4/5⭐ Delightfully quirky characters who fit together so satisfyingly. I look forward to reading more stories with them. I loved seeing frank discussion of boundaries and desires between Nathan and Vlad. My one quibble is that the non-romantic plot came into play only near the end and felt rushed to the resolution. #roll100

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

If you're looking for ways to re-engage with your craft or take it to the next level, this book provides plenty of reflection points through the lens of tarot with each chapter themed around a specific goal.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/09/29/review-tarot-for-creativity-by-chelsey-pi...

#doublespin

2/5⭐ The concept of a book about a writer grappling with her characters throughout the writing process and how the fictional and real worlds intrude upon each other is interesting. This book explores that, but there's no plot, trajectory, or resolution for either the writer's world or that of her characters. It meanders over expectations for women who are wives and mothers but doesn't have any real resonance. #roll100

3/5⭐ This is a cute, fun, simple romance. The characters felt one-dimensional. I never got a feel for Ellie's personality or why Vanya would be attracted to her. Ellie seemed immature, and her reactions to her ex being pretty much the same as her feelings for Vanya made it difficult to believe in the new relationship. #buzzwordathon

4/5⭐ The character work is great & I ended up liking both leads, but more separately than together because I feel that Thabiso went past the point of no return by not telling the truth sooner. The conflict resolution felt rushed.

The epidemic subplot also resolved very quickly at the last second. That said, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding, the way the character & plot arcs intertwined, & the promise of side characters in future books. #roll100

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

This Medea is a fully realized character that pays homage to her place in ancient Greek literature but also speaks to a modern audience. The book is a compelling combination of magic, action, relationships, introspection, & character growth (albeit in an atypical direction). #bookspin

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/09/11/review-the-witch-of-colchis-by-rosie-hewl...

“Were we not exiled because you lost in combat against your cousin?” I counter, my voice lethally calm. I turn my attention to Aegeus. “I was unconscious at the time. It was, in fact, the only time Jason was left to face his foe alone. Quite the coincidence.”

Girl, SLAY.

The women of Corinth ogle Jason. He is still deemed a valiant hero in their eyes, yet his victories were born from the same bloodshed that makes me a villain.

#readingbracket2024 update

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

A validating & supportive guide to using witchcraft through life's toughest moments. The spells & rituals focus on your psychology to get you reflecting, mindful, & better able to set intentions & goals. Witchcraft is a highly modifiable tool to fit the practitioner's needs & views. #doublespin

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/09/01/review-witch-in-darkness-by-kelly-ann-mad...

The clothing and accessories I chose were more than just statements or identifiers - they were protective coverings and righteous amulets to remind me of how I wanted to exist in the world.

3.5/5⭐ Part memoir, part support, this book encourages you to experience grief rather than “get over it.“ Its central message is to be kind to yourself. The rituals & journal prompts are thoughtful & meaningful. I like Weber's approach & voice. I'm glad the book is resonating with so many readers. I did find it repetitive, which kind of makes sense as part of the gentle approach but negatively impacted my personal experience of the book. #bookspin

4/5⭐A solid fantasy with interesting characters. I enjoyed diving back into the world and prose each time I opened the book. The ending wrapped up satisfyingly, so I don't feel the need to read the remaining books in the series (they feel like they're drawing things out). #roll100

1.5/5⭐

I couldn't get into this one.

#Bookmark bought this weekend. 😆

[image ID: Metal bookmark with black tassel. The face of the metal reads “daddy don't know mommy's getting hot at the bookshop reading something unholy“ and has a heart at the bottom.]

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