Saturday, August 29, 2015

Knitting Stitches For Beginners by Emma Brown

Free eBook
As a beginning knitter, I've been having fun reading and exploring knitting books to help me become a better knitter. So far, I've read four knitting books -- of which I've reviewed here on my knitting blog.

I recently read an ebook titled Knitting Stitches For Beginners by Emma Brown and it is approximately 220 pages. Knitting Stitches For Beginners is a good knitting book for both beginning and intermediate knitters.

I think I'll be referring to Knitting Stitches For Beginners by Emma Brown quite a bit in the future! So, what did I link about this book? A lot actually! Some of the things I enjoyed the most are as follows:

* I enjoyed the author's writing style!! It was fun to read what Emma Brown shared in her book.

* The plethora of links to videos (as well as photographs) on how to do the various knitting stitches and other techniques discussed in Knitting Stitches For Beginners.

* Good instructions on various types of knitting stitches.

* Important reasons for keep a knitting journal.

* Standard abbreviations used in knitting patterns.

* How to read a pattern and how to hold the needles and yarn while knitting.

This is just some of the things I enjoyed about reading Knitting Stitches For Beginners by Emma Brown. 

I am giving Knitting Stitches For Beginners by Emma Brown a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy knitting!

Friday, August 28, 2015

Friday Finds #92

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!


Here's the books I've added to my ever growing reading pile this week:

1. A Passion For Jewelry: Secrets to Collecting, Understanding, and Caring for your Jewelry by Laura Fronty
2. The Drowning by Camilla Lackberg

Which books have you added to your reading pile or reading wishlist?

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

The Messenger by Daniel Silva

Audiobook
I listened to The Messenger by Daniel Silva and read by Christopher Lane. I felt that Christopher Lane has a nice voice, but am not completely sold that he did a good performance narrating The Messenger as his the voice he uses for some of the characters sounded less than stellar to me.

As far as the storyline goes for The Messenger by Daniel Silva, I felt it was disjointed in parts... It was almost as if I was listening to an abridged version of this novel. At times, I found it difficult to focus on the story because of the narration and the fact that the audio version felt disjointed at times... Otherwise, I did like the story and characters very much.

The following is a plot summary for The Messenger by Daniel Silva from the Goodreads website:
Gabriel Allon, art restorer and spy, is about to face the greatest challenge of his life.
Allon is recovering from his grueling showdown with a Palestinian master terrorist, when terrorism comes to find him once again. An al-Qaeda suspect is killed in London, and photographs are found on his computer—photographs that lead Israeli intelligence to suspect that al-Qaeda is planning one of its most audacious attacks ever, straight at the heart of the Vatican.

Allon warns his old friend Monsignor Luigi Donati, the pope’s private secretary, and rushes to Rome to assist in security, but what neither he nor Donati knows is that the Vatican has been thoroughly penetrated. An extraordinary enemy walks among them…and he’s just getting started.

In the days and weeks to come, Allon and his colleagues will find themselves in a deadly duel of wits against one of the most dangerous men in the world—a hunt that will take them across Europe to the Caribbean and back. But for them, there may simply not be enough of anything: enough time, enough facts, enough luck.

All Allon can do is set his trap—and hope that he is not the one caught in it.

I am giving The Messenger by Daniel Silva a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Monday, August 24, 2015

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 7 Wrap Up Post!

Bout of Books
Day 7 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. Yesterday, I read 28 pages of Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers... Not much reading was accomplished, but at least I read a few chapters of this cozy mystery novel..

During the Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon, I finished reading three books as follows:

The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb

Even thought I didn't finish reading Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers,

I didn't participate in any of the read-a-thon challenges or Twitter chats during Bout of Books 14.0.

All in all, I enjoyed participating in Bout of Books 14.0!!

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 6 Update!

Bout of Books

Day 6 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. Today I finished listening to the unabridged version of The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb. It's a cozy mystery novel and the first in a series. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Click on above link to read my review of The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Saturday, August 22, 2015

The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb

Unabridged Audiobook
Earlier today, I finished listening the unabridged audio version of The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb and read by Hillary Huber, which is a mystery novel. 

As a side note, this novel marks my 75th read for 2015!! My goal is to read/listen to a total of 100 books during 2015 and so far it looks as though I'll reach goal.

