Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among …
A fun read
4 stars
A re-read in preparation for Onyx Storm, which is due to be published at the end of January, and I didn't review upon finishing it the first time. Originally, I picked this up because I like fantasy and dragons, and was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it.
The writing is fine, the characters are well-drawn and easy to differentiate, the world building is good enough to please (albeit with a wobble or two), and it features a disabled protagonist. Also, dragons!
It's not Great Literature, but it was a fun read that had me racing through it. A re-read has also been surprisingly rewarding due to the manner in which the plot is structured.
The billionaire entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become inextricable from the social media …
Made me glad I left
3 stars
Fascinating account of the Twitter debacle a couple of years ago. Learning more about what actually went on behind the scenes was equal parts illuminating and enraging. Definitely worth a read!
Enjoyable fantasy novel about Orhan the engineer who happens to find himself in a city under siege. Unfortunately for him, it somehow falls to him to figure out how to defend it. Amusing, interesting, and quite educational for anyone interested in siege warfare! I liked it.
Transform Your Artistic Skills and Unleash Your Creativity with
Figure Drawing: Rhythm and Language of …
Not instructive enough for my tastes
3 stars
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Figure Drawing: Rhythm and Language of the Human Form by Gabrielle Dahms.
The book begins with a short introduction, then covers a wide range of subjects pertaining to drawing the human figure, and ending with an index. Though text-heavy, it is interspersed by a number of drawings in various styles, showcasing different techniques.
This is not for beginners or those wanting to learn how to draw. I'm not entirely sure who the target audience is. I suspect the companion workbook is needed to gain any real benefit, as the author seems more concerned with theory and contemplation rather than hands-on lessons.
In all honesty, it reads more as a love-letter to figure drawing than a manual in how to actually accomplish it. It's not a particularly instructive book. I'm glad to have read it, but I personally prefer …
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Figure Drawing: Rhythm and Language of the Human Form by Gabrielle Dahms.
The book begins with a short introduction, then covers a wide range of subjects pertaining to drawing the human figure, and ending with an index. Though text-heavy, it is interspersed by a number of drawings in various styles, showcasing different techniques.
This is not for beginners or those wanting to learn how to draw. I'm not entirely sure who the target audience is. I suspect the companion workbook is needed to gain any real benefit, as the author seems more concerned with theory and contemplation rather than hands-on lessons.
In all honesty, it reads more as a love-letter to figure drawing than a manual in how to actually accomplish it. It's not a particularly instructive book. I'm glad to have read it, but I personally prefer a more didactic style.
Fangirl is a young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell, published in 2013. Fangirl is Rowell's …
Quite fun about fan-fiction
3 stars
Quick read about a young woman navigating her first year of college, whilst trying to finish her increasingly popular fan-fiction series. Add in burgeoning romantic feelings, her twin's withdrawal, some parental drama, and an ethical quandary, you get an engaging YA novel.
Excerpts from the Potteresque “Simon Snow” books, as well as snippets of Cather's fan-fiction, are interspersed throughout the text. Though, for me, it didn't quite stick the landing, it's an enjoyable read.
A singular new novel from Betty Trask Prize–winner Samantha Harvey, Orbital is an eloquent meditation …
Too meandering for my tastes
3 stars
This was so not for me, I'm shocked I finished it. A meandering contemplation of our planet as a group of astronauts aboard a spacecraft circle the Earth for multiple orbits.
Read for ruminations on the fragility and beauty of Earth as seen from space. Do not read for plot, characterization, dialogue, introspection or action, there is none. And, although the prose at times could be quite beautiful, most of the time it felt like wording for word's sake.
When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man …
Very good
4 stars
A retelling, or perhaps a reimagining rather, of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man that joins Huck for a portion of his adventure.
I really enjoyed this. The book is well-written, and James, in particular, is an agonisingly well-drawn character. The final lines gave me the good kind of chills. Read it, it's very good.
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Facial Expressions for Artists by Oliver Sin.
The book begins with a short preface of the importance of anatomy, and then dives right into the five chapters covering the skull and essential muscles of the head, anatomy of the eye, anatomy of the ear, mouth and nose, expressions and the ageing face, and finally capturing expressions. It ends with a four-page index.
This book is dense with text and beautiful drawings. Covering facial anatomy in-depth and with clarity, it's a book to return to time and time again, but it's absolutely not aimed at beginners. Confident artists who want to level up their portraits should immediately buy a copy and devour it, they won't regret it.
I'm buying a copy upon publication and will study it to the best of my ability, but in truth this is more …
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Facial Expressions for Artists by Oliver Sin.
The book begins with a short preface of the importance of anatomy, and then dives right into the five chapters covering the skull and essential muscles of the head, anatomy of the eye, anatomy of the ear, mouth and nose, expressions and the ageing face, and finally capturing expressions. It ends with a four-page index.
