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From Susan Vreeland, bestselling author of such acclaimed novels as Girl in Hyacinth Blue,...
Oh Buoy (Voyagers #1)
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Andrew: I’ve traveled the world as a yacht steward for the past year, trying to outrun a broken...
Contemporary MM Romance Billionaire
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knitting with Gigi in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Knitting with Gigi is an awesome kid’s book for any child (or adult!) who wants to learn to knit. There are good instructions and wonderful illustrations to help learn the basic cast-on (starting), knit stitch, decreasing (making it a different shape), and bind-off (ending). Some knitting books are very difficult to learn how to knit from, but the instructions in Knitting with Gigi are very clear. 8 kid-friendly projects make up the second half of the book, all of them easy to follow and perfect for a beginner.
Gigi also has a website where kids can join the “Gigi’s kindness corps” and knit for those in need. Her website also includes videos of instructions to get to “the next step” so to speak. The videos explain the purl stitch, different cast-on methods, and techniques of finishing. By the time a young knitter has finished the projects in the book and watched and learned the information in the videos, they will be ready to go further into the knitting world.
I want to point out a wonderful thing that Gigi (who speaks in verse) has said: “Practice makes perfect will never apply. We all make mistakes, no matter how hard we try. So be of good cheer and do not despair. With time and some care you’ll have something to wear.” Every young knitter should hear this—and experienced ones, too!
The only thing I wish this book had touched on (but didn’t mention) is gauge. Gauge is important because everyone knits differently (example: I knit loose with wool and tight with double pointed needles, so my hat or mittens or whatever else I made might not fit, even if i followed the instructions 100%) so sometimes yarn or needle changes have to be made to make sure things fit. The patterns in the book were not dependent on gauge, (which is probably why it wasn’t brought up) but it is still an important thing for any knitter to learn.
Recommendation: boys and girls ages 6+. Adults could learn to knit with their kids with this book too!
**Thank you to Martingale and Company for providing my review copy!**
Gigi also has a website where kids can join the “Gigi’s kindness corps” and knit for those in need. Her website also includes videos of instructions to get to “the next step” so to speak. The videos explain the purl stitch, different cast-on methods, and techniques of finishing. By the time a young knitter has finished the projects in the book and watched and learned the information in the videos, they will be ready to go further into the knitting world.
I want to point out a wonderful thing that Gigi (who speaks in verse) has said: “Practice makes perfect will never apply. We all make mistakes, no matter how hard we try. So be of good cheer and do not despair. With time and some care you’ll have something to wear.” Every young knitter should hear this—and experienced ones, too!
The only thing I wish this book had touched on (but didn’t mention) is gauge. Gauge is important because everyone knits differently (example: I knit loose with wool and tight with double pointed needles, so my hat or mittens or whatever else I made might not fit, even if i followed the instructions 100%) so sometimes yarn or needle changes have to be made to make sure things fit. The patterns in the book were not dependent on gauge, (which is probably why it wasn’t brought up) but it is still an important thing for any knitter to learn.
Recommendation: boys and girls ages 6+. Adults could learn to knit with their kids with this book too!
**Thank you to Martingale and Company for providing my review copy!**
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Elvenbane (Halfblood Chronicles, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The world that the writing team of Norton and Lackey crafts is quite fascinating in its detail and description. The timeline and history of this world seems to place it sort of after the end of our present world, as a kind of post-apocalypse in which first the dragons found and then the elves, with the latter taking over and enslaving the remaining humans. I found the passage of time to be bothersome at times, since the authors seem to almost skip over the climaxes in favor of just relaying the information through the memories of the characters after the fact. More than once, I wished the writers could have written out this passage of time so that I can actually experience it as it happens.
The characters were all well-developed and unique, as the size of the book allowed the writers to spend lots of time focusing on a single character, even if his or her purpose seemed to end rather abruptly with death, such as Shana's mother, Serina Daeth. Normally, I have no trouble picking characters that I favored over the others, but with this book, no character seemed to jump out at me as so much better than the others, even the main character Shana, who seemed to lack in maturity as much as a pre-teen, with how she behaves around some of the other characters.
