Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Lark Rise to Candleford


I first became aware of Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson after watching most of the first season of the BBC adaptation. I assumed that the book would be just as good or better than the tv version. The book was very different from what I was expecting.

Lark Rise to Candleford is a compilation of three stories previously published separately. The character that the reader follows is Laura. It is through Laura that you come to understand life in the rural English countryside at a time when things are transitioning from the old world to the new at the end of the 18th century. Laura observes the traditions and culture that has endured for many generations. The poverty of rural life is compared to a more comfortable middle class life when Laura accepts an apprenticeship in a post office.

The stories in the book are made up of a series of vignettes about daily life. This means there is no outstanding story with a climax and resolution. Instead, we see the march of time pressing on people as they struggle to live. Much of the language, structure and vocabulary, make for difficult reading at times. The first volume Lark Rise is perhaps the most enjoyable. The later two books were more difficult to read. Despite my difficulties, the books were quite popular in their time.

The television adaptation is charming and family friendly. The first season draws much of its inspiration from the books, borrowing even some of the dialogue. The remaining three seasons draw on the characters of the first season but clearly delve into original storylines. The last season focuses on Laura's romantic entanglements. The show was cancelled after the fourth season as the BBC began to focus on Downton Abbey despite rather high ratings and popularity. The show is available for free on Amazon Prime.

Book Rating: 4 stars, difficult reading but worth it.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Friday, January 17, 2014

The essential IBS book


Dr. Alvin Newman put together this guide to help patients understand irritable bowl syndrome (IBS). IBS is a condition in which a patient experiences frequent upset, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, etc. He describes the symptoms and treatment options in detail.

The book is a pretty easy read. Dr. Newman writes in an honest, easy to understand manner about a subject that can be embarrassing for many people. IBS is a real problem for many people and Dr. Newman provides information about current treatment options and possible causes. I was pleased to see that Dr. Newman does discuss gluten intolerance as a possible cause as well as nutritional therapies.

Dr. Newman does write with a bit of condescension in a few chapters. He goes as far as making fun of patients who bring in photographs of their bloated bellies and bowel issues. It's unfortunate that he does this because the information he does provide is accessible and useful to the reader. He also dismisses some patients concerns about constipation. Because of that, I found the book a bit off-putting. Dr. Newman is probably a fine physician, but I would be mortified to discover my doctor making fun of something that is of serious concern to me. If IBS is a concern to someone, I might recommend this book with a few caveats.

Book Rating: 3 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows Up


I've read these two books by Eleanor H. Porter a couple of times. The first book has been adapted into a few film adaptations and a musical, also adapted to film. The most well known is the Disney version starring Hayley Mills, which is actually well done.

The story is a about orphaned Pollyanna. Pollyanna grew up in humble circumstances by her minister father and mother. Her parents were very involved in helping the poor, but also were poor themselves. Pollyanna's father taught her game in which she had to find something to be glad about, especially in disappointing situations. This game gave Pollyanna a perpetually positive point of view about everything.

Pollyanna is sent to live with her spinster Aunt, a wealthy woman who does not put up with any nonsense. Over time the people that Pollyanna meets gradually soften and find things to be glad about. That is until a tragic accident tests even Pollyanna's usually sunny outlook.

In the second book, Pollyanna is grown up. She is sent to Boston where she teaches a new cast of characters about her glad game. Pollyanna also falls in love. The story is sweet and not unexpected.

Book Rating: 5 stars, these two books are great reads for girls.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Bright Empires series


Stephen R. Lawhead is one of my favorite authors.  In 2012 he released a new series called Bright Empires. The story follows Kit as he ventures through time and parallel worlds using ley lines. He inherits this ability from his traveling Grandfather. Soon his ex-girlfriend and newly made friends join in. But there are dark forces who seek to control the ability to detect gateways to other worlds and they are after Kit and his friends.

