2.5/5⭐ Outlines common parts of bag making, then puts them together into several projects. I like that this book talks a little more about using faux leather than other books. The projects looks good and offer a variety of designs. However, the font is strangely small, and there aren't nearly enough pictures to go along with the instructions.

2/5⭐ Not enough pics, confusing/muddled instructions, more complicated than necessary, projects named after random cities with no apparent connection.

3.5/5⭐ Well organized with tons of techniques presented in useful, scaffolded steps. The pages are very busy visually which might be intimidating for a beginner, but I wouldn't want any of that information removed.

4/5⭐ I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid adventure at the intersection of horror, queerness, social commentary, and storytelling. I got hooked into the story and characters pretty early. I read through the book fairly quickly because the momentum caught me up and I just had to know what happened next.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/07/10/review-bury-your-gays-by-chuck-tingle/

#bookspin

4/5⭐I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is peak cozy, and I am 100% here for it. The deftness with which building home, finding family, showing kindness, being yourself, resisting oppression, and doing magic unfold gradually throughout the book really makes it shine.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/06/30/review-the-spellshop-by-sarah-beth-durst/

#doublespin

“I was terrible to both of you. Why are you being so kind?”

“Because we can.”

Books should be shared with everyone who wants to open their minds and hearts to them. Keeping them, keeping knowledge, from people who needed it; that was the real crime.

Of course knowledge is dangerous. But ignorance is even more dangerous.

There's no such thing as a weed. That's a cruel term made up by people who label some plants as unwanted and some as valuable, as if the worth of a living thing is measured by how useful it is to another living thing.

2.5/5⭐ There is some specific information for crafting a journal and drawing in it at the beginning, but the majority of the book is more for generic inspiration. Everything is basically “sit still and draw what you observe“ without much more detail. There are lots of examples with the author's notes about when she drew them. The book is more an exploration of the author's art journal than a how-to.

4/5⭐ Emily Henry's books just make me happy, not least because of the humor and lack of toxic masculinity. I like the way she weaves the romance and friendships with the characters' personal hangups. The ending could have lasted a little longer to give more space for some of the issues (like with Daphne's father), but overall the tension was well paced. I read the book in two sittings because I didn't want to put it down. #bookspin

2.5/5⭐ The instructions seem thorough and include diagrams. However, almost all of the projects look obviously DIY. Many just don't look nice at all, sometimes because of baffling materials like bubbled bath mats. I like the idea behind reusing suit coats and such but the executions don't impress me.

4/5⭐ This is a great bag sewing book focused on techniques, not projects. The projects are all simple totes or pouches, each showcasing a different technique. Most steps have an accompanying photo, sometimes two! The instructions are clear and useful with lots of helpful tips.

.5/5⭐ There are no photos of the finished projects, just highly stylized illustrations. The instructions are laughably bare minimum. Many of the designs look hideous/impractical and/or just include random cutouts as if that makes a style.

2.5/5⭐ I'm not too impressed with these basic projects. There's a lot of repetition, like making flowers to put in various applications. Most of the projects could be made with any fabric/yarn, so the t-shirt doesn't really seem to be highlighted.

3.5/5⭐ Despite the title saying “Beyond Fashion,“ the vast majority of the ideas are for shirts, bottoms, and fashion accessories. While I question the longevity of some projects like the dog leash and the oven mitt that doesn't use heat-resistant material, the ideas are great and varied. It's fun to flip through this book and look for easy ways to freshen up your wardrobe.

4/5⭐ The transformations included are mostly for shirt variations and other types of clothing. The ideas are great, though every single model is super thin. The easy-to-follow instructions make getting creative with t-shirts approachable. There are lots of little tidbits about t-shirts in history and pop culture.

3/5⭐ There aren't as many diagrams/photos as I'd like, but the written instructions seem to include the necessary details to make following along easy. The projects are quite varied and all fit the “on-the-go“ theme nicely.