There were several over-arching themes in the book, such as the need for change, the call for justice, and how every rule has exceptions. Shana especially seemed to find the latter annoying as she continually found that what she was taught about elves, humans, or dragons was not always true. Even though the legend of the Elvenbane is merely a tall tale crafted by the dragons to stir up trouble with the elves and humans, Shana falls into the role by accident simply because of a dragon's kindness. Ironically, her up-bringing gives her the perfect personality for playing that role, as the main goal of this book was to put her in the perfect position to fill this role for the next book in the series, Elvenblood (Halfblood Chronicles).
The characters were all well-developed and unique, as the size of the book allowed the writers to spend lots of time focusing on a single character, even if his or her purpose seemed to end rather abruptly with death, such as Shana's mother, Serina Daeth. Normally, I have no trouble picking characters that I favored over the others, but with this book, no character seemed to jump out at me as so much better than the others, even the main character Shana, who seemed to lack in maturity as much as a pre-teen, with how she behaves around some of the other characters.
There were several over-arching themes in the book, such as the need for change, the call for justice, and how every rule has exceptions. Shana especially seemed to find the latter annoying as she continually found that what she was taught about elves, humans, or dragons was not always true. Even though the legend of the Elvenbane is merely a tall tale crafted by the dragons to stir up trouble with the elves and humans, Shana falls into the role by accident simply because of a dragon's kindness. Ironically, her up-bringing gives her the perfect personality for playing that role, as the main goal of this book was to put her in the perfect position to fill this role for the next book in the series, Elvenblood (Halfblood Chronicles).
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Seize the Night (Dark-Hunter, #5) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Another absolutely wonderful addition to the Dark-Hunter series - I loved it! Tabitha was way better than I expected (I was worried she would be too much) and Valerius was as great as I had hoped. What can I say? I love tortured heroes, and he's one of the best. I felt so much for him and hated how horrid the others treated him for no good reason - other than being judgmental @$$es anyway, especially Kyrian. Now I don't remember much about <i>Night Pleasures</i> for some reason, probably because it is my least favorite in the series, but I thought Kyrian was such a you-know-what with how he treated Valerius. I mean, come on, he was just a five-year-old for crying out loud. Jerk. Same goes with Zarek, but I understand that a bit more. But really, couldn't these idiots have gotten over something that happened 2,000 years ago, instead of acting like children? Grow up already and face facts, he was just a kid who didn't do anything to Kyrian, tried to help Zarek, and was born a Roman. Poor guy. He never knew kindness until Tabitha.
Closer to the end there were some real shockers and since Nick was featured in <i>Night Pleasures</i>, I need to get my hands on that book to re-read it, so I can reacquaint myself to him and the story. Maybe then I'd like it better and be able to remember more from it. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who has not read it yet, but this is one well-paced and plotted book! :)
As much as I loved the book, I was rather disappointed with the ending. It was rushed and was a good thirty or more pages shorter than other Dark-Hunter books. I felt that there needed to be more. The truce was rather lame and anti-climatic and so was the soul thing (or whatever it should be called) with Tabitha and Valerius. However, I loved the epilogue, and overall it is one of my faves of the series, I just wish more justice could have been done to the end of Valerius's story.