The first book is The Skin Map, which details the existence of a map showing various gateways. This is followed by The Bone House where Kit is trapped in a paleolithic world. The next book is the Spirit Well, a place of great power and mystery.

The stories are fun time travelling adventures. I found the idea of ley lines and gateways to other worlds rather confusing. If you can set this aside or just accept it as a part of the universe Lawhead has created, then it's really no big deal. Each story builds on the previous so you can't read them out of order. I found I enjoyed the series more the further along I went. There were parts of the Bone House and The Spirit Well that have stayed with me. Book 4 has just been released and I'll have to see if the library will get it.

Book Rating: 4 stars - a fun fantasy adventure series.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Cast on Kill off



This is another crafting mystery for knitters. This is book 10 in this series by Maggie Sefton. I have not read any of the other books in the series.

A knitting friend is getting married. Kelly refers her friend to a talented seamstress, Zoe, to make the bridesmaid dresses. The only problem is Zoe is in a troubled marriage and ends up dead. So Kelly, along with her knitting friends, set out to find the true killer.

The story, like many crafting mysteries, have the usual crafting mystery cliches. The story is charming enough that the reader will want to finish it. The end is not totally unexpected, but it still took me some time to figure it out. I do not feel I missed too much by not reading the other books in the series, so this could easily be read as a stand alone.

Book rating - 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Monday, January 06, 2014

A fatal fleece


Crafting mysteries have been a trend for a while. Our library acquired a few of them. This is book 6 in the series, but also the first that I have read.

This story is about a group of knitting friends, one of whom runs a knitting shop. An old, lonely seaman is discovered dead wearing a yellow fleece vest. The knitting friends do their own investigating to solve the crime. In the meantime Birdie's unknown granddaughter, Gabby, shows up for a visit. Gabby, of course, gets in the middle of both the mystery and takes up knitting.

The story is charming. I do not feel I missed out by reading the 6th book in the series first. There are a number of standard crafting mystery cliches in the story, so do not expect too many surprises with the characters or what they do. The mystery kept my attention and so I did finish the book. Also, the author has a tendency to describe the meals the characters eat in detail. Not too annoying, but it may make you hungry.

Book rating - 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Friday, January 03, 2014

Craft Inc.


So, you want to start a business based on a craft? Meg Ilasco put together a creative business guide to get you started. She covers all the basics of how to start a business, from the plan to marketing to taxes. She doesn't mince words that to really earn a living selling crafts, you need to think bigger. How do you transition from micro-manufacturing where you make one item at a time to a large, recognizable brand? She provides examples throughout the book of individuals who have done this. This book would appeal most to those who can build a brand around their product that can transition to a range of products. The revised edition discusses the use of social media and online marketplaces like Etsy.

The book provides basic business information that can be found in just about any business how-to book. The focus on creative businesses will appeal to designers, crafters, etc. The information is not unexpected and fairly straight forward. The section on how to protect your idea does create a bit of paranoia that all ideas out there should be protected. Perhaps, but not all ideas are worth the time and expense of protecting to the extreme of lawyers and patents. In other words, do not rely on this book solely on how to proceed.

The book is printed with blue text in a relatively small font which makes the book difficult to read.

Book rating: 3 stars - the color and size of the font is a bit of a turn off, otherwise a basic how-to book.


The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

The notorious Benedict Arnold


Benedict Arnold, a historical figure whose name is used to describe traitors. Why did a patriot reverse loyalties in the midst of a war? Steve Sheinkin skillfully tells Arnold's story from his earliest beginnings to his tragic end. The story does not get bogged down in extreme detail. You are given enough of the big picture to understand Arnold's historical context and how his actions influenced the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

There are very few biographies that are appealing or fun to read for young adults or younger readers. This book fills a niche that is very much needed. This book also appeals to adult readers. I feel that I learned a lot about a historical figure that gets only a passing mention in history books. It is true this a fictionalized account but the author did his homework.

Book Rating: 5 stars - a quick and enjoyable read.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.