Anyway, back to my review! I love mystery novels, especially cozy mystery novels and The Anteater of Death by Betty White is the first cozy novel in the 'Gunn Zoo Mystery' series. I enjoy reading well written books featuring animals, so a mystery novel that highlights/features animals was a nice combination. I enjoyed both the start and end of this novel as it tells the story from the point of view of the anteater, which was cute! 

Some of the additional perks of reading The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb include a fun leading character in Teddy Bentley (a zookeeper), other quirky characters, entertaining storyline, and of course, various scenes featuring zoo animals! I also liked the fact that The Anteater of Death takes place in Northern California and mentions cities I am familiar with in my area.

One of the cons of reading The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb (for me anyway) was that some of scenes featuring the zoo animals seemed unrealistic... How could there be that much drama with the wildlife at a zoo? Additionally, some of the characters were a tad too eccentric, like Teddy's parents for instance. Otherwise, I felt like The Anteater of Death was a good read.

The following is a plot summary for The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb from GoodReads:
If Lucy, the pregnant giant anteater from Belize, didn't kill the man found dead in her enclosure, who did? California zookeeper Teddy Bentley must find the real murderer before her furry friend is shipped off to another zoo in disgrace.
Then another human bites the dust, the monkeys riot, the wolves go nuts - and that's just the beginning. Teddy's father, on the lam from the feds for embezzling millions, gets targeted by a local gangster. Her socialite mother, Caro, a former beauty queen who loathes Teddy's dangerous job, starts introducing her to "eligible bachelors"; but Teddy has already given her heart to Sheriff Joe Rejas, a migrant worker's son. Caro is not pleased.
Zoo life, animal lore, and the leaky ups and downs of California central-coast houseboat living create a thrilling backdrop for murder.
I am giving The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!! 

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 5 Update!

Bout of Books

Day 5 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. Today I continued listening to the unabridged version of The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb. I finished listening to 7 of 8 compact discs today. So far, I am enjoying this audiobook. It's a mystery novel and good so far. 

For me, it's slow going in terms of my reading goals. I'd hoped to have three books read and reviewed at this point and well into my 4th book for this read-a-thon, but have not had the excess time to devote to reading this week.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday, August 21, 2015

Bookish Quote of the Day!!


Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 4 Update!

Bout of Books

Day 4 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. Today I started listening to the unabridged version of The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb. I finished listening to 4 of 8 compact discs today. So far, I am enjoying this audiobook. It's a mystery novel and good so far.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 3 Update!

Bout of Books



Day 3 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. I read 53 pages total on my 3rd day of Bout of Books 14.0. I was able to finish reading Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, which I began reading before the Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon began. So, now I've completed reading two books during the Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon.

Click on the following link to read my review of Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Hardback Edition
I initially chose to read Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi for the following reasons:

1. Graphic novels are ones that I don't normally read... So in an effort to read more graphic novels, I selected Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi to read as it sounded like an interesting book.

2. I am also interested in learning more about other cultures that I am not that familiar with and Iran is certainly a country I do not know very much about... Or what it might be like to grow up in their culture.

3. I've also learned that Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi has been a banned/challenged book. and since I am participating in the 2015 Banned Book Reading Challenge, I thought this would be a perfect book for the 2015 Banned Book Reading Challenge.

The following is a plot summary for Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi from Amazon's website:
Originally published to wide critical acclaim in France, where it elicited comparisons to Art Spiegelman's Maus, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane’s child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
So, what did I like about Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi? I loved the artwork in this particular graphic novel, as it's really well done. However, the writing is way too small, so I had to use a magnifier to read most of the dialogue throughout the entire book, which sucked to say the least!

I loved the character of young Marjane in Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. It must have been difficult growing up during the Islamic Revolution. I found it interesting to read how a young person deals with and views a revolution. I look forward to reading the second book in the series titled Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi.

I am giving Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 14.0 ~~~ Day 2 Update!

Bout of Books


Day 2 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. I read 70 pages total on my 2nd day of Bout of Books 14.0. I am currently reading Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, which I began reading before the Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon began. I am currently on page 103 of this graphic novel.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Bout of Books 14 Read-A-Thon ~~~ Day 1 Update!

Bout of Books


Day 1 of Bout of Books 14.0 has come and gone. I read 98 pages total on my 1st day of Bout of Books 14.0. I completed reading Starring Sally J. Freedman Herself by Judy Blume, a novel I had begun reading before Bout of Books 14.0 began. Click on the link above to read my review of Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself.

