Conversations with Friends: A Novel

I came upon this book last year. At first I will admit that the cover was intriguing but the synopsis wasn't too bad. All in all, the book seemed like a good read. Unfortunately when I started reading, it was a whole different situation.
   I haven't DNF'd (Did Not Finish) a lot of books but I had to for this one. The plot line was really hard to follow & since the beginning the characters were very hard to like. I tried to continue the book but there was no hook. There was nothing truly intriguing for me as a reader to hang on to.
  Although this wasn't my cup of tea, who is to say it isn't yours? If you're wondering if you should read this book or not, I would suggest you give it a try. I appreciate all the hard work Sally Rooney put into this book, she is a wonderful author.

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 AUTHOR BIO

* I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinion are my own.

Book mail of the week

Thank you Book Sparks for sending me a copy of Ocean's Fire: Book One of the Equal Night Trilogy by Stacey Tucker.

Synopsis: Once the Greeks forced their male gods upon the world, the belief in the power of women was severed. For centuries it has been thought that the wisdom of the high priestesses perished at the hand of the patriarchs―but now the ancient Book of Sophia has surfaced. Its pages contain the truths hidden by history, and the sacred knowledge for the coming age. And it is looking for Skylar Southmartin.

Busy picking up the pieces after her mother's untimely death and trying to finish her veterinary degree, Skylar has no idea that she is the link between four mystical women in her life, and the perfect storm the Great Mothers have been waiting for. Meanwhile, she's just reconnected with the first and only love of her life, Argan―but Joshua, a dangerous, irresistible stranger, threatens to ruin everything she's trying to build. Amidst unraveling family secrets that shatter her views of the world and call into question everything she's ever known, Skylar must fight off Joshua's maddening pull and get a handle on her own budding powers―before it's too late.

 You can find the book for sale here. 

 Thank you Flat Iron Books for sending me a copy of Truly madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty.

Synopsis: In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty turns her unique, razor-sharp eye towards three seemingly happy families.

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit busy, life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other.

Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last-minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger-than-life personalities there will be a welcome respite.

Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?

You can find the book for sale here.

Thank you LibraryThing for sending me a copy of Einstein's Beach House Stories by Jacob M. Appel

Synopsis: A couple adopt a depressed hedgehog; a mother is seduced by the father of her daughter's imaginary friend; a man kidnap's his ex-wife's pet turtle. In eight tragicomic stories, Einstein's Beach House features ordinary men and women rising to life's extraordinary challenges.

You can find the book for sale here. 

 Thank  you GoodReads for sending me a copy of the #1 Best Seller on Amazon, Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice for Creatives by Adam J. Kurtz

Synopsis: Insights and inspiration for anyone who makes art (or anything else). From the creative mind and heart of designer Adam J. Kurtz comes this upbeat rallying cry for creators of all stripes. Expanding on a series of popular essays, this handwritten and heartfelt book shares wisdom and empathy from one working artist to others. Perforated tear-and-share pages make it easy to display themost crucial reminders or to pass a bit of advice on to someone who needs it.

As wry and cheeky as it is empathic and empowering, this deceptively simple, vibrantly full-color book will be a touchstone for writers, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who wants to be more creative--even when it would be easier to give up and act normal.

You can find the book for sale here.

Thank you Katherine Tegen Books for sending me a copy of 

Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar 

Synopsis: For fans of Rick Riordan and Brian Selznick, author-artist Armand Baltazar introduces Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic, the first in a new science fiction/fantasy series that explores a world painted new by the Time Collision. Integrating art and text, this epic and cinematic adventure features more than 150 full-color illustrations.

You’ve never seen Earth like this before: continents reshaped, oceans re-formed, cities rebuilt, and mountains sculpted anew. Dinosaurs roam the plains alongside herds of buffalo, and giant robots navigate the same waters as steam-powered ships. 

This is the world Diego Ribera was born into. The past, present, and future coexisting together. In New Chicago, Diego’s middle school hallways buzz with kids from all eras of history and from cultures all over the world. The pieces do not always fit together neatly, but this is the world he loves.

There are those, however, who do not share his affection. On his thirteenth birthday, Diego learns of a special gift he has within, a secret that is part of something much bigger—something he cannot understand. When his father, New Chicago’s top engineer, is taken by the Aeternum, Diego must rescue him and prevent this evil group from disrupting the fragile peace humanity has forged.

You can find the book for sale here.

*Disclaimer: I received most if not all books from giveaways on instagram and other websites. The publishers do not pay me or force me to share the books with you all. Synopsis are taken directly from amazon. 

Learn how to make your own Book Sleeve **NO SEWING MACHINE NEEDED**

DIY BOOK SLEEVE 

Two of the recent book sleeves I've made. So, I've seen a lot of super cute book sleeve shops all over instagram lately, including one of my favorites, the famous Book Beau. As lovely as they are, they do range from 30-40 dollars and only get more expensive. Being a broke college student, I don't have that money to spend no matter how much I love and want to protect my books. I have a saying, "If you can’t afford it, make it yourself." And I did, now I want to share the process with you guys.

