Sock Loom Basics by Leisure Arts Inc.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Since I haven’t read every single pattern in this book, I can’t actually judge in entirety. Still, I did find it easy to follow in a couple of patterns I did use. The illustrations are far better than most of the loom knitting books. I do plan to keep it as a reference. There are still a couple of the socks I want to try.
Crochet for Beginners: Crochet & Circular Needles – How to Knit Circular Needles Like a Guru: by Kelly Austin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Hmm. Yeah, I’m not a lawyer or editor, so I can’t conclusively say anything. I can only point out that the second part of this two-part book looks and sound a lot like the book I just read by Emily Haschig the vaguely written book about Circular Knitting.
One the other hand, the first part about Crochet was fairly well written. I may have to go back and try the pattern that was presented. I don’t crochet much anymore as the process hurts my hands now. But sometimes I can’t resist. So if you get this book, you might get something about crocheting.
Circular Knitting: The Most Effective Method to Knit on Circular Needles: by Emily Haschig
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Words count. If you sell a book in America, especially a how-to, the verbiage should be in American English. I wanted to understand how to use my circular knitting needles better. I saw the title and thought it would help. Step-by-step, with illustrations so I could see if I was doing it right or wrong.
Just now, after reading the whole book, I read the blurb on GoodReads. Here is the copy and pasted blurb.
Circular Knitting: The Most Effective Method to Knit on Circular Needles
***
“The Most Effective Methods to Knit on Using Circular Needles
If you want to know how to crochet or would want to enhance your crochet skill this is the best book for you. This book will guide you from crocheting basic stitches to joining pieces together. It is the best guide to learning the efficient way to knit using circular needle. It displays easy-to-follow guide that will make you enjoy your crochet venture even more.
Find your creative potential in crochet with this thorough book from basic steps to precise and complicated stitches. All essentials of crochet are listed with clear directions, graphs and photos. When you’ve got to grips with your hook, you’ll be treated with a variety of patterns to work for. It will motivate you to continue learning, testing and create wonderful crochet pieces.
5 Reasons to buy this book
1. The book features designs that range from traditional patterns to original themes
2. Crocheters of every level will get helpful information and inspiration on each page.
3. Each design features a photograph, a diagram displaying every single stitch and its
placement.
4. It provides easy to follow instructions
5. It provides a lot of helpful tips on changing hues and increasing shape to your projects.”
***
I wish I would have read the blurb. Do you see how often the word ‘crochet’ comes up? Intersperse that word with weave and sew, and you will see that this book teaches very little about knitting at all. Even though the pictures show knitting, they do not help prove the written instructions at all. It could very well be a language problem. Is the author British, or is this from another language and translated? I don’t know. All I know is I didn’t understand any of the instructions. It wasn’t a lack of vocabulary. I could define all the words I read. They didn’t address what I wanted from the title. I’m going back to YouTube where they don’t even need to talk. No need for a specialized lingo just how to do the hobby presented in the title.
Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Bette Lee Crosby writes good stories. This did not disappoint.
At least this mystery wasn’t about murder. I knew that could be done. Still, it is about a kidnapping. It was interesting to see the crime from all sides. The characters are well developed. They keep you reading to see what each person was going through, how would they solve their personal problems. The book showed how love could make their choices harder, or drive them mad in trying to live with it all. Still, it was a hard book to put down.
Though a spiritual path is evident, it isn’t overdone. The characters believe a certain way and it is part of their journey.
By the way, this was free through Kindle Unlimited. Though I like reading Ms. Crosby’s work it is usually more expensive than I can afford, so I am glad they made this one available this way.
As a genre, I think that this could be called a cozy mystery sans murder. I think women may find it better than men, though the men in this book are strong and level headed. But the stories are more about birth and baby loss, so it might be hard for those who have lived through this kind of circumstance.
Otherwise, try it, you might like it!
Payback Royale by Cidney Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The book was to come live on the 29th. (And Yay! It did!) I finished reading this book four nights ago. I hated finishing it. I always want to know what will happen after I close the book. I enjoyed the book, thoroughly! The most exciting part was about space travel and its purpose. I have to admit to nearly squealing as the main character promotes it.
I know I’m not the target audience missing the ages by five decades or so. Even so, I can remember being a young adult. I can imagine I would have loved, well, everything Miss Swanson writes. Her characters, world’s, and plots are fresh and fun. The books read themselves, okay, with the help of text-to-speech. But I don’t want to put any of them down until the last word! Payback Royale was no different. Loved it!
On the other hand… I hate the antagonist. I don’t see hope for him. Please let’s put an end to his story! Without killing our friends, please!
I can’t wait to read more by Cidney Swanson!
Priest of Skulls by S.M. Reine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m always excited to read another of Sara Reines ARCs. I must admit that I am happier reading about the old characters, like visiting with old friends. But I’m sure I am mostly alone in that. I think others prefer to have something new and exciting to read. Well, this one is for you.
