Search

Search only in certain items:

    SynoDS

    SynoDS

    Utilities

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Get today the most advanced download manager for your Synology device ! *** SynoDS is the only...

    WolframAlpha

    WolframAlpha

    Reference and Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Remember the Star Trek computer? It's finally happening--with Wolfram|Alpha. Building on 25 years of...

    Popular Science

    Popular Science

    News and Magazines & Newspapers

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Popular Science is the magazine for anyone curious about what’s new and next. With a readership...

Anatomy of a Scandal
Anatomy of a Scandal
Sarah Vaughan | 2018 | Thriller
7
7.8 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fascinating (2 more)
Cultivates a sense of foreboding
Grabs your attention
A bit slow at times (0 more)
Different book, but in a good way; Certainly worth a read
Kate Woodcroft is a London lawyer (barrister) who prosecutes--almost exclusively--crimes of a sexual nature. So when a highly publicized case comes across her desk, she looks forward to trying it. The defendant is James Whitehouse, a wealthy and successful politician who has been best friends with the Prime Minister since their university days. James stands accused of rape, but he claims it was a consensual incident with a young woman with whom he was having an affair. The trial causes James' loyal wife, Sophie--the mother of his two young children--to question whether her husband truly committed the heinous act of which he is accused. Kate, meanwhile, is convinced James is guilty, and she'll do everything she can to make sure he's convicted.

This was a rather fascinating novel. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this one up, but it wasn't what I read, yet I really enjoyed the book. It wasn't a fast read for me, though in its defense, I read it over the holidays and while moving, but there's a sense of foreboding while reading it that completely sucks you in.

The book is told via various points of view. We hear from Kate and Sophie, as well as a young woman named Holly, and once in a while, James. We also get their takes from both the present and the past, when all attended university. It's an effective narrative technique, although the novel can be a bit slow at times. I was drawn to all the women narrating and found it particularly interesting to get a wife's take on James' various alleged indiscretions and crimes, for the heart of the novel is the reader trying to discover exactly what he has done.

The novel is very British -- lots of description of the courts, Oxford and its various colleges, and just the language used. It takes a little getting used to, but you definitely get caught up in James' trial. And, of course, the plot is rather timely, with the subject of rape and sexual assault (unfortunately) being in the news so often right now.

The book itself, as mentioned, is a slow read. I wouldn't describe it as a thriller myself, but it's interesting and it grabbed my attention. James is certainly a cad, but the women are intriguing. The discussions of class and race in Britain are fairly nuanced too (and if you enjoy them, you should check out anything written by Gilly Macmillan, whom I thought of several times while reading this.) There are definitely a couple of good twists, which I always appreciate.

Overall, this was a different book--but in a good way. Certainly worth a read.
  
AQ
A Quilter's Diary: Written in Stitches
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Description (from Amazon): Ever wanted to write the story of your life? With fabric as your paper and a needle as your pen, you can chronicle your most memorable moments. Bestselling author Mimi Dietrich explains how to tell your personal story or the story of someone special to you in extraordinary quilts.
* Construct the pieces of your life in fabric with your choice of 100 pieced and appliquéd block patterns
* Let Mimi guide your designs with inspiring questions and themes 24 categories include family, friends, holidays, hobbies, and more
* A gallery of quilts, plus Mimi s unique setting tips, will help you launch your own ideas

A Quilter’s Diary is a simple guide book to telling your life story in quilt blocks. Mimi tells you how to pick the blocks, arrange the quilt in order, and make each square special and unique to you.

There are tons of blocks to pick from, and she encourages you to branch out from her suggestions and take a creative license, showing examples and giving ideas.

(Here is one page from the book with some ideas for a “hobby” quilt block. See the books on the left? Guess what’s going on my quilt!)

(photo url: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-sER6e5xCaQ/S0K4VzGxaBI/AAAAAAAABgc/i_AHcoFr-hU/DSCN0052_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
  

Some of the quilt squares that are suggested are: Heritage, Childhood, Parents, Grandparents, First Love, True Love, Wedding, Children, Pets, Seasons, Travel, Dreams and wishes… and tons more. Each theme has seven or eight ideas for you to use, or you can create your own using the theme.

Every quilt block has questions that you can answer to inspire you. They make you think about important things and decide what kind of square you’d like to make.

There was also some basic quilt making instructions and appliqué and embroidery instructions that are clear and concise with very good illustrations.

Then there were photographs of quilts. Oh the quilts were just beautiful! So artistic in every way.

This book had my mouth watering and my fingers itching for fabric and embroidery floss. The idea of a quilt as a diary and a permanent keepsake is an old one, but it looks so much less intimidating through this book because of the way it’s presented.

This book is incredibly inspiring, and I intend to start my own quilt diary. It will take years to finish because I don’t have much to share right now, but I’m sure as life goes on, with the help of this book, I’ll have a very special and unique keepsake when it’s finally done.



About the Author:
Mimi Dietrich is a nationally known teacher and the author of many best-selling books, including Martingale & Company's all-time best-seller, Happy Endings. Her books have sold over a half million copies to date. This is her 15th book for Martingale and Company


~Haleyknitz