What you’ll need: *** I found everything at Walmart ***

1. Spray on adhesive -Walmart (start at $5)
2. ½ yard of foam padding (makes two sleeves) - You can pick any width you’d like, mine isn’t very thick (prices vary)
3. ½ yards of fabric of your choice (makes two sleeves)- Prices start from $1.50
4. Good scissors (you want to make sure they cut well or you’ll just ruin your fabric)- $2.49
5. [*OPTIONAL*] Tape (I suck at cutting straight so the tape was like a guide) - $2.23
6. Pins (to hold the fabric in place) - $2.97)
7. Needle & thread (colors should be as close as possible to the color of your fabric)- $1-3
8. A book to measure the size of your sleeve

Instructions:

1. Start off by laying your fabric out. You’ll notice that the half yard of fabric is twice as long as the foam. Lay the foam to one side of the fabric. *I like to leave about 2 inches at the end.

2. Bring the rest of the fabric over over so that the two fabric ends meet. *Making a foam sandwich.

3. Pin the closed end so that the fabric is attached to the foam. *This will end up being part of the opening.

4. Now that it's pinned in place, and your fabric covers most of the foam, (you don't want to waste material) run your hand over the fabric and flatten out all the wrinkles.

5. Pin down the two inches we left at the end. *Lift up the foam and pin it inwards.

6. In this one, my fabric ran long so I had this much extra. If you do, just fold it over & pin to hold it in place.

7. Okay, now that everything (both ends, not the sides) is pinned in place, it's time to join the ends. *Fold up hamburger style, a.k.a horizontally.

** Make sure that the edges are aligned **

8. Place your measuring books inside. Pin the fabric in between, that will be your cutting guide.

**Give each about 1"(1"& 1/2") of space on either side.**

9. *Here's the optional tape part* Place the tape alongside the pins and use the edge of the tape as a cutting guide to get a decently straight edge when you cut.

10. Now we can work on one piece at a time.

Chose the side you want to start with and lay it out.

11. Unpin the "extra" piece. That will let you open up the fabric.

12. Open up the fabric exposing one side of the foam.

13. Shake up your spray on adhesive. Start spraying closest to the pins, in small sections so you have time to lay down your fabric. *Spray, lay down your fabric over the section you glued, press down and smooth out any wrinkles all the way down.

 14. When you're done with that side, turn it over. Remove the last set of pins & open up the fabric completely. *Spray the glue as close to the edge as you can, lay the fabric back & press it down. 

***Repeat step 13***

    15. This side has the 2" of fabric we folded over in the beginning. Lift it up, spray down the foam and glue the 2" down. Then spray some glue over the 2" and lay down the remaining fabric.

*** We're done with the glue after this, so let it dry while you wash your hands ***

16. Rejoin your ends making sure they're the same height. *You'll want to leave the side with the "extra" piece on the outside since we'll be turning it inside out once it's stitched. 

17. Place your book inside to measure again. Pin down the corners where you see fit to stitch. *Make sure your book fits snug inside, and doesn't fall out.

[ Side note: as you see here. my edges are a lot taller than my book. I folded the top down and pinned it to hold it in place. They will be stitched as the margin in the next step. You want the top of your sleeve to only be centimeters taller than your book (Just enough to protect the top of the book). If you want to leave it long like that it's totally up to you though. ]

18. *This is mine already done & turned over but basically this is just a stitching guide. For the vertical arrow sides, you stitch together the front and the back piece. *This will shut the sides creating the pouch. For the horizontal arrow, you will be stitching this one on the back and on the front INDIVIDUALLY to create a margin. 

*** REMEMBER ***: This side will end up inside so no one will see the starting points of your stitches.

19. After you stitch the margins and the sides, cut off the corners (on the outside of your stitches) like so. *This will give you the rounded edge look.

20. Lastly, reach in and turn the whole thing inside out! Gently push out your sides/ corners & YOU'RE DONE!

❤❤❤ I hope this guide was helpful to you guys! Please don't hesitate to comment down below, message me through email, on instagram, or twitter if you get stuck! ❤❤❤

Sinners in the hands of a loving God

(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5)
I started reading “Sinners in the hands of a loving God” by Brian Zahd last night and couldn't put it down until I was done. It isn't a very long book but I guarantee it will stay with you.
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The book talks about the multiple interpretations of the nature of God. It challenges the common practice of “Conversion by coercion” in the Christian religion. Shocking right? Well Brian Zahd is quite controversial himself, his book makes you question whether or not a God should be wrathful or loving towards those who transgress against divine law. The book intricately unfolds in 10 awe-inspiring chapters. I urge that you open up this book with an open mind and know that it's okay to question your reality.
🌞
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions are my own. If you're interested in reading “Sinners in the hands of a loving God” keep an eye out for it starting August 15, 2017.
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The Girl On The Train review

(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5) 

When reading The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins be prepared to get sucked in & taken along on a wild ride. The story has multiple point of views including your typical drunk, a cheater & a liar. How their lives intertwine is revealed throughout the novel with the use of dialogue, time sequencing & chapter structure. Hawkins does an amazing job focusing on action & plot movement as she shows us the daily lives of the characters. I found myself constantly flipping back & forth to double check the dates in disbelief. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this novel.

Meet the Quackers

I've met the quackers, have you??

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(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5)

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"Meet the Quackers" is a beautiful & bright children's book written by Tania Guarino & illustrated by Shane Crampton.

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A special delivery arrives at the barn and is quickly disliked and unwanted by the rest of Farmer Fran's animals, until it's not. At the end of the book the delivery becomes just the right kind of excitement the barn needed. 

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Thanks to the #kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.