That is not to say I didn’t enjoy this and the first book in this offshoot series. Ms. Reine was able to bring up some delicate and scary subjects in a fantasy setting and make some important points. If you get the chance to read this one please take the time to read the notes at the beginning of the book. There are warnings of what you will find inside. There are uncomfortable situations, even triggers if you will for folks that have had sex forced on them, rape. But it is worth the read for the empowerment given.
On an aside, there are, also, some very different forms of erotica that are — fun to read. Not what we’ve expected from SM Reine. But so different that, well, you know how the fae are! I can’t wait to read the next one!
Children’s book: The Unruly Orchestra: Learn about musical instruments and the symphonic orchestra by Daphna Lustiger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I voluntarily read to review this book.
Almost. That is the best thing I can say. I was excited, as a former music major, to see a picture book about the orchestra. But on the first page, I got disappointed. Two of the instruments named were not shown.
The text wasn’t rhythmic or as fun as it could be. And I think it still needs a good editor.
The pictures were fun and I wanted the story to be as fun.
Still, I would have read it to my children. I think I could have made it more fun with sounds of the instruments lined up to actually introduce each part. It could be a fun story, if cleaned up a bit, to a field trip to a concert or an educational segment about Peter and the Wolf, and possibly pulling out triangles and fun band percussion instruments. and a good old march around the classroom.
My deepest disappointment was the piano not named as it was being called a pipe organ (not usually in an orchestra, and no pipes).
Still, the book could have hope with a bit more clean up.
Knave of Blades by S.M. Reine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not since the sixties have I seen such sexy flower power! Sorry, that’s all you get, no spoilers! Just this is mostly Ms. Reine’s usual story with twists and turns in the fantasy world within our own. Familiar places with unfamiliar buildings or beings.
This one is a bit more erotic than most. If that’s a turn off for you, maybe skip and read some of her other books. If not ENJOY!
I like reading about the Tarot Witches, even if this one finds herself in new places with bizarre but fun abilities.
I want to say more but don’t want to ruin the adventure of reading it yourself.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It comes live to Amazon tomorrow. Hope you get the chance to read it. It is a new series within many series(s) and I think it could be a place to start on Sara’s writing. I still advice starting at the beginning with Six Moon Summer.
Oh, Nurse!: One Man’s Journey Through the Nursing Life, a Personal Account of the Highs and Lows by David Daniels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When the author asked me to review this book I stated that I mostly read books by females with strong female leads. But I took a moment and realized that this was a male nurse. He knew where I was coming from, and he’d proven himself. So I figured his book deserved my read.
It was good. If my feet and back could have handled it, I would have tried to be a doctor or a nurse. I was a candy striper with that aim. But not only couldn’t I handle it physically, when one of my patients died I found that to be too hard to take. Granted I was sixteen, not enough life experience to know people come and go from your life. But that little bit of experience made what I read in Oh, Nurse! ring even truer.
As I usually say when reviewing a biography or autobiography, this is someone’s life. It is hard to play judge and jury when watching them walk in their own shoes. I wish I would be able to say this book encourages future nurses. But, with medical marriage with insurance, I don’t think it is going to get better any time soon. The greatest profession should still be nursing. They are the patient advocate, or at least they should be. They are invaluable to doctors, at least they should be.
I have always loved shows like Greys Anatomy, ER, all those medical shows. They are there to give us all an eye into what is happening or can happen when personalities and money are involved in trying to take care of medical issues people present with.
I hope that in spite of his honest story of his life as a nurse, others will choose to go into that career. I hope his story opens the eyes of those in charge of our medical needs to how to make things right for all.
Good job, David Daniels!
The Payback Letters by Cidney Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Gladly. I have loved every book Cidney Swanson has written. I always admit that my favorites were the Saving Mars series. But the time travels, and Ripplers and now the Paybacks have been a delight to read, also.
Cidney has characters that are believable, relatable, even when they seem to be well to do, and going to a rich-kid boarding school. BUT this brain got confused in this book. So a warning: Clair is the main character of the first book and Fiona is of this second book. What kept confusing me (or unconfusing) were that I remembered that Clair’s parents were dead and her brother had helped in significant ways. Fiona’s aunt keeps referring to her parents helping with tuition and her brother being dead. I am horrid at remembering names But relatively good at recognizing certain aspects of a story. I had to go to the book blurbs to understand where I was getting confused. If you read book one, you remember poor Fiona going with the horrid Sly. That should lead you down the trail of the story Ms. Swanson has present us.
After I understood who the star was, I think I love her more than Clair. Yeah, she gets a little gah-gah about a guy, but in the long run, I was rooting for them as much as for Fiona’s future.
Since the Payback series is separate from Ms. Swanson’s other books, you can pick them up and enjoy them now without reading everything else. That said, I hope you read the rest, eventually, as they are all fun adventures. I wish I had someone writing these kinds of books when I was a teen.
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 100 books for the 2013 Reading Challenge! 115 of 100 (115%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 225 books for the 2012 Reading Challenge! 225 of 225 (100%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 200 books for the 2011 Reading Challenge! 204 of 200 (102%)
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