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876 reviews by:
anastaciaknits
This book is one of a few similar books I read back in October on various religions/faiths/cults, and didn't review at the time - mostly because books like this I have to think about for a little while in order to get my thoughts into place. It's always very difficult for me to review a biography or a memoir because I feel like I'm reviewing someone's life and how can anyone do that? Or be so bold as to do that?
Susan's story is about how she marries at age 15 to a man twice her age, who already has many wives, and continues to marry and have more and more children. Her husband at times seems evil and cruel, yet at others seems to genuinely care for Susan as much as he is able - which isn't much, considering all the other wives, children, and demands on his attention.
He (I feel bad, I can't remember her husband's name) continually puts his faith, his brothers, and himself before any of his wives, including Susan the so called favorite wife.
That being said, Susan does a great job showing you her life and her horrors, but letting the reader draw their own conclusions. She ends up leaving her husband and takes her kids with her, makes a few mistakes but ends up happily married at the end.
Anyone who is interested in learning about other cultures or faiths should read this one.
Susan's story is about how she marries at age 15 to a man twice her age, who already has many wives, and continues to marry and have more and more children. Her husband at times seems evil and cruel, yet at others seems to genuinely care for Susan as much as he is able - which isn't much, considering all the other wives, children, and demands on his attention.
He (I feel bad, I can't remember her husband's name) continually puts his faith, his brothers, and himself before any of his wives, including Susan the so called favorite wife.
That being said, Susan does a great job showing you her life and her horrors, but letting the reader draw their own conclusions. She ends up leaving her husband and takes her kids with her, makes a few mistakes but ends up happily married at the end.
Anyone who is interested in learning about other cultures or faiths should read this one.
This book was my grandmother's favorite. I remember reading it as a kid, and not understanding alot of it - I certainly didn't understand the Holocaust, or what it meant to love others unconditionally. For a totally different look at living through the Holocaust, read this.
The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion: 37 Patterns to Embrace, Inspire, and Celebrate Life
Victoria A. Cole-Galo, Janet Severi Bristow
I was lucky to get an e-version of this book through netgalley.com.
I am a crocheter, and have made many, many shawls to give away to people. Though in my mind, I don't call them "prayer" shawls, they are along the same idea - to give comfort to someone needing help. I was very eager to both read, and to make something out of this book. The shawls are beautifully photographed, with a variety of skill levels. Each shawl has a little intro, usually a little story about why the shawl was made or designed, and who it was given to. Heartbreaking stories, that make you want to save the world, one shawl at a time. There's also a little section about the history of the prayer shawl, a story which I'm already familiar with, but went into a little more detail.
I was a little disappointed in the actual shapes of the shawls - I prefer to make shaped shawls, i.e. a triangle, a half circle, a farose or 3/4 shawl, etc., and there were very few in the book. There were also a couple of extremely basic, granny square type shawls which I personally felt was a waste of space in the book. Granny squares have been around as long as there have been crocheters, and there are dozens of free patterns for granny square shawls, both in leaflets & on the internet (I have one, too).
All in all, though, I do believe that this book is a wonderful resource, and it's worth buying just for the stories if nothing else.
I am a crocheter, and have made many, many shawls to give away to people. Though in my mind, I don't call them "prayer" shawls, they are along the same idea - to give comfort to someone needing help. I was very eager to both read, and to make something out of this book. The shawls are beautifully photographed, with a variety of skill levels. Each shawl has a little intro, usually a little story about why the shawl was made or designed, and who it was given to. Heartbreaking stories, that make you want to save the world, one shawl at a time. There's also a little section about the history of the prayer shawl, a story which I'm already familiar with, but went into a little more detail.
I was a little disappointed in the actual shapes of the shawls - I prefer to make shaped shawls, i.e. a triangle, a half circle, a farose or 3/4 shawl, etc., and there were very few in the book. There were also a couple of extremely basic, granny square type shawls which I personally felt was a waste of space in the book. Granny squares have been around as long as there have been crocheters, and there are dozens of free patterns for granny square shawls, both in leaflets & on the internet (I have one, too).
All in all, though, I do believe that this book is a wonderful resource, and it's worth buying just for the stories if nothing else.
I don't tend to read "current" Christmas books - I enjoy reading the old standbys, like "A Christmas Carol". But I greatly enjoyed this book, with a few minor details that bugged me but were easy to overlook.