3/5⭐ The projects are varied, some with nice applique/paint designs or cute animal shapes. Each numbered instruction step has a photo, but when each numbered step actually includes multiple steps, it's hard to tell what's being pictured & to follow the unpictured steps. The instructions don't always clearly indicate which sides should be facing where. I like the breakout instructions for common methods like installing hardware & making pockets.

.5/5⭐ On the surface it looks like there are enough diagrams and detailed notes accompanying the step-by-step directions, but they're presented in a very confusing way. I tried to follow along with one of the projects and was lost from step one. The fabric measurements from the materials list don't match what's actually used.

4/5⭐ This is a nifty book with nontraditional bag-making techniques, including stapling and using duct and packing tape. Some of the projects creatively use household items (even bubble mailers, Monopoly money, candy wrappers, and AstroTurf). These nontraditional approaches and materials make this book unique and inspire a new way of thinking about making things. I love the sidebars with little history and other notes on various materials.

.5/5⭐ Theoretically the projects are nicely varied. However...there are NO PHOTOS of the finished products. There are just basic overall illustrations, no shots of insides or other useful angles. If you're lucky there's one or two simple diagrams for all the step-by-step directions in an entire project. Mind blown.

3/5⭐ I like that the step-by-step instructions for the main projects include photos & the projects span a nice variety of styles/uses. There are instructions for variations on the main projects & matching accessories. It's odd that the basic technique instructions come after the projects, but they're thorough & include many decoration methods. The book is overly gendered (starting w/ the 1st line “It's a fact of life that every girl loves bags“).

4/5⭐ The layout and approach of this book are great. It packs in a lot of essential information without being overwhelming or bloated. Many of the step-by-step instructions have corresponding diagrams. The projects are varied in style, function, customization, and difficulty level. A very approachable, comprehensive bag sewing book.

2/5⭐ The book has an irritatingly peppy, immature tone. It's organized strangely in that it talks about sewing terms long before providing the definitions.

The projects are divided into seven basic templates with various style executions for each. Those styles are largely not what I would consider hip or even practical, especially in the gallery of bags at the end. There are very few diagrams to assist with the step-by-step directions.

3.5/5⭐ I love the very detailed step-by-step diagrams that clearly indicate things like which side should be facing where. The book is for experienced sewists. The projects are organized into 10 collections of 2 complementary projects each (e.g. a bag and clutch, a bag and a book cover). Several projects seem to be just variations on a tote bag, so there isn't a huge amount of variety.

2.5/5⭐ The projects aren't too varied in style/function. The author includes a section of step-by-step illustrated instructions for common methods (e.g. adding a zipper) separate from the projects, which helps but there aren't many diagrams for the other project steps. I'm not impressed overall.

3/5⭐ I like that there are included templates and pages about specific techniques interspersed throughout. The designs seem unique compared to other bag sewing books I've read; I especially like the clever gadget messenger bag (includes space for a USB hub to plug in all the necessary laptop accessories). However, there are very few diagrams/photos for the instructions, making it difficult to follow. This book is suitable for experienced sewists.

2.5/5⭐ I like that there are included patterns. This book is not for beginners because it includes only 2 pages of basic information (which is fine, just know that going in). It also has no photos for the step-by-step instructions and barely any diagrams, without which I know I won't be able to follow along successfully. The 12 projects look fine (ignore the “26 bags“ part; those are just different dimensions of the same patterns).

3/5⭐ I like that the book has tons of journal page examples, includes some specific recommendations for materials, outlines different reasons for keeping journals, and encourages readers to just dive into keeping their own journal. However, the examples are all done by talented artists, which is a bit intimidating for those of us who can barely draw a stick figure let alone a realistic panda. Much of the text was repetitive and generic.

3/5⭐ The designs are nice with thorough coverage of many journal-making techniques. The layout of the book is technical and heavy on text, sometimes bloated. I would have liked more photos of the finished projects. Some of the fonts are very small and/or almost illegible, making things difficult to read.

