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Net Galley
Author Archives: Iiiireader
An interesting gothic historical read originally published in 1974
Rebel Heiress (Bloomsbury Reader)
By: Jane Aiken Hodge
Rating: 4 of 5
I’ve read all of Jane Aiken Hodge’s older books (there are several newer ones that I did not know that existed that I will have to read in the future.) I read “Rebel Heiress” last when I was eighteen. Re-reading it as an adult makes a world of difference in understanding some of the nuances of the story.
In this book, Henrietta Marchmont’s American aunt has just passed away – leaving her with precious little while giving the bulk of her estate to the church. Henrietta find information about her father (Lord Marchmont) in England and is able to get passage on an English boat just ahead of the War of 1812. The story is what happens to Henrietta once she makes her way to England and, eventually, to her father’s home.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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31 Highly Detailed Designs which include hearts – printed one side of the page
Creative Haven Hearts Coloring Book: Romantic Designs on a Dramatic Black Background
By: Lindsey Boylan
Rating: 4 of 5
I own a number of coloring books by Lindsey Boylan and all of them are white line drawings on black backgrounds. “Hearts” is the same format as the rest. There are 31 designs which include hearts as their theme but I found that the detail in the designs sometimes obscured the hearts to the point of not being noticed. I can hopefully rectify that in coloring by using colors which will bring the hearts to prominence.
The designs are extremely detailed and have intricate elements to color. There are lots of flowers, vines, and tiny little lines within small elements. The hearts themselves are filled with lots of elements as well. It might have been nice to get a more simple heart or two to color with shading, etc. Some areas are so detailed that I will put a swathe of color over the tiny elements as if they were not separate and call it good.
On the whole, I still like the coloring book. It is a book of projects for those who like detail and want projects that will take longer rather than shorter periods of time to finish. It is not a book that I would recommend at all to anyone with fine motor or vision issues. It is simply too intricate and detailed and will require the use of smaller nib pens/markers and very sharp pencils.
I noticed that the feel of the paper is slightly rougher than other Creative Haven books I have ordered in this last six months or so. I like the new texture as it is even better for use with colored pencils.
Posted in Adult Color Books
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Informative and beautifully illustrated intro book about Abraham Lincoln
My Little Golden Book About Abraham Lincoln
By: Author: Bonnie Bader/llustrator: Viviana Garofoli
Rating: 5 of 5
I was happy to find that Little Golden Book had introductory books about both Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. I picked these up for my grandchildren to read when they are at my house. While the books are by different authors, they have the same illustrator and a similar feel to how the stories are told.
My grandson, at 4 years old, is able to follow along with the story about President Lincoln. His sister, who is two years old, enjoys the illustrations and a shorter, verbal story.
The book starts with Abraham Lincoln as a boy, his family life and how he improved his lot in life with self-education and hard, honest work. The story continues through his election, fight against slavery and the Civil War. It ends as the war ends and does not mention the manner of his death (which might be distressing for the age group this is aimed at.)
Posted in Childrens
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30 Detailed and Intricate line drawing designs of tiny trailers – printed one side of page
Adult Coloring Book: Whimsical Patterns: Farmers Market (Volume 3)
By: Francis Keene
Rating: 5 of 5
This is the third coloring book in the Francis Keene coloring book series of called Whimsical Patterns. In this book, artist Evelyne Park has provided 30 designs of Farmer’s Markets and items associated with them. I live very close to a wonderful Farmer’s Market which is in operation from March until October.
During those months, I like to spend my Saturday mornings picking up fresh veggies and fruits and seeing what special treats (such as wonderful rosemary lemon bread, jams and jellies and fresh potted herbs and flowers) I can pick up for that week. This coloring book reminds me of our market, right down to the fun entertainment for children.
I found the designs to be both cute and detailed. A few of them have smaller and more intricate areas to color. The designs are hand-drawn with the charming not quite perfect look that makes my finished projects have a unique and hand-made look. Because it is hand-drawn, the level of ink saturation on the designs from from design to design and even sometimes within a single design.
Posted in Adult Color Books
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Sweet Novella about changing ones life
A Slice of Life
By: Margaret Lake
Rating: 4 of 5
This is a quick read novella about Grace. Grace is a woman of 37 who has been painfully shy her entire life. The one place she feels confident is as the chef in her family-owned restaurant. When the recession hits and it looks like the restaurant will suffer, Grace comes up with an idea to try to save the jobs of those who work with her. She wants to write a cookbook featuring recipes from people she meets.
The thing is, she never meets anyone new. She forces herself to leave the cocoon of the restaurant (even her apartment is the upper floor in the same building.) She decides to take a bus and try to talk to people and get them to give her recipes.