I didn't participate in the read-a-thon challenge yesterday.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Monday, August 17, 2015

Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume

After reading my very first Judy Blume novel earlier this year, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, I couldn't resist reading another one of Ms. Blume's novels. So, I decided to read Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself as my next read by Judy Blume.

Well, I couldn't have been more disappointed after reading Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume!! I thought the leading character of Sally J. Freedman was so very annoying. In fact, I didn't like most of the characters in this novel... But, Sally's character is naive and such a worrywart all the time, just like the character of Sally's mother is in this novel. Sally also has a VERY ACTIVE imagination and is frequently busy daydreaming!! I thought that most of the storyline for Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself was boring and uninteresting. I almost gave up reading this novel on several occasions, but kept on reading it hoping it would grow better over time. 

After finishing Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself, I noticed at the end of the book, a small section where Judy Blume talks about her writing. I was surprised to learn from Judy Blume that Starring J. Freedman As Herself was her most autobiographical novel. Ms. Blume wrote: "When I was ten I was a lot like Sally --- curious, imaginative, a worrier. I was always making up stories inside my head. In my stories, which I never wrote down or shared, I was brave and strong. I led a life of drama, adventure and fame. I think the character of Sally explains how and why I became a writer." This little tidbit from Judy Blume was the most interesting thing about my entire experience with regards to reading Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself... This piece of information puts an entirely new spin for me on this novel, but it doesn't make me like it any better.

The following is a plot summary for Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume from Amazon's website:
Who do you tell when you're certain that Hitler is alive, retired, and living in Miami Beach?
It's 1947, and Sally J. Freedman full of wild ideas. She's got her eye on handsome Peter Hornstein, the Latin lover of her dreams...on hold Mr. Zavodsky, who looks suspiciously like Hitler in disguise...and on her father, who Sally misses terribly. There are so many things to worry and wonder about. But whatever happens, Sally's school year in Miami Beach will certainly be exciting--and absolutely unforgettable.
I am giving Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Nowhere to Hide by John Dylena

Erotica Short Story
Nowhere to Hide by John Dylena is a short story approximately 22 pages in length that I was able to download to my Kindle for free. I read it in less than an hour. Below is my honest review of Nowhere to Hide.

I wasn't a big fan of this short story. I didn't like the writer's style. I felt the characters and storyline could have had more zing to them. The entire story wasn't appealing to me and could have been so much more.

The following is a plot summary for Nowhere to Hide by John Dylena from Amazon's website:
Josh had the apartment all to himself for the weekend and everything was going according to plan. His makeup was impeccable and he loved the way the stockings gently hugged his legs and how the curly brown hair of his wig fell past his shoulders. 
Just as he finished applying the final coat of ruby red lipstick, Josh heard the door to his apartment close and voices in the apartment. His roommate, Will and his girlfriend Nicole, came home early from their vacation and were here to stay. 
For adults only! Contains the following themes: crossdressing, threesome, oral sex, anal sex, feminization
I'm giving Nowhere to Hide by John Dylena a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Bookish Quote of the Day!!


Reading On One's Phone Is A Growing Trend

The idea of reading on one's cell phone comes to no surprise to me as we pretty much use our smartphones for nearly everything these days... I'm not a huge fan of reading books on my cell phone as the screen is too small to read for long periods of time. 

However, to pass time on a recent flight home from visiting my parents earlier this month, I did find myself reading an ebook on my cell phone when I didn't want to dig out my paperback book from my carry-on luggage located in the overhead storage compartment.

I recently came across an article on the Wall Street Journal titled The Rise of Phone Reading by Jennifer Maloney. In her article, Maloney writes the following:
Ever since the first hand-held e-readers were introduced in the 1990s, the digital-reading revolution has turned the publishing world upside down. But contrary to early predictions, it’s not the e-reader that will be driving future book sales, but the phone.
“The future of digital reading is on the phone,” said Judith Curr, publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint Atria Books. “It’s going to be on the phone and it’s going to be on paper.” 
For now, tablets like the iPad and Kindle Fire remain the most popular platform to read digital books. According to Nielsen, the percentage of e-book buyers who read primarily on tablets was 41% in the first quarter of 2015, compared with 30% in 2012.
But what has captured publishers’ attention is the increase in the number of people reading their phones. In a Nielsen survey of 2,000 people this past December, about 54% of e-book buyers said they used smartphones to read their books at least some of the time. That’s up from 24% in 2012, according to a separate study commissioned by Nielsen.
The number of people who read primarily on phones has risen to 14% in the first quarter of 2015 from 9% in 2012.
Meanwhile, those reading mainly on e-readers, such as Kindles and Nooks, dropped over the same period to 32% from 50%. Even tablet reading has declined recently to 41% in the first quarter this year from 44% in 2014.
Click on above link to read Jennifer Maloney's entire story on the Wall Street Journal. It's a fascinating story about the pros of reading on one's smartphone!

