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Net Galley
Monthly Archives: May 2015
Invaluable tool for my knitting
Increase, Decrease: 99 Step-by-Step Methods; Find the Perfect Technique for Shaping Every Knitting Project
By: Judith Durant
Rating: 5 of 5
This book is a valuable tool for any knitter. I am much more experienced as a crocheter than as a knitter. I got interested in knitting a few years ago while there was a boom of knitting shows on public television.
I have a lot of fun with the process but really don’t have anyone I can turn to to ask questions. Most of the yarn stores in my area have closed and there are only the generic large craft stores available. The employees there, while very nice, don’t seem to have the advanced skills necessary to give me answers to the issues that I have encountered in knitting. I’ve tried taking some of the classes that they offer but they are extremely basic and still don’t serve my purposes.
Posted in Needlework/Arts/Crafts
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Fun and informative story about the ocean
Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea
By: John Skewes and Eric Ode
Rating: 5 of 5
What a treat this book is. The story is very cute and told in rhyme. The illustrations are fun, colorful, and very well done. The story is adventuresome and the dog gets to take the reader an the adventure under the sea. What is especially nice about this book is that the author told the story for young children but included information to interest adults and older children. That information allows the older individual to pass on more to the younger child. My grandson is a bit young for this but really enjoyed it during our picture book reading time. He really enjoyed seeing Larry as he loves dogs.
An excellent book that I recommend highly and that I know I will be enjoying with grandchildren for years to come.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher.
Posted in Childrens
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Great young adult sci-fy
Alive: Book One of the Generations Trilogy
By: Scott Sigler
Rating: 4.5 of 5
“Alive” is the first Scott Sigler book that I have read. The book is written in first person, present tense which is always a little jarring for me. It seems like a good number of authors are now experimenting with this. It takes me a couple of chapters to get into a story when this is used and this book was no exception. Once I got beyond my initial discomfort, I was able to focus on the story and enjoy it.
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Lovely story with wonderful pen and ink illustrations
Escape from Baxters’ Barn
By: Rebecca Bond
Rating: 5 of 5
“Escape from Baxters’ Barn” is an excellent debut book for author and illustrator Rebecca Bond. The story is well told, the plot executed well, and the characters are charming and endearing. Each character has a distinct personality and gets their moment to shine; however, the story is told from the point of view of the one-eyed cat, Burdock, who yearns to be a house cat instead of a barn cat.
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Non-stop action filled thriller
Independence Day: A Dewey Andreas Novel
By: Ben Coes
Rating: 5 of 5
I did not realize that “Independence Day” was part of a series when I decided to read the book. I was about a chapter in when there were enough references that I decided to check and I saw that it is a few books in on the Dewey Andreas series. I often will choose to read a book out of order in a series to see if it can be read as a stand-alone book. “Independence Day” certainly is a book that I enjoyed immensely regardless of not having read the prior books. I enjoyed it so much, I plan to read the early books in the series. While it is a great action thriller, I realized that by going out of order, some of the earlier plots may have a bit of a spoiler for me.
The story involves Russian computer hackers, mobsters, CIA agents, and even a ballerina. There is an attack brewing against the United States and it looks like it will dwarf 9/11 and cause mass casualties. It is up to the front line of our service men and women to try to discover the plot, uncover its details, and try to stop it before it happens.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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Suspenseful mystery set in the Falkland Islands
Little Black Lies
By: Sharon Bolton
Rating: 5 of 5
“Little Black Lies: A Novel” is the first book by Sharon Bolton that I have read. I enjoyed it considerably and will certainly be looking for her future books as well as reading through her back list of novels.
The book is written in three primary parts; one each for each of the three characters that are most like the killer who is being hunted.
Catrina’s two young sons were killed in an accident because her best friend, Rachel, was negligent while watching them. Since then, Catrina has been just barely living life. She has lost everything that was most important to her and those loses have made the rest of life a pale shadow of what it once was.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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Methodical mystery set in France
Paris Ransom
By: Charles Rosenberg
Rating: 4.5 of 5
When I picked up “Paris Ransom”, I didn’t realize it was the third book in a series. I often do read books out of order in series to see if there is any problem in reading a particular book as a stand-alone versus reading it in order. While I did read and enjoy the book, I thought perhaps reading the older books would help me understand the characters better.
The book is told from three points of view: Robert Tarza, who is a retired lawyer who was extremely successful, Jenna James, his protege at his old law firm who has stopped practicing law to be a professor at UCLA, and finally, Judge Roland de Fournis, a powerful and inquisitive French judge.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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Interesting book in serial format
Woman Without Fear
By: J.P. Touzeau
Rating: 4.5 of 5
“Woman Without Fear” is the first of a series of books about Trinity Silverman and her unusual pet, Speedy.
She is an expert in her field of currency trading but is hamstrung by her overwhelming fears. She is a speaker at a conference in Las Vegas and meets a man at a bar who promises her that some pills that he can supply will overcome her debilitating fears. The price for the pills is that she must meet this man in his hotel room and agree to what he demands of her.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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A Case for Laughing Out Loud
The Case of the Invisible Dog: A Shirley Homes Mystery
By: Diane Stingley
Rating: 5 of 5
I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories as well as books, movies, and television series that are based on the original tales. I was happy to pick up “The Case of the Invisible Dog” on that basis alone. It was also the first time I had read a book by Diane Stingley, so I had no idea of what her style would be like.
I laughed my way through the book. I also chortled, guffawed, snorted through almost every speech Shirley Homes made in the book. Yes, speech, because Shirley does not merely have a dialog or a response or a question – no, she waxed poetic on every subject.
Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
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Beautiful book of 18 flower cross stitch designs
Floral Elegance
By: Susan Bates
Rating: 5 of 5
Susan Bates has been a favorite designer of mine for years. All of the designs have the quality that tells you it is by Susan Bates – very sweet and whimsical in style. There are eighteen flower designs in this book – some of which are smaller and easier to accomplish than others. I really appreciate the pillow designs – this is something I have seen more for needlepoint than for cross stitch, so I am looking forward to making the full set of these for my sewing/design room. This is a book for anyone from a beginner to advanced and I recommend it, though for a beginner I suggest that you start with some of the smaller projects and work your way through. Some of the larger designs are better suited for intermediate and up.
Posted in Needlework/Arts/Crafts
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