Four big books with thick hard covers - (Pg 43)

Parvana's Journey by Deborah Ellis wasn't quite on par with the original Parvana.

In Parvana's Journey, I found the characters to be very one dimensional, quite robotic in their actions and reactions, and not terribly interesting.

I also felt that while what was happening to Parvana was devastating and more than likely is happening to some poor child at this moment, it read very much like a work of extreme fiction, a horror fantasy world.

The ending was another let-down. Extremely far fetched and terribly unlikely.

If you have read Parvana and are considering continuing, it won't take you long to read, however you may be disappointed.

221 Days Remaining, 14 Book To Go

It is my hope that this book will be an encouraging force for you - (Pg 3)

The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin, is the second of the two books I have recently read in relation to selling handmade goods.

If I were to suggest only one book to buy about selling handmade, it would be this one. It covers the same things as How to Make Money Using Etsy, however in more broader terms. It also looks at selling and marketing face to face as well as online.

It is a neat little book. Well set out with good references, good examples and brimming with ideas and encouragement. It also looks pretty cute! Take a look, and don't forget to check out my online handmade business Felix George & Me!

223 Days Remaining, 15 Books to go

A Crafty Book Review - (Pg 80)

How to Make Money Using Etsy by Timothy Adam was a well presented somewhat useful reference.

At the end of last year, I set up a small online business, Felix George & Me, selling Iron On Letters and Motifs. I launched into it with much enthusiasm, however over the months, with a demanding toddler and another one on the way, my enthusiasm has waned.

Recently I have come across two books that have helped to reignite my original excitement in my venture. The first being How to Make Money Using Etsy (an online handmade marketplace).

I do not have an Etsy store, and as you would expect, much of this book covers the more particular ins and outs of using Etsy. There are however a number of other general chapters that are quite useful, especially those relating to marketing via social media, and how to get your handmade business out there.

A very useful reference, especially for users of Etsy. However, remember that with changing social media (like facebook and twitter ) some of the 'how to' sections have already become redundant, even though this book was published just last year.

223 Days Remaining, 16 Books to go

The point is, it didn't really matter what that book was about - (Pg 39)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a difficult book to describe. I enjoyed it immensely and finished it quite quickly.

If you were to look at the subject matter, it appears to be a very grim book indeed. Set in Nazi Germany and narrated by death.... a little bleak to say the least.

Somehow though, it is a beautiful story. There are wonderful characters, and the style of storytelling has a lovely flow and ebb to it.

Death is one of the most lovely characters of all, which probably seems odd, however the idea of death just doing a job and yet still showing empathy is really touching.

Another strange feature of this story is that many of the key plot points are given away before they actually happen. Despite this, there is still an urge to read on, and to learn how, what and why as the details unfold.

I came to this book with no idea of what it was about and, this was probably the best way to approach it. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it.

223 Days Remaining, 17 Books to go

Sometimes she worried...the book would be lost in the library and she'd never read it again - (Pg 39)

I couldn't really get into A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Apparently one of The books, I just wasn't moved.

I didn't care for the main protagonist to whom things seemed to just happen. At the beginning of the story she was young and naive, at the end, she was older and naive.

Yes many things happened to her and her family, yes she faced many hardships, however I didn't feel that anything really had any effect or change upon her.

They story was long, drawn out and not terribly interesting. The same story has been told with much more enthusiasm (despite the sad and oppressed subject matter).

Yes a tree grew, it didn't change, it just grew and kept growing.

250 Days Remaining, 18 Books to go

She would read to him from his books - (Pg 159)

Parvana by Deborah Ellis, another story about women in Afghanistan. It is a Junior Fiction novel, and I read it in a couple of hours (mainly as I couldn't put it down).

It is the story of a young woman and her family in Afghanistan during the time of the Taliban. Her father is taken by the Taliban one day without warning and it falls on Parvana to dress as a boy so that she can go out and work and get food for her mother, sisters and baby brother.

Parvana's father is a history teacher, and through this, a simplified history and a greater understanding of this troubled country is presented clearly to the reader.

Ellis herself has written a number of inspirational stories about child refugees and is somewhat of an inspiration herself.

Parvana is a quick read which I highly recommend if you have read and enjoyed The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and Kabul Beauty School.

280 Days Remaining, 19 Books to go

I read book after book about Afghanistan - (Pg 64)

The Kabul Beauty School is a biography by Deborah Rodriguez. Once again, as in her work of fiction, the storytelling is fantastic and the characters are truly beautiful.

If you are able to overlook some of the odd decisions made by Rodriguez, such as her numerous marriages and leaving her young children behind in America, this is a pretty amazing adventure.

After reading this I did do a little more research about Rodriguez and there is quite a bit of speculation as to whether the events and her involvement in the beauty school are as in depth as she presents them.

There is also much controversy about the stories that she retells. Even though she changed names, apparently the women who revealed their stories to Rodriguez are afraid of being found out and of the repercussions. Of course there is no way to tell what is the truth in this situation.

Putting all that aside, read this book, it's another real eye opener into that part of the world.

280 Days Remaining, 20 Books to go

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