The book is about a young lady, a pastor's daughter, who is bi-racial (annoying point number one: I wish the author wrote more about this, otherwise why make a point about her being bi-racial at all?), who wants one last, perfect Christmas before she goes off to college next year. And, then reality happens. One thing after another happens to shatter her perfect world, until the end a Christmas miracle happens (yes, really, but it's not too sappy I promise). It's all in all, a wonderful tale to get you into the holiday spirit, and I know this sounds corn-ball - but one I'd probably read every year at this time.
(I won a copy of this book from goodreads)
The book is about a young lady, a pastor's daughter, who is bi-racial (annoying point number one: I wish the author wrote more about this, otherwise why make a point about her being bi-racial at all?), who wants one last, perfect Christmas before she goes off to college next year. And, then reality happens. One thing after another happens to shatter her perfect world, until the end a Christmas miracle happens (yes, really, but it's not too sappy I promise). It's all in all, a wonderful tale to get you into the holiday spirit, and I know this sounds corn-ball - but one I'd probably read every year at this time.
(I won a copy of this book from goodreads)
medium-paced
This book was a thriller, all right. I do not generally read thrillers (nor do I like to watch them) - those are the types of things that keep me up at night, or give me nightmares, and I already have problems enough sleeping. But the premise of this book caught my eye & I agreed to review the book (I received a copy for free by the author).
I was immediately hooked into the book, and read it in a little less than a week. I could have easily finished faster, but the book is darker than I would have liked, so I couldn't read it at night (again, read the bit about giving me nightmares). This book is a very scary read -- not horror movie scary, more like Stephen King "Under the Dome" scary, but worse. I think what makes this book such a scary read is that it is so believable, and in the crazy world we live in, you can see most of these events actually happening, especially the germ warfare part. My coworkers saw me reading this book on my lunch break, and we got into conversations about germ warfare, and got us talking - good stuff!
There are a few scenes that were graphic for me, that I could have done without, but this book is excellent & I would definitely read anything else Meijer comees up with!
I was immediately hooked into the book, and read it in a little less than a week. I could have easily finished faster, but the book is darker than I would have liked, so I couldn't read it at night (again, read the bit about giving me nightmares). This book is a very scary read -- not horror movie scary, more like Stephen King "Under the Dome" scary, but worse. I think what makes this book such a scary read is that it is so believable, and in the crazy world we live in, you can see most of these events actually happening, especially the germ warfare part. My coworkers saw me reading this book on my lunch break, and we got into conversations about germ warfare, and got us talking - good stuff!
There are a few scenes that were graphic for me, that I could have done without, but this book is excellent & I would definitely read anything else Meijer comees up with!
This book is nothing but a short advertisement for their website. I actually read it twice because I really thought I was missing something.
I received a review copy for free.
I received a review copy for free.
First of all, let me just say I love Drew, & I have enjoyed watching his "rise to fame" in the crochet world.
This is a small, LA book, featuring 16 projects. Some are a little weird for my tastes... like the open, lacey skirt Vashti, or the poofy ruffled cardigan... but there's the two gorgeous short sleeved sweaters, Saugatuck Summer & Antebellum, which would be so easy to change this up or down, make more casual or dressy. I also adore the Pencil Skirt, thoough I'm not sure I'd ever make or wear it.
I love the fact that, as LA usually does, the patterns use yarns easily found at Big Box stores & are, for the most part, actually affordable. Sure, I love my alpacas & silks, but I can afford that stuff once or twice every five years, usually one ball for a shawl.
Conclusions: add this to your crochet library!
This is a small, LA book, featuring 16 projects. Some are a little weird for my tastes... like the open, lacey skirt Vashti, or the poofy ruffled cardigan... but there's the two gorgeous short sleeved sweaters, Saugatuck Summer & Antebellum, which would be so easy to change this up or down, make more casual or dressy. I also adore the Pencil Skirt, thoough I'm not sure I'd ever make or wear it.
I love the fact that, as LA usually does, the patterns use yarns easily found at Big Box stores & are, for the most part, actually affordable. Sure, I love my alpacas & silks, but I can afford that stuff once or twice every five years, usually one ball for a shawl.
Conclusions: add this to your crochet library!