This book is dense with text and beautiful drawings. Covering facial anatomy in-depth and with clarity, it's a book to return to time and time again, but it's absolutely not aimed at beginners. Confident artists who want to level up their portraits should immediately buy a copy and devour it, they won't regret it.
I'm buying a copy upon publication and will study it to the best of my ability, but in truth this is more of an inspirational and aspirational work for me right now. Meanwhile, I'll be returning to Sin's previous book, "Drawing The Head For Artists" which is also fantastic but a little more accessible for my level.
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Debt-Free Art Degree: Foundations in Drawing by Marco Bucci. Caveat: a scant few illustrations were missing from my copy, so I've not seen every single picture contained within the final copy.
The book consists of a short introduction, then eight chapters covering 2D shapes, gesture drawing, 3D form and space, building the figure, capturing poses, shapes and characters, constructing the head, shading and lighting, and finally colour, before ending with a helpful index.
The introduction details Bucci's own journey and concludes with a helpful section on how to effectively study using the book. The chapters are very informative and thorough. So thorough, in fact, that I can in all honestly only give a cursory review. I'll really need time to absorb and study the information in order to fully understand it all.
The QR codes scattered throughout lead …
Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Debt-Free Art Degree: Foundations in Drawing by Marco Bucci. Caveat: a scant few illustrations were missing from my copy, so I've not seen every single picture contained within the final copy.
The book consists of a short introduction, then eight chapters covering 2D shapes, gesture drawing, 3D form and space, building the figure, capturing poses, shapes and characters, constructing the head, shading and lighting, and finally colour, before ending with a helpful index.
The introduction details Bucci's own journey and concludes with a helpful section on how to effectively study using the book. The chapters are very informative and thorough. So thorough, in fact, that I can in all honestly only give a cursory review. I'll really need time to absorb and study the information in order to fully understand it all.
The QR codes scattered throughout lead to some fantastic videos showing the concepts in a way that can be easier for some to absorb. I also really like that assignments are given at the end of each chapter. Another thing I really appreciated was Bucci using pictures of himself showing poses etc. throughout, it's helpful in reinforcing references are useful and that you can and should make them yourself.
This isn't a book for complete novices, but I believe any experienced beginners and those of higher skill levels will gain a lot from this book. I'm a somewhat experienced beginner and this is squarely aimed at my skill level and well above it. I can understand the concepts covered and studying this book will help me learn how to leverage them better.
I really, really, really liked this book. I'm buying a copy of this to add to my art library immediately.
Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors …
Would have liked more short-legged gander
3 stars
You get what it says on the tin with this one. A sprinkle of romance, some mild horror elements, a bit of cosiness, believable characters, and Kingfisher's signature pragmatic protagonists. While I vastly prefer her Paladin series this was an enjoyable read while I wait for the next White Rat book to be published. Could have done with a bit more fancy geese, but all in all, a nice read and I liked it.
This started out well, but lost steam around the halfway point. Too many characters to care for any in particular, and I barely know enough to spot the obvious Alexander the Great "nods"(Boukephalas, Sun's relationships with Hetty and Eirene) never mind the sly ones.
I felt it got bogged down by interminable "action scenes" described in excruciating detail, and I honestly just got bored. It's not a bad book, but not to my tastes and I read it during a period I needed distraction, not something I found myself avoiding picking up.
STEP INTO A UNIVERSE OF DARING ADVENTURE, THRILLING POWER, AND MULTIPLE LONDONS.
Kell is one …
Not the Schwab series for me
3 stars
I didn't care much for this. Kell was an OK if somewhat dull protagonist, but I found Delilah tediously annoying. Neither the magic system nor the various Londons were particularly interesting, and I found the plot a bit thin. It's a fair enough fantasy novel, but I'd rather try a different Schwab novel than continue this particular series.
A re-read of an old favourite, and I enjoyed it as much now as the first time. The writing is top-notch, the world building is delightful and so are the various characters.
If you're in need of a Victorian inspired romance featuring drawing-room politics and genteel manoeuvring you probably can't do better than Tooth and Claw.
What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired another self—a double who …
Glad I read it
4 stars
Not the book I was expecting but a stonking good read nonetheless. Klein is a clear, incisive and insightful writer, and gave me a lot to think about.
Though there is some levity, much of it is absolutely chilling as it takes an unflinching look at the state of the world. Klein is no doomsayer but… it's not looking good folks.
Decidedly worth reading, and a book I'll be ruminating on for a long time to come.
Fun fantasy romp involving assassins and shenanigans I can't mention because spoilers. My first P. Djèlí Clark book and I really enjoyed it. The characters were fun, the word building interesting and though it had a slight stumble here and there overall the pace was great. Will definitely be reading more of P. Djèlí Clark's writing, I can't wait to see what a full novel reads like.
