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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).
  
The Innocent
The Innocent
Harlan Coben | 2005 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
8.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the first book I have read by Harlen Coben. I saw it the library and it looked pretty interesting. Matt Hunter is on his way back to college when the unthinkable happens, he gets in a fight and ends up killing a boy. The story picks up 9 years later. Matt is married to Olivia, he is working as a "paralegal" at his brother's law firm, and is about to be a father. Things couldn't be any better for him right now. Until one day after his wife leaves for a business trip, he gets a strange message from her on his cell phone. Its a picture of another man. The next message is even more startling. His wife in a blonde wig with this man. What does all this mean, why would his wife do this to him. The reality turns out to be a whole lot more than Matt could ever imagine. This book is chock full of twists and turns and strippers and cops and ex-cons and family. A good book I didn't want to put down.
  
Fabulous rocker series, you'll fall in love with each character (0 more)
Another fabulous book from Terri Anne Browning!
Another fabulous book from Terri Anne Browning! I've missed a bunch of this series and man I've got to get caught up!? Every one of her books sucks me in from page one and Rocking Kin was no different! Kin is struggling after the loss of her mother, having promised to move in with her Father, a man who has been non-existent in her life until now. Moved across the country, away from the only family she knows and loves, finding herself in a house she'll never consider home, surrounded by people who are family by name alone... Thankfully she meets Lucy, her new best friend and until Jace, a ghost from her past comes back into the picture, everything seemed manageable. But now he's back and her heart can't take another hit.... Fabulous rocker series & author, incredibly beautiful story, I couldn't help but fall in love with everyone of these characters. HIGHLY recommended book, series & author!!
  
The Coral Kingdom
The Coral Kingdom
Laura Knowles | 2018 | Children
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Coral Kingdom by Laura Knowles is a beautifully illustrated picture book about coral reefs, as well as a pretty strong call to save them.

The story part of the book is a nice sing song of the animals and colors of the reef. The back matter is all about what is coral, how we can save it, and how we can save our planet. Told in a loose rhyming scheme, the reader is brought into the wonders of this undersea world. The watercolor pictures illustrate with beautiful colors of the reef and the life around it. There are lots of sea creatures to find as well as unusual things like boats that have become part of the reef over time. A call is made to save this beautiful space.

The book ends with some action ideas for sustaining the reef and how it is losing it's color. The message is clear, but I never felt like I was being beat over the head with it. The case is made gently and with beautiful art.
  
The One Who Fell ((A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Book 1) [Audiobook]
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The description of this book pretty much sets the scene and paints a good picture of what this book is about so I won't repeat any of it here but what I will say is that the narrator made the book for me; she was brilliant and really brought to life the characters and the overriding sense of building tension.

The One Who Fell is the first in the series and a pretty good opener I think to a set of mystery books. The characters were really strong and believable and the plot was intriguing; the side story of the panther was a bit odd at first but was weaved into the main story pretty well at the end.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this audiobook; it was a little slow to begin with but as the tension built, the pace increased to a satisfying conclusion and thanks must go to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The One Who Fell.
  
Into The Storm (Full Circle #2)
Into The Storm (Full Circle #2)
H.M. Wolfe | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
INTO THE STORM is the second book in the Full Circle series, a follow-on from The Base and, it seems, with references to another series too, The Island. In this one, we meet with Elias, Abernathy, and Riley -- three boys who each have a lot to learn about their pasts before they can move forward.

Once again, this story references situations and incidents in other books, as well as characters who I've never met before but have their own backstories that are relevant to this story. This makes it increasingly difficult to read as I feel as though I'm only getting half a story.

It appears I am in a minority feeling this way, and I can only presume other reviewers have read the previous books/series. The bit I could understand was good; I just didn't get the whole picture.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
 
* 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!
  
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Auburn (57 KP) rated Huntress in Books

Jun 21, 2019  
Huntress
Huntress
Julie Hall | 2019
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
So I kind of love this series. But I will put a note that it is super religious. And I mean if you don’t like books that push belief in God and his plan, probably just don’t read. If you can get past that it’s a solid idea that is just a great read. See below for a prize pack picture( authors can be awesome).

Should you read? Can you get past the religious obsessed book? Then probably. It’s a good after life after story that has a pretty awesome romance. But again it’s all about following and belief in God as the underlying theme.
  
Playing for Keeps (Unshakable, #1)
Playing for Keeps (Unshakable, #1)
Lexi Ander | 2013
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I like to read a menage book every so often, be it m/m/m or m/m/f, but I find it sometimes very confusing to keep up with who's who and who's doing what with all the names the author's have to use so you can picture it.

Despite that, I did like all of these guys individually and I liked the commitment they all had to each other. They were in love with each other and you could tell.

I must admit, though, that I like to read the relationship happen and I didn't get to do that in this, but oh well.
  
The Forgotten Girls
The Forgotten Girls
Owen Laukkanen | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Received an ARC from First To Read for an honest review:

First, I like many others it seems, did not know from the blurb that it was book 6 in a series. That scared me just a tiny bit when I started it, but as I read the book I realized it definitely also works as a standalone.

Second, I'm not big on crime novels that are not of the "cozy mystery" variety. That being said, the more violent scenes in this book were not...bothersome. It worked it's way up in intensity, but there was nothing that forced me to step away from the book and take a breather.

That being said, though, the book was full of amazing scenes beautifully described that you couldn't, as a reader, NOT picture, even if you didn't want to. Lines like: "Even the sky seemed static, just a blank wall, a paint swatch, 'chronic depression gray'." were scattered throughout, and they place you in the wintry, desolate, desperate situation of the characters so that you are right beside them, experiencing what they are, for better or worse.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, even though the content was not a topic of my normal choosing (sorry, serial killers hunting women freak me out).

Extra bonus for the techy geek stuff I didn't know about the "cloud" that I had to double check with the more "techno-advanced" member of our household about. Definitely makes me think twice about the idea of even donating a used phone.
  
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated The Scent of a Storm in Books

Dec 8, 2021 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)  
The Scent of a Storm
The Scent of a Storm
Annette Oppenlander | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE SCENT OF A STORM is the second book by this author I have read and gave me the same authentic feel I got from the first. This is based upon real events that made it into the history books.

One thing that seems easy to forget is not everyone in Germany thought Hitler was doing the right thing; not everyone belonged to the SS. This book paints the picture of what it was like for those who tried to live as best they could before they were unwillingly drawn into the middle of events that would change their lives forever.

The hardships told in this book sound like fiction; terrible, horrible fiction, which makes it even harder to understand when you realise circumstances like those mentioned were 'normal'.

Whilst the whole book is brilliantly written, I preferred it when Annie and Werner were young, even though the conditions were heartbreaking. When it changed to the more recent time, I felt like I'd lost something. That is the way of war, I guess. I just wanted more than I received.

For anyone with an interest in the history of WWII, especially if you are interested in the German perspective, then this is definitely one for your bookshelves. Highly recommended by me.

* 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!
Dec 8, 2021