2.5/5⭐ Eh. A quick, mispell-laden adventure through friendship and life. It felt cursory and didn't really resonate with me. #buzzwordathon

3.5/5⭐ Cute and meaningful without being over the top about it. There isn't too much depth, but there's a lot of heart. The artwork is full of wonderful details. #roll100

2/5⭐ The description is beautiful, but there's no hook and it's slow. Not for me. #roll100

1.5/5⭐ I would have devoured this book as a teenager. It suffocates you in stereotypical gothic vibes. The man is a dangerous enigma, the woman is a young mystery, and the author reminds you of these things in every weakly written paragraph. I DNFed at the line “a part of her wanted to...blush furiously at the singular masculine attention from a very masculine male.“ 🤢 #doublespin

Does anyone have any experience writing reviews on #Reedsy? I received this invitation, and from all accounts Reedsy seems to be a legit site, but if anyone has personal experience I'd love to hear it. #ReedsyDiscovery

Writing an Identity Not Your Own won for April and over How to ADHD for March, but The Hero's Closet from January is still the overall winner. #readingbracket2024

1.5/5⭐ The humor and romance are just so heavy handed. The demon is yet another boundary-breaking domineering man. The writing is weak.

3.5/5⭐ I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The content is very good and vitally important. It covers a wide range of stereotypes/tropes/pitfalls to avoid harming marginalized communities. It also discusses methods for doing your research as a writer. I feel much better equipped to approach writing identities not my own in a respectful, nuanced, untokenized way. Many fantastic resources are listed throughout the book. #bookspin

3/5⭐ I like the focus on recycled/reusable fabrics. There's a lot of repetition in the projects (masks, sponges/wipes, bags, gift wrap), and the overall collection feels lackluster.

#readingbracket2024

2.5/5⭐ Fine if you want something easy with a bit of a sad streak throughout. There are way too many POV characters, some of them still being introduced over halfway into the book. All the romances resolve with minimal friction and too simplistically.

3.5/5⭐ A thorough guide to organizing fabric, notions, and other sewing supplies, from deciding what to keep to long-term storage for finished projects. Includes many ideas to meet a variety of needs.

3.5/5⭐ I read this in the middle of the day and got creeped out by the wind making noises outside, so successful horror. I liked the vividness of the descriptive prose and the self-awareness of horror tropes.

It wasn‘t charitable but apologies didn‘t exonerate the sinner, only compelled graciousness from its recipient.

3/5⭐ The description implies it's a love story, but it's really not. This book takes place during the decline/assimilation of Jewish culture in Kaifeng, China in the 1800s & the tensions that result. The afterword about the historical context is helpful. There's a common theme throughout of sadness vs happiness that I found thoughtful. The midpoint takes a wild turn that I didn't think fit with the tone of what came before or after. #buzzwordathon

1/5⭐ The author goes off about her degrees and training and research and decades of experience and yet includes not a SINGLE citation. There is little to no distinction between historical uses and whether or not the herbs actually do what they're thought to. It's especially worrisome that the author includes flower essences as if they're a scientifically valid method. At least there are a few appropriate warnings for contraindications.

3.5/5⭐ I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the atmosphere of this book. Throughout is the pervading mystery of fox lore, how it morphs and impacts people of varying beliefs, and how it compares to the reality of being a fox in this world. If you like slower, atmospheric magical realism with strong emotions, this one's for you.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/03/13/review-the-fox-wife-by-yangsze-choo/

3.5/5⭐ Contains woo-woo like flower essences, but the other plant information is useful. The safety precautions are thorough. The book covers identification, wildcrafting methods, herbal medicine preparation methods, and recipes with very easy instructions. Some of the information, like which constituents are extracted best in which mediums, is stuff I've had trouble finding in other herbalism books. Includes further reading and resources.

.5/5⭐ Super pretentious. The author talks about himself in the highest terms and name/location drops all over the place. He says he has “merrily disregarded every distinction between highbrow, middlebrow, and lowbrow taste“ as if he's some benevolent writing god and then proceeds to name specific authors he clearly thinks fall into one of those brows (but he doesn't distinguish, so it's not elitist!). ⬇