Category: Books



Directions on How to Make Plastic YarnDirections on How to Make Plastic Yarn by Patsy Mirtz
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What a disappointment! I do a lot of crocheting with ‘plarn’ plastic yarn. I was hoping to find a book that included patterns and ideas. In fact, the cover is full of pictures of items crocheted with plarn. But the book is only about one way of cutting the plastic shopping bags into strips then looping and winding the plarn. That’s it!

I picked this up for free. Now they are charging $.99. Not worth it. The pictures aren’t even clear. Google Plarn and you will find far better pictures to guide you to making not only this version made by interlocking loops of the plastic yarn, but a fun way to make a single ply version cutting in one continuous strip. And there are so many patterns out there to keep you crocheting even when you haven’t the money to buy real yarn.

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Keep Austin Weird: A Lesbian Superhero Love Story for Grown-UpsKeep Austin Weird: A Lesbian Superhero Love Story for Grown-Ups by Mary Jane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Was this a waste of time? I don’t know. I liked being reminded of Boba Tea. I like that one of the main characters was able to see into other people’s future so they could become their best selves. But honestly I felt cheated for the most part. I felt the characters were rather flat. The relationships were weird. There was crying that seemed unnecessary. Come to find out, the author is not female. Mary Jane is a male writing about a lesbian couple. Sure he saved himself some remnant of grace in that he didn’t try to throw in deep emotional feelings or erotic entanglements. That is always a tell-tale sign of honesty. And he must be writing what he knows and loves with ‘super powers’ and the tea. But the book was just too hard to get into and truly enjoy.

Worst of all? It is all written in present-tense. Except in action-pack books, I find this trick to be disarming. It makes the story so unreal. Ugh!

But plenty of people love this book, so go for it. You may like it too!

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Skylark (Sarah, Plain and Tall #2)Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my second read of this little book. It seems I read it in 2007. (See Bookcrossing.com BCID 701-5283303) But since it was sitting here where I am house sitting, I thought I’d read it again.

I have to admit to relating to this book more now than I did back then. With my life about to change like Sarah’s, moving to a new area, um, that is feeling the results of this draught. But the sky is the main calling as it was for Sarah and her family.

It’s a quiet, sweet, poetic book that might make a good read at bedtime for adults and children to share.

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Bye Bye Bloodsucker (Wicked Good Witches #3)Bye Bye Bloodsucker by Starla Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, this is the last of the series that was/is free. The rest will have to wait until my finances settle after our move. Though it hasn’t been my favorite series, I am wanting to know what happens next.

I have to admit that I like the element of the youngest, the daughter, even though a good witch, has some mental problems to overcome. It isn’t the usual anger issues, rather she has depression and anxiety that is of agoraphobia nature. Bad for someone that needs to be helpful to the people of the island and her brothers. Being the youngest she is watched out for by her older brothers and a vampire who is a family friend from generations ago. The bad news is she seems to be falling in love with him and another guy on the island. Not your usual triad issues. Yay!

A new element in this story is the giant leeches. Yuck! And there are mermaids! So this may be my favorite so far. Add to these new issues, the brothers are still working with their separate abilities of death-speaking and werewolf changing. So there are a lot of story-lines to follow. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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Sarah, Plain and TallSarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess I read this before as I put up a blurb on Bookcrossing.com. By the way, the BCID is 019-5283322. But since I am into books about farming right now. And since I am apartment sitting at my friends’ who have this just sitting here, I thought I’d read it again.

Okay, it isn’t Little House on the Prairie but it is sweet. It is for younger children the the Laura Ingalls books are. Still I love its innocence. It seems poetic in rhythm. I found it interesting that the author chose to write from the older daughter’s point of view, yet it seems more to focus on her younger brother, Caleb’s, reactions to this new possible mother.

It’s a quick read, so if you get the chance to read it, treat yourself to a moment of peace.

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Farm Flop: A City Dweller's Guide to Failing on a Farm in Two Years Or LessFarm Flop: A City Dweller’s Guide to Failing on a Farm in Two Years Or Less by Devin Rose

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been reading a lot about farm life. Lots of how-tos. Most of them assume that your life will go right and will follow the recommended ways. Very few are honest and show you how it can go wrong. This one does. Mr. Devin Rose tells his tale and how he and his wife try to make it as farmers. Sadly their family was too young to make it work for them. But his cautionary tale could apply to old folks like my husband and I as we just want some small piece of land to retire onto. Surely if we don’t get too gung-ho we can make it. We don’t plan on cows or horses. Maybe a goat or some chickens. Maybe only a dog. Maybe not even that. Our health and needs will lead us.

