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What I Knit – 4

Posted by kay on March 7, 2011 3:20 am in My work, other | 10 comments

With all that’s been going on (too often mentioned health issues but also, most importantly, this semester being the last one before I graduate!!) I have been feeling a tiny bit stressed (understand : a LOT stressed!) I’ve had really little energy left to read books or write about them, but I have been knitting a lot to evacuate the stress.

It always surprises me how repeating the same gestures, over and over again, will have a calming effect on me. It relaxes both my mind and my body, plus it definitely gives me a good boost of happiness once I hold the finish product in my hands.

I finished two projects since my last knitting post : a scarf for the Man of the House, and a really cuddly cowl for me.

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The Man’s Striped Scarf

I originally bought the yarn for myself. I was planning on mixing these colors with two others, but when the Man of the House saw them he requested another scarf for himself. I was happy to change my plans; I love that I make things and he will wear them!

He wore it as soon as I finished it. The yarn is Noro Silk Garden, a mix of mohair, silk, and wool. It’s really comfy and the color changes are beautiful!

Yes, I doodled hearts around his head. Sometimes, I’m still 12.

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The Infinite Cowl of Cuddlyness

The yarn used for my new winter cowl is Naturally Sensation, a mix of angora and merino. And it’s so, so soft! It just makes me want to snuggle in it all day.

The pattern used is the Stockholm Scarf, though it’s worked in the round, so the result is more like a large cowl. I can wrap it around my neck once, twice, or trice, which means I can wear it with different coats or in different weathers. I’m so in love with it, I’m currently working on a hat to go with it!

Artsy Shelf – 29 – Lost at Sea

Posted by kay on March 3, 2011 4:20 am in Features | 5 comments

Walking by the sea or swimming through the waves, these covers present female characters in gorgeous sea settings.

I love all of these, in a way that, I think, isn’t rational. The colors are beautiful, the photography is great for most of them, too.

I love the detail of The Eternal Sea’s cover. It’s mysterious, we see just enough of the character and I love the skull cloud. The colors of Between the Sea and the Sky and Lost Voices are stunning! Love, love, love!

Does any of these covers work for you? Which one is your favorite?

Wordless Wednesday : Church in Winter

Posted by kay on March 2, 2011 2:00 am in My work, other | 11 comments

Christ Church on Ste-Catherine, Montreal, February 2011.

These pictures don’t show it, but the Church is located downtown, amid glass buildings and shops. It really stands out there, so even though I’m not a religious person, I love to admire it when we go by.

For more Wordless Wednesday, click here!

3 Reviews : The Duff, Secret Society and A Match Made in High School

Posted by kay on February 28, 2011 2:22 am in 1.5 stars reads, 2.5 stars reads, 3 stars reads | 5 comments

I never feel like spending too much time on those books I didn’t really enjoy, so once again, it’s time for mini-reviews!

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The Duff by Kody Keplinger
Pages : 288
Genre : YA, Fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about : When charming Wesley nicknames Bianca “The Duff” (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), she hates him as much as she ever did. Yet she ends up kissing him, and soon she finds herself in a friends-with-benefits relationship with him. All she wants is to keep things simple, physical, but the more she spends time with Wesley, the more she learns to like him.

My Thoughts : I had been looking forward to this one : written by a high-school girl about high-school girls and boys, I thought the novel would offer a really close insight into these characters’ life. Yet, this book didn’t work for me : instead, being so young, I felt the author lacked the distance necessary to think the story through clearly. Some events or actions happening in the book could have a major impact on the characters’ life on the long term, yet there’s very little thought given to this aspect. I’m thinking of an event in particular, involving Bianca’s father : in my opinion, it’s an important issue, but the author missed the mark there, writing it a bit lightly. There’s also not enough thought given to how self-destructive Bianca’s relationship with Wesley is.

Don’t Trust me! These readers liked it : Steph Su Reads, Debbie’s World of Books, Jessica Lawlor

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A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
Pages : 277
Genre : YA, Fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about : Fiona’s school has come up with a horrible plan for her senior year : students will be matched in pairs for a program in Marriage education, and there’s no way out. Fiona’s crush gets paired with Amanda, her nemesis, while she gets paired with Amada’s boyfriend Todd, who isn’t happier than she is with the result.

My Thoughts : The idea was certainly fun, the execution, a little less. The book was presented like a comedy, a little on the silly side but filled with misunderstandings and pranks; it had all that and more, with maybe just a tad too much silliness for me. It’s really just a matter of taste here, since I enjoyed Walker’s writing, just not the pranks and characters who felt a bit juvenile. I still would recommend it for something light and fun that can be read in an evening.

Don’t Trust me! These readers liked it : Write Meg, Fantastic Book Review, Chick Loves Lit

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Secret Society by Tom Dolby
Pages : 353
Genre : YA, Fiction
Series : Secret Society, Book 1
My Rating :

What it’s about : In New York City, three teens from a private school are chosen to be part of an exclusive Secret Society, but what was supposed to be a fun adventure might be hiding some unpleasant secrets.

My Thoughts : I’m struggling to find some positive about this book; the cover is pretty, I liked that there was some interest in art, I liked the setting, and that’s about it. The characters felt bland, flat as paper, and it was completely predictable. This wasn’t even balanced by interesting twists, humor, steamy romance or brilliant writing. I struggled to get through it, and I’ll admit that I skimmed a lot when I read it at night and I was tired; it just didn’t hold my interest. If you’re interested in reading a novel of secret societies, I highly recommend Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund.

Don’t Trust me! These readers liked it : Bewitched Bookworms, My Reading Room, Wondrous Reads