Author Archives: Iiiireader

Great Second book in this mystery quilting series

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Iiiireader

Knot In My Backyard (A Quilting Mystery Book 2)

By: Mary Marks

Rating: 5 of 5

knotinmybackyardI enjoyed reading “Knot In My Backyard” by Mary Marks. It is the second book in her Quilting Mystery series and, in my opinion, is even better than the first book. Thankfully, the author did not include the political remarks that made her first book a little hard for some readers to get through. I prefer not to be badgered by the left or the right when I am reading a cozy mystery – I want to get away from all of that and just simply enjoy myself.

In this book, our sleuth, Martha Rose, is back and is better than every. Martha has a passion for quilting, and while it is not the focus of this book as it was in the first in the series, there are lots of references to quilting in the story. It is really obvious to anyone who has quilted that the author is also a quilter. I made my first quilt 35 years ago when my first child was born. I still consider myself an advanced beginner because I have not progressed that far in my abilities. There were some clues for hand-quilting in this book that will be of help to me.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

More Comedic than Romance but good start to series

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Iiiireader

What To Do With A Duke (Spinster House)

By: Sally MacKenzie

Rating: 5 of 5

whattodowithadukeIt has been many years since I have read a book by Ms. MacKenzie. I was really pleased to discover that her writing had improved over the years and that issues the last book (rape scene) was not present in this story.

The book is purportedly a Regency Romance but it really is more of a comic romance. The Duke of Hart is under a curse that forces him back to his home for the first time in many years. The curse is that he won’t live to see his male heir born, so he is determined not to marry. He meets Miss Isabelle Catherine Hutting (Cat to her friends), the vicar’s daughter who has sworn herself to spinsterhood. The sparks begin to fly and the outcome is pretty predictable from that point on.

(more…)

Posted in Romance | Leave a comment

Love story regarding two adults with past issues

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Iiiireader

Not Always a Saint (Lost Lords)

By: Mary Jo Putney

Rating: 4 of 5

notalwaysasaint“Not Always A Saint” is a love story involving the saintly Dr. Daniel Herbert and the beautiful widow, Jessie Kelham. They have both made their way to London to find a spouse who will fit well into their lifestyle, but without any expectation of finding someone they can love deeply.

There is an immediate attraction – and one that has a back story and history though Daniel does not recall it at the time. The two of them go back and forth trying to figure out if they want to wed the other or if there is a suitable spouse waiting for them who does not disturb their emotions.

(more…)

Posted in Romance | Leave a comment

Good mystery but heavy handed on the politics

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Iiiireader

Forget Me Knot (A Quilting Mystery)

By: Mary Marks

Rating: 4.5 of 5

forgetmeknot“Forget Me Knot” is the first book I have read by Mary Marks and it is the first in her series of Quilting Mysteries. It was a really good first book. I just wish the author had stepped off the political soapbox as it probably offended some readers early enough in the book that they put it down and didn’t finish it. That is a real shame as the story, plot, and characters made the book a really worthwhile read. This is the primary reason I rate it 4.5 instead of a solid 5.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

Detailed animals with hidden design elements

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Iiiireader

Creative Haven Amazon Animals: A Coloring Book with a Hidden Picture Twist (Adult Coloring)

By: Jan Sovak

Rating: 5 of 5

This is an interesting set of 28 Amazon animal and insect designs which include one or more hidden images within each design. The designs are by artist Jan Sovak. Be aware that a couple of the designs show animals about to pounce on their prey (other animals) and that it might be disturbing to some individuals. There is also one design which includes a human which seems a little out of place but it is well drawn and should be interesting to color.

At the front of the book, there is a listing of which hidden design features are included and how many of them are spread throughout the book. At the back of the book, there is a key which shows which elements are in each design and where they are located. I would list the hidden elements but I think that would take away the fun of looking for them while you are coloring.

(more…)

Posted in Adult Color Books | Leave a comment

None of the charm of the first two books

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Iiiireader

Little Blue Truck’s Beep-Along Book

By: Alice Schertle and illustrated by: Jill McElmurry

Rating: 3 of 5

littlebluetrucksbeepalongWhile my grandson enjoys beeping the truck, all of the original charm of “The Little Blue Truck” has been lost in this book. It is the same author and the same illustrator but it was so different, I had to check to see if someone else had taken over. As I read the book to him, all I could think is that the sing-song of the story was to the tune of “If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands.” While that is a favorite of my grandson’s, it is not at all what I expected from the Little Blue series of books. It also had a feeling of a quick slap-together rather a well-thought out children’s story.

