Jan. 21- Jan. 29

 Title: Wild Geese
Designer: Jim Killen Sunset Cross Stitch Kit
Fabric: Dove Grey Aida 16 ct.


I am really liking the depth which is showing on this piece. The trees in the background compared to the birds is pretty cool. It is done by using a different number of strands and both full and half stitches.

 Title: Starrett House
Designer: Nancy Spruance Designs
Fabric: White Aida 14 ct.


I am enjoying how clean the stitches feel on this one. I think it might be because it has been awhile since I have used this large of a count. Everything feels smooth as I stitch it.

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna#1)

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

Author: Kendare Blake

Genre: Horror, Young Adult

Published: October 17, 2011

Cas took over his father’s business of killing ghosts when his father died. The next ghost on his list was Anna who was stronger and more aware than any other ghost Cas had ever faced before.

For some reason I have had a difficult time writing this review. I enjoyed the book. I found the beginning to be an interesting way to introduce the reader to Cas and what he did. I was impressed with the mystery because it wasn’t really centered on what Anna had done, but more about what had been done to her. I was also surprised by the answer to the mystery. It was one of the few stories I didn’t see the answer fifty pages before the big reveal. I was actually kind of excited about that. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5. 

Title: Clariel (Abhorsen #4)

Author: Garth Nix

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Published: October 14, 2014

The book takes place six hundred years before the rest of the series. Clariel had just moved to the capital from the borders of the country and all she wanted to do was go back. Her parents had other plans for her future. Then a Free Magic creature arrived and Clariel became her possibility of escape.

I really really loved Sabriel. It is one of my favorite books. I am unsure if I would have liked Clariel more if I hadn’t read the first one or if it really was the book. Maybe it has just been too long since I have read the rest of the series.

My biggest problem with the book was only one of the characters was actually willing to step up and do what they needed to do. The king decided ruling the country was too much work, so he stopped. The princess who was supposed to rule after the king disappeared. The Abhorsen was more worried about the next hunt than his duties. The next Abhorsen took after her father and didn’t care about anything beyond hunting. Clariel, the main character, only wanted to go back to her beloved forest. They all had really important things they should be doing and none of them would even attempt to try. The only character who stepped up and did what needed to be done was Bel. I became frustrated especially when Clariel was upset with the king for not ruling. I really wanted someone to point out how hypocritical she was being. No one ever did.

I find this world fascinating and really look forward to being a part of it during the time it takes me to read. The words used make beautiful pictures whether we are in the normal world, the Old Kingdom, or death. Each of the environments described are rich and they make the series worth reading.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Review: Nightbird

Title: Nightbird

Author: Alice Hoffman

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Published: March 10, 2015

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Twig lived in a small town called Sidwell. There was a monster stealing little things from people in town, leaving blue graffiti, and briefly being sighted. Twigs family had a secret of their own and a fear it would be found out.

With the amount of time it took to be introduced to Twig I was surprised the rest of the story wasn't more involved. Once we got to know all the characters the story moved very quickly. The big reveals (the family secret, the reason the witch cursed her family, and how everyone was interconnected) were not as surprising as they should have been. When each secret came to light instead of a gasp of surprise I thought, okay and...

My main problem with these people were their tendency to avoid conflict. Instead of confronting or dealing when issues came up they would leave. One character after another left. Even Twig who was twelve would run away if she thought someone was going to say something she didn't like. Really they needed to all just sit down and talk things through. It wouldn't have solved all the problems within the story, but it would have been a lot less psychologically frustrating.

I am a person who likes happy endings, in fact I prefer them. This one however, I felt as if I had been tossed into a vat of cotton candy and told to make my way out by eating. I could almost feel the sugar shock hitting me as I pushed through. Everything was rapped up nice and neat. Every character was beyond happy and things in their world could not have been better. It was really saccharine sweet.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: Fire (Graceling Realm #2)

Author: Kristin Cashore

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Published: October 5, 20009

Fire was a human monster who could control people's minds. Her country was on the verge of war. The King and Prince took Fire to the capital so she could help with the war effort.

There was one character I really did not like. Archer, he wasn't even the bad guy. He was a potential love interest for Fire, but he was controlling and jealous and when he didn't get what he wanted he slept with anyone who was willing. My sister called him a man whore. I was inclined to agree with her. I was glad the anti-marriage message from the first book was not as strong in this though.

