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Kayleen (jegka) - Reviews

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Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics
Review Date: 11/15/2010


A fun little book that explains how to draw a comic. Meanwhile the knight is just trying to get past all the lessons to save his princess from a dragon. Cute premise.


An Affair to Remember (Talisman Ring, Bk 1)
An Affair to Remember (Talisman Ring, Bk 1)
Author: Karen Hawkins
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 123
Review Date: 7/20/2010
Helpful Score: 3


The storyline was (predictable but) ok. I guess I read this to take a break from mysteries. It was pleasant enough but the characters were rather thin. Their whole development was in their reputations. They were what they were because she said so. Mischievious, domineering, irresponsible...but little example was given to support the acusations. The children did some naughty things, but they went from devil spawn to angels with little for the reader to go on except being told they were better. I would have liked to have been given more evidence to come to that conclusion for myself. It is supposedly the first of the series (even if it is a sequel to Seducing Sara...see, more you just have to take her word on) so maybe the rest of the series is better developed. I felt a bit like I was reading the author's notes instead of the finished novel. ("Tricia becomes more agreeable...children become more cooperative...Ruppert becomes redeemable...)


After the Falls: Coming of Age in the Sixties
After the Falls: Coming of Age in the Sixties
Author: Catherine Gildiner
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 5
Review Date: 9/20/2010


Gildiner writes a completely readable account of her early life. I very much enjoyed "Too Close to the Falls"; and "After the Falls", while darker, was still captivating. Like reading Forest Gump, she seemed to be everywhere anything was happening in the 60s. I don't think, had we been classmates, we would have gotten along, but I really enjoyed looking over her shoulder at her madcap life in the 60s.


Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales
Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales
Author: Ali Wentworth
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 2.9/5 Stars.
 15
Review Date: 8/21/2012
Helpful Score: 1


This was a humorous read. Many times I found myself laughing and cringing, thinking "I wouldn't have said that." Not only did she share the skeletons in her closets, but she pranced them out wearing lampshades in a conga line.


All the Light We Cannot See
All the Light We Cannot See
Author: Anthony Doerr
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 19
Review Date: 11/3/2017


I read this book because of all the enthusiasm for it, but I could never get into it. I finished it, waiting for the aha! moment, but it never came.
Maybe it was because the expectation was too high. The story was ok. The characters were ok. But I was never really immersed in it.


Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride
Author: Pam Munoz Ryan, Brian Selznick (Illustrator)
Book Type: Unknown Binding
  • Currently 4.6/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 2/10/2009


This book was wonderful. The pencil art done by Brian Selznick was fabulous! Especially the landscapes! In fact, there are a couple I could see doing as full-wall murals. (The clouds/airplane or the cherry blossoms in D.C.) I looked him up but didn't see anything else in this style, but was surprised to learn we own several other books he's illustrated. I highly recommend this book. The story is pleasant and it makes two very famous, influential women seem approachable but the art definitely makes it worth a look IMHO.


An Affair with a House
An Affair with a House
Author: Bunny Williams, Christine Pettel
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 3/3/2012


This is one of the first books I added to my WL three years ago, so I was thrilled when my library got a copy.

I guess I was anticipating more process. It was just a guided tour through a 1980 estate. Nice. But not what I was hoping for. It did give me a few ideas, but I'm glad I didn't spend a credit on it.


The Art of Uncontrolled Flight
The Art of Uncontrolled Flight
Author: Kim Ponders
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 2/26/2008


Ponders does a good job of capturing the struggles of a woman in a man's world, not only in the military but in the cockpit and in war. It was realistic and I found her ultimate solution bittersweet. Not overly captivating, but a pleasant read.


At Home with Books : How Booklovers Live with and Care for Their Libraries
Review Date: 2/23/2012


Love this book!
A) It shows libraries of peole adicted to books. Not tidy Better Homes and Gardens bookshelves with a few pretty volumes arranged by color. These people have bookshelves to the ceiling and still have piles on the floor, the tables, the sofas, the chairs... This book understands what it is to be overcome with wonderful books!
B) GREAT book quotes by people that "get it"
C) Pages and pages of resources to build a library. Some are gone since the 1995 copyright, but many still exist.

I didn't find the library I want to recreate, but lots of great ideas anyway.