Posted in Fiction/Literature
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48 Cat designs shown in fabulous scenes around the world – printed on one side of the page
Marty Noble’s Cats Around the World: New York Times Bestselling Artists’ Adult Coloring Books
By: Marty Noble
Rating: 5 of 5
I love cat design coloring books. I have had a number of cats in my life and now, because of health issues, I can only enjoy my kitties from a distance. This coloring book, with its 48 glorious designs, provides a wide spectrum of cat breeds and locales in which they are placed. The designs are truly from around the world and provide a wonderful coloring experience as each has a full background.
The designs are detailed (as usual with a background) but they are not what I consider intricate or difficult to color. There are a few spots with smaller areas to color especially in the backgrounds. I might not consider it for someone with visual issues but I don’t think that I will need special pens or pencils to color this book.
Just a small nit. I noticed that many countries only ranked one design (including the US) but that a few, such as France and Italy had four and a number of others had two. Based solely on the title, I would have liked one designs per country and a broader range of countries show. As I said, a nit, a I really like all of the designs in the book. Perhaps there will be a second book with other countries included.
Just a note in passing. This line of books is called “New York Times Bestselling Artists” Adult Coloring Books. It does not mean that this particular book has made it to the New York Times Best Sellers list, merely that the artists who create these books have been on that list for one or more books.
Posted in Adult Color Books
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The English Wife: A Novel
Interesting and well-developed new historical novel
By: Lauren Willig
Rating: 5 of 5
I’ve read a number of Lauren Willig’s earlier books and enjoyed them. When I read “The English Wife”, I was happily surprised at how much the author has grown in her ability to weave a multi-level story and keep my interest riveted throughout the book.
In this book, the story switches back and forth between events in the past and those in the present time of the story (1899.)
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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Cute Doodle Creatures plus feel good messages – 32 designs printed one side of the page
Lovin’ the Good Vibes! A Coloring Book with Positive Messages for Adults and Kids: (Improve Confidence, Self Worth, Doodles)
By: Illustrator: Lily Chioe/Publisher: Julia Rivers
Rating: 5 of 5
I enjoy coloring in both doodle creature coloring books and in positive thoughts books. Until now, I had never come across a book that was both in one. “Lovin’ the Good Vibes” has lots of cute little doodle guys that put a smile on my face surrounding a message that makes me feel happy as well. In this book, Lily Chioe is the illustrator.
It appears that Okami Coloring and Storytroll publishing companies are somehow connected as they list both publishers books at the end of this book. I really appreciate the quality of their artists though the CreateSpace paper always leaves something to be desired. I also appreciate that they have included the actual artist’s name though they seem to be developing a specific name (Julia Rivers) to cover the coloring books they deliver. This is similar to what another publisher has done with the name Jade Summer.
The designs are detailed but do not, for the most part, include intricate elements with lots of tiny spots to color. By the nature of doodle creatures, there is a lot to color and you can use a lot of different colors – it’s one of the things I like most about the genre.
Posted in Adult Color Books
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47 Psalms inspired designs – printed one side of the page (verse cite on the reverse of page)
Psalms to Color and Soothe the Soul
By: Felicity French
Rating: 5 of 5
This is a coloring book of 47 designs inspired by the book of Psalms. The designs are very pretty but do not generally reflect the verse. The words themselves are part of the design and are meant to be colored. In some cases, the words are, in fact, the design. The verses are all cited but the translation used has not been given an attribution. The designs are quite detailed and in some spots, intricate and small to color.
This is one of the nicest coloring books of Psalms that I own. The verses are given the prominent position on the page and the designs are very pretty to color. I think about the verse and how it applies to my life as I color the design. It takes a restful activity and adds an element of worship for a more meaningful experience.
Posted in Adult Color Books
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Interesting second in series about murder in a small town in Scotland
Scones and Scoundrels: The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series: Book 2 (Highland Bookshop Mysteries)
By: Molly MacRae
Rating: 4 of 5
This is the first book I have read by Molly MacRae. It is also the second book in this series. I felt a little lost as far as the many characters in this book and I feel that had I read the first book in the series, I might have understood who was who and why they were in the story.
After getting through that bit of a hump, I enjoyed the story. There are references to the last book but not so much that it gives away the plot line of it.
In this story, a prodigal daughter returns home again to the small town in Scotland where she was raised. She is a famous author who has been living in the wilds of Canada. Literally, the wilds. She lives in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. While she is not an appealing individual, as the story evolves, one discovers why she acts as unpleasant as she does.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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