Closer to the end there were some real shockers and since Nick was featured in <i>Night Pleasures</i>, I need to get my hands on that book to re-read it, so I can reacquaint myself to him and the story. Maybe then I'd like it better and be able to remember more from it. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who has not read it yet, but this is one well-paced and plotted book! :)
As much as I loved the book, I was rather disappointed with the ending. It was rushed and was a good thirty or more pages shorter than other Dark-Hunter books. I felt that there needed to be more. The truce was rather lame and anti-climatic and so was the soul thing (or whatever it should be called) with Tabitha and Valerius. However, I loved the epilogue, and overall it is one of my faves of the series, I just wish more justice could have been done to the end of Valerius's story.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Jan 18, 2020 (Updated Jan 18, 2020)
Coffee and Compliments
Little Women feels like a breath of fresh air in a time chock full of superhero movies and action sequels. Simply overflowing with such kindness, warmth and an enormous sense of love and heart little women is pure escapism into a tale so beautify simple yet so sophisticated and intricate that its simply a pure delight to behold for any age to enjoy. Being unfamiliar with the source material myself I was concerned that I wouldnt enjoy this movie but as the film began I found myself so absorbed by its beauty and overwhelmed with its ability to transport me back and embed me into a period in time like it was but a memory of my own. Production design is staggering and constantly breathtaking from clothing, set design, lighting and props everything just screams quality and class making homes feel lived in/cosy, parties feel exciting/grand and the outdoor scenes to feel magical and fable esque. Whats truly stunning here however is how the feeling of belonging has been masterfully created and as we spend time with this family the bond and love depicted here is so flawless, real and full of love its hard to remember these are actresses we are watching and not real people going about thier lives. Perfomances are splendind but its Florence Pugh that really shows she deserves her nomene for this for sure with a performance so believable full of innocence, emotion and energy that its trully entrancing to watch. With accurate depictions of love, courtship, acceptance, passion, drive, perseverance, innocence, maturity, family life, bonding and grief we almost see these girls fight thier own personal battles along side the real war going on as they struggle to make something of themselves and live freely in a world where men are considered to have all the dominance and rights. Although taking place in the past it all just feels so very current and timeless not affraid to tackle a variety of important and complex themes/issues while exploring the very characteristics and traits that make us human. A wonderful delight and a simply magnifict and heart warming piece of film making history. Such a joyous experiance for anyone and everyone alike.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Big Lies in a Small Town in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Morgan Christopher is shocked when she's plucked from prison and told she will be released early, as long as she perform a certain task: restore an old mural from the 1940s. Morgan, an art school dropout, has no restoration skills, but she is desperate to leave prison, where she is imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. Once released, she finds herself captivated by the mural and what she finds underneath the layers of grime. Meanwhile, in 1940, young Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey wins a contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. She travels there to learn more about the town that she needs to capture. But once there, Anna is confronted both by kindness and deep-set prejudice.
I've never read a book by Diane Chamberlain before, and I really enjoyed this one. It's oddly captivating for centering on a painting from the 1940s. The point-of-view switches between Morgan and Anna and each are compelling narrators in their own right. This was one of those books where I found myself desperately wishing I could read faster, as I wanted to find out what happened to Anna (we're told early on she "went crazy").
I applaud Chamberlain for her original plot. It's odd, but not in a bad way, as it had me interested the entire time. She does a wonderful job of creating two completely different worlds: Anna's in the 40s and Morgan's in near present-day. She deftly weaves in art aspects; Morgan's drunk driving conviction and her past in prison; Anna's possible mental illness; and Morgan's benefactor, so to speak, Lisa, who springs her out of prison to fulfill the wishes of her late father, Jesse, a famous artist.
While this novel is mainly fiction, there are some great twists and turns, especially as we learn what happened to Anna. Chamberlain delves into race relations, as Anna confronts the prejudices of the south in the 1940s. Her writing style is easy, making you want to keep reading, and overall, I quite enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
I've never read a book by Diane Chamberlain before, and I really enjoyed this one. It's oddly captivating for centering on a painting from the 1940s. The point-of-view switches between Morgan and Anna and each are compelling narrators in their own right. This was one of those books where I found myself desperately wishing I could read faster, as I wanted to find out what happened to Anna (we're told early on she "went crazy").
I applaud Chamberlain for her original plot. It's odd, but not in a bad way, as it had me interested the entire time. She does a wonderful job of creating two completely different worlds: Anna's in the 40s and Morgan's in near present-day. She deftly weaves in art aspects; Morgan's drunk driving conviction and her past in prison; Anna's possible mental illness; and Morgan's benefactor, so to speak, Lisa, who springs her out of prison to fulfill the wishes of her late father, Jesse, a famous artist.
While this novel is mainly fiction, there are some great twists and turns, especially as we learn what happened to Anna. Chamberlain delves into race relations, as Anna confronts the prejudices of the south in the 1940s. Her writing style is easy, making you want to keep reading, and overall, I quite enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
Barbie Magazine - South Africa Interactive
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The next best thing to owning the doll, is reading Barbie magazine Barbie has been around for more...
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Wake up peacefully with Yoga Wake Up, the FIRST EVER YOGA ALARM CLOCK, guaranteed to help you start...
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The Story of Arthur Truluv
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"I dare you to read this novel and not fall in love with Arthur Truluv. His story will make you...
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