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Erin Darlyn
There were some cute moments, but this one was also a miss for me. (This series was definitely not my favorite.)
I???m not a fan of plots built entirely around one adult lying to the other (or both adults lying to each other) all through the book only to be wrapped up with a tidy bow at the end. The stories always come across exceedingly contrived, unnecessary and unrealistic, and I can never bring myself to believe that the leads are actually going to have a happy, healthy relationship when the story is over.
My other issue with this story was Jake, the male lead. He made bad decision after bad decision and just ended up being incredibly unlikeable. He was the creepy uncle who hid behind a tree or a bus at the kids??? school so he could see them without their legal guardian knowing. He asked the kids to lie to their guardian with him (and then unnecessarily let that lie go on until the end of the book). He was the guy who made (horrible) life decisions based off a rumor that one of the female lead???s relatives (who was not a part of her life anymore) had a mental illness; not her, mind you - her relative. He justified his lies / decisions by saying that the disease is hereditary (in reality, there is about a 10% chance of a child inheriting this illness from their parent who has it) and automatically assumed that the female lead probably had this illness too. He then decided that it was okay for him to snoop through her personal belongings looking for medications. Apparently we???re all supposed to forget these things because he???s buff, has a ???deep throaty laugh,??? and had good intentions, but I???m not buying it.
I like books with flawed characters but healthy relationships. This one had the first but not the second.
I usually enjoy most of Denise's books as quick palate cleansers when I'm in a reading slump or between dense books, but this story was just a total miss for me.
In real life, the male lead would be considered an obsessive stalker and both he and the female lead lie to each other throughout the whole book. Their relationship was not healthy at all. They literally don't tell each other the truth until the end of the last chapter and then the book abruptly ends without wrapping up other parts of the story.
An altogether tiring read. I'd recommend skipping this one.
I have been learning to spin and knit and this book was so helpful! Jillian walks you through how to think through creating the yarn that will work best for the project you want to make, shows examples of how little adjustments throughout the whole spinning process (including fiber prep and finishing) produce differences in your finished yarn and the fabric it will make, and then shares a collection of patterns and projects from a variety of designers. Thoroughly enjoyable and the photos are beautiful.
Such a beautiful book of poetry. Amanda has perfectly captured the nuances of what we have been facing these past years and I believe that this volume will be something people study one hundred years from now when they are learning about our time. I really enjoyed reading it.
Two of my favorite excerpts from this collection:
“It's said that ignorance in bliss.
Ignorance is this: a vine that
sneaks up a tree, killing not by
poison, but by blocking out its
light.”
“Strength is separate from survival.
What endures isn't always what escapes
& what is withered can still withstand.”
This is the second collection of Billy Collins' poems I have read and it is an enjoyable one, though I preferred The Trouble with Poetry. This collection had a more solemn and reflective tone running through it versus the subtle wit and hint of mischief that dominated in the The Trouble with Poetry. A lovely collection of poems; just “not as much favorite.” Hence, the 4 stars instead of 5. =)
What a beautiful edition this is! I love the stunning gold foiling on the cover.
Every other page in these editions (Old and New Testament books are all available; a few are grouped together in one volume) is blank so that you can take notes, journal, draw, etc. as you read and study. The blank pages have a very faint, almost unnoticeable dot grid on them that makes it easy to keep your writing straight and evenly spaced if you would like to, but that would not take away from artwork should you choose to use the edition for art journaling. The pages are likely thick enough for art journaling, though for reference, Zebra's Mildliners did very mildly show through on the opposite side of the page when I used them for highlighting.
I was concerned at first that cracks in the spine would leave white lines. I generally take care not to crack the spines of my books, but this one is thick and I thought that perhaps it could happen naturally when I got to the middle of the book and the pages were weighing down on the spine more. I am happy to report that no cracks and no white lines appeared in the spine, so even after reading, it still looks pretty on the shelf. The edition itself is a nice width that feels good in the hands whilst reading. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the ESV in these editions.
This book is an absolutely beautiful poetic retelling of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. I loved reading it.
I met the author through a Craigslist sale and he gave me a copy of the book while we were talking about the item he was picking up. My husband and I both immediately started reading it. I have just finished it this evening and must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it the whole way through. It is so lyrical and lovely and the illustrations are so sweet and charming. It is suitable for reading with kids but is also enjoyable for adults. I highly recommend picking up a copy.
