Search
Search results
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knit the Sky: Cultivate Your Creativity with a Playful Way of Knitting in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Knit the sky was whimsical and exciting. The book is quite different from the traditional knitting book, in that it doesn’t give step-by-step instructions, specific patterns, or have photos. Instead, it has colorful watercolor illustrations and beautiful inspiring text that paints a picture in the mind and leads the knitter to the place the writer wants them to be. The idea of giving inspiration for a project but not a specific pattern was challenging and new to say the least… but it worked for the book. It can be for a beginner knitter who wants the freedom to explore and not fit themselves into a pattern (just to grow as an artist) or for a free-former like myself, who doesn’t really follow patterns anyway and just wants the basic idea, or for an advanced knitter or pattern maker ready to push their creativity to the next level. It would even work for a crocheter (since most of it is make-up-as-you-go anyway).
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<i>Adulthood is a Myth</i> gave me some serious lolz. I had never heard of Sarah Andersen before but since I'm over thirty and still don't feel like a real, actual adult, thought I'd give it a try. The cartoons are simple, yet well done, and remind me a little of Matthew Inman's art at <a href="http:///www.theoatmeal.com">The Oatmeal</a>. Each page has a different anecdote usually composed of two to five panels. The subjects range from new responsiblities reaching adulthood to relationships to procrastination. The ones I most gravitated towards were introversion, love of books, and love of animals.
I'm so glad I requested this book, it was short, funny, and I had a good time reading it. I now have a new artist to check out. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone, most especially those in their twenties, thirties, and forties; there's a little something for everyone to relate to in <i>Adulthood is a Myth</i>.
Received from NetGalley for an honest review.
I'm so glad I requested this book, it was short, funny, and I had a good time reading it. I now have a new artist to check out. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone, most especially those in their twenties, thirties, and forties; there's a little something for everyone to relate to in <i>Adulthood is a Myth</i>.
Received from NetGalley for an honest review.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Above the Timberline in Books
May 22, 2019
I'm calling this a graphic novel because that's really what it is - it's not a comic, though. Each spread of pages is a mixture of text and oil painting - sometimes just a painting.
If it was just the text, it would be a very lackluster book. There are aspects of the story that are unexplained, and aspects that are explained only by the accompanying paintings. It's really the paintings that make this book unique. It's almost like - an adult picture book, I suppose. It actually reads more like someone found the series of paintings and constructed a story to support what they imagined was happening in the pictures.
Regardless, it's a unique experience. Manchess is a remarkable artist. The paintings are gorgeous, and the book does that thing where the text and art play around each other on the page, creating unique formatting that helps tell the story on its own, like when a full two-page spread of a painting has two lines of text to emphasize them.
Fascinating, beautiful book.
If it was just the text, it would be a very lackluster book. There are aspects of the story that are unexplained, and aspects that are explained only by the accompanying paintings. It's really the paintings that make this book unique. It's almost like - an adult picture book, I suppose. It actually reads more like someone found the series of paintings and constructed a story to support what they imagined was happening in the pictures.
Regardless, it's a unique experience. Manchess is a remarkable artist. The paintings are gorgeous, and the book does that thing where the text and art play around each other on the page, creating unique formatting that helps tell the story on its own, like when a full two-page spread of a painting has two lines of text to emphasize them.
Fascinating, beautiful book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Here Today, Gone Tamale (A Taste of Texas Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Josie Callahan is back working at her family’s Tex Mex restaurant while she figures out what is next in her life. She’s just in time for the Wild Wild West Festival that brings in the tourists to the small town of Broken Boot. But the tamale making party at the restaurant ends in tragedy when a local artist is found murdered behind the restaurant. Who would want to kill her?
It took me a little while to fully get into this book. There were a bunch of characters early on, and I struggled to keep them all straight. Likewise, the mystery got off to a slow start. But as I kept reading, I grew to like the characters and really got into the story. The ending was surprising and suspenseful. I can easily see this growing into a charming series.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-here-today-gone-tamale-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
It took me a little while to fully get into this book. There were a bunch of characters early on, and I struggled to keep them all straight. Likewise, the mystery got off to a slow start. But as I kept reading, I grew to like the characters and really got into the story. The ending was surprising and suspenseful. I can easily see this growing into a charming series.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-here-today-gone-tamale-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Dana (24 KP) rated The Tao of Bruce Lee: A Martial Arts Memoir in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I was lucky enough to be able to read this book for one of my college courses regarding Bruce Lee. My professor was using both this biography and Bruce Thomas' biography to shed some light on Bruce Lee's life. I actually used your book as a reference for my research paper for the class. It was very interesting to see the differences and similarities in both this account and Thomas' about Lee's life. This book was actually very beneficial for when I had to write a research paper about Bruce Lee.