Bake until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook
Bake until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook
Author: Clifford A. Wright
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 5
Review Date: 12/21/2008
Helpful Score: 10


I wish I would have read the reviews more closely. I was looking for something new in easy to make, crowd pleasing comfort food. There are some good recipes in this book, but it is not for the busy mom looking to pop something into the oven between the carpool and weeding the garden. This is for the more uppity 'have someone else pick up the kids so we can spend all day grating fresh nutmeg' crowd.
The kind of people who have the time to cultivate all the fresh organic ingredients and live somewhere with gourmet markets instead of mega-mart grocery stores don't eat casseroles.
This is not your mom's church potluck kind of casserole. But if you can afford the time to cook like Martha Stewart and have a family that will actually eat rutabegga pudding, this may be the book for you.


Basic Aerobatics
Basic Aerobatics
Author: Geza Szurovy
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 2/26/2008


This is the all time BEST book on how to fly aerobatics! They cover how to do it, why you're doing it, common errors and how to fix them and photos from the pilot's perspective, so you know if it looks right. With this book I went into each lesson already knowing the maneuvers and saved lots of money on insturctor time.


Be True to Yourself: A Daily Guide for Teenage Girls
Be True to Yourself: A Daily Guide for Teenage Girls
Author: Amanda Ford
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2.2/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 7/3/2011


This book is so bad I won't even be passing it along.
The author says in the intro this is the advice she wishes she had a little sister to pass it along to. Like how to sneak out and not get caught. My daughter doesn't need that kind of big sister.

This is a 20 yr old trying to justify and validate the selfish, self-centered behavior of her teens. Paraphrased: Do what you want, you deserve to be happy. If others don't like it, they just don't value your individuality.

She does, seemingly by pure chance, happen to give a nugget or two of decent advice. But buried amid the 300+ horrid bits of "wisdom", I would shred this book just to ensure it doesn't fall into my daughter's hands and make her a narcissistic copy of the author.


Best of Hometown Cooking
Best of Hometown Cooking
Book Type: Spiral-bound
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 2/20/2009


Wonderful simple book but very sparse on pictures.


Betty Crocker New Cake Decorating (Betty Crocker Cooking)
Betty Crocker New Cake Decorating (Betty Crocker Cooking)
Author: Betty Crocker
Book Type: Spiral-bound
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 12/9/2018


Skip this one and get a Wilton's book. The cakes in this book looked incredibly amateur.


A Bit of Applause for Mrs. Claus
Review Date: 10/18/2010


Perfect little gift for the mother or hostess that pulls together the holidays.


Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Author: Lawrence G. Lovasik
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 10/4/2011


The story of Tekekwitha, told for young children. Some Indian culture and history included, but mostly just a retelling of her short life.


The Book of Gothel
The Book of Gothel
Author: Mary McMyne
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 1/26/2023


Have you ever had a friend that takes forever to tell a story? They have to tell you every relationship and backstory before they get to the point?
Welcome to this book.

All the reviews say it is a retelling of Rapunzel. That happens around page 330 of 374. And it is barely a sideline to the main story. Rapunzel may get 6-10 paragraphs in the whole book.

Maybe they should call it a prequel?

That said, it is a good story. But the whole time I was reading it, I felt like the cover had been put on the wrong book. The description did not match the book I was reading.


The Books of Magic #5: Lost Places (The Books of Magic)
The Books of Magic #5: Lost Places (The Books of Magic)
Author: Carla Jablonski
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 10/21/2010


This series is ok. It is quick paced, has decent character development and introduces the reader to many different worlds. Its weakness comes from being so quick...Tim seems to guess himself into serious magical feats without any guidance. It's a little implausible, but better magic mentorship would slow the series down. Overall a decent series without major annoyances.


Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story
Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story
Author: Sara Connell
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 8/24/2012


I didn't expect to like this memoir with a premise straight from the tabloids, but I found myself aching with Sara and crying along with the whole crowd. Inspirational story well told.


Built-Ins (Taunton's Build Like a Pro)
Built-Ins (Taunton's Build Like a Pro)
Author: Robert J Settich
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 11/20/2011


There are some books you look at just to get ideas and some to actually learn to do. This is the latter.

There weren't a lot of OMG moments in this book, but it did have great, start-from-nothing real instructions to build the cabinets.


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