Disclaimer: I am writing this review from the perspective of a non-Jewish believer.
I picked up this version as part of what began as a year-long journey (I have since decided to extend it because I have been enjoying the process so much) of reading through several different versions of the Bible which I had not yet completely read. I was excited to read through it, especially the New Testament, and to learn more about the Jewish perspective of the Word through the translation, study notes, and included commentary. It was such a rich experience! Seeing the Scripture through the eyes of the Jewish people and learning more about the cultural relevance of different elements of the stories and truths within was eye-opening and inspiring. It really rounded out my perspective on several things and the imagery conveyed in the language used is so vivid and vibrant and lovely.
The Old Testament books are in a different order than you will be accustomed to if you normally read Christian translations. I found this interesting and refreshing - there was always something new and unexpected around the corner if I didn't look ahead to see what was coming next!
If this version had concluded at the end of the book of Acts, I would have rated it 5 stars. Up until that point, it had been my favorite version that I had read to date.
To back up a little, there is a note in the introduction to the translation about how the translator chose to translate the word “law” or the phrase “the law” as a longer phrase that basically implies that legalism is what is being referred to in the text rather than the law itself. I was skeptical but open-minded about such a decision before I began reading the actual text. I actually forgot all about it until later in the New Testament, where this interpretation first appears. (In the Old Testament, the word Torah is used instead of law/the law, which I have no issue with.)
Beginning around Romans, the translator starts to stray from translating and selectively move into interpretation rather than translation, seemingly only where it suits his chosen narrative. The translation had been strong before that, so suddenly finding passages where interpretations were used instead of translation really weakened the translation as a whole. The translator's decision to go this route, in my opinion, undermined the complete work and in some ways, discredited it. This is unfortunate, because the translation would have been strong and beautifully done without going this route but instead sticking to the method used in the previous pages. There were several places in the New Testament (post-Acts) where I would look up the original texts and find that the translator had inserted words and phrases that were not there in the original text - almost always to make the text fit within a particular narrative that represents his (and others') beliefs but not what the text itself says - and that sometimes changed the meaning of the original text entirely. Prior to this straying, the translation was solid, thought-provoking, insightful, and quite beautifully done. There was no need to veer off into interpretation under the guise of translation; the translation was speaking for itself before that. This was, at times, a significant issue, particularly in the epistles.
There is also a commentary note in 2 Thessalonians which would be considered blasphemous if what the author of it is saying is incorrect and what Christians believe about the passage is true. (It ascribes what Christians believe is the Holy Spirit to Satan.)
Whilst I would give Genesis through Acts 5 stars, I would give Romans through the end only 1 star based on the insertion of words and phrases that did not exist in the original texts and that changed the meaning of the original texts into something that suited a particular narrative (which I was open to accepting, but the decision to do this really discredited the idea, at least for me). It is for this reason that my review has a final rating of 3 stars.
I would definitely recommend that Christians read this translation, at least through the end of Acts. It deepened my understanding of many things, opened my eyes to some things I had missed or not known before, and was thoroughly beautiful and enjoyable to read up through the point where the inaccuracies started surfacing in the New Testament.
The cover is a bit rougher than other Bibles with a genuine leather cover. I suspect that it could be boiled leather, which can have this texture sometimes. The signatures are sewn and the layout is fantastic. The quality of the materials is very good.
I love Dr. Aviva and her work. I frequently give her books to others as gifts and I often recommend her books, blog and podcast to family, friends and students. This is a good book filled with research and detailed protocols related to a variety of female health concerns. If you have followed Dr. Aviva's work for awhile and have read her other books, you will notice a tiny bit of overlap with some of her other materials, but there is plenty here to feast on, learn from, and implement as well.
The book does contain some profanity, most of it mild with the exception of a few uses of the f-word. I hate that word, so I always remove a star from my book reviews when it is present in a book, but if it had not been included, the book would have been a 4 star book for me.
There are a handful of editing errors which I expect will be corrected in future editions / printings. Nothing terribly distracting.
This book is outstanding, engaging, and very thoroughly researched. I loved it and learned so much. If you work with plant-based anything, I highly recommend reading it. As a clinical herbalist, organic gardener (aspiring farmer) and sustainable herbalism teacher, I will be suggesting it to all of my students.
