollar and the international smash hit Wake Me Up, the appearance of Californian-native Blacc reaffirms Pine Cliffs reputation as the Algarve’s premier resort, further cementing the destination’s appeal to sophisticated, discerning travellers.

 

Pine Cliffs is offering a special two-night Summer Gala Platinum Package from €1490 per room staying at Pine Cliffs Hotel in a Deluxe Resort View room (or from €1690 per suite staying at Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites). Available for stays between 5-7 August or 6-8 August, this package is based on two sharing, includes breakfast and two *Platinum Package tickets to the gala event. Email pinecliffs.reservations@luxurycollection.com or call +351 289 500 102. Visit summergala.pinecliffs.com to find out more and download an exclusive message about the event from Aloe Blacc here.

 

Pine Cliffs Beach Club Now Open for Alfresco Fun in Canary Wharf, London

 

For those searching for a taste of the Algarve closer to home this summer can also swing by the Pine Cliffs Beach Club in Canary Wharf’s Montgomery Square. Open each weekday from 11am to 11pm, the chic pop-up bar, run in partnership with award-winning travel specialist Quintessentially Travel, will transport work-weary Londoners to the sun-kissed Portuguese shores.

 

In the true spirit of The Luxury Collection, Pine Cliffs Beach Club brings a taste of the Algarve to London providing global explorers with authentic experiences that reflect the local spirit, lifestyle and design. The al-fresco Pine Cliffs Beach Club will offer a wide selection of chilled drinks including fine Portuguese wines, Pine Cliffs Resort’s signature white port cocktails, Moet Ice and Sagres beer. Throughout the summer, customers will also have the chance to win a holiday for two at the luxurious resort, including return flights and accommodation.

 

Regarded as one of Europe’s leading lifestyle destinations, Pine Cliffs enjoys a spectacular, unrivalled location on the Algarve coastline. Set across 72 hectares, the resort offers a wide range of luxurious accommodation options for couples, groups and families. There are exceptional leisure and sports facilities, with 11 different restaurants and bars, including the poolside seafood restaurant O Pescador; Beach Club on the golden shore of Praia Falésia; Piri Piri Steak House; and Zest, a new outlet offering guests an array of health-conscious drinks, snacks and dishes. In addition, the hotel features six swimming pools, Porto Pirata kids club, an Annabel Croft Tennis Academy, a nine-hole golf course with panoramic views, complemented by a world-class wellness and fitness offering comprising the new Serenity The Art of Well Being destination spa and Pine Cliffs Goes Active gym and health club, as well as numerous shops and boutiques.

 

Pine Cliffs Beach Club is located in Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JJ. Open throughout the summer until September, from 11am to 11pm Monday to Friday.

The Pine Cliffs Summer Gala Platinum Package is available for a two night stay between 5-7 August or 6-8 August. Price is per room, based on two sharing and includes:

 

Bed and Breakfast accommodation at either Pine Cliffs Hotel from €1490 staying in a Deluxe Resort View room or Pine Cliffs Ocean Suite staying in a Resort View suite from €1690.

 

Two Summer Gala tickets, including welcome cocktail, gift, open bar at Yakuza and a buffet dinner.

 

Room upgrade, subject to availability; 10% off standard rate for any extra nights; 20% discount on golf.

 

A Diamond package is also offered from €1890 for Pine Cliffs Hotel accommodation or from €2090 for Ocean Suites accommodation respectively. This includes all of the above, though replaces the gala buffet dinner with a sit-down plated waiter service dinner.

 

All packages are available subject to availability.

Email pine cliffs.reservations@luxurycollection.com or call +351 289 500 102. Visit summergala.pinecliffs.com to find out more.

 

About Pine Cliffs Resort

 

Pine Cliffs Resort is owned by United Investment Portugal (UIP), part of the IFA Hotels & Resorts consortium based in Dubai. The Pine Cliffs Hotel, the Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites and the Pine Cliffs Residence properties within the Pine Cliffs Resort are managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, under The Luxury Collection brand.