The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax

eBook Novella
I enjoyed reading the ebook edition of The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax, which is a novella approximately 168 pages in length. 

I was able to download this novella for free from Amazon to my Kindle. Below is my unbiased review of The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax.

I liked the fact that The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax is a wholesome, romance novella!! Helena Fairfax is a good writer and I enjoyed reading about both of the leading characters of Penny Rosas and Kurt Bold that she created from the get go... 

The storyline for The Antique Love is a good one as well, even if the storyline is a bit predictable and follows the typical romance formula used in many works of romance fiction. You know the couple is going to fall in love in the end, right? Happily ever after is fun to read about and so is the journey the couple takes getting there.

The following is a plot summary for The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax from Amazon's Website:
A heartwarming, feel-good romance. Voted "Most Romantic Love Scene Ever" by readers of Love, Romances, and More 
One rainy day in London, Wyoming man Kurt Bold walks into an antique shop off the King’s Road and straight into the dreams of its owner, Penny Rosas. Kurt certainly looks every inch the cowboy hero…but he soon brings Penny’s dreams to earth with a thump. His job is in the logical world of finance – and as far as Kurt is concerned, romance is just for dreamers.
But when Kurt hires Penny to help refurbish his Victorian house near Richmond Park, it’s not long before the logical heart he has guarded so carefully is opening up to new emotions, in a most disturbing way…
I am giving The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday, August 14, 2015

Friday Finds #91

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!


Here's the books I've added to my ever growing reading pile this week:

Breast Cancer Boot Camp by William B. Hobbins M. D & Wendy Sellens L. Ac.
Leisure Arts Knit Stitch Guide by Rita Weiss
Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner & Anne Meador Shayne


Which books have you added to your reading pile or reading wishlist?

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Iowa Barber Promote Reading & Gives Free Haircuts!!

I love feel good news stories that showcase everyday people that help promote literacy. In this case, I came across a news story on the USA Today Network's website titled Iowa barber's deal for kids: Read for haircut by Mary Bowerman. In her article, Bowerman writes the following:
There wasn't any small talk between Courtney Holmes and the clients who sat in his barber chair on Saturday.
Instead, children from kindergartners to fifth-graders read books to Holmes in exchange for a free back-to-school haircut. Some children breezed through their book and reached for another, while others stumbled on words.
"The kids would come in, and I would say, "Go to the table and get a book you might like, and if you can't read it, I'll help you understand and we can read it together," Holmes, of Dubuque, Iowa, told USA TODAY Network.
Click on link above to read the full story. 

I'm simply impressed that barber, Courtney Holmes, offered to give free haircuts to kids as a back to school special, in exchange for them reading a book to him! I like it when people help to promote reading/literacy as it is an essential necessity.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Books Worth Reading About Living Abroad

Okay, I admit it, I've always wanted to live abroad, but never had the actual boldness/guts/follow through to do so. 

As much as the idea of living abroad (even if it is just for a short time like a year or two) sounds appealing to me, it is also kind of a scary thought to simply uproot one's way of life completely and move to an entirely new culture. The very idea of living in a country where the spoken language may not be the same as your own and/or the political and religious views are very different than your own, not to mention leaving family and friends behind, can all be daunting (or not) depending on one's personal outlook.

Even though I never lived aboard, I do find it very enjoyable to read about other people's experiences with living in foreign countries. Two of my personal favorite books about living abroad are titled:

Tea and Bee's Milk: Our Year in a Turkish Village by Karen & Ray Gilden

A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco by Suzanna Clarke

I also came across an article posted on The Week website titled 6 great books about living abroad by Jennifer Steil, which highlights six books that I have yet to read about living abroad. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness by Jerry & Esther Hicks

Unabridged Audiobook on CD
Last month, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness by Jerry & Esther Hicks. 

After listening to Money, and the Law of Attraction by Jerry & Esther Hicks, I'm still not 100% sure what I think about the ideas presented in this book. Yes, I like the positive messages provided in this book... Along with the idea of avoiding negativity. I also like the idea of being able to attract money, good health and other wonderful things life has to offer by simply thinking and feeling positive. BUT is that really all there is to this concept?? Let's just say that I'm a tad skeptical about the ideas presented in this book.