Charming, though casually written and unedited, so there are typographical errors in it. However, it is also littered with inaccuracies and whitewashed depictions of Jewish history. Additionally, it depicts a works-based means of salvation (the ???do good and be good and you can thereby gain entrance into heaven??? idea) rather than what Jesus taught. It reads like a watered down retelling of the four gospels but with key details eliminated or rewritten to suit the author???s / period???s / locale???s narrative.
This is a short book with just a handful of knitting patterns for basic wardrobe staples. I bought it particularly for the simple turtleneck pattern on the cover and am also hoping to make the basic shell / tank and the basic tee at some point. When I finish an object from one of these patterns, I???ll update this review.
This knitting pattern book has some really pretty garment designs. There are a couple that I would like to make for myself and there is one I want to make for my spouse as a gift. Several are not my taste, but the ones that are are beautiful. I love the cables. Mix of charts and written instructions.
It is very rare that I pick up a book of knit or crochet patterns and find that the majority of the items within suit my taste / wardrobe style. This book is the exception. I want to make every piece in it! I am a new knitter and am looking forward to learning to make these pieces. I???ll update my review as I finish items made from the patterns.
I have mentioned in other reviews that Mary Oliver is my favorite poet. She writes about nature and the beauty of life in such a captivating, resonant way and I love her work. I am the sort of person who likes to keep my books in pristine condition (though I have taken to underlining and annotating of late) but Mary???s collections always break me of that habit and I find myself dog-earing pages often as I read.
Some of my favorite poems from Felicity include: Do the Trees Speak?, Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way, I Wake Close to Morning, I Did Think - Let???s Go About This Slowly, That Little Beast, and The Gift.
A few lines that stuck out:
???In all the works of Beethoven, you will
not find a single lie.
All important ideas must include the trees,
the mountains, and the rivers.
To understand many things you must reach out
of your own condition.??? - from Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way
A delightful read. I love the way Wilkie Collins tells stories and I enjoyed reading the different narratives from the perspectives of various characters.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 for one main reason. I recently read The Woman in White (another of his books) and it instantly became one of my top 5 favorite books; thus, my bar for this one was set high. I liked it very much but not quite as much as TWIW, therefore it has one less star.
That said, I had recently watched a television adaptation of The Moonstone and knew the ending already when I read this one, which also affected my reading experience a bit. I suspect that if I read it again in a year or two, I may rate it higher then.
The 2016 BBC adaptation is worth watching; just read the book first to avoid spoiling the ending. :)
I went into this book knowing that it is not a love story, that people either love it or hate it, and that the characters would all be despicable.
I hated it. It was not in the slightest a pleasurable reading experience and it felt like such a drudgery to keep turning pages.
The story did not draw me in and I did not like the writing style at all (not for a lack of appreciation for classics, because I am very much enjoying reading classics now as an adult; but I truly cannot understand why the people who love this book praise its writing style so much).
Every character is unlikeable, which I expected, but I also felt that the characters lacked depth and that their mental illnesses, evils, and overall character ???arcs??? were ill portrayed.
As for the descriptions of the moors, which seem to be an aspect of the book that some readers find especially awe-inspiring, ???I could never see anything extraordinary in them.???
I shan???t be recommending it to anyone else.
I absolutely loved this book. It is one of the best novels I have ever read and I have handed it off to the next reader already knowing that I should like to read it again one day.
I loved the way the author used various narrators rather than one to unveil the intricacies of the whole story. I loved that he kept me guessing the whole time and that I was actually able to experience the thrill of not knowing what was going to happen (a rare treat for me). It was difficult to put the book down! I kept wanting to read just another section (and another, and another???).
The characters were each brilliant; the storytelling exceptional. Uncle Fairlie was my favorite. His account made me laugh aloud as I read.
I highly recommend this story. I have already picked up a second work by Wilkie Collins and am looking forward to diving into it.
This book was given to me as a gift and I loved reading it! It is filled with beautiful photos of different species of wool-producing species, as well as their fleeces / fibers in raw, cleaned, spun, and knitted states. I am allergic to sheep's wool but I enjoyed reading about the different breeds of sheep so much that I almost ordered samples of several different fleeces just to see if perhaps my body would allow me to work with them. (I may still do that one day.) I loved that the camelids, goats, rabbits and other fiber animals were also included.
The stories of the different sheep breeds and other animals were fascinating and I especially loved reading about the at-risk and scarce species.
This seems to be a well-researched labor of love that must have taken so much time to compile. I'd recommend it for anyone interested in the fiber arts.