I must admit that Mr. Rose told a good story. With all the fails, it still didn’t sound too apologetic. I felt sorry for him, but not in a way that made his attempts hopeless. He tells his story with a sense of humor and gives us the life lessons he learned along the way. Failures are merely tries that didn’t right themselves.

I think the most off-putting of the story was the Catholic bent. But the story wasn’t preachy. He just shared that is was part of the philosophy he and his family tries to live to. Most of the book was dedicated to his family attempting to live life on a small farm.

I picked this up for free on OHFB (One Hundred Free Books.com) but I think it is well worth the $2.99 asking price now. I wish the author luck in the next part of his adventures. And I hope his health is better now.

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Alpha Knows Best (Wicked Good Witches #2)Alpha Knows Best by Starla Silver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this on the heels of the first book of the series. These are more story-driven rather than by humor. Still with vampires and werebeings not being my favorite types of characters, there are enough witchness to make me happy to continue reading.

As with the first book, this is a quick read that is meant for adults as the situations are sexier than a lot of stories out there. But sex is not what leads the story, it just happens and isn’t too in your face. If you like vampires and werewolves this is your kind of series.

The price is right, this book and its prequel and sequel are free. After book three there is a fee involved. Normally that wouldn’t upset me. An author does need to get paid. But my budget is about as strained as it can get with a move imminent in my life. But I will try to finish the series once the money settles down.

So far, both of the books in this series are quick reads. took about an hour or so each. So if your looking for something lighter this is for you. It’s just not of a comedic nature. That’s okay. There’s enough to the story to keep you going.

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Demon Street Blues (Wicked Good Witches #1)Demon Street Blues by Starla Silver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay, I finished this book during a witchy book marathon. The two books before this one were: To Catch Her Death (Grim Reality, #1)

To Catch Her Death (Grim Reality, #1) and the second of the Accidental Leigh series, Serious Leigh (Literal Leigh Romance Diaries, #2)

Serious Leigh (Literal Leigh Romance Diaries, #2). Somehow my reviews got mixed up and into the Demon Street Blues series first book. I think it may have to do with the Grim Reality and this book having blue covers. So sorry for any confusion my own confusion added. But this is for Demon Street Blues, for sure!

Those previous books were more humorous compared to this one. This book takes itself more seriously. The story being about a young witch whose parents passed in an unknown manner. She is struggling to come back to reality from a mental break down leaving her agoraphobic. Her brothers are there to help her. They are witches, also. One is a sensitive that can sense how a person died. The other brother has been bitten by a werewolf so his future is very unsure. A family friend has lived with the family for generations. He is a vampire. Our main character, Melinda finds herself falling in love with the vampire. So already, from the start, I am not as in love with this book as the books before. I don’t care for vampires and that ooey-gooey, sparkly, bloody mess.

Even so I did like this book and wanted to know what would happen. Just don’t expect to laugh. I was interested enough to read the next book. And now I have even finished that one. All three of the first books of this series were free when I got them. Still are. I can’t afford to buy the next as I am only buying things that have to do with the move looming in my future. After the moneys settle I will come back and finish this series.

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Serious Leigh (Literal Leigh Romance Diaries, #2)Serious Leigh by Melanie James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such a fun series! I barely finished reading book one that I grabbed the next one and started reading. There are many laugh-out-loud moments with this witch in training. Leigh, her cursed writing desk and her very familiar, marvelous cat, Luna, find ways to have adventures no one had thought would happen in the life of an author. Writing after all is a lonely, boring life. Right? Not for this newbie witch.

These are quick reads but don’t feel like short stories. They are layered with full characters and a world that melds the real, current world with a few fantasy yet historic realms thrown in. Each book is based on the last but has its own personality.

I picked up the first book and this book for free. Now I have to find a few pennies ($2.99) to get the next book, so it may take a while before I get to read the rest of the series. But I will after the move is completed and I am bored–probably in the coming winter. That will add some light to my frozen life ahead.

Please give these a try. You might like them, too.

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Accidental Leigh (Literal Leigh Romance Diaries, #1)Accidental Leigh by Melanie James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I guess I’m in a mood for these lighter-weight books. Maybe because my mind is working on the move and all that entails. So, yes, another silly, fun book. It had me laughing out loud. Premise? A wannabe writer wants a desk to get in the mood. The desk is cursed. Everything written on it comes true. And as we writers know, the easiest thing to write is erotica. But oops–a lot! The first couple to fall under a curse–oh, shoot, I feel that would be cheating if I told you. Needless to say, it starts out hilarious and keeps going.

Now it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. It isn’t that kind of book. But it does make you want more. SO I am already about halfway finished with the next book. If you don’t mind, and maybe even like a little erotica, these books are for you. The situations Leigh gets herself into will keep you laughing and or wishing(?). Everyone needs a light read every now and then.

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