If you weren't interested in all things bee before - you will be by the time you finish this book. Or, even crack the spine.

Beehive Alchemy focuses on home beekeepers, those that have a few hives and want to make something out of all (or some) of the products bees give us: propolis, beeswax, honey and pollen.

Starting from scratch as a basic primer on beekeeping and then the products themselves, Beehive Alchemy makes quick work of food, soaps, salves, creams, and of course candles. Every recipe felt like it came straight from a farmer's market, and every item sounded appealing to me. My overall favorite however, and the one I'll likely start with? Lip balm.

My only complaint with this book is that the Adobe edition I was given access to for review purposes (thank you NetGalley and publisher) made it very difficult to read the text. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly recommend this book for DIY and/or bee lovers. ( )

Beehive Alchemy is about more than just how to use the honey a hive of bees provides. There are recipes using honey and/or beeswax for a lot of things, among them are soaps, lip balm, facial toners, wax candles, furniture polish, making your own crayons, batik techniques, and, of course, there are recipes for biscuits and cakes, as well as recipes for sirups and spirits.

The recipes are well-written and the author provides information on safety (soap and candle making). ( )