The following is a summary of Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness by Jerry & Esther Hicks from Amazon's website:

This Leading Edge work by Esther and Jerry Hicks, who present the teachings of the Non-Physical consciousness Abraham, explains that the two subjects most chronically affected by the powerful Law of Attraction are financial and physical well-being. This CD set will shine a spotlight on each of the most significant aspects of your life experience and then guide you to the conscious creative control of every aspect of your life, and also goes right to the heart of what most of you are probably troubled by: money and physical health. Not having enough money or not having good health puts you in the perfect position for creating more of that which you do not have. It deliberately aligns you with the most powerful law in the universe—the Law of Attraction—so that you can make it work specifically for you. 
Money, and the Law of Attraction is formatted in five, vibrant parts 
Part I – Processing of Pivoting and Positive Aspects 
Part II – Attracting Money and Manifesting Abundance 
Part III – Maintaining Your Physical Well-Being 
Part IV – Perspectives of Health, Weight, and Mind 
Part V – Careers, as Profitable Sources of Pleasure

I am giving Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness by Jerry & Esther Hicks a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon Sign-Up!!

Bout of Books


Yippee, I'm super excited to be participating in Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon!! I love this read-a-thon and look forward to participating yet in another round of Bout of Books. Bout of Books is a fun, low key, stress free event and is filled with fun challenges and giveaways! Below is a blurb about the Bout of Books Read-A-Thon from the Bout of Books team
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
I hope you can join me in participating in the Bout of Books 14.0 Read-A-Thon. Until then, happy reading!!

Friday, August 7, 2015

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

I received an uncorrected proof/paperback copy of Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. 

Below is my unbiased review of Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Okay, let me outright say it now... I LOVED READING Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert!!! There wasn't one thing I didn't enjoy about reading in Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert... In fact, I'd venture to write that Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert has become one of my favorite reads for 2015 so far. 

Everything Elizabeth Gilbert wrote about in Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear was succinct, timely, creative and purely magical as far as writing and creative ideas/thinking is concerned... I am inspired and empowered by what I read in Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear to live a richer, fuller, more creative and fulfilling life without fear. Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert for writing such an amazing book!

The following is a book summary of Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert from Amazon's website:
Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
I am giving Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!

Knitting For Beginners by Diane Ellis

Once again, I discovered another free knitting ebook geared for beginners to download to my Kindle from Amazon!! I read Knitting For Beginners by Diane Ellis in less than 2 hours. This ebook is approximately 44 pages in length. Below is my unbiased review of this book.

I enjoyed reading this book about knitting. It covered some of the same topics I've read before like the history of knitting, healthy benefits of knitting, basic supplies, and easy to do knitting patterns. 

I think the best tip I learned from reading Knitting For Beginners, is to keep a knitting journal. Keeping a knitting journal is something that hasn't been mentioned in other books that I've read so far (or at least that I can recall anyway). The knitting journal makes a great reference guide for you as you can keep notes, like the name of the project you made, where you obtained the pattern for the project you made, information about the yarn and needles you used, a place to write down any problems you encountered while making the project, adding pictures of what you made, and so on.

The actual knitting patterns provided in Knitting For Beginners by Diane Ellis weren't many, but the few offered were varied enough for the beginning knitter to make this ebook worth having.

I am giving Knitting For Beginners by Diane Ellis a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Knitting For Beginners by Christie Anderson

As a new knitter, I'm always on the look out for new knitting books geared for beginning knitters. So, I was thrilled to discover and download a free copy of the ebook version of Knitting For Beginners by Christie Anderson from Amazon to my Kindle. Knitting For Beginners is approximately 76 pages in length. Below is my unbiased opinion of Knitting For Beginners by Christis Anderson.

There's a lot to like about Knitting For Beginners by Christie Anderson. I enjoyed learning about the benefits of knitting, learning about the different types of knitting needles and needle styles, learning about the different types of yarn used in knitting and choosing the correct weight of yarn for projects, how to read a knitting pattern, learning the basic knit stitches, as well as a few easy knitting patterns to help one starting out in the wonderful of knitting make something fun! 

I'm giving Knitting For Beginners by Christie Anderson a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. So, if you're looking for a knitting ebook for beginners, then this may be the one for you!! 

Until my next post, happy reading!!