Early Audiobook Review: The Big Book of Useless Knowledge: 250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable Facts You Won’t Be Taught in School by Neon Squid, Narrated by Tim Campbell
Book Review: I Can't Say No to the Lonely Girl, Volume 1, by Kashikaze
Book Review: Crowned A Traitor: Book One (A Hellish Fairytale Universe) by Kate Callaghan
Early Book Review: Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time by Rebecca Siegel
Book Review: Bespoke & Bespelled by Karen Healey
Bespoke & Bespelled by Karen Healey is a contemporary romance with a touch of paranormal mystery. Stitch-witch and costume designer Marnie Taylor knew she was taking a risk when she left her solid studio job in L.A. and returned to New Zealand for a job on the film adaptation of her favorite fantasy book series. But she didn’t expect supernatural sabotage on set – or her inconvenient but pressing attraction to the leading man. A-lister Rider Adams was excited for something new – the lead in an adaptation of an iconic series. Instead, he’s trapped with a terrible script and a cursed production plagued by mysterious problems from flat tires to costumes that seem to almost magically resize overnight. And for some reason, he can’t stop making an idiot of himself in front of the gorgeous costume supervisor.
Bespoke & Bespelled is a fun and fast read with some great characters. I thought Marnie was a well thought out character that I enjoyed, although I still would have liked more from and about her. I felt like I got even less about Rider and the secondary characters. I liked them, and I liked the witchy and mystery aspects of the story as well. I just felt like there could have been more of everything. More backstory of the main players, or more group interaction with the movie cast and friends, more detail on the growth of friendship and romance. All the pieces were there, but I felt more like I read the overview rather than the nitty gritty, which is what I love to read about. The book is sweet and entertaining, a great one day or weekend read that you can enjoy in the moment without getting overly attached to any of the characters.
Book Review: Recipe For Mr. Banksy (Recipe for Life) by Anni Rose
Book Review: The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird
Book Review: The Bookbinder's Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera
Early Book Review: Huggable Amigurumi : Crocheting Teddy Bears and Other Cute, Cuddly Friends by Franziska Poser
Early Book Review: Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle
Fish Out of Water is a fun and engaging read. I liked Dahlia and Winston, their chemistry, and they way that communicated. There was fun and humor, but they did also do a little deeper sharing and getting to know each other. I liked that there was plenty of getting to know you time, and that neither of them were dismissive of the other's interests or concerns. I did feel a bit like most of it was less deep and layered than I was expecting from this author. The story that was here was entertaining and fun to read, and there were a couple moments of deep understanding between the two, and a dose of danger towards the end. However, I wanted something more. There was enough groundwork laid to cover so much more of the history and families of both Dahlia and Winston- but it was barely touched on. I get that it could very well be the groundwork for a series, but I still wanted more in the here and now.
Early Book Review: When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein
Book Review: She's My Knight (Volume 1) by Saisou
Book Review: Lucky Bounce by Cait Nary
Book Review: Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! (Volume 1) by Chika Mizube
Early Book Review: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde) by Heather Fawcett
Early Book Review: Woodland Crochet Kit: 12 Precious Projects to Stitch and Snuggle by Kristen Rask
Woodland Crochet Kit: 12 Precious Projects to Stitch and Snuggle by Kristen Rask is currently scheduled for release on January 23 2024. This kit includes a 76-page instruction book and materials to make two projects, a sweet turtle and a beautiful bluebird. The instruction book has more than 80 full-color photographs coupled with 12 step-by-step patterns. Create a sweet skunk, a cuddly hedgehog, a clever raccoon, and more—all in the popular Japanese style of crochet, amigurumi. Materials include; Four colors of yarn, A crochet hook, Stuffing, Embroidery floss, Safety eyes, and a Yarn needle.
Woodland Crochet Kit is a nice starter kit for those that want to try their hand at crocheting small animals. The instructions are clear and helpful for those that are learning. I like that this is a kit, including the materials needed to make a couple of the projects. I was glad to see a couple projects that I do not often see, for instance I do not think I have seen many fawn patterns before- although I also have not looked for them. I did think that some things were not fully explained- like how to work with the wool for the squirrel's tail and why the yarn for the mouse is listed as normal bulky yarn but it looks different to me. I also find working with the fuzzy yarn for the hedgehog gives the right look, it is also very frustrating for even advanced crafters and might not be a great starter yarn to be playing with for beginners.
Book Review: Overgeared, Vol. 1 Art by Team Argo, Adapted by Monohumbug, Story by Saenal
Book Review: The Vegetable Garden Planner: A Crop-by-Crop Guide for Planning and Tracking Your Garden Bounty Each Year, from Seed Starting to Harvest by Lynn Byczynski
Book Review: A Year of Crochet Stitches: A Stitch-a-Day Perpetual Calendar by Jill Wright
A Year of Crochet Stitches: A Stitch-a-Day Perpetual Calendar by Jill Wright is a standing desk flip calendar showcases a new stitch pattern for every day of the year! Each date features a new pattern swatch with complete instructions--so many exciting new stitches to try, from lace and filet to shells, colorwork, and more. The handy size fits easily in a project bag, making it a favorite stitch dictionary for on-the-go hooking.
I have more than one book that collect various crochet and/or knitting stiches, and honestly I often flip through and pick one when I am looking to make and afghan and want something new to try. A Year of Crochet Stitches is a lovely desk calendar that offers me most of those same stiches, but in a new format. I liked that the stitches were grouped together in a logical and helpful way for the learning process, starting in January with some simple, basic stitches and then grouping things like baubles, chevrons, lines, edging, and motifs in later months. I really like the idea of this collection, but think it would have worked better for me if there was some continuity- creating a finished project at the end of each month rather than 365 different stitches in different projects. At the end there are suggestions for patterns in which to use the different stitches, and the instructions for joining motifs and some great information. I think this would be a fun gift for crafters like myself that are always looking to change things up or learn something new.