 

One of Europe’s leading integrated luxury and family resorts, Pine Cliffs Resort has won numerous accolades since opening in 1992, including the Portugal’s Leading Family Resort award six times in the World Travel Awards and appearing twice on Condé Nast Traveller’s ‘Gold List’.

 

Pine Cliffs Resort offers extensive investment opportunities via its holiday ownership options and selection of luxury freehold properties, three of which include a guaranteed annual rental return of 5% net within the first 5 years: Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites, Pine Cliffs Suites & Pine Cliffs Residence.

 

The resort also offers extensive leisure facilities including a nine-hole golf course and the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy; 11 diverse restaurants and bars; the Porto Pirata Children’s Village; Serenity The Art of Well Being destination spa and Pine Cliffs Goes Active gym and health club; and numerous shops and boutiques. For more information on Pine Cliffs Resort, visit www.pinecliffs.com

 

About The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts

 

The Luxury Collection® brand is comprised of world-renowned hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Originated in 1906 under the CIGA® brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is a glittering ensemble, recently surpassing 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information and new openings, visit theluxurycollection.com or follow Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

About Quintessentially Travel Established in 2010, Quintessentially Travel is the award-winning travel division of Quintessentially, the world’s leading members-only Lifestyle Management and Concierge Club.

 

As a standalone provider of tailor-made travel, their worldwide service is available to all; Quintessentially membership is not a pre-requisite, but a wild case of wanderlust is.

Quintessentially Travel enjoys unparalleled access to the finest experiences imaginable, anywhere in the world. Their unsurpassed travel portfolio enables them to cater to all personal requirements, arranging every single element of the trip; from meet and greets, flights, private charters, transfers, experiences, hotel and villa bookings, to yacht bookings, event access and private guided tours.

 

Whatever the occasion, be it a family holiday, the ultimate honeymoon, a solo adventure of a lifetime or unique corporate experiences, Quintessentially Travel offer everything in the world of luxury travel, for every moment in life.

Regarded as THE summer event on the Algarve, Pine Cliffs annual gala promises guests a memorable evening of world-class entertainment and exquisite cuisine, and is perfectly timed to celebrate the hotel’s recent emergence from a multi-million pound transformation of its rooms and facilities, alongside the addition of the new contemporary Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites. Performing songs such as his platinum-selling break-though I Need a Dollar and the international smash hit Wake Me Up, the appearance of Californian-native Blacc reaffirms Pine Cliffs reputation as the Algarve’s premier resort, further cementing the destination’s appeal to sophisticated, discerning travellers.

 

Pine Cliffs is offering a special two-night Summer Gala Platinum Package from €1490 per room staying at Pine Cliffs Hotel in a Deluxe Resort View room (or from €1690 per suite staying at Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites). Available for stays between 5-7 August or 6-8 August, this package is based on two sharing, includes breakfast and two *Platinum Package tickets to the gala event. Email pinecliffs.reservations@luxurycollection.com or call +351 289 500 102. Visit summergala.pinecliffs.com to find out more and download an exclusive message about the event from Aloe Blacc here.

 

Pine Cliffs Beach Club Now Open for Alfresco Fun in Canary Wharf, London

 

For those searching for a taste of the Algarve closer to home this summer can also swing by the Pine Cliffs Beach Club in Canary Wharf’s Montgomery Square. Open each weekday from 11am to 11pm, the chic pop-up bar, run in partnership with award-winning travel specialist Quintessentially Travel, will transport work-weary Londoners to the sun-kissed Portuguese shores.

 

In the true spirit of The Luxury Collection, Pine Cliffs Beach Club brings a taste of the Algarve to London providing global explorers with authentic experiences that reflect the local spirit, lifestyle and design. The al-fresco Pine Cliffs Beach Club will offer a wide selection of chilled drinks including fine Portuguese wines, Pine Cliffs Resort’s signature white port cocktails, Moet Ice and Sagres beer. Throughout the summer, customers will also have the chance to win a holiday for two at the luxurious resort, including return flights and accommodation.