I enjoyed being able to see another side of Bruce Lee. Since most accounts only show him as being the bad ass martial artist he was, it was interesting to be able to see a softer and more human side to him rather than the mythic Bruce Lee that is so prevalent in society today.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Bruce Lee and his life outside of the image we see today.
I enjoyed being able to see another side of Bruce Lee. Since most accounts only show him as being the bad ass martial artist he was, it was interesting to be able to see a softer and more human side to him rather than the mythic Bruce Lee that is so prevalent in society today.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Bruce Lee and his life outside of the image we see today.
Kawaii Doodle Class by Zainab Khan is an illustrated step-by-step resource guide on how to draw smiley lumps that look like food, animals, objects, holiday themes, and monsters. As down-putting as that may sound, it’s really quite useful, dainty, and, yes, cute.
The book starts with a list of tools and essentials what you can use to have a go with but so long as you have at least a pen or pencil with some paper to hand you can try some sketches from the off. The book pages are set with cute borders alike clouds, in pastel and deeper blue against the plain white background on which the drawing tips and demonstration step by step images sit on.
You don’t need to be an amazing artist to be able to use this book as everything is super simple to follow, I personally loved the flower designs best and there’s a handy way to draw a rose I found useful!
I received this Quarto Publishing Group and Race Point Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts with a list of tools and essentials what you can use to have a go with but so long as you have at least a pen or pencil with some paper to hand you can try some sketches from the off. The book pages are set with cute borders alike clouds, in pastel and deeper blue against the plain white background on which the drawing tips and demonstration step by step images sit on.
You don’t need to be an amazing artist to be able to use this book as everything is super simple to follow, I personally loved the flower designs best and there’s a handy way to draw a rose I found useful!
I received this Quarto Publishing Group and Race Point Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Merissa (13382 KP) rated On Solid Ground (On Solid Ground #1) in Books
Oct 18, 2018
On Solid Ground (On Solid Ground #1) by Melissa Collins
On Solid Ground is the first book in the On Solid Ground series. In this story, we meet Dax, a veteran suffering from PTSD, and Beck, a tattoo artist with his own history to contend with. When these two meet, the attraction is off the charts, but both of them have issues to deal with.
I loved this story, but did find bits of it annoying. I know every relationship deals with miscommunication, but these two really took the biscuit. Saying that though, I still loved them as a couple.
On Solid Ground was well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The only thing that disrupted me was the story/characters themselves.
If you are in the mood for a Military M_M story with plenty of angst, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I loved this story, but did find bits of it annoying. I know every relationship deals with miscommunication, but these two really took the biscuit. Saying that though, I still loved them as a couple.
On Solid Ground was well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The only thing that disrupted me was the story/characters themselves.
If you are in the mood for a Military M_M story with plenty of angst, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Construct by Archivist in Music
Nov 26, 2019
Post metal concept album sounds terrible but actually it's not
Ads you may have noticed despite being a Hip Hop artist and mainly listening to Hip Hop I do love all music, if it good, I'll bang it through my speakers. However I must admit, although i love hardcore, metal is not my favourite genre.
This was recommended to me and the description sounded horrific, it is a sci fi concept album mixing shoe gazer with blast beats and songs getting to the ten minute mark. Yeah, terrible right? Well actually its really damn good. Parts of the album remind me of Belligerent Declaration where dark atmospheric slow meandering showcase, builds up the atmosphere before going full sonic heavy on your ears without ever destroying the feeling its creates. Its rare to listen to a song clocking over 8 minutes and then rewind it to listen again but I did.
Now I need to get their new one and watch out for them live.
This was recommended to me and the description sounded horrific, it is a sci fi concept album mixing shoe gazer with blast beats and songs getting to the ten minute mark. Yeah, terrible right? Well actually its really damn good. Parts of the album remind me of Belligerent Declaration where dark atmospheric slow meandering showcase, builds up the atmosphere before going full sonic heavy on your ears without ever destroying the feeling its creates. Its rare to listen to a song clocking over 8 minutes and then rewind it to listen again but I did.
Now I need to get their new one and watch out for them live.
Holiday Bells
Music, Entertainment and Stickers
App
Play Christmas songs on the handbells with Holiday Bells! Now for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch!...
The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince
10.0
Rate It
Book
In The Most Beautiful, a title inspired by the hit song Prince wrote about their legendary love...