Review: Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy

Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy by Joan of Dark a.k.a Toni Carr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



So many fun project ideas, so little time!! There are many projects in this book I would love to create.



View all my reviews

Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Once again, I would have preferred to give this book three and a half stars. And once again, the comedy in the book is what swayed my hand from three to four when deciding which way to go.

There is still sex in the book, but the sex scenes seemed less graphic, and less prevalent. This book was less about Christian's dominance over Ana and more about her figuring out a way to tell him how she feels without it causing both of them to shut down.

I am not loving these books, and I don't find them to be particularly erotic, but I am enjoying them.



View all my reviews

Review: One Eye Laughing, the Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria, to New York, 1938

One Eye Laughing, the Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria, to New York, 1938 by Barry Denenberg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed the character of Julie because she reminded me a lot of myself at that age (12). She frequently mentions how much she loves to read, and how important books are to her. One quote in particular really jumped out at me:
"I HATE borrowing books from the library. I don't like being compelled to return them by a certain, specified time. . .All last night I imagined I could hear the book loudly ticking away as I tossed and turned, vainly trying to go to sleep.

TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, READ ME NOW, OR TAKE ME BACK"

As someone who frequently has fines at the library due to keeping things past their due dates - this really resonated with me - as well as making me laugh.

I do question her name, though. Julie does not strike me as an Austrian name. It seems to me a name chosen specifically so that during the story, someone can make fun of her and use her name to point out the fact that she is Jewish by calling her "Jew Lee."



View all my reviews

Review: The Wheel on the School

The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Strangely enough, I had been thinking of this story only a month or so ago - trying to remember more than just the story of a little Dutch girl who wondered about storks. Then I was at the library and it caught my eye on the shelf. I just could not resist picking it up and reading it again.

I think the version I read as a child must have been a condensed version - possibly in an elementary-level Reading book. I remembered some but not all of the children's adventures as they look for a wheel, and usually once I re-read something, I remember having read it before. In this case, portions of the story were new to me.

This will be a book I read to my children some day.



View all my reviews

Review: Paper, Scissors, Death

Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell-Slan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book. I do some scrapbooking, but not much (yet) so I found most of the tips to be helpful. Some of them may be helpful later, when I get more time (and money) for scrapping.

I loved the character of Kiki. I feel as though I am not far off from her - personality wise. I have felt like a doormat most of my life, and, like Kiki, I am making some changes in my attitude towards my own self-worth. When it comes to money - well, after George dies we're in about the same boat financially - figuring out how to stretch the paycheck to meet the bills is difficult in a single-income household.
I found the social commentary on class divisions in the USA to be bold and surprising for what I was expecting to be a fluff-murder-mystery book, but spot-on as well. These statements are made somewhat regularly, but within a chain of thought and not viciously - comments on how wealthy people have freebies showered upon them while poor people get nothing for free is not only true but helps to perpetuate the situation of the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer. It is very difficult to move up the food chain of class in the USA, but exceptionally easy to fall down. Kiki mentions feeling like a piece of furniture or scenery while at her job, and that is a very true-to-life feeling for someone working retail - even upscale retail like a scrapbook shop.



View all my reviews

Review: Wicked Appetite

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Same level of fluff and fun as the Stephanie Plum novels, and just as quick to read. Another series I am sure to enjoy. :)



View all my reviews

Review: A Gift of Grace

A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I loved this book - adored it - until the end. I will read the other books in the series because I enjoyed the characters enough to want to know what happens next. But I simply can't get over what happened at the end of the book that led to my disappointment.

As a woman who has struggled with infertility, it was surprising (and a little refreshing) to discover a book with an Amish woman who is also infertile - who has been told by a doctor that she can never naturally conceive. And I know that God can cure anything and everything happens in God's time. But after a 15 year marriage, the lack of fertility, while still painful, is something that one comes to accept. When everyone around her either has several children or are falling pregnant (because the Amish do not believe in birth control), Rebecca has to swallow her pain and show happiness for her family and friends. I could definitely relate to that.

So WHY is it necessary to have the infertile woman suddenly fall pregnant?? And after an estrangement with her husband that has left him sleeping on the couch for over a month? Suddenly, right when they're about to apologize to each other and make up - she discovers that she is pregnant?

It felt like a slap in the face. Rebecca's pregnancy upset me more than any of the other Amish women's pregnancies. I have a friend (also infertile) who usually likes these types of books. I will suggest that she avoid this one.



View all my reviews