 

Regarded as one of Europe’s leading lifestyle destinations, Pine Cliffs enjoys a spectacular, unrivalled location on the Algarve coastline. Set across 72 hectares, the resort offers a wide range of luxurious accommodation options for couples, groups and families. There are exceptional leisure and sports facilities, with 11 different restaurants and bars, including the poolside seafood restaurant O Pescador; Beach Club on the golden shore of Praia Falésia; Piri Piri Steak House; and Zest, a new outlet offering guests an array of health-conscious drinks, snacks and dishes. In addition, the hotel features six swimming pools, Porto Pirata kids club, an Annabel Croft Tennis Academy, a nine-hole golf course with panoramic views, complemented by a world-class wellness and fitness offering comprising the new Serenity The Art of Well Being destination spa and Pine Cliffs Goes Active gym and health club, as well as numerous shops and boutiques.

 

Pine Cliffs Beach Club is located in Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JJ. Open throughout the summer until September, from 11am to 11pm Monday to Friday.

 

*The Pine Cliffs Summer Gala Platinum Package is available for a two night stay between 5-7 August or 6-8 August. Price is per room, based on two sharing and includes:

 

Bed and Breakfast accommodation at either Pine Cliffs Hotel from €1490 staying in a Deluxe Resort View room or Pine Cliffs Ocean Suite staying in a Resort View suite from €1690.

 

Two Summer Gala tickets, including welcome cocktail, gift, open bar at Yakuza and a buffet dinner.

 

Room upgrade, subject to availability; 10% off standard rate for any extra nights; 20% discount on golf.

 

A Diamond package is also offered from €1890 for Pine Cliffs Hotel accommodation or from €2090 for Ocean Suites accommodation respectively. This includes all of the above, though replaces the gala buffet dinner with a sit-down plated waiter service dinner.

 

All packages are available subject to availability.

 

Email pine cliffs.reservations@luxurycollection.com or call +351 289 500 102. Visit summergala.pinecliffs.com to find out more.

 

About Pine Cliffs Resort

 

Pine Cliffs Resort is owned by United Investment Portugal (UIP), part of the IFA Hotels & Resorts consortium based in Dubai. The Pine Cliffs Hotel, the Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites and the Pine Cliffs Residence properties within the Pine Cliffs Resort are managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, under The Luxury Collection brand.

One of Europe’s leading integrated luxury and family resorts, Pine Cliffs Resort has won numerous accolades since opening in 1992, including the Portugal’s Leading Family Resort award six times in the World Travel Awards and appearing twice on Condé Nast Traveller’s ‘Gold List’.

 

Pine Cliffs Resort offers extensive investment opportunities via its holiday ownership options and selection of luxury freehold properties, three of which include a guaranteed annual rental return of 5% net within the first 5 years: Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites, Pine Cliffs Suites & Pine Cliffs Residence.

 

The resort also offers extensive leisure facilities including a nine-hole golf course and the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy; 11 diverse restaurants and bars; the Porto Pirata Children’s Village; Serenity The Art of Well Being destination spa and Pine Cliffs Goes Active gym and health club; and numerous shops and boutiques. For more information on Pine Cliffs Resort, visit www.pinecliffs.com

 

About The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts

 

The Luxury Collection® brand is comprised of world-renowned hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Originated in 1906 under the CIGA® brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is a glittering ensemble, recently surpassing 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information and new openings, visit theluxurycollection.com or follow Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

About Quintessentially Travel Established in 2010, Quintessentially Travel is the award-winning travel division of Quintessentially, the world’s leading members-only Lifestyle Management and Concierge Club.

 

As a standalone provider of tailor-made travel, their worldwide service is available to all; Quintessentially membership is not a pre-requisite, but a wild case of wanderlust is.

Quintessentially Travel enjoys unparalleled access to the finest experiences imaginable, anywhere in the world. Their unsurpassed travel portfolio enables them to cater to all personal requirements, arranging every single element of the trip; from meet and greets, flights, private charters, transfers, experiences, hotel and villa bookings, to yacht bookings, event access and private guided tours.

 

Whatever the occasion, be it a family holiday, the ultimate honeymoon, a solo adventure of a lifetime or unique corporate experiences, Quintessentially Travel offer everything in the world of luxury travel, for every moment in life.

 

a good way to Learn about any of Shakespeare's work or to review