As I mentioned, my grandson likes it but not in the same way he does the first two board books in the series. With those books, when he comes to visit me, he runs to my bookcase and looks for them and pulls them out to bring to me to read. He sits on my lap and waits with a gleam in his eyes for certain parts of the stories to be read. One or the other is always his choice of a book before nap or bedtime with me. They are so special, his mother and father will not get a copy for him at home. They want it to be for just the two of us.

With this book, he sat my himself and beeped the horn. I got him to sit with me for one reading and then he tossed the book aside.

I had pre-ordered this book as soon as I saw it was available. I wish I could recommend it as highly as the first two but unfortunately, I cannot. It is okay but just okay.

Posted in Childrens | Leave a comment

Beautiful pictorial guide of Depression Era High Fashion

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Iiiireader

A Decade of French Fashion, 1929-1938: From the Depression to the Brink of War

Edited By: Mary Carolyn Waldrep

Rating: 5 of 5

decadefrenchfashion1929Dover has done it again! They are fantastic at reprinting antique crafts patterns and other out of print but fascinating publications. In “A Decade of French Fashion, 1929-1938”, they have brought together a select group of fashions from various fashion magazines of the time period.

I am a needlework designer and I do some period piece designs. I look to Dover for inspiration and so that my designs accurately depict the styles of the proper period. I had been hoping for a set of designs that covered, essentially, the Great Depression, for a series that of cross stitch that I have in mind. This is the perfect book for me. It shows fashions just before the Crash hit through just before World War II.

(more…)

Posted in Needlework/Arts/Crafts | Leave a comment

Wonderful pastry cookbook by George Greenstein

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Iiiireader

A Jewish Baker’s Pastry Secrets

By: George Greenstein and Elaine Greenstein

Rating: 5 of 5

jewishbakerpastry“A Jewish Baker’s Pastry Secrets” is another wonderful and welcome cookbook from George Greenstein. His first book, “Secrets of a Jewish Baker”, as a real god-send for me, at the time I received it, as a novice baker. I enjoyed reading and trying a variety of the bread recipes in it.

When I saw that Mr. Greenstein had another book being published, and this one involved pastry, I knew that I would have to get it and have fun making a whole new set of his tried and true recipes.

(more…)

Posted in Cookbooks | Leave a comment

First in a series of cozy mysteries about needlepoint and living on Coastal Maine

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Iiiireader

Twisted Threads (A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery)

By: Lea Wait

Rating: 5 of 5

twistedthreadsA cozy mystery set in a fictional town on the coast of Maine, “Twisted Threads” is the first in the Mainely Needlepoint series by Lea Wait. Angie Curtis was raised by her grandmother Charlotte in Harbor Haven after her beloved but wild mother abandoned her nineteen years before. Angie left town ten years ago but is now returning home from Arizona because her mother’s body has been found. What seemed like abandonment turns out to have been murder.

Once home again, Angie finds out that Charlotte has started a custom needlepoint business along with a few other townspeople. The business has had a bad turn as their agent has double-crossed them. Angie steps in to help right the business and, at the same, using the skills she learned as a private investigator’s assistant to find her mother’s killer.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

Interesting and Delightful Ocean Related Collage Designs – designs printed on one side of perforated page

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Iiiireader

Ocean Wonders | Color Art for Everyone – Leisure Arts (6703)

By: Leisure Arts

Rating: 5 of 5

This is an adult coloring book with a variety of underwater designs as well as collages of ocean related man made items. This makes this book of designs quite different from the other four offerings in the Color Art for Everyone series as those really focus on the natural world. The designs are all supplied by GMC Designs/Shutterstock, Inc. I don’t know if that means there are various designers within those companies or not, but there isn’t a specific artist mentioned.

There are 24 different designs. There are several schools of fish, visions of underwater flora, hermit crabs and other shellfish, shells, a sampler of sailboats, and an interesting collage of nautical items such as lighthouses, schooners, anchors, compass and more. My husband grew up in Camden, Maine on the coast and loves all things nautical. He has claimed first dibs on this book of designs and that will be okay because these are so affordable I can always buy another book if he colors a design I really want to do, too!

The designs are printed on one side of the page (with the back side blank.) The pages are all micro-perforated so removing them from the book will be easy. The print quality of the design is excellent. While there is a lot of detail in the designs, I don’t think I will need my magnifying lamp for most of my coloring.

I have had some bleed through of color with my markers and gel pens. Not as much as with some other brands but certainly enough that I would either remove the page from the book or put some freezer paper or heavy card stock between the pages while I am working.

(more…)

Posted in Adult Color Books | Leave a comment