I found the repetition a little trying. One example was the use of the word monster, it came before other words such as cat, mouse, human, etc. Another example was the focus on Fire's menstrual cycle. I'm not sure I have focused as much on my own as the author did Fire's. My last example was the focus on Fire's looks. She was beautiful enough she would have men professing love or moved to violence just by looking at her. It became a little much.

I did find the story slow at the beginning. It took me about eighty pages before I really began to connect to the characters. Then I found the book difficult to put down. I did enjoy most of the interactions between the different characters. I especially enjoyed Fire's dealings with Small and Horse the two horses she ends up with in the book. I liked how they both chose her and because of that she didn't actually view them as property.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: Scarlet (Scarlet #1)

Author: A. C. Gaughen

Genre: Young Adult, Fairytales

Published: February 14, 2012

The book is a retelling of Robin Hood from the point of view of a female Will Scarlet.

I was suckered into this book because of the cover. It is really pretty and I really wanted to love this book. I'm not sure if that is what colored my negative reaction or if the book really was just meh.

Things I disliked:

    1. The love triangle. I really am sick of love triangles. In this case it felt like one of the guys was going after the girl because she was a girl and she hadn't slept with him yet. The other guy spent the entire book being fickle about his attitude towards the girl.

    2. Scarlet was really good at fighting. She was amazing as a thief, with knives, martial arts, and the ability to climb. She was raised as a lady the daughter of a lord. Where did she get the skill set put forth within the story? This was never touched on and I don't think I was supposed to find it weird, but I did.

    3. For most of the book I felt as if the story was following a pattern. A: talk to Robin, B: talk to John, C: steal something, D: fight someone, E: this would be a variety of different things. Then they would go back to A. I really was not surprised when a character would do something.
Things I liked:

    1. The action was really good. The fight scenes were well choreographed and thought out.

    2. The characters were interesting. We were given snippets about the character's pasts, enough to be informative but not enough to make it boring.

    3. The story did intrigue me enough I really do want to read the next one in the series. I am curious what is going to happen to the people of the different towns. I wonder if Much will learn to use his new knife. How will the relationship with Robin and Scarlet fare? What is John going to do now?

I did like it enough to read the next in the series. Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: Incarnate (Newsoul #1)

Author: Jodi Meadows

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published: January 31, 2012

For five thousand years a million souls were reincarnated with memories from their previous lives. Then one didn't come back instead a newsoul named Ana was born. Then Ana met Sam who believed she was worth fighting for and decided to try and help her.

Emotionally this book really got to me. I cried within the first couple of chapters. The psychological abuse Ana went through was very well done. I did find the emotion a less near the end of the book. I think the author would have been able to keep it as high as it was in the beginning if I was able to listen to a sound track while reading. I do know that isn't feasible, but since so much time was devoted to talking about music I almost wish there was one.

I did find this version of reincarnation interesting. I liked how since the citizens could remember their past lives their punishments could carry on into the next life. It wasn't addressed, but I also liked the idea were suicide wouldn't be the escape many people in our world believe it is. In the book the characters needed to work through their problems because really there was no alternative. It did bring an odd twist on murder and made it really not an issue for their society. If you were murdered all you would really lose would be a body.

I think I liked where my mind went with the ideas of this book more than the actual story itself, but since I am unable to separate them I will say I enjoyed the book.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: Rebel (Reboot #2)

Author: Amy Tintera

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Published: May 13, 2014

This book starts exactly where book one left off. Wren, Callum and the other Reboots joined other Reboots on a reservation. They were wanting to start a new life and were faced with the reality of an impending war with those they just left.

I found the story a little slow at the beginning. Once Wren left the reservation for the last time the story really picked up. The second half of the book went by very fast.

What I found most interesting was the concept of prejudice throughout the story. It wasn't the focus and there was no soap box. Most of the focus was the action, the story was about Wren and Callum and where they were going. Despite the diminished population as we spent time in their world we were unable to avoid the contention between the humans and the reboots. One of the things that made it even more interesting was the line between the two was incredibly thin. I just liked how it was there and a constant, but our noses weren't rubbed in the concept.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published: April 5, 2011

The third book ended so well. I am not sure if I am disappointed in this book because I enjoyed number three and the Clockwork books and this was nowhere as good as those, or if I just did not like this story. There were moments which were fun and I did manage to get involved in what was happening. Despite the end being predictable I did enjoy the climax and parts of what came after, but then the book ended and I wondered really did she need to actually go there? We couldn't have that happen in any other way?

Overall I gave this book 2 stars out of 5.